Dog Talk Nation

Why Do Dogs Love To Dig Holes

Jerry Welsh — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:39:45 +0000

Dogs have many undesirable behaviors - digging holes is one of them. Pet parents have to learn to live with the unwanted behaviors of the pet not only because dogs are well loved pets but also because these are innate behaviors of dogs. Whenever given a chance, a dog will dig. Because dogs do not know that the inclination to dig is an unacceptable behavior, an owner would come home one day to a lawn with crisscrossing tunnels and a dog with a very proud look on the face.

The silly dog would think that digging holes would please the master. We love our pets but surely we do not love their destructive behaviors. Dog owners would always want to be with the pet thus locking the dog in a kennel to prevent it from digging holes will not be a very good idea. Would knowing the reasons behind the dog’s unacceptable behavior help? Dealing with the reasons why the dog digs can be a better solution to modify the destructive behavior.

The dogs’ unwanted digging behavior will always be attributed to boredom. The undesirable behavior of dogs always list boredom as one of triggering factors. Dogs are not only energetic, they are social animals too. Being energetic and social animals, dogs will develop the destructive habit of digging holes if not allowed to let off steam or not given opportunities to bond with the family.

Dogs would always want to receive attention from the family but because of tight schedules, pet owners may not have the time to bond with the pet thus the destructive digging behavior will be developed. In the eyes of the dog, the reprimands of an angry master would be more acceptable than being ignored. A dog would dig holes to escape confinement. Dogs have the inclination to roam. Dogs will be curious of the sounds and scents on the other side of the fence. The dog will dig tunnels under the fence to get to the other side.

Digging is fun for the dog. Digging holes would be a pleasant activity for dogs especially if the temperature is hot. Dogs would lie on the newly dug hole to keep cool. Dogs in the wild would dig holes to bury food and prey. If we store our foods in refrigerators, dogs would use holes for storage purposes. Dogs will be seen digging holes to bury bones and other “treasures” that can be unearthed when food is scarce.

More about why dogs dig holes at Sarah’s Dogs.

Use These Suggestions To Stop Aggressive Dog Behavior

Suzanna Hardaway — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:20:40 +0000

All of us know that controlling an aggressive dog is tough. What’s more, dog owners will be at risk. If your pet bites another person while outdoors, odds are the owner will be sued plus the dog will probably be put to sleep. In the event the animal injures an individual or an pet, the dog owner is responsible. So we need to find out ways to stop aggressive dog behavior.

Dog aggression is actually a common problem for several large breeds, for example Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, along with Pit Bulls. Many folks play with their pets roughly believing it will not trigger any problems, yet these larger canines through rough play learn ways to be aggressive. Even if you’ve trained your pet to be aggressive, it’s possible to retrain your animal to become more relaxed.

In the event that your dog is naturally aggressive and also is still a puppy, you are able to train your dog to become a lot more calm by enabling him or her to play with other pets. Three months old is really a beneficial time to have your puppy interacting with other smaller dogs. If he is allowed to grow to be aggressive, it’s frequently tough to retrain the pet to interact socially and modify his actions.

Most dogs are inclined to get aggressive during meal time. In the course of or prior to feeding, train your pet to stay calm. During instruction, remain consistent. Letting up isn’t an option. As an example, if you train your dog to not bark in one particular spot, enforce this particular action to avoid confusion.

Some pets are aggressive while they’re in discomfort from some type of illness or other problem. Dogs really feel vulnerable while they are in discomfort. You should visit your veterinarian to rule out any potential illnesses that lead to pain. In the event the veterinarian discovers something wrong, they will take care of the issue and the pet will really feel much more at ease.

Pet dogs have a tendency to become aggressive around other dogs. Whenever another pet dog passes by your pet, shout out the dog’s name if they turn out to be aggressive and move them out of the way. When your dog is obedient, offer it a reward. Rewards encourage dogs to continue a behavior, knowing they will receive a treat for their good manners.

In the event that your dog is really aggressive, and you are finding it difficult to retrain the animal to stay calm on your own, you should give thought to getting in touch with a certified professional trainer who focuses on dealing with several breeds of dogs that are naturally aggressive.

