Dog Training Savvy

Dog training courses can be important if you are serious about training dogs as well as if you’re working towards training other people’s dogs. There is no substitute for experience but it does provide credentials that you have had education into the canine from a professional standpoint.

Not all dog training courses are created equal however. There are several forms of dog training courses available.
•    Video dog training courses
•    In person dog training courses
•    Specialty dog training courses
•    Online dog training courses
All of these can provide a certificate of completion but in order to really benefit it pays to select dog training courses that really are more than just a piece of paper. Knowing on paper or reading books is different from knowing having trained 452 dogs over a three year period!

Some dog training courses are designed to be owner-dog courses. An example of this is Labrador University at Wetland Retrievers which has dog training courses designed to build a working relationship between owner and hunting dog. This is a get in the water kind of course that includes not only obedience but starting on retrieves.

Another example is the professional dog training courses through the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, which has a certification of 300 hours of training. Of course if this training was with unkind handlers it is up to the individual to find someone else to work with to complete the “work experience.”

Still other dog training classes are for those with professional views of another kind, for example security dogs, detection dogs, search and rescue and K-9 dogs. These can teach a dog to find substances from explosives to accelerants to termites and cadavers. Generally speaking this is not the type of dog training courses that neither are open to the public nor are such dogs needed outside of experienced law enforcement and professional handler situations.

The type of dog training courses may vary but should be more than just paperwork and book reading. They should offer hands on training as this is the only way to make a working bond with your dog.

For many active dogs training courses are the answer for “hyper” dogs that need more to do than hanging around the house.

When shopping for dog training courses consider several factors:
•    Is this a means to build a bond with one dog or are you interested in going further?
•    Are you looking for a particular activity?
•    Is your dog already trained for anything?
•    Is your dog suitable for the type of training you’re considering?
•    Does the dog training courses offer a range of information needed?

There are many versions of dog training courses that come up with a basic internet search. There are accredited courses and there are questionable courses so it is important to research and find the ones that benefit you and your dog the most. Dog training courses are an excellent idea but make sure you’re improving your dog, not creating more problems with dog training courses that don’t work for *that dog!*

========================================

Ready to Succeed with Dog Training? Visit the most Trusted and Risk Free Obedience Training System in the Market - Secrets to Dog Training. 64,000 Dog Owners Can’t Be Wrong!

Technorati Tags: Aggressive Dog, Dog Biting, Dog Chewing, dog obedience, Dog Obedience Training, Dog Potty, dog trainer, Dog Training, Dog Training Books, dog training classes, Dog Training Collar, dog training equipment, dog training schools, dog training tips, Dog Training Videos, Housebreaking, obedience classes, obedience training, train my dog

Dog training helps dogs to fit into their family home in a much better way. Dogs feel much more comfortable with a stable structure to their family life. Because they are descended from wolves, dogs have the same pack mentality as their ancient wolf cousins. They look up to a leader to guide them. Believe it or not, most people also live their family lives under such conditions. This is why dogs and humans are so well suited to live and get on together.

All types of dogs are suitable for dog training. Different breeds are more suited to different types of training. And different breeds fit in well in different types of households. Most people would not like to have a fierce Rottweiler around, but some people do. Some prefer poodles or Pomeranians. Different breeds of dogs are better able to become guide dogs and hearing dogs. While other dogs make good guard dogs. But almost any type of dog can be trained to fit into a loving family home.

Dogs can be amazingly helpful in our working lives as well as our family homes. Already mentioned are the wonderful guide dogs for the blind, but now we even help dogs who help hearing-impaired people. They can hear a door bell, or a telephone ring, or more importantly, a smoke alarm and they can alert their owners to the sounds. Dogs have been known to be able to reach people after an avalanche and bring much needed supplies.

It is usually more useful to choose younger puppies if they are to do one of the more specialized jobs. Usually, younger dogs are more eager to learn because they see it as more fun. They can get used to a new owner better and pick up their training more quickly. With an older dog who is much more set in its ways, you could probably train it new tricks, but it would take much longer with many more repetitions.

