Agility Builds Confidence in Your Dog

Is your dog timid around people or other dogs? Is your dog sensitive to sounds? Agility training can provide the environment and structure to build confidence in your dog. Agility classes are a great place for people to learn about the sport and learn how to train, but the timid dog may take a long time before he is ready to venture from under your chair or off your lap.

A timid or shy dog can only learn inside their comfort zone. So, training must begin where they feel safe and behaviors must be taught in very small increments. Home will probably be the best place to train and have learning take place for your dog.

So, how do you train at home? You will need guidelines and equipment. There is a multitude of websites that can give you information on agility training. There are also books and videos that will give details and visual aids and lesson plans for beginners thru expert levels.

There is a variety of equipment that is useful and helpful to have at home. Equipment recommendations are based on your available space and location of training. Do you have a large yard that will hold 10 obstacles? Do you have a small yard where you will need setup equipment and then tear down before you can setup again? Will you be training in your garage or basement, or as some agility addicts, in your living room.

For the timid dogs make sure your equipment is safe and sturdy. The pause table is a good place to begin your agility training. A 12” high pause table, with adjustable legs for later use, is a good starting place for all size dogs. Remember with your shy dog, setup your table in an area that is very familiar to your dog. If your dog barks at anything new, just leave your pause table in your house or yard for several days, let your dog inspect and smell it on his own or with a little coaxing, but don’t push to fast, remember baby steps with the insecure dog. With treats in a dish or his favorite toy placed on the table encourage your dog to get up on the table. This may take more than one lesson, be patient. If your timid dog looses interest in food or toys when you attempt something new, trying holding him and you sit on the table. If your dog is too big to hold, have him on leash and you sit on the table. If he backs away coax him, only treat or reward him when he comes to you, never when he’s pulling back away from you or the table.

Eventually, you want your dog to be able to jump on the table with your cue word, “Table”, “Box”, “Kennel”, whatever word you use, Stay on the table as you back away and then Come when you call. Build your distance slowly so that your dog is not pushed to soon.

From Pause Table to Contact Trainer is a nice transition for shy dog. A Contact Trainer comes in different designs. We recommend a 3-Piece Contact Trainer that has one mini A-frame side, a Pause Table, and then a mini Dog-walk side. Your dog can Sit on the table and then be coaxed down the A-frame side or the Dog-walk side. Just remember with the shy dog, training is done in increments, slowly and comfortably, with a little push to stretch him, but not enough to overwhelm him to cause a shutdown.

You can follow the above techniques introducing new obstacles as your dog is able to succeed. As your dog succeeds on each new piece of equipment you will see his confidence grow.

Tips For Training Dogs Successfully

Training dogs is not a hard. You just need patience, dedication and some simple tactics and you will teach them successfully.

Here are five top tips on how to train your dogs successfully:

1. To avoid your dog getting confused and so that they can learn to recognize commands easily only one person should be responsible for training the dog initially. If too many people are trying to train the dog at the same time this can stop progress in its tracks.

2. You should use positive reinforcements. If the dog does something good, you should reward this behavior so that he will know that what he did was right. If the dog cannot understand or follow your commands, never push him. Dogs are not as intelligent as humans, they make mistakes. What you should understand is that they won’t easily understand your commands in just one teaching, it takes repetition to train a dog successfully. Do not scold your dog as he might develop fear which will hinder his learning and willingness to be trained. You can use treats in order to encourage your dogs, although don’t overdue it.

3. Teach commands one at a time. Try to teach him one command after the other. If he cannot absorb it, try to stay on that command only because adding additional commands will just confuse the dog. Start with the basics.

4. In executing commands, you should keep your voice cheerful so that the dog will happily follow your commands. Dogs will respond to a low and coaxing voice. If you shout out loud, he may become startled and unresponsive.

5. Train your dog in various places. If you keep your dogs in a certain place like your home, he will not be able to adjust with the environment new people. Take him to the park or through the neighborhood. This will help your dog associate with other dogs and people.

Training your dog can sometime be tough, but it will be worth it. In the end, you will be the one to benefit when your dog is trained. You don’t know he might even save your life one day and pay back everything you taught him.

Dog Training: Tips and Tricks to Stop Your Dog From Digging in Your Yard

It’s downright infuriating to look out the window and see Buddy digging another hole in the yard. You yell out the window; he may or may not even acknowledge he’s heard anything; then back to the digging. This dog behavior has got to stop.

