Posts Tagged ‘pet advice’
Dogs are often referred to as man’s best friend and rightfully so, since they do have a unique way of bringing joy and laughter into anybody’s home. Some dog breeds even look so cute that one can hardly resist cuddling and playing with them. But, when you have to deal with dog biting problems as you most probably would while raising a puppy, your dog can definitely seem a lot less cute and cuddly.
In order to successfully deal with dog biting problems, you will have to dig deep and get to the root of the problem. Find out exactly why your dog is biting so that you will know what particular situation you should address directly. The best way to get to the root cause of the problem is to observe your dog. Watch how he reacts to different individuals (including children) and situations as well as to other animals. Many dog owners who find themselves having to contend with dog biting problems often feel overwhelmed and end up getting rid of the dog. What you should do instead is get rid of the reason for the biting. It’s only logical that the dog will stop biting when he no longer has any reason to do so.
Patience and confidence are the key factors for successfully dealing with dog biting problems. Understandably, this problem can be very frustrating for a dog owner, especially since it may pose a danger to other people and even the owner himself. But, no matter how frustrating it is, the problem CAN be solved and that is what you need to keep in mind.
When your children get sick, you know that it is because of a virus. Therefore, you eliminate the virus in order to relieve the sickness. In the same way, dog biting problems are merely results arising from some other factor. By identifying and addressing that factor with patience and confidence, you can effectively eliminating the biting problems. Patience is especially needed when you are still trying to identify what the root cause is. It is also important for you to keep the communication lines between you and your dog open when you are dealing with dog biting problems. Make sure that you do not allow your dog to have his own way during this period. The very moment you see signs of your dog attempting to bite, immediately give a command to correct the action. Be sure to give a command which you know your dog will understand.
Do not expect your dog to immediately obey your command. In fact, it may be safe to say that you can expect your dog to DISOBEY you at this point. You should therefore be firm and consistent in giving the correction. Let the dog know that no matter what happens, you are standing your ground and biting is not allowed. Dealing with dog biting problems can truly be a stressful experience, but you will feel a lot better once you have overcome it and you might even develop a closer bond with your dog in the process.
Tags: advice, animals, dog, dog care, dog obedience training, Dog Training, dog training tips, dogs, education, pet advice, Pet Safety, pet training
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The issue of declawing has been a hot one for about 20 years now. The main reason for declawing is to stop a cat from scratching furniture, people and priceless rugs. There is no medical reason to declaw a cat, though, and the declawing removes the front of the toe which can affect a cat’s balance.
It’s simpler and more humane to teach your cat some claw manners instead. Set up scratching posts around the house, including the hanging kind which you can attach to the the couch. Use catnip to attract your cat. You can also teach your cat to leave the furniture alone and to keep her claws in when a person is holding her. It just takes a repetitive “No!” when the claws come out and treats when she obeys. A little time training is a much better alternative.
Tags: advice, cat nip, cat training, Cats, education, pet advice, scratching post
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Used imprpperly collars can do damage to your dog’s neck (including the trachea, esophagus, and more) over the years. An easy way to prevent the damage is to attach your dog’s leash to a harness instead of a collar.
If your dog pulls a lot on his leash, you can buy a training tool such as an Easy Walk Harness or a Gentle Leadeer Head Collar and use that tool on walks while you teach your dog to walk more nicely. (Be sure to follow the instructions when using training tools like these.) Once your dog understands how to walk politely on leash, you can remove the training tool and simply walk your dog in a regular body harness.
Tags: advice, dog, dog care, Dog Tips, Dog Training, dog training collars, dogs, education, pet advice, pet supplies, pet training, pets
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In dog training, an aversive is something used to discourage specific unwanted behaviors in dogs. It is something the dog finds unpleasant, usually involving a dog’s senses. Some examples include shock collars, bitter apple spray and penny cans. The use of aversives with dogs is controversial topic. A lot of dog lovers consider some or all aversives inhumane (or unkind at the very least). Many others feel that the use of aversives can be highly affective in dog training.
There are many different things that can be used as aversives. They are usually related to a dog’s senses.
Taste: these aversives are usually used to prevent a dog from chewing. They include things such as Bitter Apple, pepper, vinegar, or anything else you can apply to an object to make it distasteful to your dog.
Touch: aversives in this category are unpleasant for your dog to feel. This includes the shock from a mat or shock collar, spray from a spray bottle, sticky surfaces, and slippery surfaces.
Sound: these aversives create noises that dogs find disturbing. Things such as a shaker can, air horn, vacuum cleaner, and a whistle fall into this category.
