Dog Guidance Blog

The family dog can be such a great member of your family. Just like children though, if they are not well behaved, then you will have a tough time taking them out in public, or even having company over. Take the time to read this article and use some of the tips listed here to get your pet on the road to obedience.

A great way to train your dog to stop chewing items when you’re away from home is to catch them in the act. When you see your dog picking up an item, ready to take a bite, slowly take the item away from them and firmly, but in a gentle way tell them “no”.

When potty-training, remember that an enzymatic cleaner is your secret weapon. Dogs often will return to the same spot to urinate or defecate inside the house. That is because canine urine and feces has markers that let the dog know that this is the spot to do business. Using an enzymatic cleaner stops this smell at its source, and helps your training efforts that much more.

Sometimes, getting down to your dog’s level will help you understand his thought process. Dogs that are skittish may be more sensitive to unusual shapes on familiar routes. These things sometimes escape human eyes, since our eye-level is much taller than a dog’s. Try looking at things from his level to get an idea of what’s going on.

When training a dog to a leash it is important to keep the leash loose. Dogs are often eager to explore new territory when they get the opportunity to go for a walk. Because of their eagerness they will tend to strain on the limits of leash. The savvy owner will discourage this behavior, instead encouraging his or her pet to walk with some slack in the leash.

If you are tired of finding that your new pair of shoes has become a chewed up drool-covered dog toy, it is probably time to invest in chew toys. Chew toys are a great way for dogs to fulfill their urge to chew, while not ruining your things. For an even more enticing chew toy, buy one that you fill with peanut butter or treats, which will make him more likely to choose the toy over your shoes.

Having a well behaved dog makes all the difference when it comes to your pet experience. Disobedient pets tend to make a mess of our lives and our schedules. This article has given you some great tips to make your family pet an appreciated and loved member of the family.

Stop your dog from jumping on you by not giving it positive attention when he does so. A lot of dogs jump because they are looking for that attention. If you reach out and pet them, even as you chastise their behavior, they will be getting the attention they want and continue the behavior. Instead, use a key word, such as “Oops,” and then leave. Be consistent with this and your dog will soon learn that he will need to keep all four paws on the ground to get your attention.

When guests come into your home, do not hesitate to instruct them on how to approach your dog. Many people instantly go into a “dog lover’s” mode when they encounter a pet and create more excitement than the dog is used to. These are the kinds of things that will lead to jumping on guests or cause the dog to try and establish dominance.

When your dog jumps on you, take its paws in your hands and lightly squeeze them to let it know that jumping on people is not an acceptable behavior. This does not hurt the dog if you do it lightly but it is an uncomfortable feeling for them. After a while they will stop jumping on people because they will associate it with the uncomfortable feeling.

“Time out” training works with dogs and puppies as well as with children. If your dog exhibits inappropriate behavior like jumping, nipping, or running crazy through the house, try a “time out” in a crate or quiet room. This will allow the dog to calm down and will provide incentive to avoid the behavior in the future.

Dogs can have an annoying habit of jumping up on you or company out of sheer excitement. An effective way to help your dog to learn that this is not a proper greeting is to gently place your hand on his chest, shove him away and firmly say “Off!” Then you can offer him a greeting by calling him back at your invitation for a friendly pat on the head!

To stop your dog from jumping up on you, push it back firmly with your knee and tell it “NO” in a firm and commanding voice. As soon as his feet are on the floor, pet it with your hands and praise your dog for being a good dog with his feet on the floor.

Does your dog jump up on you? Simply turn your back to your dog for a few seconds when it jumps up. Most dogs will quickly learn that jumping up makes you ignore them, but when they have all four feet on the floor, then you pay attention to them.

Do not just tell your dog “No”. This does not give him the information that he needs to learn what it is that he is doing wrong at the time you are yelling at him. Give him specifics. If it is jumping up on company, tell your dog “No Max, get down!” Then your dog will then be able to learn from this experience.

When potty-training, remember that an enzymatic cleaner is your secret weapon. Dogs often will return to the same spot to urinate or defecate inside the house. That is because canine urine and feces has markers that let the dog know that this is the spot to do business. Using an enzymatic cleaner stops this smell at its source, and helps your training efforts that much more.