WHY DOGS DIG…..

Did you ever stop to think WHY Buddy digs? (except to make you mad!). This is the real trick – to figure out why he’s digging in the first place, the motivation behind the dog behavior. Then you can take dog training steps to discourage it, redirect that energy and possibly stop it completely.

1. I’M BORED!

Location: Digging along the fence lines and at the gate.

Why? He is bored and wants to get out for some action.

Solution: Provide more exercise for your dog, both physical and mental. The more exercise the better, according to your dog. A tired, happy dog will rest nicely between great outings.

2. I’M HOT!!

Location: Digging along the edge of the house or shallow “pits,” especially in the heat of the summer.

Why? Your dog is most likely creating a cool spot in the cool under-earth. If under the porch, he’s creating a den.

Solution: Check to make sure you are providing fresh cool water throughout the day and night.

Is there adequate shade to protect your dog from the hot sun? Is good air circulation available or possibly a nice breeze? Or is the space filled with stagnant air?

Provide plant life (trees, bushes) for shelter from the hot sun. Cool grass keeps the ground heat down.

3. IT’S JUST MY NATURE!

Sometimes it’s the breed of dog, not so much the environment. Some breeds tend to be burrowers — hounds, huskies, malamutes are a few examples.

Solution: If this is the case, work with your dog to agree on a place he can do his thing and camouflage it with something like plants or fencing.

4. I LIKE IT!!

Some dogs just like to dig, and dig they will, no matter how much you yell and scream.

Solution: Create and help them with the ideal digging place — a sandy blend with hidden treasures that reward digging at that spot. Having a prepared area encourages the digger to focus the digging to the area you set up in an out-of-the-way place. Remember to keep the area stocked with assorted treats and toys.

TO FILL OR NOT TO FILL ….. EXISTING HOLES

The second part of the story is…..

What to do with the holes that keep reappearing, no matter what you do? Have you back-filled holes dug by your dog only to find them dug again, over and over?

When this happens, the next stage of hole-filling is called for.

You might think this next step it involves yelling at your dog, or rapping on the window. Nope. Are you really going to stand and stare out the window hoping to correct the situation while it’s happening (which would be the only way to really correct it using this method)?

TECHNIQUES FOR “FILLING” HOLES

There are two better techniques to encourage your dog to rethink digging that hole.

The easier of the two is to fill the hole until almost full. Mix the last portion of dirt with dog poo, pinecones, moth balls, or other repelling non-harmful substance. The next time your dog arrives for the big dig, he quickly finds the game has changed. Most dogs quickly change their behavior.

The second method is more time consuming but effective. Cut a section of chicken wire or similar to cover the hole plus 8 inches or more. Dig a hole a few inches deep that surrounds the hole and will fit the wire shape.

Fill the hole and then press wire in place and cover with dirt. Pack the area well, particularly around the wire edges. When your dog returns, the wire will stop his digging progress.

If along a fence line, secure the wire to the fence along the inside of the fence, just a short distance from the ground. When the wire gets to the ground, keep going vertically a short distance underground. Then bend the wire so the bottom is perpendicular to the top (forms an L). Bury the horizontal part underground inside the fence, pointing away from the fence. When your dog digs he is stopped by the wire and his weight on the earth helps keep the wire in place. The result is the dog gives up on that area.

Pretty cool, huh?!

CONCLUSION

We humans see digging as bad dog behavior. Dogs don’t, and they dig for different reasons. If you can figure out why they’re digging, you can put dog training steps in place to stop it. Some dogs dig, that’s what they do. Set them up a space to dig and you both win!

Try these dog training techniques to change unwanted dog behavior. They seriously work.

Dog Adoption Tips I Learned From My 2 Dogs

There’s a hole in your life that only a dog can fill. You want a special dog, perhaps just a full-grown adult. Maybe your code of ethics calls for saving a dog’s life – not buying an expensive purebred.

I’m not a veterinarian or a dog trainer, but I’ve enjoyed two successful adoptions. Here are some tips I’ve picked up along the way.

(1) Clarify your requirements ahead of time.

Once you’re standing in front of a cage, it’s easy to say, “Well, he’s a lot bigger than I expected, and I really wanted a female, but oh he’s SO cute!” No amount of love or training will help if your dog needs more exercise than you can provide.