Why Use Aversives
Aversives are used to deter dogs from doing things you don’t like. They shouldn’t be used in place of other training. Using aversives is most effective when paired with obedience training.
The following are some situations in which people might use aversives:
Some people put tin foil, double-sided tape, or a shock mat on the sofa to teach their dogs not to climb on the furniture.
A squirt from a bottle of water or the sound of pennies shaking in a tin can stop your dog from jumping on the counters, chewing something you don’t want him to chew, or barking.
Shock collars can also be used as a deterrent to chewing or chasing objects, or to teach a dog to stay on his property.
Problems with Using Aversives
You should consider your options with great care before using aversives as part of any training program. While aversives may be effective in some situations, there are a number of problems associated with their use.
Effectiveness differs between dogs. When it comes to aversives, the effectiveness depends on the dog. One dog may stop in his tracks at the sound of a shaker can full of pennies while another may not even blink. While some dogs may stop chewing the table leg at the first taste of Bitter Apple, some dogs have been known to enjoy the taste, thus making them more likely to chew the item. When using aversives, pay attention to your dog’s reaction to make sure they’re actually serving the purpose for which you intended them.
Loss of effectiveness over time. Sometimes aversives become less effective the more you use them. For instance, if you spray your dog with water from a spray bottle for jumping on the counter, it may startle him and cause him to jump off. After a few sprays, however, he may be used to it, and the spray will no longer have any effect.
Can make a fearful dog more fearful. Fearful dogs usually don’t react well to aversives. A loud noise that might simply startle one dog off the kitchen counter, can make a fearful dog fearful of ever entering the kitchen again. In this case, an aversive is actually too effective, and it can break down your dog’s trust in you.
Dog may associate the aversive with you. Another problem with aversives is that you are often in control of them, so they only happen when you’re around. For instance, your dog may stop counter surfing when you spray him with the spray bottle, but he’ll soon learn that he only gets sprayed when you are in the room. Here you are not training him not to counter surf, you are only teaching him not to counter surf when you’re around.
May cause aggression. One recent study done at the University of Pennsylvania confirmed what many dog trainers already believed – dogs who are punished are more likely to react with aggression. This is the case with some aversives. If you give your dog a leash correction or hit him, for instance, he may growl, snap, or bite in response.
Tags: aggressive dog behavior, dog behavior control, Dog Tips, Dog Training, dog training collars, pet advice
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Now is the perfect time to train your dog. A dog of any age can be trained no matter what the kind of behavior you are looking for from your pet. The longer you put off training, the harder it will become for your pet to adapt to that learned behavior. Most people try their hand at training their dog on their own, some seek out a professional dog trainer in their area in order help guide them and reach the results they are looking for.
Finding a dog trainer can be an extensive search depending on what types of problems you want to avoid with your pet. No matter the behavior problem training will help. Potty training, eliminating aggressive behavior, barking or just leash training can all be helped by the use of a professional dog trainer.
No matter if this is your first pet, or one of many, each dog is different and no personality is the same and may require additional help from an outside source. Seeking out a dog trainer is not an admission of being an inadequate owner, but rather an owner that is serious about having a well-behaved dog that is desirable to be around. Working with a trainer will keep you on coarse.
When using the services of a local dog trainer you too can become informed about the benefits of having a structured regime for your pet. Not only will your pet become well behaved, but also it will be a joy to have around and spend more time with at home, out in public or with other dogs. There is less anxiety for both owner and pet when a dog knows its boundaries and limitations of what is expected on a daily basis.
Potty training your pet can happen in a variety of ways depending on how you wish to approach it personally. Often the more time you spend one-on-one with your pet for potty training, the easier it will be for both of you and the desired results will come faster.
The more training you put into your dog the more enjoyment you will get out of it. Using the skills from a local dog trainer can help the process so that you do not become easily frustrated with your new dog before they are fully trained.
There are so many different ways to train your dog you may want to experiment. Some professional dog trainer programs use a clicker in order to get an animal to generate a desired behavior. You may find that this type of training works well for your pet and you can continue the use of a clicker as time goes on to help train them in different areas as well. The only way to see if this type of dog training will work for your pet is to try it for yourself.
There are no rules about what training will work best for you and your pet. There are lots of resources available to you. The benefits of training are that there are many different methods used by local dog trainers, and you are free to choose which ones will work for you and your pet.
Tags: dog, dog trainers, Dog Training, family, pet, pet advice, pet training, potty training dogs
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