Dog Training Ultimate Guide

Dog behaviorial school – when everything else fails.

Proper Pet Supplies For A New Pet

Author: Adriana Noton
11.09.2011

Bringing home a new pet can be exciting for the entire family. Buying the proper pet supplies is an important first step in preparing for the new animal. Pets, like humans need food, beds and toys, among many other essentials to keep them healthy and happy. Finding the best quality supplies available is important and ensures a long enjoyable life with the pet.

There has been much debate over the best dog food brands in the past few years. Of all these pet foods, it is important to choose the best option available. A veterinarian can give advice on the most beneficial diet for the animal. Changing brands of food needs to be done slowly, because sudden change can upset the dogs digestive tract.

We all want to pamper or pets with tasty treats and goodies. All natural treats offer the best benefit, because most processed treats have a high fat content and can cause the pet to become overweight. Maintaining a healthy weight is an important part of an animals health, keeping them active and slower to develop arthritis or joint pain.

Plush toys help keep our pets active and playful, whereas chew toys help with proper teeth cleaning and gum management. Small dogs like will chew on anything when they begin to cut teeth and purchasing chew toys will save many shoes around the home. Beds are available in a wide variety of styles and animals love having their own space. Pet beds will add comfort and a feeling of contentment to a pet, keeping it off the furniture.

Leashes are important on any supply list. No one wants to take a pet to the park or on a walk in a residential area without some type of leash or harness. Collars can pull and tug on the throat, if the animal is not properly trained to walk on a leash. Harnesses offer a more comfortable fit. The leash is attached at the back of the shoulders and gives a more center point control of the animal. The harness fits around the chest and front legs and the pet cannot pull out of it the way it can a collar.

Pet gates fit in doorways and stairwells to prevent the pet from roaming in areas of the home that are off limits. These gates are good idea with a new pet that is being house trained, allowing the owner to keep the animal in an area of the house that is easy to clean. As the animal matures, the gates can be removed or placed elsewhere.

Fleas, ticks and worms can be a nuisance for both pets and their owners. Pet supply stores offer a variety of over the counter medications. These medicines are measured for doses by animal sizes and weight, so it is important to choose the right product for the pet in question.

Pet supplies are a necessity for all pet owners and their pets. It is important to find high quality brands that will ensure a long and healthy life with a pet companion, leaving the owner knowing he is creating the best possible environment possible.

Having pets and animals are wonderful for adding enjoyment to our lives, so be sure to have pet supplies ready to meet their needs. Puppies, kittens, birds and more can be found in pet supplies Brampton as well as pet supplies Mississauga near you.

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Teaching Your Dog to Obey the Down Command

Author: Melissa G. Gossage
07.09.2011

Have you ever heard the saying, “Nature to be commanded, must be obeyed?” This quote is attributed to Francis Bacon and it’s never been more relevant than when training a puppy or dog. Dogs inherently know and recognize a hierarchy structure. They relate to different levels of authority within their pack-which now that dogs have been domesticated relates to their family of people, as well. The alpha is the leader at the top of the pack, while the one with least authority is known as the omega. When you have a dog, you want him to recognize that you are the alpha or leader in your family or pack.

The Down command also has functional benefits. When it rests in the down posture, the dog is not involved in knocking over lamps and small children. It can also start the ball rolling with natural forthcoming behaviors along the lines of ‘rollover’, ‘crawl’ and other enjoyable tricks.

It is opportune that such behavior is more often than not quite uncomplicated to train. That is why it is best to take advantage of such uncompelled behavior whenever possible. This can be done by observing the dog and reacting when there is a clear-cut movement from standing to a sitting posture orsensations4 from a sitting position to a down position.

When this happens, you want to speak a specific command and use a unique hand gesture simultaneously. This gesture should be something you would not normally do, so you must make a special effort to do it. Every single time the dog goes into this position, you should clearly issue the command and make that hand gesture. Always use the same tone of voice.

Of course, the dog is already on his way to going into the down position when you give the command, and initially he won’t know what you mean. But as soon as that down position is completed, you should lavish the dog with praise and attention. Over time and with specific repetition, the dog will learn to associate the praise with the words and action being completed. And you will associate the command with the positive behavior with the praise for the dog.

Nearly all dogs will not accomplish the asked for behavior on a command when you first try. So, always be composed and clear and – first and foremost – be consistent. As with any other type of teaching, it is essential to minimize noise and motion types of distractions during the teaching period. Work at being alone with the dog and as far away from other voices as humanly possible.