When potty training a puppy, give him a reward every time he eliminates appropriately. The reward can be a treat, or a simple “good boy”. Your dog will learn to associate eliminating in an appropriate place with behavior that you want him to display. He wants to please you and so, will continue to display this behavior.

The dog, man’s best friend. We’ve all probably found ourselves owning a dog at some point, but perhaps weren’t the one responsible for training it. One of the keys to training a dog is consistency. You have to reward it all the time for good behavior, and punish it all the time for bad behavior. For example if you are potty training and your dog uses the pad, reward her with a treat each and every time to reinforce that behavior.

Wait 10 to 15 minutes after a puppy eats or drinks before you take them out to go potty. Usually, a puppy has to go in a very short time after eating and drinking. To help minimize accidents in between the time you take them outside, remember that puppies do not require a full bowl of water. If you control how much you give them, then you will be in control of training them when they need to relieve themselves.

Start potty training your new puppy immediately. Take the puppy to the designated toilet area in your garden as soon as he wakes up in the morning, after eating, after a nap, and before bedtime. Choose a certain command that indicates he needs to relieve himself. When he does, don’t forget to praise him highly, and offer a treat as a reward.

To house train your dog, you should make sure that your dog follows a regular feeding and elimination schedule. This allows you to know when your dog has to go and take him outside to do his business before your carpet gets ruined. Following a schedule will also help your dog learn how to “hold it” until his next potty break.

Try behavioral training with your puppy before the age of one. You may not have much luck training some puppies beyond potty training if you start too early, but training an older puppy can prevent some behaviors before they start. If your puppy is distracted and thinks you are simply playing, waiting another few weeks to try training again.

When potty training your new puppy, keep him on a strict feeding schedule. Offer food twice a day, at the same time each day, and take your puppy out to eliminate shortly after finishing the meal. Young puppies often need to use the bathroom quickly after a meal. Giving your dog the opportunity to go outside will get him on a schedule and help to prevent accidents.

Dog training can be a learning experience for your dog, but you can also learn other important things, as well. This article can help you make the most of training your dog. You will find that your time spent training your dog will have benefits for both of you, for years to come.

When it comes to grooming activities, familiarize your pet with common handling as early as possible. Dogs require grooming regardless of breed and getting your pet used to having her paws, face and ears handled regularly makes the grooming process less stressful for both of you. Whether you do your own grooming or have it done professionally, train your dog to accept handling common to grooming.

If you are having problems with your dog’s behavior, one of the best things that you can do is to avoid aggression triggers. For instance, do not put them in a situation where they are likely to feel protective. If they do not like other dogs, simply try to separate them.

House training your puppy can be a lot faster and more effective using a crate. The crate should never be used for punishment. The puppy should be put in it at night and in between times of interaction with his owner. His natural instinct is to not relieve himself in his sleeping area.

To introduce a new animal into a home that already has dogs, you should give that animal their own territory. This could mean initially giving the new cat or dog their own room or taking your old dogs out of the house before bringing the new dog in. Because dogs are very territorial, this tactic gives your new dog more leverage and makes your older dogs more reluctant to get aggressive.

You need consistently let your dog know it when he is not behaving like you want. Do not reinforce undesirable behavior. By reinforcing what is wrong, it will help the dog develop bad habits and they will start ignoring your commands for behaving right. They will then regularly misbehave, and that’s not good.

Never punish your pet for coming when called. A good recall command is essential, not only for obedience, but for your dog’s safety as well. It may seem obvious that calling your pet to you for punishment is bad, however when you are angry at a dog who has darted out of the yard or refuses to come for a bath, it is easy to forget. By keeping their “come” command associated with positive experiences, you can be assured that next time they get away from you, they will reliably return when called.

For dogs that bark unnecessarily, do not shout at your dog. Shouting to counteract barking can actually be a positive reinforcement for dogs, since they do not understand that you are not reacting at their barking. This feedback loop leads the dog to believe that whatever they’re barking at is actually a big deal, so stay calm and distract your dog to deter problem barking.

When training your dog to deal with its fear or anxiety related behaviors, go slow. Responding to a fear or anxiety response with aggression only leads to more fear and even mistrust. Take your time and give your dog the opportunity to succeed. He will grow in confidence and reduce fear induced behaviors.

