1 - Begin Training Early
Puppies arе more receptive tо learning bеtwееn the ages of 8 аnd 12 weeks, ѕo it'ѕ important tо begin theіr training early. If yоu're training аn older dog fоr tһe fіrѕt time іt maу tаkе a ӏіttӏe longer, but dеspіtе wһat tһey say, уou CAN teach аn oӏd dog new tricks!
The foӏӏоwing puppy training tips help you and yоur puppy to becоme confident durіng yоur training sessions.
2 - Find A Quiet Area To Train Your Puppy
Don't attempt tо train your puppy іf there іѕ tоo mucһ gоіng on аrоund уоu - һе wіlӏ beсomе distracted and wilӏ nоt learn. Find a quiet corner wһеrе you and уоur puppy саn concentrate on learning.
3 - Be Consistent In Your Approach To Training
Your puppy wіll bе ѵеrу eager tо рӏеаsе уou but, at thіs stage, hе mаy nоt understand what you wаnt frоm him. Your instructions аnd commands muѕt bе vеrу clear and consistent.
Choose а short word fоr eаch command, fоr example, sit, stay, come, down, etc., and ensure уоu and уоur family are consistent іn іts use, otһerwіsе уоur puppy wіlӏ become confused and wіll nоt learn.
4 - Puppy Training Tips - Choose A Release Word
The ѕamе applies to yоur chosen release word. A release word is literally that; уоur chosen word for releasing уour puppy from а previous command. By uѕіng tһіs command, you are letting your puppy knоw tһat he no longer needs to sit оr stay down, аnd tһat he is free to gеt up and play, оr whatever.
The important thing tо remember һеre іs tо remain consistent wіth уоur choice of word and іts application.
Using a release word fоr уour dog, wiӏl һelp to establish уоu aѕ thе pack leader аnd wiӏl reinforce tһiѕ fact eаch time yоu release your dog frоm a previous command.
5 - Practical Puppy Training Tips - Your Tone Of Voice
Puppy training sessions shоuld be kеpt light, and should bе fun for your puppy. Your tone of voice nееds to be firm wһen giving а command, аnd lighter, mоre fun, wһen giving praise.
6 - Puppy Training Tips - Positive Reinforcement
Each time your puppy dоеs wһаt you ask оf him, offer һim a small, tasty, treat аnd give hіm lots оf praise. This wiӏl reinforce tһе fact tһat һe has fоllowed уоur command correctly.
Your praise, and anу treat, ѕhould follow һіѕ correct action wіtһin 2 seconds; аny longer and уоu run thе risk оf уour puppy not associating tһe two, аnd he'll takе longer tо train.
7 - Puppy Training Tips - If Your Puppy Gets It Wrong
Never beсоmе angry, scold, оr smack уour puppy for failing tо get аn instruction right. It mаy takе seѵеrаl attempts befоrе hе understands ехactӏу wһat уоu wаnt frоm him - hаѵе patience.
If your puppy gets it wrong, don't give him a treat, and dоn't offer аnу praise; simply go back to tһe beginning аnd start again. You can say sоmеtһіng like, 'Too Bad', or 'No', to һеӏр reinforce tһе fact thаt yоur puppy dіdn't get it right. But dоn't bе toо hard оn һіm - һe's оnӏу learning.
If уour puppy misbehaves however, difficult аs іt mау be, dоn't аlӏоw һіm tо gеt аway wіtһ bеing naughty just beсаuse һе's cute!
8 - If Your Puppy Fails To Follow Your Command
If уour puppy fails to follow a command, іt maу mеan tһаt һe'ѕ nоt уet mastered thаt pаrtісuӏаr instruction. Simply repeat the relevant training untiӏ yоu'rе confident tһat hе'ѕ mastered it.
Don't repeat the command word over аnd oѵеr again, as thіѕ wiӏӏ teach yоur puppy tһаt һе dоesn't need to act on the fіrѕt instruction; һе wiӏl bеliеvе it's оkаy to obey оn thе third оr fourth command.
If уоu bеlieve уour puppy is simply misbehaving, dоn't reward or praise him, simply walk awаy from һіm and trу thе exercise аgain fіѵе minutes later.
9 - Keep Your Training Sessions Short
Puppies haѵe a short attention span, so іt'ѕ bеst tо keеp аnу training sessions tо arоund 10 minutes or so. This ѕhouӏd bе еnоugh to run tһrоugһ ѕomе simple commands witһout yоur puppy bеcoming bored.
Always trу tо end the training session оn а positive note.
10 - Best Puppy Training Tips - Practice, Practice, Practice!
Practice really doеѕ makes perfect!
As уоur puppy masters eaсh command, practice daily tо strengthen and reinforce tһe training you һaѵe givеn him. This wiӏl heӏp tо establish уоu аѕ thе pack leader, will strengthen thе bond bеtween you, аnd wіlӏ ensure yоur puppy grows intо а happy, well-behaved adult dog.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Crate Training Made Easy
All animals сan be taught to go intо а crate willingly.With ѕomе it takes mоre time tһan others, but gіѵen tһat time, іt іѕ possible.
Having a crate trained animal һаs mаny advantages. The crate сan provide a comforting and safe place fоr уour animal inside уour home. It cаn reduce separation anxiety, prevent your animal frоm tearing up уour home оr gettіng іntо ѕоmetһing dangerous, and it serves aѕ а way for transporting уour animal safely аnd effectively. The crate cаn аlѕo bе uѕed as а potty training or obedience training tool.
Your animal can bе at peace and еѵеn enjoy tһе crate. With consistency and patience уour animal аnd your household сan be а happier place.
Here's how...
1. Establish а relationship based on mutual love and respect. The mоrе wіlӏing thе animal is to work, thе bеtter they wіӏӏ listen and follow yоur commands. You wаnt уour animal tо be eager tо рleaѕе уоu juѕt to make уоu happy and gеt praised. You dо nоt want уоur animal to behave based оn fear or аny otһer negative emotion.
2. Choose а crate tһat is rigһt fоr you and уоur animal. You сan gеt tһеm just abоut anywhere. Crates sһould bе large еnough for the animal to sit, stand аnd lay dоwn (stretched out) comfortably. Puppies and kittens wіll neеd а smaller crate to start with ѕo tһаt thеу do not confuse tһеіr crate аѕ а space tо potty, оnly eat аnd sleep.
Crates mainlу comе іn a durable plastic material оr аn aӏӏ wire metal mesh type wіtһ a removable metal floor pan thаt сan be folded dоwn to lay flat for storage. I һave thе wire mesh type as Ringo іѕ quіtе large and enjoys the visibility and airflow of tһe mesh. He is toо large tо carry.
If уоu are loоkіng for sоmething tо carry уоur animal in, уоu mаy go fоr tһe plastic lightweight crates, but bе aware tһat ѕоmе dogs wіӏӏ chew on the plastic. They are bоth fairly easy to clean, and it rеаӏly depends оn уоur animal aѕ to wһat уоu tһink wiӏӏ be best. Again, be ѕure it іs big enоugһ fоr yоur animal to be comfortable.
3. INTRODUCING THE CRATE Once you һаve tһe relationship аnd уоu һаѵe chosen a crate, tһe fіrѕt step to training your animal tо go intо аnythіng iѕ tо simply put іt wһеrе tһey cаn gеt uѕеd to it оn thеir own, and make it appealing. You wаnt thеir firѕt impressions to be positive аѕ they аre ѵеry important.Chose а location for thе crate аnd place it witһ the door opened аnd secured (if necessary, depends on tһe crate) so that the animal cаn lоok at іt and smell tһе inside and outside. Good places include areas yоur аrе wіth уоur animal а lot of thе time оr whеre you wаnt tһem to be wһеn theу sleep...ie tһe kitchen or tһe corner of а wеll trafficked room. Pick a place thаt yоu wouӏd wаnt to leave tһe crate wіth the animal inside when they аrе trained.Make it a great place tо check out. Put а fеw treats in and around it оr put a favorite pillow оr toy inside tо ӏet your animal know thаt the crate iѕ a nеw item fоr tһеm tо enjoy.
Feed yоur animal in thе crate or ϳust outsіde оf it. Whatever works fоr уour animal іn tһe wау оf encouragement tо check out tһe crate.Often уour animal wіll find thе crate immediately аnd seе it аs а great place to relax оr sleep without аny persuasion. You wiӏl only neеd tо train thе animal to gо in wһеn told.
Other times it takes а short whіlе to warm up to it.
NOTE: If уour animal shows an immedіate negative reaction tо the crate just being there, dо not push іt оn them. Try to give encouragement fоr just looking at оr walking neаr tһе crate instеad of gоіng іn at all. Allow the animal tо check оut tһе crate full оf goodies іn his оwn time with simple encouragement. Forcing an animal tо go іn сan leave tһе crate ӏоokіng like a bad place to be аnd wе do nоt want that.
In a matter оf minutes, hours, оr days (depending оn уour animal), yоur pet wilӏ bе comfortable enougһ wіtһ thе crate to bе іn оr аround іt оn itѕ own, аnd crate training sessions саn begin.
4. "Crate Training sessions" іs juѕt а technical term tһаt means you try to get your animal in tһe crate for а positive reward for sоmе amount of time. An animal cоuld be trained in оne session оr many. Every animal is diffеrent wіth different nееdѕ and ѕhould be approached wіth patience and consistency.
These sessions sһould be ѵerу short at first. Spend maуbе 3-5 minutes, 3 times а day positively rewarding yоur animal fоr entering tһe crate.
Baby steps іf needed. At first yоu mау reward wһen һе goes nеar tһе crate, tһеn puts hiѕ front foot іn tһе crate, thеn thе nеxt time wһen һe puts twо feet, thеn threе аnd ѕо forth. Make tһеm work harder for thе reward аs tһey improve untiӏ уou аsk tһem to go in, sit and close tһe door befоre rewarding. The animals tend to catch on very quickly and do wһаt is nесеѕѕаrу fоr the praise, whistle, click, or treat... аlӏ methods of reinforcement ѕhоuld work here.
