Crate Training Your Puppy - free article courtesy of ArticleCity.com

Crate training has many huge benefits, but the biggest by far is how much easier it makes housebreaking.

Crate training works with the puppy’s natural instincts. A dog is, by nature, a den animal. He will feel comforted and safe in his crate, and he will not want to soil where he sleeps. This is your golden ticket to housebreaking. Of course, you may have to convince him that this is his bed at first.

The first few nights your puppy is home, expect he will cry and howl for you to let him out. He wants to be with you. This is natural, as is your desire to let him out. Restrain yourself. He needs to learn from the very beginning where his place is to be. If you allow him to run the house now, be prepared for the mess that will cover your floors by morning and for many mornings to come.

Crate training works very well and after the initial break-in period, his crate will be a favorite place for him to be. Once he knows it is a warm, safe place, you will often find him putting himself to bed when he is tired.

Here are some basic rules of thumb to get started:

Your puppy should be in his crate if you can’t be right with him. If you need to do something or be somewhere the puppy can’t go then put him safely in his crate.

Make sure the crate is always a pleasant place to be. Give him a favorite toy, or an old t-shirt that smells familiar to him. (Unless he is apt to destroy and eat them, then minimize what goes in with him)

Never scold him when you put him in. If he has had an ‘accident’ then scold him and put him outside, not in his crate.

You might even feed him in there so he associates the crate with good things.

Once he goes in at night, do not revisit him, he will settle down....eventually.

The reason that crate training works so well for housebreaking is that it encourages the puppy to ‘hold it’. The puppy does not really want to mess where he sleeps. Make no mistake, he will soil his bed so make sure everything that goes in is washable. The difference is that he really doesn’t want to go there. He will tend to wait as long as he can. He will start to build control over his body this way.

It is important to mention that if the crate is too big then you are defeating it’s purpose. If he can mess far enough away from where he wants to curl up, he won’t mind going there a bit. The crate area should be plenty big for him, but not so big he has no exposure to his indiscretions.

To encourage success, make sure you take your puppy out to the yard as late as possible before you go to bed, and plan to get up with the sun to take him out again. In time he will be able to hold it longer, but when he is very young you can’t expect him to go more than several hours.

He will have to ‘go’ immediately on waking up. Don’t even call him to the door, just pick him up and take him out. You will eliminate many accidents this way.

He will have to ‘go’ about five minutes after he eats. Make sure you are ready to take him out quickly and spend time out there with him until he figures out why he is out there.

Feed your puppy often and offer water frequently. You are creating opportunity to praise! Just be on your toes and try to have him in a place where he should ‘go’. The more success he has the faster he will catch on.

When he goes, praise him, praise him, praise him! Do a little dance, cheer, whatever it takes to show him you are delighted with what he did in that spot.

Conversely, fold your arms, scold, and scowl at him when he picks a spot indoors. Show him his mistake and tell him ‘No’, ‘Outside’ and take him out where you want him to go.

If you have no yard and actually want him to pick a specific area of your home for him to go on newspapers or training pads, the same rules apply except that will be your final destination and you may say something like ‘Paper’ instead.

You need to be consistent with your training for this issue and all others. The more consistent you are the faster progress you will make.

If you can spend a solid 3 or 4 days at this you will probably be able to train him in a week or so. His age will be a variable however, very young puppies simply don’t have the control over their body that they will by 10 or 12 weeks.

Once you have put the crate into play it should not take more than a week until he really understands that it is a good place. You can take his crate, or his crate pad at least, any time you take him somewhere with you. He will feel right at home no matter where he is.

A crate creates a safe place to hide during thunderstorms and windstorms. You will have a safe place to put him if you have construction going on. He will have a safe place to be when fireworks are going off. If there is any doubt as to the surrounding circumstances when you are away, you can put him in his crate and know without a doubt, he will be fine. He will be there when you get home, and your home will be intact. Frightened dogs can do a lot of damage trying to escape scary situations. It is a great relief for you and him.

For more great information on raising your puppy...
http://puppys-place.com/

Dog Training: House training a puppy or rescue dog

Buying a New Puppy? How To Avoid the Pitfalls - free article ...

Many books and articles have been written regarding the art of choosing a puppy (i.e. performing puppy tests, looking for parental OFA certifications, and so on...), but few, if any, discuss the contractual end of purchasing a puppy. I can tell you through personal experience that purchasing a quality show puppy from a famous breeder can be quite a stressful experience because no breeder would give up the pick of the litter to a competitor (for obvious reasons) or to a novice without co-ownership of the puppy. Co-ownership of a puppy entitles the breeder to many rights to the detriment of the buyer. To begin with, the breeder might also be an experienced handler and might contractually require the purchaser to use the breeder as the puppies' trainer and handler. Agreeing to this could be a monumental mistake because the purchaser might be required to pay (even though they might be co-owners) for the breeders time to train and handle the puppy. Agreeing to this can COST you THOUSANDS of dollars.

In the contract, the breeder might require your bitch/dog to whelp/stud puppies. And, of course, they would contractually want the picks of the litter (they may choose either male or a female puppies as they please). Furthermore, you as the purchaser, might be required to pay the costs of breeding and whelping the puppies (i.e. food, vet-bills, housing, AKC registrations, stud fees, breeder's time) eventhough you may not be allowed to get the picks of the litter. What's more, you may not be able to see nor be with your dog for the duration of gestation and delivery. Some breeders have been known to switch animals when they are sent away for whelping or stud service. Therefore, I would recommend that you microchip you puppy and that you get an AKC DNA ID as soon as possible after you purchase your puppy. This way, you will get back your beloved animal without concern as to the nature of its identity.

