Showing posts with label Dog Behavior. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dog Behavior. Show all posts

Saturday, December 2, 2017

Why Your DOG Barks

Aggressive Dog
Photo by  Mr.TinDC 
Dogs bark because we humans want our dogs to bark. For years our domestication process and selective breeding have allowed our dogs to develop their barking abilities. Wolves don't bark. Barking was further developed in dogs in order to scare intruders or to help the master out (i.e. on farms to assist in gathering the sheep). 

Most dogs simply bark to communicate, to get attention, or simply to show their excitement. Training and lifestyle are important factors in teaching the dog how to communicate with its master. If you reward your dog for barking, he will continue to do so.  The best thing is to figure out what your dog is trying to tell you and go from there.

If you have a dog that barks excessively, try to figure out what he is trying to tell you.  If it is out of a need for attention, the way to break the cycle is to wait for him to be quiet and then give him the attention he needs.  By acknowledging the barking, you reinforce it.  Waiting until he quiets will teach him that he gets attention when he is not barking.

Some dogs are extremely territorial.  They will bark at not only a person approaching but someone they see walking across the street or on the next block.  The best way to stop this is to distract him when he starts to bark.  Catch his attention with a treat or by playing.  Every time the bark cycle is broken, it sends the message that quiet will get the most reward.

Taking the time to discover what your dog is communicating will result in less stress for both you and him.  He will get much-needed attention and you will get quiet.  It’s a situation you both win.





Saturday, October 7, 2017

The Importance Of Organic DOG GROOMING

2013 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show: Tibetan Mastiff GCH Sierras'Sasha-Yakone Nanuk
Tibetian Mastiff - Photo   by       http://www.petsadviser.com 
Despite the savings to your schedule and wallet, you may still feel that the hassle of learning grooming instructions outweighs the benefits. Grooming your furry friend takes a lot of time and patience, preparation, and commitment. Without these, you cannot survive to take the responsibilities of an owner.

Just a couple of minutes every day may increase the bond between you and your pet as well as improve its overall health. Also, it is better to consider organic dog grooming in Miami. There are many natural ways of grooming. All dogs can benefit from regular bathing. However, the same with dog food, a lot of shampoos also contain harmful ingredients.

It is vital to choose the safest and effective shampoo products that cannot dry their skin as well as their hair. You should check if there are ingredients mixed in any product such as surfactants, insecticides, artificial fragrances, and foaming. It is better to use herbs like citrus oil and organic compounds. This way, you will be able to protect them from skin irritation.


Apart from bathing, another thing to consider is to keep their ears clean as it can lessen itching and even bacterial and yeast ears infections. Thus, before choosing a product, it is vital to check the label of your shampoo to avoid those products containing harmful chemicals that could irritate them. Try using ear cleaners and washers that only contain organic oils and avoid those products with alcohol.

Dental disease is a common disease of many dogs and other animals. Thus, a regular brushing is helpful to reduce the frequency of cleanings that could only be performed under anesthesia. A product that is put on toothbrush should not contain harmful chemicals. You should also avoid using human dental products as it contains artificial components which are toxic to them.

With just a bit of research, you can easily find high quality organic and natural grooming products that are safe enough and effective. Basically, groomers seem to be getting more expensive as time flies and for owners who need high maintenance for their dogs, they have to drive to the groomer, drive back and pay for the service. It is quite a time consuming and expensive as well.

You only have to consider the things that should be done to save more money and time. You may consider doing it by your own and use organic products. There are some dogs that are not wagging their tails especially if they are traveling far places to their groomers. So, if you would reduce this activity to them and learn the process of proper grooming, then it will also worth your time and effort.



Grooming your pet at home will likely to become a source of bond for both of you. It allows you to spend more time and obedience training with them. Even if you decide to continue using a professional groomer from Miami, FL, you still need to groom them from time to time. Remember, cleanliness means healthiness.

