More exercise for dogs
There are many reasons to buy a dog backpack. The biggest reasons are to get your dog tired out and to give him a job to do. Taking care of these two issues will lead to a better behaved dog. That means both dog and owner will be happier.
Think about it, if your dog walks 30 minutes while wearing a pack, he is going to be more tired when he comes home. If you walk your dog before work, then he will be less likely to get into trouble while you are gone. Walking your dog every day with the backpack on will help get rid of unwanted behaviors over time as the dog’s energy drains.
The pack also gives the dog a job to do. Carrying a dog backpack gives a dog a sense of purpose. A dog that gets enough mental challenges throughout the day will not create his own challenges such as raiding the garbage, chewing shoes or barking and scratching at the door.
Dog backpacks come in all sizes, colors and prices, so shop around to find the pack that fits your budget. Any breed can benefit from wearing a pack, but especially dogs that are very high energy and need a job to do such a springer spaniels and Labradors. Working and sporting breeds can really benefit from a pack.
Some Straightforward Dog Behavior Training
January 2, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
An early relationship strain will be caused by your dog's propensity to chew
Dogs carry out destructive chewing for three main reasons, they are simply bored, they find it pleasurable to do so, or they find it helps get them through emotional times. The nearest human equivalent for which might be to consume a bar of chocolate!
Anything that gets in the way of this chewing normally ends up in poor state. Of course your dog has many sharp teeth which will get through many household items.
This is okay of the chewing is directed at their play things but very quickly becomes a problem if it is your own possessions and those of your family that are being destroyed by this destructive chewing.
How To Avoid Your Possessions Being Destroyed
The first tip for dog behavior training is to not place valuable objects in the way of temptation. Just as you would ensure your house is baby proof you need to think about putting things away that you would rather your dog not find. Never put temptation in the way when it can be avoided.
In addition, when hiding things be aware of just how agile your dog is. Your dog can reach a surprising height when on its hind legs?
Consider that common targets in the home include books, eyewear, clothing, shoes, garbage, and small appliances like cameras, cell phones, and remote controls.
I am sure you do not need telling that food needs putting away securely. Loose food needs to be put away safely from the nose and paws of your pet, high cupboards and strong containers are called for here.
The phrase prevention is better than cure applies to dog behaviour training too, if your dog is not given the opportunity to discover the delights of chewing a forbidden item then it is a lot easier for her to learn your house rules.
Never weaken your position by allowing your dog to chew items you no longer need, for instance old shoes. Once she has the taste do not be surprised to find shoes you care about being treated to the same destructive chewing.
Think about providing your dog with lots of alternative tasty objects that she can chew. Take a look around your local pet store for tough items such as rubber bones and balls etc. Buy a few and rotate their use as a way to keep your dog behaviour training interesting.
Some final advice on dog behaviour, when you catch your dog chewing something inappropriate be sure to interrupt her immediately and provide a suitable alternative and give lavish praise when this is accepted as a way of reinforcing good behaviour.
Does Your Barking Dog Drive You Mad?
December 31, 2008 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
For some people it is an offence to have a barking dog around them, they think that dogs should be seen and not heard. This is slightly unfair given that the bark is a dog’s voice and like yourself it uses it to communicate.
In some instances of course you want your dog to bark loudly such as when a suspected burglar approaches or if you fall into trouble of some sort and need urgent assistance. In most cases your dog is just trying to talk to you, perhaps he is just happy about something, dog obedience training will help you to find this out for sure.
The problem is that the language barrier between barking dogs and humans is well nigh impenetrable. Therefore, you are forced to resort to the facts of the situation in which your dog is barking and try to understand from its body language just what it is trying to say.
Apart from that many people ask just why do dogs bark? This is a very difficult question as dogs appear to bark for many different reasons.
Naturally they will bark when they are happy about something such as greeting you on your return or perhaps they are happy about running around in the park.
Some dogs having barking bred into to them such as toy dogs or sporting breeds where they are trained to bark in order to notify their owners of the presence of a particular quarry being hunted. Other dogs like the guarding breeds are trained only to bark when a threat is perceived.
Some other possible explanations for your dog barking might be that it is in need of the toilet, feels lonely of just wants you to play.
Again the context of the situation will help you to decide the likely cause. But of course it is not fair for you to try to shut the dog up. She may be communicating for a very good reason, you just need to spend some effort in understanding her.
However, dogs are not stupid animals there are situations where they realise that they can use their bark to annoy or force their owner into a particular action. At times such as these it is imperative that you show your dog just who is the boss in your house.
For instance you dog may have decided that it is time to play and continues barking until you give in and drop what you are doing to amuse her. The problem here is that the dog then learns that all she has to do is to bark whenever she wants something and you will oblige.
This can get very wearing after a quite short period of time. The best approach would have been to show the dog that it cannot get its own way by giving it the cold shoulder.
Ignore it, do not even say anything just turn your back. After repeated actions your dog should eventually get the message.
A gentle reminder that walks and playtimes are to be had at your convenience, not when your dog barks to demand them. This teaches your dog respect and hopefully makes for a quieter household with limited barking dog problems.
Consult a good book on dog obedience training like SitStayFetch to solve many of the problems you will encounter when you are training your dog.
