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Dealing with Canine Hotspots 

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Dealing with Canine Hotspots 

Hot spots, or acute moist dermatitis, are lesions that develop on the skin in response to bites, allergic reactions, poor grooming, chewing and licking skin infections, or other causes. The lesions are typically red, moist, and hot and range in size from 1 to 4 inches. The spots tend to be extremely painful, especially when irritated.

Any dog can develop hot spots, but certain dogs are at an increased risk for the lesions, including longhaired breeds, dogs with thick coats, those with anal sac disease or other conditions that trigger frequent skin licking, and those that swim frequently or spend time in the rain. Dogs with matted, tangled, or dirty coats are also prone to developing the condition.

Even minor hot spots require veterinary attention to determine the underlying cause. Severe or multiple hot spots put your dog at risk for secondary skin infections, hair loss, and other complications and must be treated promptly. If you suspect your dog suffers from hot spots or skin lesions, visit your veterinarian for a full evaluation.

Diagnosing and Treating Hot Spots:

A physical examination and veterinary history are generally sufficient to diagnose hot spots.

Following a complete office examination, your veterinarian will look for the underlying cause of your dog’s skin problem. If fleas, parasites, or biting insects are believed responsible, your veterinarian will prescribe a treatment program to eliminate the infestation and prevent a recurrence.

If a skin or anal gland infection is the likely cause of your dog’s hot spots, topical or oral antibiotics may be necessary. In addition, antihistamines or corticosteroids can prevent itching and scratching, which will, in turn, prevent additional skin damage and promote healing. Your vet may also shave your dog’s hair around each lesion to improve air circulation and encourage wound drying.

Food or environmental allergies may require dietary or lifestyle changes. Sometimes, long-term treatment with allergy medications may be needed to control your dog’s symptoms. Dietary supplements that provide omega-3 fatty acids may improve your dog’s skin and overall health, and an Elizabethan collar will protect your dog’s skin from chewing and licking during recovery.

Preventing Hot Spots on Your Dog’s Skin:

Hot spots are nearly always preventable. Grooming your dog regularly, removing matted hair, clipping overgrown hair, and bathing your dog when he becomes dirty will go a long way toward keeping hot spots away.

Follow a preventive flea program, especially if your dog spends a lot of time outdoors, and check his coat and skin regularly for signs of insects, parasites, or other pests. Report anything unusual or concerning to your veterinarian right away.

If your dog chews or licks when stressed or bored, encourage additional exercise, spend more time with him, and speak with your veterinarian about stress-control techniques and medications. Chewing and licking may indicate a serious underlying problem, such as separation anxiety, that needs to be addressed.

While preventing hot spots is preferable to treating them, prompt treatment can reduce the likelihood of severe infection and minimize pain and other symptoms. Never assume your dog’s lesions will heal independently without intervention; see your veterinarian immediately for treatment.

Sometimes You Can Not Fix Dog Aggression

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Sometimes You Can Not Fix Dog Aggression

This dog aggression article is one of those ” discussions” that not enough people talk about. No matter what some websites tell you, not every dog that shows aggressive tendencies can be cured, and some will, through time, get worse. Further down the page, I will talk about one such dog.

If you think your dog is or might be showing signs of dog aggression, you need to start some obedience training program immediately. Stop searching the internet for free dog aggression training. Stop surfing the net for free articles about training aggressive dogs. Quit being a cheapskate and looking for a free solution because this problem could become serious.

Even though there are dog training books offered for sale on this website (and I would like to sell you one), if you do not have any experience training dogs, then I advise you to find a dog training class or someplace to get some private lessons.

The more socialized a dog is and the better trained they are, the better the chance is its aggressive tendencies will fade away. Dogs need to be trained.

As I said earlier, not every aggressive dog can be fixed, and some will have to be put to sleep. Below I will tell you about one dog that could not be fixed.

Her name was Steffi; I got her at nine weeks old. We thought about taking her to obedience trials when she got older, so we began going to obedience classes. Obedience classes are a great way to socialize a puppy or dog.

Everything went along smoothly for the first few months. During training, she was good when people came up to pet her. We have other dogs at home, and she also got along with them. She was becoming a highly trained dog. We would practice a little bit every day. She was so good.

Somewhere between 9 and 12 months of age (it was a few years ago), when the instructor would approach, she would start growling. Same person and the same place that she had been to for months. As she grew older, she began fighting with some of our other dogs at home. It was mainly in the mornings when she would go out.

