CANINE VIRAL DISEASES

The incidence of fatal diseases in dogs has luckily been drastically reduced over the last few years thanks to improvements in vaccines, quarantine laws and increased knowledge of what they actually are and consequently how they can be prevented. There are several serious diseases that may prove fatal in dogs but their risk of catching any of these can be greatly reduced by proper vaccination (with the exception of rabies, which is controlled in Australia, Britain and some other countries by strict quarantine regulations).

Canine Hepatitis
This virus is a highly contagious disease transmitted only to dogs and should not be confused with hepatitis in man. Primarily it affects the liver, kidneys and lining of the blood vessels.

Infectious canine hepatitis presents a variety of signs and symptoms that range from those of a mild infection to one of an extreme and rapidly fatal infection. At times it is difficult to distinguish from distemper. A few days after a dog is exposed, the virus multiplies in the dogs tissues and is shed through its stool, saliva and urine, which is extremely infectious to other dogs.

Convalescing dogs or those that have recovered may shed the virus through their urine for several months. Puppies are especially at risk although dogs of all ages are susceptible. In the fatal form affected dogs can suddenly become ill developing bloody diarrhea, collapsing and dying.

In mild cases the dog simply appears lethargic or below normal health and shows a lack of appetite. In acute cases the dog may run a fever reaching 106 degrees F. The dog passes bloody diarrhea, may vomit blood and will refuse to eat. Movement is painful and the dog can show a "tucked-up" belly, which is caused by a painful swelling of the liver. The eyes may be sensitive to light causing squinting.

Canine Distemper
A virus similar to the germ that causes measles in people causes this disease and world-wide it is the leading cause of infectious disease deaths in dogs.
The distemper can live for many years in a frozen state. During spring, the virus thaws out perhaps accounting for the higher incidence of distemper during spring months.

Distemper can attack virtually all the dog's body tissues and so has a wide range of symptoms. It is more common in younger animals but can occur at any age. The overall condition of the dog has a lot to do with how sick the dog gets and it is more severe in poorly nourished and ill-kept dogs. Although dogs can, and do, recover they seldom return to normal once the virus has reached the nervous system and brain.
The disease begins with a fever and loss of appetite, with a watery discharge from the eyes and nose, accompanied by coughing, vomiting and/or diarrhea and general lethargy. Fits, nervous twitching and finally paralysis can follow this. Distemper can also cause a hardening of the nose and pads, hence its original name hard pad.

Canine Parvovirus
This disease has a special affinity for attacking rapidly reproducing cells – such as those lining the intestinal tract, bone marrow, lymph nodes and heart. The virus, which is highly contagious, is transmitted from one dog to another via contaminated droplets and faeces.

It can be carried on the dog’s hair and feet, as well as on contaminated cages, shoes and other objects. Dogs of all ages are affected, but the highest mortality occurs among puppies less than five months of age.

Two main syndromes are recognized:
1. Diarrhea Syndrome (Enteritis)
After an incubation period of seven to fourteen days, the first signs are severe depression with loss of appetite, followed by vomiting. The dog appears to be in extreme pain, with a tucked-up abdomen.
Within 24 hours a high fever develops and profuse diarrhea that is frequently bloody. Almost no other disease produces such devastating symptoms.
2. Cardiac Syndrome (Myocarditis)
This form of Parvovirus affects the muscle of the heart, especially in puppies less than 3 months of age. Puppies with myocarditis stop nursing, cry out and gasp for breath. Death can occur suddenly or in a few days. Puppies that recover sometimes develop a chronic form of congestive heart failure that leads to death in weeks or months.

The quarters where an infected is or has been kept should be cleaned and thoroughly disinfected. This is an extremely hardy virus that resists most household cleaners. The best disinfectant is Clorox (one part to thirty parts of water).

Infectious Tracheobronchitis (Kennel Cough)
This is a highly contagious disease of dogs that spreads rapidly through a kennel. A harsh dry cough is the characteristic sign of the illness. The cough may persist for many weeks and become a chronic problem due to secondary infection.

A number of viruses have been implicated in the kennel cough complex. Two of these are immunized against through the normal yearly vaccination from your vet.

Dogs Health - Parasites Control

Parasites can be classified either as external or internal parasites.

External Parasites

FLEAS
Fleas can cause a widespread allergic skin irritation in your dog. Moreover, the ubiquitous flea is part of the life cycle of the tapeworm, so apart from his external problems with fleas, your dog may develop internal parasites as well.

Fleas are happy on other hosts and that may be you! It's always appreciated that fleas spend a lot of time off the dog and they'll snuggle happily into carpets, baseboards, bedding and so on. So you'll have to de-flea not only the dog but also his environment too.

You can often see the fleas (brownish jumping creatures) running around a light colored dog or, more easily, spot their faeces (black specs) in the fur. To deter them, dust the dog with flea powder or use an aerosol. Start at the dog’s extremities and work towards the middle and brush out when the treatment has been applied to the entire dog. Treat regularly to prevent them moving back in! This should include bathing the dog with a combined shampoo/flea control product as well using a flea powder, spray or flea collar. The dog's bedding should also be treated. All instructions should be followed carefully and only those products intended for dogs should be useful. If an irritation persists, then the owner should take the dog to the veterinarian.

TICKS
Ticks can be a problem during the summer months especially for those living near bush land. If left untreated ticks can make your dog very sick, and in some cases can even be fatal.

Ticks that are feeding on a dog look like small grayish warts with tiny legs at the head end. Upon becoming fully engorged they can grow up to one centimeter long and become reddish colored.

Remove ticks with tweezers but ensure you pull the tick out whole. If you suspect your dog has become sick due to ticks, take him to a Veterinarian as soon as possible.

INTERNAL PARASITES

THE ROUNDWORM
Dogs are easily infected with roundworm from their environment, which is often contaminated from other dogs. Puppies are almost invariably born with roundworm infections acquired from their mother during pregnancy. Because of the particular action of this worm, it is very difficult to prevent infection being passed from mother to puppy. However, the problem can be greatly reduced by regularly worming the mother. Worm prior to mating, during pregnancy and while nursing pups, paying particular attention to hygiene. Also start treatment of puppies at an early age.
A heavy infestation of roundworms can make a puppy feel very unwell, with symptoms including coughing, irregularity of bowels, vomiting, pot belly and diarrhea. The worms are grayish white in color and in shape resemble a common earth worm. They can occasionally be seen in the puppy's droppings after worming, but are more usually seen when vomited.

THE HOOKWORM
Although much smaller than the roundworm, the hookworm can have a serious effect on your dog's health. It occurs in the intestine and actually lives on blood, and for this reason a severe infection can cause anemia, weakness and even death of your pet.

Regular treatment of this dangerous worm is vital, as re-infection can occur rapidly and very easily especially during warm humid times of the year and it can be readily passed through milk from mother to puppy.

THE WHIPWORM
Named whipworm because of its resemblance to a stock whip, this worm is only a problem to dogs over 12 weeks of age. Infected dogs periodically develop an unpleasantly smelly diarrhea, which may include blood flecks and may even cause death. The worm is passed via the dog's droppings, and the eggs remain capable of infecting your pet for very long periods.

THE FLEA TAPEWORM
The flea tapeworm infects 70% of dogs. As the name implies, this worm goes through a development stage in the flea. Infection occurs when your dog grooms itself and swallows an infected flea.

This worm is picked up when fleas are common during the warmer months. Irritation to your pet produces "scooting" (rubbing their bottom on the ground). The most effective treatment is to keep your pet free of both fleas and worms.
Pups should be wormed every fourteen days until twelve weeks of age and then monthly until six months. An adult dog should be wormed at least every three months. The feeding of garlic is highly recommended in the control of worms.

