Sunday, February 28, 2010

Can You Learn From A Dog Training DVD?

By Brad Davenport

So you have a dog with a little bit of a problem. You've seen these guys on TV pushing their products and they make it look so easy, so now you're wondering: is a dog training DVD a good way to learn? Well, the answer is yes, if you are willing to put in the time and patience.

Dog trainers are great, when they know their material. But how do you know if they do? You can research and try to find out by their website. Or you can go to class and take a chance. But look forward to paying for the personalized treatment, because a good trainer will not be cheap.

If you are considering taking classes, think it through. There is the drive time (hopefully, your dog's problem doesn't involve car rides), and the loading and unloading no matter what the weather. If you're unlucky, it will rain on class night and you get to smell wet dog in your car, plus after they get out. And remember, if you go to class you are on their time then, not yours. If you can't make a class, will it throw you behind? How fast can you get in? What if one of the dogs there transforms into a demon when your dog enters the room? And if the class doesn't work out you will probably not be eligible for a refund.

Why not take that money and invest in a DVD course? Look at the advantages of it: you are on your schedule, all the time. If you need a break, you can stop. If the dog starts acting up, you can take a break and pick it up later. And best of all, if you are just too tired tonight, you can reschedule without having to pay a penalty. It is totally up to you.

The great thing about training with a DVD is it's on your time. If you get interrupted, you can stop and pick it up later. Plus, you get to exercise the great rewind button if you need to. In fact, you can rewind as many times as you need to, no matter how long it takes. And if your dog starts acting up, or frustration set in, for either of you, you have the luxury of stopping until it's a better time.

So if you're wondering if the dog training DVD of good way to learn, the short answer would be yes. By having these tools at your disposal anytime you need to use them, you will be able to practice consistently with your pet until they get the hang of the new behaviors you need them to understand.

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Friday, February 26, 2010

Find the Right Dog Training Book

By Brad Davenport

If you are trying to find the right dog training book, you might feel like your head is spinning around because of all the options available to you. Some books are simply rehashed material that has been said time and time again while other books genuinely have good quality information for you.

To find the right dog training book, it is best to look online. E-books are a great alternative to buying a regular book because they are generally more up-to-date than books you might find out at the library or bookstore. E-books are able to be updated quickly online so it enables you to get the most current information.

Before you choose a dog training book, it is important to consider the breed that you're trying to train. Because full-blooded breeds have particular characteristics that come with their genetic makeup, it is important to cater the training methods to the breed. What will work for one breed may not work for another.

For instance, Jack Russell terriers were bred to chase foxes. This means that you may have to take a different approach when you're trying to train them because sometimes their sense of smell will overpower them in certain situations. The same can be said for Beagles.

Before you buy a dog training book, you want to make sure to read the summary to see if you will be comfortable with the training methods being used. There is no need to invest in a training program that you don't feel comfortable with.

You also want to know that the author of the book has specific experience in training dogs. You don't want someone who simply put a bunch of material together but doesn't really know what they're doing.
If possible, look into the background of the person who wrote the book to make sure that they have the right kind of training.

No matter what dog training method you use, you want to make sure that it does not include punishment. Disciplining a dog is a good idea, but punishment is not. It breaks down the relationship between the owner and the pet. You can find the right dog training book if you keep these tips in mind.

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Thursday, February 25, 2010

Painless Puppy Training

By Wayland Royce

Using positive reinforcement to modify behavior in humans, particularly children, has been popular for a number of years. This is just a fancy way of saying that behavior that is acceptable to you will be rewarded and unacceptable behavior will be ignored. In recent times this same method has been found to have positive effects on non-humans.

Watching a Killer Whale doing a routine directed by two young women, I realized that they had trained the large animal to perform in that manner using positive reinforcement tactics. The same method will enable you to train your new puppy. Positive reinforcement is the choice method for most of the experts in the dog training field today. No other training method is considered as humane or effective.

This method of dog training is in direct contrast to some of the now-outdated but once very popular dog training techniques. Some of these outdated, frankly abhorrent, methods included physical pain and intimidation (such as hanging an aggressive dog up by her collar), or inhumane methods of aversion therapy (such as shock collars for barking). These methods can be avoided and still allow you to have a well-trained dog. Positive reinforcement works for dogs as well as for humans.

Puppies are easily confused when given commands. The thing you have in your favor as you train your puppy is that there is a strong desire on her part to please you. Just be sure that she knows each time what you want her to do. To accomplish this you must use the same words each time for the same command. If you want her to sit don't say "sit here" one time and "sit down" another. Always use the same word or phrase. Your puppy will soon know exactly what is expected and behave accordingly.