It sounds easy doesn’t it? Training a dog takes a lot of hard work. A firm voice should always be used so that the dog knows exactly what you want it to do. When it does something right you can reward it A reward can be a doggy biscuit, or a play with his favorite toy. Another good way to reward a dog is to pat him on his head and say ‘Good Dog’ in a really happy voice. They are surprisingly receptive to your tone!

When your dog does not do the right thing, however, you must not punish him. Your dog will not understand why he is being punished and will only become confused. The best method of training is to use positive reinforcement - that is to reward the good behavior and ignore the bad.

Who knows what a dog could be trained to do. Some dogs can fetch sticks, sit up and beg, roll over. I knew a dog who’s owner would put a coin in its mouth and send it to get the evening paper. Now that’s what I call useful!

Lee Dobbins
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/why-dog-training-is-so-important-754376.html

Just when I think I’ve got my dog Tuxcitto in control he gives me a demonstration that this well may be a life long pursuit. Tuxcitto is a Border Collie that has an uncanny learning capability. Not from my dog training skills but from observation. He watches everything that goes on around him.

And you never know when he’s going to add one and one to get two. Tuxcitto excels in obedience training when in sight or when his master is around. All I have to do is show him what I want him to do and then repeat it for a few days and he nails it after that. His ability to learn has always been obvious from the first day we brought him home.

But he also learns on his own. We have a good-sized front and back yard. And both dogs (I have an older female dog named Spoofy) know that they can do anything they want as long as it’s in our yard. We live in a small community and have lots of neighbors with dogs. From time to time one of them comes over for a visit.

No problem there except the temptation for our dogs to go run with the visiting dogs is too much to handle sometimes. Since most neighbors are dog owners this is not a problem. Except that my dogs are supposed to stay in my yard. That’s the rule. But we all know rules are made to be broken.

So one day a friend’s dog comes over to play and Tuxcitto follows him back to his yard. I happen to see this and go out and call Tuxcitto to come home. Tuxcitto comes back and everything is fine. I look back out a few minutes later and no Tuxcitto. So this time I call him home and bring him into the house.

If he can’t follow the rules, inside he goes. I go about my daily tasks and forget about it. Some time later I glance out the window and to my surprise, there’s Tuxcitto out in the front yard. And along with him are our two inside cats. Both these cats stay inside since they are both scared of their own shadows.

After a quick look around, I see that the back bedroom sliding glass door is open. Great, Tuxcitto has learned how to open the sliding glass door. This is not a good thing since we have several around our house. And although it’s no big deal for Tuxcitto to get out, the cats are a whole different issue. So I close the sliding glass door and go round up the animals and bring them inside.

Knowing that Tuxcitto will gladly give another demonstration of his new trick, I walk out another door to the backyard and wait. Within minutes I see him use his paws on the end of the door and pull it open. It took him about 5 seconds. Did I mention that he all ready knows how to open doors with doorknobs? He learned that trick in his second week at the house.

Now I have a challenge in that it’s much easier to teach Tuxcitto how to do something rather than teach him not to do something. So now I had to figure out a way to teach Tuxcitto not to open the door. One way that I’ve had some good success with is to demonstrate a certain result that he doesn’t like when he fails to follow my commands.

So I started with showing him the door, then telling him no. Tuxcitto understands no, so I believe he understood that the door was not something he was to go near in the future. But that doesn’t always work when I’m not present to reinforce the command.

So I then locked the door and both Tuxcitto and I went back to the other part of the house. I don’t know if he went back and tried to open the door that day but I believe he might have knowing his nature. A few days went by and I decided to test his memory.

I work out of a home office so the dogs and the cats generally follow me around all day. If I’m in the office they usually come in and lay down near me. If I go to the kitchen, or anywhere else, they follow me. So I set up the test by going back into the back bedroom and unlocking the door and going out into the back yard.

I came back in and did not lock the sliding glass door. I then went back to my office, with all in tow. So now I keep a close eye on Tuxcitto to see if he would make his move. I’ve made the mistake before of under estimating his intelligence and I’m not going there again.

Sure enough, after a little while he got up and looked at me, and I ignored him, and he sauntered off. As soon as he went down the back hall I knew where he was going. I quickly slipped out another door and went to stand out of sight but close to the outside of the back bedroom sliding door.