HEARTWORM
Heartworm, as the name implies is caused by is a worm called Dirofilaria immitis. The heartworms are found in the right ventricle of the heart and the pulmonary arteries. The female worm may be up to a foot long; the male is about half that size. One dog may have dozens of worms. Heartworms live up to five years and during this time the females produce millions of larvae called microfilaria. These microfilaria live in the bloodstream, and may be concentrated in the spleen. The larvae go through a series of molts on their way to becoming an adult heartworm. One of the molts occurs in the salivary gland of the mosquito. Larvae cannot complete their entire life cycle in the dog; they must pass through a mosquito on their way to becoming an adult heartworm. Many species of mosquitoes can transmit heartworms. The female mosquito bites the infected dog and ingests the microfilariae during a blood meal. The microfilariae develop in the mosquito into the infective stage. The microfilariae are now called infective larvae. At this stage of development they will grow to adulthood when they are passed to a dog. The infective larvae enter the bloodstream of the dog when the mosquito bites it. They grow to adulthood in two to three months and start reproducing, thereby completing the life cycle. It only takes one mosquito carrying larvae to infect a dog with this potentially fatal disease.

Canine heartworm disease occurs worldwide. In the United States, it was once limited to the South. Due to our increased mobility, and people vacationing and wintering in infected areas the problem is now seen wherever there are mosquitoes.

Adult worms restrict the blood flow leaving the heart. They also interfere with the heart valves. The net effect is to reduce circulation to the vital organs. This leads to organ failure and ultimately death. Dogs infected with heartworms do not show signs right away. By the time symptoms develop, the disease is well advanced. The symptoms depend on the number of heartworms present, the duration of the infection, and the extent of damage to the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys.

Most dogs with heartworm disease have a chronic, dry cough. You may also notice your pet has shortness of breath, weakness, and loss of stamina. The symptoms may be worse following exertion or excitement. The diagnosis of heartworm disease needs to be made by your veterinarian.

Heartworm disease is treated using a drug called caparsolate. This compound contains arsenic, and can be quite toxic to some dogs. The goal is to give enough of the drug to kill the heartworms, but not harm the dog. Caparsolate treatment is widely used and can be safely given if the animal is healthy in all other respects. A newer drug called Immiticide is now available. This compound appears to be safer than caparsolate for some dogs. Both treatment options usually require the dog to be hospitalized for a few days.

Nevertheless, the golden rule of prevention is better than cure should always be adhered to. Medications such as heartgard are available to help prevent your dog from being infected with heartworm.

Dog Problems - Jumping Up

I'm sure most of you must have had the experience of your dog jumping up on you or your guest. If it's a big dog, it can most certainly knock you down. There are three good dog training methods, which you can try to get your dog to stop jumping up on you or your guests. If you try one and it fails, try another. One of them should work, provided you practice it consistently for at least six straight weeks whenever the dog jumps up.

Method A: Holding the dog's paws

The following method works best to stop your dog from jumping up on you. (Do not use this method if your dog has shown any aggressive tendencies).
1. Call your dog over to you. If it jumps up, calmly but firmly grasp its front paws, one in each hand, and do not let go. Talk to the dog calmly and do not get emotional, but make sure not to let go.
2. After a few seconds, the dog will want its paws back. Do not let go yet. Just keep talking calmly. Even if it whines or mouths your hands, keep hold.
3. After eight or ten seconds, your dog will be very annoyed and will really want you to release it. At that point, let go and simultaneously say "OFF". When the dog's front feet touch the ground, say "Good Off", and then really praise it.
4. Wait a few minutes, then call the dog over again. If it jumps up on you, repeat the exercise. Most dogs will very quickly learn not to jump on you if you use this method.
5. Have all members of the household practice this method, provided they are strong enough to hold onto the dog's paws. The very young may have difficulty with this.

Method B: Using a spray bottle

For this method, you will need to purchase several plant sprayer bottles. Fill them with water, and adjust them so that they emit a tight stream of water. Place them in areas of the home where they are easily accessible, and where the jumping is most likely to occur.
1. Call your dog over to you (making sure to have a spay bottle in hand). If your dog jumps up on you, immediately spray it in the mouth and nose with the water while saying "OFF" When its front feet touch the floor, say "Good Off", then praise it.
2. Repeat the exercise in a few minutes. Your dog should learn very quickly not to continue jumping up on you.
3. Have all members of the family as well as frequent visitors practice this exercise. Do not allow young children to make a game out of spraying the dog; this would be cruel and counterproductive to the behavioral modification that you are trying to invoke.

Method C: Using a leash and collar

Some dogs will not jump up onto you, but will do so onto others who approach it, particularly during walks. This method works best with these types of dogs.
1. Have a friend wait for you about a block or two down the street.
2. Clip your dog's leash onto its training collar, then go out for a walk.
3. Approach your friend. The moment your dog begins to jump up, give the leash a firm, quick pop toward your knees, while saying "NO, OFF". At the same time, the friend should back away a few steps. Do not become emotional; simply use a firm, commanding tone of voice.
4. Next, ask your dog to sit. As soon as it does, have your friend pet it, and give it a treat. You want your dog to eventually realize that sitting is the proper position to be in when being greeted. Whenever the dog jumps up, correct it with a firm pop on the leash; whenever it sits to be greeted, have your friend praise it. Soon, the dog will be conditioned to perform the behavior that receives the more pleasant response, namely the pet on the head, rather than the "pop" of the leash.
5. An alternative to this method is to have two leashes clipped to the dog's collar when approaching the friend. When you are close to the friend, stop, step on the loose leash so that there is little slack in it, then have the friend come up and pet the dog. If it tries to jump up, the leash you have your foot on will instantly become taut, preventing the dog from jumping up. Be sure to maintain a grip on the other leash, to prevent the dog from running away.

Remember that, whichever technique you choose, it must be practiced consistently for at least six weeks, the period of time it takes to permanently modify a behavior in a dog. If you are diligent, you should be able to stop this annoying habit in its tracks.

Dog Problems - Aggression

Dogs aggression can be categorized into:
1. aggression towards other dogs,
2. aggression towards visitors,
3. aggression towards moving objects
4. possessive aggression

AGGRESSION TOWARDS OTHER DOGS
• If you see another dog approaching when walking your dog try to get your dog to focus his attention on you by making him work for you in some way. Try to do this before your dog has already eyed up the other dog.
• Do not yell at your dog or the other dog, this will only create aggravation, your dog will only get more worked up and associate this with other dogs. He will immediately start getting upset when he sees another dog anticipating your reaction.
• If you have a large dog, which you feel may attack another dog while on the leash, use a halt to control him.

AGGRESSION TOWARDS VISITORS
• When visitors call, shut your dog in another room until you have achieved control.
• Arrange for someone to visit that you know will not be frightened of the dog and will follow your instructions to assist with training. The first step is to tell this person not to respond to the dog by either yelling at it or making a fuss, either one will get the dog excited which is exactly the opposite reaction you want.
• In the first session put the dog out of the room and bring him in when the 'visitor' has sat down. Talk quietly for a few minutes ignoring the dog then end the visit. Repeat this process a few times until the 'visitor' can be met at the door. It is important that the dog is taught to sit beside you at the door when someone calls, teach him to do this and not bark and jump at the door or rush forward as the visitor walks
• Until you have gained this control each time you get a real visitor put the dog out so that he is only learning from the situation you control.

AGGRESSION TOWARDS MOVING OBJECTS
• Teach him to come when called.
• Intervene as early as possible, he is more likely to obey you when he is close than if he has already started to chase something.