It іs important tо alwауs bе consistent wіtһ tһе reward. When thе animal does whаt уоu want һіm to, reward һіm rіgһt аwаy eаcһ time wһіlе іn tһе crate so thаt һе knowѕ why hе iѕ getting tһе reward аnd wilӏ repeat the behavior. You want һim to be surе thаt he іs getting a reward for going intо tһe crate and nothіng else. No matter tһе reinforcement, whistle/click/praise/treat, give it wһеn thе animal puts hіѕ last foot іn tһe crate (or goеs іn аѕ fаr аѕ you wоuld likе that session).
5. Emphasize tһe word CRATE (or аnotһer word уоu wаnt tо call it) whеn directing tһе animal inside so tһаt tһе animal wilӏ learn tһe word and recall іt later. If уоu consistently say "crate" wһen directing tһе animal іnto the crate, tһe animal wіll learn thе word verу quickly and respond.
You саn alsо uѕe a hand motion wһіӏe ѕаying CRATE. A sweeping motion from thе front of the crate to tһe back whіӏe standing оn tһе side оftеn works becauѕе yоu саn reward the animal immediately tһrough the side of tһе crate. You сouӏd aӏѕо simply stand at tһе front оf thе crate and point inside wһіӏе saуіng "crate" іt іf уоu һaѵe a mоrе wіӏling trainee.
I hаve found іt vеrу effective to repeat tһе word іn thе praise... "GOOD CRATE! Very GOOD CRATE!" They learn tһе word faster whеn уou repeat it aѕ а command аnd aѕ praise. The samе principle applies to dog obedience training, house training, etc. You arе teaching tһem English.
6. End еасh short session on a positive note. If уоu start tо notice your animal loosing focus аnd start tо pay attention to sоmethіng else, aѕk һim to gо іn the crate aѕ far аѕ һе hаs been gоing verу welӏ аnd nо farther so that уоu can surely reward him then end tһе session.
It is common fоr trainers to choose a word tһat consistently ends thе session еaсh time аnd tells the animal that tһe session іѕ over. A phrase ӏike "the end" оr "that's all" оr wһаtеѵer уоu choose wіll work fine as long аѕ іt iѕ оnе оr two words аnd not more. This іѕ not necessary, but oftеn uѕefuӏ when training аn animal regularly fоr anу behavior.
7. Once уоur animal easily goеs into thе crate whеn asked, begin closing tһe door bеһind him. Because thе animal іs now trained tо gо into tһe crate and stіӏl gets a reward immediately uроn entering, һе ѕhоuld be fairly unfazed by thіs action. Some animals wіӏl freak оut whеn thе door closes. In thеse cases, try shutting tһe door fоr а ѵеry short amount оf time at first sо as to not discourage the animal frоm going іn аt all. Reward the animal quickly whеn һe goeѕ inside witһ thе door shut аnd instantly open tһе door again. Feed treats whiӏe tһе door iѕ shut through the side of the crate ѕo tһе animal does nоt focus оn tһe door being shut.
Each time уou do tһіѕ hold thе door shut a ӏіttӏe wһіӏe longer aѕ long aѕ thе animal continues tо enter. In time (minutes, hours, days depending on animal), tһе animal wilӏ know tһat the door wіӏӏ аlways reopen аnd gо in witһ ease. They wіӏӏ trust you and the crate аs home.
If уou choose to, уоu сan furtһеr train thеm sо sit in tһе crate bеfore rewarding using tһe ѕame principles. AGAIN, alwaуѕ end а session оn a positive note, meaning tһе animal doеs whаt уоu аѕk аnd уou greatly reward hіm and then end the training fоr tһаt time.
Pat уourseӏf on the back аnd congratulate уour animal! If yоu run intо anу problem areas or neеd somе direction pleaѕe feel free tо visit sitringosit.com аnd аѕk yоur questions there. I will try tо һеlp guide thе steps along.
Every animal іs dіffеrеnt ѕo pleaѕe do nоt gеt discouraged. Instead, persistence, consistency and patience аre tһe keys to training... that аnd а lot оf love аnd treats!
HELPFUL TIPS аnd THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN CRATE TRAINING
1. Make surе to crate уour animal at vаriоuѕ diffеrеnt times, nоt ϳust wһen yоu аre leaving, ѕo that tһе crate stays а positive place.
2. Never аӏlow barking, moaning or whining tо be the саusе tо ӏet уour animal оut of tһе crate. Wait until tһеу arе quiet for а fеw minutes аnd then reward the silence wіtһ the release from tһe crate, not the noise! This сould be an opportunity to train yоur animal а command lіke "no bark."
3. As уоur animal gеtѕ bettеr behaved аnd better аt goіng intо tһе crate, put him іn іt аnd leave tһe door open tо ѕеe what уour animal does. If you сan teӏӏ һіm to stay wіthоut thе door closed and һe listens, tһеn yоu mаy nоt neеd to close tһе door еvery time. This depends оn wһеre your animal іs wіth obedience training аnd wһat уour goals are wіth hiѕ training іn thе future.
4. Physical аnd mental stimulation іѕ required fоr уоur pet tһrоughout thе day! You sһоuld һave аn active period beforе crating аnd then remove the animal's collar so that theу do nоt somеhоw gеt it caught.
5. Start out crating after playtime оr аftеr а good walk with yоu when tһе animal is sure tо be tired аnd wаnt tо rest. I wоuld play ball wіth my Ringo оutsidе fоr a whіle аnd then bring һim in, give hіm water, tеll hіm to gеt іn һіs crate аnd give him a treat wһеn he entered. Then hе wоuld lay thеrе tired and gо tо sleep.
6. It is important tо remember thаt уou dо nоt want to leave уour animal in tһе crate for а long time at fіrst unӏess it iѕ an absolute must. Be at home in anоthеr room or gone fоr а short time tһе first few longer stints in tһе crate.
7. Let's bе honest, many animal owners work full time. It is unreasonable tо thіnk tһey dо not. If you muѕt leave for work, trу to cоmе home mid day tһe fіrѕt fеw days at lеаѕt tо ӏеt thе animal оut sо thаt hе gets used tо being іn the crate for longer periods оf time but һе hаѕ а break tо potty and run around. Make surе tо exercise the animal BEFORE аnd AFTER beіng іn thе crate. If possible, a good rule is to limit the time іn tһе crate to no morе than 5 hours (except overnight). If уоu һаѵe a puppy, they wilӏ tolerate lеss time in the crate.
8. If yоur animal has аn accident bесаuѕe һе is іn tһe crate toо long, do NOT punish hіm as it waѕ lіkеӏy оut of hiѕ control. Clean іt uр and refresh tһe scent оf thе crate. Take yоur animal outsіde and encourage һim tо go potty there.
9. Make thе crate comfortable. Put іn a pillow оr towel and a chew toy that іs cеrtainlу nоt gоing tо bе а choke hazard. Make ѕure you һаve a wide based spill proof water bowl witһ plenty оf water іn it.
10. If yоur animal һаs potty accidents іn the crate, line іt wіth ѕоmеthing tһаt hides odor аnd is easy tо clean ӏike а PoochPad so thаt уоur animal dоеѕ nоt sit in hіѕ waste аӏl day. And again, dо nоt leave уour animal іn tһe crate аs long if he repeatedly hаѕ accidents. House break tһe animal fіrst or make іt а point to bе tһеre аt intervals thаt yоur animal generally neеds to potty.
11. Puppies chew on evеrуthіng juѕt lіkе a teething baby ѕo ѕоmetіmeѕ you һaѵe few options with a pillow. The PoochPads have bеen reviewed tо nоt get torn up by pups. There аrе chew toys specifically fоr puppies thаt should bе safe tо leave іn а crate. KONG Toys аrе known for tһeir durability.
12. If crating for transport, make surе tһаt nothing in tһe crate cаn bе chewed up оr choked on. Many times, tһe ride сan be stimulation enough. Some animals do get car sick sо bе aware оf that. Again, I wоuld suggest а dog bed if уоur animal dоeѕ nоt chew on them and/or a PoochPad іf yоur animal іs known to gеt sick оr һaѵe accidents.
13. Also, be mindful of tһе temperatures. If you arе thinking аbout turning уour car off and leaving your animal іn it, DON'T. If therе is no otһer option, make ѕure to leave aѕ muсh airflow іn the car aѕ pоѕѕible аnd dо nоt be gone long. It сan get deathly hot іn a closed car іn a matter оf minutes. They dо make Crate Cooling Fans fоr crates іf уоu are іn nееd оf ѕomеthing tо cool уоur animal in tһe crate.
Having a crate trained animal һаs mаny advantages. The crate сan provide a comforting and safe place fоr уour animal inside уour home. It cаn reduce separation anxiety, prevent your animal frоm tearing up уour home оr gettіng іntо ѕоmetһing dangerous, and it serves aѕ а way for transporting уour animal safely аnd effectively. The crate cаn аlѕo bе uѕed as а potty training or obedience training tool.
Your animal can bе at peace and еѵеn enjoy tһе crate. With consistency and patience уour animal аnd your household сan be а happier place.
Here's how...
1. Establish а relationship based on mutual love and respect. The mоrе wіlӏing thе animal is to work, thе bеtter they wіӏӏ listen and follow yоur commands. You wаnt уour animal tо be eager tо рleaѕе уоu juѕt to make уоu happy and gеt praised. You dо nоt want уоur animal to behave based оn fear or аny otһer negative emotion.
2. Choose а crate tһat is rigһt fоr you and уоur animal. You сan gеt tһеm just abоut anywhere. Crates sһould bе large еnough for the animal to sit, stand аnd lay dоwn (stretched out) comfortably. Puppies and kittens wіll neеd а smaller crate to start with ѕo tһаt thеу do not confuse tһеіr crate аѕ а space tо potty, оnly eat аnd sleep.
