Many times dog owners ask, “At what point should I give my dog a break during training sessions?” Unfortunately, the answer is that it depends on the dog and the method of training that you use. But the bottom line is that your dog does need a break during a training session even if it’s for 30 seconds or a few minutes. Your choices for breaks can vary, it can be letting them sniff around or go potty, playing with their favorite toy, or just sitting down on the ground and rubbing their belly. Some trainers are in disagreement that playing with toys are a break for the dog. Some believe that the dog is still in reinforcement mode. We believe that playing with their toys are a break as long as you are not forcing them to do obedience for their toy.

Read the rest of this entry »

There are certain things which should be kept in mind while training one’s dog. There are different techniques of dog training.

Some of these techniques are quite useful, while some others can bear negative results. It is therefore quite natural to get confused with so many sides of dog training, as it is difficult to tell which one works the best.

The most common confusion, which people tend to have, is when to reward and when to rebuke the dog. If you are such a confused one, the following tips will help you.

Read the rest of this entry »

All of us have had the frustrating experience of our dog rushing out of the gate before we can stop them. More likely than not, your attempts at chasing him or her down will fail. They'll just keep running further and further when they see you coming.

Read the rest of this entry »

Things To Consider When Boarding Your Dog Before A Vacation

When you and your family go on vacation, you need to find a place for your dog to stay while you’re gone. Unless you have a normal boarding facility in which your board your dog, you’ll should prepare a few questions to ask prospective facilities. Leaving your dog behind without doing a bit of due diligence is asking for trouble (for you and your dog). Here are 4 critical questions you need to ask before boarding your dog.

Read the rest of this entry »

You love your dog, but sometimes he can be a real pain! If you know what might be causing his annoying behavior, though, you might be able to do something about it.

Digging

Some dogs just love to dig holes! Their reasons for doing so, however, will vary depending on the breed and the situation. Your dog might be digging holes out of sheer boredom. If you suspect this might be the case, simply exercise your dog more frequently. He’ll be too tired to dig. Maybe your male dog is digging in order to get to the female dog that is in heat next door. In this case, having your dog neutered will solve the problem. If your dog is digging holes to bury items or just for the sake of digging, then set aside one area in which he can engage in that behavior. Protect the rest of your yard by spraying a non-toxic dog repellant in and around the off-limit areas.

Read the rest of this entry »

Many traffic accidents involving dogs, both minor and severe, could have been prevented with proper obedience training. Be sure that your dog is well trained and always under the control of a reasonable person when he is being walked outside, especially when being walked near a busy road.

If for some reason an accident does occur and your dog gets hit by a car, do not panic. Keep your emotions in check and use common sense. Your dog is still very much at risk for further injury, so be extremely careful when moving him out of further danger.

Read the rest of this entry »

When searching for the right Pit Bull puppy, some common sources include online ads, newspaper ads, rescue groups, and professional as well as hobby breeders.

You have to be careful about getting a dog from a newspaper ad. Although there are some reputable breeders who advertise in the paper, finding your Pit Bull in the classifieds is not often a good idea. Most ads in the paper are placed by inexperienced breeders who naively breed their pet thinking that they can make a quick buck. They seldom have the resources or knowledge to produce healthy and well adjusted puppies.

Read the rest of this entry »

Are you getting ready for your dog to have puppies? Having a litter of pups sounds like a lot of fun, but there is much work involved. Here are some tips on how to get your dog and you ready for birth.

The first thing to know is that your dog will be pregnant on average for 63 days. This is not very much time so make sure you are ready.

You will want to make sure that you are feeding your pregnant dog appropriately. Your dog will need to eat more than usual and you may want to transition to a growth type food or puppy food during the pregnancy. You should do this by decreasing the amount of regular food you give your dog each day while increasing the amount of new food. It’s best if you do this over the course of about a week to help prevent loose stool. Check with your veterinarian to see what is appropriate for diet. Make sure to feed your dog a high quality diet. You do not need to supplement the diet with vitamins unless it is recommended by your veterinarian. Always follow their recommendations. Your dog may experience symptoms similar to human morning sickness around the third week of pregnancy. If this lasts longer than one week, take your dog to the veterinarian to see if there are any underlying problems.

Read the rest of this entry »

When Can You Begin Defensive Training?

January 7, 2008

By training your dog in defense too early because of his age, or training him in defense when he doesn’t have the genetic quality for it, can ruin a good dog. What I mean by ruin is that your dog will be forced into “fight or flight” by this type of training in which he’ll respond by loosing his nerve and running away, or become very nervy after you’ve done so.

Read the rest of this entry »

The dog is man s best friend, So, the saying goes. Dogs have proven to be loving and loyal companions of people. That is almost everyone owns at least a dog. From pitbulls to dachshunds to terriers, dogs are a part of the daily human lives.

But what happens when your pet dog gets lost? What if, one day, while you are strolling across a park quite far from your home with your Labrador, your pet suddenly gets lost? Do not resort to panic, as this would not help solve the situation.

Read the rest of this entry »