The specialists know ways to stop aggressive dog behavior by teaching them to react to commands given by the owner. K9 Trainers are excellent sources that offer you thorough dog training alternatives. These men and women work with police dogs and other aggressive pets proficiently. You may find other training services on the Web that can help to train overly aggressive dogs that are challenging to control.

Do you want to learn more about training aggressive dogs? Be sure to visit my site to learn how to become a dog trainer.

Adopting A Pet Greyhound

Samantha Hardin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:17:57 +0000

The greyhound is a breed of dog most popular in the local and international gambling scene, a dog entered in races for betting. Since dog racing is very popular up to this day, there are many dog racing tracks and puppy farms for breeding that can be found in America. The greyhound racing scene has since improved as compared to the scene from decades ago. For instance, it is now illegal to kill losing greyhounds in many tracks across the United States, thus protecting greyhounds from otherwise inhumane practices. Still, there are thousands of racing greyhounds that need a new master and a new home following their racing days.

What’s To Do After A Racing Career

Greyhounds are often sent to training farms soon after they are born. This would be their home for the next 18 months, where they would train to be quality racers. By this 18-month period, it is time for the dog to begin its racing career, which usually lasts for the next 2 to 3 years. Racing dogs older than four are usually put up for adoption.

A Greyhound’s Personality

There are many other concerns aside from humanitarian reasons when adopting a pet greyhound. A greyhound’s personality is more complex than one may imagine. For instance, greyhounds are surprisingly laid-back. Since the greyhound can normally run speeds of up to 40 mph on the racetrack, not too many owners know that they’d rather kick back and relax. The best way to take care of a greyhound is to let it sprint only for a limited time. Once the sprinting is over, most greyhounds would rather relax and spend time with a human companion or a toy. Like most of its canine relatives, greyhounds are smart, excitable dogs who make loyal companions and find excitement about the simplest of things, like exercising in the yard or seeing their owner return home from work.

How A Greyhound Should Look Like

A typical greyhound has a similar color to its name, but there are also red, fawn, black and white greyhounds, some with brindle or spotted patterns. The typical male greyhound weighs around 65 to 75 pounds, with females weighing around 55 to 65 pounds. Once a greyhound is through racing, do your best to have them maintain optimum weight. Greyhounds have a fast metabolism and aren’t prone to getting fat, so this shouldn’t be a difficult task. The greyhound’s average lifespan is about 12 to 15 years, giving it good longevity for an average to large-sized dog.

Where To Find Greyhounds

There are a lot of animal shelters connected to local dog racing tracks - you can easily find greyhounds there. Your local shelter would want to know your present home situation as well. They will ask if you have kids - particularly smaller ones - and if you have smaller animals as pets. Training makes greyhounds aggressive, and they may harbor some of this even after their racing days are finished. Once you have shared all pertinent information, the shelter director should be able to find the perfect greyhound for you to adopt.

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Tips To Show Your Love And Affection To Your Pet Dog

Alex Kreuk — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:23:24 +0000

Dogs have a great sense of love and affection, and they respond very well when they get love from you. Since they want to please their owners so much, they do it for the happy attention that you will give them. Check out some of these things that you can do that they will absolutely love.

Dogs love it when they get lots of loving physical contact. Pet them like you mean it and give them a good scratch on their back of bellies.

Since dogs perceive some things better than humans do, they are especially needy of things that we can do without. They love being touched because it is connected with their emotional well being. One of the reasons is that we cannot communicate through language, and this is a good alternative.

The best way to really pet your dog is to get them next to you and start petting them. You will notice how they move closer to you and sometimes crowd you. This is a good thing.

Dogs need to be pet all the time, not only when they do something good. They also like it when they get a big excited greeting when you come home from somewhere. Fluff and pet the dog really good throughout the day because they need constant validation and approval.

You need to walk your dog. This shows them that you are in a pack, a group, a network. You’re cruising the neighborhood with your pal, and they need this from you. Additionally, it is good exercise, and both of you can benefit from doing this on a regular basis.

Finally, we’ve saved the fun one for last. Treats. Dogs love getting goodies, which is normally associated with doing something good. However, just like petting, toss them something nice just for the sake of doing it and your dog will be happy. Not all treats are with food either. Take the dog out to the dog park or out to the woods.