Once you have gathered information about this undertaking, then it would be easier for you to perform it. This way, you can build a relationship with them while maintaining their health. Through this, you will be able to obtain the results you are aiming for.


    About the Author: Leslie Ball



Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Can an OLD DOG be taught new tricks?

English: A chihuahua "chipmunks" for...
A chihuahua "chipmunks" for a treat, a trick he's been taught and since learned was very successful way to influence humans. 

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Have you ever seen a well trained dog and thought, “I wish my dog could do tricks like that”?

It is probably the dream of most dog owners to be able to teach their pet to do some of the tricks they see other dogs doing, but there is one thing they must remember above all others before starting down the path of teaching tricks. The dog must have at least some basic obedience. There is not much chance of teaching it to do tricks if it is a badly behaved dog in the first place.

The basic commands such as sit, down, heel etc, should be known by your dog before trick training starts, as this will make life so much easier later on. Once these have been mastered you can begin to build on them and your dog will soon be amazing your friends with the following three simple tricks.

Begging

To start teaching this trick it is best to have your dog sit in a corner of the room with his back to the wall and you standing in front of him. The walls will support your dog and give him the confidence that he won’t fall over if he raises his front legs off the floor.

Take some small pieces of food and hold it above your dog whilst enticing him to reach up for it. Each time he takes the food, praise him and repeat the procedure slowly encouraging him to reach higher each time.

Whilst encouraging the dog to reach up for the food, you must make sure that he is keeping his haunches on the ground. This is achieved by moving the food back over his head slightly making the dog shift his weight back over his haunches and teaching him to keep his balance.

Once the begging trick has bee mastered in the corner of the room you can gradually begin to move away from the wall and practise the trick where the dog has no back support. You must expect at this stage that the dog will seem to go backwards in his learning, but this is to be expected until he can perfect it just using his own body weight.

Shaking hands

There are two parts of this trick for your dog to learn. A verbal part and a non-verbal part which both work together to give the dog a cue that you want him to perform the trick.

Firstly the dog should start off in a sitting position. Give him a single word verbal command such as ‘shake’, whilst at the same time reaching out with your right hand until it is just a few inches from your dogs’ right leg. Your outstretched hand is the non-verbal cue.

Initially your dog will probably just sit motionless unsure of what to do, so with your left hand, gently push or prod his right leg forwards until it rests in your right hand. When he has done this, praise him so that he knows he has done what you wanted him to do.

Practice this trick several times; praising after each successful result and gradually reducing the amount of left hand prompting until only the verbal and non-verbal cues are all that are needed.



Shaking the head: ‘No’

Before you can begin to teach this trick to your dog, you will need to find something which will make him shake his head naturally. Some things which may help are blowing gently on the ear, tickling the ear with a feather or even lightly attaching a paperclip to the ear – remembering that you should not cause the dog any pain.

Once you have found the method which makes him shake his head you will then have to decide on which verbal and non-verbal cue you want to use. A single word such as ‘head’ along with shrugging of your shoulders is just one idea.

Again your dog should start in a sitting position when first teaching him this trick. As in the shaking hands trick, use both cues together, along with the prod (tickling his ear, etc) in an effort to stimulate your dog to shake his head. Once he does, reward him, even if it is just a small movement.

This trick is best learned in short sessions with momentary breaks in between, so don’t try to repeat the exercise more that five times in one session or the dog will become confused and not learn.

Gradually reduce the amount of prodding so that all that are needed are the verbal and non-verbal cues. Once your dog has mastered the trick, he can be progressed to learn it in standing position and laying positions as well.

The main thing with training dogs to perform tricks is for the owner to learn that patience is a virtue and that the dog will learn in his own time. Do not scold the dog if he does not seem to be learning, it is always better to be patient and encourage him more.




Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Your DOG Is HYPERACTIVE When You Get Home From Work... What Should You Do?

