Dog Training: Pro Versus Self-Trained, Which is Best
By Allen Shaw
I thought that I would include this article on dog training as seen through the eyes of a
successful author.
Now that you have your new pooch, you need to train him. Yes you do, don’t argue with me. He’s not a human. He doesn’t get to do whatever he wants to do. He can’t poop where he feels like pooping. He can’t chew up whatever he wants. He needs to be trained, for your happiness and his. But should you do it yourself or should you have him professionally trained? The answer really depends on how much time you are willing to invest.
No matter the training (protection, behavior, search and rescue, tricks), you will invest a LOT of time training your pup…even if you have a professional do the training. If you have a professional train your dog, you will still have to follow up after he finishes basic training. You have to be consistent. You have to have patience. And you have to know what you’re doing, which is the mistake a lot of first-time dog owners make. They equate loving a new puppy with knowing how to take of and train a new pup. That’s where they make their first mistake.
If you’re going to train the dog yourself, there are a few basic commands every dog should know regardless of what type of training you give your new best friend. If Fido knows these commands and no other, and you work with him every day, he will be a well-behaved dog.
Come – this is the most important command your dog should understand (next to, “Don’t poop there!”). If Fido won’t come to you when called, he’s not an obedient dog.
Sit – Another important command is “Sit.” A dog that will sit when commanded is under the direct control of the owner.
Stay – “Stay” is often used in conjunction with “Sit.”
Down – All dogs need to know what it means when their master says “Down.” “Down” is often used for the over excitable pup who’s constantly jumping on people.
Go to bed – especially as pups, dogs tend to sleep when they want to. But if you don’t get your dog used to sleeping when you want him to sleep, you’ll deal with the “terrible twos” his entire life. If he knows what “Go to bed” means, he’ll sleep when you want him to. And if you’re smart, that will be when you go to sleep.
Drop it – “Drop it” is one of the most useful commands for your dog to know. Dogs tend to pick up everything in their mouths…remote controls, hats, sunglasses, little children. If you dog understands “Drop it,” you can make him drop your little brother whenever he’s using him as a chew toy.
Leave it and Take it – “Leave it” and “Take it” are used to teach dogs to pick up after themselves. Both are hard to teach, but very useful when you need a beer out of the fridge.
Heel – “Heel,” also “Close” or “By me,” is used to keep a dog right at the handler’s leg whether standing still or walking.
Okay – and “Okay” is your dog’s favorite command. Okay releases the dog from sit, stay, heel and so forth. “Okay” is also used to release the dog from training and lets him begin his favorite part of the day…playtime.
But most people want even more training for their dogs, whether it is for protection, sport or fun. For most advanced training, especially if you are a first-time dog owner, it’s best to let a professional handle it. They have the equipment, they have the know-how and they have the time. Most advanced training, especially personal protection training, requires spending hours upon hours with your dog on a daily basis. And let’s face it, most of us don’t have that kind of time. But just remember, no matter what kind of training you decide on, simple behavior training, protection, search and rescue or tricks, you will have to reinforce the training on a daily basis. If you’re not willing to do this, you won’t be a very happy owner…and it will be your fault. As corny as it sounds, a well trained dog equals a happy dog.
Allen Shaw is a successful author who provides information on dogs, dog training and puppies.
Sunday, 18 February 2007
Thursday, 08 February 2007
Labrador Retriever
As a companion, the Labrador Retriever is good-natured and gentle enough to accept the roughhousing of youngsters without returning it.
The Labrador has been America's most popular dog for many years in succession, and has featured at the top of the list of the ten most popular breeds in America for some time.
We will go over some of the basic characteristics of the Labrador Retriever to help you get a better understanding of the Labrador Retriever as a breed and possibly a new addition to your family. The purpose of this article is to improve the public’s knowledge about dogs, the Labrador Retriever in particular.
Labrador Retrievers have an abundance of self-control and loyalty, but they do not make very good watchdogs. If you really need a good watchdog get your Labrador a German Shepherd friend.
Obedience-trained Labradors as well as other breeds are being used as Therapy Dogs to enrich the lives of residents and even emotionally disturbed children in nursing homes.
Regular nail trimming is important. Nails that are not properly clipped can crack and split, which can lead to infection.
