30 July 2007
Positive Dog Training
There is so much to understand about our dogs and if you can really concentrate on new and more efficient ways of dog training them then you will soon see that it really does work and they will start to listen to your commands. It is very important for you to find exactly what works with your dog, because they are all quite different. However, with that said, they are all the same when it comes to wanting their owners approval and rewards for doing a good job and listening to them. If you can be consistent with your dog by rewarding him each and every time that he does something right, then he will quickly pick up on the fact that you will be there to give him praise, along with treats ofcourse, and he will learn to do good all the time eventually. It is really not that complicated, even though sometimes it just feels so exhausting I know. I am certain that many of you have had your fair share of pets, including many stubborn dogs, or so that is what you call them. Well, the mistakes that you made with your dog, if things did not work out, all probably had to do with your negative dog training skills, which you might not have been aware of.
Dogs are very smart animals and they too, just like us, love to be appreciated and patted on the back when they do something well but some owners constantly fuss at their animals for everything that they do wrong, which is really a big mistake. It is important for you to find ways to get your dog to listen because if you stick with it every single time, eventually it will sink in and they will start doing what you want them to do. Most dogs absolutely love getting treats, so for potty training, this is something that is seriously a must. If you reward them with a dog treat each time that they go potty where they are supposed to, then chances are they will continue going in the right places and before you know it, you will have a well potty trained dog, in which you would probably want to brag on to everyone that comes around.
Dog training is not always easy and it can be so very tiring and aggravating, especially when your dog just does not seem to be catching on. The important thing to remember is to not give up on him, if you truly stick to your guns with this, he will finally catch on and once he does, he will be one well behaved dog that you can enjoy for a very long time. Finding as much information as you can about training your dog is very important and really do take it seriously because it is important to have a well behaved animal, you will be totally surprised by the results from all of the hard work.
26 July 2007
Crate Training - The Success Method
How do you train your puppy?
Here's 6 Steps to Successful Crate Training by Juliette Cunliffe
- Tell the puppy 'Crate time!' and place him in the create with a small treat (a piece of cheese or half of a biscuit). Let him stay in the crate for five minutes while out are in the same room. Then release him when he is fussing. Wait until he is quiet before you let him out.
- Repeat step 1 several times a day.
- The next day, place the puppy in the crate as before. Let him stay there for ten minutes. Do this several times.
- Continue building time in five minutes increments until the puppy stays in his crate for 30 minutes with you in the room. Always take him to his relief area after prolonged periods in his crate.
- Now go back to Step 1 and let the puppy stay in his crate for five minutes, this time while you are out of the room.
- Once again, build crate time in five-minute increments with you out of the room. When the puppy will stay willingly in his crate (he may even fall asleep!) for 30 minutes with you out of the room, he will be ready to stay in it for several hours at a time.
23 July 2007
My Dog Eats Grass
Don't be surprised if you dog eats grass. Grass eating is seldom harmful.
Many dogs will eat small amounts of couch grass regularly only for it to be vomited, covered in frothy saliva, a few minutes later. The grass eaten is to actually help relieve excess of digestive juices which accumulate in their stomach when it is empty.
If finding your dog eating grass is annoying and inconvenience, you can try giving your dog two or three small meals a day rather than one large meal. This will help to discourage the habit of your dog eating grass too often.
Do make sure the grass has not been sprayed with toxic chemical. If grass eating is prolong or persistent vomiting, and particularly if the vomit contains blood, you should bring you dog to the vet immediately.
21 July 2007
Homemade Dog Shampoo – Natural and Healthy!
Article by Jeremy C.W.
Keeping your dog clean and healthy is very important. Your dog needs to be groomed regularly, regardless of hair length. This keeps his coat clean and you can check for burrs, ticks, parasite or any matting. A long-haired dog should be groomed and brushed every day to distribute the oils that accumulate in their skin right down to the ends of their hair.
Frequent bathing is not necessary for most dogs. If a dog has a skin irritation, bathing too often can make it worse. Dogs can suffer from sunburn, mosquitoes, fleas, ticks and grass pollen allergy so sometimes a cool bath might alleviate the suffering. Heat, temperature changes and chemically treated sidewalks and roads can also bother a dog.
You can easily purchase dog shampoo from a veterinarian or from a pet store. Alternatively you can make it yourself. If you choose to use homemade shampoo on your dog, you will know exactly what it is in it and that it does not contain anything harsh or artificial.
The recipe for a homemade dog shampoo is as follows. There are several slight variants of this recipe around but they are pretty much the same. You should mix together a pint of liquid dishwashing soap (Ivory, Dawn or Dove are gentle enough), a pint of water, a pint of apple cider vinegar and 4 ounces of glycerine. You can buy glycerine at the pharmacy. Combine the ingredients until everything is mixed together well. Keep it in an airtight, easy to pour container and clearly label it. You can use one of your old shampoo bottles if you like.
If you want to make more at once or if you have several large dogs, you can make two or three times the amount at once, to save time. This recipe is very cheap. Soap, vinegar and glycerine should only cost a couple of dollars, if that, and water is free! Not only is this recipe easy to make and cheap, but you are using natural ingredients and not adding any chemicals which might cause skin reactions on your pet.
Many shop-bought dog shampoos contain harsh detergents such as SLS or SLA and artificial fragrances which might result in skin irritation. Shake the homemade dog shampoo before use to ensure the glycerine is mixed thoroughly. When your dog is in the tub, you should start washing the dog from the rear and move towards its head. If you start on the head, the dog will begin shaking and you (and the bathroom) will end up drenched before you have even started! Get the dog wet all over. Apply the homemade dog shampoo, lather it and rub in thoroughly making sure you don’t miss out any creases or rolls.
Do not apply your homemade shampoo or any shampoo in the ears! In fact, never poke anything into a dog’s ear. Make sure you rinse him thoroughly after the bath because any leftover residue might cause skin irritation. Also, a well rinsed coat will be shinier. The dog should then be towel dried. No matter how well you towel dry him, he will still insist on shaking water all over the place so you might want to keep him in the bathroom for a few minutes!