Use meaningful rewards to facilitate the training process. Dogs get bored pretty quickly with a routine pat on the head and a "good girl". Most dogs don't even like being patted on the head; watch their expressions and notice how most will balk or shy away when a hand descends towards their head. If you want to use touching your puppy as a reward we have found that most dogs really like having the base of the tail (the lowest part of their back, just before the tail starts) scratched gently; having their chests rubbed or scratched (right between the forelegs) is usually a winner, too. You can also target the ears: gently rub the ear flap between your thumb and finger, or scratch gently at the base.

To keep the quality of your dog's learning at a high standard, it's also good to use tempting incentives for good behavior. Food treats and physical affection are what dog trainers refer to as "primary incentives" - in other words, they're both significant rewards that most dogs respond powerfully and reliably to.

Timing is very important in training. Be sure you know what behavior you are going to reward so that when your puppy obeys a command and gets a reward she knows exactly what she did that made her receive the reward.

You can also use your voice to mark desired behavior: just saying "Yes!" in a happy, excited tone of voice will work perfectly. Make sure that you give her the treat after the marker - and remember to use the marker consistently. If you only say "Yes!" sometimes, it won't have any significance to your dog when you do it; she needs the opportunity to learn what that marker means (i.e., that she's done something right whenever she hears the marker, and a treat will be forthcoming very shortly). Here again, consistency is important.

For puppy training to be totally successful you and your puppy must both find it pleasant. Do not schedule training time when you are exhausted; be sure that your rewards are something she is willing to work for.

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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Raising Pets " How To Control Your Pet While Loving It All The Same

By Chloe Francesca

You might find this article helpful to detail ways and methods of keeping your dog healthy and happy. This goes so much more into the dog's existence than just proper nutrition and exercise, although these will be discussed. We will also talk about how to control your dog when it gets wound up, and also the importance of giving your dog purpose.

You see, dogs are man's best friend for a good reason. They keep us happy and feeling loved, and that feeling is reciprocated by us towards them. Dogs are always there to make us smile and even laugh, and so that is something that you protect and appreciate. Caring for a dog can be tricky, because there is a lot that this entails.

The first thing that you have to take care of when it comes to the proper maintenance of your dog, is the dietary choices. You see, many people use their dog more like a garbage disposal and the dog is more than happy to oblige. This is not always the best thing for the animal though. You see, like humans, dogs have to eat certain vitamins and minerals to help them stay healthy and strong.

Encouraging your dog to exercise is another way to improve the quality of its life. You see, if your dog does not get proper exercise, then it will end up with a lot of energy that it cannot get rid of. This ends up resulting in some bad behavior or excessive hyperactivity. So it is best to let them burn off this energy outside for awhile.

Many people have overly excitable dogs. So how do they become better behaved and less erratic? It will require some tough love. You have to think of it like rearing a child who is still very young. You have to show them that blatantly doing the wrong thing is not acceptable, but still accomplishing this in a compassionate way as to not break the bond that you might have with your four legged companion.

Another way that these loving animals are like children, is that they all like to feel as though they are important to you. Breeds like German Shepherds are ingrained with the knowledge that they are working dogs. So a way to suffice them would be to allow them to carry a backpack (made for a dog) and carry important things like a bottle of water and other items that you will use on your walk with the dog. This will show the animal that they have significance in your life.

You also have to consider that your animals might not be able to fend off certain dangers that are around for them. Dangers like fleas and ticks for example. You see, you have to be the orchestrator of a solution, by purchasing items that will help your dog stay healthy and happy. That means, staying bug free too.

Taking care of a dog is a giant responsibility, but a very rewarding one all at the same time. More than nutrition and exercise, your dog needs to be under control and under the impression that they are important to what you do. Otherwise, you can expect poor behavior. Hopefully, you can learn a thing or two about how to control your dog.

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Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Puppy Training 101: Important Accessories Needed To Coach Your Puppy

By Julie Wilson

Are you ready for Puppy Training 101? To get started, you will need three specific pieces of equipment to properly train your puppy: a training collar, a leather training leash, and a 15-foot length clothesline rope.

If you're currently considering that your puppy's present leather collar will work, and that his 4-foot chain leash will probably be all you need, you might as well stop reading this content and save yourself as well as your puppy weeks of discomfort plus hardship. There simply is no substitute for the best training equipment. A training collar is really a slip-chain type constructed of metal. Do not substitute one that is manufactured from nylon.

One of the numerous things an individual's puppy is going to understand will be to have confidence in you. However your puppy will never acquire that sense of confidence if you substitute improper training accessories which will not be efficient. When there is no trust there can be no respect, and no respect indicates no need to please. No desire to please indicates no motivation to learn. Add them all up and you possess an uncontrollable puppy which will never accomplish his rightful place in the human planet.

