Pets

Is your dog up to dirty no good again? Did he eat your socks? Knock your drink off the coffee table? Chew through your favorite vintage record album? Should you invest in Doggy Prozac? Should you think about dropping him off at the local pound?

Goodness no. There’s a reason why your dog’s been behaving badly. It could be that he’s not getting enough attention.

Remember when he was just a little pup? Oh, you couldn’t wait to get home from work each day, so you could tumble around on the rug together, go for a jog around town on a sunny day, show him off to cute girls at the mall.

Now what’s he get? A five-minute bathroom break with just enough time to get a quick sniff of the front lawn… with you yelling “Baxter, get in here!” at him the whole time? That’s no fun! If you were Baxter, how would you feel if you waited around all day for your pal to get home, and then when your pal finally showed up all he did was crack open a beer and throw himself on the couch?

Too often, today’s busy and distracted pet owner blames their dog’s misbehavior on a “nervous condition,” hyperactivity, or just plain naughtiness. They pay for expensive dog obedience classes. They consult with pet psychologists. They hand out Doggy Prozac like it was candy. And if all else fails and their dogs are still wreaking havoc at home, they commit the horrendous. They drop their poor pets off at the pound, hoping that “someone else” will be better able to handle them.

What a sad situation! If you know you can’t devote your time to keeping a pet, why would you ever have one? They’re cute? You thought it might be fun? Your girlfriend handed you a puppy one day, and you couldn’t resist?

These are all terrible reasons to take on the responsibility of being a pet owner, especially if you already lead a busy and full life.

Imagine how your dog must feel, lonely and bored all day. If you were cooped up for eight hours with tons of energy to burn, what do you think you’d do? Why, you’d do what your dog does! Go rooting through the trash, tunneling under the rug, barking out the open window and chewing up whatever you could find.

If you’re a dog owner, maybe it’s time to really think about what your pet means to you. Are you giving that animal the love and attention he deserves?

See the way his whole body wriggles with delight at the sight of you? See that tail wagging with fierce devotion? Take a good look at him, he’s your baby, he’s your pal, and he’s staring at you with that lovesick look in eyes… now, don’t you want to give him that special one-on-one time that he so badly craves with you?

Just a 20-minute walk a day can do wonders for your dog’s spirit, tucker him out so he’s calmer in general, and help him to feel happy and content. Give your pup an outlet to burn off that energy! He can’t help being hyper, he’s a dog and he’s just wired that way. Show him how much he means to you. Teach him some tricks, feed him some treats… bring him with you on your next vacation.

There is nothing wrong with the world’s “hyper” or “bad” dogs. They don’t need therapy, and they don’t need medication.

They just need our love.

Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.

Bringing a new puppy into your home is one of the most exciting moments in you and your families life. There are several important things you should consider before bringing the little guy home, or even before making a decision to buy a puppy dog in the first place. Here are a couple of things to think about.

The dog belongs to who? Dogs are pack animals, and will behave and learn best, if they understand who is the overall leader for responsibility for the dog. That’s not to say that others won’t or shouldn’t have roles when it comes to the new puppy. It’s just better for everyone involved, including the puppy, that there is one leader of the pack.

Is your puppy knowledge up to par? This is an especially important consideration for first time dog owners. You old dogs that have had pets before can skip this piece. While feeding, exercise, and grooming are important things for your dog, there are several other important points to consider as well. Health care for the life of the dog is important, and even more so as it gets older. Younger dogs will require much more of your attention in its training. Good training at an early age, is something you and your puppy will benefit all the years of your pets life.

Who’s got time for a new pet these days? While in the earliest years of a dogs life, the training and attention a new dog requires is huge, the later years can be just as time consuming as well. Even for a less active and demanding older dog, companionship is important for the physical and emotional well being of your dog. You will be investing thousands of hours over the life of your dog, so make sure yourcommitted to this important relationship.