A regular trimming, at least once a week or every two weeks, will save both you and your Labrador Retriever a lot of pain and aggravation.
Purchase a good quality nail clipper. You might also want to purchase a clotting agent, such as Kwik-Stop, or even a styptic pen. Some times nails are clipped too short and bleeding occurs.
A good tip is to use a flashlight and shine through the back of the nail to locate the quirk. (Pink part of the nail), which is the live tissue inside the nail.
The suburbs may be the best of Labrador Retriever worlds, but its environment poses its own special set of problems. " Having a Labrador Retriever under one's "direct control" is, of course, an ambiguous phrase.
Residents do not always obey leash laws. Free-roving dogs often form packs or bite, a growing problem in many suburbs and villages.
In cities stray dogs are picked up promptly and impounded. The best and most humane way is to bring the dog into the house where it belongs, and can be more easily obedience-trained.
Newfoundland
Labradors originated from the coast of Newfoundland in the 17th Century. They were both known as Newfoundland dogs and it was not until 1812 that the larger breed was known as Newfoundlands, and the smaller as the lesser Newfoundland or Labrador. There are two portions to the Province, the Island of Newfoundland is located in the Gulf of St.Lawrence and Labrador is on the Eastern part of the Canadian mainland. Separated by the Strait of Belle Isle.
The Island of Newfoundland is 111,390 square kilometers and Labrador is 294,330 square kilometers making the total area of the Province 405,720 square kilometers.
People
People seem to believe that a hunting dog can be left outside and kenneled and yet not all hunting dogs make good "kennel dogs" and the Labrador Retriever is one of those. This is a breed that is a close relative of the Newfoundland, it is a people oriented dog with a natural desire to be with people. A Labrador retriever can also be trained as service dogs to assist people with special needs such as Autism, Epilepsy or any other seizures condition, visual impairment, physical handicap and so much more.
For physically handicapped people, they can retrieve certain things or do particular tasks for them.
Labs
Retrievers were originally bred as hungting dogs. They were taught to sit by the hunter and wait until game was shot and then retrieve it on command. This meant sometimes swimming through cold water or running through dense brush. Labs were also taught not to damage the game upon returning it to their master.
Working retrievers had no use for aggression since handling birds roughly or growling at other hunters goes against their friendly nature. They will gladly hunt with anyone, or play fetch with anyone who is willing. They tend to see everyone as a friend or potential playmate.
Labradors are sound insensitive so that the loud bang of a hunter's gun won't disturb them. Loud noise, such as that from children, does not tend to bother labs and yelling at them will generally not get a response.
Labs are large dogs, normally around fifty to seventyfive pounds.
Yellow labs can vary from nearly white to fox red, but the other two colors are pretty much all the same.
I am not the author of this article.
Unfortunately the authors name got lost and I apologize.
However, I have included this article to better understand the Labrador.
The Labrador has been America's most popular dog for many years in succession, and has featured at the top of the list of the ten most popular breeds in America for some time.
We will go over some of the basic characteristics of the Labrador Retriever to help you get a better understanding of the Labrador Retriever as a breed and possibly a new addition to your family. The purpose of this article is to improve the public’s knowledge about dogs, the Labrador Retriever in particular.
Labrador Retrievers have an abundance of self-control and loyalty, but they do not make very good watchdogs. If you really need a good watchdog get your Labrador a German Shepherd friend.
Obedience-trained Labradors as well as other breeds are being used as Therapy Dogs to enrich the lives of residents and even emotionally disturbed children in nursing homes.
Regular nail trimming is important. Nails that are not properly clipped can crack and split, which can lead to infection.
A regular trimming, at least once a week or every two weeks, will save both you and your Labrador Retriever a lot of pain and aggravation.
Purchase a good quality nail clipper. You might also want to purchase a clotting agent, such as Kwik-Stop, or even a styptic pen. Some times nails are clipped too short and bleeding occurs.
A good tip is to use a flashlight and shine through the back of the nail to locate the quirk. (Pink part of the nail), which is the live tissue inside the nail.
The suburbs may be the best of Labrador Retriever worlds, but its environment poses its own special set of problems. " Having a Labrador Retriever under one's "direct control" is, of course, an ambiguous phrase.