POSSESSIVE AGGRESSION
• Remove the object the dog is possessive about whether it be a chair, a toy or whatever he will not let you touch while he is there.
• Attain dominance over your dog by making him wait for food, attention etc. When you are dominant reintroduce the possessive item, as soon as the dog goes to it, tell him to go and lie down. If he becomes possessive again you have reintroduced the object to quickly.

Dog aggression if not controlled, may pose a serious problem to a dog owner like you. You may want to check out Kingdom of Pets: SitStayFetch for more tips on how to correct your dog aggression problem.

Dog Problems - Eating Stools

If your dog has a thing for poop, don’t be embarrassed. This tendency known also as coprophagia, is so common that virtually every dog-training book devotes a section to it. Nutritional deficiency can be the cause for this behavior, so you should first consult a veterinarian. As a rule however, coprophagia is simply a behavioral problem.

You should take preventive measures by cleaning up immediately after she eliminates and stop the bad habit before it starts. Even habitual stool eaters may lose their taste and fascination for it if they’re not given an opportunity to eat stools for many months.

Teach repulsion by setting your dog up on leash. Take her to the waste of preference and use a silent Bitter Apple spray if she tries to munch. Repeat this setup daily by approaching the foul temptation with her on leash, ready to spritz Bitter Apple in her mouth as she attempts to snatch a nugget. Don’t allow her off leash until she refrains for at least one to two weeks.

The other alternative is to use Forbid if she eats her own stool. Unfortunately, this is not a long-term solution; she’ll resume the habit when you take her off the medicine.

Dog Problems - Digging

Are your dogs digging up your lawn and flower beds? Sometimes dogs can be annoying diggers, as it is typical of animal behavior. Different dogs dig for different reasons, so before you go looking for solutions, it’s important to determine why your dog digs in the first place.

Many of the reasons for digging are often breed dependent. Heavy-coated, spitz-type dogs, such as sled dogs and chow chows, dig cooling pits during hot weather to make themselves more comfortable. Earth dogs—those bred to tunnel underground to dispatch prey, such as short-legged terriers and dachshunds—are simply obeying their natural impulses as they dig up the yard to find gophers, moles or other “vermin.” Scent hounds (beagles, bassets and coonhounds) and unneutered males of any breed type often dig along fence lines because the lures of small game, food or females in heat are especially strong.

However, if the digging is driving you mad, there are ways to curb it:

1. Most often, digging comes from a lack of exercise. If you can get your dog tired out, chances are they'll be left with little energy for digging.

2. Be careful when you do your gardening. Freshly turned soil is very tempting to a digger. Try to keep your dog out of sight when you're working, as sometimes they will 'mimic' your digging actions.

3. If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors, then digging may be a reaction to the temperature. A dog lying in a freshly dug hole on a summer day indicates a need to be cool. Perhaps you could find a cool spot for your dog, perhaps under a tree. In the winter, digging may be a need to find a warmer spot. Maybe by providing your dog with a warm sheltered spot instead, you will divert them.

4. Some experts contend that some animals are just perpetual diggers. If this is your case, you might just consider allotting a portion of your yard as your pet's digging area. You can do this by overturning and softening (perhaps using sand) a 3 x 5 area in your yard. To pique their interest, try burying some of their favorite toys in the area as well. Hopefully, this will become their favorite spot.

5. When you are unable to supervise your dog enclose him on something he can't dig such as concrete or wood. If he is unable to dig he will gradually eliminate the habit.

6. When supervising him if you should see him start to dig try to scare him by rushing at him and shouting NO!

7. If he does manage to dig a hole unobserved, fill the hole with water and take him to it pushing his head in until he gasps then release him, this creates a bad association with digging.

8. Remember prevention is better than cure, if you don't let him start a habit you won't have to cure him of it.

Dog Problems - Biting and Chewing

BITING

Dogs bite to get our attention, relieve frustration or change our behavior. Whether it’s playful, fear driven or dominant, get better control of your dog with obedience. Don’t ever allow her to be unleashed in a situation where she could threaten anyone. Be aware of the signs of impending aggression, such as making hard eye contact, stiffening, shifting weight forward, sticking tail out, growling, fast whining, or signs of interest, excitement or arousal.

When in doubt as to what your dog's behavior indicates, make her focus on commands. The time to get control is well before she reaches a highly agitated state; when her adrenaline is peaking, she’ll be oblivious to your attempts to correct her. This requires acute and constant supervision by a proficient handler.

CHEWING

When left to her own devices, a dog is certain to chew up your possessions. If you prefer to learn first-hand about the dangers of giving too much freedom too soon, puppy-proof your house by keeping it tidy, keeping doors closed and personal items out of reach and, as a preventive measure, smearing Bitter Apple cream on tempting woodwork and electrical cords. Confine your puppy in a safe place when you can’t supervise her. Finally, keep her leashed and correct her while she’s in the act of chewing by:

1. jerking her away from what she’s chewing on,
2. giving a spray of Bitter Apple in the mouth as you hold the collar,
3. startling the pup with a sharp handclap or shaker can, then encouraging her to play with an appropriate toy.

Note that certain items can increase problems with inappropriate chewing behavior. Avoid giving your dog personal items to chew on, like slippers, socks, gloves or towels. If your dog is attracted to the family’s stuffed toys, don’t give her soft, stuffed dog toys. If she is attracted to rugs or tassels, don’t provide her with rope or rag like toys.

If an older dog suddenly begins chewing on your possessions, give her plenty of exercise and appropriate items to chew, continue vigorous obedience and return to crating and supervising.

Dog Problems - Mouthing

Do you have a puppy that would rather use your arm than a bone as a chew toy? Nip mouthing in the bud! While it is normal for puppies to use their mouths when playing with each other, this behavior becomes a problem when it carries over into their interactions with us.

Many breeds are genetically inclined to use their mouths to do a job. Sporting breeds are the retrievers and the carriers of items. Working and the Herding breeds use their mouths to control the movements of humans or other animals. Terrier breeds are motion-activated and will chase anything they perceive as small rodents, including your feet. Understanding these tendencies in your own puppy, whether a mixed breed or purebred, can help in dealing with the problem with mouthing.

At a very young age, puppies begin to learn how much pressure with their mouths is too much by the reactions of their mothers and littermates. When puppies play, they chomp each other's ears and chew each other's necks until one bites down too hard. Then, the bitten puppy lets out a piercing "iey, iey, ieeyyy" (referred to as the wounded puppy noise), gets up and walks away. This teaches the biting puppy that when he is too rough, play ends. Since dogs are social animals, this in itself is a correction. The puppy learns bite inhibition through these play fighting sessions when allowed to remain with his litter until at least seven weeks of age. This is one of the most important lessons puppies carry into adulthood, especially concerning their relationship with people.

As a new puppy owner, it is necessary to establish what is and isn't acceptable behavior from the very first day. Puppies benefit from expectations that are consistently enforced. Teething lasts from four to six months, so mouthing is quite common then. If mouthing has not gotten under control by the time the puppy enters adolescence at six months, not only will you have a less cooperative teenager to handle, but a larger, stronger jaw to deal with as well. Mouthing can become a way for your puppy to try to control you, allowing him to take that first step towards assuming a leadership role within your home. The following techniques are recommended for most puppies up to four months of age, depending upon their size and the severity of the problem.

Initially, a puppy will use his mouth to investigate his environment. Throughout the teething process, it gives a puppy relief to chew on all manner of items, soft and hard. Providing appropriate items for your puppy to focus his attentions on can sometimes be a simple way of solving a mouthing problem. Indestructible chew toys like large nylon bones or hard rubber can provide a positive outlet for mouthing. Large rawhide bones and carrots can be placed in the freezer and given to a teething puppy. Braided fiber knotted tugs dipped in chicken broth or water and then frozen are also a good option.