Is your level of commitment strong? Commitment to someone or something else requires a certain amount of sacrifice, and some loss of freedom on your part. While we’ve all made commitments in the past, most dogs live ten to fifteen years. That’s a pretty long term commitment to be making. Longer than some marriages these days. So be sure your ready.

While it’s important to consider all these questions and more, don’t let them scare you away from your new puppy purchase. Many have done it in the past, and the rewards, companionship, and good times will more than pay you back for the time and love you give to you puppy. Careful consideration to all these questions, will only enhance your puppy experience and bring a lifetime of joy.

I guess that when you own a dog, the barking comes with the territory. From my experience I can tell you that you cannot make a dog not bark at all, though you can control it.

My dog used to bark whenever I had guests, in the middle of the night, or during the day whether I was at home or not. It had become a real problem, my neighbors were complaining and I was frustrated because I couldn’t get enough sleep. How did I manage to solve this problem and to control my dog?

It was not easy in the beginning because I did not realize that the first step I had to do was to analyze my dog’s behavior, to “read” the signs. Don’t you just feel tired of hearing your dog barking every time you put him outside alone? Well, this goes hand in hand with your dog’s isolation and lonesome feelings because dogs are very social creatures.

In order to solve this problem you will start training him the “wait” command. Use a crate in a room or a gate across the door. Say “wait, good dog” and go somewhere where he cannot see you, but only for a few seconds at first. When you come back, reward him by patting him and showing enthusiasm.

Repeat this a few times a day, but each time increase the time you leave him alone. Soon, your dog will be happy even if he is left all alone for 15 minutes or more. The next step is to move the training sessions outside and to do the same thing, but starting with short periods of time. Don’t forget to reward him every time he does it well!

Sometimes it’s entirely our fault because we spoil our dogs too much; therefore they get accustomed to lavish attention for nothing. They start to think that they’re the center of our world, so, whenever we are busy they crave for attention and they start barking to earn it.

If you have already tried to yell at him to make him stop, I guess you have noticed that this won’t make him be quiet. What you have to do is to teach your dog that he has to earn your attention. Try to pet or to praise him only after he gets a command right. This way he will get used to being “out of touch” for some time.

Another way is to have him busy while you are gone. Personally, I tried to keep him busy with some chew toys. I have distracted him with the toys and I left the room quietly. Don’t forget to close the door behind you! Come back after a few minutes to see what he is doing. Ignore him if he comes to greet you.

This way, in time, he will understand that the fact that you’ve been away from him is not important to you, therefore it shouldn’t be important to him either. The “ignore” method should be used also whenever you are preparing yourself to leave for the day or when you return home.

I recommend you these methods instead of trying other harmful methods, such as the one called debarking which is simply cruel. Just try the methods mentioned above before any others if you love your dog!

Does your dog run and jump on you? Does he bite? Does he suffer from fear aggression? If he does read on…

There is a new guide on dog training called SitStayFetch at Clickbank. Maybe you have already seen it, if not you are bound to soon.

I understand you may have questions. Does this guide really work? Can I train my dog to obey me? Will it end my dogs aggressive behaviour? You have come to the right place.

On the sales page of the website it states “Dog Obedience Training Secrets To Transform Your Dogs Behaviour Problems!” and “Put an end to your stress and annoyance of your dogs behaviour problems!… And slash your dog obedience training time in half by using techniques that give you immediate results!!”

Here’s my review;

Point One: Dog Behavioural Problems

SitStayFetch has compiled a complete list of 25 most popular dog behavioural problems, based on real life cases and provided the best techniques to overcome them. As a helpful conclusion they also included step by step photos and are available for consultation by email. Very handy and for those who are new at obedience training a real help.

Point Two: Trainer Secrets

SitStayFetch has the resources to teach you how to be like a professional trainer of dogs utilizing their unique knowledge and experience. They produce immediate results for the owners who have already tried the advice given from the guide and I think, a big hand for the way the dog responds.