Whenever people came over, she would growl and act as if she would do something, and she may very well have had it not been for all of the obedience training we had done. When she was told to sit and stay, down and stay, or to come, she would obey.

It was becoming more and more stressful by one and a half years of age. She was going after our other dogs more and more and showing more aggressive tendencies whenever other people were around. Once again, the only saving grace was how well she was trained.

We had two young children. Our son was around two years old, and our daughter was about 5. One night our daughter was sleeping with us, she went to the bathroom, and when she came back, Steffi began growling at her. Pretty scary moment.

She was becoming increasingly aggressive with each passing day. By now, she was bigger and stronger than the rest of the dogs, and the second she went out of the house, the first dog to move was the first one to take a “butt whupping.” After that, she acted as if she was getting closer to biting anybody who entered the place.

She was also beginning to growl at the children a little more often, especially the older of the two. It was a low, quiet growl.

Putting her in a kennel was not an option because if she spent a few hrs or more in one when you opened the gate, she was just a lunatic. But, once again, I will tell you that things would have no doubt been disastrous if she had not had all that obedience training.

The final straw was one morning as my daughter was coming down the hall to see me, and Steffi growled, barked, and made a move. She immediately stopped when I called her and told her to down.

That was when I knew it was just a matter of time before someone would be injured. She was just mentally unstable. So I talked to the vet, and we decided that putting her to sleep was the only option.

I will be honest with you here, I wept. It was devastating, but there was no other option. She was a ticking timebomb.

We have a sister to this dog from the same dad, and she is the complete opposite. Her temperament is impeccable.

Too often, in a situation like this, the breeder will blame the owner, and the owner will blame the breeder. But, unfortunately, in this case, there is nobody to blame. It is just one thing that happens (not very often, thank goodness).

If you think your dog is showing aggression, please start training them. Dogs need to be trained if you KNOW that your dog is showing signs of aggression and you do not have much training experience try to find a trainer in your area and see if they can help.

Once again, because it cannot be stressed enough, training aggressive dogs can be very challenging, so do not hesitate to get help.

Dog Breeding Tips A Beginners Guide For Success

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Dog Breeding Tips A Beginners Guide For Success

There is a huge demand for dogs as pets, and you will notice that classified ads are filled with advertisements selling puppies. Depending on the breed and pedigree, puppies can sell for a couple of hundred dollars up to more than $2000 or $3000. A dog breeding business is challenging, but it can also be profitable. If you are interested in the dog breeding business, you will need a lot of information. The ebook Dog Breeding Tips A Beginners Guide For Success shows you what it takes to become a successful dog breeder.

Learn About Dog Breeding

Anyone who wants to start a dog breeding business can find the information he needs in this book. Breeding dogs is a challenging task. It requires commitment, hard work, and a love for dogs. However, not all dog breeders can run their businesses profitably. Nevertheless, there are decisions and things to do if you want to make money from dog breeding. This guide to dog breeding tells you how to have a financially rewarding business venture.

Breeding Dogs for Profit

Anyone can try their hand at dog breeding, but you must do things right if you want a profitable business. “A Beginner’s Guide to Dog Breeding” provides tips on starting and running your business. Some of the things you will learn from the ebook include:

• What you need to know before starting: state requirements and space requirements

• The importance of choosing the right breed of dogs

• How to select dogs for breeding

• Setting up a dog kennel

• Essential dog supplies

• The right dog food

• Choosing a veterinarian

• Many more

This beginner’s guide to dog breeding covers the basics of dog breeding and the business of selling healthy puppies that will make great pets. Although your purpose for breeding dogs may be to make money, the ebook guide focuses on responsible dog breeding, where puppies get the right care and treatment. The ebook shows you how to breed quality puppies that demand a good price because they have a good temperament that make them ideal as family pets. They can also have the fine qualities of a dog show champion. This beginner’s guide can help you establish a good reputation as a dog breeder so that people will want to buy from you.

Dog breeding costs money, but the beginner’s guide will show you how to have a profitable business. You will learn where and how to obtain good breeding dogs at a reasonable price and what you can do to cut down on costs without sacrificing quality.