Dear Adam,

I am a member of the Bouvtrain list. That's how I got your name. I'm almost through your book and it has certainly given me some new ideas. Gypsy is a 1 1/2 year old Bouvier. She is very high-strung but we're working on it. You're absolutely right that it does no good to send your dog away to school. For $900 bucks she now does just what the dog trainer tells her to do. I'm getting a lot better, though.

Titanpit
Titanpit (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


Here's my question. I exercise her in the morning. We play ball for 30 minutes and then we walk a mile practicing sits, downs and stays. At night we play ball for about 15 minutes. I work from 10am to about 7pm. She stays in the kitchen with a dog door leading to a large 6' fenced back yard. She sleeps almost all day and she doesn't sleep at night. She paces and barks. I make her stay in the kitchen (baby gates) so I can get some sleep. I don't know any other Bouviers so I don't know if this is normal or not. She has hip dysplasia and has had hip surgery. I thought it might be pain so tried giving her an aspirin at night. Didn't help. I tried getting up to correct her but she hears me and gets in bed before I get there. Right now I'm just trying to ignore her. The kitchen has a large bay window to the front of the house but there are curtains. She's been doing this for months and I haven't had a full nights sleep in months, either. Would crating her help?

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Robbye and Gypsy


Dear Robbye:

Thanks for sending me this e-mail. It's a perfect example as to why simply "ignoring" bad behavior will never work on dogs that care more about pleasing themselves than anything else.

Here are some tips:

When she starts to bark, you'll need to yell, "No!" from your bedroom, and then continue saying, "No, no, no!" as you run to her and administer a correction. It doesn't matter if she climbs back in her bed at this point, as you've already used the word, "No!" as an event-marker. So she'll know what she's being corrected for. As long as you continue saying, "No!" you have an additional 7 to 14 seconds in which the dog will still associate your correction with the behavior.

Put a crate in your bedroom and let her sleep in it. Even though it doesn't seem like much to us humans, dogs think that sleeping together is quality time when they're not alone. This can help with some of her anxiety.


You may also try just putting her on a leash and attaching the leash to the foot of your bed. If she knows a down-stay, you can simply correct her if she gets up. After a couple of evenings, she'll learn that when you bring her into the bedroom and make her lay down, it's time to stay put.

If you don't feel that her hip is bothering her, I would recommend increasing the amount of exercise time. Feed her as soon as you get home from work and then take her out and play ball for at least 30 minutes. An hour would be even better.

If you can't play ball with her for a whole hour, then work her through a very intense obedience routine (heel, sit, heel, down, come, heel, etc...) for about 15 minutes and then play ball with her for another 10 minutes.

When I lived in Berkeley, California I had an American Pit Bull Terrier that was a very high-energy bitch. If I took her to the park on a Monday afternoon and played fetch for a whole hour, we'd later return to my apartment and within 20 minutes she'd be bouncing off the walls again.

However, if I took her out on a Wednesday and we simply did an intense obedience routine for 20 minutes, we'd return to the apartment and she would collapse under my coffee table and not move for the next 2 hours.




Saturday, June 17, 2017

How to Stop Your ROTTWEILER From Biting and the Importance Behind It

What’s the best way to Stop your rottweiler from biting?

Some rottweiler owners may need to find out how to stop their rottweiler from biting at some point in their dog’s lifetime and it can be very stressful trying to decide what it takes to avoid having a rottweiler that may be aggressive. A dog that bites is objectionable at first, but as they mature, they become dangerous, not only to strangers but your own family too. If your rottweiler bites at any stage of its life, it is imperative that you act immediately to stop this behaviour. It’s so important from day one of ownership that you don’t allow your rottweiler to become a dangerous dog in any way.

I Exposición Monográfica Club Rottweiler de España -  Santa Brigida -  Gran Canaria.
Rottweiler - Photo by El Coleccionista de Instantes 

How to Stop Your rottweiler from Biting as a Puppy

If you buy your rottweiler as a puppy then this is the best time to observe his behaviour so you can quickly pick up on any potential issues. A puppy under six months of age is especially easy to retrain because it is still in the formative years of its life, when dogs typically learn how to bite in the wild.