If your puppy is chewing on you, the moment the pressure increases use your "wounded puppy" noise leaving your hand in their mouth. Once the pressure is released, slowly remove your hand. You may wish to offer the back of your hand for your puppy to lick. By doing this, not only are you teaching him that your skin is tender, but also that you expect a sign of deference (licking your hand) from him. Praise him in a calm manner if his cooperation is immediate and offer him an appropriate chew toy. Do not offer a toy while your hand is still in his mouth, or you will be rewarding the wrong behavior. You may also choose to assign a command like “no bite” or “no mouth,” so he will associate his behavior with your correction. This method should work with the average, eager-to-please puppy. For piranha puppies, a squirt of breath spray in the mouth when mouthing may serve as a negative reinforcer. To avoid the minty freshness, the puppy will keep his mouth closed.

Dog Problems - Tackling The Problematic Dog

Before you begin reading this post, you should have read and practiced the basic training techniques. The relationship between dog obedience and dog proble solving is like the relationship between diet and good health. A proper diet doesn’t guarantee good health and obedience doesn’t guarantee a problem-free existence.

Obedience is, however:

1. the best insurance against the development of problems,
2. the simple solution for correcting problems,
3. preparation for the dog in learning to accept problem-solving techniques.

If you’ve determined that the dog hasn’t been given too much freedom too soon, you’ve done the proper basic training and you still having problems, it’s time to :

1. categorize the problem,
2. determine how you can quickly and safely stop your dog in the act of misbehavior,
3. commit yourself to consistently applying the solutions.

The general dog problem-solving options are:

1. Don’t let problems occur. Instead keep your dog confined when you can’t prevent misbehavior, put out of reach anything that is or may be tempting, such as paper, garbage, personal belongings and paraphernalia like remote controls and close off areas with problem-making potential

2. Divert your dog’s attention from bad behavior by distracting her or rechanneling her energy.

3. Build an aversion to misbehavior by correcting every attempt to misbehave.

I will cover the various dog problems in my later posts and how to go about correcting them.

Cleaning Your Dog's Ear

To clean your dog's ear you should start with a good quality ear cleaning solution. You may obtain this from your veterinarian or your local pet store. Never use water or hydrogen peroxide. Other home solutions may be used if recommended by your veterinarian. It may be necessary to have someone help you. First, lift the earflap and fill the canal as if it were a funnel. Then massage the canal to work the debris loose. Take a tissue and wipe the canal as deep as your finger can reach without forcing. Repeat the entire procedure until the solution you pick up on the tissue is free of wax and debris from the ear.

Never use ear cleaners or place any thing smaller than your finger in the ear. This may damage the eardrum, and only serves to pack the wax deeper into the canal. Consider using a muzzle to prevent the dog from biting during the ear cleaning procedure. The animal may display discomfort or resist having the ears cleaned. If this happens, stop immediately and schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to have the ears flushed.

Caring for Your Dog's Dental Hygiene

Many veterinarians and even some groomers still believe that dental care for your dog is a vet's job and should only be done by a vet. That is like saying don't teach your children to brush their teeth; the dentist will clean their teeth for them. Doesn’t make sense right? All dog owners must be able to care for their own dog’s dental hygiene with a brush and toothpaste and even scaling teeth with a surgical steel scaler.

You can save hundreds of dollars at the vets if you begin this practice with your puppy. But don't lose hope; you can train an older dog to sit for his cleaning too, but you may have to resort to bacon-flavored toothpaste (Don't laugh; it's out there). Dental care will prevent more than bad breath. It will help him to keep all his teeth healthy and his gums free of painful gingivitis, even into his old age.

You train your dog as you would any puppy, with a serious voice to mind and gentle praise when he behaves. To begin with, use a grooming table or raised surface and grooming noose or leash to secure his head and keep him there. Practice viewing his teeth and gums by gently lifting his lips and running a finger along his teeth and gum line. This will help reassure him you aren't going to hurt him. Once he is accustomed to sitting still for you to have your hands in his mouth, you can introduce toothpaste.

Add a small amount to your fingertip and begin to rub along your usual path. Of course, he will immediately know something is different and if ordinary (mild flavored) toothpaste is not to his liking, you could purchase doggy toothpaste from any pet store. The pet marts today offer a wide range of toothpaste, brushes and even rubber finger brushes, which slip over your finger and have a scrubbing surface. I think the brushes work the best, personally, but some dogs refuse to allow it (usually the much older ones who have not been trained for it). Don't be shocked by the gums bleeding. This is normal and does not hurt. Even when your dog chews a bone, this will happen.

While brushing prevents much of the tooth decay and bad breath, it does not replace a thorough scaling to remove plague. Those dark ugly stains can build up to chucks of matter that will cause rotten doggy breath and painful gums, and eventually teeth will become loose and will fall out.

Your dentist is a good source for high-quality steel scalers, as he may give you his discarded ones. Much as a hygienist does, you work under the gums and down to the end of the teeth on both sides. Gently hold the toothbrush across his mouth near the back molars so he bites down on it. At first he may try to push it out with his tongue, but calmly though firmly reassure him you are not going to remove it and that he won't choke if he remains still. This forces his mouth to remain open and wide enough to work on the back teeth.

If you lose the battle or have no patience to train him to care for his teeth, then look for a groomer who does clean and scale teeth as many do not offer the service. You will still have to do your part at home by training him to allow fingers in his mouth, but truly, it will save you hundreds of dollars.

How to Maintain Dogs with Wrinkles and Folds

If your dog has wrinkles and folds, there are certain everyday and weekly cleaning routines you must adhere to, which if left unchecked could lead to problems.

Training your puppy to have his eyes and wrinkles checked and wiped clean is as easy as petting him. He will become accustomed to a warm damp cloth moistened with plain water, as though it were part of getting his daily dose of loving.

An older dog is more likely to develop eye infections or dermatitis irritations because many are caused from allergens that develop as the dog matures. Some are internal problems, like tear staining, chiefly caused by an enzyme in the dog's bodily fluids. Saliva and tears can cause unsightly brown stains along the folds they drain on. Some dogs are born with closed tear ducts, thus causing the natural flow of tear secretions (normally tears drain down through the nostril) to seep along the outside of the eyes and along the snout. Short of surgery to open the tear ducts, there is little to offer help to prevent the staining. There are a number of store preparations you can purchase to lighten the damage, for example the 'eye tear stain' remover. However you may prefer to trim the area short. Caution, though, folks, keeping the hair short in tight folds can become an irritant and cause the hair to become ingrown.

Moisture is the enemy of wrinkles and folds. Dark, damp and warm crevices provide an optimum breeding ground for bacteria and nasty germs. Ears are the most common place for such dreaded afflictions. Dogs that are especially prone to this are ones that have large fold-over ears, such as cocker spaniels. Regular cleaning with something as simple as isopropyl alcohol or hydrogen peroxide will keep them dry and clean. There are many ear cleaning preparations available at your local pet stores, but for dogs that are prone to ear troubles, avoid the cleaners made with an oil base. Powders are effective to keep the ear dry as well.

In conclusion, the best advice is an ounce of prevention will be a pound of reward. Once a week thorough cleaning of mouth, eyes, and ears for any breed will save you plenty of money at the vets and will give you a happy pet. Hopefully these few tips will help you keep your dog with wrinkles and folds and trouble crevices in tip top health.