I heard him start trying to slide the door back and walked up close enough to be in direct sight when he came out the door. As soon as the door opened I said his name and then told him no in a very stern manner. He froze, caught in the act. I came in through the door and told him no again and sent him to his couch. When he does something he’s not supposed to he gets sent to his couch, which is leather I might add so it’s not too harsh a punishment.

We went through this ritual about 3 more times before he figured out that it was a trap. I don’t care if he doesn’t open the door because I told him no or because he thinks I’m waiting outside to catch him. Either way he understands that you don’t go open that sliding glass door.

From time to time I do catch him looking or even walking up to the sliding glass door but he doesn’t try to open it. The crazy thing about this whole deal is he can go outside anytime he wants. All he needs to do is go sit by the front door. I let the dogs out many times each day, whenever they want.

Now if I could just get Tuxcitto to resist the temptation to go out of the yard I would be overjoyed. But I know that that may be too much for his personality to handle so I cut him some slack. After all we all have our weak spots and his are few.

John Dow
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/dog-training-is-work-never-finished-75776.html

The Kerry Blue Terrier is an affectionate, intelligent and protective family pet. She can live in an apartment, as long as she is afforded frequent long walks. She is a great watch dog and guard dog but she will not drive the neighbors crazy with her barking, as she is a quiet dog. She is good with older, considerate children. As a reminder, never leave a child unsupervised with any puppy or dog. She does not do well with other pets and other dogs. She generally will not back down in a fight as she is fearless.

*Approximate Adult Size. The approximate adult size (two years old or older) of the Kerry Blue Terrier is 18 to 19 inches to the withers (highest point of the shoulder) and 33 to 40 pounds.

*Special Health Considerations. Most dog breeds have certain inherited health problems associated with that specific breed and the Kerry Blue Terrier is no exception. Although considered to be a healthy, long lived breed, be on the look out for Canine Hip Dysplasia (genetic based looseness in the hip joint that can lead to arthritis pain and lameness), cataracts, blood problems, hair follicle tumors and Entropion, (hereditary disorder where eyelid, usually lower one, rolls inward and irritates the cornea and can cause visual problems. Surgery can correct this condition but may disqualify the dog from shows). This disease list is an informative guideline only. Other diseases may also be significant threats, please contact your veterinarian for a complete list.

She should visit the veterinarian several times in the first year for shots, boosters and check up. Then, as an adult, she should visit the veterinarian yearly for shots and check up. As she gets older, six years and on, she should visit the veterinarian twice a year for check ups and shots. Remember; avoid feeding your dog sweets.

*Grooming: The Kerry Blue Terrier has a soft, dense and wavy coat. She needs to be groomed weekly. Her beard can get dirty and will frequent cleaning. She should be professionally groomed, including her ears, on a regular basis.

Her ears should be checked once a week and be kept clean. If you have her professionally groomed, make sure ear cleaning and inspection is part of the package. No water or excess fluid should get in the dogs ears, and do not try to irrigate the ears. Ear cleaning is too complicated and critical to instruct here. Look for hair growing in the ear canal, excess wax, or moisture. If her ears have a discharge, foul odor or she seems to be in distress and you suspect an infection, or tumor, consult your veterinarian.

Her teeth should be brushed at least twice a week with toothpaste and toothbrush designed for dogs. Brushing removes the accumulation of plaque and tartar which can cause cavities (rarely) and periodontal disease. Dog periodontal disease can lead to pain, loss of teeth, bad breath and other serious disease.

Her toenails may need to be examined for growth and clipped regularly. The toenails of the rear feet grow slower than the toenails of the front feet. Generally a guillotine type trimmer is the best for this chore and competent instructions to accomplish this can be found on the net.

*Life Span. The Kerry Blue Terrier can live between 12 and 15 years with proper nutrition, medical care and excellent living conditions.

*History. The Kerry Blue Terriers come from Ireland where they are thought to be a cross of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Irish Terrier. They were used as a farm dog, vermin dog, hunting and guard dog. They were first registered by the American Kennel Association in 1922.