The ultimate treat for the dog would be by getting another dog that they can play with.

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Taking Good Care Of Your Pet Puppies

Mike Whitehead — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:02:36 +0000

Who doesn’t love a puppy? With their cute faces and wet noses, many find them great to care for. It may look like great fun to take care of a puppy, but it actually entails a lot of responsibility and attention to detail.

Puppies are born each day at a high rate, around five million new puppies if you only consider the USA. And about one third of families in the USA are dog owners. Before introduced into the world, puppy dogs stay inside their mothers’ wombs for about 60 days. A puppy’s senses are underdeveloped upon birth - they cannot see, hear, and have very little sense of smell. For about two weeks from birth, a puppy’s eyes remain closed. Usually, it takes a month before a puppy’s sense of sight is complete. It shouldn’t take long either for a puppy to be able to hear and smell properly. Shortly before its first month, the average puppy would start growing temporary teeth. Around four months from birth, puppies start growing their 42 permanent teeth. To develop their teeth, start buying chew toys for your puppy. This is because puppies chew a lot when young in order to speed up the transition from baby to permanent teeth.

A puppy dog would need the comfort of its fellow puppies and their mother dog when very young. For best results, a puppy shouldn’t be separated from its mother and siblings too early - let it wean for about two months before letting it run free.

When buying a puppy, do so with discretion. Think both of your needs as well as the concerns of other family members and neighbors. Hyperactive puppies generally cause a nuisance to people in the neighborhood. You will also need to be more concerned with taking good care of the puppy and protecting its welfare. Inform yourself properly by making the proper considerations. Consider the cleanliness of your surroundings - you may need to buy a dog house for your puppy. Take into consideration the size of the puppy and the size of the house where you live in. Do you need to regularly exercise your puppy? Most puppies need extra exercise to burn excess energy. What disposition are you looking for in a puppy? Will your puppy be easy or difficult to give a bath to? Is buying the right food for your puppy in your budget? Finally, consider your puppy’s need for veterinary care. Puppies need to be vaccinated once they reach 6-8 weeks, then would need booster shots at around 12 to 16 weeks.

These tips may be a handful for some, but having a puppy is still fun. Enjoy the time with your puppy. Exercise care in naming your puppies, give them a name suited to its personality and call it by that name. A puppy, like a child, needs to have a healthy self-esteem, so reward it with doggy treats and give it proper love and affection. Unconditional love and friendship would then be showered back to you by your puppy. This is “puppy love” in a literal, yet accurate definition.

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How To Register A Dog

Jerry Welsh — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:54:40 +0000

Registering the dog entirely depends on the choice of the dog owners as registering the dog with a kennel club is not mandatory. Registering or not registering the dog will not make a difference to the enjoyment, companionship and entertainment you will have for choosing to have a dog for a pet.

Holding a kennel club registration certificate will not make the dog more affectionate and loyal as being registered or not will make no difference to the dog. Taking time to register the pet though is important as you may think of breeding the dog someday. The pet can be mated with any other dog but if you want to preserve the pedigree you need to mate the dog with another purebred and this is only possible if your dog is registered. Ask the breeder to provide you with a Dog Application Registration form when you purchase the puppy as this will be needed in registering the dog.

Dog registration is not obligatory but breeders of purebred dogs have to register the dogs. Not many people that keep dogs mainly as companions would think of registering the pet. Registering the pet would give an owner benefits. A dog owner is expected to be proud of the pet. A dog that garnered awards in kennel club events would make an owner extremely proud but this will only be possible if the dog is a registration certificate holder.

You can register your dog in the American Kennel Club or in the United Kennel Club. Although filling up the registration form and paying the registration fee can be accomplished easily, a dog has to meet some requirements before it can be accepted by the kennel clubs. The American Kennel Club for instance requires three generations of verified parentage. Aside from having a registered sire and dam, the litter must be registered by the breeder as well.