Residents do not always obey leash laws. Free-roving dogs often form packs or bite, a growing problem in many suburbs and villages.
In cities stray dogs are picked up promptly and impounded. The best and most humane way is to bring the dog into the house where it belongs, and can be more easily obedience-trained.
Newfoundland
Labradors originated from the coast of Newfoundland in the 17th Century. They were both known as Newfoundland dogs and it was not until 1812 that the larger breed was known as Newfoundlands, and the smaller as the lesser Newfoundland or Labrador. There are two portions to the Province, the Island of Newfoundland is located in the Gulf of St.Lawrence and Labrador is on the Eastern part of the Canadian mainland. Separated by the Strait of Belle Isle.
The Island of Newfoundland is 111,390 square kilometers and Labrador is 294,330 square kilometers making the total area of the Province 405,720 square kilometers.
People
People seem to believe that a hunting dog can be left outside and kenneled and yet not all hunting dogs make good "kennel dogs" and the Labrador Retriever is one of those. This is a breed that is a close relative of the Newfoundland, it is a people oriented dog with a natural desire to be with people. A Labrador retriever can also be trained as service dogs to assist people with special needs such as Autism, Epilepsy or any other seizures condition, visual impairment, physical handicap and so much more.
For physically handicapped people, they can retrieve certain things or do particular tasks for them.
Labs
Retrievers were originally bred as hungting dogs. They were taught to sit by the hunter and wait until game was shot and then retrieve it on command. This meant sometimes swimming through cold water or running through dense brush. Labs were also taught not to damage the game upon returning it to their master.
Working retrievers had no use for aggression since handling birds roughly or growling at other hunters goes against their friendly nature. They will gladly hunt with anyone, or play fetch with anyone who is willing. They tend to see everyone as a friend or potential playmate.
Labradors are sound insensitive so that the loud bang of a hunter's gun won't disturb them. Loud noise, such as that from children, does not tend to bother labs and yelling at them will generally not get a response.
Labs are large dogs, normally around fifty to seventyfive pounds.
Yellow labs can vary from nearly white to fox red, but the other two colors are pretty much all the same.
I am not the author of this article.
Unfortunately the authors name got lost and I apologize.
However, I have included this article to better understand the Labrador.
Children and Toy Dog Breeds: Fact Verses Fiction
By Bill Knell
Because my wife is a toy dog breeder, it isn’t unusual for her to get several calls a week from people who practically beg her to sell them a puppy. They cite their financial and social ability to care for the puppy and often try and avoid the question of children in the household. As a rule, my wife finds this humorous. People shouldn’t have to beg, fill out a twenty-page adoption application or hide the fact that they have children to purchase a puppy. It’s pet protection gone wild.
There isn’t an honest or ethical Dog Breeder in the world who would send a beloved pup to someone they had questions about. Unfortunately, it’s very difficult and not entirely lawful to make that kind of determination. In most States it’s technically illegal to provide some sort of ‘test’ for a consumer to be able to purchase a product. That comes later and isn‘t the responsibility of the Breeder. A good example of a similar situation would be buying a car.
If a person has the cash or credit to purchase a vehicle and possesses a current drivers license, they get a car or the dealership gets sued in most places. The dealership can’t run a check to see how many DWI summonses the person has had or how many times they have been convicted of speeding or some other moving violation. If they drive their new vehicle in an irresponsible manner, it’s up to the Police and Courts to decide if they should continue to do so.
There’s a lot of difference between a living thing and a vehicle, but not in the eyes of most state laws. If a Breeder feels that a puppy may be in danger, they can always take the chance of reporting the new owner to animal protection authorities. Those authorities will come to the owner’s home and check on the welfare of the puppy. If the puppy is not being properly cared for, it will likely be removed from the premises. However, most people that spend a substantial amount of money for a puppy are unlikely to mistreat or fail to care for it.
The quest for the perfect puppy owner is an obsession with many Toy Dog Breeders. I have always viewed these people as being selfish. They would keep every puppy if they could and probably have more dogs then they should already. This type of person will tend to restrict purebred registrations fearing that someone else might benefit from their years of careful breeding by having a litter of their own. Their concern for animal welfare extends well beyond the norm, has more to do with their personal obsessions then anything else and doesn’t take into consideration the joy a puppy can bring into a new owner’s life. Breeders like these have no real loyalty to their customers and view them as a necessary evil to move out extra pups they cannot keep.