A common mistake that many rottweiler owns make is they believe that their puppy is simply playing or teething and not actually trying to hurt them. Unfortunately, what is really happening is that your rottweiler puppy is learning how to assert its position in the pack, using its teeth to demonstrate who is boss. You have to begin from day one, whilst your puppy is very open to learning to be able to stop your rottweiler from biting.

There are a lot of methods to stop your rottweiler puppy from becoming a dog that bites. Nearly all of them will mimic how the puppy would be treated with its litter mates and mother. A light nip on the neck, a whining sound when you are bitten, and replacement therapy where you hand your rottweiler a toy instead of your hand are all beneficial ways to demonstrate the dog that biting other people is not satisfactory. If you have problem teaching your rottweiler puppy to stop nipping, you should go to an obedience school or hire a trainer.

How to stop your rottweiler biting at 12 months of age.

At approximately 12 months of age your rottweiler if he has been allowed to continue nipping as a puppy, will then move on to play biting as a teenager. A lot of different things can contribute to this behaviour. You should stop playing physical games with you rottweiler dog right away. No wrestling, tug of war or other authority related games.

It’s also important to not let your rottweiler have the run of the entire house. Crate training can be a great method to restrict their range within the home giving them well needed boundaries. A good obedience training program can be hugely helpful with a teenage dog that bites.

How do we stop your rottweiler biting as they get older.

If your rottweiler continues to get away with their biting behaviour, in time it will turn into a huge problem as an adult. Your rottweiler may “turn on” you their owner, but in reality, the dog always stays himself as the leader of the pack.

If your rottweiler bites or nips at anyone after twelve months of age, you need to find a professional quickly because there is serious danger here and the rottweiler might choose to maintain its dominance at any time with an attack.

When learning how to stop your rottweiler from biting, you need to start at as early an age as possible. I can confidently say that most if not all rottweilers that have biting issues as adults will have had concerns as a puppy. Whilst there are a couple of exceptions ie mental disorders or disease, most of these issues are resolvable with proper training.



By Dory Harvey

I have been a dog owner for many years and am truly passionate about responsible pet ownership. I’m biased when it comes to breeds as I cant go past Rottweilers. This breed of dog has such an abundants of qualities and through my own experiences I would highly recommend them to anyone looking at getting a four legged friend.
Article Source: EzineArticles



Monday, May 8, 2017

DOG INSOMNIA - The What and Why of Dog Sleeping Problems

Just like humans, dogs can have trouble sleeping. And also similar to humans, dog sleeping problems can be caused by a number of different factors. Here, we'll explore the common canine sleeping problems, possible causes of those problems, and ways to address the problems to help your pet sleep better. Whether it means treating an underlying medical problem or buying a waterproof dog bed, taking action to address your dog sleeping problem can be good for both you and for your dog.


The sleeping dog
The sleeping dog (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Common Types of Dog Sleeping Problems

Almost any dog sleeping problem can be classified into one of two general types of struggle: snoring and sleeplessness. (Just like humans!) Let us look at each of these two problems, and then explore some of the common causes that can prevent a dog from sleeping well for that reason.


  • Dog Insomnia is characterized by the dog pacing at night, most often. It may also whine, try to get attention from its owners, or display an excess of energy (not unlike a child who is 'wound up' because she is actually tired!) Even if you try everything to keep your dog comfortable (Think dog bed: memory foam style), he or she may still have trouble sleeping for a number of reasons.
  • Dog snoring is a bit more straightforward (or at least easier to identify) as sleeping problems go. This one will certainly not be solved with a nice foam dog bed, so read on to learn what you can do.

What Can Cause A Dog Sleep Problems ?