Point Three: Testimonials

Apart from mine, SitStayFetch has thousands of customers worldwide who are testimony to the usefulness of the guide and the obedience of their dogs. Indeed it goes to prove their information is vital, relevant, friendly and beneficial. There guide is thorough, there doesn’t seem to be any problems it doesn’t cover.

My Conclusion: Is it a Good Buy?

The guide is precise, covering topics such as nipping and biting to teaching your dog to obey simple commands.

But the question is ‘Does it stop aggressive behaviour?’

In my opinion, the guide will alleviate many dog owners worries. SitStayFetch’s style is friendly, rewarding and doesn’t rely on futile theories or punishment. SitStayFetch is pooch friendly and will go a long way in bridging the gap between man and his dog.

Over all an A+ for a well delivered guide!

Brushing and combing your dog should be made into a pleasant ritual. Select a place to do the grooming-a chair, table or bench will be satisfactory. Lift the dog onto the chair or table, talking to him, reassuring him that all is well. Let him know that he’s in for a treat, not an ordeal. Let him sniff each tool; the comb, brush, nail clippers and scissors. It’s very important that he learn to associate these tools with a pleasant experience. Handle the situation with tact and care, and the pup will look forward to it. Botch the job and you will be looking for the pup the next time you bring out the grooming tools.

When brushing the puppy, stroke the brush with and against the lie of the hair. This will help to loosen dead hair and stimulate the skin. Use a brush with the correct bristle length; short for medium- and short-haired dogs, long bristles for long-haired dogs. If you do any combing, use a fine comb for the short-haired dog and a comb with widely spaced teeth for the long-haired, medium-haired and wirehaired dogs. You can bring out the gloss in your dog’s coat by polishing with a flannel cloth or one of the commercial grooming gloves. These grooming gloves are available in pet shops or pet supply stores.

Matted hair

If you have a short- or smooth-haired dog, you will not have to worry about matted hair. But medium- and longhaired dogs do get tangled or matted hair from burs, paint, tar, chewing gum or other sticky or prickly objects. Dried food will also contribute to matted hair, and this is common in puppies and very old dogs. Matted hair is not only unsightly, but it can pinch and irritate the dog.

If the hair is not too snarled, try combing out the mats. Do this gently. Hold the matted hair or tuft in one hand and gently comb it. If it is too tightly matted, you will have to cut it off. Use blunt-end scissors. Puppies are very quick and wriggly, so be careful not to jab your pup with the scissors. There’s very little danger with blunt-end scissors. Gently pull the mat away from the dog’s body, then carefully cut the hair between the skin and the mat or tuft. Avoid pulling or yanking the tuft; it hurts. Tar, paint, and other sticky or gummy matter can be softened with acetone (nail-polish remover) and then combed out.

This article is targeted at your puppy, but it really works just as well with an older dog. If you, or a friend or family member, has an older dog with a problem -– give it a try.

There’s no such thing as “too soon” to start house training. Begin as soon as you bring your puppy home, but be patient. It may take several weeks to achieve success.

Puppies have small bladders and may need to urinate every couple of hours. They may also lose control when they get excited, or feel threatened or frightened. And remember, toilet functions are used by your puppy as an instinctive scent-marking, territorial activity.

Start by finding a place in your yard -– as close to the yard door as you can — that you want the puppy to use as his bathroom. If you can enclose the area so much the better. Keep using the same area and he will associate his scent with that area and learn that this is where he goes to the bathroom.

Your puppy must have routine eating, walking, and sleeping times. Take him out to his bathroom as part of his regular routine: when he wakes up (in the morning or even after a nap), 30 minutes or so after eating or drinking, and last thing at night before he goes to bed. These are the times your puppy will naturally want to relieve himself.

While your puppy is very small, you should carry him out to your chosen spot. When he’s a little bigger you can use his leash.

You should always go outside with him and, for 3 main reasons, STAY with him. First, you can make sure he doesn’t wander off to explore another part of the garden instead of going where you want him to. Second, you can be sure that he has actually relieved himself. Third, and most important, you can praise him and give him a treat as soon as he has finished.