When you purchase your puppy, most reputable breeders will guarantee your puppy will be free of various ailments for the duration of two years. What they fail to mention, however, is that if your puppy becomes incurably ill, the replacement puppy would be one of their choosing and not yours; which translates to the fact that you may end up with a new puppy with a lousy temperment.

So, remember. The devil is in the fine print. Read your contract carefully, otherwise you may become the victim of your own ignorance.

Dog Training Basics for the Family

Hunting Dogs by Graham Taylor - ArticleCity.com - Free Articles ...

How does one choose good hunting dogs without getting stung? Many dog breeders are like horse traders—you get what you get, and that isn't what was listed. So a dog breeder's reputation, letters of reputation or phone calls, and looking at siblings or mother and father of the dog means a lot when looking for good hunting dogs. Make sure they have some form of guarantee and for how long they guarantee the puppy or dog.

But what is good for one hunter may not mean the same for another, so make sure you know what you want before going out and looking. Do you want versatile good hunting dogs for all-purpose hunting, or one that is excellent at squirrel hunting or coon hunting? Look at where they will be living the remaining time—will it it he be a family member? Make sure the breed you want is one you have information on and have done your homework on. Just because grandpa had one doesn't mean you know what you need to know regarding the purchase of good hunting dogs.

Good hunting dogs need to be disease from and have clean genetic lines, regardless the breed. Make sure routine worming has been done as a puppy—which has usually been done from two weeks. Also, look at their shot records—did they receive a two-week puppy shot series with only two weeks between them, beginning around five or six weeks? Once the puppy is weaned from its mother, its immune system becomes compromised, and it is up to the breeder to maintain that system up to eight weeks of age when it leaves the next. A breeder who sells before then is not worth his/her weight in salt. Good hunting dogs mean that—a good hunting dog, not one that is haphazardly bred to make a quick buck. Georgia is famous for good hunting dogs, as most Georgia hunters think more of their dogs than anywhere else, but make sure you don't get a bad breeder anyway.

More info http://www.hunting-pro.com

How To Train Puppy | home based dog training tips | howtrainpuppy.com

Dog Agility Equipment - New Mini Contacts And Mini Jumps

dog Agility competitions are seen frequently on television. The eyes of most pet owners have seen this amazing sport and would some how like their dog to be introduced to the equipment for fun and for exercise. The competition size equipment may be larger than the pet owner needs or wants to invest in so , many are introducing their dog to “mini” equipment.

Mini-agility equipment still provides lots of mental and physical stimulation to your dog, but without bulk of competition sized equipment. Almost all types of obstacles are made in a “mini” size. There are mini-A-frames, mini-dog walks, mini-teeters, mini-tire jumps, mini-jumps, mini-tables, and mini-weaves.

The mini-A-frame can be in different sizes, but is often made with two, 4-foot sides, instead of two, 8-foot sides. Mini-dog walks are often made with three, five-foot planks instead of three 12-foot planks. Similar is the mini-teeter, made from a five-foot plank instead of a 12-foot plank. These changes in size make shipping and delivery easier and less costly.

Mini equipment is safer for the beginner handler and dog because the equipment is lower to the ground. dogs and puppies can learn and use the equipment with greater ease and confidence.

In addition to pet owners, breeders, kennel owners, and dog parks are purchasing mini-agility equipment. Breeders purchase mini equipment to stimulate their puppies mentally and physically. Some breeders add railings to their dog-walk for added puppy protection. Kennel and doggie Day Care owners use the equipment to keep their clients happy and busy all day long. dog parks are selecting mini-equipment because it is safer to use by the untrained owner.

Competition agility owners are also selecting mini-equipment for training specific behaviors, using them as training aids, and for indoor training in the wintertime. A contact trainer is a combination of a mini A-frame side attached to a pause table with a mini-dog walk plank attached to the opposite side. Agility competitors often use this apparatus for back chaining their contact behavior.

Dog Agility Training Basics : Teaching Dogs Agility Tricks

How To Stop Your Dog Barking

Train Your dog to Stop Barking

dogs usually bark because they are bored. dogs want a lot of attention and they don't know how to behave when alone. Unfortunately, we have usually set this situation up ourselves. You want your dog to be happy, so you spoil him: you give your dogs treats and pat him whenever you wish. It is entirely normal for you to act this way and entirely normal for your dog to complain when he feels neglected.

You must teach your dog that barking for your attention doesn't work. If he is unhappy outdoors and he barks and you eventually bring him inside the house, he will learn that barking gets results. If you yell at him when he barks, your dog also sees that as reward. your dog thinks, "I'm bored so maybe I can get my owner to yell at me again. " When you yell at your dog it just doesn't work. If you use negative reinforcement, it can still be useful. Here is a little story that will help explain what I mean:

Many years ago, I owned a young dog. There were times when this dog barked at night for no apparent reason. My dog was warm and well-fed, and he had plenty of water. His kennel was clean and dry. All he lacked was entertainment, while I sat inside and watched TV to keep me entertained. When I yelled at him to be "quiet", it made no difference and he kept barking.

Let me tell you what did work:

I put a small amount of water in a plastic cup and quietly stood in front of my dog, without saying a word. When my dog started barking again, I would quickly splash some water in his face. I woould then turn around turn around and go back inside and watch TV - all without saying a word. I did this about two or three times during the first night, once or twice during the second night and maybe only once the night after that. After doing this I ended up with peace and quiet.

It is important that you say the word "Quiet" and repeat saying it calmly and clearly once or twice in a normal voice. This will teach your dog to associate the word "Quiet" with water in his face and not with the barking behaviour. What you must do later, in situations where he would normaly bark but he stays quiet instead, is you calmly praise him.