What You Will Learn

Dog breeding is a complex undertaking, and you must do your research if you want to succeed. Much of what you need to know can be found in “Dog Breeding Tips A Beginners Guide For Success.” The ebook includes the following important topics:

• How to Start the Business. It would help if you decided on a particular breed of dog. This chapter includes tips on how to select dogs for breeding.

• Dog Kennels. Dogs need a safe and secure environment with enough space to play and exercise. You will also learn about the importance of a whelping box when your bitch has puppies.

• Dog Supplies. This chapter lists essential dog supplies such as a food bowl, water bowl, leash, collar, etc. You will also learn what you should have in your dog’s first aid kit.

• What to Feed Your Dogs. The best dog food does not have to be the most expensive. Learn what to feed your pregnant or nursing dog and when to start weaning the puppies.

• Choosing a Veterinarian. If you are not a veterinarian, you must find a good vet to help keep your dogs and puppies healthy. This ebook tells you what to look for in a vet.

• Breeding and Whelping. This is one of the most important and informative topics in the ebook. You will learn about the necessary medical checkups before breeding, pedigree and compatibility, certifications, and caring for the pregnant and nursing bitch.

• Caring for Puppies. Please find out how to make it easy for the mother dog to take care of her newborn puppies. In this chapter, you will also learn what to do if supplemental feeding is required for a large litter. One of the important things you must do is record the puppies’ birth and register them with the American Kennel Club or United Kennel Club.

In addition, this ebook gives you an idea of the cost of breeding dogs. It also provides tips to help you make money from dog breeding.

Pros

• Provides a lot of essential information on the dog breeding business

• Well organized

• Includes tips on the business end of dog breeding to help you make money

Cons

• Does not include pictures or illustrations

Our Take on “Dog Breeding Tips A Beginners Guide For Success”

First-time dog breeders can benefit from a “guide to dog breeding.” It is easy to read and contains a lot of helpful information to get you started in the business. The ebook can also help you decide if a dog breeding venture is for you.

The addition of pictures and illustrations in this beginner’s guide could make it more reader-friendly. But despite this minor shortcoming, it offers a wealth of information that can prove helpful even for experienced dog breeders. It deals not only with the breeding and whelping process but also includes all the different aspects of dog breeding. This is a must-have for anyone who wants to know the basics of breeding dogs for profit.

Anatolian Shepherds: Working Dogs with Business Mind

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Anatolian Shepherds: Working Dogs with Business Mind

The number of Anatolian Shepherd dogs in America is small, perhaps 4500 to 5000, but satisfied owners have gotten out the word about the brains, protective instincts, versatility, and, incidentally, the beauty of this complex shepherd’s dog; his numbers are growing. These big Turkish guardian dogs are helping livestock producers sleep better at night, knowing their dog is on the job. Protecting livestock and families is second nature to these big shepherds’ dogs, so urban and rural families are finding places in their homes, farms, and hearts for this ancient guardian.

Bred by Turkish shepherds from centuries before the birth of Christ until the present, the Anatolian remains an unspoiled working dog, a very different dog from pet breeds. The Anatolian Shepherd is known to be the descendant of wolves and jackals and was the first domesticated animal. When the shepherds’ dogs see a wolf, the bitch distracts the wolf while the male comes from the rear, leaping on the wolf’s back to break or damage it, then killing it. Turkey’s bears, wolves, and smaller predators required a brave, intelligent, resourceful, and powerful dog like the Anatolian. In addition, the climate of Turkey can be blistering in summer or bitter cold in winter. The Anatolian’s double coat helps to keep him alive in winter in snow and cold; one will see circles dug into the snow as this big dog curls up, broad tail over his nose, to conserve body heat.

Anatolians are quiet, easy companions, alert to danger, but not at all hyper. They are easily house-trained because they are very clean dogs. Although they shed seasonally, they do not have much “doggy” odor. Many an Anatolian guards city homes and yards, liking and needing walks for exercise, but quiet and easy to be around. It would be hard for a very aggressive male to be a city dog. One suits the job of the pup.

No, none has to tell an Anatolian any commands to get him to protect, though. It is instinctual, built in by the Turkish shepherds. An Anatolian uses his experiences and makes conclusions from his experiences when he sizes up any situation. For example, one year, the AI’ed cows had to be pastured 2-1/2 miles away instead of in their usual pasture here by our house. On the second night of calving, Smoke went that two and a half miles on his own, with no commands; he knew where the cows were from being there with Don, and he knew the cows and newborn calves needed coyote protection. So each evening at about dark, he went to the cows and calves, guarding as he did each year in the calving season. Each morning he would come streaking home across the fields and pastures, afraid to miss his day job with Don.