Some Registries:
*United States Kerry Blue Terrier Club
*UKC United Kennel Club
*NKC National Kennel Club
*CKC Continental Kennel Club
*APRI Americas Pet Registry Inc.
*AKC American Kennel Club
*FCI Federation Cynologique Internationale
*NZKC New Zealand Kennel Club
*KCGB = Kennel Club of Great Britain
*ANKC = Australian National Kennel Club
*ACR = American Canine Registry

Litter Size: 4 to 8 Kerry Blue Terrier puppies

Category: Terrier

Terms To Describe: Guarding, fearless, fearless, style, character, playful, alert, intelligent, good memory, protective

*SPECIAL GOOD POINTS
Makes a good watch dog.
Makes a good guard dog.
Little or no shedding.
Almost odorless when wet.
Not a barker.

*SPECIAL BAD POINTS
Requires a firm hand.
May be difficult to train.
Not good with other pets.
She requires professional grooming.
Needs firm obedience training.
Can be stubborn.

*Other Names Known By: Irish Blue Terrier, Silver-haired Irish Terrier

*Every dog is an individual so not everything in this information may be correct for your dog. This information is meant as a good faith guideline only.

Mitch Endick
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/kerry-blue-terrier-puppy-and-dog-information-88079.html

American red nose pitbulls are one of the most popular breeds of dogs in the United States of America. They are also probably the most controversial breeds as well due to the fact they have a track record of aggressive behavior, however you can’t always judge a book by its cover. This article will explain everything there is to know about American red nose pitbulls and by the end of it I’m sure you will have changed your view of them.

So where did this breed of dog come from? Well in case you don’t know, the American red nose pitbull comes from a long line of mastiff’s that date way back to 4000 BC when they were used by the Greeks as both working dogs and for war purposes. Over time they were selectively bred to become the current dog we see today.

Their Temperament

It’s an interesting question. What is the temperament of the American red nose pitbull really like? Well you can’t deny the fact they are built for attack purposes as they have extremely strong jaws capable of breaking bones. You have to remember that they were bred for the purpose of killing and therefore they naturally have attack-like bodies, however this is not the case for their temperament.

It’s important to note that American red nose pitbulls are not naturally aggressive animals, instead they are very obedient creatures that will do anything their owners tell them too. This is what they were trained for all those years ago when the Greeks taught them to be loyal and to protect them from enemy hands no matter what.

Now the reason why they have this bad reputation as an aggressive fighting dog is because a great deal of people that own American red nose pitbulls use them for illegal fighting competitions. Therefore they are trained to be as aggressive as possible. If you teach a pitbull to be aggressive, they will naturally do what you say and become the dog you tell it to become. This is the reason for their bad reputation.

Now For Something Positive

Remember how I told that American red nose pitbulls are loyal companions and will do whatever you teach it to do? Well this means that if you teach your dog to be kind and social, it will become a kind and social dog. The only time your dog may become aggressive is if it feels you as the owner is in some way being threatened.

Dane Stanton
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/all-the-secrets-of-the-american-red-nose-pitbull-100097.html

Training sessions are a great way to play with your dog. And, just like playing numbers and letters games with toddlers, it’s a great way to teach your dog whatever behaviors you want. The payoff is terrific, too. Your dog will know what’s expected of her and become the companion you always wanted.

Dogs have enormous vocabularies for animals who don’t talk. They can understand hundreds of words. Add that to gestures and different tones of voice – your dog’s potential repertoire is limited only by your imagination.

It’s true that some dogs learn “tricks” faster than others. It depends not only on the “smarts” of the individual dog, but also on what the dog was originally bred to do. Border Collies are often called the “most intelligent” of dogs because they were “designed” to work with people, taking their cues from their humans. Other kinds of dogs, such as terriers, were bred to work independently. Once you develop a training relationship – every dog can learn new behaviors. And you’ll be able to astound your friends with your dog’s brilliance!

Training should be a game you play with your dog every chance you get. And training sessions shouldn’t be formal or lengthy. If you find yourself with five minutes to spare, grab a handful of dog treats and teach a new trick.