How to Groom a Difficult Dog

Dogs, and especially spoiled dogs, are no different than children. They tend to test the babysitter and if they can get away with their antics, they will do everything to do so. The dogs discover that with gentle handling and a firm commanding voice, there is no choice for them but to behave.

Specialized equipment is essential. Without a grooming arm attached to the grooming table, you would require an extra set of hands. Most dogs don't like company while being groomed and become even more agitated when there is more than one person handling them. Sometimes a Velcro muzzle will actually calm down a dog who is prone to nipping your fingers while you are detangling his coat or clipping his nails. When they realize that their teeth are rendered ineffectual they are forced to sit and watch.

Patience is the key. Consistency will train him readily. Reward him with praise for good behavior and don't allow bad behavior to go unchecked. If his struggles become a full blown war of wits between you both, then no one wins. Put him in a crate so you can cool off and he can calm down, but make certain you go right back and end with you accomplishing even the smallest victory. So today he sat through a half hour of brushing and you told him what a good boy he was; tomorrow you can stretch it out and maybe trim two nails. The most important part of training your dog for grooming is for him to relax so you can do the job. Once he can trust, it won't hurt, and that, in fact, he even likes the attention, and then you can get the same results as you would by sending him to the professional groomer.

Our devoted canine companions want nothing more out of life than to be with you and for you to be happy with them. They live to please us no matter if we pull tangles out of a matted coat or not. Not getting tangles out is more of a disservice to out four-legged friends that you can imagine, from skin problems to an even more nasty temperament due to being uncomfortable. So if you wouldn't let your kids go without combing their hair, brushing their teeth or having a bath, I'm sure you won't let your dog get away with it either.

Grooming Your Dog

Grooming your dog accomplishes much more than just making your pet's coat look nice and shiny. It will provide you with the opportunity to spend some "quality time" with your dog, combing, brushing, bathing and generally bonding with him.
You will be able to check your dog closely for any problems while grooming. Move the hair aside and examine the skin closely for signs of fleas, ticks or skin irritations. Look for any unusual problems with the coat such as mats, tangles, dandruff, etc. Mats and tangles can be carefully removed while grooming. We'll discuss that more later.
Learn where he likes to be combed and brushed and where he doesn't. All dogs have sensitive areas that need to be groomed a little more gently and carefully than others. By paying special attention to these areas, you will help make your dog more comfortable while being groomed, and he will not resist future grooming sessions.
You will also become familiar with areas that he enjoys having groomed. This is helpful if you need to calm him during stressful times such as veterinary visits. Let your dog sniff the brush and comb before you begin grooming, and then talk to your pet in a reassuring tone while grooming. If the grooming procedure is made comfortable for your dog, he will begin to look forward to regular grooming sessions.

Health
Regular grooming is essential to your dog's health and well-being. Regular combing and brushing will keep the coat clean and healthy. It will stimulate the skin, and allow the natural oils to circulate to the coat. It will also allow you to carefully check for potentially serious problems. Check areas for hair loss, inflammation, unusual tenderness or lumps under the skin. Constant scratching in a particular area may also be an indication of a problem. Check with your veterinarian about any unusual problems found.

Combing
Comb in the direction of hair growth, combing small sections at a time, until the coat is tangle free. For troublesome knots and tangles, use an anti-tangle comb. If the coat has a particularly stubborn knot or tangle, you may have to trim it off with scissors. A dematting comb, slicker or rake can be used to remove mats. When using a combination comb, begin with the widely spaced teeth, and follow with the finer teeth.

Brushing
Always begin with brushing at the head, working toward the tail and down the legs. Brush in the direction of hair growth. Pay particular attention to the legs and flanks, and areas that easily mat. A pin brush can be used to fluff the coat by brushing against the directions of hair growth. Regular brushing will help distribute the natural oils from the skin, producing a healthy, shiny coat. Brushing several times a week is recommended for most dogs.

Puppies
Like children, puppies have short attention spans. They can be a pain and will require some special attention. Select a time when the puppy is less energetic. Begin with short grooming sessions, five minutes or so. Constantly talk to your puppy in a gentle, reassuring tone while grooming to make him feel comfortable. Be sure to check his ears, paws, teeth, and underside during the grooming procedure. This will, in time, make him accustomed to being handled and examined. Eventually, he will be quite comfortable being groomed, and will look forward to these sessions with you.

Frequency
At what frequency do you groom your dog? It is important to establish and adhere to a regular schedule of grooming sessions. Schedule these at a convenient time for both you and your dog. A good time to do this is after the dog has been walked, while he is relieved and calm. Select a time when you will not be interrupted and have ample time to do a proper grooming Longhaired dogs should be groomed daily, while shorthaired breeds may require grooming only twice a week. You will soon see what frequency your dog requires.

Nail Trimming
Regular nail trimming is important to your dog's health and well being. Never use ordinary scissors to trim your dog's nails. Use trimmers that are specially designed for dogs. Hold the dog's paw firmly, and cut off the tip of the nail with a single stroke. Be very careful to stop short of the quick, the blood vessel inside the nail. Cutting the nails right after bathing will make the quick more visible; applying baby oil will serve the same purpose. Follow up by filing your dog's nails with a nail file.

Training Your Dog - Dog Commands

Here we are again on training your dog. Of interest to new dog owners are dog commands such as Sit, Sit-Stay, Come, Down, Down-Stay and the Heel command.

The Sit Command

To teach the Sit command, put your dog on your left side, hold the collar with your right hand and put your left hand on her loin just in front of her hip bones and behind her rib cage. Command "Sit" as you pull upward on the collar and push downward on the loin. If she is rigid and won’t budge, move her forward and walk her into the Sit. Once she is facing forward with her front paws on the ground, loosen your grip. Talk, pat and praise, but don’t let the dog move. Keep pushing her back into the Sit as you tighten upon the collar. After a few seconds, release with the Chin Touch-Okay.

After three days with no signs of resistance, command Sit and wait for a response. To reinforce your command, push downward on the loin and give a quick upward jerk on the lead. Later eliminate the push and just use a sharp, split second jerk-and-release action.

The Sit-Stay Command

As a prerequisite, your dog must be able to obey the Sit command. Hold the leash taut over the dog’s head. Command "Stay", step in front of her and act busy while producing distractions. Return to praise frequently and finally, release with Chin Touch-Okay. Moving the head and wagging the tail is acceptable, but you should correct scooting forward, rotating and attempts to stand with an upward jerk. If one jerk doesn’t stop it, the jerk was too slow or light. If two stronger, faster jerks don’t work, use a jerk and push combination. If your dog tries to lie down, tighten the leash enough to prevent her from lowering comfortably into the Down position.

Repeat the process but each time increase your distance from your dog. For the Out of Sight Sit-Stay, sit your dog behind a corner and step out of sight while still holding the leash. Throw distractions into her view. If she moves, correct her quickly by sliding your hand down the leash toward her collar and giving an upward jerk. Quickly move out of sight again after giving the correction.