A reputable dealer must be able to provide the new owner with a Dog registration Application that contains all the information necessary to register the dog. An owner can choose to register online or to complete a paper copy of the application form. Information such as the name, gender, color and markings of the dog, as well as the name address and signature of the owners must be supplied. Submit the filled up registration form, pay the registration fees and wait a few months for the registration certificate that will be mailed by the kennel club.

More about how to regsiter a dog at Sarah’s Dogs.

What Is Dog House Training?

Micheal Smith — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:06:20 +0000

Pleasure and answer-ability initiate the action of bringing a dog home.

A dog’s overall compatibility with you and your family would be dependent on a well-planned dog house workout.

The many aspects of dog house training include compliance exercise, waste disposal training dogs and crate training dogs besides others aspects.

It is relatively simpler to guide a puppy than an adult dog since a puppy is yet imbibing knowledge.

A puppy will feel at ease in your home if you bring him a crate.

But, a well-planned crate coaching is essential for the puppy to not become overburdened with the crate.

Puppy crate coaching comprises educating the puppy with respect to going into the crate and remaining put till called.

Crate guidance is essential when a function is organized at home; you are going out for some time and when you don’t expect the puppy to create a ruckus.

A positive move can be done by instructing the puppy to go to the crate when you cater to more pressing things.

Use of newer ways of guiding the puppy can be used when after some point in time; the puppy becomes an expert in crate commands.

On your orders, the puppy may initiate the action of entering the crate, but may not be intent on staying put.

In this case, you would require composure and restate the ‘remain’ order for the puppy to maintain status quo while you complete your other tasks.

If the crate is appropriate for the puppy, it will stay put and play with toys until one is occupied with guests.

A new crate may be needed if the puppy continuously stays away from it.

Looking to find information on dog house training, then visit www.mydoghousetraining.com to find the best advices on dog leash training and basic dog house training.

A Special Breed- Golden Retriever Training

Micheal Smith — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:05:17 +0000

Known for their gentleness, playfulness, and loyalty, the Golden Retriever breed is a favorite among families. Families with children especially enjoy the characteristics of this breed.

Golden retrievers have three great characteristics; learning quickly, learning many things, and making great family friends.

The breed loves and is certainly adept in the water. They will dive right in to fetch anything you throw, and are natural swimmers.

Training golden retrievers is often easier than other breeds, because of their willingness and desire to please their companions.

Using simple commands such as “drop”, “fetch”, or “come” will help facilitate teaching the breed to retrieve toys or balls. As their name implies, the breed has a natural instinct to retrieve objects.

Consistency is the key for commands with the breed, the dog will be confused if one person tells him to “fetch” while another says “drop”.

Simple hand signals, along with consistent commands, will further validate the training with the animal.

Don’t forget to reinforce good behavior positively with affection or a small treats. For undesired behavior ignoring the animal or saying “no” while turning away is sufficient.

Afterwards, the animal will want to please his companion even more because he desires attention.

Don’t forget to relax and have fun when training your golden retriever for the best result

Your Golden Retriever has a sense of humor also. Every now and then, he may not return the fetched toy, but instead run all around you daring you to chase him.

This breed offers wonderful friendship, and children love their gentle and playful attitude.

As I mentioned before the best thing to remember about training your golden retriever is to be relaxed , its easier than with others also golden retrievers are fast learners and its important to have fun with your golden retriever.

Want to find out more about golden retriever training, then visit our site to know more about golden retriever breed.

How To Deal With Skin Troubles With Your Dog

Brandon Sanders — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 10:41:19 +0000

Are you trying to locate recommendations on difficulties with your dog’s skin? Using our information, you will obtain an excellent beginning for a concise understanding of the problems with this problem. The first step is to educate you about the most important aspects of this problem, so that you can make the optimum decisions.

The possible effects of disorders with your dog’s skin can be significant if you don’t address them. Initially, you might see extra scratching, dandruff and irritation, which will be really painful and uncomfortable for your dog. Next, you might expect to experience progressive skin disease and surface infections that may lead to serious troubles with your dog’s health too. Armed with this knowledge, a wise person would choose to immediately confront the problems with this problem as quickly as possible and with the best approach.