(2) Know the difference between shelter and rescue groups.

Most cities have humane societies where you can view dogs and make a choice. Rescue groups typically hold animals in foster care – which is good, because you can ask the foster mom all sorts of questions. For example, they can say, “This dog lived with two cats so you know you can trust her.”

(3) Be prepared to pay.

Shelter animals are not free, but you do get value for money. Expect to pay a fee that may include spay/neuter costs, licensing, and/or veterinarian visits.

(4) Consider an older dog.

By the time a dog has turned three or four, she’s as big as she’s going to get. No surprises! You’ll also have clues regarding his temperament.

(5) Plan to confine the dog during a period of transition.

Your new dog doesn’t get it. She was in a loving home (or left alone in a yard all day or even abused). Then she spent a few weeks in a cage, feeling lonely and isolated. Maybe she’s been passed around to multiple homes.

Bottom line, she’s stressed. She may chew, dig, bark, or even lose her house training at first.

Crating the dog prevents destructive behavior. My dogs both looked visibly relieved as they retreated to their crates every day. “Time to relax,” they seemed to say.

(6) Invest in training.

Most dogs are turned over to the shelter because of behavior problems. If you’re new to the world of dog behavior, take a class or hire a professional. Most behavior can be corrected, even among older dogs. But if you’re not sure, ask a professional. Some behaviors can’t be “fixed.”

(7) Incorporate large doses of exercise and walks into your day.

Walking together builds your bond and a tired dog is a good dog. Begin the exercise program immediately so you can gain a sense of how much exercise the dog needs – an important factor in the dog’s adjustment – and start training for the basics on the way home from the shelter.

The Infection Parvo Virus to the Dog

All the dog races could be attacked by this virus especially for the Rottweiler race, Dobermann, Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever. The sign of the Parvo illness that most specific was to vomit and diarrhoea was bloody that happened repeatedly. The other sign was tired, did not want to eat and the fever. When vomiting and diarrhoea took place continued then the dog will got dehydration and lost the weight without the existence of the exact control then the puppy could not survive. The diagnosis Parvo the Virus could be carried out by seeing his clinical sign, or that more modern was with used kit diagnostics parvo with sample from dog feses.

this was several tips that could be done to prevent the infection Parvo the Virus:

-the Mother of the dog before being mounted must be equipped by his vaccination, so that the young dog got maternal immunity that enough of his parent mother’s milk.

-the Environment of the dog residence must be always maintained by his cleanliness.

-need attention fot Nutrition and the nutrient for the puppy to increase his body resistance.

-the young dog was 3 months old better not contact with the other dog that not yet clear the status of his health.

Top Dog Diseases

Following is a list of the top diseases experienced in dogs. Many are easily prevented with immunizations. Those that don’t have preventive shots can often be avoided with proper care. Make sure your dog is up-to-date on all shots and make it a point to know the causes of these disorders in order to give him the best possible care.

Distemper:

Distemper is fatal in 80% of puppies and 50% of adults. All dogs are extremely vulnerable, and should be vaccinated, with subsequent boosters in keeping the recommendation of a Veterinarian.

Parvovirus (Parvo):

Parvo is extremely contagious, especially among puppies, and can lead to death within 48 to 72 hours after exposure. Symptoms include depression, loss of appetite, vomiting and severe diarrhea

Rabies:

Rabies is a virus and becomes fatal when symptoms appear. Because rabies can be fatal to humans and other mammals, state and local laws uniformly require rabies vaccination, many mandating booster shots yearly.

Kennel Cough:

This is a respiratory disease especially prevalent in kennels and shelters. Symptoms can include a dry hacking cough along with inflammation of the larynx, bronchial tubes and trachea. Vaccination, as often as every six months is recommended.

Leptospirosis:

Symptoms of Leptospirosis include lethargy, kidney inflammation, low-grade fever, vomiting, reddening of the mucous membranes and conjunctiva, and blood clotting abnormalities.
Infectious canine hepatitis:

Lyme Disease:

Symptoms of Lyme Disease in dogs will include lethargy, joint pain, lack of appetite, lymph node enlargement, and fever.

Coronavirus:

Diarrhea and vomiting are symptomatic of this dog disease so it can be confused with parvovirus. Other indications are loss of appetite, smelly diarrhea, lethargy and dehydration..