The Proper Leash

Your leash should be of the regular five to six foot leather type with a hand loop at one end. Training dog collars as well as leather training leads can be found from pet stores and also via online catalogs. Training collars are sometimes called choke-chains, which is incorrect. While it's true that a training collar can choke, if it's worn on the puppy correctly and used properly, there's no way it can be a choke-chain and cause harm to your pet.

The Right Collar

The collar should be large enough to slide over the puppy's head comfortably, but not so large as to fall over the ears if the puppy should lower his head. A good rule of thumb to follow is to place the collar on the puppy and cinch it up tight for a moment and observe whether you have three inches of chain left over. If so, you have a fairly good fit. It is better to have a training collar that's slightly too large than one slightly too small.

Final Puppy Training Necessities That You Cannot Find In A Store

The remaining equipment that you'll need cannot be purchased at any store, but without them, you cannot successfully train your puppy.

You must love and care for your puppy! You must have patience and exercise patience while your puppy is learning. A shallow persistence put together along with a short temper could assure total and utter failure

To lose your cool and blow up means the end of training, so here's a little tip that might help you keep your cool:

It takes 4 to 5 days for an average puppy to learn the average thing. Do not expect your puppy to perform like a professional the first few days of teaching him something new. It just doesn't happen that way. If you lose control of yourself, you've lost charge of the actual situation. When this happens, your puppy loses confidence in you.

I hope you have enjoyed the first lesson in Puppy Training 101!

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Monday, February 22, 2010

Why Does My Dog Always Jump On People?

By Matt Closson

There are many reasons why you would want to know how to stop dogs jumping on you and others. The first thing that comes to mind is, sharp paws, sharp paws can hurt and tear though cloths. And of course dogs don't have the cleanest feet in the world, now do they? And probably the most important reason why you would want to learn how to stop dogs jumping is safety, you don't want a 30, 40, 80 lbs dog jumping on a small adult or child, someone could really get hurt. So, lets take a look at what we can do to stop this behavior.

When your dog was a puppy, he was much smaller and when he came running to you he would jump on your ankle or maybe your knee, no big deal right? And in response to your little bundle of joy, you would reach down and pet him, maybe even pick him up.

Your puppy has just learned a great lesson, jumping up is a good thing. It's a great way to get positive affection. Your dog doesn't understand the difference between a small, cute little puppy and in a matter of a few months he is now a larger adult dog with the mass and power to be able to take down a small adult human. All he knows is "jumping gets me love."

Why do dogs jump?

The first being out of extreme excitement. Usually rejoicing after a long absents from you.(come home from work)

The second and much more serious reason why some dogs jump on people is to show dominance. Dominance issues are a more complicated problem of communication and attitude. Dominance, If let unchecked for too long could really be difficult to over come. If you feel that you may be dealing with a dog that is jumping on people to display dominance, I suggest that you brush up on your alpha dog skills.

Your success in stop dog jumping will depend greatly on how you react to this problem. You must make a committed effort as with any dog training to be consistent. You have to make it clear to your dog that jumping on people is no longer allowed what so ever.

What this means is you are going to fallow though with the same training all the time every day until he masters this new behavior. You can't expect your dog to know the difference between nice cloths and play cloths, muddy paws and clean paws or play time and greeting time. If you let him jump in one situation he will think it's ok to jump when ever he feels like it.

The most effective way to change any dog behavior happens to also be the easiest way to change unwanted dog behavior, and that is to "ignore the bad and reward the good". Or what is also know as positive reinforcement training. I know that is the last thing you are thinking of when your dog just put a new run in your patty hose or knocked a small child down but with a little pre-planning positive reinforcement works really well.

When your dog goes to jump on you, turn your back on him right away. Dogs understand body language much more than the spoken word. So, what you need to do here is use your posture to get your message though loud and clear. As soon as he gets his paws are back on the ground, reward him with praise. If he gets excited again and goes to jump, turn your back, head and eyes away from him (the cold shoulder). You can repeat this cycle several times in a matter of seconds. Don't concern yourself with confusing your dog because they can only comprehend your reaction to their

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Sunday, February 21, 2010

Learn Dog Training Basics From a Pro

By Melanie Brooks

Dogs are smart, making them easy to train. Whether training a puppy for the first time, an adult dog new to your home, or revisiting training with your resident dog, getting back to basics is the most efficient approach to assuring you have a well-adjusted, well-behaved pet.

Those of us who have learned a second language know all too well, if you don't use that second language regularly, you will eventually forget the language. Training your dog is the same as teaching him a second language. Without consistent reinforcement throughout the dog's lifetime, even the smartest of dogs will forget even the best training. When this happens, it is best to go back to the basics. Training commands are a form of communication. If your dog is forgetting to listen, go right back to ground zero. Start training as if your dog has never been trained before.