Be consistent. It is going to take a lot of work to train your dog. And if you aren’t consistent, you can undo all the work that you did in the first place. You have to teach your dog the way to behave, and that is true whether you feel great or whether you’re busy, stressed or sick. Consistent behavior from you leads to consistent behavior from your dog.

Reward good behavior during training with control. If your dog follows a training command properly then it is acceptable to reward the behavior to a calm animal. Though you may be happy with the accomplishment, excitement on your part leads to excitement on their part and diminishes control of the situation. Be calm, expect calm, then reward appropriately.

As was stated previously, dog training can be a learning experience for you and your dog. By taking the advice in this article to heart, you can ensure a bond between your dog and yourself. This time will be well spent and create a friendship that will benefit the both of you.

Now that one has their dog they must learn the right way to teach their new family pet. The following text will be able to give one the right tools needed for them to give their new dog the best learning experience that one can possibly give to their loved pooch.

Barking

Be sure to be realistic about what you expect of your dog. You are not going to be able to train him overnight. It is going to take a great deal of time and hard work to get him to perform the way that you want him to. It is going to take the longest time to break the normal dog habits like barking, but it will happen if you dedicate the time to training.

A barking dog can drive its owner as well as the neighbors crazy!  A good way to train your dog not to bark is to offer him a reward to stop barking!  When he barks, use a command such as “Quiet!” or “No bark!” and wave his favorite treat in front of his nose.  Soon he will learn that dog treats are better than making noise!

When it comes to barking, be aware of the environment or activities when your dog barks excessively. Having an awareness of the triggers, can help you address the behavior constructively. For example, if your dog only barks excessively when visitors enter your home, enlist a friend to come over to help you address the behavior, at the time of the trigger event.

To reduce the barking of your dog, try getting them used to what causes the barking in the first place. It can be a sound, or being face to face with other people or other animals. Your dog will understand that there is no need to bark in these situations.

Time your rewards properly. Timing is crucial when training a dog. Dogs have very short attention spans, and waiting too long to reward a good behavior or punish a bad one will end up doing more harm than good. For example, when training a dog to “quiet” when barking, rewarding too soon after the barking will serve to reinforce the barking instead of the stopping. When you give the “quiet” command, wait a second or two, and then treat and praise ” ensuring your dog knows that it is the calm behavior that is being rewarded.

The best way to prevent your dog from barking excessively, is to make him more comfortable with whatever it is he barks at so frequently. Dogs bark at anything that scares of threatens them, so if you show your dog that the object of their fear is nothing to be afraid of, he’ll stop barking.

Now that one hopefully has some good ideas for training their dog they can set about their journey. Training ones dog can often be a rewarding experience when one see’s their effort pay off with an obedient dog. Following what one has learned will give them the direction needed to train their dog.

Training your dog can be a delightful, rewarding experience for both of you. Training doesn’t need to be time-intensive, particularly if you’re addressing issues in small steps and creating manageable goals. This article will outline several small but savvy techniques that can turn small problems into big success for you and your dog.

Breaking your dog’s attention is the key to gaining control. Dogs will focus on something and ignore all else unless something breaks that attention. By nudging or tapping the dog while issuing a control sound or word is usually all it will take to bring the dog’s focus back to you. With enough repetition your dog will focus on other things less and less, opting to wait for signals from you.

A good dog training tip is to always be aware of other dogs when you’re taking your dog for a walk.  Some dogs tend to be aggressive, and it’s not safe to assume that every dog owner is responsible.  If you notice an aggressive or antisocial dog, keep your dog away from it.

Generally, dogs learn by association, relating actions with rewards.  Be sure to keep distractions to a minimum when you begin the training, then change locations for the training over time as the dog becomes better at responding to your commands.  Give your dog time, remember they are not human, and you will be amazed at what they can be trained to do.

Keep your dog up to date with dog training in order to keep him or her compliant with an established set of rules. Many times owners feel that since their animals have gone through dog training they can just forget about it. However, pets like humans share similar habit systems. That is why it is vital to ensure your dog maintains a strict rule system.

When teaching your dog how to fetch do not reach for the object right when he brings it back to you. Ignore it and pat him on the head or body. If you reach for the object right away he may try to guard it, or run away. If you ignore it, he is more likely to drop it. You may also find it useful to train with multiple balls or Frisbees.