Heartworm:

Heartworms are parasites that grow and multiply, infesting the chambers in the heart, arteries in the lungs. Symptoms appear gradually, usually manifested in easy tiring, lethargy and a soft cough. If not treated, it eventually brings on death by congestive heart failure in a once active animal

Train Your Buddy To Walk & Dance

Standing and walking on the hind legs are tricks that put an abnormal strain upon the muscles of the back and hind legs and most dogs require considerable practice before they gain sufficient control of those muscles to balance themselves in this unnatural position.

Before you rush into teaching this trick, bear in mind that not all dogs can do this trick, especially the big dogs such as St. Bernard or Great Dane as it is almost physically impossible for them to perform such trick. Sorry. This trick is not for you – Big dog owners!

A dog should first be taught to sit up and after he will do this well, hold a small piece of treat just above his nose and say “Up,” when he will elevate himself just a trifle to get it, and should be allowed to eat it. Give him daily practice at this, making him reach a little higher from day to day until he can balance himself on his hind feet.

Do not keep him at these lessons too long at any one time, as they are very fatiguing, and you must give the muscles plenty of time in which to grow strong, so that he can sustain himself more easily. After he can stand up he should be taught to walk by slowly moving the treat from him, and he will be induced to take first one step and then another toward it. Reward him frequently by letting him have the treat and be careful not to tire him.

Dancing Dog

After a dog can stand erect and walk on his hind legs he can be taught to dance, which consists simply in hopping around on the hind legs and at short intervals turning around.

The simplest method of teaching this trick is to attach a piece of treat to a string, four or five feet long; hold the treat in tempting proximity to the dog’s nose, and so high that he will stand on his hind legs to get to it, and then slowly move it around and he will follow after it any way that you may select. Give a command such as “Dance” to associate this trick with. Say the command when you tempt him with the treat.

Do not keep him at it too long and reward him frequently, so as to keep up his enthusiasm. In the early lessons, your dog simply follows the treat because he wants the reward attached to the end of it, nevertheless with regular practice, your dog will still dance for you even without the reward treat. Over time, he should be able to dance at command and for an occasional reward. Till then, he can be accustomed to dancing when dressed up in fantastic apparel.

Standing On Forelegs

This is one of the most difficult tricks to teach, and you most probably see this trick only in a circus as the position of standing on the front feet alone with the head down and the hind legs elevated is an unnatural one. It will be a long time before your dog learns to balance himself.

However, it is not totally impossible to teach your dog such trick, provided that you put in consistent amount of effort and time to teach and train him. (This trick is mainly for smaller and toy breed dogs only, most big dogs are physically incapable of doing this trick)

To teach this trick, provide yourself with a light cane or a stick, about two feet long. Hold the stick in your right hand and place it under the dog’s stomach, raising his hindquarters with the stick and at the same time placing your left hand on his head, so as to prevent his moving away, thereby forcing him to retain his reversed position; as the dog rises into position the stick should be gradually moved back from his belly until it supports only his hind feet.

Use a command such as “On your head” to associate this trick with and repeat it distinctively during training and remember don’t save on your praises and treats when your dog is progressing and learning. He need plentiful of them to further encourage him to learn the trick.

Repeat this operation at successive lessons until the dog understands what is expected of him and learns to balance himself with but very little assistance or support from the stick, and finally with none at all. Eventually he will learn to take the position at the order, “on your head,” without assistance from the hand or switch.

After a dog can balance himself on his forefeet he can be taught easily to take a few steps by standing in front and calling him to you, and as he gains confidence and experience can be made to walk quite a distance.

Your dog may or may not master any of these tricks mention above. For all you might know, he could be a lazy dog, or maybe you are a lousy teacher. In any case, tricks are still tricks; you shouldn’t be bothered if your buddy can’t perform them because I know you will still love him for what he is, and not performing tricks to entertain friends or yourself.

Your Dog’s Health: The Basics

The first rule in taking care of your dog is: When your dog is sick, take him to a veterinarian! Use with caution advice of friends or people who are supposed to be “old, experienced dog breeders.” Only a veterinarian is qualified to diagnose trouble and prescribe treatment.

However, it is your job to keep your dog from getting sick. Let us assume you start with a puppy. You should know something about “shots”, worm medications, flea powders, and poisons.