We have to “break down” each behavior into small bits to teach your dog. If you want to teach your dog to “play dead” when you point your finger like a gun and say “Bang!,” first he has to learn “down.” Then he has to learn “roll over.” Don’t try to link the parts of the trick together before he knows each part well. And you can add on as you go – you could teach him to roll onto his back and stiffen his paws – sure to get a laugh every time.

The same goes for any other “trick” you want to teach. If you want your dog to give you (or anyone else) a “high five” (or four, in most dog’s cases), first he has to touch your hand with a paw. Then you can move your hand up, gradually. One day he’ll be leaping into the air to deliver that “high five!”

Your dog loves you. He loves spending time with you and he adores being the focus of your attention. A couple of five-minute training sessions every day will make a huge difference in his behavior and in your relationship. Keep training sessions short. Keep them happy. End on a positive note. And be patient. She can learn if you’re willing to teach.

Hope Saidel
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-training-for-fun-and-profit-113510.html

Dogs or puppies are the most adorable pet and their cuteness is irresistible. But when they start to urinate and poop improperly, you will probably freak out. Before your patience runs out, you must learn some tips and tricks on how to potty train a dog.

Why you need to know how to potty train a dog? Like a child, puppies need to be trained to poop and urinate properly. It will help you keep you house in order and you don’t have to clean up all the time when your beloved puppy starts to pee on your slippers, furniture and newly cleaned carpet.

Crate your dog. It is easier to potty train a dog if you can watch him closely during the potty training period. He may do something nasty if left alone, so it is best to crate him to closely monitor his actions.

Give proper dog food. To help you potty train a dog easily, you have to take into consideration the kind of dog food you prepare. Not all dog foods are good and dog foods have effects on your dog’s poop. The amount of food your dog eats determines the amount of poop he will eliminate. The more waste in his food the more waste your dog will going to eliminate. Ask your veterinarian about good quality dog food.

Scheduled eating and drinking. Create a fix schedule for feeding and drinking. Avoid treats before bed time. Water should be given in small amounts. If there is too much water available, dogs usually get the habit of drinking too much when bored or stressed which could lead to improper urinating. Setting a strict schedule for feeding and drinking is a big help to effectively potty train a dog.

After establishing a fixed schedule for feeding and drinking, it is now time to make a bathroom schedule to effectively potty train a dog. Dogs need to pee and poop 15-20 minutes after eating and drinking. Take him outside on scheduled time daily, in the morning when he wakes up, after his meals, after his naps and before bedtime. Take him to the same spot every time he needs to poop or pee, this will teach him to recognize the spot or place by smell when he needs to go back to pee or poop. If he fails to eliminate, bring him inside again to his crate and after 15 minutes take him outside again on the same spot to potty.

Teach him to recognize a word or phrase every time he needs to pee or poop. You can repeat the words “go outside and poop” to help him associate these words or phrase each time he needs to eliminate. This will teach your dog to go outside on his own when it’s time to poop or pee.

Praise him. Remember that your dog wants to please you and praising him each time he followed your instructions will send a message that you are pleased with his behavior. It is important to send a positive message to effectively potty train a dog.

It takes time to potty train a dog and you need patience. There are cases that dog owners are unsuccessful in training their own dog due to dog’s behavior problems and aggressiveness. In this case you need help from the experts for your dog’s obedience training. Transform you dog’s behavior problem with proven strategies and get immediate results visit Dogs’ Corner

Gerry Restrivera
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-potty-training-how-to-potty-train-a-dog-749538.html

I’m not talking about something that requires batteries. No, I’m referring to the twenty-two breeds recognized by the AKC as being toy dog breeds - from Affenpinscher to Yorkshire Terrier. They make great human companions, adapt well to smaller spaces, they are generally good-natured and they’re cute.

With so many people “down sizing” their homes and living in more compact areas, toy dogs and other small dogs may offer the perfect choice in a canine companion. But first, you need to assess your environment to determine if a toy dog (or any pet) is compatible with your life style.

While toy dogs in general can make good companions in small apartments, some breeds adapt more easily to these conditions than others. Toy Poodles, for example, adapt well to small spaces, and they are “non shedding” which is important if you have allergies.