When training your dog to stay, take baby steps.  First tell her to sit or lie down.  When she has held that position for a couple of seconds, tell her to stay.  If she stays longer, give her a treat.  Allow her to move again, and repeat the process, rewarding her after she stays a bit longer with each repetition.

When training your dog, try to use positive reinforcement. Instead of harshly scolding the animal when it does something wrong, reward it with a small treat when it behaves how you want it to. Soon enough, your puppy will learn to only do the behaviors that earn treats, becoming perfectly trained in no time.

As you can see, starting a dog-training routine doesn’t need to be a chore. Your dog is designed to be eager to please, so consider this time spent as time invested in your relationship. Your dog will be happier with clear boundaries and a proper relationship, so consider starting your routine today!

Getting a new dog is a very exciting time, however, it is pretty much like having a newborn baby at home.  There is a lot involved when you first get a dog.  Sometimes it could feel a little bit overwhelming.  However, the tips you will find in this article will help get you on your way to an obedient little dog.

If your dog is a fearful dog, you should address her confidence issues sooner rather than later. The fact is that fearful dogs can be very reactive, which spells trouble when you and your dog are out and about. Make positive associations with stimuli that make her nervous, and desensitize her to the spontaneous nature of the world around her. She will be thankful you did!

Each time that you use your dog’s name as a warning or a reprimand, try to use it three to five other times in a positive way. Your pet needs to understand that his name can represent something good; he should not be afraid to come to you when he is called.

In order to train a dog to be really well-mannered, you should aim to use the words “good” and “no” as often as you can, so that your dog understands what these words mean. By making these words familiar vocabulary for your dog, you will have a higher success rate of training your dog effectively. There is no need to shout angrily at your dog, just use a firm tone when saying “no”. Conversely, use a warm enthusiastic tone when you say “good”.

Every dog needs a calm and confident leader to feel secure.  Any dog owner can show that he is a strong leader by encouraging and rewarding good behavior.  Proving to your pet that you’re a strong leader makes training easier and establishes a bond between pet and owner.

A great dog training tip is to make sure your dog gets a little bit of exercise every day.  Exercise is not only good for your dog’s health, it also keeps them social with other people and other dogs.  Taking your dog for a daily walk is key for socialization.

To help potty train puppies, consider using a crate. Crate training may sound unpleasant, but it’s actually one of the most natural ways to train puppies. A crate is considered their home or den, and puppies have an instinct not to soil in this space. Just be sure to limit the time spent in the crate, so your pup can spend time with you too.

You need to recognize when your dog is indeed behaving like you want them to. Do your best to reinforce any desirable behavior that you see when they are behaving the way that you intend for them to behave. By reinforcing what is right, it will help the dog develop good habits and start acting that way regularly.

After reading this article you can see that it is possible to have a dog that is both adorable and obedient.  With just a little bit of persistence and the suggestions given in this article, you will have a dog that you can be proud of before you know it.

Are you thinking of getting a dog and don’t know where to begin training it? Have a dog and want to quell some undesirable behaviors? Well, then this article is for you! Read on to find simple, easy tips for training a dog to truly be man’s best friend.

If you have a dog that is not learning, despite training, sometimes bringing in another dog that is already trained, can work wonders. The trained dog can lead by example and will receive all the praise from the people around. Meanwhile, the untrained dog will be watching what the trained dog is doing and learn from this.

When teaching your dog how to walk on a leash, hold your ground if he attempts to pull you. Plant your feet and do not budge until the dog stops pulling. Your dog will realize that he gets nowhere by pulling. When you are able to get him to walk beside you, reinforce the habit with treats.

Teach your dog to “look” up to you, literally! Your dog should learn how to check in with you regularly, so he makes your direction a priority. Having him “look” at you randomly gets him comfortable with eye contact, heeling, and sticking close to your side. It’s an excellent way to establish a proper relationship!

Do not generalize when telling your dog what not to do. It is okay to tell your dog “no” but that word does not give your dog the full picture of what he needs to understand. If you say no when your dog jumps on you to greet you, he may move to another side of you to jump, because he assumes the other side was wrong. Teach your dog to sit down to greet you, and he will have a better picture of what you want.