For instance, if your dog is no longer coming when you give him the command, dust off the long lead and start over. Use a 40' lead (available at your local pet or feed store). Tie knots in it at 2' and 5' before the end. Add a tied handle and you have your training lead. Begin by calling your dog: name and come. While saying the command, quickly begin by running backwards After about 5 feet, stop once the dog has caught up to you. Reward with a snack. Repeat a few times.

After about 5 or 10 minutes of training, do a bit of agility, play with your pup. It is very important to remain cheerful, and get excited when they perform the behavior correctly. The dogs forget the repetition. Many breeds get bored with repetitive activities such as ball chasing. So it is important to play a little bit, do about 10 minutes of training and play some more. Puppies especially have a low attention span and get tired after about an hour of training. Also, when training a dog to come, you should never ever ask the dog to come from a sit-stay command. This will contradict the stay command.

When teaching a dog the sit-stay command, hold a favorite treat out in your fingers and have the dog sit. Reward with a small piece of the treat. With the dog still in sit, make a stop hand signal and simultaneously say the word stay. Once the dog has performed the command correctly, take a few steps back to the dog to reward him with the treat. Never have the dog come to you to retrieve the treat once you have put him in a sit-stay. The simpler, the better; back to basics dog training will do the trick.

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Saturday, February 20, 2010

How To Train a Dog With Ease

By Jenash Muldavi

Bringing home your puppy will be a joyful time but it can also be quite stressful. Especially if this is the first time you are trying to take care of a dog. There will be plenty of things to learn.

First you will need to make sure that your puppy feels safe and secure in its new environments and you can be do this by showing your that you love it. Speak with a loving voice and don't start out by yelling when it does something that you do not want it to do. You can actually give your dog mental scars for life by treating it the wrong way and that is one of the reasons why it is important to attend dog or puppy training as soon as possible.

But there are other reasons that you would want to have your dog trained and it in reality it is not just your dog that needs training! You as the dog owner will also need training so that you know what the right way is and what the wrong way to handle a dog is.

Training a dog will become obvious to you when you get your puppy inside the house. It will be filled with energy and might run around and brake things, pee on the floor and chew its way through anything.

The commands and the way to tone your words will be an important part of the dog training classes. But quickly learning the tricks and by practicing as often as possible will avoid most of the damages to your home.

You'll need to walk your dog once or twice every day. You'll need to teach your dog to walk without having to tug on their leash; your dog will need to learn to take direction in order to accomplish this.

There can be very serious consequences to being unable to control your dog while going for a walk? And a leash is necessary at all times, no matter how well behaved your dog may seem. Your dog will naturally want to chase squirrels and other small animals? Even into the middle of the street!

Traffic accidents are one of the major killers of especially dogs and often times it are because the owner can't control the dog with words and commands. That is why the training part is so vitally important in order to keep your dog from harm.

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Friday, February 19, 2010

Dog Biting Problems-As Serious As It Can Get

By Brad Davenport

Of all of the dog behavior problems there are, biting is probably the most serious. If your dog pees on the rug, runs away, or goes on the couch it probably will not be a big deal. If you dog gives someone a serious bite, however, many communities require that it be put down. Dog biting problems can literally mean the end of your dog's life, so it is important to train your dog to never bite anyone.

On the other hand, biting problems are common and quite normal in case of puppies. This problem arises mostly during their teething period when they have an uncontrollable urge to chew and bite on anything and everything. Though a puppy bite might break your skin it will not pose any other serious problems. However, this is the right time and age to train your puppy not to bite ever again

You do not have to be cruel or give harsh punishments to train your puppy. They are very sensitive creatures and all you need to make them repent is a firm No! or a censorious Bad Dog, whenever they try to bite you. When your puppy bites you, pull your hand away and repeat the firm phrase again and again which will make him realize that he is hurting you.

Most dog biting problems have a physiological cause behind them. You see, dogs do not only bite when they want to hurt something. They bite something if they want to hold onto it, they bite to play, and they bite as a way to warn people or other dogs do not go any further. The problem is that dogs have thicker skins than people. Your dog thinks of you as just another dog, so he can easily bite through your skin accidentally. If you don't address the dog biting problem while he is still a puppy, it can become serious. If you do train him not to bite too hard, he will grow up to be a great pet.

But then, some dogs are naturally aggressive and bite because they are inherently temperamental. To take care of such dogs you have to send them to an obedience school.

You absolutely have to take the problem completely seriously and find help even if it costs a bundle. Dog trainers can help almost any dog, but your average pet owner can't.

If you have a pooch with biting problems in your neighborhood, the best defence is to be prepared with a bottle of pepper spray that is specially formulated to combat biting dogs. Never hesitate to use the pepper spray if any dog tries to bite you. Or, you could opt for a friendlier approach by offering a beef jerky.