Positive behavior can also be encouraged by taking a treat or favorite toy and putting that item near the tip of the dog’s nose on the ground and then putting the dog into a sitting position. This is more likely to make the dog lie down by it.

Helping to focus your dog’s attention with the toy or snack, employ a ‘waving down’ hand motion, with your palm pointed towards the ground. Make sure to hold back from rewarding any dog with praise or a treat until the behavior is achieved and entirely correct. Be that as it may, if things don’t go the way you want them to, be careful not to become ill-tempered with the dog.

Some dogs require complementary training with a leash and collar to assist. To do this, get a short leather or nylon leash-a maximum of 4 feet long. Place the dog in the sitting position and kneel so you are in front of the dog facing him.

Now make the command and unique hand gesture you will use for this command while also moving the toy or treat from a spot near the chin of the dog down to the ground. At the same time, calmly and slowly pull down on the leash to nudge the dog into the downward position you desire. Do not jerk on the leash or punish the dog or give any negative feedback. Again, follow up with praise when the dog completes the desired behavior.

Sometimes a dog simply will not get it. So here’s another thing to try. Loop the leash around one of the knees on the dog’s hind legs. Bring the other end of the leash under your foot (on the opposite side) where you can move it with your foot. While giving the command and the gesture, slide the leash with your foot so it buckles the dog’s hind knee and gently pull the dog’s two front legs toward you so the dog gently slides into the down position.

After the dog is correctly positioned, give him lots of praise. It doesn’t matter that you initiated this movement and helped put the dog into the position. You want to give your dog that praise so he has good feelings about getting into this position-regardless of how he does it-and he knows you are pleased with him for doing it.

Learn to select the correct Dog Bedding for your dog. Don’t allow Puppy Potty Training become a time consuming or frustrating affair.. This article, Teaching Your Dog to Obey the Down Command is available for free reprint.

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Things Not To Do When Training Your Dog

Author: Melissa G. Gossage
07.09.2011

It is the ambition of every dog owner to have a well-trained dog. However, many dog owners do not take into account the amount of effort and time which is needed to train a dog properly. That is the reason why a number of mistakes are made which could be easily avoided with a little bit of common sense and effort.

Dogs are definitely not furry babies and children. Even though an average dog has an IQ of a 2-year-old human child, there are fewer similarities and more differences between dogs and humans. A dog does not understand reasoning, cause and effect, and processing language systematically.

That is why plenty of new dog trainers are extremely frustrated when they suppose the dog is ignoring their command, which is being repeated again and again. Many owners consider a dog to be stubborn on one day when he obeyed his master’s commands the previous day. But the owners do not take into consideration that the dog does not understand the command so he does not know how to respond.

That is the reason why owners dub a dog stubborn or disobedient as if it was human. A dog might get distracted while training or not relate the “come” command with the behavior of the previous training session and its resulting reward. There are reasons for this particular behavior.

Dog owners and trainers have to be extremely patient. You will need to repeat commands many times for the dog to assimilate them. Sometimes the dog is not going to respond as you want it to. Many dogs take up to 2 years to go beyond the simple basic commands which they can understand.

Remember that patience means that you restrain your temper when what you really want is to lash out physically. It’s common to think about taking the easy route of physical punishment as the first option for correcting the dog’s behavior. However, this should be reserved for only the most serious circumstances. The dog doesn’t really grasp why they’re being yelled at. This will not result in trust, but to the contrary fear.

Dogs are just like human beings in the way that they follow people they trust instead of the people they fear. Following a person they fear is a last resort option for dogs. Dogs also have different reasoning abilities than humans. They are not going to learn from physical punishment, because they do not understand the reason behind it. That is why physical punishment is not an effective training option.

This is how not to train your dog: -Treating and talking to your dog like it is a human, and able to reason like you. -Thinking that your dog can connect cause and effect, and events across different circumstances and time and reach the same conclusions as a human being. -Getting impatient with the dog, as well as frustrated, just because they are not behaving in the manner you want them to behave, and then punishing them for something they cannot understand.

Follow these utterly ineffective methods and you’ll end up with a neurotic dog and you will be an unhappy owner. But if this isn’t the outcome you are looking for, be prepared to change YOUR behavior, before you try to change the behavior of the dog.