Barking and Growling

If you have a dog that barks and growls and shows his teeth in a threatening way, it means he is getting ready to bite you. Please do not squirt water in his face or up his nose and do not threaten him. You should consult with your veterinarian or dog psychologist.

Barking When You Are Not Home

You need to make sure that you have done the all basic things:

Make sure that your dog has food and water,

Make sure he has a comfortable place to relax where he can't see people or other pets,

If necessary, bring him indoors.

The chance are high that if your dog is problem barker, he has never learned to be alone. He has become accustomed to your lavish attention without him having to earn it. He thinks he is the center of the world and when he finds himself abandoned he becomes distraught and then he starts barking. This is a natural behaviour for all dogs.

You Should Be a Good Role Model

Your dog only hears, "blah, blah, blah", when you talk to him. The important thing when communicating with your dog, is the way you say the words and the body language you display when saying the words. If you make a big deal of things by repeatedly reassuring your dog that everything is ok and you'll be back soon, then you really are making things worse. If you then excitedly greet your dog when you arrive home, it reinforces the idea in your dogs mind, that when he stays alone all day, it really is a big deal.

Only Praise and Pat Your dog When He Deserves It

This is an important thing that is not easy to do. it is important that you do it and that the whole family follows this rule. In order to train a more obedient dog, you should only touch your dog when he has responded correctly to a command. Teach your dog to sit and when he sits praise him with a simple "good dog" and a pat on the head. You can gradually work up to longer sit times and evetually your dog can be relied upon to sit and stay in all situations. The bonus is that your guests will appreciate this obedient behaviour. You often see dogs jump up to greet their owners. A lot of dog owners believe that since they enjoy this type of greeting then other people enjoy this greeting also. Unfortunatel, this is just not true.

How To Practice "Being Out of Touch"

Now that you are nott patting, stroking and fondling your dog all the time, he will be learning now that it's ok to be "out of touch" for a short while. You should get him some good toys he can chew, such as Nylabones and Kongs. You should let your dog become distracted with a chew toy and then calmly and quietly leave the room, closing the door behind you. After a few minutes, preferably before your dog has become distraught about your absence, you can come back into the room and resume what you were doing. You should move calmly and not say anything. If your dog races over to greet you, you should ignore him completely not say a word. Don't even look at him. You need to teach your dog that your separation was completely unimportant and natural to you. This will then train your dog to think the same way.

Stop Saying Goodbye To Your dog

When you are about to leave your dog alone for the day, you should start your morning schedule about ten minutes earlier than normal. Make sure your dog as been fed and try to get him settled in with a chew toy. You should get completely ready to walk out the door and then just sit down with the newspaper or a magazine. Make sure you just ignore your dog completely. After you have had several minutes of calm separation you should quietly walk out the door and go to work. Make sure you do not say good bye, to your dog and do not even look at him. Even though you are leaving for the day, you do not want to make this is into a big deal. When you return home later in the day, you must be equally calm and not make a big deal. Just ignore your dog and do not pat him. Do not get excited about greeting him. Go inside and change your clothes or whatever you do when you get home. Once your dog has settled down then you can acknowledge him by telling him to sit. Only after he sits doeshe get a pat on the head and a simple "good dog". It is no big deal, you were only away for the day.

dogs Need Toys While To Play With

If you leave your dog alone during the day, then he is in an unnatural situation. He is all alone with nothing to do. If you want to avoid having a dog that barks and tears up your house, then you need to keep your dog busy.

There are many great toys on the market such as Kong chew toys with hollow and openings at both ends. You can put food or dog treats inside these toys. You can try putting a dog biscuit in there at first, then later you could try packing it with canned food and freeze it, so it takes your dog a long time to get the food out. This is a great way to keep your dog busy while you're gone and at the same time your dog must work to earn some food. You can buy several Kongs and hide them in different places. In order for this exercise to work, your dog must be feeling hungry.

If your dog is overweight and getting too much food, you can find adjustable feeding balls that also work with dry food. In order for your dog to get to the food, he ust roll the ball around so that the food falls out through the holesmin the toy. You can make sure that getting a full meal takes a long time. Another method you could try, is try leaving the TV on for entertainment while you are away.

Stop Your dog Barking by Distraction

You need to make something mysterious or unsettling happen or something so puzzling that your dog forgets to bark for a while. If you make a short sharp unidentifiable sound, it should distract your dog. You will have to use your own ingenuity, but here is a suggestion:

Head off to work as you usually do in the morning and calmly ignore your dog. get in your car and drive away then quietly return, approaching from downwind. If your dog barks you should make some sharp noise. You may have to repeat this over several days.

Great Dane Honey - teaching your dog to pick up his toys (clicker training dog tricks)

How to Avoid the Most Common Mistakes in Raising Dogs

dogs do not come with an instruction manual around their necks. dogs need time, patience, and understanding. Therefore new owners need information to train, and help cope with the difficulties of the newest member of the family.

Common mistakes in raising dogs:

1 . Not enrolling with the dog in "obedience school".

In any good school you can expect your dog to learn basic commands and proper behavior. "Heel! ", "Sit! ", "Stay", and "Come! " are all examples of these commands. The dog will learn how to associate with other animals and people. Don't make the mistake of sending your dog to obedience school alone. If you do, you will have a dog more obedient to the teacher, instead of you.

2 . Self-training using improper techniques.

Physical punishment and yelling are not good methods of training. The best methods are stimulation and reward for good behavior. This way the dog will be motivated to carry out commands because it knows it will receive attention and maybe a yummy treat. For this to work, it is important to be patient and consistent.

3. Not researching breed characteristics.

When choosing a dog, do not judge by appearance alone. Take some time to do research on several breeds, to find one that will make a good match for you and your family. If you have a small apartment, for example , a large dog may be a poor choice.