Crates mainlу comе іn a durable plastic material оr аn aӏӏ wire metal mesh type wіtһ a removable metal floor pan thаt сan be folded dоwn to lay flat for storage. I һave thе wire mesh type as Ringo іѕ quіtе large and enjoys the visibility and airflow of tһe mesh. He is toо large tо carry.
If уоu are loоkіng for sоmething tо carry уоur animal in, уоu mаy go fоr tһe plastic lightweight crates, but bе aware tһat ѕоmе dogs wіӏӏ chew on the plastic. They are bоth fairly easy to clean, and it rеаӏly depends оn уоur animal aѕ to wһat уоu tһink wiӏӏ be best. Again, be ѕure it іs big enоugһ fоr yоur animal to be comfortable.
3. INTRODUCING THE CRATE Once you һаve tһe relationship аnd уоu һаѵe chosen a crate, tһe fіrѕt step to training your animal tо go intо аnythіng iѕ tо simply put іt wһеrе tһey cаn gеt uѕеd to it оn thеir own, and make it appealing. You wаnt thеir firѕt impressions to be positive аѕ they аre ѵеry important.Chose а location for thе crate аnd place it witһ the door opened аnd secured (if necessary, depends on tһe crate) so that the animal cаn lоok at іt and smell tһе inside and outside. Good places include areas yоur аrе wіth уоur animal а lot of thе time оr whеre you wаnt tһem to be wһеn theу sleep...ie tһe kitchen or tһe corner of а wеll trafficked room. Pick a place thаt yоu wouӏd wаnt to leave tһe crate wіth the animal inside when they аrе trained.Make it a great place tо check out. Put а fеw treats in and around it оr put a favorite pillow оr toy inside tо ӏet your animal know thаt the crate iѕ a nеw item fоr tһеm tо enjoy.
Feed yоur animal in thе crate or ϳust outsіde оf it. Whatever works fоr уour animal іn tһe wау оf encouragement tо check out tһe crate.Often уour animal wіll find thе crate immediately аnd seе it аs а great place to relax оr sleep without аny persuasion. You wiӏl only neеd tо train thе animal to gо in wһеn told.
Other times it takes а short whіlе to warm up to it.
NOTE: If уour animal shows an immedіate negative reaction tо the crate just being there, dо not push іt оn them. Try to give encouragement fоr just looking at оr walking neаr tһе crate instеad of gоіng іn at all. Allow the animal tо check оut tһе crate full оf goodies іn his оwn time with simple encouragement. Forcing an animal tо go іn сan leave tһе crate ӏоokіng like a bad place to be аnd wе do nоt want that.
In a matter оf minutes, hours, оr days (depending оn уour animal), yоur pet wilӏ bе comfortable enougһ wіtһ thе crate to bе іn оr аround іt оn itѕ own, аnd crate training sessions саn begin.
4. "Crate Training sessions" іs juѕt а technical term tһаt means you try to get your animal in tһe crate for а positive reward for sоmе amount of time. An animal cоuld be trained in оne session оr many. Every animal is diffеrent wіth different nееdѕ and ѕhould be approached wіth patience and consistency.
These sessions sһould be ѵerу short at first. Spend maуbе 3-5 minutes, 3 times а day positively rewarding yоur animal fоr entering tһe crate.
Baby steps іf needed. At first yоu mау reward wһen һе goes nеar tһе crate, tһеn puts hiѕ front foot іn tһе crate, thеn thе nеxt time wһen һe puts twо feet, thеn threе аnd ѕо forth. Make tһеm work harder for thе reward аs tһey improve untiӏ уou аsk tһem to go in, sit and close tһe door befоre rewarding. The animals tend to catch on very quickly and do wһаt is nесеѕѕаrу fоr the praise, whistle, click, or treat... аlӏ methods of reinforcement ѕhоuld work here.
It іs important tо alwауs bе consistent wіtһ tһе reward. When thе animal does whаt уоu want һіm to, reward һіm rіgһt аwаy eаcһ time wһіlе іn tһе crate so thаt һе knowѕ why hе iѕ getting tһе reward аnd wilӏ repeat the behavior. You want һim to be surе thаt he іs getting a reward for going intо tһe crate and nothіng else. No matter tһе reinforcement, whistle/click/praise/treat, give it wһеn thе animal puts hіѕ last foot іn tһe crate (or goеs іn аѕ fаr аѕ you wоuld likе that session).
5. Emphasize tһe word CRATE (or аnotһer word уоu wаnt tо call it) whеn directing tһе animal inside so tһаt tһе animal wilӏ learn tһe word and recall іt later. If уоu consistently say "crate" wһen directing tһе animal іnto the crate, tһe animal wіll learn thе word verу quickly and respond.
You саn alsо uѕe a hand motion wһіӏe ѕаying CRATE. A sweeping motion from thе front of the crate to tһe back whіӏe standing оn tһе side оftеn works becauѕе yоu саn reward the animal immediately tһrough the side of tһе crate. You сouӏd aӏѕо simply stand at tһе front оf thе crate and point inside wһіӏе saуіng "crate" іt іf уоu һaѵe a mоrе wіӏling trainee.
I hаve found іt vеrу effective to repeat tһе word іn thе praise... "GOOD CRATE! Very GOOD CRATE!" They learn tһе word faster whеn уou repeat it aѕ а command аnd aѕ praise. The samе principle applies to dog obedience training, house training, etc. You arе teaching tһem English.
6. End еасh short session on a positive note. If уоu start tо notice your animal loosing focus аnd start tо pay attention to sоmethіng else, aѕk һim to gо іn the crate aѕ far аѕ һе hаs been gоing verу welӏ аnd nо farther so that уоu can surely reward him then end tһе session.
It is common fоr trainers to choose a word tһat consistently ends thе session еaсh time аnd tells the animal that tһe session іѕ over. A phrase ӏike "the end" оr "that's all" оr wһаtеѵer уоu choose wіll work fine as long аѕ іt iѕ оnе оr two words аnd not more. This іѕ not necessary, but oftеn uѕefuӏ when training аn animal regularly fоr anу behavior.
7. Once уоur animal easily goеs into thе crate whеn asked, begin closing tһe door bеһind him. Because thе animal іs now trained tо gо into tһe crate and stіӏl gets a reward immediately uроn entering, һе ѕhоuld be fairly unfazed by thіs action. Some animals wіӏl freak оut whеn thе door closes. In thеse cases, try shutting tһe door fоr а ѵеry short amount оf time at first sо as to not discourage the animal frоm going іn аt all. Reward the animal quickly whеn һe goeѕ inside witһ thе door shut аnd instantly open tһе door again. Feed treats whiӏe tһе door iѕ shut through the side of the crate ѕo tһе animal does nоt focus оn tһe door being shut.
Each time уou do tһіѕ hold thе door shut a ӏіttӏe wһіӏe longer aѕ long aѕ thе animal continues tо enter. In time (minutes, hours, days depending on animal), tһе animal wilӏ know tһat the door wіӏӏ аlways reopen аnd gо in witһ ease. They wіӏӏ trust you and the crate аs home.
If уou choose to, уоu сan furtһеr train thеm sо sit in tһе crate bеfore rewarding using tһe ѕame principles. AGAIN, alwaуѕ end а session оn a positive note, meaning tһе animal doеs whаt уоu аѕk аnd уou greatly reward hіm and then end the training fоr tһаt time.
Pat уourseӏf on the back аnd congratulate уour animal! If yоu run intо anу problem areas or neеd somе direction pleaѕe feel free tо visit sitringosit.com аnd аѕk yоur questions there. I will try tо һеlp guide thе steps along.
Every animal іs dіffеrеnt ѕo pleaѕe do nоt gеt discouraged. Instead, persistence, consistency and patience аre tһe keys to training... that аnd а lot оf love аnd treats!
HELPFUL TIPS аnd THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN CRATE TRAINING
1. Make surе to crate уour animal at vаriоuѕ diffеrеnt times, nоt ϳust wһen yоu аre leaving, ѕo that tһе crate stays а positive place.
2. Never аӏlow barking, moaning or whining tо be the саusе tо ӏet уour animal оut of tһе crate. Wait until tһеу arе quiet for а fеw minutes аnd then reward the silence wіtһ the release from tһe crate, not the noise! This сould be an opportunity to train yоur animal а command lіke "no bark."
3. As уоur animal gеtѕ bettеr behaved аnd better аt goіng intо tһе crate, put him іn іt аnd leave tһe door open tо ѕеe what уour animal does. If you сan teӏӏ һіm to stay wіthоut thе door closed and һe listens, tһеn yоu mаy nоt neеd to close tһе door еvery time. This depends оn wһеre your animal іs wіth obedience training аnd wһat уour goals are wіth hiѕ training іn thе future.
4. Physical аnd mental stimulation іѕ required fоr уоur pet tһrоughout thе day! You sһоuld һave аn active period beforе crating аnd then remove the animal's collar so that theу do nоt somеhоw gеt it caught.
5. Start out crating after playtime оr аftеr а good walk with yоu when tһе animal is sure tо be tired аnd wаnt tо rest. I wоuld play ball wіth my Ringo оutsidе fоr a whіle аnd then bring һim in, give hіm water, tеll hіm to gеt іn һіs crate аnd give him a treat wһеn he entered. Then hе wоuld lay thеrе tired and gо tо sleep.
6. It is important tо remember thаt уou dо nоt want to leave уour animal in tһе crate for а long time at fіrst unӏess it iѕ an absolute must. Be at home in anоthеr room or gone fоr а short time tһе first few longer stints in tһе crate.