Will you be leaving the dog alone while you work? While no one wants to leave their pet alone all day, sometimes it is unavoidable. There are many opinions as to whether you should leave a dog at home for eight or nine hours per day. Some feel it is not fair to the dog, while others do it successfully, and have happy, well-adjusted pets. Develop a morning and evening routine with your dog in which you feed them, walk them, and play with them so they know what to expect. Some experts say that dogs have no sense of time, so they can’t tell if you’ve been gone eight minutes or eight hours.

Obviously, ensure the dog has plenty of water and that the dog’s barking will not disturb others.

If you have small children, you may want to delay getting a toy dog or get a larger breed. Toy dogs can be quite fragile, and small children may indeed think the dog is a toy. When the child is old enough, a dog is a great way to teach responsibility by feeding and caring for the dog.

Do you have other animals in the house? Some toy breeds do not tolerate children, other animals or strangers very well. Others, such as the Bichon Frise (BEE-shon FREE-zay) are very sociable, and get along well with other dogs.

As a group toy dogs are more difficult to train than larger dogs. So you will need to be patient while house training your toy dog. Again, some breeds have a reputation for being easier to train than others.

In many ways, toy dogs are less expensive and more convenient to live with. Obviously, they eat less, their beds, mats, and crates are smaller and they require less fenced area if you let them out. With many more travel facilities being “pet friendly,” your toy dog can be a great traveling companion. Many breeds can be “carry on luggage.” While I don’t recommend it, I’ve known people who have taken their toy dogs along on their motorcycle trips!

Toy dogs can be good home protectors, too. Breeds such as the Chihuahua and Pekingese are naturally wary of strangers and bark readily at unusual noises.

Finally, we can make some generalizations about the characteristics of various breeds, but keep in mind that dogs - like people - are individuals, and they may or may not possess the characteristics of their breed. For that reason, you may want to consider an older dog rather than a puppy so that you can observe the dog’s behavior.

OK, if you’re determined to get a toy dog, and have done your research to determine which breeds best fit your lifestyle, what should you do to ensure you get a healthy, happy, well behaved pet? Should you consider a pure breed or a mixed breed?

While many people will only consider a pure bred toy dog, understand that pure bred dogs (of any size) will have more genetic-related health problems than mixed breed dogs. The reason is that pure breeds started with a very small population of dogs, and it is kept that way to ensure consistency in the breed. Thus genetic problems are carried on from one generation to the next. If you’re willing to accept these risks and the inevitable veterinarian bills, then go for a pure bred toy dog.

It’s now possible to have a pure bred dog’s DNA tested to see if it carries, has, or is free of specific genetic diseases. The problem is that DNA testing can only be performed for a few certain diseases specific to a given breed.

Mixed breed dogs, on the other hand, come from a much larger gene pool, so the chances of chronic genetic disease are much lower. “Mixed breed” can be a misnomer because some “mixed breeds” may have no pure bred dogs anywhere in their linage. Therefore, mixed breeds don’t develop any of the, well, “deformities” that are the hallmarks of pure breeds, like the Dachshund (back problems) or Bulldog (breathing and many other problems). Mixed breeds have evolved to the right size and shape of what a dog should be. And, since many pure breeds are bred for certain behavioral traits, mixed breed dogs are more even tempered.

Another reality is that pure bred toy dogs have become fashion accessories for the rich and famous, and the price of toy puppies has risen accordingly. It’s not uncommon for pure bred puppies of certain breeds to bring several thousand dollars. A better alternative is to check out pet adoptions and rescue centers. Not only will you be giving a dog a home, but you’ll be helping to prevent over breeding.

The Internet has many, many good sites to help you learn more than you ever wanted to know about toy dogs - or any dog - for that matter. With a little research, you can find an ideal companion you’ll enjoy living with for many years.

Janet Winter
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/is-a-toy-dog-right-for-you-172975.html

This grooming guide for dogs aims to help you, pet owners, get more acquainted with your pet dog’s needs. Contrary to popular belief, grooming your dogs is not a luxury but rather a necessity. Our pets are just like humans, and their need for hygienic pampering goes beyond looking good and smelling great. When they are not properly cared for, they are at risk of acquiring diseases and it can be dangerous to both you and your pet.