If someone who is looking for a toy dog breed puppy can get past the egos and obsessions of these kinds of Breeders, the next hurdle they are likely to face is passing the ‘children’ test. Many toy dog breeders refuse to sell their pups to people with children under the age of sixteen. Some will actually refuse to sell a puppy to anyone with children under twenty-one living in their household. That’s ironic when children are likely to benefit the most from caring for a puppy.
Children are not the enemy when it comes to the health of toy dog breeds. The enemy is owner apathy. To my knowledge, more puppies have been injured in households where there are no children then in those where kids are a part of the puppy care process. That’s because adults are busy and will often forget to feed and water their animals, leave them unattended for too long in places or temperatures dangerous for them or place them with pet sitters who can’t even care for a goldfish, let alone a dog.
While it would be unwise to leave very young children alone with a puppy of any size, most children can easily be taught how to care for one. As a parent with seven children, I can attest to this. In the many years that my wife has been breeding toy dogs, not one of our puppies has ever been injured (and certainly none by our kids). Just the opposite. Our children have helped care for the puppies and alerted my wife if one seemed sluggish or might need a change of diet.
The most common argument made against allowing children access to toy dog breeds or most any puppy is that a child shouldn’t be allowed to learn responsibility at the cost of the health or life of an animal. While no one would argue with that logic, one wonders if that should apply to all animals, or just dogs. After all, pet stores sell tens of thousands of fish, small reptiles, rats, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters and snakes to children every day. Are the lives of those pets any less precious or valuable then that of dogs?
In reality, puppies and adult dogs are much easier to care for then fish, reptiles, rats, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters and snakes. It would seem an obvious mistake to ask a child to take on the responsibility of caring for a high maintenance pet when a puppy or adult dog is available. It’s also wrong to believe that toy dog breeds can be far more fragile then larger ones. For example, more German Shepards become ill or die each year from low blood sugar issues then any single toy breed, despite the fact that people often associate that problem with smaller breed dogs.
When it comes to children and puppies, it’s all about rules no matter what size breed is chosen. Children learn by example. If adults in the home are responsible with pets, the kids will follow that example. Simple things like cleaning up after, feeding, watering and securing the location of a puppy are essentials that any child can easily be taught. Every one of my children learned how to take care of dogs by watching us. It didn’t take long for them to understand the importance of feeding, watering and cleaning up after a pet on schedule. After watching us take care of our dogs, they wanted to take part in the process and were happy to lend a hand. Our younger children learned from our older kids.
When considering the addition of a puppy to a household of any size, there are some basic considerations. The first and foremost being the ability of household members to train, care for and spend quality time with a pet. Puppies are not play things for people of any age. They are living creatures capable of a surprising number of feelings and emotions. The next important consideration is how all the members of your household will react to a new pet. Will the puppy be a welcomed addition, or a point of contention and jealousy? A puppy should bring joy into the lives of people, not more problems.
If the members of your household all agree that a puppy would be a good addition to the family and they are ready, willing and able to meet the emotional and physical requirements of a puppy, then start your search. However, it’s important for children and adults alike to understand that puppies and adult dogs need care, love and attention everyday of the year. Their needs do not take a break for vacations, holidays, school or work schedules.
Puppies of any size or breed can bring a huge amount of joy into a household. It’s wrong to believe that children are a threat to a toy dog’s safety or quality of life. More puppies of all sizes are killed or injured each year by falling or accidentally being flung out of cars and trucks then have ever been injured by children. That’s because adults fail to properly secure their pets in a vehicle. We’ve all seen the idiots who think it’s cute to allow their pets to hang out the window or be bounced around like loose groceries in the back of a van, SUV or pick-up.
If you ask them, most veterinarians will tell you that the vast majority of injuries to dogs of any size are caused by adults, not children. If injuries do occur because a child failed to secure their animal properly or got involved with some sort of rough play during which a pet was injured, they are far out-numbered by injuries involving dogs being watched or cared for by adults. After examining statistics compiled by various veterinarian organizations, rescue groups, breeders and government entities, I’ve found that more puppies and dogs die each year during routine teeth cleaning procedures in veterinary offices then are injured by children.