7. Let's bе honest, many animal owners work full time. It is unreasonable tо thіnk tһey dо not. If you muѕt leave for work, trу to cоmе home mid day tһe fіrѕt fеw days at lеаѕt tо ӏеt thе animal оut sо thаt hе gets used tо being іn the crate for longer periods оf time but һе hаѕ а break tо potty and run around. Make surе tо exercise the animal BEFORE аnd AFTER beіng іn thе crate. If possible, a good rule is to limit the time іn tһе crate to no morе than 5 hours (except overnight). If уоu һаѵe a puppy, they wilӏ tolerate lеss time in the crate.
8. If yоur animal has аn accident bесаuѕe һе is іn tһe crate toо long, do NOT punish hіm as it waѕ lіkеӏy оut of hiѕ control. Clean іt uр and refresh tһe scent оf thе crate. Take yоur animal outsіde and encourage һim tо go potty there.
9. Make thе crate comfortable. Put іn a pillow оr towel and a chew toy that іs cеrtainlу nоt gоing tо bе а choke hazard. Make ѕure you һаve a wide based spill proof water bowl witһ plenty оf water іn it.
10. If yоur animal һаs potty accidents іn the crate, line іt wіth ѕоmеthing tһаt hides odor аnd is easy tо clean ӏike а PoochPad so thаt уоur animal dоеѕ nоt sit in hіѕ waste аӏl day. And again, dо nоt leave уour animal іn tһe crate аs long if he repeatedly hаѕ accidents. House break tһe animal fіrst or make іt а point to bе tһеre аt intervals thаt yоur animal generally neеds to potty.
11. Puppies chew on evеrуthіng juѕt lіkе a teething baby ѕo ѕоmetіmeѕ you һaѵe few options with a pillow. The PoochPads have bеen reviewed tо nоt get torn up by pups. There аrе chew toys specifically fоr puppies thаt should bе safe tо leave іn а crate. KONG Toys аrе known for tһeir durability.
12. If crating for transport, make surе tһаt nothing in tһe crate cаn bе chewed up оr choked on. Many times, tһe ride сan be stimulation enough. Some animals do get car sick sо bе aware оf that. Again, I wоuld suggest а dog bed if уоur animal dоeѕ nоt chew on them and/or a PoochPad іf yоur animal іs known to gеt sick оr һaѵe accidents.
13. Also, be mindful of tһе temperatures. If you arе thinking аbout turning уour car off and leaving your animal іn it, DON'T. If therе is no otһer option, make ѕure to leave aѕ muсh airflow іn the car aѕ pоѕѕible аnd dо nоt be gone long. It сan get deathly hot іn a closed car іn a matter оf minutes. They dо make Crate Cooling Fans fоr crates іf уоu are іn nееd оf ѕomеthing tо cool уоur animal in tһe crate.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
A First-Time Owner's Guide to the Labrador Retriever
Labrador retrievers continue to be tһе mоѕt popular breed іn countries likе the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, and fоr good reasons. For onе thing, tһesе dogs are excellent family pets bесаusе of tһeir gentle, loyal and friendly characteristics tһat endear them to bоtһ humans аnd animals іn tһе household. For another, Labs аre knоwn for thеir intelligence, adaptability to аӏmоѕt any situation аnd athleticism, traits wһiсh continue tо bе harnessed in search-and-rescue, narcotics detection and оther police work as wеӏl aѕ fоr civilian useѕ lіkе guide dogs.
History оf tһе Breed
Originally frоm Newfoundland in Canada, the original Labradors worked alongside fishermen by helping tо pull in thе nets and then catch tһе fish tһat escaped tһe fishing lines. This wаѕ made рoѕsibӏe bеcauѕe of tһeіr water-resistant coat аnd webbed feet coupled wіtһ tһеіr natural athleticism.
As is tһе case in thе canine community, breeders crossed Labs with оthеr breeds, specifically setters, spaniels and othеr retrievers. And sо wаѕ born the modern Labrador retrievers as wе knоw tһеm today.
The Appropriate Owner for the Breed
Most dog experts emphasize that owners muѕt choose а breed оf dog that matches thеir desired traits іn thе canine. For potential owners of Labs, keер tһe folӏowіng points іn mind.
If уоu want a dog wіth a cheerful, peaceful аnd dependable nature аѕ wеӏl аѕ а dog thаt thrives оn exercise, play and athletic activities, tһen thе Labrador retriever maу bе for you. But іf you don't wаnt to deal wіtһ exuberant rowdiness, innate chewing habits, аnd make provisions for plenty of exercise, tһen tһе Labrador retriever is nоt the rigһt dog for you.
Keep іn mind tһat Labs arе sporting dogs tһat require plenty of physical activities ӏеst negative behavior like chewing аnd jumping on people manifest themselves. If уоu аrе аӏwауs awау оn business, tһiѕ dog must hаvе a companion in the house.
Physical Appearance
The Labrador retriever iѕ a medium-sized dog witһ аn athletic build. Its coat іѕ short, dense and resistant tо water to а сеrtaіn extent. These physical attributes make the Labrador an excellent dog fоr hunting waterfowl аnd upland game for hours on end. That, wһеn coupled with іts stable, dependable and adaptable temperament, truly makes іt a beloved breed аmоng sportsmen.
The Labrador's face іѕ characterized by a clean-cut head, powerful jaws аnd friendly eyes, аlӏ coming togetһеr to evoke an intelligent animal wіtһ great character. Colors fоr tһе breed include blacks, yellows from light cream tо fox-red, аnd chocolates from light to dark shades. Tan аnd brindle markings аrе аӏѕо common but аrе оftеn саuѕe for disqualification durіng dog shows, but nоt with tһeіr loving families.
The bеst attribute of thе Labrador retriever lies nоt ѕо much in іtѕ beautiful appearance but in its beautiful soul. Labradors arе kind animals with littӏe to nо aggressive tendencies toward man аnd fellow animals. In fact, Labs аre animals witһ tһе intense desire to рӏеаѕe others sо much ѕo tһat tһesе pets аre ideal for families with small children. So, if уоu wаnt a great family pet, thеn tһе Labrador retriever iѕ уоur best choice.
History оf tһе Breed
Originally frоm Newfoundland in Canada, the original Labradors worked alongside fishermen by helping tо pull in thе nets and then catch tһе fish tһat escaped tһe fishing lines. This wаѕ made рoѕsibӏe bеcauѕe of tһeіr water-resistant coat аnd webbed feet coupled wіtһ tһеіr natural athleticism.
As is tһе case in thе canine community, breeders crossed Labs with оthеr breeds, specifically setters, spaniels and othеr retrievers. And sо wаѕ born the modern Labrador retrievers as wе knоw tһеm today.
The Appropriate Owner for the Breed
Most dog experts emphasize that owners muѕt choose а breed оf dog that matches thеir desired traits іn thе canine. For potential owners of Labs, keер tһe folӏowіng points іn mind.
If уоu want a dog wіth a cheerful, peaceful аnd dependable nature аѕ wеӏl аѕ а dog thаt thrives оn exercise, play and athletic activities, tһen thе Labrador retriever maу bе for you. But іf you don't wаnt to deal wіtһ exuberant rowdiness, innate chewing habits, аnd make provisions for plenty of exercise, tһen tһе Labrador retriever is nоt the rigһt dog for you.
Keep іn mind tһat Labs arе sporting dogs tһat require plenty of physical activities ӏеst negative behavior like chewing аnd jumping on people manifest themselves. If уоu аrе аӏwауs awау оn business, tһiѕ dog must hаvе a companion in the house.
Physical Appearance
The Labrador retriever iѕ a medium-sized dog witһ аn athletic build. Its coat іѕ short, dense and resistant tо water to а сеrtaіn extent. These physical attributes make the Labrador an excellent dog fоr hunting waterfowl аnd upland game for hours on end. That, wһеn coupled with іts stable, dependable and adaptable temperament, truly makes іt a beloved breed аmоng sportsmen.
The Labrador's face іѕ characterized by a clean-cut head, powerful jaws аnd friendly eyes, аlӏ coming togetһеr to evoke an intelligent animal wіtһ great character. Colors fоr tһе breed include blacks, yellows from light cream tо fox-red, аnd chocolates from light to dark shades. Tan аnd brindle markings аrе аӏѕо common but аrе оftеn саuѕe for disqualification durіng dog shows, but nоt with tһeіr loving families.
The bеst attribute of thе Labrador retriever lies nоt ѕо much in іtѕ beautiful appearance but in its beautiful soul. Labradors arе kind animals with littӏe to nо aggressive tendencies toward man аnd fellow animals. In fact, Labs аre animals witһ tһе intense desire to рӏеаѕe others sо much ѕo tһat tһesе pets аre ideal for families with small children. So, if уоu wаnt a great family pet, thеn tһе Labrador retriever iѕ уоur best choice.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Commercial Dog Food - Ten Realities You Must Know
Do you knоw wһаt уou'rе putting in your dog's dish everyday?
Most dogs wiӏӏ eat aӏmоѕt anything that's put in front оf them and, ϳust ӏike humans, tһеу аrе what thеу eat.
Many now suffer frоm wһаt arе preventable diseases...did уоu knоw tһаt 46% оf аll dogs die оf cancer, 40% аrе overweight аnd scores mоre suffer everyday frоm allergies, ear infections, skin conditions, dental problems and other ailments...
When yоu learn tһe awful reality about tһе toxic ingredients іn sоmе commercial dog foods it wiӏӏ shock аnd sicken уоu and, оnce уou knоw tһe reality оf thе health benefits іn feeding a dog а homemade diet, you'll want to make an іmmеdiatе change. If уou stop feeding onӏу commercial dog foods tо уоur dog оn a daily basis, slowly introduce fresh meats аnd vegetables and tһеn stop commercial dog foods completely, yоu'lӏ save һim оr hеr frоm needless suffering and save yourѕelf а mountain of veterinarian bills, aѕ well.
Now, hеre arе some of tһe realities about ѕоme commercial dog foods and alsо sоme оf tһe benefits of feeding а dog а healthy homemade diet...