The Feeding, Sit-Stay Command

In order to train your dog to sit and wait patiently before being allowed to eat his food, you may follow this training sequence:

First week:
• pour kibble into bowl
• raise bowl over dog’s head
• command, “sit ”
• place bowl on floor and let dog eat

Second week:
• pour kibble into bowl
• hold up bowl in front of dog
• command, “sit”
• start to lower bowl to floor AS LONG as dog is sitting
• as soon as dog gets up to go to the bowl, stand up and hold bowl up in front of you again
• repeat, “sit”, lowering bowl as soon as he sits
• keep raising it back up as he gets up, each time you should be able to get it slightly lower than the previous time
• keep at this until you actually have the bowl on the floor, with your hands off of it AND YOUR DOG IS STILL SITTING
• then release him with an, “okay” and let him eat
o make sure you don’t release him AS he is already getting up - take the time to make sure he is solidly sitting and staying before you release him to go eat

Third week:
• your dog should be able to sit and wait patiently until you release him
• so, as he is sitting and waiting, you can label the command, “stay”
• every “stay” has a release, “okay”

Fourth week:
(this week we work on getting more distance from your dog)
• pour kibble into bowl
• dog should be sitting and waiting patiently by this time
• place bowl a little further from him
• release with an “okay” and let him eat
• if your dog breaks his stay before you release him, pick up the bowl, and put your dog back in the exact spot you left him originally
Happy feeding!

The Come Command

This is the probably the most important command your dog will ever have to follow. All members of your household should be using the same command, and your command should be just that - a command. You need a consistent command that will be there for you in an emergency.
Give the Come command by calling his name followed by Come. Then praise and coach him in, let him know that it is the entire process of coming towards you that is just as great as getting to you, and you appreciate that the travel is the hard part. This also lets your dog know that you aren’t angry with him for being away in the first place (even if you are angry!) and it also motivates your dog that you are a good target to get to.
Model what you want your dog to do: Go right up to his nose with our hands filled with goodies. Command him and lure him to turn around and come just a few steps towards you.
Remember - he must TAG you - your treats/hands should be touching your pants at your dog’s height, so that you’re assured he will always come in close enough to be grabbed by his collar in an emergency.
When he gets to you, praise, pet, hug, and give one treat. Release him with Chin Touch-Okay and let him to go back to what he was doing. Repeat. Let your dog see your calling him as merely a delightful interruption of his fun, not an end all.
Gradually get further and further away before you call. Always run backwards a few steps so that you are enticing and fun, and your dog always learns to turn around, leave what he was doing and come to you.
As soon as your dog had the idea, don ’t give him a treat every time - vary it. You must always have the treat when you call him, until he is 2 years old and then he must always THINK you have something wonderful for him.
You must always praise and appreciate your dog for coming. As soon as you start to vary when you give your dog a treat, introduce the concept of a jackpot- something huge and excellent and unexpected for coming when called- like an entire pile of goodies, or a huge slab of liver, or a rawhide bone, or pull out his food dish and pour in his kibble and right then and there let him have his adored meal.
When you are calling him away from something distracting, like treeing a squirrel, or coming indoors from playing in the yard or park, let your dog believe that coming when called is merely an interruption: praise, treat, and then release, “okay” and send your dog back away to play. Then when you really do need your dog to come in and stop having fun, he won’t mind as much.
This is one command that can never be taken for granted. You must be willing to continue training and rewarding and motivating and jackpotting your dog from now till the day he dies. So he won’t die early from running away and being hit by a car…

The Down Command

Place your thumb and index finger behind the dog’s shoulder blades and on either side of the backbone. Command "Down" as you push. If the dog braces, use your right hand to pull her head down to the ground as you push. After about week of practice, enforce the Down using the two finger push and a quick jerk toward her back toe. When she is going down easily (and often on command alone), use just a two-handed jerk to enforce. Again praise and release with Chin Touch-Okay.

The Down-Stay Command

This command is to teach your dog to lie down and stay for grooming and examinations. Down your dog and command Stay. Examine her ears, eyes, teeth and paws. Use the jerk alone or the combination jerk and two finger push to correct movements like crawling, rolling or ascension. Praise her frequently when she cooperates, and return to her right side to praise and then release her with Chin Touch-Okay.

Progress the Down-Stay command with increasing distance from your dog i.e. with Down-Stay one-step away to out of sight Down-Stay as with the Sit-Stay command.

The Heel Command

The aim of the Heel command is to teach your dog to walk on your left side with her shoulder aligned with yours and her body 3 inches from your leg, regardless of your pace or direction and to sit when you stop. Hold the leash in your right hand with your right thumb through the loop and four fingers holding the slack. Command “Max, Heel” as you begin walking. Prepare to stop by grabbing the collar with your right hand and using your left to place his rear end into a sitting position and his right foot is alongside your left ankle.

To stop slight forging, crowding and sniffing of the ground, turn 90 degrees to the left, then step perpendicularly into your dog so that your left foot and leg slide, or step behind her front legs. Shuffle into him until he becomes attentive and moves back to the left side. Practice slowing your pace abruptly, then turn left immediately if your dog’s shoulder is even one inch ahead of yours. If your dog attempts to cross in front of you to the right side, tighten the leash with your left hand as you continue to step into him.

To stop wideness, sniffing or lagging, follow a right turn with a puddle jump. Pivot 90 degrees to your right on your left foot, take a large step in your new direction with the right foot and leap forward with your left leg as if you were jumping over a puddle. As you jump the puddle, you should feel the leash against your left thigh, puling the dog forward. Steady your leash by holding your right hand against your right hip as you leap.

Jump and praise simultaneously to motivate your dog. Hold the leash in your right hand so the slack will remain in front of your thighs as you jump.

The Front Command

Front means to come briskly and sit facing you with paws in front of your feet until released with Chin Touch-Okay. In this position the dog will be close enough for you to easily touch her.

This is done by calling Front and then backing up as you praise and reel in the leash. Grab the collar with one hand and place the dog’s rear end straight with the front end as she arrives in front of you. Release with a Chin Touch-Okay. Repeat this exercise at least 10 times per day for a week.

After one week, most dogs require only gentle guidance to sit; after 4 weeks, they should be sitting automatically.


Other Important Commands

The Wait Command (5 Steps)

1. Wait at Door
2. Wait at Door with Distraction
3. Cross-Through
4. Out of Sight
5. Wait in Open Areas

Differentiate the Wait command from the Stay command so as not to confuse your dog. If you want your dog to stay in or out of a certain area, the Stay command seems the obvious choice but remember that your dog has learned that Stay means to remain in position either sitting, standing or lying down. Certainly you could use the Stay command as a door opens, but that is ridiculously restrictive if you are leaving for work. Wait is a better solution; it means “Don’t go through the door,” not “Freeze until I come home.” It tells you dog not to leave an area but allows her to move freely within that area.

Wait at Door

Choose a lightweight door, estimate how wide your dog’s front end is and open the door 2 inches more than that as you command Wait. Stand there with your hand on the knob of the partially open door, ready to gently bump the dog’s nose with it should she attempt to pass through the opening. Be sure never to shut the door while correcting. Instead, leave the door open with your hand on the door handle, ready to stop attempted departures with an abrupt and silent bump of the door. Leash your dog so that if your attempts to deter her fail and she successfully skips across the border, you can step on the leash and prevent her defection.

Wait at Door with Distractions

Practice with an assistant who tries to coerce your dog to leave. He or she can talk to the dog or drop food but he/she shouldn’t call your dog. As your assistant remains on the opposite side of the door, engage in lively conversation to teach your dog that even when you are preoccupied, the Wait command is enforced.


Cross-Through

Teach your dog to obey the Wait command as people are passing through the door. After saying Wait and opening the door, hesitate before you or your guests pass through the door. You may need to give a reminding correction to convince her to back off so you can easily pass through. Should she try to slip out as you’re in the doorway and are unable to tap her with the door, use your knee to bump her back.

Out of Sight

To enforce the Wait command from behind a door, begin by commanding Wait at a door that opens out. Stand momentarily with the door open, ready to tap your dog. If she obeys the Wait command, cross through the doorway so you’re standing behind the door, hand on knob, completely out of sight. Throw distractions and have children run in and out as you watch, ready to tap her snout with the door should her nose appear in the opening. Now, whether you’re present or not, she’ll respect your command.