You must also observe your puppy so you can recognise the signs that he needs to go out. Some puppies will go round in circles; some will start sniffing the floor. Take him straight outside when he displays these signs, and think how great it will be the first time he actually goes to the yard door to tell you! Believe me, he’ll soon get the idea that going outside is the good thing to do - because it makes you pleased with him, and he gets that treat.

But until he does get the idea -– accidents will happen inside the home. In the early days, try to confine him to one room in the home -– particularly at night so he doesn’t leave you any ’surprises’.

And this brings me to some “don’ts”

Don’t . . .

. . . yell at your puppy. He won’t understand why you’re mad. He can’t associate your anger with his action of peeing on the carpet, so your yelling achieves nothing except confusing and frightening him.

. . . rub his nose in the urine. This is another act he doesn’t understand, so he learns nothing from it.

. . . hit your puppy. This will ruin any chance you have of bonding with him, and may result in his growing into an antisocial, aggressive adult dog.

. . . clean up in front of him. He’ll interpret this as a successful way of getting your attention.

. . . clean up less than thoroughly. If any trace of scent remains, your puppy may go back to the same place over and over again. Don’t use ammonia for the cleaning (it smells like urine to him) – baking soda does a great job, and lots of pet stores have good odor clearing products.

Well, now you have the tools. Just add to this your time and commitment, and your love for the puppy. Good luck!

Let’s face it…It’s not a pretty subject. But dog flatulence or doggie gas can be an important indicator of serious problems for a senior dog. Some breeds are more prone to this room-clearing disorder than others. Understanding that bloat could be a serious problem rather than just an odorous annoyance is essential.

Not every gas episode is the sign of a disorder. Most dogs do have gas from time to time. Some foods are not tolerated well by the canine digestive system such as dairy products, table scraps and spoiled meat. Often a dog that “wolfs” down his dinner has more flatulence trouble because he has swallowed too much air while eating. Drinking large quantities of water at one time will have a similar affect. Also dogs with a high-strung temperament can have trouble if they are prone to hyperventilate. Some breeds are more gassy than others. Large breed, deep-chested dogs such as hounds, Dobermans, retrievers, Shepards and St. Bernards are more likely to experience episodic gas and bloat.

If you have a senior dog, it is more susceptible to flatulence. Because his intestines progressively lose muscle tone it becomes a more common occurrence than when your pet was younger. If it continues it could become a more serious form of bloat where the stomach becomes abnormally enlarged and start to twist. This is a very painful condition for a dog and can cause death.

Prevention of bloat for the senior dog:

Feed small meals 2-3 times a day.

Don’t let your dog drink too much water too quickly.

Mild exercise or walking after meals is good but extreme activity, excitement and stress should be avoid 1 hour before and 2 hours after eating. Dogs should not roll over after eating.

Avoid feeding foods that are know to cause gas such as peas, onions, beans, dairy and soy.

Consult veterinarian regarding adding yogurt with live cultures to improve digestion or charcoal to your dogs diet.

Although many older dogs do benefit from having an elevated feeding dish, if your dog is prone to bloat and gas, you may want to consider an alternative. While a raised dish allows more comfort to the neck and back, it has been associated with causing bloat in certain breeds. Discuss this further with your veterinarian if you have concerns as to which type of dish is best for your dog.

Keep older dogs calm. Hyperventilating causes extreme intakes of air. Talk with your veterinarian about giving your dog simethecone (an over-the-counter gas remedy) during stressful situations.

Copyright 2006 Dave Eckholm

So you have decide you want a cute puppy or older dog. They make wonderful companions and pets for families, however, they will be a permanent part of your life for a long time.

To start off you need to decide if you want a puppy or a full-grown dog. A puppy needs to be housebroken and given obedience training. With an older dog you can see what you are getting. You know what his coat, size and personality is. A older dog is housebroken, usually has had obedience training, is less destructive and has house manners. He may, however, have some behavioral or health problems.

Before you go out and buy that puppy or dog ask yourself some questions first.