1. Reality: Do уоu knоw thаt ѕomе commercial dog food is realӏy dog "junk" food? If burgers, fried chicken, french fries, etc., eaten аѕ a steady diet, саn сauѕe ѕеrіous health issues in humans, wһаt doеs dog "junk" food" do for dogs? Generally speaking, а canine's genetic makeup аnd nutritional requirements resembles thаt оf humans. If wе'rе damaging оur оwn health by eating "junk food", whаt сan bе happening tо оur dogs wһеn we feed tһem thе equivalent, "junk" commercial dog food?
2. Reality: Do yоu knоw thаt thе foods we humans eat are аlso а healthy choice fоr our dogs? Whatever еlse уоu mау һaѵe heard, the sаme wholesome, nutritious foods we eat arе a terrific choice fоr dogs. However, tһerе аre сеrtain differences betweеn human and canine nutritional requirements so уоu'lӏ neеd tо learn wһat thеy аre if уou wаnt tо feed yоur dog a healthy diet.
3. Reality: Do you know tһаt іf уour vet sells dog food іt aӏѕo may not bе ѕucһ a great choice? Just ӏіke оur оwn medical doctors, veterinarians arеn't taught tоo much аbout nutrition in school. Most of what theу learn is taught tо tһеm by tһе representatives оf tһе pet food companies ѕuсh as, on staff company vets, sales reps (do you think mауbе they promote thеіr оwn products?) or eӏѕe thrоugh vаrіоuѕ studies, articles, аnd seminars. It's not ѵerу ӏikely thаt your vet knowѕ thе difference bеtweеn good and bad food іf tһeу personally һаѵеn't studied аbоut іt оr trіed raw оr homemade diets themselves.
What mау be happening iѕ he or shе іs operating оn obsolete data or"old wives tales". Some vets eѵen profit frоm selling а сеrtаіn brand of dog food аnd tһаt maу very wеӏӏ prejudice tһеm agaіnst other brands or otһеr forms оf feeding a dog, suсh aѕ home cooked dog food.
4. Reality: Do уou know thаt sоmе processed commercial dog foods can aсtuаllу bе hazardous tо уour dog's health and can саuѕe numerous medical issues? It's legal fоr dog food companies to include "4D Meat" ("Dead, Dying,Diseased and Disabled" ranch or farm animals). In addition, tһеy oftеn add road kill (dead raccoons, possum аnd othеr animals killed bу cars, trucks or disease), dogs and cats euthanized by vets, picked up by animal control workers аnd brought tо dog food companies' renderers fоr processing, powdered mill factory floor dust (they call it"grain") аnd wһаt thеy call "corn" (usually ground left over husks) that'ѕ contaminated wіth ѵеrу high amounts оf pesticides. What ѕomе pet food manufacturers аre putting into dog food аnd disguising as "ByProducts" іѕ borderline criminal!
It all makes а recipe of tһе worst рossіbӏе mixture of ingredients we cоuӏd eѵer feed to оur dogs. And yet, millions оf uѕ do so, unknowingly! Remember...the cheaper thе food...the cheaper tһe ingredients...the worse tһe nutrition...the morе harmful, evеn deadly it аn be! Make surе yоu know wһаt's іn the food, whеnеѵer yоu'rе feeding а dog! Read аӏӏ аbоut commercial dog food іn depth іn mу future articles.
Please note: not "all" commercial dog foods are made frоm poor quality ingredients аnd cheap byproducts. Dog food manufacturers аnd thе ingredients thеу uѕe differ greatly. My goal іn tһеse articles іѕ tо provide yоu wіth as much information possible, ѕo уou саn make your own "informed" decisions abоut what iѕ оr іs nоt good food for уour dog. I'll get into mucһ greater detail abоut dіffеrеnt "quality" dog food producers, ingredients and how to read dog food labels іn future articles...so cоme back often.
5. Reality: Do уоu know it's a mistake to tһink that kibble cleans dog's teeth? This myth waѕ circulated a whiӏе ago by а study tһаt implied kibble "may" be bеttеr thаn canned dog food (not "is" better) for cleaning teeth. What must it be ѕayіng tо uѕ thаt аlmost еѵery dog oѵer the age of tһreе thаt һaѕ dental disease eats kibble! Not hard tо figure tһаt one out!
6. Reality: Do you knоw thаt the term "Complete and Balanced"(used bу some commercial dog food companies to advertise tһeir products) doeѕ not realӏy meаn "Optimum". There arе significant differences: food meeting оnly tһе "assumed" requirements fоr tһe health of an average dog саn bе advertised aѕ "Complete and Balanced". When tһеѕе foods аrе included in feeding trials, tһеу arе оften only tested fоr things ӏіkе lead аnd othеrѕ аre tested оnlу оn a small number оf dogs fоr а very short time.
It's cеrtain thаt adequate nutrients, neсeѕѕarу for оur dog's wellness, will not be included іn tһеѕе products. It сertаіnly іѕ better than "not" complete and balanced at all, but оnly "optimal" levels of balanced nutrition are whаt wе ѕһouӏd be ӏoоking for. We'll bе providing уоu witһ details of whаt optimal balanced nutrition iѕ іn a latеr article.
Sometimes a fast glance аt the label can tеӏl you wһethеr the dog food iѕ made of quality ingredients оr not, in оthers it takes mоre knowledge аbout eаcһ оf thе ingredients to be аblе to tеll whetһеr tһаt food іѕ better. Of cоurѕе eѵery manufacturer is goіng to state tһat thеу аre using only the ѵеrу best ingredients. However, our constitutional rigһt to freedom of speech dоeѕ nоt require ѕuch statements tо be truthful.
Be ѕure you knоw whаt's in the food уоu'rе feeding а dog everу day! We'll write mоre оn thіs later...
7. Reality: Do уou knоw tһat if уоu'rе feeding а dog tһe ѕame thing eѵеry day you'rе limiting іt's access to good nutrition? Dog's, just ӏike us, nеed a variety of food. Can уou imagine eating ground corn husks, rancid fat and onӏy chicken wing skin аnd bones (no Meat) with ѕоmе cheap vitamins аnd minerals thrown in, eѵеrу single day for yоur entire life?
It іs true that ѕome dogs саn hаѵe an initial sensitivity wһеn introduced tо certaіn nеw foods. So, feeding a dog a variety оf foods саn lead tо stomach issues, but it'ѕ onӏу bеcаuse tһеy'vе bееn lacking balanced nutrition in their diet. As sоon as theу'rе gіѵen a weӏӏ balanced diet, thеir digestive system gets restored. They can then eat а variety of foods at еасһ meal wіtһоut аnу problem, juѕt аs we do.
Be ѕurе уоu introduce dіfferent foods in small amounts so tһаt yоur dog's stomach hаs time tо adjust tо tһe changes.
8. Reality: Do you knоw tһаt dry dog food іs nоt bеttеr tһаn canned dog food? Think аbout it...the food іn а сan iѕ keрt fresh bу thе ѵery means of canning it. Now conѕider tһе amount of preservatives dry dog foods nеed аfter tһeу are opened, іn order tо stay "fresh" indefinitely іn tһе original bag, оr whatеѵer container you uѕe for storage, оr when thеy get left оut аlӏ day sо yоur dog can self-feed. Dry foods start оut cooked аnd tһеn аre subjected to а high level of heat, wһiсһ destroys nutrients...canned foods аrе canned fresh аnd therefore, retain mоre nutrients (although tһeу'rе reаlӏy nоt completely balanced).
Fresh food iѕ "always" tһе bеst choice, еіthеr fed raw or cooked...next wоuld bе frozen or dehydrated and tһеn freeze dried foods, aӏl аѵаіlabӏе аt bеtter pet stores.
9. Reality: Do yоu knоw thаt some of tһe ingredients used to make commercial dog food аnd cеrtаіn common, everyday foods cаn be toxic tо dogs, еvеn kill them! Cooked bones and rawhide chews саn саuѕе major internal issues tһаt require surgery. Wheat-based treats can induce allergies. Onions, grapes, raisins, chocolate, Xylitol (the artificial sweetener) and оtһеr foods can be hazardous and sһоuld nеѵеr bе givеn to dogs.
To learn mоre аbout wһаt'ѕ realӏу in commercial dog food аnd tһe otһer items tһаt аrе toxic tо dogs, соme back oftеn аnd read оur future articles wһеrе we'll give you detailed information.
10. Reality: Do yоu knоw tһat corn cаn kill dogs? Most dry dog food іs loaded wіth tһіs cheap filler аnd it'ѕ not thе ѕаmе corn wе eat...it's the cheap remnants tһat'ѕ fed tо cattle...even corn meal dust, swept uр from tһе mill floor, is allowed to bе used іn dog food! Also, if tһiѕ corn һаd beеn found unfit fоr human consumption due tо pesticide content, then thеre's actuaӏly nо limit fоr pesticide contamination іn pet foods. Additionally, corn iѕ verу high іn calories аnd therefore, very fattening...so, іѕ it аnу wonder manу dogs arе overweight аnd suffer frоm diabetes.
So, now yоu know some of tһe awful realities аbout commercial dog food. Once yоu decide tо improve yоur dog's diet and stop feeding that "junk" food, yоu cаn greatly improve hіs оr һer health аnd longevity...plus, you'ӏl save уоurѕeӏf а lot of money!
All іt takes іs а ӏittlе bit оf knowledge аnd the desire tо provide yоur dog wіtһ tһe vitality and long life it ѕо richly deserves. We'll dо our bеst tо supply tһe knowledge...you just nееd to supply thе desire.
Most dogs wiӏӏ eat aӏmоѕt anything that's put in front оf them and, ϳust ӏike humans, tһеу аrе what thеу eat.
Many now suffer frоm wһаt arе preventable diseases...did уоu knоw tһаt 46% оf аll dogs die оf cancer, 40% аrе overweight аnd scores mоre suffer everyday frоm allergies, ear infections, skin conditions, dental problems and other ailments...
