Posts Tagged ‘pet training’
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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Us dog lovers are not usually willing to admit that our sweet baby could ever do anything that someone else would object to, not our dog. So, something like barking all night and keeping the neighborhood wide awake is completely out of the question. Yet there are times when some unknown monster starts the activity and unless you go out there to tend to the matter it will last all night. This could be a really good time to consider buying one of those Bark Collars.
Here are a couple of tips to try before spending money. Simply bring your dog in the house. If you can make it stay quiet indoors, the problem is solved. However, if you are not allowed to have pets in your home, then you need to consider some other option.
There are many reasons why dogs bark, and it is not always due to some monster hiding in the bushes. It can be a matter of being hungry, or needing a drink of water, and sometimes it is just a whole lot of pent up energy that has no place to go, except to bark in an effort to get you to play for the next few hours.
Most of us dog owners come home, spend a few minutes with our dog and then either sit and watch television or get involved in something on the Internet. We should make a point of taking our dog out to run and play to burn off the excess energy and if this new schedule does not work, you have the option of these devices which are supposed to help solve the problem.
Most people think of this type of bark collar which is the static electric shock anti bark collar. The word to notice here is the word static, meaning it delivers a shock like the kind you get when you walk across the room and get shocked when you flip the light switch. It might sting, but it is not known to be deadly. However, when shopping for this kind of training aid, look for one that is internationally accepted. Some of them are not up to world wide regulations.
Another type of bark collar is the sonic anti bark which, of course, makes use of sound waves to distract your dog from barking. Some of these units are actually out of the range of our human hearing, but others might only claim something like being mostly out of the range. Find out before you purchase.
If you are one of the people who is not excited about the other two choices there is the citronella spray collar which sprays when the dog barks and is supposed to distract its attention. If you like the smell of citronella you might be happy with this type of collar.
When considering the use of any of these products please keep in mind that none of these devices are recommended for constant use. They will need to be recharged, so they are not always a solution to an outside dog that barks constantly. However, for those who have the means of making use of these units there are the above choices to consider in bark collars.
Tags: Dog Training, dogs, family, garden, home, Pet Products, pet supplies, pet supply, pet training, pets
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Although a concerned cat caregiver may find occasions when discipline is necessary for a behavioral problem, more often than not, that behavior is the cat’s way of letting its human know that there is a problem with something in the household. Cats are basically pretty well-behaved critters, and rarely “act out” unless there is a problem. For example, a cat will not urinate on your bed because he is “mad” at you, nor scratch the arms of your favorite chair because he is “stubborn.”
Effective correction of a true behavioral problem is a three-fold process:
- Determine first, if it is really a behavioral problem
- If not, find and correct the real causes of the undesirable behavior
- In the rare cases of a true behavioral problem, find and use a correct means of discipline or retraining.
We’ll explore each of those steps more fully with a few common undesirable behaviors. Rather than trying to “reinvent the wheel” I’ll directs you to behavior-specific articles, when indicated.
Litter Box Avoidance
The classic example is a cat who suddenly starts urinating outside the litter box. You’ll need to eliminate the possible causes, starting with the most urgent, which could be a urinary tract infection or blockage.
What NOT to Do
Never, ever rub a cat’s nose in his pee or feces. He has no idea why he is being punished for performing a natural body function, and it teaches him nothing, except perhaps that you are a big bully with nasty manners. For the same reason “spanking” is an ineffective discipline for the above or any other violation.
Inappropriate Scratching
Cats are born to scratch. It provides a means of “sharpening their claws,” which is really the process of removing the grown-out sheath that covers them, and it offers the kind of stretching, pulling exercise that helps build strong muscles, tendons, and joints. (Think isotonic excercise.) A cat who scratches furniture needs a scratching post. If he already has one, he needs another one or two, of different sizes, textures (carpet, wood, or sisal) and configurations (tall, flat, or inclined).
What NOT to Do
Obviously, do not declaw because of property damage. There are many other humane alternatives.
Fighting or Bullying Other Cats
Cats sharing a household will often “play fight.” It’s a way of honing their skills, and is usually harmless fun. However, if one participant is clearly “out of his league,” real damage is being done, or one cat seems to be stalking and bullying another, you need to hone your own investigative skills. It could be something as simple as a strange cat lurking outside a window.
What to Do
First, clap your hands and shout “No!” to get their attention. Next, if possible, remove the cat on the short end of the fight to another location. If the bully seems intent on bloodletting, try throwing a large stuffed toy near him to help him redirect his aggression.
What NOT to Do
Never try to physically separate two cats bent on doing damage to one another. You can be seriously scratched or bitten.
Painful Scratching and Biting (of Humans)
This form of behavior is most often caused because your cat is not in the mood for a belly rub. Learning to read his body signals will go a long way to prevent future “attacks” by your cat.
What NOT to Do
Don’t jerk your hand away or you may be seriously scratched. Never shake a cat, hit or spank him. Shaking can cause internal injuries much like “shaken baby syndrome,” and as one forum member said, “All the cat knows is the human they love hit him, and he doesn’t know why!”
Jumping on Counters (Tables, etc.)
Training a cat to stay off forbidden areas is possible, but will take some patience and creativity on your part. Here are some Countering Counter-Surfing ideas.
What NOT to Do
Never throw a cat off a counter; you could inflict serious injury to him. If he is in immediate danger (close to a gas stove), approach him without alarming him, then pick up up and gently place him on the floor.
Almost all other behavioral problems can be corrected by the three methods discussed at the beginning of this article.
Tags: cat training, Cats, disciplining a cat, kittens, pet training, pets
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