When interacting with other dogs, expect a calm, sedate attitude from your pet before letting them go loose. By establishing a calm demeanor in your pet, you will cause a ripple effect through the other animals as well as teaching your dog that you control the environment. This will make it easier to withdraw your dog when it is time to go as well.

One of the very first commands a dog should learn is to come when he is called by his name. To start getting him used to his name, use it positively as soon as he joins the family. Every time he comes praise him so he will find following commands a positive experience.

When training your dog make sure you always get his attention in the same manor. Always start your commands with his name. Get his attention with his name and then follow that with what you want him to do. Dogs often respond to their name immediately and know you intend for them to pay attention.

Now that you know how easy it can be to train a dog, why wait? Apply these tips now to train your dog in obedience. Dogs love to know what you want them to do and follow your commands. They just need a firm hand to show them the way. Try it now!

Training your dog is essential to his and your happiness. A well trained dog means that you both know what to expect from each other. Once he is trained, you will have less worry when you leave him home alone, have visitors or take him out in public. Although it may not be easy, the time you devote to teaching your dog manners, tricks and the proper way to do things, will be well spent.

Barking

Training your dog to “speak” can help eliminate annoying excessive barking. Dogs bark to alert the pack of threats. Since they bark by default, it is a good idea to teach them to “speak”, because then they will understand how to not bark. Start by telling your dog to “speak” when it barks at the telephone ringing. Then, when the dogs pauses, tell the dog “quiet”. This will help the dog distinguish a barking state from a non-barking state.

Never yell at a barking dog. While a barking dog is sure to raise your frustration level, resist the urge to yell at them. Dogs do not understand that you are yelling at them, and often associate your raised voice as you joining in the fun of barking. If your dog is barking, calmly distract them with a toy or treat, and when the barking stops, give them their prize.

Know that all barking isn’t bad barking. Some barking is necessary for a watchdog to alert you or a dog to let its mother know it’s hungry. However, if your dog barks incessantly at everything and everyone it may need training. First figure out the reason behind your dog’s barking, and then speak with your veterinarian to determine the best course of action.

To keep your dog from barking, teach them to obey to a simple order that will make them quiet. When your dog barks, show them a treat and repeat the order, for instance ‘be quiet’ until it stops barking. You can then give it the treat. If you repeat this long enough, your dog will associate the treat and then the order with being quiet.

Address boredom barking. If your dog is barking because he’s bored, then you should be prepared to take the blame. It means that he doesn’t have a sufficient outlet for his physical and mental energy. Take the time to play with him and go for regular walks. When you aren’t around, offer chew toys as a distraction.

Be patient when training your dog to stop behavior that is typical of dogs. Dogs have behaviors such as digging, jumping on others and barking that are normal to dogs. It takes time to help your dog understand how to behave in a way that makes their human owners happy.

Most of all, dog training is about establishing the rules of the relationship and just as with a person, you will enjoy each other so much more now that these rules have been established. Remember to keep reinforcing what your dog has learned. Keep his knowledge sharp and stay on top of any deviations in his behavior. Once your dog has the basics of training under his belt, there is no limit to what the two of you can achieve.

Leishmaniasis in Dogs
By Frank Will

Leishmaniasis in dogs is a zoonotic disease that is found worldwide, is considered an endemic, and for several years it was thought to be extremely rare in the United States. But there have now been reported cases of this deadly disease in over 21 states.

A zoonotic disease is an infectious disease that can be transmitted or shared between animals and humans. However, with this disease you can not catch it from your dog. This disease was also thought to be found primarily in foxhounds, but that also seems to be changing.

Leishmaniasis in dogs is much more difficult to treat than it is in humans and no one really seems to understand why. It can be treated, but the success rate is extremely low and if your dog becomes infected, chances of survival will be very slim. Most dogs will die from kidney failure and severely affected dogs may not respond to any form of treatment.

For years this disease has been found primarily in Central and South America, as well as Africa, India, and the Mediterranean regions and dogs that have been infected in the United States have traveled to those areas. That now seems to be changing as there have been several reported cases of dogs becoming infected that have never traveled.

What is Leishmaniasis in Dogs?

This disease also called Dumdum fever and is a parasite infection that is transmitted by a small, blood sucking biting sand fly referred to as Phlebotomus. However, what is becoming alarming is that this sand fly is not known to exist anywhere in the United States.