4. Leaving your dog alone in your yard.

dogs are social animals and naturally live in packs. Spend plenty of time with your dog outside. Play together, make your yard a fun place, not a doggie prison! If your dog is not active enough, is bored, gains weight, gets sick, gets into all kinds of mischief, barks too much, or bites: It is your job to understand why it is happening and make it better.

5. Not giving the a dog a place of its own.

dogs need an area that is only for them. When it gets nervous or scared it will have a place of refuge. Make it a comfortable place for your dog. It doesn't have to be fancy, just comfortable. Just like people, every living creature has times when it just wants to be left alone to sleep or relax

6. Letting the dog think it is in charge.

The leader in your house is you, not the dog! Your dog will receive food and attention when you decide. Not whenever it wants. Your dog must earn its rewards, they are not a gift.

7. Making 'goodbye' a big event.

Do not make a big deal out of having to leave the house. This is not the time to lavish extra attention on your dog. It will only be aggravated after you leave. A good idea is to leave your dog with fresh food and water, and maybe a toy.

8. Feeding your dog 'people' food.

Constantly feeding a dog table scraps can be very unhealthy for dogs. They are not recycle bins! There are many very good dog foods available - buy those for your pet. People do not eat dog food, why should it be the other way around?

9. Having unrealistic expectations.

Though at times it may seem like it, dogs are not human. dogs need logical and consistent training to live well with people. They do not understand when you explain to them 'why'. When your dog misbehaves a simple "Don't! " or "No! " is enough and suitable.

Avoiding these mistakes will assure you and your dog live a long and happy life together.

K9 Dog Training Club - 100% turn your dog from bad to good

Therapy Dog Training - Working With Your Dog

Therapy dog training, while important, is something with which many people are not familiar. A therapy dog is one that is used to do animal assisted therapy and activities. Organizations train the dog to help people in hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and virtually anywhere people need some sort of therapy. So , then, how do dogs become therapy dogs? It is a fairly simple process.

A Good Citizen

Though the requirements for therapy dog training vary from state to state, it is almost universal that the dog must be certified as a canine good citizen. In order to receive that, you have to train your dog to be focused and well behaved around distractions. Generally your local animal shelter or even a therapy dog training center will have classes available for you to learn how to turn your dog into a canine good citizen.

Classes for Therapy

Therapy dog training can start as soon as your dog has been certified as a canine good citizen. The training consists mainly of teaching your dog how to ignore things like hospital equipment and school noises that he or she may not be used to being around. They also train the dog to help with simple activities and therapy with those who need it. However , in many cases, the therapy is really just the presence of the dog. Those using the services of dogs trained in how to perform the therapy can be anything from walking them, to reading to them, to simply being around them.

Where to Go

If you are interested in therapy dog training for your four legged pal, then you should check out the internet or your local yellow pages. Whether you live in Virginia, California, or anywhere else, there is an organization in your area that will help you not only teach your dog how to become a therapy dog, but also get him out in the community and doing his part. Additionally , you can volunteer to help with everything from training to the therapy itself. Just get in contact with your local organization.

Therapy dog training can be incredibly rewarding. When you teach your dog how to react to the situations with which he will be presented, you are putting him in a situation to be more than just a pet. You and your dog together can be real additions to the community and help your fellow man.

What is clicker training?- dog training

Extend Your Dog's Life Using These Simple Grooming Tips

If your dog is an important part of your life, you will want to provide the best of care for her so she can enjoy a long and rewarding life. A trip or two each year to your veterinary clinic does not guarantee that your loyal canine will maintain her healthy appearance and youthful spirit. It is you, the dog's owner, who can make the difference between your dog living a long, full life or one of physical disease and health problems.

Many dogs are treated like they are immune from common heath problems - they are NOT! They suffer many of the same health issues that afflict humans; teeth and gum disease, ear infections, toe nail problems, and hair issues, just to name a few.

Well, don't get discouraged, because a few simple and easy grooming practices can help you prevent the premature aging of your pet. Basic personal dog grooming is the key to early recognition of skin and tumor issues, dental problems, and mobility difficulties.

To help you establish a regular dog grooming regimen, the following tips are provided covering five key areas; brushing, bathing, nail trimming, ear cleaning, and dental hygiene.

Brushing Your dog

Brushing, or grooming, your dog is a great time for bonding with her and providing the physical contact that all dogs desire. This practice promotes a lustrous shine on the dog's coat, whiling eliminating dirt, debris, and dead fur.

This is also the perfect opportunity to examine your dog's skin for fleas and ticks, lumps, cuts, or contusions. And while you're at it, take a moment and examine her ears, eyes, teeth and nails.

Bathing Your dog

Here is the good news - most dogs only need bathing once a month, unless she likes to play in the rain and mud. If she does get dirty on a regular basis, adjust your bathing schedule accordingly.

A prerequisite to bathing is a good brushing. This loosens up any dead hair or dirt and makes the bathing process much more productive. A good practice is to start bathing your dog as young as possible. Generally start when she is about 14-15 weeks old, or earlier, if they tend to get into messy situations.

Find a good location to bathe your dog, preferably one that is contained and has good drainage. Undoubtedly, water will be spilled or shaken near and far. An enclosed shower or tub is an ideal location, or if your dog is a smaller breed, the kitchen sink can also work.

Wet your dog thoroughly, avoiding her head to keep water out of her eyes and ears. Plug your dog's ears with cotton balls if there is a risk of flooding the ears. Use a dog shampoo and lather up the dog. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and squeeze off the excess water. The face should be washed with a soft, damp cloth. Towel dry your dog, and blow dry if desired, but it is best to keep her confined until dry.