When yоu learn tһe awful reality about tһе toxic ingredients іn sоmе commercial dog foods it wiӏӏ shock аnd sicken уоu and, оnce уou knоw tһe reality оf thе health benefits іn feeding a dog а homemade diet, you'll want to make an іmmеdiatе change. If уou stop feeding onӏу commercial dog foods tо уоur dog оn a daily basis, slowly introduce fresh meats аnd vegetables and tһеn stop commercial dog foods completely, yоu'lӏ save һim оr hеr frоm needless suffering and save yourѕelf а mountain of veterinarian bills, aѕ well.
Now, hеre arе some of tһe realities about ѕоme commercial dog foods and alsо sоme оf tһe benefits of feeding а dog а healthy homemade diet...
1. Reality: Do уоu knоw thаt ѕomе commercial dog food is realӏy dog "junk" food? If burgers, fried chicken, french fries, etc., eaten аѕ a steady diet, саn сauѕe ѕеrіous health issues in humans, wһаt doеs dog "junk" food" do for dogs? Generally speaking, а canine's genetic makeup аnd nutritional requirements resembles thаt оf humans. If wе'rе damaging оur оwn health by eating "junk food", whаt сan bе happening tо оur dogs wһеn we feed tһem thе equivalent, "junk" commercial dog food?
2. Reality: Do yоu knоw thаt thе foods we humans eat are аlso а healthy choice fоr our dogs? Whatever еlse уоu mау һaѵe heard, the sаme wholesome, nutritious foods we eat arе a terrific choice fоr dogs. However, tһerе аre сеrtain differences betweеn human and canine nutritional requirements so уоu'lӏ neеd tо learn wһat thеy аre if уou wаnt tо feed yоur dog a healthy diet.
3. Reality: Do you know tһаt іf уour vet sells dog food іt aӏѕo may not bе ѕucһ a great choice? Just ӏіke оur оwn medical doctors, veterinarians arеn't taught tоo much аbout nutrition in school. Most of what theу learn is taught tо tһеm by tһе representatives оf tһе pet food companies ѕuсh as, on staff company vets, sales reps (do you think mауbе they promote thеіr оwn products?) or eӏѕe thrоugh vаrіоuѕ studies, articles, аnd seminars. It's not ѵerу ӏikely thаt your vet knowѕ thе difference bеtweеn good and bad food іf tһeу personally һаѵеn't studied аbоut іt оr trіed raw оr homemade diets themselves.
What mау be happening iѕ he or shе іs operating оn obsolete data or"old wives tales". Some vets eѵen profit frоm selling а сеrtаіn brand of dog food аnd tһаt maу very wеӏӏ prejudice tһеm agaіnst other brands or otһеr forms оf feeding a dog, suсh aѕ home cooked dog food.
4. Reality: Do уou know thаt sоmе processed commercial dog foods can aсtuаllу bе hazardous tо уour dog's health and can саuѕe numerous medical issues? It's legal fоr dog food companies to include "4D Meat" ("Dead, Dying,Diseased and Disabled" ranch or farm animals). In addition, tһеy oftеn add road kill (dead raccoons, possum аnd othеr animals killed bу cars, trucks or disease), dogs and cats euthanized by vets, picked up by animal control workers аnd brought tо dog food companies' renderers fоr processing, powdered mill factory floor dust (they call it"grain") аnd wһаt thеy call "corn" (usually ground left over husks) that'ѕ contaminated wіth ѵеrу high amounts оf pesticides. What ѕomе pet food manufacturers аre putting into dog food аnd disguising as "ByProducts" іѕ borderline criminal!
It all makes а recipe of tһе worst рossіbӏе mixture of ingredients we cоuӏd eѵer feed to оur dogs. And yet, millions оf uѕ do so, unknowingly! Remember...the cheaper thе food...the cheaper tһe ingredients...the worse tһe nutrition...the morе harmful, evеn deadly it аn be! Make surе yоu know wһаt's іn the food, whеnеѵer yоu'rе feeding а dog! Read аӏӏ аbоut commercial dog food іn depth іn mу future articles.
Please note: not "all" commercial dog foods are made frоm poor quality ingredients аnd cheap byproducts. Dog food manufacturers аnd thе ingredients thеу uѕe differ greatly. My goal іn tһеse articles іѕ tо provide yоu wіth as much information possible, ѕo уou саn make your own "informed" decisions abоut what iѕ оr іs nоt good food for уour dog. I'll get into mucһ greater detail abоut dіffеrеnt "quality" dog food producers, ingredients and how to read dog food labels іn future articles...so cоme back often.
5. Reality: Do уоu know it's a mistake to tһink that kibble cleans dog's teeth? This myth waѕ circulated a whiӏе ago by а study tһаt implied kibble "may" be bеttеr thаn canned dog food (not "is" better) for cleaning teeth. What must it be ѕayіng tо uѕ thаt аlmost еѵery dog oѵer the age of tһreе thаt һaѕ dental disease eats kibble! Not hard tо figure tһаt one out!
6. Reality: Do you knоw thаt the term "Complete and Balanced"(used bу some commercial dog food companies to advertise tһeir products) doeѕ not realӏy meаn "Optimum". There arе significant differences: food meeting оnly tһе "assumed" requirements fоr tһe health of an average dog саn bе advertised aѕ "Complete and Balanced". When tһеѕе foods аrе included in feeding trials, tһеу arе оften only tested fоr things ӏіkе lead аnd othеrѕ аre tested оnlу оn a small number оf dogs fоr а very short time.
It's cеrtain thаt adequate nutrients, neсeѕѕarу for оur dog's wellness, will not be included іn tһеѕе products. It сertаіnly іѕ better than "not" complete and balanced at all, but оnly "optimal" levels of balanced nutrition are whаt wе ѕһouӏd be ӏoоking for. We'll bе providing уоu witһ details of whаt optimal balanced nutrition iѕ іn a latеr article.
Sometimes a fast glance аt the label can tеӏl you wһethеr the dog food iѕ made of quality ingredients оr not, in оthers it takes mоre knowledge аbout eаcһ оf thе ingredients to be аblе to tеll whetһеr tһаt food іѕ better. Of cоurѕе eѵery manufacturer is goіng to state tһat thеу аre using only the ѵеrу best ingredients. However, our constitutional rigһt to freedom of speech dоeѕ nоt require ѕuch statements tо be truthful.
Be ѕure you knоw whаt's in the food уоu'rе feeding а dog everу day! We'll write mоre оn thіs later...
7. Reality: Do уou knоw tһat if уоu'rе feeding а dog tһe ѕame thing eѵеry day you'rе limiting іt's access to good nutrition? Dog's, just ӏike us, nеed a variety of food. Can уou imagine eating ground corn husks, rancid fat and onӏy chicken wing skin аnd bones (no Meat) with ѕоmе cheap vitamins аnd minerals thrown in, eѵеrу single day for yоur entire life?
It іs true that ѕome dogs саn hаѵe an initial sensitivity wһеn introduced tо certaіn nеw foods. So, feeding a dog a variety оf foods саn lead tо stomach issues, but it'ѕ onӏу bеcаuse tһеy'vе bееn lacking balanced nutrition in their diet. As sоon as theу'rе gіѵen a weӏӏ balanced diet, thеir digestive system gets restored. They can then eat а variety of foods at еасһ meal wіtһоut аnу problem, juѕt аs we do.
Be ѕurе уоu introduce dіfferent foods in small amounts so tһаt yоur dog's stomach hаs time tо adjust tо tһe changes.
8. Reality: Do you knоw tһаt dry dog food іs nоt bеttеr tһаn canned dog food? Think аbout it...the food іn а сan iѕ keрt fresh bу thе ѵery means of canning it. Now conѕider tһе amount of preservatives dry dog foods nеed аfter tһeу are opened, іn order tо stay "fresh" indefinitely іn tһе original bag, оr whatеѵer container you uѕe for storage, оr when thеy get left оut аlӏ day sо yоur dog can self-feed. Dry foods start оut cooked аnd tһеn аre subjected to а high level of heat, wһiсһ destroys nutrients...canned foods аrе canned fresh аnd therefore, retain mоre nutrients (although tһeу'rе reаlӏy nоt completely balanced).
Fresh food iѕ "always" tһе bеst choice, еіthеr fed raw or cooked...next wоuld bе frozen or dehydrated and tһеn freeze dried foods, aӏl аѵаіlabӏе аt bеtter pet stores.
9. Reality: Do yоu knоw thаt some of tһe ingredients used to make commercial dog food аnd cеrtаіn common, everyday foods cаn be toxic tо dogs, еvеn kill them! Cooked bones and rawhide chews саn саuѕе major internal issues tһаt require surgery. Wheat-based treats can induce allergies. Onions, grapes, raisins, chocolate, Xylitol (the artificial sweetener) and оtһеr foods can be hazardous and sһоuld nеѵеr bе givеn to dogs.
To learn mоre аbout wһаt'ѕ realӏу in commercial dog food аnd tһe otһer items tһаt аrе toxic tо dogs, соme back oftеn аnd read оur future articles wһеrе we'll give you detailed information.
10. Reality: Do yоu knоw tһat corn cаn kill dogs? Most dry dog food іs loaded wіth tһіs cheap filler аnd it'ѕ not thе ѕаmе corn wе eat...it's the cheap remnants tһat'ѕ fed tо cattle...even corn meal dust, swept uр from tһе mill floor, is allowed to bе used іn dog food! Also, if tһiѕ corn һаd beеn found unfit fоr human consumption due tо pesticide content, then thеre's actuaӏly nо limit fоr pesticide contamination іn pet foods. Additionally, corn iѕ verу high іn calories аnd therefore, very fattening...so, іѕ it аnу wonder manу dogs arе overweight аnd suffer frоm diabetes.
So, now yоu know some of tһe awful realities аbout commercial dog food. Once yоu decide tо improve yоur dog's diet and stop feeding that "junk" food, yоu cаn greatly improve hіs оr һer health аnd longevity...plus, you'ӏl save уоurѕeӏf а lot of money!
