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Tips for Training Your Dog

February 4th, 2012 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

A crucial and beneficial task to undertake with your dog is to train it properly. Training allows you to connect with your dog through communication. This connection is vital in directing your dog to follow your commands, as well as establishing a good lifelong relationship. Training is not the panacea for all behavior issues, but it’s a good foundational start.

Dogs are definitely social beings, but behave like wild animals when not provided the proper training. This means your dog will bite you, fight with other dogs, dig in the yard, bark too much, damage your property and dirty your home. These canine behavioral issues are actually normal dog activities, but the timing and the subject of focus is all wrong. To illustrate this, a dog must do its business outside, but does not wait and goes on the rug instead. Perhaps the dog does not just bark at a suspicious prowler, but barks the entire night instead. Or, the dog prefers to gnaw on your shoes instead of the toys you’ve provided. The critical message you must impart to your dog is that these behaviors need to be redirected to the proper time and place.

Training establishes the “pecking order” too. Your dog shows respect to you just through simple compliance for commands like “sit” and “come.” However, you and your dog should derive rewards and fun times from training. Proper training makes living together a pleasurable and rewarding experience. The well-trained canine actually can be given more freedom and is a much more confident pet as compared to a dog with no boundaries on behavior.

Your home is the venue where you should do the training. Don’t pick an area with a lot of distractions for your dog; it should be an area your dog is used to. Once you are confident that your dog has mastered a few compliance commands, you can then move on to different locations. Remember that you want people who visit to see your dog comply with all your commands. What’s the point if your dog sits on command in the backyard, but does not do so when visitors are at your home? The big test of success is to see your dog respond to commands in public places.

Dog obedience training lessons should be short on time, but long on results. Scheduling long and meticulous sessions will only become tedious and unproductive in the end. The best way to schedule is to integrate it within day-to-day activities. Your sessions should be structured so that both you and your pet derive benefit from it. Integrate sessions during activities your dog loves, and your dog will associate those favorite activities with the training. From your dog’s perspective, it should see that everything is training and training is everything.

You will find that the most profound theme in that should be rewarding to your dog for the appropriate responses. The speed at which the dog learns is directly associated with the frequency of rewards. This means that practice will involve rewarding good behaviors in quick succession. Never take your dog’s good behavior lightly and make sure that praise is given quickly. If a dog barks too much, it always gets attention, but we fail to notice our dog acting properly at times. It is human nature to focus on the bad behaviors and ignore the good. But with dogs, a system of proper actions and quick rewards are vital for the prevention of future problems.

Dogs get exasperated too when all they hear is, “No, get down, bad dog!” The constant nagging also has a tendency to make a dog apathetic to your commands. If there is a consistent system of rewards for appropriate behavior, then when your dog behaves badly and gets scolded, it has a greater impact. Remember to not just scold your dog, but show what you desire from it and immediately reward the behavior when done right. For example, you can show your dog its own toys right after scolding it for chewing on some household item. You can get excited about the dog’s toys and give a reward when the dogs play with them.

The tone of your voice, if used properly, is all that is needed for correcting bad behavior. Stick to reprimands that are concise, short and quick, and avoid nagging. Do not scold your dog if you have not caught the wrong behavior right away, as it will have little meaning after some time has passed. Late reprimands do little good and can even worsen the wrong behavior in your dog. Inappropriate reprimanding can make your dog aggressive, timid, afraid of the raised hand, apt to chew and bark excessively.

Jason Ryan is a longtime dog lover and pet owner. He has a great deal of experience raising dogs, and has written numerous articles on training-a-dog.com how to train dogs. Visit the website training-a-dog.com training-a-dog.com to read about the most effective training-a-dog.com guides.

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Care for Siamese Cat - An Overview

February 4th, 2012 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

Whether you own a Traditional or Modern Siamese cat the care for Siamese cat is the same. The Siamese cat is low-maintenance as far as special care considerations are concerned. They are not delicate, are active, and have good appetites (they are not known to overeat and become obese even when extra food is provided). Follow the cat’s cues as to how much food it requires in a day. If there is extra food left over in the dish after your cat has finished eating, try putting in less the next day (equivalent to the left over amount), or if your cat seems to be looking for more food – try adding a small amount until he or she is satisfied.