What breed fits your lifestyle? Do you want an active dog or a lap dog?

Can you afford a dog? Remember, besides food you have vaccinations and maybe vet bills.

Do you have the patience to train a puppy? Maybe an adult fully-trained dog would be better.

Do you have space for a dog? If so what size of dog would fit best?

Do you have children and what age are they? You need to consider the size of the dog because

children can accidently injure some small dogs. Some dogs don’t get along well with children either.

Do you have time to exercise a dog? Some require a lot of exercise while some require very little.

Do you work all day? Some dogs don’t do well if left alone all day.

Do you have other pets? Will they get along?

Some dogs need a lot of grooming while some require very little.

Decide what breed you want or are interested in and find out the temperament and characteristics of that breed. If buying a pure bred buy from a reputable dog breeder. Contact as many kennels as possible to learn all you can about a peculiar breed. Often a good breeder has a waiting list but they are the safest to buy from.

The health of the puppies is the most important thing. Breeders should provide you with the necessary papers that confirm the pup came from a health certified parent. Know what possible health issues the breed has that you want and question the breeder. A breeder should be available to answer all your questions.

If you get an adult dog from a shelter he should have received preventive health care and checked for heartworm.

Anyone who owns a shih tzu dog or shih tzu puppy will eventually run into the need to eliminate unwanted habits. While most shih tzu dogs are eager to please their owners and smart enough to do what is asked of them, it is important for the owner to properly communicate just what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable behaviors.

Each type of unacceptable behavior requires its own specific cures, and in most cases the cures will need to be tailored to fit the specific personality of the shih tzu dog. Every breed of dog has its own unique personality characteristics, and every individual within that breed has his or her own unique personality.

Whining, howling and excessive barking

Let’s start with one of the most frequently encountered problem behaviors in both dogs and puppies. While some barking and other vocalizing is perfectly normal, in many cases barking, howling and whining can become problematic. This is particularly important for those living in apartment buildings, or in closely spaced homes. Fielding complaints about barking is not the best way for you and your dog to meet the neighbors.

Some tips of dealing with excessive whining, barking and howling include:

If your shih tzu puppy or shih tzu dog is howling or whining while confined to its crate, immediately take it to its toilet area. Most shih tzu puppies and shih tzu dogs will whine when they need to do their business.

It is important to teach a shih tzu dog or a shih tzu puppy to accept being alone. Many dogs suffer from separation anxiety, and these stressed dogs can exhibit all sorts of destructive and annoying behaviors. It is important to accustom the shih tzu puppy to being left on its own, even when the owner is at home.

Always strive to make the shih tzu puppy or shih tzu dog as comfortable as possible. Always attend to the physical and psychological needs of the dog by providing food, water and toys.

If the shih tzu dog is whining, check for obvious reasons first. Is the water dish empty? Is the shih tzu dog showing signs of illness? Has his or her favorite toy rolled under the furniture? Is the temperature of the room too hot or too cold?

Do not reward the shih tzu puppy or shih tzu dog for whining. If the shih tzu dog whines when left alone, for instance, it would be a mistake to go to the shih tzu dog every time it whines.

After you have ensured that the shih tzu’s physical needs are being met, and that discomfort is not responsible for the whining, do not hesitate to reprimand the shih tzu dog for inappropriate behavior.

Problem Chewing

Puppies naturally chew, and they tend to explore their world using their mouths and teeth. While chewing may be normal, however, it is not acceptable, and it is important to nip any chewing problems in the bud to prevent the chewing shih tzu puppy from growing into a chewing shih tzu dog.

Providing a variety of chew toys is important when teaching a shih tzu puppy what is appropriate to chew and what is not. Providing a variety of attractive chew toys is a good way to keep the shih tzu puppy entertained and to keep his teeth and gums exercised. Scented or flavored toys are great choices for most puppies.

The shih tzu puppy should be encouraged to play with these chosen toys, and the shih tzu puppy should be effusively praised every time he or she plays with or chews these toys.