The first and most essential step in developing a healthy grooming habit for your pet is to bathe regularly. This process won’t be easy as the dog may resist at the beginning, but just try to be patient with them until they learn to enjoy the experience of bathing them, as much as you would. Make sure you have gathered all grooming bath supplies like shampoo, bucket, towel and hair dryer. You can opt to bathe them or use a water hose to splash on their body.

As you bathe your dog, make sure to gently scrub their body to remove any dirt or foreign materials. You can use your hand to do this or pet grooming gloves for a more thorough scrubbing. Give them a light massage as well, to make it an overall soothing experience for your dog.

In choosing which shampoo to use for your dog, refrain from using the same type or brand of shampoo that you use on them. The same goes with the soap that you use to wash them, because the skin that is underneath their furs is really sensitive and some bathing products that humans use can be too harsh. You have several options in the market for dog shampoo, but if you want to be sure and give your pet only the best, you may consult with a professional pet groomer to know which best suit your pets.

As you wash the dog’s body, you may brush their teeth at the same time to keep it healthy. You can practice doing this regularly and develop a brushing habit for your dog. When you’re done bathing the dog, you must rinse them properly especially in the ears and paws. Then, lightly pat them with a dry towel.

The next thing you’d have to deal with is dog hair. The type of grooming to use depends on your dog’s type of hair. Long-haired dogs require more frequent brushing. Meanwhile, those with curly or frizzy hair must be cared for on a daily basis to loosen up any tangled hair. Try to follow this grooming routine on your own because regular pet grooming services can be quite expensive.

Make sure to use the right tools in grooming your pet to ensure their safety. Refrain from using old hairbrush while combing their hair, but instead use one that is specialized for a dog’s fur. Also, you must not do aggressive scrubbing as you bathe your dog because it will remove natural oils from the hair. Lastly, avoid applying scented powders on them if it is not formulated for pet use.

More than basic grooming, you can take your dog for a walk outdoors on a regular basis. This will not only improve their physical condition but their outlook as well; plus, it brings you closer to your pet. This is just a simple grooming guide for dogs that you must follow knowing that your pet deserves only the best.

Paul Kramer
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/easy-to-follow-grooming-guide-for-dogs-635498.html

My new Christmas puppy was a wonderful surprise, what I didn’t expect were the many unwanted surprises that followed.  I’ve had dogs all my life but always my mom and dad had done the heavy lifting of potty training the dog.  I remember it wasn’t always pleasant to be around as dad tried to make the dog bend to his will.  When he was at work mom usually worked things out with the dog so at the end of a couple of weeks dad could be proud of him self for potty training dog.

Living on my own I had this mixed view of what needed to be done with a new puppy and as I tried to apply it things weren’t going well.  Being an internet child I searched and found some online dog training videos that included a section on potty training dog.  It was great training that not only handled the situation at hand but had other, far reaching, benefits.

As you potty train your dog you will learn positive reinforcement and you will learn to be persistant, patient, and consistant.  Your dog will come to understand that the rules are always the same and she will appreciate that you let her know when she does something right.  if your dog is older you will probably have to reverse some old habits.  You need to become aware of what your dog does before relieveing herself.  You have to do your homework and watch for the patterns and signals.  When you see them let the take the dog out or to the place she should use.  When the dog goes in the new place praise and reward her.  It is that simple.  Of course puppy potty training is a little easier since there is no behavior to unlearn.

As this process was getting the dog potty trianed I found an unexpected benefit.  The positive reinforcement methods being used were becoming a part of my, a part of the way I acted in the world.  Train the trainer as they say, as the dog was trained so was I.  My relationships are working better, I find myself using positive reinforcement and patience with the people around me and they are responding.  Not only are they more cooperative but they tell me of the nice transformation that I am going through. They don’t realize that the dog trainging has become second nature to me and that I am using it with them but that is what is happening.  It’s true, dog potty training has changed me in a most unexpected but wonderful way.

 

Renee Pullman
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/unexpected-benefits-while-potty-training-dog-750211.html