The Anatolian Shepherd is a complex dog, hard to put on paper. Perhaps these things have given an idea of this ancient guard dog, but one has to know an Anatolian himself, to realize just how smart, brave, independent, loyal and versatile the dog is. Anatolians are good dogs, who need a special kind of owner, one who admires and understands this very different dog, yet provides firm and fair guidance and discipline to help the dog become the best he can be. We have been lucky to find many of these special owners to whom we have sent our pups. (I had better quickly end this before I tell you things our pups have done, huh?)

Seriously, most Anatolian owners have good stories about their dogs, and we all love to tell them, so the number of Anatolians is growing steadily. This rare Turkish shepherd’s dog is rapidly becoming American, living in town and country.

How To Train A Puppy This Is How You Do It

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How To Train A Puppy This Is How You Do It

What Every Puppy Owner Should Know About Emily Pruitt’s Ebook ‘How to Train a Puppy – This Is How You Do It

If you’ve ever observed rowdy, ill-behaved dogs, you know they can be a gigantic problem. Not only are they uncomfortable to be around, but they can also be both dangerous and costly.

However, these rambunctious canines were not always this way, and something crucial could have changed their behavior. That’s where Emily Pruitt’s ebook, How to Train a Puppy-This Is How You Do It, comes in.

Training a dog while it’s still young has several distinct advantages. So when I became a proud puppy owner, I had to get a copy of Emily Pruitt’s ebook. Training my puppy would allow me to begin our relationship in a position of authority that I could maintain as my dog ages. Additionally, I wanted to ingrain good behavior in my puppy to avoid the trouble caused by a roughhousing dog.

Sections I Found Particularly Helpful

Although I enjoyed the entire ebook, three sections stood out to me as essential.

• The first section I found particularly helpful was Emily’s chapter on potty training. Thankfully, this is the first chapter of the ebook, as it will likely be the first thing a pet owner wants to address. The potty training techniques described are straightforward, and the author includes a method to avoid messes while your puppy is in the potty training process.

• I found Emily’s chapter on leash training especially timely because I had unsuccessfully walked my puppy on a leash for several days before purchasing this ebook. The techniques explained in this section eliminated my puppy’s urge to pull on her leash like a sled dog (which she’s not), and they’re much more kind than the choke collar I considered while at the height of my frustration.

• I also appreciate the chapter on teaching your puppy to come when you call. I’ve seen dogs that are out of control and don’t listen to their owners while off their leash at our neighborhood dog park. I don’t want my puppy to act like that, and I know she won’t because I’m learning these valuable techniques.

Wait, There’s More

This ebook details behavior that could set my training efforts back and teach me what techniques to use while I train my puppy. For example, if I am training my pet to come to me, I should never call her and punish her. Although Emily Pruitt details behavior that can set a pet owner back, she also prepares the reader for the occasional hurdle so they won’t become discouraged when setbacks occur. Throughout the book, Emily reminds the reader of the attitude they should take while training their puppy to ensure success.

As a bonus, Emily details some ways for busy dog owners to train their puppy in their spare time, which parts of puppy training can be done simultaneously, and tips to speed up your results. She also includes mini-lessons on puppy behavior to help puppy owners get to know their pet better. However, How to Train a Puppy-This Is How You Do It doesn’t simply address puppy training; it also covers owner training. This essential ebook teaches pet owners to develop habits that will allow them to train their dogs for life effectively.

The Way This Book is Written Contributes to Its Effectiveness

The style in which How to Train a Puppy-This Is How You Do It is written to its effectiveness as a puppy training primer. It’s a compact, informative ebook that a puppy owner can read quickly and apply its useful information immediately. This book is written in an engaging and friendly voice that’s both easy to understand and a joy to read. Emily Pruitt uses real-world examples to show the effectiveness of the techniques described in her book, and the photographs she uses to illustrate the methods add to the clarity of the steps.

Why I Chose ‘How to Train a Puppy-This Is How You Do It

I decided to give How to Train a Puppy-This Is How You Do It a try because, unlike other training methods, it’s available to download instantly and doesn’t require a trip to the bookstore or dog obedience trainer. I’m glad I did. This book is informative, concise, and based on the author’s years of experience. Pruitt presented the information friendly, encouraging me to train my pet without delay. Additionally, the compassion with which Emily writes made me approach training my puppy in a caring and loving way that enhanced our relationship.