In the end, it’s not about the children, it’s about the adults in a household. If you do not have time to spend with your children, do not even consider bringing a puppy in as a replacement for your attention. You will not have the time needed to supervise your child as they learn to care for and train their new pet. If you do have enough time to teach your kids how to care for a puppy and supervise them throughout the process, it can be a wonderful experience for everyone involved (including the puppy).
Author: Bill Knell Author's Email: billknell@cox.net Author's Website: http://www.billknell.com. Terms To Use Article: Permission is granted to use this article for free online or in print. Please add a link to or print my website address of http://www.billknell.com.
A native New Yorker now living in Arizona, Bill Knell is a forty-something guy with a wealth of knowledge and experience. He's written hundreds of articles offer advice on a wide variety of subjects. A popular Speaker, Bill Knell presents seminars on a number of topics that entertain, train and teach. A popular radio and television show Guest, you've heard Bill on thousands of top-rated shows in all formats and seen him on local, national and international television programs.
Because my wife is a toy dog breeder, it isn’t unusual for her to get several calls a week from people who practically beg her to sell them a puppy. They cite their financial and social ability to care for the puppy and often try and avoid the question of children in the household. As a rule, my wife finds this humorous. People shouldn’t have to beg, fill out a twenty-page adoption application or hide the fact that they have children to purchase a puppy. It’s pet protection gone wild.
There isn’t an honest or ethical Dog Breeder in the world who would send a beloved pup to someone they had questions about. Unfortunately, it’s very difficult and not entirely lawful to make that kind of determination. In most States it’s technically illegal to provide some sort of ‘test’ for a consumer to be able to purchase a product. That comes later and isn‘t the responsibility of the Breeder. A good example of a similar situation would be buying a car.
If a person has the cash or credit to purchase a vehicle and possesses a current drivers license, they get a car or the dealership gets sued in most places. The dealership can’t run a check to see how many DWI summonses the person has had or how many times they have been convicted of speeding or some other moving violation. If they drive their new vehicle in an irresponsible manner, it’s up to the Police and Courts to decide if they should continue to do so.
There’s a lot of difference between a living thing and a vehicle, but not in the eyes of most state laws. If a Breeder feels that a puppy may be in danger, they can always take the chance of reporting the new owner to animal protection authorities. Those authorities will come to the owner’s home and check on the welfare of the puppy. If the puppy is not being properly cared for, it will likely be removed from the premises. However, most people that spend a substantial amount of money for a puppy are unlikely to mistreat or fail to care for it.
The quest for the perfect puppy owner is an obsession with many Toy Dog Breeders. I have always viewed these people as being selfish. They would keep every puppy if they could and probably have more dogs then they should already. This type of person will tend to restrict purebred registrations fearing that someone else might benefit from their years of careful breeding by having a litter of their own. Their concern for animal welfare extends well beyond the norm, has more to do with their personal obsessions then anything else and doesn’t take into consideration the joy a puppy can bring into a new owner’s life. Breeders like these have no real loyalty to their customers and view them as a necessary evil to move out extra pups they cannot keep.
If someone who is looking for a toy dog breed puppy can get past the egos and obsessions of these kinds of Breeders, the next hurdle they are likely to face is passing the ‘children’ test. Many toy dog breeders refuse to sell their pups to people with children under the age of sixteen. Some will actually refuse to sell a puppy to anyone with children under twenty-one living in their household. That’s ironic when children are likely to benefit the most from caring for a puppy.
Children are not the enemy when it comes to the health of toy dog breeds. The enemy is owner apathy. To my knowledge, more puppies have been injured in households where there are no children then in those where kids are a part of the puppy care process. That’s because adults are busy and will often forget to feed and water their animals, leave them unattended for too long in places or temperatures dangerous for them or place them with pet sitters who can’t even care for a goldfish, let alone a dog.