Of course, when you first get your pet, sleeping through the night may be out of the question. To use another kid metaphor, this is the same with puppies as with infants. But if the dog, as an adult, develops sleeping problems or seems to get worse, there could be an underlying issue.

For snoring, there is almost always a health problem causing the snore. See a veterinarian, who should probably check for allergies as well as assess the dog's weight. Obesity can cause snoring in pets.

For insomnia, however, the situation is more complex. One thing you could consider is whether the dog gets enough exercise. Like a child without recess, the dog may be "wound for sound" come bedtime. Try daytime exercise to see if this helps.

If not, the insomnia could be caused by discomfort. However, even discomfort has many different possible causes:


  • Improper Bedding. If your dog is sensitive or has joint problems, he or she may really benefit from a better dog bed. Memory foam or orthopedic beds are a great place to start. A waterproof dog bed is also a good idea for older dogs; it keeps things cleaner and more sanitary.
  • Health problems. Things that could make your canine uncomfortable include fleas, internal injury, allergies, or a major illness or sickness.
  • Mental/psychological issues. If your dog's living situation has recently changed, stress or emotional trauma may cause the sleeping problem you're experiencing. Also, as dogs age, their hearing and vision deteriorate. They may feel disoriented, which is why they wander around.


What To Do About Dog Sleeping Troubles?


First and foremost, see a veterinarian. He or she can check for allergies, parasites, joint problems, injuries, illnesses, and other health problems. This is very important. If the dog is deemed healthy, get a comfortable bed (such as a foam dog bed, etc.) that is big enough for the dog's size.


Finally, for older dogs, consider installing night lights around the house, in case its vision is causing it to become scared in the dark.

    By Rob Zygelman
    Learn more about pet care and insurance at [http://www.petinsurance101.net]
    Pet insurance101 is an educational resource providing information about pet insurance and helping consumers make a choice. Robin Zygelman is thoroughly committed to saving animals one at a time.
    Article Source: EzineArticles


Wednesday, May 3, 2017

A good DOG FENCE Makes For Better Neighbors

Believe it or not, not everyone likes your family pet.  By keeping your pet in an identified space with a good quality dog fence, Fido can remain as a good neighbor.  I know, I know, it's  almost impossible to imagine that anyone who knows Fido doesn't immediately fall in love with her.  She might just be ok with the neighbors but the things she does in their yard make for some unhappy relationships.  This is just one of the main reasons why every pet owner has an obligation to control their pets traveling range with pet fencing.   

A dog looking through a fence
A dog looking through a fence
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)

The problem of course is the about relieving themselves in someone else's yard,  Yes, your pet may be friendly and would like to visit the neighbors but the fact is, many people do not share your love affair with your pet.  They don't want the bother of picking up after an animal that's not theirs nor having their yards soiled with urine "hot spots" and doggie piles.  Dogs, although usually very friendly also can be destructive of plants and landscaping, making many breeds poor neighbors.

That's not to say that your dog isn't a nice animal.  Dogs are typically social and enjoys the interaction with a variety of people.  This play interaction however is not without consequences.  Things get broken, chewed on and otherwise "enjoyed" by your pet no matter if they belong to you or the neighbor.  Having to face an angry neighbor because your dog destroyed his prize winning rose bush garden isn't something to be desired.

There's also the issue of community security.  This is especially true if your dog is a larger breed.  Having a large dog escape the security of their yard could be seen as negligence on your part.  Communities are becoming increasingly upset at pet owners who allow their animals free run of a neighborhood.  Heaven forbid if your dog, while free, attacks someone or another animal.  This is especially serious if the other dog or pet was on a leash.



The saying is that a good fence makes for good neighbors.  A good dog fence also makes for a happy and healthy environment for your pet.  By securing your dog using secure fencing, your best friend also has the security of knowing where his yard boundaries are located.  There is no need to "guard" anything beyond the fence lines so you pet is more inclined to stay in his yard to better "watch" his property.  Overall, electronic dog fencing is a good investment no matter what type of dog you may have as a pet.