Why This Author, Why This Book

As a puppy owner, Emily Pruitt is the perfect author for an easy-to-read yet all-inclusive book on puppy training. Her years of experience and apparent concern for animal well-being shine through in her writing and have compelled her to write effective and caring instructions.

How to Train a Puppy – This Is How You Do It is a must-read for any puppy owner. By reading this book, a pet owner gains a solid foundation in the most important aspects of training a puppy and a clear understanding of puppy behavior.

Alternatives to Euthanasia for Disabled Dogs

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Alternatives to Euthanasia for Disabled Dogs

When a dog becomes disabled, it’s not the end for him. He can still enjoy his regular activities, but with some modifications. So let’s look at how we can help these special canines get the most out of their days.

Paralyzed Dogs.

Paralysis can occur due to sudden trauma, such as a car accident, or it can be associated with age-related spinal disease. If only the hind legs are affected, you can have your dog fitted for a wheelchair, which allows him to run around as much as he used to. The wheelchair supports his hindquarters while his front legs propel him forward. If your dog is still growing, an adjustable wheelchair is a good idea so the size can be altered as he gets bigger. A fully mature dog can be fitted for a custom wheelchair that matches his body size perfectly.

Amputees.

Your dog won’t feel sorry for himself after losing a limb; he’ll get on with things. However, it’s important to remember that he now has only 3 legs supporting his weight instead of 4, so keep him lean. Also, watch how much and what exercise he gets; if one of his other legs becomes injured, it will be very difficult for him to get around.

Incontinence.

Some dogs become incontinent after an accident or because of age-related degeneration of their spinal column. Others have hormone-related incontinence that doesn’t respond to medication. Diapers are ideal for keeping them and your home clean. In addition, they will allow you still to share your couch with your four-legged best friend. You’ll be using them for the rest of your life, so shop for the lowest prices.

One thing you need to do is to watch your dog’s skin under his diaper. If the skin remains damp, it can become scalded and infected. You can help to prevent this by clipping his fur, using a barrier cream on his skin, and changing his diapers frequently.

Blindness.

Dogs cope with blindness remarkably well, provided they are in a familiar environment. They develop a mind map that allows them to remember where things are, so they avoid bumping into them. To make life easier for your blind dog, don’t move your furnishings around. These dogs often enjoy a sighted canine companion to guide them.

Deafness.

This isn’t a disability in our pet dogs, as they don’t have to listen out for predators or hunt for their food like their wild ancestors. They can be trained easily using hand signals, and many deaf dogs have competed successfully in obedience and agility competitions. These dogs will bond closely with you; they must watch you constantly because they rely on signals.

Disabled dogs are inspiring. They don’t feel sorry for themselves and can still have a satisfactory quality of life. You will still be able to share your life with your four-legged best friend despite his handicap.

How To Become A Dog Trainer

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How To Become A Dog Trainer

Let me start by saying that I love dogs and enjoy training them very much. I hope you enjoy the article and that it inspires you to take action. I have added a special paragraph at the bottom that I hope you share with your friends and loved ones.

Would you like to train dogs for a living? Does training dogs to make a part-time or full-time income ever cross your mind? Would you like to become a dog trainer but need more input? Please read on if you have answered yes to any of these questions.

A career in dog training will likely be one of the most rewarding jobs you will ever find if dogs are your passion. So let’s talk about some things you will need to understand before you train dogs for a living and become a dog trainer.

First, patience (and a great deal of it) will be needed for a career in dog training. You see, working with dogs isn’t the only time required (yes, you will have to deal with people too).

To some, hiring a dog trainer will be considered a ‘luxury.’ As a result, the potential marketplace for your services will not be as large as if you were to sell pet supplies or dog food (although established dog trainers usually end up offering these items as well).

How To Become A Dog Trainer

Not every person who owns a dog will need a professional dog trainer. Therefore, you may have to spend quite a bit of your time, in the beginning, building up a name for yourself in dog training (unless you can get hooked up with someone who already has an established business).

Secondly, you should seek out a dog trainer certification program. Having a certificate will give you some credibility. In addition, it will allow you to ask for the “big bucks.” Remember that the people willing to pay a lot of money will probably want proof that you have had some recognized schooling.