While it would be unwise to leave very young children alone with a puppy of any size, most children can easily be taught how to care for one. As a parent with seven children, I can attest to this. In the many years that my wife has been breeding toy dogs, not one of our puppies has ever been injured (and certainly none by our kids). Just the opposite. Our children have helped care for the puppies and alerted my wife if one seemed sluggish or might need a change of diet.
The most common argument made against allowing children access to toy dog breeds or most any puppy is that a child shouldn’t be allowed to learn responsibility at the cost of the health or life of an animal. While no one would argue with that logic, one wonders if that should apply to all animals, or just dogs. After all, pet stores sell tens of thousands of fish, small reptiles, rats, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters and snakes to children every day. Are the lives of those pets any less precious or valuable then that of dogs?
In reality, puppies and adult dogs are much easier to care for then fish, reptiles, rats, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters and snakes. It would seem an obvious mistake to ask a child to take on the responsibility of caring for a high maintenance pet when a puppy or adult dog is available. It’s also wrong to believe that toy dog breeds can be far more fragile then larger ones. For example, more German Shepards become ill or die each year from low blood sugar issues then any single toy breed, despite the fact that people often associate that problem with smaller breed dogs.
When it comes to children and puppies, it’s all about rules no matter what size breed is chosen. Children learn by example. If adults in the home are responsible with pets, the kids will follow that example. Simple things like cleaning up after, feeding, watering and securing the location of a puppy are essentials that any child can easily be taught. Every one of my children learned how to take care of dogs by watching us. It didn’t take long for them to understand the importance of feeding, watering and cleaning up after a pet on schedule. After watching us take care of our dogs, they wanted to take part in the process and were happy to lend a hand. Our younger children learned from our older kids.
When considering the addition of a puppy to a household of any size, there are some basic considerations. The first and foremost being the ability of household members to train, care for and spend quality time with a pet. Puppies are not play things for people of any age. They are living creatures capable of a surprising number of feelings and emotions. The next important consideration is how all the members of your household will react to a new pet. Will the puppy be a welcomed addition, or a point of contention and jealousy? A puppy should bring joy into the lives of people, not more problems.
If the members of your household all agree that a puppy would be a good addition to the family and they are ready, willing and able to meet the emotional and physical requirements of a puppy, then start your search. However, it’s important for children and adults alike to understand that puppies and adult dogs need care, love and attention everyday of the year. Their needs do not take a break for vacations, holidays, school or work schedules.
Puppies of any size or breed can bring a huge amount of joy into a household. It’s wrong to believe that children are a threat to a toy dog’s safety or quality of life. More puppies of all sizes are killed or injured each year by falling or accidentally being flung out of cars and trucks then have ever been injured by children. That’s because adults fail to properly secure their pets in a vehicle. We’ve all seen the idiots who think it’s cute to allow their pets to hang out the window or be bounced around like loose groceries in the back of a van, SUV or pick-up.
If you ask them, most veterinarians will tell you that the vast majority of injuries to dogs of any size are caused by adults, not children. If injuries do occur because a child failed to secure their animal properly or got involved with some sort of rough play during which a pet was injured, they are far out-numbered by injuries involving dogs being watched or cared for by adults. After examining statistics compiled by various veterinarian organizations, rescue groups, breeders and government entities, I’ve found that more puppies and dogs die each year during routine teeth cleaning procedures in veterinary offices then are injured by children.
In the end, it’s not about the children, it’s about the adults in a household. If you do not have time to spend with your children, do not even consider bringing a puppy in as a replacement for your attention. You will not have the time needed to supervise your child as they learn to care for and train their new pet. If you do have enough time to teach your kids how to care for a puppy and supervise them throughout the process, it can be a wonderful experience for everyone involved (including the puppy).
Author: Bill Knell Author's Email: billknell@cox.net Author's Website: http://www.billknell.com. Terms To Use Article: Permission is granted to use this article for free online or in print. Please add a link to or print my website address of http://www.billknell.com.
A native New Yorker now living in Arizona, Bill Knell is a forty-something guy with a wealth of knowledge and experience. He's written hundreds of articles offer advice on a wide variety of subjects. A popular Speaker, Bill Knell presents seminars on a number of topics that entertain, train and teach. A popular radio and television show Guest, you've heard Bill on thousands of top-rated shows in all formats and seen him on local, national and international television programs.