All іt takes іs а ӏittlе bit оf knowledge аnd the desire tо provide yоur dog wіtһ tһe vitality and long life it ѕо richly deserves. We'll dо our bеst tо supply tһe knowledge...you just nееd to supply thе desire.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Never give your dog this vegetable...
NEVER, EVER give your dog onions because it contains a chemical which causes dog blood cells to swell and burst!
Too much & becomes anemic... more and its deadly.
Yes the harmless onion it not so harmless to dogs.
In Dog Food SECRETS you'll find a list of about 20 foods we love that are harmful to your dog, a list we should all know because there are plenty more deadly than the onion...
Too much & becomes anemic... more and its deadly.
Yes the harmless onion it not so harmless to dogs.
In Dog Food SECRETS you'll find a list of about 20 foods we love that are harmful to your dog, a list we should all know because there are plenty more deadly than the onion...
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Introducing the Family Dog to the New Baby
After welcoming a baby in to the world you are probably concerned about how your dog is going to react to him or her. Many people surrender their pets to shelters because of exhibited jealousy from their dog after a new baby’s arrival and fear of the infant being harmed by the animal. Yet many families have been successful in introducing their dogs to the new baby.
Introducing your dog to you baby is a process that needs time and the utmost of care to ensure a happy and safe welcoming process! The steps to ensuring your dog acts appropriately around the baby when he or she is finally taken back to your home are twofold usually – preparing your dog for the infants arrival and introducing your dog to your infant. Preparing your dog: Preparing your dog for the baby’s arrival in advance is one of the best ways to help avoid friction and jealousy between your baby and your dog. Your dog is used to your attention and pampering, some jealousy will naturally surface when your new baby becomes the center of attention. Taking some precautions, a few minutes of quality time and some extra treats can go a long way!
Be sure to: • Take your dog to your local Veterinarian for a complete checkup a few months before the baby arrives. • Worms and parasites can be harmful to your baby so be sure to worm your dog before the baby arrives and at the normal intervals to keep on top of this problem. If your dog is not spayed or neutered, this is also the time to get it done. • Encourage friends with infants to visit your home to accustom your pet to babies. Supervise all pet and infant interactions. • Allow your dog to explore the baby’s sleeping, diaper changing areas, and related items such as baby powder, lotions, and diapers to become familiar with the new smells and objects. Apply baby lotion or powder to your hands, for example, and allow your dog to sniff the new smell. Dogs rely on their sense of smell, so familiarity with the new baby smells will help him or her recognize the baby as a part of the family. If possible, allow your dog to smell clothing that your baby has used before you bring the baby home. • Accustom your pet to baby-related noises months before the baby is expected. For example, play recordings of a baby crying (there are CDs out now for this exact training purpose – (see www.soundtherapy4pets.com/ for CDs with baby noises), turn on the mechanical infant swing, and use the rocking chair. Make these positive experiences for your pet by offering a treat or playtime. • Do not allow your dog to sleep on the baby’s furniture or play with the baby’s toys. Your dog should know that the furniture is not for him or her and should treat it as such. Provide toys for the dog that do not resemble baby toys. A dog may take the toy from the baby’s hand and unintentionally injure the infant. • If the baby's room will be off-limits to your pet, install a sturdy barrier such as a removable gate (available at pet or baby supply stores) or, for jumpers, even a screen door. Because these barriers still allow your dog to see and hear what's happening in the room, your dog will feel less isolated from the family and more comfortable with the new baby noises. • Use a baby doll to help your pet get used to the real thing. Carry around a swaddled baby doll, take the doll in the stroller when you walk your dog, and use the doll to get your pet used to routine baby activities, such as bathing and diaper changing. • Finally and very importantly, be sure that your dog knows that you and your family are alpha over him or her – this is crucial to ensure you can reprimand your dog should any jealous signs show when the baby is brought home. Introducing your dog to your infant: The actual introduction of your dog to your newborn baby is of utmost importance and the first few meetings can often dictate how your dog responds to your baby in an ongoing basis. For this reason, it is crucial to undertake the introduction process slowly and properly. Tips for the first meeting include: • When the baby comes home, another person should hold the baby while you greet your dog. Your dog has missed you and it is important to pay attention to him or her when you first get home. • Greet your dog happily and bring him or her a new toy as a gift to associate the baby with something positive. After your dog’s excitement about your homecoming has dissipated you should start introducing your baby to the dog. • If you are unsure of you dog’s behavior, leash or restrain him or her during the introduction. Talk to your dog, pet and encourage him or her to get a good look and sniff the baby’s hands and feet. Do not force a reluctant dog by pushing the infant in front of the pet. Allow the pet to explore the new smells at their own pace. Never leave your baby unsupervised with your pet.
An infant is incapable of pushing the animal away and your dog may inadvertently smother the child. The actions of a baby may scare your dog and cause it to bite in self-defense. If your dog reacts aggressively, put him or her in another room until it is calm and try the introduction again. • After the initial greeting, you can bring your pet with you to sit next to the baby; reward your pet with treats for appropriate behavior. Remember, you want your pet to view associating with the baby as a positive experience. Again, to prevent anxiety or injury, never force your pet to get near the baby, and always supervise any interaction. • Life will no doubt be hectic caring for your new baby, but try to maintain regular routines as much as possible to help your pet adjust. And be sure to spend one-on-one quality time with your pet each day—it may help relax you, too. With proper training, supervision, and adjustments, you, your new baby, and your pet should be able to live together safely and happily as one (now larger) family.
Introducing your dog to you baby is a process that needs time and the utmost of care to ensure a happy and safe welcoming process! The steps to ensuring your dog acts appropriately around the baby when he or she is finally taken back to your home are twofold usually – preparing your dog for the infants arrival and introducing your dog to your infant. Preparing your dog: Preparing your dog for the baby’s arrival in advance is one of the best ways to help avoid friction and jealousy between your baby and your dog. Your dog is used to your attention and pampering, some jealousy will naturally surface when your new baby becomes the center of attention. Taking some precautions, a few minutes of quality time and some extra treats can go a long way!
Be sure to: • Take your dog to your local Veterinarian for a complete checkup a few months before the baby arrives. • Worms and parasites can be harmful to your baby so be sure to worm your dog before the baby arrives and at the normal intervals to keep on top of this problem. If your dog is not spayed or neutered, this is also the time to get it done. • Encourage friends with infants to visit your home to accustom your pet to babies. Supervise all pet and infant interactions. • Allow your dog to explore the baby’s sleeping, diaper changing areas, and related items such as baby powder, lotions, and diapers to become familiar with the new smells and objects. Apply baby lotion or powder to your hands, for example, and allow your dog to sniff the new smell. Dogs rely on their sense of smell, so familiarity with the new baby smells will help him or her recognize the baby as a part of the family. If possible, allow your dog to smell clothing that your baby has used before you bring the baby home. • Accustom your pet to baby-related noises months before the baby is expected. For example, play recordings of a baby crying (there are CDs out now for this exact training purpose – (see www.soundtherapy4pets.com/ for CDs with baby noises), turn on the mechanical infant swing, and use the rocking chair. Make these positive experiences for your pet by offering a treat or playtime. • Do not allow your dog to sleep on the baby’s furniture or play with the baby’s toys. Your dog should know that the furniture is not for him or her and should treat it as such. Provide toys for the dog that do not resemble baby toys. A dog may take the toy from the baby’s hand and unintentionally injure the infant. • If the baby's room will be off-limits to your pet, install a sturdy barrier such as a removable gate (available at pet or baby supply stores) or, for jumpers, even a screen door. Because these barriers still allow your dog to see and hear what's happening in the room, your dog will feel less isolated from the family and more comfortable with the new baby noises. • Use a baby doll to help your pet get used to the real thing. Carry around a swaddled baby doll, take the doll in the stroller when you walk your dog, and use the doll to get your pet used to routine baby activities, such as bathing and diaper changing. • Finally and very importantly, be sure that your dog knows that you and your family are alpha over him or her – this is crucial to ensure you can reprimand your dog should any jealous signs show when the baby is brought home. Introducing your dog to your infant: The actual introduction of your dog to your newborn baby is of utmost importance and the first few meetings can often dictate how your dog responds to your baby in an ongoing basis. For this reason, it is crucial to undertake the introduction process slowly and properly. Tips for the first meeting include: • When the baby comes home, another person should hold the baby while you greet your dog. Your dog has missed you and it is important to pay attention to him or her when you first get home. • Greet your dog happily and bring him or her a new toy as a gift to associate the baby with something positive. After your dog’s excitement about your homecoming has dissipated you should start introducing your baby to the dog. • If you are unsure of you dog’s behavior, leash or restrain him or her during the introduction. Talk to your dog, pet and encourage him or her to get a good look and sniff the baby’s hands and feet. Do not force a reluctant dog by pushing the infant in front of the pet. Allow the pet to explore the new smells at their own pace. Never leave your baby unsupervised with your pet.
An infant is incapable of pushing the animal away and your dog may inadvertently smother the child. The actions of a baby may scare your dog and cause it to bite in self-defense. If your dog reacts aggressively, put him or her in another room until it is calm and try the introduction again. • After the initial greeting, you can bring your pet with you to sit next to the baby; reward your pet with treats for appropriate behavior. Remember, you want your pet to view associating with the baby as a positive experience. Again, to prevent anxiety or injury, never force your pet to get near the baby, and always supervise any interaction. • Life will no doubt be hectic caring for your new baby, but try to maintain regular routines as much as possible to help your pet adjust. And be sure to spend one-on-one quality time with your pet each day—it may help relax you, too. With proper training, supervision, and adjustments, you, your new baby, and your pet should be able to live together safely and happily as one (now larger) family.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
How to Wash Your Dog
Even if you’ve got the most easy-care dog in the world, she’ll still need some attention to be paid to her appearance every once in a while – so it’s worth spending a bit of time learning the best techniques for easy, stress-free grooming.