Should you not have “the proper training,” most people may think, “If this guy is teaching me what he learned from a book or off of a DVD, then I can just do it myself.”

How To Become A Dog Trainer

So, go ahead and get the certification you need and get yourself a business license while you’re at it. Your future customers or clients must have confidence in your abilities and skills.

Once you get your certificate and license, hang them on your office wall. Even though most people will only look at them closely, it will leave a very good impression on the ones that do.

Thirdly, and what may be the most difficult part if you decide to become a dog trainer and train dogs for a living, is marketing. Research has shown that people looking to hire a dog trainer to fall into a certain type of group, and those are the people you will need to attract.

How To Become A Dog Trainer

This “market,” as we will call them, consists of the middle and upper middle classes. The neighborhoods they live in are made up of homes valued a little above avg. for the area.

As a rule, they are more than likely to purchase their pet from a reputable breeder and will probably make regular veterinary trips. In addition, your future clients will likely carry pet health insurance (after all, the dog is part of the family). Finally, they may even get their dogs regularly groomed and occasionally take in a few dog shows.

Once you understand who your clients are or will be, you can begin to “network” with some of the other complementing businesses (groomers-vets-breeders-dog shows). Try to get your dog training services offered to some of their customers.

A career in dog training can be very rewarding, not to mention that it can also be quite lucrative. Isn’t it everybody’s dream to do what they love and make an income while doing it?

In closing, if you want to train dogs for a living and have that burning desire to learn how to become a dog trainer, go ahead and do it. Worst case scenario, it doesn’t work out for you but thinks of all of the knowledge that you will have acquired.

I would like you to read the paragraph above one more time and then go to the top of this page and click the banner.

One last thing that I want to mention is this, if you have a dream or a passion, no matter what it is, please follow it. Do not let anybody discourage you. I read somewhere that if you do not make your own decisions, somebody else will make them for you. How true.

Once again, this article about how to become a dog trainer has helped you make a decision. But if you ask me, and I know you didn’t, you should give it a go.

The Trick is to Click

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The Trick is to Click

One of the more successful dog training methods is Clicker Dog Training. This method uses proven behavioral science to communicate effectively and interact easily with your dog.

Our continuing research has better understood how animals learn and think. The Clicker method is a gentle, effective application of our new knowledge in everyday real-life situations. It’s a reward-based method that utilizes interactive human and dog cooperation with consistent, repetitious training and positive reinforcement. It combines the best of animal psychology with humane treatment. The process is not only an educational one for you and your pet but also a lot of fun.

The clicker training method for dogs was adopted from the 60s method of training dolphins. It involves a small device that makes clicking sounds when pressed.

By their reactions to their behavior, dogs will learn what to do and what is acceptable around humans. It is the same process animals in the wild use to react to and within their pack. The clicker method teaches animals how to develop and increase their innate skills while discovering new ways to explore their world.

It’s important to remember that dogs know how to do what you want them to do. We are teaching them to know what and when we want them to do it while making it worthwhile.

Here is the gist of clicker training in a step-by-step account:

• Make the desired behavior happen or be aware of it when it does.

• Make the clicking sound when it does happen.

• Using praise and treats, reward and reinforce the behavior.

• Practice and encourage the behavior everywhere possible while challenging the dog with increased distance, duration, or distractions.

• Add a verbal cue to the behavioral training pattern, like “sit,” “down,” or whatever is appropriate to the behavior. Use easy-to-understand, one-word commands.

• Over time, gradually eliminate the treats and the clicker. At that point, your pet will have mastered the art of that particular behavior.

The Advantages of Clicker Training

  • It’s a positive, non-violent, gentle motivational method utilizing love and compassion.
  • It’s a superb method for training young puppies.
  • It helps build a strong bond based on cooperation and respect.
  • Focusing on what’s right instead of wrong gives your pet confidence.
  • It’s a stress-free method for your pet and gives them a positive learning attitude.
  • It helps develop the dog’s creative energies and reinforces its intelligence and thinking process.
  • This method is as effective for large dogs as it is for small ones.
  • It works!

This method is one of the most successful, effective training methods with love and rewards. Give your dog the respect they deserve, and you’ll get it in return.

How to Safely Introduce Your Dog to Other Dogs

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How to Safely Introduce Your Dog to Other Dogs

Just like humans, dogs are very social creatures who love to be around other dogs and make friends. Introducing your dog to other dogs can be stressful, but if you follow a few simple tricks, you and your dog will make new friends everywhere you go.

