I had previously raised two lhasa apso dogs who spent most of their lives living in high-rise condominiums. Instead of having to take them down an elevator to go outdoors to eliminate all the time, I trained them to use newspapers in a spare bathroom. Since they were both initially paper trained as puppies anyway, I chose to continue this method for them. Indoor newspapers worked quite well for the rest of their lives as my dogs were able to go to the bathroom whenever they needed to.... more
Many dogs have inadvertently learned incorrect behaviour from their owners and require to be educated in how to behave correctly. It would be very unusual for a dog to be simply “bad” or “untrainable”, in the vast majority of cases the dog has simply learned bad behaviour – or not learned “good” behaviour! The first step is to remain calm and in control, shouting, smacking and screaming are not as effective as consistent positive training (i.e. rewarding... more
Dog training-possessiveness with food Though sometimes would like to believe otherwise, food is a dog’s first priority, so the first step to successful training is to establish yourself as the leader, this can be acheived by showing him that he can only have his food at your discretion and command. Give him his dinner, allow him to eat for a few seconds, then take his bowl away from him. Use an appropriate sound each time you do so, such as “leave” or “stop”,... more
Dog training is a necessity when you make the decision to keep a dog as a pet.Dogs, particularly larger ones, must be obedient, or keeping them becomes extremely hard work. In addition to their appreciation for being fed, as pack animals dogs have natural instincts that favour training. These instincts are manifested as a desire to please a trainer. This gives the dog trainer an unbeatable edge in shaping the dog’s behaviour. While dogs can be trained for complicated, serious actions,... more
Finding a good dog training professional With so many people advertising in the field of professional dog training today, trying to determine who’s truly qualified to look after your dog can be overwhelming. What to look for when choosing a professional to help you with dog training : 1) A good reputation, ask around and get recommendations from your vet, other dog owners, or local kennel clubs. 2) Experience. – Inquire about their background, i.e. number of years experience. 3)A... more
One of the few things that dog owners or prospective dog owners think about is whether or not they will need to train their dog. Although training a dog is not absolutely essential unless your dog has a particular problem, a small amount of training to remove bad habits and set boundaries for your dog should be considered. In addition to this, a well trained dog will feel much more secure in your home when it knows its boundaries. Even in the wild, a dog will have some sort of enforced boundaries... more
How many times have you tried to teach your dog or puppy to obey the WAIT command, only to discover that your dog doesn’t want to WAIT? Training your dog to WAIT can be very challenging because most dogs are easily distracted. Dogs are also naturally energetic and inattentive. Your dog may have difficulty comprehending the WAIT command because it necessitates inactivity. As we all know, it doesn’t take long for a dog to become restless and bored! That is why the WAIT command... more
They are man’s best friend, but what can you do when you have a dog, you love it, but it just won’t stop chewing on your best shoes, or polishing its nails on your precious sofa? Regular training We train them to become, not only more sociable, but also a reliable company. This can be done by taking your dog to a professional dog-trainer, or simply at home, following instructions from books. Since the first option requires time to take the dog to a trainer, to go check on it,... more
Ticks are not insects like fleas, but arachnids like mites, spiders, and scorpions. A tick has a one piece body, harpoon like barbs around its mouth to attach to a host for feeding, crablike legs and a sticky secretion to help hold itself to the host. The United States has about 200 tick species whose habitats include woods, beach grass, lawns, forests, and even in some urban areas. They have a four stage life cycle, egg, larvae, nymphs, and adult. Depending on its species, a tick may take... more
I have recently given a home to a dog called Cassie. She was living in a local animal sanctuary and as soon as I saw her I knew that she was the dog for me and my family. To say she was a bit of a handful to start with is an understatement, however she has now, with a little bit of training, calmed down a lot and is very well behaved. In this article I write about the reasons why I believe more people should own a dog and the benefits it can bring to ones life. Cassie is now very happy in... more