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Thursday, February 18, 2010

Guidelines On Equipments For Dog Training

By Anne Thomas

When it comes to training your new dog, what sort of equipment should you use? Are plain old treats and a stern voice enough? Or do you need more specialized items if you want your dog to be fully trained? It all depends on how much you want to teach your dog as well as how serious you are about it.

As said earlier, there is no need to buy special items for training simple task; the dog will simply follow by practice. But if you want your dog to participate in dog shows, and want it to learn some tricks, it is better to be prepared with some equipments which are meant for training for specific purpose.

The common tricks.

There are many things you can teach a dog to do. The most common tricks that people try to teach their dogs, besides how to be housetrained, is how to sit, stay and roll over. There are also tricks such as shaking the paw, playing dead and so on, but those are harder to teach than the basic three. To start, even if you just want to teach a few tricks, you should get some dog training equipment. You should get a choke collar.

A choke collar is attached to a chain by a loop. As the dog pulls the chain it chokes by the neck. It is harmless, but the dog learns to stay put. A leash is also used to train the dog. A whistle can also work as training equipment; a clicker is also preferred by some dog owners. Treats are commonly used to train the dog.

Reinforcement

Encourage the dog when it obeys your orders, let him understand that you have liked the dogs behavior, after doing a job successfully. Always focus on reinforcement while training your dog. Sometimes dogs do not behave according to your wish or do not obey order, do not punish the dog, or force it to do something, reinforcement works at such times. After a successful task remember to give a pat on the back, or simply treat it with its favorite dish. Talk to it and praise it for the good work.

These tricks will help to keep the interest level of the dog and communicate and make them understand what exactly you want it to do. On the other hand if you punish your dog it may not understand the reason for punishment and might get confused. That is exactly why one should use reinforcements that are positive along with equipments that are used for teaching the dog for better training.

Training the Dog

Start with the choke chain and the leash as the basic learning process of the dog training. Set up some goals with it, so that your dog knows the boundaries and does not stray away. Not letting it out of the training ground is the first lesson to be taught to a dog. The whistle does the job of catching the attention of the dog towards you. The clicker also sends the message to your dog about what you would like it to do. Instructing becomes easier with the use of whistle or a clicker. After doing the trick successfully, remember to treat him regularly so that it encourages the dog to perform better and better and obey your orders. The vital aspects of training are to be consistent and determined. Training a dog takes time; it cannot be achieved in a day or two. The training can last about a few weeks or more depending on the dog's nature, after such vigorous training you can say that the dog is trained.

At the end of the day you will also be able to use agility training gears which will help in training your dog to perform tricks such as that of circus or police dogs. But this can be achieved only in the long run. For the time being it is better to stick on to the fundamentals so that you don't confuse your friend.

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Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Potty Training Your Dog The Easy Way

By Ray Alexander

Your desire to have your own puppy is to enrich your household through your rewarding experiences with your pet. However, you know that there will be obstacles to this objective. One important wake up call to this situation is when your pet starts to create a mess inside your house and in your daily schedule.

But you know that there is one very good answer for this, dog training. Teaching your pet impeccable manners and good behavior has many dimensions. It also involves different actions and reactions that you want your dog to acquire. One of your priorities is to potty train your dog.

Potty training is not as daunting and stressful as you probably perceive it to be. There are even plenty of dog owners who opted to do their dog's training on their own. There could be a number of methods you could utilize for this and most of them are probably as effective as the other. But the basic idea is the same, teaching your willing student the concept of right and wrong.

In potty training your dog, you must start as soon as possible. Delaying the training might make it harder for you when you get around to doing it. This is because your dog has started to form habits of its own. In potty training or in any other training, consistency is the key as it is the foundation of the habit.

First step you must take is to choose an area for this training. It is advisable that the floor of this chosen area is easy to clean as the training could involve regular clean up if your dog misses the mark. Get plenty of newspapers or even cardboard and lay them all down in your designated area. Each time you notice that its bathroom time for your pet, steer it towards this paper heap.

It is also important that you lavish your praise while your pet is at it. Delaying the shower of love for a job that is being well done might not be easily connected by the dog. Then, as you remove the pile of newspaper each time you clean up the mess, get a slightly soiled one and put on top. Your dog could then connect its bathroom requirement with the real function of the layers of paper.

As your dog slowly learn that this is the only spot for a bathroom, slowly shrink the size of the coverage area. If it misses the mark and messes the uncovered area, expand your newspaper cover again. Repeat with shrinking the spot in a gradual manner until your dog perfects the bathroom concept.