Let us get going with the task of solving skin problems with your dog. What may you do to lessen the effects of this challenge? In general, we suggest medical dog bath products as a starting point to get ahead of the curve. Additionally, we recommend looking into vet-suggested dog skin ointments and canine supplements to ensure the successful treatment of dog skin problems. By using our suggestions and getting the jump on issues with this challenge, you are heading in the right direction.

If you are trying to find more detailed remedies for issues with dog skin troubles, we can provide a few recommendations to address the problem. You will be in a good position with this problem by using these recommendations.

1. We suggest that you begin with trying doing your homework on proper dog skin maintenance. This will put you ahead of the curve and help you make the best decisions.

2. Then, consider the advantages of giving your dog regular bathing and brushing with excellent dog care products. This is a critical step that should be a common task.

3. Finally, as a supplemental solution, consider trying the possibilities of visiting with your dog specialist for specific directions. If in doubt, spend the money to get a veterinarian recommendation.

You are wise to use our advice in this article on dealing with skin difficulties with your dog. If you do nothing else, certainly research the potential gains of employing healthy dog bath solutions and specialized dog skin ointments and canine supplements for resolving this subject. We are certain that your time will be well-spent.

Definitely be sure to receive our FREE Dog Care Report and Newsletter with newsletters, great articles and special reports to stay in the know on difficulties with your dog’s skin and quite a bit more.

About the Author: Bruce Bennett is a highly respected and experienced author who gives many savvy suggestions for quality dog care for Akita Inu dogs and puppies. Grab our FREE Smart Dog Care Report and Newsletter for your Akita Inu as soon as possible!

How Anyone Can Successfully Get Rid Of Ear Mites In Cats

Wendell Ruben — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 09:21:21 +0000

Ear mites are a very common problem in domestic cats. In multiple cat households often each cat will be infested as they are easily spread. Ear mites can cause your cat to scratch furiously at the ears, and can be very uncomfortable for your pet. If left untreated, they can cause other, more serious problems.

Upon inspection of the inside of the ears, you may notice a brown, waxy substance. This could be ear mites, their eggs and feces in the ears. It is easy to see why this can be irritating to your pet, and proper treatment is necessary to ensure they are eradicated as soon as possible. Cotton swabs should not be used to attempt removal of this, as serious damage to the ears can result. This should always be done by a qualified veterinarian.

The scratching of mite infested ears that has led to cuts around the ears may leave scars and scabs, and can lead to the secondary problem of an infection. Keeping the cat’s hind nails trimmed throughout treatment can help prevent the cat from further damaging the skin. Treating scrapes and cuts with an antiseptic ointment can help to ward off infection.

It may be advisable to see your veterinarian for treatment of ear mites. Prescription medication can quickly and successfully treat them, and are only available from a vet. They can also clean the ears and remove any build up that may have resulted from the mites.

An at home treatment can work if done properly. Mineral oil has proven to be effective for the treatment of ear mites. It causes the mites to drown. Several drops can be put inside the ears, and then gently massages to ensure even distribution. This will cause the cat to shake his head in an attempt to get it out, and should be dome in an enclosed area to avoid a mess. This head shaking will help to dislodge mites in the ear canal, and should not be discourages.

This should be repeated at least twice daily until all signs of mites are gone. A Kleenex can be used between treatments to remove any build up on the ear surface and to help get rid of the pests. Ensure that all cats in the household are treated at the same time to prevent cross infestation.

These pests can be successfully treated and removed at home, as long as it is done properly. Ensure that the treatment is sufficiently long enough to ensure removal all eggs and mites. If this method fails, see your veterinarian to ensure the problem is looked after as soon as possible.

Not entirely sure how to treat pet ear mites ? Get the low down instantly in our comprehensive Dog Ear Mites and Cat Ear Mites guide.

Things To Know About Dog Training Tips

Wilkinson Aya — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 08:47:36 +0000

There is going to come a time in the life of most companies when they are going to need to make changes in the way they do business or expand in order to make higher profits. If you find yourself in this position you are going to have to present a written proposal to your investors or to the bank if you plan to apply for a loan to cover your expansion.

If you have never had to write this type of paper, you will need to find a business proposal sample to help you assemble one that will meet your needs and impress the people you are preparing it for.