When you care for Siamese cat an important fact to keep in mind is that they reach maturity quite early on (sometimes as early as 5 months). As it is not recommended to spay your cat until it is 6 months old, you may have a month when your female cat goes into heat. Be patient, it will pass and be sure she does not escape out the front door or she will probably come back home pregnant.

Keep in mind that the care for Siamese cat does involve dealing with cat fur and shedding. The Siamese cat sheds approximately twice a year; you can mitigate the amount of fur around your home by brushing your cat. This is a ritual that the cat will enjoy, can be relaxing for you, the owner, and lessens the amount of fur that will end up throughout your home. The Siamese cat is classified as short-haired, so brushing can be limited to two times per week.

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Alternatives to a Dog Training PA Service

February 4th, 2012 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

In Pennsylvania, which is a large state with lots of rural land, it can be difficult to find a good obedience school where you can get your furry companion cared for and trained the way you want. Instead of driving hours to have strangers teach your dog, perhaps you should consider being your own service PA. By following a few simple tips, you can be on your way to getting your dog obedience trained from the comfort of your own home.

Being the Alpha Dog

If the dog you are looking to train is a puppy, the first thing you need to do is establish yourself as the alpha dog in the pack. Once the puppy knows that you are the leader, the obedience training becomes much easier than it was before. This, in fact, is a great reason not to drop your little one off at a PA school where they will be the alpha dogs, not you.

If you have a grown dog, teaching him or her that you are the leader is still imperative, though it may not be as easy. At least early on, make sure you are the one feeding and caring for the dogs. Once they see that you are providing for the pack, you will quickly become the alpha dog and the training gets easier right away.

Nothing is Free

A concept taught in most PA services is the idea that nothing is free. You can use this same idea in your home as you teach your dog obedience. Reward with treats, but never give them for just any reason. When you allow the dog to understand that treats, and nothing else for that matter, are not free then he will always be looking to please you. This method is as close to universal as anything in dog obedience training.

Be Consistent

If you are going to be your own PA facility, then you need to adhere to the consistency such places will give your canine companion. Be sure that you do your activities at similar times each day. In addition, do not accept behaviors that are not acceptable and do not reward when a reward is not due. The consistency will help your training as well as your activities go much more smoothly overall.

Training your dog at home can really save you on travel, especially in a state like Pennsylvania where many of the facilities are so far away. In addition, you will save on money and time. However, perhaps the most important part of training your dog at home is that you get to bond with your pet.

Dean Iggo is the webmaster of dogtrainingadvisor.com/Dog-Training-Schools.html” target=”_blank DogTrainingAdvisor.com providing tips and advice on dogtrainingadvisor.com/Dog-Training-Schools.html” target=”_blank schools, obedience, and more.

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How to Deal with Dog Separation Anxiety

February 4th, 2012 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

A dog suffering from separation anxiety can cause many problems for you, your dog, and your neighbors. These dogs love their owners and they hate being away from them. You probably give your dog all the love that you can, but when you are away they become little destroyers who chew your shoes, urinate on your furniture, and bark for hours. Some breeds of dogs are predisposed to this behavior. If you are looking into getting a dog and you know that you are frequently gone, you will want to avoid breeds that have dependency problems. Many dogs that were not weaned properly will also develop a dependency on humans at an early age.

There are various symptoms of separation anxiety and it is important to note that most of these actions occur as soon as you leave your house in the mornings. Symptoms of separation anxiety include:

• Scratching at doors and windows (your doors will look like they tried dig through them)
• Urinating on the carpet and furniture
• Chewing and destroying furniture, clothes, shoes, bedding, etc.
• Excessive barking, and howling
• Chewing or excessively licking themselves
• Follows you throughout your house and demands constant attention

If your dog only exhibits these behaviors while you are gone, the dog is most likely suffering from separation anxiety. Most dogs will act fine when you are with them. They will generally only be destructive for the first thirty minutes you are gone, but may continue to howl, bark, and whine all day long. These dogs will not benefit from punishment, as they are suffering from an anxiety disorder and not intentional bad behavior. They will not be able to associate punishment with their acts, as it may have been hours since they were being destructive.

Your veterinarian may be able to direct you in how to deal with dog separation anxiety. Many dogs with severe cases may require anxiety medication. They will also require behavior modification training. The combination of medication and training is the best. Behavior modification training will teach you how to react to your dog and his problems, as well.