Trimming Nails

Nail trimming can be a traumatic experience for some dogs. So , it is best to start the nail trimming experience as early as 2-3 months old to let your dog become accustomed to the practice. For puppies, you can often use finger nail clippers to tip the ends of the nails.

If this is just too much for your dog or puppy to handle all in one sitting, you may start with trimming only one paw at a time, giving your dog an extended break between sessions. The key to successful nail trimming is providing your dog lots of praise when she lets you cut a nail. Kind, soothing words of praise will let her know that she is loved and this experience is nothing to fear. Of course , a few dog treats after the session is over can't hurt either.

Cleaning Ears

Inspect your dog's ears often , but only clean them when there is evidence of dirt in the opening or canal. Use a cotton ball, never a cotton swab, to clean the dirt out of the ear. Soaking the cotton ball with a good ear cleaning solution provides the best results. Hydrogen peroxide can be substituted for the cleaning solution, if necessary.

If you notice that the dog's ears are red, swollen, or emit a foul smell, the problem might be more serious and demand veterinary attention. Yeast infections, ear mites, and other ear problems are more easily treated by medications only available from your vet.

Keeping a Bright Smile

As a dog's life span has been extended over the years, it is even more imperative that your dog maintain healthy teeth and gum tissue. You can assist her by brushing her teeth regularly. Start as early in life as possible, to get your dog accustomed to the feel of your finger or brush in her mouth.

Starting with your finger, or a special dog toothbrush fitted for your fingertip, begin massaging your dog's gums and gently rubbing her teeth. Once she has become accustomed to the practice, try using a dog toothbrush, or small soft bristled human toothbrush, with dog-specific toothpaste. Never use toothpaste designed for humans on your dog.

Continuing this practice throughout your dog's life will ensure that she will avoid gum disease, loose teeth, and related eating problems.

These easy-to-follow grooming tips take very little time compared to the years of enjoyment your dog will provide you and your family. Take care of your loving "best friend" and she will certainly return the favor many times over!

40 Dog Tricks

Dog Training Hand Signals-Teaching Hand Signals to Your Dog

Besides using verbal commands while obedience training your dog, you should also learn the dog training hand signals. If your dog has been trained with the hand signals, he can still do as you command, even when he is not able to hear you. If you teach your dog his hand signals, you can still make your dog come on command from quite a long distance. This is how hunting dogs or agility dogs are controlled in the field by their handlers. Whatever the handlers need their dog to do can be done through the hand signals even without using verbal commands.

You can teach your dog the hand signals right along with the regular obedience training lessons. Any good dog training program will explain the different standard hand signals and how they are used for training your dog at home. You can even use hand signals of your own invention as long as your are consistent in using the same movement each time.

dogs learn the hand signal concept very quickly because they naturally tune in very closely to another dog's body language as part of the way they communicate with each other. So , if you are just starting with your dog's obedience training, introduce the dog training hand signals right now. Of course , even if your dog is already trained to follow verbal commands, it is not too late to introduce the hand signals to him now. Get started by using the hand signals to teach the basic steps-sit, down and stay. These basic exercises are easy to teach and is a good place to starting the hand signal training. After your dog learns these first 3 signals, he is ready to keep going when taught the remainder of his dog obedience lessons.

* To teach the hand signal for sit, bend your arm upwards from the elbow to head level in a quick movement while at the same time saying sit. By repeating the hand signal each time you command your dog to sit, he will soon learn to associate the hand signal with the vocal command.

* For teaching the down hand signal hold your arm out level with the floor and then lower it down towards the floor. At the same time you give your dog the down command use this hand signal. The hand signal gets him to follow your hand down to the floor.

* Teaching the hand signal for stay is done by using the policeman's hand sign to stay-holding your arm outstretched towards your dog with the palm facing him. Hold your hand out like this at the same moment you command your dog to stay.

If you haven't already started using dog training hand signals when obedience training your dog, you can get started now. It is a good feeling to know you can control your dog even if he cannot hear you for some reason.

Teach a Puppy to Sit | Teacher\'s Pet With Victoria Stilwell

Tips and Tricks To Successful Puppy Potty Training

How To Potty Train A Puppy

People are always looking to learn how to train puppies for obvious reasons. We all want a well behaved puppy that is house trained. Potty training your puppy is a major part of your training but it is not near as difficult as many make it out to be. Follow along as we plan to help you understand some tips and techniques you can use to help make this a simple process.

It is important that you take the responsibility to train your dog. Make certain that you prepair yourself to train your puppy as it is not fair to them if you do not. They want to be trained and are at the perfect stage of their life to accept the training you will provide them. You will have much higher odds of successfully house training your dog if you dedicate yourself to the task. You will learn that training your puppy is not near as hard as you may think.

The age of your puppy helps make a decision in your training. This does make a difference in the training process of your puppy. You should start focusing on your training once your puppy is two months or older as you will have a much better chance of successful potty training. While you puppy is under two months old they still do not have any form of proper bladder control and trying to house train them at this age is a very difficult task.

Make sure you have dedicated the necessary time to properly potty training your puppy. Remaining consistent with potty training will allow you to successfully accomplish it only in a few weeks time. By following a proper schedule on when to take your puppy out you will have a much better success rate when training them.

You must have patience when training your puppy to use the potty properly. If you do not have the patience and lose your cool quickly you will be better off having somebody else potty train your puppy. You have to still expect for your puppy to have accidents on occasions when you are training them. Obviously this will test your patience but keep in mind your puppy is at a stage of learning right now and they will quickly adapt to this method of training. You will want to learn about potty training prior to getting your puppy as this will increase your rate of success with training. Properly educating yourself on how to train your puppy and spending the necessary amount of time with your puppy will be productive for both of you.