A business proposal is not only used when a company needs to expand, it can be used when a company wishes to work with another in a temporary partnership or when a person or group of people wish to go into business for themselves. The proposal is the first chance and may be the only chance you are going to have to convince your financiers that your business idea is a viable one. You only get one chance to make a first impression and the proposal you write is yours. You must be prepared to take your time and get it right before you send it in.

You will find many different samples of these forms online, each of them have most likely been used with a certain degree of success. The average proposal should follow the same basic format as this is what both private investors and lending institutions are used to dealing with.

Should you send in an unfamiliar format, your proposal may never go any further than the trash can. Using the right format is as important as making sure that you do a good job filling in the information that covers your business idea and exactly how you intend to achieve your goals.

When you use a business proposal sample you will be able to create a professional document in the best format for presentation to your investors. This will make it easy to read and follow from beginning to end, which is exactly what the reader expects to find. Anything less will not be taken seriously and most certainly will not get your company the financing you need to complete the next phase of your improvement plan. This may be one of the most important documents you ever fill out and you need to take your time to make the best possible impression with it if you want your business to grow and succeed.

Read my latest articles on Dog Training - How Important to learn it and do check out my website for my other Pets & Animal Articles .

Common Problems In Dog House Training

Peter Smith — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 07:53:34 +0000

If you have introduced a dog to your home, you have brought in a lot of responsibilities, from providing him good food to providing him good training.

While every canine breed is different from the other, a lot of owners face some common challenges while house training dogs.

Some of those challenges and their proposed solutions have been discussed below.

1) Most owners face problems when obedience training their puppies.

Sometimes they don’t respond to certain kinds of obedience training, whether leash or reward training.

The best way to resolve this problem is to change your training method from one to the other.

2) Some puppies take long to command train. This difficulty appears because dogs can’t speak and so they can’t understand words as well as gesticulations.

2) It will take a long amount of time to command train some puppies. This problem comes from the fact that dogs can’t talk and therefore they can’t understand words as well as gestures.

3) Communication is a problem between some owners and puppies, as the puppies get distracted easily.

Many canines have a short attention span, and for you to have their attention you need to use methods such as talking loudly, keeping them on a leash or jostling them when they are not listening.

Most canines don’t have a long attention span and keeping their attention requires talking in a loud volume, keeping them on a leash or jolting them when they are not paying attention to you.

While it may take some time, they will get used to having to listen to you no matter what.

If your dog doesn’t like the food’s taste, he won’t eat it even if he is hungry.

So, the solution would be to buy different food products for your canine friend.

5) Your dog might refuse to go to its crate and stay. Well, the issue might be with the crate itself.

The problem can be insufficient room or the quality of the material. Or, it could just have become dirty and you should clean it up.

Solving your dog’s problems is much simpler once you find out what they are.

Looking to find the best advices on dog house training, then visit www.mydoghousetraining.com to find the best advices on dog leash training .

Puppy Crate Training For Your Precious Pet”

Mario Tedman — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 07:10:08 +0000

Puppies can seem like little balls of energy. All they seem to want to do is get into anything and everything as they explore the world.

It is vital that you properly train your puppy about how to behave in the house and to obey.

Teaching your puppy proper Dog House Training will create a lifelong bond between you, as well as letting your little puppy learn to understand you and his place in your home.

Dogs are communal animals, but they still need their own private ‘personal’ place for meals, sleeping and resting.

Your puppy may seem like he always wants to be with you, but he needs a little private quiet time for eating and sleeping.

Nap-time is important and shouldn’t be interrupted. Same with those ever important [to your growing puppy] meals.

A kennel in your back or front yard is a option for your puppy. But if you don’t have a lot of yard space, or the weather is not suitable, a good comfortable crate would be best for him.

Crate train a puppy by taking them to the crate when they are already sleepy or drowsy; after a busy play time or a meal.

Develop a pattern in putting your puppy in the crate and he will learn that the crate is his place to sleep.

A big, comfortable crate placed in a non-active area of the house will let your puppy lounge about and sleep undisturbed.

Comfy cushions or pillows in the crate will teach your puppy to prefer the crate instead of your sofa or other furniture.