Wait in Open Areas

Once your dog understands Wait at doorways as a result of your door-tapping correction, you can use the Wait command to keep your dog in or out of designated areas, indoors or outside.

1. Determine the boundary – the area should be defined by some type of marker; a change in surface, a dividing rope or anything noticeable that you’ve laid down.
2. Attach a long, lightweight line to the dog’s collar.
3. Command Wait as she is about to enter the off-limits zone.
4. Jerk the line to stop her from entering the off-limits zone.
5. Keep the line “grounded” between corrections. Except for the split second that she’s being jerked, the line should be dragging on the ground, out of your hand.
6. Praise her verbally (not physically) if she obeys your Wait command or following a correction. If the dog begins coming toward you, fold your arms, turn your back and ignore her.

So there you are... hope you have gain some knowledge on dog training. For more dog training guides you can also check out Puppy Training and Dog Training Online by Dove Cresswell

How To Train Your Dog

Training your dog will require some basic commands like the Sit Command, Stay Command, Sit-Stay Command, Fetch Command etc. Whatever commands you use to elicit action from your dog should be clear concise and consistent. The commands can be in the form of a verbal command, a snap of your finger followed by a hand signal or a whistle.

The rules for teaching any behavior are as follows :

• Decide on your cue (a specific word command, finger snap and signal, whistle or hand signal used every time, but only for that particular behavior)


• Decide on how to elicit the desired behavior (enforce the Sit command, for example, by pulling up on the collar and pushing downward on the dog’s rear)


• Give the cue as you elicit the desired behavior

The 12 basics for all commands :

• 1. Define your intent. What do you expect the dog to do?


• 2. Define the cue. What clear visual or auditory signal will you use to initiate the desired action?


• 3. Use the cue while you appear confident yet pleasant.


• 4. Preface verbal commands with the dog’s name. The name and the command should sound like one word (“Betsy, Heel”, rather than “Betsy….. Heel”). The only exception to this rule is when giving the Stay command, since this tells the dog not to move.


• 5. Say the command only once, so your dog learns to listen to every command.


• 6. Instill an association between the command and the conduct. While teaching, give the command as you make the dog do the action (for example, say Sit as you pull up on the collar and push down on the dog’s rear).


• 7. Give commands only when you can enforce them so you don’t risk teaching disobedience.


• 8. Decide on reinforcement. How are you going to show the dog what to do? Unlike the other 11 steps, this will change depending on your dog’s stage in training.


• 9. Show appreciation with praise. As you see your dog learning, “Good, good, good!” should become a reflex.


• 10. Release the dog from every command with the word Okay.


• 11. Test your dog’s understanding. Before progressing to the next level, make sure your dog can work around distractions.


• 12. Never take obedience for granted. Dogs forget, get lazy, become distracted and inevitably fail to respond to familiar commands. Correct your dog so that she understands that the rules haven’t changed and neither should her behavior-especially if she rarely makes a mistake.

The Release

You need two cues, one to begin an action and one to end it. Release your dog from duty with a word like Okay or Free. You may pair this word with an outward stroke under the dog’s chin. Dogs who rely on a physical release cue are less inclined to “break” their commands. For the first three weeks of training, step forward when you deliver the Chin Touch-Okay to make the dog move off the command on cue.

In the next article I will talk about the common dog commands. Meanwhile have a happy tail-waggin day... Cheers!!

Dogs Obedience Training

Housebreaking

Now that you have chosen the dog breed that suits you and brought him home, the first thing you may want to do is to housebreak your dog so that he does not treat your house as his potty.

The key to training your dog to eliminate outside (where you want him to) is to prevent accidents, and to reward success. Adult dogs have better bladder and bowel control, and can 'hold it' for a longer periods of time than puppies. The rule of thumb with puppies is to take their age in months and add one to arrive at the number of hours the puppy can 'hold it' during the day (i.e. a 4 month old puppy can be expected to be clean for up to 5 hours during the day).

• Feed your dog on a schedule (he'll eliminate on a schedule, too)
• Keep his diet simple and consistent (avoid table scraps and canned foods; a high quality dry kibble produces the least waste).
• Choose an area, about ten square feet, outside, where you wish your dog to potty.
• Take your dog on leash to the area, pace back and forth movement promotes movement) and chant an encouraging phrase ("hurry up boy, hurry up boy...")
• Do this for maximum 3 minutes:
o if he eliminates, shower him with huge praise and play
o if he doesn't eliminate, keep him on leash, go back indoors,keep dog on leash with you or confined in a crate.
• Try again in an hour. Eventually your dog will eliminate appropriately and you can give huge praise and play
• After each success, allow 15 minutes of freedom in house, before placing dog back on lead or back into crate
• After each 3 consecutive days of success, increase freedom by 15 minutes.
• If there is an accident; decrease freedom by 15 minutes for 3 days
REMEMBER! DO NOT PUNISH ACCIDENTS! IGNORE THEM, AND REWARD SUCCESS.
More useful tips on housebreaking your dog can be obtained from "Housebreak Your Dog in 7 Days" by Sadie Dal


It’s Neither too Late nor too Early to Start training your dog!

Your dog begins training the instant you bring him home, so if you can, start teaching him good behavior. On the other hand, don’t despair if you’ve had your dog for a while; it’s never too late to start training. In fact, dogs from 6 to 14 years of age regularly start training programs and make great progress. Anytime is a great time to start training, and today is definitely better than tomorrow!

Dog Training
Before you begin training your dog, you need to note the following key points that will unlock the door to successful dog training.

1. Make sure that your dog is healthy, fit and well groomed.
2. Say what you mean and mean what you say.
3. Take the time to learn how to train, and then practice with your dog diligently.
4. Concentrate while practicing the assigned lessons, and your dog will concentrate on you.
5. Focus on your goals, not your rate of progress.
6. Use one command for one action so that your dog won’t be confused.
7. Recognize that dogs have far more potential than limitations – and that your dog’s potential is limited only by your dedication.
8. Remember that dogs live for the moment; instead of correcting bad behavior after the fact, recreate the situation and correct at the proper time, in the proper way.

If you think that if you love your dog and he loves you, he won’t be unruly. Think again! Love has nothing to do with your dog’s ability to obey, but understanding does. Your dog has to understand what you expect through the way you communicate. Your message may seem obvious to you. But unless you convey it in the terms that he understands, he will misinterpret and fail to please you – no matter how devoted he may be.

A lot of dog owners may be quick to evaluate their dogs and consider their dog as “untrainable”. Every dog deserves the opportunity to learn – even if we believe that he lacks great potential, effort is more important talent.


Designate a Trainer

Sometimes too many people are initially involved in training a dog and what starts out as everyone’s job may quickly become no one’s. Without proficiency or consistency, dog can’t learn. End results – frustration on the part of the owner and confused canines that are usually and unfairly labeled disobedient. Always designate a dog trainer or if a few people are involved, designate a primary trainer. Once you’ve trained your dog, remember that he may not listen to everyone. Smart dogs obey only those who know :

1. how to give the right commands at the right time in the right tone of voice,
2. what reaction to expect from the dog,
3. how to enforce commands.


Sending the Dog Away for Training

Sending your dog away for training is, in the long run, not advantageous. Professionals can turn out a well-trained dog quickly, but they cannot teach your dog to bond with you. The bond is only achieved through your work with your dog.

If you don’t have time to train your dog in the basics of obedience then you don’t have the time for a dog. The best shortcut to training is to arrange private lessons with a professional who will show you, step by step, exactly how to train efficiently. “How to be Your Dog’s Best Friend: The Classic Training manual For Dog Owners” by Monks of New Skete is also a good reference to have for dog training tips.