Introductions can be safe and fun if you follow a few steps.

Let Your Dog Be the Guide

This may sound too simple, but it is the easiest way to let your dog learn about other dogs. Because every dog has his or her personality, following your dog’s lead will be best. Slow is better if your dog is shy or scared of others. Introduce him or her to one dog at a time and be close by so that you will be right there if they need comfort and assurance. On the other hand, if your dog loves other people and dogs, your main concern will be that your dog will try to dominate others or be forced into submission. Dogs often understand who the dominant dog is, but sometimes, two dominant dogs will fight, so you need to be prepared to separate your dog from another.

A Leash Is Always a Good Idea

Unless you are sure your dog and the new dog will get along, use some restraint on both dogs so you can separate them quickly if necessary. Dogs need to smell each other to learn about the other dog, so you do not need to try to get them apart. Keeping them apart may make both dogs more anxious, so let them get close and only urge one away if there are signs of aggression, such as ears laid back, tail tucked between the legs, or growling from either dog.

Choose a Good Time of Day

Dogs are a lot like children in that they may not be as eager to meet other dogs at certain times of the day. Meeting another dog will be more stressful if your dog is hungry or tired. Never introduce your dog to another one when he/she is eating, and do not let the other dogs eat/drink from your dog’s dishes. Beyond being unhealthy, it can trigger possessiveness in your dog. The same with his/her toys – let your dog offer them to the new dog.

Neutral Ground

If your dog tends to have a dominating or possessive personality, meeting new dogs somewhere other than home might be the best choice. Possessiveness could trigger aggression in your dog, and he/she may not want another dog near their property. On the other hand, if your dog is very protective of you, you need to be aware he/she may not like a strange dog close to you. Also, if you are considering getting a new dog, several short visits might be a good way to see how they would get along at home.

The trick to successfully introducing your dog to other dogs is patience. Consider your dog’s personality when picking a dog to be his/her friend. For example, you do not want to choose an overactive puppy to meet your laid-back older dog. Instead, take your time and let your dog be your guide.

Tips for Teaching Your Dog Sign Language

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Tips for Teaching Your Dog Sign Language

The first question you may be thinking is, why would anyone teach their dog sign language? There are many reasons, from safety to help a person with disabilities communicate with their pet. The best reason is that it is fun, and your dog will love adding another “trick” to their talents.

What to Teach Your Dog

What signs you teach your dog depends on why you teach him/her. If you are teaching signs so another person can communicate, think about what they may need to say. For example, the dog may need to learn open, go, find, telephone, drink – anything that will make the person with disabilities’ life easier.

If you are teaching your dog for safety reasons, how about the stay, stop, quiet, and come and speak? As scary as it is, communicating with your dog when a stranger is around could save your life.

Some people teach their dogs just for fun and as another way to brag about their pets. Dogs love to show off their tricks, and having a dog that understands sign language is very cool.

The Deaf Dog Education Action Fund, DDEAF for short, has a great signing tutorial to get you started with the basics.

How to Teach Your Dog

First, just like everything you teach your dog, you must be consistent. For example, if you are teaching your dog to sit with signs, every time you say “sit,” you must also sign the command. And like when he/she sits on verbal command, reward him/her when they sit on a signed command. Your dog will learn quickly because they always want to please you.

Patience is also very important. Especially if you are working with an older dog, it takes time for them to understand what you want. So be patient and praise their every effort. The adage is wrong – you can teach an old dog new tricks! You have to have patience and love.

Choose words that will have meaning for your dog. For example, pretty or blue is not something your dog will understand, but water, treat, or potty will have meaning for them. You can teach your dog to respond to questions that are signed to them. For example, when a dog is barking, you can sign several things to them to ask what they want. One owner has taught her dog to sit and wait for the sign of what is needed. The dog will wag her tail and bark when she sees the sign.

Training Tips To Remember

Never yell at or strike your dog for not learning quickly enough. Instead, it would help if you treated your dog with kindness and patience for them to learn any trick. Treat your dog like a child and praise efforts and reward progress, and you will soon have a dog that will come and sit with you without you ever having to say a word.

Remember to have fun while you teach your dog. There are many books and videos available that will show you basic sign language. In addition, you and your dog can learn together if you do not know the language.

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