How To Potty Train A Puppy - Tips and Tricks

Again, don't let people make you believe that potty training your puppy is an impossible task. In reality it is a simple process if you remain dedicated and patient during the task. Below you will find some tips and tricks to help get you started with your training:

Be Consistent and on Schedule With Your Training:

- It is important that you take them out when they first wake up

- After they have had breakfast take them outside to use the bathroom.

- At this point in their life you should take them out once every two to three hours.

- After dinner you should take them out to use the bathroom.

- Finally they should be taken outside prior to bedtime

As you can see learning how to train your puppy is not that difficult. Potty training is a great first step in training your puppy.

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FREE Dog Training Tips: Easy Steps to YOU Becoming Leader of the Pack

This article is the second in a 3-part series about changing dog behavior using positive dog training methods.

Be a leader, a dog will follow.

From the last article, remember King and his dominant dog behavior? King was the leader of his pack -- Mom, Dad, 2 kids. King set the rules in the house and didn’t hesitate to enforce them, with growling, posturing, biting and other scary dog behaviors.

In that article, I introduced 3 simple dog training steps to help you begin to take the leadership role back from your dominant and furry leader-of-the-pack.

Let’s look at another family, where Mom is the leader and Queenie is at the bottom of the pack hierarchy (where dogs should be) and her obedient dog behavior was praised and applauded by the whole family.

One day, Billy brought a dog home. The family decided to take her in and make her part of the family. They named her Queenie. Queenie was a terrier mix, feisty and pushy, with an inquisitive mind. Mom Jackie quickly began helping Queenie fit in with the family with positive dog training techniques. She taught Queenie where her sleeping places/beds were, how to make requests with a polite sit, how to communicate in a positive way, how good manners result in good things. Jackie patiently reinforced each good dog behavior until Queenie got it, and then she would review and reward to keep the good behaviors in place. Queenie quickly became a wonderful member of the family. Yes, she pushed and sought out trouble wherever she could, but Jackie was there to help redirect her and teach her new ways of using her curiosity in fun games and activities with her family. There was no concern about biting or bad dog behavior. Queenie and the rest of her pack were calm and happy.

If you want your household to be more like Queenie’s, here are a few more simple dog training suggestions to help you take back your leadership position and create an orderly and calm household. (Review article #1 for the first set of suggestions).

1. First, get their attention!

Begin all communication with your dog’s name first. "Blah, blah, blah Benji" gets their attention at Benji. "Benji! Come! " sets Benji up for success.

2. Leader first!

You, the leader, always go first through doorways, gateways, car doors, etc . The leader goes first and the dog follows. Praise, praise, praise for honoring the leader.

3. Be kind!

This is so, so important. Use a gentle voice for most things. When you need to use a more stern approach, that’s fine. Just remember, your dog is looking to you for direction and guidance. Give it calmly and lovingly and you will see the difference. Your dog will love you and want to be with you and please you.

4. Let’s play! -- on MY terms.

Games and toys are great fun for dogs -- and you. Begin and end games as a leader does. YOU are in control, not Skipper. End the game before he gets bored and leaves. Keep him wanting more.

5. Let’s EAT!

Being a leader means eating first at mealtime. If you typically eat at about the same time your dog eats, you eat first and then feed your dog. (This suggestions points to another strong recommendation – no running buffet! )

Don’t let Fifi run your household. No matter how large or small the dog, or how cute and cuddly, if you do not step into the leadership role, your dog will. Take leadership of your pack back and begin to change that bad dog behavior. You CAN have Queenie in your household. Just start putting these dog training suggestions in place and you’ll notice the difference right away.

Be the leader--your dog will love you for it and work hard to please you!

Useful Dog Tricks performed by Jesse

Dogs Need Good Food Too � Your Guide To Your Dog�s Diet

Dogs’ nutritional needs may differ from ours. What we deem as healthy for us might not sufficient or appropriate for them. To give your dog the best nutrition available you will have to understand their specific needs and how to address them. After all, taking care of man’s best friend does take a little preparation and know-how.

Your dog needs the essential nutrients to grow, go, and glow. If your dog does not receive proper nutrients it may result in poor health, stunted growth, lethargy and shortened lifespan.

Dogs like most animal life forms need the six basic nutrients for survival: carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients serve different functions in sustaining the health and well-being of your dog. This guide will elaborate on dogs’ need of these nutrients.

1. Proteins: the building blocks of your dog’s health

Proteins are chemicals made of amino acids. Your dog can produce some of these chemicals in their own bodies. The rest has to be supplied through food. The best sources of these amino acids are meat and its byproducts. Dogs can extract proteins from these sources a lot easier than it would with plant sources.

Choose feeds that have an adequate amount of protein in them to help your puppies and working dogs grow. Too much of this, however , may cause kidney problems and has been known to cause temperament problems.

2. Fats: delivering other nutrients to the body

Fat sound like a bad word – everyone tries to avoid it because it causes tons of health problems. Dogs, however , just like man, also have a need for these nutrients – albeit in a moderate amount.

The right amount of fat is needed to promote good skin health, and to transport fat-soluble vitamins. Fats are also essential to kidney function and reproductive health. They make food tastier too. Too much fat will result in obesity and lethargy.

3. Carbohydrates: doggie fuel

Fifty percent of your dog’s diet should consist of carbohydrates since they need it for their energy. Corn is one of the more popular sources of this nutrient, along with soybeans. If this source is clean and of good nutritional quality then that should be fine as well.

4. Vitamins and Minerals: keeping your dog healthy

It would have been easier if your dog only had to splurge on vitamins and minerals to get optimal health. However , the opposite is true. Your dog needs an exact amount of vitamins and minerals to be healthy. Although, your dog may receive these nutrients from food, vitamin supplements for your dogs could be helpful. Specially formulated commercial feeds also make it easier for dog owners to give their dogs good nutrition.