Thursday, April 27, 2017

Can Speaking And Singing Stop A Nuisance BARKER?

How do you stop a nuisance barker? Easy: Teach them how to "speak" and "sing". This might be more interesting for bothersome humans, but just way cuter for canines. All types of dogs, may it be size or breed, can be easily taught to speak. The way for it to go is to call your dog, show him a treat (which never disappoints), and say "Speak".

English: Barking Dog
Barking Dog (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The dog might probably not understand what you are trying to make him do, and probably would dart on the treat, jumps, and will eye it intently at first. Finally, he will sit down, gets impatient, and then utters a sharp bark which is what you have been waiting for, and for that instant when he does so, reward him with a treat.  

Not all dogs love to bark. Just like humans, some are aggressive, and some are just plainly shy. For these types of dogs, they can be encouraged to do so by imitating a bark. Chances are, he will reply to it. Reward him, a never-disappointing deed of all time, then he will learn to bark as soon as he hears the word "speak". Now, after the dogs have been taught to bark once, you can teach him a series of barks. This way, you can make him expect to be rewarded, which encourages him to bark more until you give him a stop signal, which can lead to a full phrase, or whichever you want him to do.  

Other than being social beings, dogs are very observant. By the time you signal your pet to stop at the slightest point, your friends won't detect the magic trick, such as subtle movements of hands and feet; a wink or a shift of your gaze, and if you keep up with these tricks, you might be firing up an interesting series of barks that can sound as if your pet is having a conversation. You can address him as if he was a human being to keep his performance appealing, impressive, and very perplexing.



Demonstrating the latter, if you are exhibiting your dog to an audience, and might want him to "speak", you would like to be a bit more creative like asking him a question. That way, you can probably be in a very good business as to have a "talking dog". Either way, that is much better than pestering barks in the neighborhood. 

Now that your dog can now "speak", you can now teach him how to "sing". Try making him imitate a series of whines and howls to a certain degree, reaching the pitch, and the style of noise you desire. As your pet learns how to follow you, say "sing" automatically to associate the desired action.  With constant practice, a dog can and will learn to follow your turn quite accurately. Do not forget to praise and treat him plentifully for encouragement. Exercise the activity on a regular basis. 

By this type of training, not only have you got rid of a nuisance dog, you have disciplined your pet vigorously, making him understand that barking and whining is only allowed in command. And now, for the humans.


Friday, January 13, 2017

BOREDOM and variety

Boredom and variety are always inter connected in case of dog misbehaving. Yes. This is true. Many a times, boredom can be managed with variety of materials that will distract the animals to a greater extent.  Hence, the dog may not do the abnormal or unwanted activity arising out of the boredom experienced by it. 



Boredom experienced dogs may have different types of behavioral patterns.  For example, some dogs will be seen barking continuously and some may be engaged always in some digging activities. 


There are many ways to get your dog out of its boredom activities. Many toys are available which simulated duck, dog, rodent etc. 

These may be kept inside the crate and in particular, puppies love these items.  A buster cube with multiple treats may be placed in the dog’s shelter and the animal soon understands on how to roll the buster cube to get the treats it prefers. A Buster Cube is an ingenious toy use for simulating and activating your dog during play and feed time.  Instead of placing the food monotonously in one place, change the place of feeding suddenly. 

Such actions will be helpful for removing the boredom like activity in your dog. Activities pertaining to boredom need to be redefined well by the dog owners.  This will help them to a greater extent to drive away the unwanted behavior patterns in their pet dogs. 

For example, some dogs may often have destructive biting characters and will be seen biting chair, cloth, mats, and everything that can see. After ruling out the teething problem if it is a puppy, provide it with some large sized balls, mineral mixture based bone materials, etc. Such variety of materials help to reduce the boredom related activities.   



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