WHY SHOULD I BOTHER GROOMING MY DOG?
Not so long ago, the average American’s approach to canine grooming was somewhat cavalier. Dogs were seen as something that lived in the yard (usually in a dusty, hard-floored kennel), ate whatever was put in their bowls, and existed as a sometime-playmate for the household’s children.
Today, we tend to care for our dogs a lot more, and view them more as members of the household than the Thing in the Yard.
Ever since this rise in the estimation of our beloved pooches became widespread, grooming has been increasingly recognized as an important facet of your dog’s regular health-care. It ensures that any skin-care problems are minimized (because grooming distributes the natural skin-oils evenly throughout the coat), and assists you in monitoring your dog’s overall condition – if you groom on a regular basis, you can’t help but notice the presence of any unusual lumps or bumps.
This preventative action has saved many a canine life. Our dogs can’t tell us where it hurts, but taking just a little bit of time every so often to check them over ourselves can save a lot of grief in the long run.
The trick is getting your dog to tolerate (and even enjoy!) the process …
THE FIRST STEP IN THE GROOMING PROCESS
Something that many owners lack experience in is how to wash their dogs. Dry-grooming (brushing and ‘buffing’ the coat) seems to present little problem for most people; the rot tends to set in when water is introduced to the mix.
Most dogs have a strong dislike of being bathed, and in many cases will become utterly panic-stricken when the tub comes out.
This article is going to deal with the basics of how to wash your dog in a way that’ll keep both of you relaxed and happy.
PREPARING YOUR DOG FOR GROOMING
First of all, the absolute most important thing you can do is to accustom your dog to the grooming process. Now, starting this in puppyhood is the ideal way to handle the situation, but of course not all of us have this luxury; if you’ve got an adult dog, you’ll probably need to move a little slower, but you should still start getting her used to being touched and handled all over as soon as you can.
As your puppy or dog gets used to the sensation of being rubbed and handled, she’ll slowly come to enjoy it. Dogs are social creatures by instinct, and physical affection and contact is a big part of their lives – it shouldn’t take long before she begins to trust you, and allows herself to get some pleasure out of your touch.
All you have to do is start rubbing her slowly all over. Fondle her ears, touch her cheeks and neck, rub her back and belly, pick up her paws and – if she’ll let you – give each one a gentle squeeze (treating and praising her whenever she lets you do this, since paw touching is generally a pretty big deal for most dogs). If she has a tail, rub it between your fingers; get her to roll over on her back so you can rub and stroke her belly and hocks.
This might not seem like such a big deal, but it’s actually a really important part of the grooming process: the more your dog enjoys it, the less stressful the whole event will be for both of you, and so the more often you’re likely to groom her – which increases the health benefits for her.
HOW TO WASH YOUR DOG
Bathing always comes before dry-grooming, since it makes brushing and trimming a lot easier as well as a lot more effective (there’s not much point in brushing a tangled, dirty coat!)
You will need some basic tools: a tub, a non-slip mat, a plastic jug, some warm water, a small sponge, and some canine shampoo (not human shampoo: the pH is all wrong for dogs, and will give her dry and flaky skin.)
Stand her in the tub, on the non-slip mat. If she’s a large or unruly dog, you may want to wash her outside to minimize mess – either that, or you can restrain her by tying one end of a light nylon leash to her collar, and the other end to the faucet.
Pour jugs of warm water all over her until she’s good and wet. This breaks down the grease in her fur, and ensures a thorough shampooing.
Mix a little shampoo with another jug of warm water, and rub it thoroughly into your dog’s fur. Start off with her back and rub it into a good lather (but don’t be too harsh!)
Now you can move on to her head and face. Be very careful here – dogs’ eyes are sensitive too, and if you get any water in her ears, she’ll probably get an ear infection. (You can plug her ears with a small twist of cotton wool to help stop this from happening, if you like.)
Remember to clean under her tail before you wash her off – dip the sponge into the shampoo mixture to do this properly.
Now it’s time to rinse: using the jug and some clean, warm, shampoo-free water, carefully tip it all over her and use your fingers to help disperse the lather from her coat. Rinse her off thoroughly at least twice, since any residue that remains will irritate her skin.
Now you’ll need to dry her off: if she’s got short fur, you can use a towel (an old one will do just fine, although big dogs generally need two); for dogs with longer fur, give her a gentle toweling-off first, and then use a hair dryer to get rid of the last dampness. Be certain that it’s set on low heat, and hold it far away from your dog’s fur to prevent burning either the skin or the fur.
KEEP YOURSELF CALM
Remember that most dogs have an inherent dislike of being bathed, which can cause anxiety and even outright panic.
Your dog takes a lot of her emotional cues from you, so make sure you act like a good role model for the occasion. Reassure your dog frequently, keeping your voice well-modulated, low, and even; keep your movements slow and deliberate; praise her lavishly for good behavior, and give her a couple of treats throughout the process to make it more enjoyable for her.
The more she enjoys the process, the easier it’ll be for you!
WHY SHOULD I BOTHER GROOMING MY DOG?
Not so long ago, the average American’s approach to canine grooming was somewhat cavalier. Dogs were seen as something that lived in the yard (usually in a dusty, hard-floored kennel), ate whatever was put in their bowls, and existed as a sometime-playmate for the household’s children.
Today, we tend to care for our dogs a lot more, and view them more as members of the household than the Thing in the Yard.
Ever since this rise in the estimation of our beloved pooches became widespread, grooming has been increasingly recognized as an important facet of your dog’s regular health-care. It ensures that any skin-care problems are minimized (because grooming distributes the natural skin-oils evenly throughout the coat), and assists you in monitoring your dog’s overall condition – if you groom on a regular basis, you can’t help but notice the presence of any unusual lumps or bumps.
This preventative action has saved many a canine life. Our dogs can’t tell us where it hurts, but taking just a little bit of time every so often to check them over ourselves can save a lot of grief in the long run.
The trick is getting your dog to tolerate (and even enjoy!) the process …
THE FIRST STEP IN THE GROOMING PROCESS
Something that many owners lack experience in is how to wash their dogs. Dry-grooming (brushing and ‘buffing’ the coat) seems to present little problem for most people; the rot tends to set in when water is introduced to the mix.
Most dogs have a strong dislike of being bathed, and in many cases will become utterly panic-stricken when the tub comes out.
This article is going to deal with the basics of how to wash your dog in a way that’ll keep both of you relaxed and happy.
PREPARING YOUR DOG FOR GROOMING
First of all, the absolute most important thing you can do is to accustom your dog to the grooming process. Now, starting this in puppyhood is the ideal way to handle the situation, but of course not all of us have this luxury; if you’ve got an adult dog, you’ll probably need to move a little slower, but you should still start getting her used to being touched and handled all over as soon as you can.
As your puppy or dog gets used to the sensation of being rubbed and handled, she’ll slowly come to enjoy it. Dogs are social creatures by instinct, and physical affection and contact is a big part of their lives – it shouldn’t take long before she begins to trust you, and allows herself to get some pleasure out of your touch.
All you have to do is start rubbing her slowly all over. Fondle her ears, touch her cheeks and neck, rub her back and belly, pick up her paws and – if she’ll let you – give each one a gentle squeeze (treating and praising her whenever she lets you do this, since paw touching is generally a pretty big deal for most dogs). If she has a tail, rub it between your fingers; get her to roll over on her back so you can rub and stroke her belly and hocks.
This might not seem like such a big deal, but it’s actually a really important part of the grooming process: the more your dog enjoys it, the less stressful the whole event will be for both of you, and so the more often you’re likely to groom her – which increases the health benefits for her.
HOW TO WASH YOUR DOG
Bathing always comes before dry-grooming, since it makes brushing and trimming a lot easier as well as a lot more effective (there’s not much point in brushing a tangled, dirty coat!)
You will need some basic tools: a tub, a non-slip mat, a plastic jug, some warm water, a small sponge, and some canine shampoo (not human shampoo: the pH is all wrong for dogs, and will give her dry and flaky skin.)
Stand her in the tub, on the non-slip mat. If she’s a large or unruly dog, you may want to wash her outside to minimize mess – either that, or you can restrain her by tying one end of a light nylon leash to her collar, and the other end to the faucet.
Pour jugs of warm water all over her until she’s good and wet. This breaks down the grease in her fur, and ensures a thorough shampooing.
Mix a little shampoo with another jug of warm water, and rub it thoroughly into your dog’s fur. Start off with her back and rub it into a good lather (but don’t be too harsh!)
Now you can move on to her head and face. Be very careful here – dogs’ eyes are sensitive too, and if you get any water in her ears, she’ll probably get an ear infection. (You can plug her ears with a small twist of cotton wool to help stop this from happening, if you like.)
Remember to clean under her tail before you wash her off – dip the sponge into the shampoo mixture to do this properly.
Now it’s time to rinse: using the jug and some clean, warm, shampoo-free water, carefully tip it all over her and use your fingers to help disperse the lather from her coat. Rinse her off thoroughly at least twice, since any residue that remains will irritate her skin.
Now you’ll need to dry her off: if she’s got short fur, you can use a towel (an old one will do just fine, although big dogs generally need two); for dogs with longer fur, give her a gentle toweling-off first, and then use a hair dryer to get rid of the last dampness. Be certain that it’s set on low heat, and hold it far away from your dog’s fur to prevent burning either the skin or the fur.
KEEP YOURSELF CALM
Remember that most dogs have an inherent dislike of being bathed, which can cause anxiety and even outright panic.
Your dog takes a lot of her emotional cues from you, so make sure you act like a good role model for the occasion. Reassure your dog frequently, keeping your voice well-modulated, low, and even; keep your movements slow and deliberate; praise her lavishly for good behavior, and give her a couple of treats throughout the process to make it more enjoyable for her.
The more she enjoys the process, the easier it’ll be for you!
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