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How to build a dog house for your puppy

So you'd like to know how to build a dog house? Well, that means we're talking to less than 50% of all dog owners. Why? Because current survey information at OpinionTrone says most dog owners (over 50%) allow their pets on the family couch. Furthermore, if you allow your pet on the couch, chances are that you do not HAVE a dog house!

But for those of you who do, there are really good things to remember about how to build a dog house:

1. Any good how to build a dog house plan should begin by making sure the house is big enough to accommodate your dog's ultimate grown-up size. You would not like to live in a house whose ceiling was below your head height--neither would your dog. Most humans like about 2 feet of air above themselves in a room in order to live without feelings of claustrophobia! That comfort zone is about 1/3 of their standing height. Allow your pet the same airiness. Figure out how tall it will stand as a mature pet and make sure the ceiling of the dog house is 1/3 again taller!

2. Raise the house a few inches off the ground to allow air and water to flow beneath. Ventilation is important for the health of your dog and to dissuade pests from invading its home. A few nickel-sized holes in the walls under the eaves should be sufficient. Install a wind block inside the house so the dog can use the heat of its own body to warm up the area if it is really cold and windy outside. Any good plan for how to build a dog house will have a house big enough so that a partial wall will allow the dog to escape the elements. The dog can choose whether to just sleep in the entry room or go around the inner archway maze wall into the inner sanctum. Both areas could have bedding or a pillow, such as one filled with cedar chips to discourage fleas.

3. Make the floor just the littlest bit slanted toward the doorway. Any good "how to build a dog house" plan will make certain that any rain that does enter via the ventilation holes or doorway automatically drains out. Make sure that the roof is built at a slant, as well, for obvious run-off reasons. Do not paint the inside of the house, but do make sure that the house is well insulated.

4. Make sure the dog house faces away from the major storm direction. In the U. S., most storms come from the south and west. Not all, mind you, but most! So most how to build a dog house plans will suggest that the ideal placement of a dog house door is to the east. That way, even in the wintertime, the cold north wind will not whip inclement weather into the dog's entryway.

5. Finally, almost all how to build a dog house plans will have you put hinges on the roof of the house for easy cleaning. When you clean the dog, you should clean its house and bedding--just as faithfully as you would wish your pet to be to you!

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Training Your Dog - Best Tips And Tricks Revealed

As soon as you first bring home your new puppy or dog the most crucial thing that you must do is to train your dog to be well behaved. The primary thing you should have when training your dog is the correct information, it will be irritating if you have been attempting really hard to train your dog only to discover that you have been doing things incorrectly! The greatest mistake you could make as a dog owner is not training your dog. Numerous people do not even try training their dogs because they don't know how to do it correctly or because they merely can't be bothered or are too slack. If you do not train your dog then your dog will probably be likely to develop bad habits and destructive behaviors when it's an older dog.

It is highly advisable that you should prepare your self and have an idea of what is to be expected when training your dog. Different breeds of dogs have different wants so it will be helpful to do some research about your dogs breed a little bit before you start training. After some research and you're feeling that you are ready, then you can start training your dog.

There are 2 primary categories of dog training - behavior training and obedience training.

Behavior training - Teaching your dog the rights and wrongs and preventing or stopping unwanted habits which could vary from chewing on your furniture, stopping disgusting behaviors such as poop eating (coprophagy), jumping on people to digging holes or barking excessively.

Obedience training - Basically teaches your dog to grow to be an obedient dog that will always comply with your household rules and do as you want such as to sit, come when called, lay down on command and much more. Potty training and lots of other types of training are involved in obedience training your dog.

The first most important rule when training your dog is to teach your dog its name. Use it on a regular basis, call your dog by its name each time you want to get your dogs attention. As soon as your dog is aware of its name and comes when called then you are able to make the leap and start on obedience training. The next big thing on your priority checklist ought to be to toilet train and house train your dog. Do you really need to put up with your dog relieving itself all over the place in the house for more than you have to? Of course not, so it's important that you should handle this as soon as you can. Throughout the training process accidents are unavoidable, especially if you have a puppy, puppies cannot hold it in as long yet however they'll be able to hold it in longer as they get older. It is your responsibility as a dog owner to simply clean up the mess till your dog has been toilet trained.

Short training sessions which are about fifteen to twenty minutes have been proven to be essentially the most effective. Lengthy training sessions that go for hours will often make dogs bored and lose interest. Attempt to train your dog about two - three times every day. Remember to revise over old and learned training once in a while so your dog does not forget. a good dog trainer will never punish their dog because this won't do any good and won't teach your dog anything but to only be afraid of you and will trigger bad habits for you to deal with in the future. a good dog trainer will always use praise and treats to reward their dog when it has accomplished the fitting thing. Be patient with training and keep training until your dog learns what you want it to do.

With proper obedience and behavior training, you will build a stronger bond together with your dog and be a proud owner of a cheerful and healthy dog that you would be proud to walk around on with and spend time bonding with. Training your dog is the most greatest thing you can do for your dog as it's the foundation to the beginning of an amazing life for your dog.

Amazing Dog Tricks by Paige the Border Collie!

Working Dog Breeds: The Top Ten Dogs Of This Group

The Working Dog group includes most of the guard dog breeds such as the Rottweiler and Doberman Pinscher as well as the northern sled dogs such as the Alaskan Malamute and the Siberian Husky. Most of these dogs need lots of exercise and a fair amount of living space. Many of these dogs have thick double coats and can be heavy shedders. The heavy shedding breeds include the: Akita, Alaskan Malamute, Great Pyrenees, Newfoundland, Saint Bernard, Samoyed and Siberian Husky. The top 10 most popular Working Dog breeds in the US according to the American Kennel Club 2005 registrations are discussed below and their registration rank is included in brackets.

