Teach Your Dog

Dog training tips flow freely when your dogs misbehave. But how much of that unsolicited dog training advice is good advice?

Meanwhile your dog may actually be driving you bonkers with barking excessively, jumping up, biting, whining, not listening. Relax. You usually can do something about it. Often NOT through using the free dog training tips so lavishly bestowed on you in the park.

Of course prevention is half the cure and careful selection of your dog before you get him is essential. Does the type of dog fit your circumstances?
After all, different breeds are bred for certain tasks, be it hunting, herding, guarding, killing or chasing.

But you’ve not bought a pup, with the first main task often dog house training? You’ve bought an older dog WITH behavioral issues? Still relax. Help may be at hand.

Just as with raising children it pays you to know a bit about how to do this, and why. You can get someone in for some basic dog training but that can set you back anything between $300 and $2,000.

Really, there is no free dog training like your own. Quality time! If you and your dog want to enjoy life together then why not work on this as a team right from the word go.

Oops! Did I say “go!”. “Sit”… and read on. Dog training is not a top-down affair. Your dog assesses you for what’s “good” or “bad”. If you’re not sure or inconsistent then you’ll both pay for that. So, robust dog training tips address owner training too.

So, just for a taste, here is some basic dog training advice.

* Train your dog in different settings for the same commands. If she obeys a certain command in the home context she may not in the park.

* Don’t allow pups to jump up, chase and bite trouser cuffs because it’s so much fun. Later they won’t know why its bad to chew on your foot!

* Use exactly the same short command words for the desired behavior every time! Then “sit” will means “sit”, not “stop” or “stay”! You may believe your dog is an Einstein but he too believed in elegant simplicity.

* Dog jumping up? Knocking over grandma? Put your open hand in front of its nose every time or use your knee if a larger dog (I take no responsibility in case of the possible loss of balance or your knee). Then look it in the eye, say “sit” and sit it down physically if it does not obey.

* And, a tired dog is a good dog. Exercise!

Your simple and consistent approach will prevent many problems.

All this is commonsense but you need a good set of guidelines. You can join dog training classes, getting a dog trainer to come to you, or read dog training books. Because it takes more than a few tips to practically love your dog through good training.

Of course, always check out trainers with good personal references. And there are some good books out there to do it yourself.

Yes, some dogs drive you bonkers but never forget that the reverse applies too. All dog training tips should include the advice that dog training is not just for the dog! Hmmm…

Author Info:

Rodney Waitts grew up with dogs. His family always had them. Just like having kids, owning a dog is a real responsibility, and can be sooo rewarding and much fun. Keep that relationship with your well-behaved dog a great one. And your kids? Sorry, wrong species - http://www.dogteach.org is for dogs only!

Yes. Some work better than others. Some control the barking through corrections, these are bark control collars.

Other dog bark collars actually modify the dog

The time has changed and the leaves have fallen off the trees. It is the time of year to get ready for winter. In a large part of the country snow will be on ground soon and the temperatures will get below freezing. Your dog and cat know it is winter. They get their winter coat and react to the shorter daylight the same as us. Some dog owners leave their pet out for exteneded periods of time thinking that animals are adapted to living outdoors. That is not the case with domesticated pets. They are used to living indoors just as much as we are. I would like to give you a few pointers for winter pet care.

1. A good idea for winter care for your pet would be to take them to your veternarian before winter really sets in. Make sure your pet is in good health. Older dogs, like older humans, tend to get sick more easily in the winter. If your pet have arthritis or diabetes or heart problems make sure he gets a good check up.

2. If it is cold outside make sure you watch your dog and cat carefully. A good idea would be to stay outside with them. When you get cold then chances are your dog is cold too. That would be a good sign to take him back inside.

3. Watch for hazards in the winter. If you live near ponds or lakes keep your dog away from the ice. You never know what the thickness of the ice is. If your dog would happen to fall in he would have a hard time getting out. I would say if are near water stay outside with him. If you live near woods or a forest the snow can cover up hazards the dog can’t see, like sticks or rocks or trash.

4. Keep an eye out for antifreeze. Dogs like the smell and will drink it if they find some. Antifree is extremely poisonous and will kill your dog. If you need to change your antifreeze make sure your clean up any spills. Dogs that don’t have access to clean unfrozen water will drink whatever they can find. This includes gutter water which can contain antifreeze, oil, or other household hazardous waste.

5. If your dog needs to be kept outdoors for any length of time make sure they have a nice warm shelter. A nice sturdy doghouse would be a good idea. Make sure they have a nice warm dog bed and fresh unfrozen water. That is very important. Your dog can get dehydrated in the winter. Please check his water bowl before going off to work or shopping. If you put a wrapped hot water bottle in their shelter it will keep it cozy.

6.Rock salt and deicer can very hard on your dogs pads. When they come in the house make sure that you wipe off their pads with a warm cloth. This is important as they may try and lick their paws and they may become very ill.

7. Be particularly gentle with older or elderly dogs. Their arthritis can get worse in the winter. Stay close with them when they are going down stairs as they may slip and fall. They may be a bit more awkward and uneasy when they are outside. In the winter they may need help getting up on their favorite couch or chair. Make sure they have a nice cozy bed. A heated dog bed would be a great idea. You may have trouble getting them out of bed in the morning.

8.If you have a cat that goes outside be careful with starting your vehicle as cats like to curl up in warm engines. A good thing to do is bang on the hood of your vehicle so any cats hidden there will jump out. If a cat is on your engine and you start it, the cat will be injured or killed.

9.A good idea if you can get your dog to let you do this put a warm little sweater on them. Little paws booties will also help keep their little paws warm.

Take good care of your pet thiis winter and they will be there to keep you company for many winters to come.

By: Cyril Scheer

Author Info:

Cyril writes many articles about pets. He owns 2 Bassett’s and has a website with a pet blog www.ourpetlovesus.com