In changing your dog’s behavior, you will first want to avoid making a big deal about leaving and coming home. Many dogs are able to recognize when their owners are leaving and their anxiety will begin to build. Avoid saying anything to your dog as you leave and come back home. Try to ignore them for as long as possible when you come home. This will help make your arrival and departures low-key events with minimal excitement. Try to find what triggers your dog’s behavior. Notice your dog’s reactions to you picking up your keys, purse, and briefcase. After determining what sets your dog off, repeat those actions without leaving your house, as this will help to desensitize your dog.

Be sure that your dog is receiving plenty of exercise to reduce his amount of energy. Start by gradually leaving your dog for short periods of time and then extend those time limits gradually. You may also want to give your dog toys that hold treats so that he will be busy for hours. You can give these to him as you walk out the door in the mornings. Crating your dog does not generally help, as they spend their time trying to escape and destroying their crates. You may also choose to leave a radio or television on, as the noise helps to calm these dogs. The process is a long adjustment period but, with work, your dog will become less dependent on you and less stressed.

For more information on tips and tricks and latest
and best ebooks visit dogtrainingbookreviews.com/dog-training-book.html dogtrainingbookreviews.com/dog-training-book.html

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Are Coats, Hats and Rain Gear A Necessity for Your Little Dog?

February 3rd, 2012 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

Since Mother Nature provides the dog with its own outer fur coat you might think why bother with anything else. Little dogs, however, lose their body heat more quickly than the bigger dogs. Small, short-haired dogs like the Chihuahuas and Miniature Pinschers have almost nothing in the way of nature to keep them warm in colder temperatures. For these dogs it is like a necessity to provide them with something extra for those cold, blistery days outside. For other breeds, such as a thick-coated Shih Tzu it can be entirely optional, but will also help the smaller sizes to retain their body heat in colder temperatures.

When purchasing a coat for your dog use the same good sense as you do when purchasing your own coat. Look for good construction. Wool and micro fiber fabric retain warmth. If you live in a climate that experiences cold winters look especially for materials made of wool and fleece. Be sure the coat covers the dog enough to keep him warm.

The coat should fit the dog comfortably around the neck, chest and armholes. Pay special attention to these areas and measurements when purchasing a coat. Coats don’t use stretch like a sweater does. Exact fit will be more important than when purchasing a sweater.

What is the cost of a good dog coat? Designer dog coats can cost several hundreds of dollars. A coat purchased at a large pet supply store of which there are many of the same, can retail for $20 or less. If you live in an area like, Boston, New York, Maine or Minnesota where the winters can sometimes become severe you probably should invest a little more money than $20. Although cost does not always mean quality, sometimes the best of materials used to construct the garment will cost a little more. So look over the coat carefully when you purchase and be sure it is the quality you want before paying the higher price.

Lycra body suits are available as an alternative to the traditional coats. Since the Lycra is stretchy material the product fits well on most dogs. The legs are built into the suit so the whole dog is covered securely. There are waterproof versions you can purchase for rainy climates. The Lycra suits are not quite as attractive as a faux fur or leather coat, but your dog will most likely love the warmth and comfort – sort of like you wearing a pair of sweats as opposed to tight fitting jeans!

Whoever would think that a raincoat would come in handy for a dog? They most certainly can be handy for your little dog. Short-coated little dogs can quickly become miserable in the rain, and like chilled to the bone. If you live in a rainy climate, your little dog would probably appreciate some sort of rain gear. As with all other dog fashions, the choices can be overwhelming, there are so many for us today.

Hats and hoods are just adorable on a dog, but especially adorable it seems on those little dogs. It is true that humans lose most of their heat from their heads. Dogs are not much different. A little hat or hood can also help your little dog to retain body heat in colder climates.

Purchase hats or hoods that attach firmly in place. A chin strap is helpful. The hat or hood should fit comfortably around the dog’s ears. Dogs have different sizes and shapes of heads, one size hat or hood does not fit all.

Now that your little dog is dressed perfectly for your particular climate, have fun strutting down your favorite walking trail!

Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. Buy fleece t-shirts, coats and other dog fashions and accessories at: littleguysdogclothesshop.com littleguysdogclothesshop.com

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