When you only allot a space as big as your dog's mess, you can now move with the next step in your training. Either you could buy an indoor toilet for this purpose or you could move the bathroom to the door ready for house training your pet. Now you can rest knowing that your dog was able to learn that there's only a specific place to use as bathroom.

Always remember though the one important rule in dog training is the proper formation of your pet's habit. This entails time and endless duplication of the required action to achieve the desired outcome. Yet your patience and determination will be properly rewarded as you could enjoy your pet without the unpleasant mess.

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Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The Use Of Dog Cages And Kennels When Training Your Dog

By Graham Smith

When looking for a dog kennel for your pet, remember there are certain types that are made for different breeds of dogs, and not every cage will be the right one for your particular situation. There are luxury kennels, designed for small dogs when they travel, that have every imaginable amenity included. Others are made for extremely large pets and are build to maximize security.

You can get a dog cage in any size that can be thought of, and some are big enough to hold an entire room filled with people. They are also made to fill different needs, and have many various styles. Make sure to get one that suits your exact needs and specifications.

If you are travelling with your pet then may want to get a cage that is fabric with a door of mesh and a zippered roof; or you may want to buy a hard plastic type of cage with metal doors, or a kennel which is totally metal mesh save for a solid floor. All of these are ideal for keeping your pet still while on a long car trip for vacation, or even for transporting the animal from one training event to another. It also makes a great way to carry your favourite canine when free roaming pets are not allowed.

Most cages and kennels for training are designed to be used inside as a way of either housebreaking your animal, punishing him for bad behavior, or keeping him from running loose when nobody is around to keep an eye on him. If you can keep your dog in the cage at night when you are sleeping, they will learn to wait to use the bathroom until you are able to let them out, and this will help you with getting them on a schedule.

When he does something wrong, you can put him in his cage as a way of solitary confinement. Before long he will associate the confines of the kennel with the bad behavior and will adjust his behavior accordingly to avoid the punishment. This is also a wonderful way to keep your dog from tearing up the house when there is no one there to play with him.

You can also buy cages that are made for outdoor use, like kennels, wooden floor cages that are a part of a doghouse, that are great for having a nice place to sleep and move around outside, or dog runs, that are much like cages but have legs above the ground, and are stronger. Finally, walk-in cages are good for the temporary housing of several large dogs, and provide ease of access and cleaning.

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Sunday, February 14, 2010

What You Can Do With A Dog Training Collar

By Paul Hamilton

Perhaps the pet dog in your life is a tad disobedient, he does not mind you whenever you tell him to perform something. Are you looking for a a way in which to rectify this bad conduct?

A dog training collar of some kind might be the solution to your dilemma. They come in heaps of different sorts. There are martingale collars, type of choke chain idea without the chain, they tauten up a little if the dog drags far too much.

There are collars which function by means of a remote command device that provides a blend of noise and vibration or shock modification. These usually possess a large quantity of settings of resonance and pulsation so between the two you own a vast number of correction choices.

If your pet is horrendous to take for daily walks as he runs after cats, other dogs, individuals, cars in reality everything and anything which moves then he definitely needs training.

Walking with a dog similar to this is exhausting and in all honesty I do not judge the animal obtains much out of it when you are all the time having to chastise him.

Do you know your dog's strain for certain? Maybe he is pedigree and in that situation there could be no question concerning it, however if he is a mix, do you know a combination of whatever?

Are you aware that it is achievable to get a DNA analysis made on your dog, needing roughly a 7 days to sort out, which were able to notify you merely what breeds are in your animal.

This is going to be a great help to you to understand what kind of training procedure will suit the animal correctly.

Maybe you have a gun dog who you require for recovery when you have been shooting. This sort of animal has to be well under control.

These type of combined sound and vibration collars are usually totally water-resistant so that is first-rate news for animals who have to be in water from time to time.

If your pet trouble is that the animal pulls hard whenever walking there is another innovative appearing dog instruction collar that I have lately discovered. This consists of a part of dog lead which reaches around the muzzle of the dog and joins beneath the chin to one more piece that joins the dog lead but behind the head, not the neckline.

Vets, trainers and individuals like the RSPCA all think that dogs act in response quicker to this type of curative restraint than other kinds of dog education collars.

As with any merchandise there is a gigantic variety of these type of collars to select from. You only have to determine which characteristic of the dog's behavior you would like to alter then launch your search.

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Saturday, February 13, 2010

Need Help Training An Aggressive Dog?

By Carl Covason

Having a dog that is aggressive can be a major problem especially if you have children around. If you find your dog is getting aggressive there are a few different options available to you.

The first option would be to get rid of your dog (not recommended). While this is not the option most people choose it is something some people do.

If you do choose to get rid of your dog make sure you take him somewhere safe. Never just let a dog go especially if they are aggressive. Dogs are no longer breed to be wild animals so they would be truly unsafe out on their own.