While a puppy is nursing, it may receive protective antibodies in its mother’s milk. As soon as the puppy is weaned, this natural immunity will begin to disappear and may be gone within two weeks. Many puppies are susceptible to diseases at this young age. Your veterinarian may prescribe a vaccination program beginning at 6 to 8 weeks, so it is important that you contact him/her immediately.

Distemper, hepatitis and leptospirosis are common and serious diseases which destroy many pets each year. Rabies is also a threat which should be guarded against in rural as well as metropolitan areas because of the possible chance of exposure to bites of infected animals.

The only satisfactory method of protecting your dog is by vaccination. Your veterinarian may want to give your puppy immediate temporary protection at the time of purchase or adoption with a “puppy shot” of antiserum which contains antibodies against distemper, hepatitis and leptospirosis as well as some of the other common diseases. Vaccinations provide long term immunity and most puppies will be started on a series of vaccinations on their first visit to the veterinarian. Booster vaccines are then advisable on a regular basis for adult dogs, to maintain his overall health for years to come.

Winter Dog Agility Training

Yes, its cold outside, but don’t stop your dog’s agility training. Depending on where you live, there might be snow on the ground from November through March, but thats no reason to give up your agility training. Bring your training indoors, right at your own home.

Get creative with your training locations. Do you have a hallway, basement, or garage? Then you have a place to train! Before it snows and your equipment is frozen to the ground, store some in your garage, shed, basement, or put a tarp over it. Bring in one piece of equipment at a time, and begin your indoor training.

We do a lot of indoor training with a Pause Table. In fact, we keep one in our living room for both obedience training and agility training all the time. The Pause Table is a great obstacle for developing your obedience behaviors and teaching agility directional commands

Don’t forget to work on your contacts. It’s easy by having a Contact Trainer indoors. A 3-Piece Contact Trainer offers you versatility; you have an A-frame side, the Pause Table, and a Dog-walk plank. Practicing your two feet on and two feet off is convenient and quick when you have indoor contacts, only a few minutes a day to steady your dog’s behavior.

Indoor jumping must be approached carefully. If you don’t have indoor matting, don’t jump. You don’t want your dog jumping on concrete or wood floors. But you can use the uprights or posts to practice your handling. Use your Sit-stay or Down-stay and practice your lines or dogs path with no jump bars.

Weaves can be practice indoors. Are you training with a weave-chute or straight line weaves? Five minutes a day of weave training through out the winter will have your dog weaving smoothly by springtime. You can practice weave entries and weave sends or weave recalls.

There is also a variety of mini agility equipment that can be purchased, and don’t require the same space as standard equipment. There are mini-teeters, mini-dog walks, and mini-A-frames. These are great obstacles for puppy training or indoor winter training.

So, during the cold winter months, don’t give up on your agility training. Whether you are starting a young pup, working a novice dog, or an experienced titled dog there is always something that you can do indoors with your agility training.

Winter Safety Tips for Your Dog

Be aware of exactly how cold it is, including the wind chill factor. A doghouse is good to have but may not protect them from frostbite on their extremities. Be sure to bring your pet in out of the cold. Put down a warm blanket for them to sleep on, since tiles can be cold. You can also purchase beds made for dogs at your local pet store
Another misconception is that snow is a substitute for fresh water. Make sure that your pet always has fresh water available to drink, regardless of the weather conditions.
Fur can provide a measure of warmth for your pet, but fur that is long can also pick up clumps of snow and ice, making it uncomfortable for them. Trim the areas around the paws to keep this from happening. Dogs with short hair don’t get the same level of warmth as dogs with long hair. Buy them doggie sweaters or knit one yourself. They will keep your dog warm and make them look even more adorable.
Many areas salt icy streets to provide traction. This salt or deicer can be painful to dogs, if they get into cracks in their paws. By rubbing a thin film of petroleum jelly on the bottom of their paws, it will lessen the amount of salt that sticks to them. When you get back home, be sure to clean their feet so that they will always be able to walk comfortably.
Damp fur can be uncomfortable for your pet. When coming back from a walk in rainy or snowy conditions, be sure to dry them off, preferably with a blow dryer.
The cold of winter can be just as dangerous to your dog as the summer heat. Use common sense and keep him safe and warm.

Next Page »