This infectious disease can be transmitted by other vectors such as ticks, and the growing concern is that it now may be carried by ticks.

Leishmaniasis in dogs can cause two different types of infections; a skin infection or an organ infection. Over 95 percent of all infected dogs will develop organ infections with this disease, which makes it so deadly to your pet. Most dogs as a result will develop swollen lymph nodes and enlarged spleens, and as it progresses, it will spread to the kidneys.

However, a vast majority of dogs will also develop skin infections. These skin infections will develop into lesions and can cause the limbs and the joints of your dog to become swollen. It can also affect their eyes.

But there are other factors that are very troubling with this disease. There have been reported cases where the time span between the actual infections by this parasite and the actual appearance of any symptoms has taken as long as seven years to surface.

Even if your dog does survive this horrible infection, because the disease is so serious in people and even though it can not be transmitted from dogs to humans, euthanasia is often recommended.

Symptoms:

This is a very slow and progressive disease as it may take several years for symptoms to develop. Because the signs of this disease are so minor and nonspecific in this long developmental progression, and because it has been so rare in this country, testing for it is still relatively new.

The symptoms will depend on the severity of the infection, and than the type of infection that your dog develops. With organ infections, your pet will show signs of fatigue and start to develop a resistance to any type of exercise. This will than be followed by anorexia and severe weight loss as your dog is literally wasting away.

Some dogs may also show signs of lameness and swollen joints and may start to develop a stiff gait or walking impairment as the limbs are hurting them. With skin infections, lesions will start to develop around the head and the muzzle area.

However, as difficult as this disease is to identify, there is perhaps one set of symptoms that can alert you that something is wrong as it is very unusual. This infection may also affect your pet’s footpads. If your dog starts to lose the color or pigmentation in the footpads or the muzzle, they most likely have this infection as this is very uncommon.

Diagnosing Leishmaniasis in Dogs:

Diagnosing this disease can also be very difficult simply because it has been so rare that it was not something that a lot of veterinarians looked for. But that is starting to change as it grows and spreads.

The first form of testing will involve both medical and travel history. This will be followed by blood testing, urine testing, and tissue biopsies. Serologic testing will also be done to detect circulating antibodies in your pet’s bloodstream.

This disease is considered so serious that if your dog does test positive it must immediately reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Treatment:

Treatments for Leishmaniasis in dogs have proved to be much less effective than treatment for humans and it has become troubling to the medical community. Parasite infections are always difficult to treat, but this one is extremely difficult and often ineffective.

There is a specialized drug called sodium stibogluconate which has to be obtained from the CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are alternative treatments but most of them have been discontinued because of the failure rate.

There is also a growing concern that this disease may, or already has, developed a drug resistant strain of this parasite in the United States.

Summary:

There is evidence that some dog’s immune systems either resistant this disease or are strong enough to actually fight it off, and as a result, become immune. But in the vast majority of cases it is fatal.

Building your dogs immune system as strong as it can possibly be with the correct diet and the proper supplements is the best hope for prevention in this once unique threat to dogs in the United States.

I am an avid lover of pets and my wife and I have had several pets throughout our years. We are especially fond of dogs, and we have a 12 year old Dalmatian (our 3rd) and a “mutt” that we rescued when someone threw him away to die in a vacant field.

He found us, nearly starved to death, and weighed about 2 pounds.

After severe bouts of mange and severe dehydration, and over 1,000.00 in veterinarian bills, we saved the little guys life, and he is one of the best, if not the best, dogs we have ever had and today is a muscular, fit, and firm 70 pound best friend.

After finishing my MBA, which at middle age was not easy, I decided to keep the research work ethics that I acquired, and devote about two hours each night in understanding the health benefits of supplementation for both humans and pets and how they might strengthen our, as well as our pets, immune system in a pre-emptive approach to health rather than a reactionary approach.

Both of my daughters are avid cat lovers, and asked me to help them with health concerns and challenges with their cats.

I am not a veterinarian nor claim to be, just a lover of pets that loves to research and pass on some knowledge that might be helpful, or at least stimulating to the thought process.

Several of the articles that I have written can be found on my website;

Liquid Vitamins & Minerals for Humans & Pets http://www.liquid-vitamins-minerals-humans-pets.com/