Learn how to select the right Dog Bedding for your dog. Do not allow Puppy Potty Training become a prolonged or tedious affair.. Free reprint available from: Things Not To Do When Training Your Dog.

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Dogs aren’t actually headstrong. However, they usually don’t understand correctly what they’re supposed to do. To make this apparent to them, you need to establish the alpha status right away. Be ready to exhibit patience and modest and firm force to establish the behavior wanted. This can be hard to do when training the command “come”.

It’s in their nature for dogs to explore their surroundings. They will sniff anything and everything, dig up, turn things over, and pick up little items. When doing a training session curtail any distractions by arranging to be as far away from other people, animals, and voices as practical. It’s a good idea to use a backyard that is clear of obstructions or a space without small articles on the floor.

The moment the dog comes spontaneously towards you, act quickly, and reinforce the command with a hand gesture. If he moves towards you, spontaneously, reinforce “Come” with the hand movement. Make sure that the gesture and/or the word is unique and not one which is used during regular training sessions.

Start the session by putting your dog in a sitting position. Move back a number of steps while saying ‘stay’ firmly, and using the hand gesture. Correct behavior should be praised lavishly, but do not reward incorrect and partial responses.

Repeat this as you continue stepping back several more steps. If the dog comes to you before he should, give the “sit-stay” command and try it again. If the dog refuses to come at all you may have to use a toy or a snack to coax him a little bit.

Reluctant or slow learners might need collar training or leash training. Put the dog in the sit and stay position. Start moving away, letting the leash go slack. If the dog does not obey you, tug the leash gently with the appropriate hand and voice command.

For a dog that comes too early, use a long rope or strap and wrap it around a post or a tree. If the dog begins to come too early tug the leash as you verbalize the “stay” command. If there are no trees available, use a friend to help with the session. The bad part about using someone else during the session is the dog can become confused about who they should obey. It’s mostly best if they just focus on one trainer.

While training, steadfastness and patience is critical. Dogs don’t automatically understand the usefulness of ‘come’ or any other commands. Being abusive when the dog commits errors or is a little stubborn is normally not useful. Develop your leader status with firmness of voice, body posture and willingness to wait for the dog to comply. Physical discipline or leading is a less helpful method.

Dogs respond extremely quickly to praise when they execute proper behavior. You need to be resolute and make sure that they come when you order them to.

Learn to pick the right Dog Bedding for your dog. Don’t let Puppy Potty Training become a prolonged or tedious affair.

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15.07.2011

When you look at cat litter boxes and try to figure out which one to get, it’s important to remember that what’s really important is whether or not your cat likes it. If you want to avoid fighting with your cat to use the box you want one that it fits in comfortable and doesn’t have features that scare your cat. Getting a box that is self cleaning and odor minimizes odor or both to make life a bit easier on you. Keep reading for information on a few different litter box types that will help you get a better idea of what might suit the needs or you and your feline companion.

If you have a kitten, you need to get a litter box right away. But a kitten should have something very basic such as a square and open box that is easy to see and get into. Fancy models, like self cleaning ones, aren’t appropriate for kittens less than eight weeks old. Your best approach for kittens is to start with a basic box and purchase something fancier later if you want.

You can of course use a regular cardboard box as a litter box for an inexpensive, down to earth option. Storage boxes can also make good litter boxes especially since they tend to be larger. These boxes are easy to use when you cut out a hole in the front of the box for your cat to enter and exit. However if you want something a bit fancier or with other features such as odor control or auto cleaning you’ll want to keep looking. If you only intend to purchase a litter pan type litter box you’ll save time and money by using a simple box option.

Many owners of multiple cats wonder how many litter boxes they need. To answer that question, you need to consider factors like how many cats you have, how well they get along, and what they’re used to. It’s generally a good idea to have a separate litter box for each cat, but there are cats that don’t mind sharing a box. You may find a different type of box will work better for each of your cats. You may have one cat that prefers a covered box and another that prefers an open one. It’s best to find the arrangement that works best and stick with it because don’t like frequent changes.

This article has given you a sample of the availability of litter boxes for your cat, so no matter where you choose to shop you will find the right litter box for you. You have to consider how many cats you have, their size, and what kind of litter box will work best for you. In most cases it’s simply a matter of deciding whether or not it’s worth the extra money for a box you don’t have to clean. You can also find some great middle of the road options in litter boxes too.

To get more details about Cat Pet Supplies check out his new website about Outdoor Cat House.

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