The crate should be located somewhere where your puppy won’t be disturbed while he sleeps.

If you put the crate in an active place in your house your puppy won’t get much sleep and find somewhere else in the house to sleep.

Some toys placed in the crate will create a positive image for your puppy, in case he isn’t quite ready to go to sleep.

When you put your puppy in the crate you can start using some commands like ’sleep’ as he starts falling asleep. Or you can even pet him as he falls asleep.

In this manner you will make sure that your puppy gets plenty of good quality sleep in the privacy of his own bed.

Want to find more information about puppy crate training, then visit our site to know the best advices on crate training dogs.

How to Play with Your Puppy

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:41:56 +0000

I think “play” with your puppy or adult dog is a very important, though under-the-radar sort of subject. I’m not sure that most dog owners actually consciously think about play and the way in which they may play with their dog (or dogs).

For dogs, play often means physical contact, and many activities that we may think of as play, your dog may look upon as a job. Dogs are very job oriented and much of their sense of self worth and confidence is related to their having a job to perform, doing it well, and being rewarded for it.

Our German Shepherd loves to “play” fetch. My wife and I think of it as playing with our dog, though for our pet considers fetching a job, albeit a job that she loves to perform. Although fetch does not involve much physical contact, a fetch well-performed is always rewarded with praise.

I personally think that physical contact with our dogs is very important. Dogs relate to physical contact. I have a lab mutt, mixed with snow dog and something more aggressive, who loves to rough house and engage in practice fighting. He knows that he isn’t to jump on me, but he goes to great lengths to show me how to play-fight with him. It’s really quite amazing.

Roughhousing, done correctly and not too roughly, teaches your puppy to play and not bite and to work to get something he wants, still without hurting the person holding it.

In the course of a good rough and tumble, you will use words that he will remember next time. He will learn “Stop that,” if he gets rough himself. If he needs reprimanding, a firm “No!” and a quick, gentle hold on the muzzle (for biting) should make him behave.

Protect your puppy against what is really teasing, as when children call it “play” to steal his toys and hold them out of reach or to wrestle too roughly and hurt him. In addition, never play with him, or let children do so, until the point of exhaustion.

Reward your pet when you are teaching him something new, and let the play increase his understanding of you and your understanding of him. The time you spend with him can develop into a closer bond. He is learning, among other things, that you are the head of the pack.

Check out Dove Cresswell’s video series on basic dog and puppy training!

Causes Of Dog Skin Conditions

James Lunden — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:19:12 +0000

Dog skin conditions are easy for most owners to miss, since most breeds of canines are covered with a generous coat that can mask the slightest problems. Many of us see a dog itching itself and feel that it’s just something that dogs do. The truth is that your dog shouldn’t really be itching themselves, or showing signs of skin irritation very often. A little itching is normal, but frequent itching either indicates either hereditary, environmental, or self-inflicted dog skin conditions that you should help them with.

Hereditary

The list of minor and chronic hereditary skin conditions that affect dogs is too long to mention. Just keep in mind that each breed has a certain level of skin conditions that come with them. These hereditary dog skin conditions may come in the form of thinner layers of skin cells in certain areas, such as the pelvic area, armpit area and behind the ears.

Environmental

Like hereditary skin problems; your dog can be prone to irritation from their surroundings. Most canines have a strong immune system to plant pollens, but can still be irritated by them. Problems occur when your dog scratches themselves, then gets pollen or other environmental allergens in the wound. Also mosquitoes, black flies, ticks and fleas not only bite; but open up wounds in your dog’s skin that invites infection.

Self-Inflicted

Self-inflicted dog skin conditions can work alongside both hereditary and environmental. Prolonged licking of the skin, scratching and rubbing can cause irritation, but also exposes your dog to environmental factors or exacerbating hereditary problems in their skin.

Solutions

Solutions will range from lotions, anti-bacterial creams, shampoos and even oral medication — depending on the irritation. Keep a close eye on your dog and examine their skin often. Just run your hand against the direction your dog’s fur lays, so you expose the skin. Check for fleas, ticks, deep cuts, or any other sign of irritation so you can attack the problem right away.

Find out more on dog skin conditions and read many interesting articles on pet health.