The Pros and Cons of Using Dog Treats in Training

Most dog trainers want their dogs to obey them out of love rather than because they were beaten or bribed. But, because most dogs love tasty treats, food has long been used as a training aid. There are basically 3 ways to use dog treats in training :

1. as reinforcement for behaviors offered by the dog (operant conditioning),
2. as a reward for completing an already learned task,
3. as a lure to get the dog to perform a task.

The consequent of using dog treats is that the dog may learn to follow the food without understanding that he is to perform a task on command. Offering of food must be accompanied by body language. If the hand holding the treat is lowered to the floor to get the dog to go down, he will probably go down even though there is no treat in-hand. But if you gave the command without a hand gesture, he would have no understanding. By using treats combined with body language, the dog will do a lot of tasks quickly. However, he will probably fail to notice the thing you ultimately want him to respond to – your command. So, if you decide to train with treats, learn how to enforce your commands without them.

The Right Dog Training Equipment

A good dog trainer will start with the right dog training aids . As a start, you will need:

1. a well-fitted collar
2. a 6-foot leather leash
3. a 15-foot long line
4. a tab – short nylon rope,
5. a 50-foot light line.

Well... dog lovers! That's it for now happy training!

Naming Your Pet Dog

You would now want to name your new pet dog. Based on a survey of 100,000 pet owners, the following are the 50 most popular names for pets with MAX being the most popular. You may want to select a name from this list.

MAX, BUDDY, MOLLY, MAGGIE, JAKE, SHADOW, BAILEY, SADIE, LUCKY, GINGER,
BEAR, LADY, SAM, LUCY, CASEY, DAISY, SMOKEY, PEPPER, BUSTER, MISSY,
ROCKY, BRANDY, CHARLIE, RUSTY, TOBY, PRINCESS, CODY, MISTY, DUKE, SAMMY,
SANDY, BANDIT, ABBY, SASSY, ANGEL, BABY, KATIE, ANNIE, TIGGER, SAMANTHA,
TIGER, SASHA, PATCHES, HARLEY, MURPHY, HEIDI, MUFFIN, SHEBA, SHELBY, SPARKY,
JACK, GIZMO, SOPHIE, CHELSEA, DUSTY, CHLOE, PENNY, DAKOTA, SUGAR, NIKKI.

Having selected a name for your dog, it will be advisable to provide it with a dog tag with its name and if possible your house address or contact number engraved on it. In this way should your dog get lost, anybody finding it would be able to get in touch with you. Never take the need for a dog tag lightly as it may be the only way of getting your dog back if it is lost.

Bringing the Puppy Home

When the big day finally arrives and you have made all the necessary arrangements and set down the rules, make sure the day is clear of all other commitments. Remember this puppy is coming into a totally new environment, away from anything familiar. The worst thing you can do, is to bring the puppy home and then leave it alone for two or three hours.
It is important for you to understand your puppy, as it does not understand you. Put yourself in its place for a moment. The only way it will learn, is by constant demonstration and repetition of words. The puppy will no longer have any mother, brothers or sisters to run back to, for comfort and reassurance, if the going gets tough. Therefore you must be all things to it - provider, friend, companion, teacher, and playmate. So with this in mind, TRAINING SHOULD NOW BEGIN.

The New Puppy

After going through all the considerations, soul searching and selection and if you have made up your mind that a dog would be a good extra member of the family, then you have to prepare for its eventual inclusion into the family.

BEFORE YOU BRING THE PUPPY HOME :
Before you bring your new puppy home, you must make sure that the home, and the family, are well prepared. If you have children, now is a good time to make the rules as they tend to get carried away when playing with puppies, which could ruin your training. You will achieve the best results if the children are included in the day to day care of the puppy.

Remember, the puppy is not a toy to be played with, so teach the children how to correctly handle and play with it. Tell them that it is far better for them to sit on the floor and throw a toy or play tug-of-war with it, than to chase it around and pick it up. One hard and fast rule that must never be broken, is that when the puppy is in its bed it must never be disturbed, as puppies need plenty of rest and its bed should be regarded as its sanctuary.

Choosing the Dog

Different dog breeds have certain characteristics for which they were bred. You must consider selecting a dog breed that is best suited to your personality, taste, circumstances, family needs and surroundings. Some of the personal environmental issues and factors to consider are as follows :

Ø How much time can you spend with your dog? Dogs are social creatures and require regular Exercise and Grooming. They will not be receptive to being kept in a kennel all day. Similarly, dogs require grooming and nail clipping, which will incur cost or you will have to learn how to perform this function yourself.

Ø How much area in your residence do you have? A small area does not necessarily mean that a small dog is appropriate. However, many dogs can be adaptable as long as you spend a good deal in meeting their needs. Some dogs will require regular exercise while others will be contented to sit and do nothing while you are away.

Ø Can you afford your dog? Regardless of how inexpensive your prospective dog is, you will have to buy food
, pay the vet, pay for registrations, vaccinations, boarding kennels etc. Some breeds are prone to constant medical problems while others may have high maintenance requirements with grooming and husbandry care. All these costs money and you must have the budget for it.

Ø Are you committed to train your dog? Dog Breed selection cannot be done with a view to limit it’s training. Regardless of the dog breed you get, training
will make your dog much more compatible with you and your environment. The benefits of a trained dog are realized when you can take a dog more places with or without disruption to others

Ø What type of dog do you want? There are many pros and cons associated with both the sex and breed of dog. Male dogs are generally more aggressive, prone to dog fighting, more difficult to control and prone to wandering while female dogs are more submissive, easier to train and better with children but prone to mood swings during heat cycles. The dogs sex may not be important and can come down to plain preference. However, Dog Breed selection should be done in light of the fact that dogs will exhibit the traits they have been breed for. Dogs that are bred for scent, herding or retrieving will exhibit these traits.

Ø Would prefer a pure or cross Dog Breed? The advantage of picking a pure bred dog is that you can predicts it’s adult appearance and behavior. With many cross breeds, it is anybody’s guess. Crossbreeds are just as loveable, usually less expensive to buy and may be less likely to show genetic defects than their pedigreed cousins. So on the issue of cross breed versus pure breed, it comes down to personal choice.

So there you have it! If you are truly committed to being a dog owner, go ahead and shop your ideal pet dog... Cheers!

Dog Breed – Selecting a Dog Breed to suit you and your family needs

Many of the problems and pitfalls of dog ownership could be avoided by selecting a dog breed that suits the family’s needs. It is not a matter of going to the pet store or pet shop to buy a dog. Most people may even go select a dog breed based on appearance alone.

It has been said that there’s a dog breed for everyone. What really matters in choosing a dog breed is not what’s popular, but for you to examine your own personality and environment and match them with the breed that captures your mind’s eye. Trust your feelings, but spend some time to research the most appropriate dog breed for you.

There are many different types of dogs and differences to consider across each dog breed – there’s age, size, shape, activity level, temperament and breed traits, just to name a few. Being selective about what you really want in a dog is very important in making a good choice.

Man's Best Friend

Hello there dog lovers,

Owning a dog is easy if you know how. This blog aims to provide guidance on how to select a dog breed that suits you and your family, train your dog, groom your dog, take care of your dog’s health, handle dog behavior problems and breed your dog. It also aims to provide a forum for all you dog lovers out there to share ideas and compare notes on your four legged friend.

Imagine coming home from a stressful day at work and being greeted by your four-legged companion tail wagging frantically at your gate. Imagine your stress and tension evaporating away as your dog snuggle up to you.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we can share some pointers on dog ownership?