The better option would be to either train your dog to not be aggressive or let someone else train him. There are a variety of classes you can take your dog to and there are private dog trainers most everywhere.

One way of training your dog is through clicker training. When done properly, clicker training can help you see a major improvement in your dog's behavior. The great thing about training your dog with a clicker is that after a while your dog will listen to your commands without using the clicker or treats.

When you are doing clicker dog training timing is everything. If you do not get this right then you will be basically wasting your time and effort.

The moment that your dog follows your command you need to click and give him a treat. If you click to long after the desired action your dog will have no idea why you are being so generous with the dog treats.

You also do not want your dog to see the clicker that is in your hand. You can also click with your tongue instead of the clicker after your dog has gotten used to the clicking.

No matter how you plan on training your dog you should always use positive training methods. Using negative methods to train your dog will not only hurt your dog but he will get steadily worse behaved as time goes on.

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Friday, February 12, 2010

How to Raise a Well-Behaved Puppy

By Ana Walsh

Raising a puppy can be a fun and rewarding experience. Unfortunately, too many puppies grow up to be misbehaved dogs because the owners let them get away with bad behavior as a puppy because it was 'cute'. Or, they just didn't know how to raise their puppy to be a well behaved adult dog. There are a few crucial things you need to do.

First of all, you shouldn't never bring home a puppy that is younger than eight weeks. During the first eight week of their life, they go through many development periods that are crucial to their long term well being. Removing a puppy from its mother and littermates too early causes behavior problems down the road.

Second of all, start the process of housebreaking the puppy immediately. Don't wait at all. Get things started right. Don't let your puppy develop any bad habits in the beginning. If possible, teach them to go potty outdoors from the beginning too, rather than doing paper training.

Third, don't allow your puppy to playfully nip at you. This mistake is fairly common, and one you will regret. Puppies should not ever be allowed to bite hands or feet, even if it's just playing. This includes playing underneath blankets or pillows.

Fourth, establish yourself as the leader of the pack right from the start. This is also know as the alpha dog. Although dogs are domesticated pets now, their natural instincts are still very much a part of them.

Your dog expects to be part of a pack, and for that pack to have a leader. Not knowing how dogs communicate will most likely cause you to communicate to your dog that they are the leader. And since the leader is in charge, this results in many behavior problems. To learn more about becoming the pack leader, do a search online.

Lastly (but definitely not least), your puppy needs to be gradually and carefully exposed to new, unfamiliar people, sounds, things, people, and so on. Do whatever you can to ensure these experiences are good ones. Bring along delicious treats and be prepare to give them lots of enthusiastic praise during the process.

I hope this article has helped you and given you insight on how to raise a well behaved dog. If you follow the tips I've given, I know you'll make a great pet parent and your puppy will grow into a wonderful, loyal companion.

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Thursday, February 11, 2010

Anti Bark Collars

By Paul Hamilton

When you acquired your new pet dog, did you ask regarding it's woofing? I wouldn't assume so. You decide first by the measurements of the dog, next by the appearance of it and does it seem to like you, but I'll gamble you never considered to inquire concerning woofing.

A great deal can be put down to your own day to day living situation. Do you need to go out to work and leave the dog alone? That might provoke separation fear in your pet dog.

Possibly the animal is merely plain fed up which might be why it barks to acquire some kind of reaction from somebody, anybody might do.

Even when a dog is being chastised for woofing it does not distinguish between different types of notice. He almost certainly doesn't care that you are rebuking him at least you are there and you are speaking to him, that is all that is relevant.

It is never all that matters though. He has to be taught that this is simply not the way to behave. He could not be expecting to just yap and everything is going to be as he wishes.

You recognize in what way dogs in general woof at any person who arrives at the home, not of the family? Your pet dog will generally bark at the mailman, however when he was tiny how did he begin to do that? I believe that he did it once for the reason that he didn't know who it was and following that he considered that the mail delivery man departed once more because of himself. He could have it set in his mind that he can be accountable for removing strange people.

In some way you have to get it across to him that the mail delivery man is never a threat to his family unit. Obviously you don't want to hold back his defensive instincts. After all, in a quantity cases that is why individuals have dogs, especially if they need to leave their residence with nobody about all through the day.

If you possessed a remote control device you could create him a slight shock when the mailman arrived, of course you would have to be home to do that. If you aren't in the house you should have an programmed shock collar that should simply detect that he was barking and tell him not to, irrespective of why or who he was woofing at.

It is an unfortunate thing but it appears that complaints about incessant dog barking to the police is the second most frequent story, this is second only to alarms going off.

If your woofing dog is described to the law repeatedly then you are liable to have very expensive fines and this could be heartrending to the wallet. At the very least it might lead to strained associations between you and your neighbors this can be very embarrassing and totally unnecessary.