Saturday, 03 February 2007
Adopting a Dog and Dog Training
Adopting a dog from an animal shelter is very rewarding for the new owner, as more and more dogs are put to sleep if they are unable to find a home after a certain length of time. You are rewarded in the way that you have saved a dogs life, and additionally rewarded the animal shelter by helping them feed and look after the other dogs, and also that they have managed to save a dogs life and find it a new loving home.
When you purchase one from a shelter, it should have had the necessary injections, be checked for diseases and parasites and the new owner should be informed of the dog’s temperament and past history. This should come as standard.
The dogs at a shelter are not always strays and abandoned dogs, but quite a high percentage are handed in by the dog’s owners, for many reasons. This is beneficial for the new dog’s owner as they have more information about its history, whereas abandoned or strays have no history.
New owners should be informed of the dog’s behavior with children, if it is a noisy dog, and also whether or not the dog needs training, and if so pointed in the right direction for a dog training school.
Animal shelters provide a valuable service to the community by helping to keep the streets free of abandoned pets, and are mainly funded by the public, but the majority is voluntary. Adopting a dog, not only saves the life of one dog, but also allows space for another off the streets, potentially saving another dog’s life in the future.
With regards to Dog Training, one of the most important outcomes of dog training is to teach your dog that your are his or her master and that you are in control, which in the long round will take a lot of stress from your dog and allow them to lead a healthier and happier lifestyle. This is especially true of older dogs that have got into bad habits. Always carry on teaching your dog after training school, as it is like doing homework, if you do not practice it, you will not know it for the future, and therefore all of that hard work and time will have gone to waste.
About The Author
Paul Callis is a long time keeper of dogs, and has put together a very informative resource site on dog training that can be located at http://www.abc-dogtraining.info.
Achieving Dog Training Success With The 18 "Don'ts" Rules
A well-train dog usually leads a happier and healthier life and its owner also can enjoy a trouble-free life long companion. Dog training - basic obedience, house and potty training are therefore essential and important to a dog’s education.
The conventional method of dog training tips and guide would be to list a series of things that you should “Do” and you might even know the A-Z of dog training! But sometimes what should be done can be said best by telling what should not be done. Hope you agree with me!
This article seeks to list 18 “Don’t” when you train your dog. The reasons for the don'ts will become evident as the lessons continue and each one is based upon the distinctive psychology of the dog's mind.
1. DON'T punish your dog while you are angry or lack control of yourself.
2. DON'T punish your dog with the lead or any instrument of training or anything he should associate with duty or pleasure.
3. DON'T sneak up on your dog or grab him from the rear.
4. DON'T chase your dog to catch him; he must come to you or run after you.
5. DON'T coax your dog to you and then turn upon him with the whip. You will regret the deception.
6. DON'T trick or fool or taunt your dog. It is cruel and inconsistent to tease your dog to come to you when he can not.
7. DON'T punish a dog by stepping on his paws needlessly. They are exceedingly sensitive. Don't twist his ears playfully or otherwise. Never strike him on the backbone, in the face or on the ears.
8. DON'T grab your dog or reach for him quickly. He should never fear his master, should not be made nervous by his master, and should feel that punishment given is deserved.
9. DON'T nag your dog; don't be giving orders to him constantly; don't pester him with your shoutings.
10. DON'T praise a dog for doing a certain act, then at a later time, scold him for doing the same act. If you permit him to bite your toes today and think it fun, do not strike him for doing it tomorrow, when you are not in good humor. Consistency is a chief virtue in dog training.
11. DON'T train your dog immediately or soon after he has eaten.
12. DON'T lose patience with a puppy younger than six months. Never throw or kick a puppy nor lift him by the head or leg or skin of the neck.
13. DON'T train him in feats requiring much strength or endurance until he is at least six months old.
14. DON'T work your dog without some short rest or play periods during training. A five-minute rest for every fifteen minutes of training is desirable.
15. DON'T permit everyone to give commands to your dog. While you are training him, he must be a one-man dog, depending on you alone to feed him and care for him.
16. DON'T consider tricks the chief end or the chief part of training. Usefulness is the object sought in all instruction of the dog. Acts that spring naturally from the dog's instincts are to be fostered.