Another great strategy is to encourage the shih tzu puppy to get a toy every time he or she greets you. Every time the shih tzu puppy greets you or a member of your family, teach him to get one of his toys.

It is also important to exercise good housekeeping techniques when training a shih tzu puppy not to chew on inappropriate items. Keeping the area to which the shih tzu puppy has access free and clean is important. Keeping items out of reach of the shih tzu puppy will go a long way toward discouraging inappropriate chewing. Try to keep the shih tzu puppy’s area free of shoes, trash, and other items, and always make sure that the area has been properly puppy proofed.

If the shih tzu puppy does pick up an inappropriate item like a shoe, distract the shih tzu puppy and quickly replace the item with one of its toys. After the shih tzu puppy has taken the toy, praise it for playing with and chewing that toy.

Try booby trapping items the shih tzu dog should avoid by spraying them with bitter apple, Tabasco sauce or other nasty but non-toxic items.

Before we get into this article I would just like to ask a few questions. Is your dog’s barking getting out of control? Are your neighbors at breaking point and its causing problems? Have you considered getting rid of the dog? Does the barking get worse when you leave home? Has he/she always been a barker or has it just started?

Here are but a few questions that people all over the world are confronted with when having to deal with a dog that has a barking problem, so in this article we hope to help you over come this obstacle and improve your relationship with your canine friend.

Stop barking collars - do they really work? The short answer, some work good and some not so good.

There are many stop barking collars and devices on the market that are designed to help our canine friends with their barking issues in the shortest period possible, usually due to pressures from councils or neighbors. Stop barking collars and devices designed to solve this noise problem have there advantages and disadvantages, as long as you use a device that’s humane to the dog and doesn’t inflict any undue harm or punishment, also understanding that this technique is only a temporary measure, to fix the noise problem now, the under laying behavioral problem may still exist. The good news is that the barking problem can be resolved in a relatively short period of time, if you use the correct stop barking collar device, the not so good news is that enrooted behavioral problems are not usually solved overnight and may take a little time to overcome. For example, Bored dogs may decide to stray and roam or anxious dogs may become destructive, our suggestion would be to seek advice from an animal behavior consultant to help your dog with this behavior.

There are many stop barking collars to choose from so the question we are going to help you answer in this article is which devices work and will give you the best results, also remember the most important thing is for the device to be humane. Most electronic stop barking collars employ sound as the basic stimulus because it is well documented that animals learn faster and retain a better memory when the correct behavior is related with a sound. If you have a dog that’s a practically stubborn persistent 3am in the morning barker driving everybody nuts, there are more advance models that employ an increased electric shock stimulus working in conjunction with a sound to stop even the most persistent and stubborn barkers, remember this process will take place in the most humane way as not to cause any undue stress on your dog.

Now the more sophisticated electronic stop barking collars have a sensor that only activates when it detects the vibration in the dogs throat that only happens when the dog starts barking, the great advantage about this device is if the next door neighbors dog starts barking or any loud noises may accrue it will not activate the collar and punish the dog unnecessarily. One of the features of many stop barking dog collars that many dog owners may not be aware of is that these devices; well firstly they do detect when a dog is barking it just doesn’t state which one, meaning when the sound is picked up via a microphone and active on sound, the result is that these devices can be set of by other noises and also by other dogs barking, unnecessarily correcting the dog for something he hasn’t done ‘NOT GOOD’ just ask your dog. Therefore, our advice would be to use a device that is only activated on vibration from the dog’s throat or by motion or jostling, your dog will thank you for it, and receive only the appropriate correction.

In conclusion of this article, I would like to leave you with this one thought. When deciding on which stop barking collar to purchase and there’s many, all claiming to solve the barking problem choose a device that’s going to help the dog understand and relate to what he’s being corrected for also if there are any underlying behavioral problems seek professional help you will be helping to maintain a happy stable dog. He will love you for it. Thanks for taking the time to read this article from the team at phoopups keep smiling and the tails wagging…