You only have to get down to sorting out this woofing trouble and possibly acquiring one of the anti bark collars on the market.

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Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Bark Collar

By Paul Hamilton

I can't consider a more maddening situation than that of a dog barking for no purpose, one that goes on and on and on until you think you should scream out loud.

Well, there are various kinds of bark collar which can bring about a humane cure for this particular trouble.

One is named a shock collar - having mentioned this do not envisage you are half way to fatally shocking your animal. The collar will recognize oscillations in the animals throat indicating that it is barking then it will just direct a minor shock.

The force of the shock can be equal to whenever you handle particular things and you experience that stinging feeling, it is no more than this.

Ultimately though your own dog is going to learn to connect his barking with getting this sensitivity in his neck which, since it is a feeling he has never had before, he wouldn't like and he is bound to learn not to yap so that he wouldn't receive that feeling in his neck again.

If you do not care for the idea of your own pet dog getting a shock and really believe that it is nasty you may always go for the Citronella collar.

This bark collar has tiny vial of Citronella liquid and when the collar detects that the animal is woofing it lets out a mist of Citronella in front of the animals snout. Dogs do not enjoy this citric odor so eventually he is going to be taught that if he does not bark he wouldn't obtain this bad smell beneath his nose.

Perhaps you might favor a sonic bark collar to either of the above. This one, yet again once it recognizes yap vibrations in the dogs esophagus, gives off a sonic tone which just the animal will hear.

Each instant the dog woofs the noise grows in strength and it is going to go on escalating as long as the animal woofs. Once the dog has barked further than 15 occasions in one minute the dog collar will rest for a time to allow the dog a halt in the education development, then commence all over again - that is if the animal is still woofing.

I genuinely can't state what effect this sonic sound would have on any other pets you have in the residence since they clearly will listen to it. It would be a shame to chastise them for a thing they aren't doing.

Also there is the subject of the animal you are attempting to teach being unable to hear. I can't see this sonic collar working on a deaf animal.

Barking dogs are not just an exasperation to the owner, youhave to reflect on living next door to all this noise. This will be a plain case in support of a bark collar. Arguments both verbal and lawful have been the consequence of a dog being left to bark unchecked. Possibly you have to work and the dog is left unattended throughout the day, you genuinely do require to understand that it is never creating a trouble that is going to bring about problems.

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Monday, February 8, 2010

Problems Of Cat Behavior- Natural Or Unnatural

By Elle Thomas

The favorite among pets, the cats are comfortable and proud as a family pet and enjoy the attention that is showered on it. They are favored because of their behavior that is liked by all. The dogs take a second place as cats are preferred more. Their unique traits set them apart because of their natural way of looking after themselves without any help from the owner. But the only problem that bothers the owners is the behavior problems, which the owners have to face.

Impulsive and Strong

Generally all Cats even the ones that are house pets are know for their impulsive and strong behavior and if not cared properly it can cause a lot of behavioral problems which can in turn make them wild rather than being in their usual docile manner. Most of the cat lovers are conscious about this and are aware of the fact that cats have instincts which can have an impact on their behavior to a very great extent. Hence cat owners must make themselves familiar with the problems of cat behavior and know the right techniques of handling their cats so as to avoid getting scratched or bitten by them- even accidentally.

As you get familiar with cat behavior, you will notice that sometimes the cats respond to their instinct naturally and are termed a behavior problem. When with the kittens the cats on purpose get aggressive and harm the kittens with their claws and wrestle with them, which is essential for them to prepare to hunt and catch the prey for food.

But you will certainly not see such behavior in house cats as they do not hunt. However if you do get to see such behavior in your cat, it certainly is a behavior problem, and reason enough to worry. To solve this problem start young. If you want to totally avoid this situation teach the cat not to scratch, or retract their claws while playing and not harm the humans when they are still young. You will have to be a little firm to achieve this, but it is fairly easy and makes the cat to beat the instinct to kill.

One can use catnips and fake mice for this. You can also make the cat do a lot of exercises which will distract it from its instincts of hunting and help the cat to overcome its behavior problem.

When it comes to spraying, a most disgusting cat behavior problem, you need to control this behavior through use of sprays and through proper behavior training as well as through neutering your cat.

Behavioral problems in cats can also be an indicator of an issue related to health and hence its always advisable to take your cat to a vet to get appropriate treatments during the early stages. Cats are basically a descendent of predatory animals and this is a fact that can be easily understood.

If you win over these behavior problems of the cat, which basically is their hunting instinct for survival, which can be eliminated at a young age or when they are kittens then your problems are solved. You simply need to be vigilant in the beginning and try with strong will power to tame the cat. Thus you can have your pet to be the most favorite in the house.

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