17. DON'T expect your dog to be a wonderful dog after a few weeks of training; four months to a year may be necessary in order to make the master proud of him, but the work is worth the effort. Training never ends.
18. DON'T jump to the conclusion that your dog is dumb. He may differ with you believing that the trainer should know more than the dog.
To end, try to remember these 18 Don’ts rules, enjoy training your dog and most importantly have lots of fun along the way!
About the Author
Moses Chia is a dog lover and owner of DogsObedienceTraining.com – The dog training resource site for a happier and healthier dog. You are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.
Thursday, 01 February 2007
PET OBESITY
A pet’s weight cannot be evaluated by just measuring the weight. It is more appropriate to observe the physical condition of the pet by comparing it with one of its own breed or species. The overall appearance of the pet is of prime importance since the ideal weight is very varied in case of pets or for that matter in all animals, in judging the obesity factor.
A scale of body condition scores is used in observation of physical condition of a pet. The body condition score is normally between 5 and 9, and a score of 7 is optimal or ideal. This score is assigned after observing a pets build, fat coverage on rib cage and the waist. Other factors that influence this score are sex, breed, age and life style.
Some observations that can help in your own assessment of your pet are suggested. The ribs should not be visible to the eye but should be easily felt without pressing. The stomach or the abdominal area should be tucked in. These simple tests or feels can be reviewed at home if the owner can objectively record the same. A veterinarian would be required for advice if you find that your pet does not possess the much sought after hour-glass physique. The owner should have a good reference point to infer the results from his observations, i.e. he should have good knowledge and information about the general physical appearance of the species of his pet.
Obesity decreases the life span of your pet, and an overweight pet is generally not healthy. Obesity may lead to diabetes, arthritis, heart complications, endocrinal diseases and bad joints. The medication for these conditions is also seriously compromised due to underlying obesity factors and age.
You pet is overweight because of the simple reason that it has more to eat and not enough exercise. The over feeding trend arises from the owners special way of showing love and care to their pets It is very important to keep tabs on the feeding habits of your pet. Many pet food packs carry a dosage level instruction, but it cannot be really depended upon. It is the owner who has to decide how much feed the pet since a lot of other factors like life style, exercise, activities, age etc. Most animals tend to overeat given the opportunity, curbing it is the owner’s responsibility. Taking advice from a veterinarian in regard to determining the pets ideal weight, creating a weight loss and maintenance plan, would be a good start.
American Pit Bull Dog Obedience Training
The Pit Bull terrier is an amazing dog and is extremely energetic and can certainly prove to be a handful if not properly trained. American Pit Bulls are extremely loyal and when a relationship is formed, it lasts forever. If you're a new Pit Bull owner, you really need to understand how demanding these dogs can be and realize that they need a lot of attention and training in order to recognize their full potential as pets. Pits are very intelligent dogs and this will work to your advantage as you're going through the training process.
Because of their high intelligence, Pit Bulls can have stubborn streak in them but don't let this scare you when it comes to obedience training time. You as the owner must remember that there will be times when you ask him to do something and he's not going to obey, even though he knows what you are expecting him to do. Remember to remain patient in these times and don't get frustrated. The earlier you being training your Pit, the better. At 8 weeks of age, you can begin basic training and socializing your Pit Bull puppy. Remember, make sure to keep the training activities fun and use positive reinforcements to encourage desired behavior.
Socialization is one of the key areas of focus for Pit Bull training. Pits can be extremely friendly and affectionate animals but they can be dog aggressive if not properly socialized. The best way to socialize your pup is to enroll in training classes. Training classes allow your Pit to be trained side by side with other dogs.
When your Pit Bull puppy reaches the age of 13-16 weeks, you can begin a more serious training routine. During this age, your Pit will likely test his boundries with you and explore the area of dominance. He may nip and try to assume the alpha dog role. It is important to be strong during this time and maintain the dominant role in the relationship.
Pit Bulls are genuinely lovable family dogs that if properly trained, make a great pet for anyone. They are excellent dogs that love being around their "people". Be sure to train your Pit Bull as early as possible and remember to stay consistent.
About the author:
To learn all about American Pitbull Terriers and training a Pitbull, visit http://www.pitbullsrevealed.com/ today.
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