1 . Boxer

The Boxer (#7) is a large, strong and muscular dog that is energetic, good-natured and playful. Boxers are very popular because they love children and are a good dog breed for active families with children. Toddlers and young children should be supervised carefully when around young or adolescent dogs that will knock them over when they get excited. This breed needs early socialization and obedience training while they are puppies and exercise while adolescents to control their exuberance. Boxers are alert, intelligent and eager to please and can be trained to a high level for agility sports and obedience competitions. Boxers make good watchdogs and can even be trained to be guard dogs.

2 . Rottweiler

The Rottweiler (#16) is a very heavy, muscular and large dog breed. A well-bred Rottweiler is calm, intelligent, confident and courageous but can be aggressive toward strangers and strange dogs. Therefore it is important that this breed be thoroughly socialized and obedience trained starting when it is a puppy and continuing through adolescence. The Rottie needs exercise and mental stimulation and makes a good obedience, agility and schutzhund competitor. Rottweilers are not suited for indoor life and enjoy being outside. A well trained Rottie does fine with older children but this breed should be restricted to people who have the time to thoroughly socialize, obedience train, and keep this dog active.

3. Doberman Pinscher

The Doberman Pinscher (#21) is a strong, muscular and athletic large dog. Dobermans are usually protective but also are sweet and docile family dogs. This intelligent breed needs early socialization and obedience training when it is a puppy and this should be continued through adolescence. Dobermans do fine with older children if they are raised with them. Male Dobes can be very aggressive with other male dogs and shouldn't be trusted with small pets and strange children. Dobermans need lots of exercise and companionship and shouldn't be left alone for long periods of time. This breed should spend a significant amount of time at a dog training school. Dobermans make good guard dogs and good watchdogs.

4. Great Dane

The Great Dane (#24) is a very large and strong dog and is known as the gentle giant of dog breeds. The Dane is gentle, quiet, loyal and affectionate towards its family. This breed would rather lean against you for a pat, than be aggressive towards anyone. The Dane is great with family children but small children must be supervised carefully to avoid knockdown. The Dane is so large that it must be socialized and trained to behave very cautiously around children and pets. Because the Dane is so large early obedience training is essential to prevent it from exerting dominance. Young Danes, up to three years old, can be boisterous and need strict supervision. Danes make excellent watchdogs.

5. Siberian Husky

The Siberian Husky (#25) is a very handsome medium to large dog breed that is playful, friendly, athletic and independent. Siberians get along well with older children but are not recommended for toddlers and small children unless raised with them from a puppy. Too many people are attracted to this handsome dog without realizing this is a working sled dog that needs a lot of physical activity. Siberians belong outside in an escape-proof large yard but get bored and destructive if they have too little exercise. Training is quite challenging and must be started when the Sibes are puppies and continued through to adulthood. Siberians don't bark much (although they howl from time to time) and are too friendly to make good watchdogs.

6. Mastiff

The Mastiff (#33) is a gentle giant dog and one of the heaviest dog breeds. This gentle giant is a great family dog that is calm, dignified, good-natured and very fond of children. Because of its giant size, toddlers are in danger of knock-down, and should always be supervised carefully. Mastiffs need a house with a large fenced yard. This breed needs lots of companionship and should have early and on-going socialization and obedience training so that you can control the Mastiff with only voice commands. This breed is naturally protective of its home and family and must be socialized early and often with other dogs to prevent it from becoming combative. Mastiffs make good watch dogs and guard dogs.

7. Saint Bernard

The massive Saint Bernard (#37) is the most famous of all giant dog breeds and one of the best known of all dog breeds. The Saint is an intelligent, courageous, obedient and good natured dog breed. The breed is very good with children and also other pets but because of their very large size, young children and toddlers should be supervised carefully to avoid any accidents. The Saint is relatively easy to train but must be thoroughly socialized and trained while it is young and hasn't grown too large to handle. The Saint Bernard makes a good watchdog even though it doesn't bark much and is fairly tolerant of strangers.

8. Bullmastiff

The Bullmastiff (#42) is a very large dog that is a cross between the Bulldog and the Mastiff dog breeds. The Bullmastiff is loveable and trustworthy but also fearless and afraid of nothing. Normally this breed is mild mannered and docile but once aroused can be aggressive with other male dogs and strangers. Bullmastiffs make great family pets for families with older children but young puppies or adolescents are too exuberant to be around toddlers or small children. Bullmastiff puppies must have early socialization and obedience training that is reinforced through adulthood. This dog breed is too large to allow it to have any unruly behavior and at any sign of aggression get professional training assistance. Bullmastiffs make fantastic watch dogs and great natural guard dogs but should never receive additional guard dog training.

9. Newfoundland

The Newfoundland (#46) or Newf is one of the giant dog breeds whose teddy bear appearance gives an indication of what a wonderful family dog it is. The Newfoundland has a wonderfully sweet and gentle disposition that is reflected in his kind expression. This intelligent, gentle and good-natured giant dog is great with children and makes a terrific family dog. Toddlers should be supervised carefully as one slurp from his big tongue could knock a little one over. Newfs and all giant breeds should be socialized and obedience trained early while puppies and through adolescence. Newfs need lots of companionship and need to be involved in family activities.

10. Bernese Mountain Dog

The Bernese Mountain Dog (#47) is a very handsome large dog which is outgoing, intelligent and affectionate and makes a terrific family pet. Berners love children but should be supervised with young children because they are large and can knock the toddlers over. Berners should be socialized early with small children and animals when they are puppies. Bernese are intelligent and very trainable and make good dogs for competitive obedience trials. These mountain dogs like to be outside and thrive in cold weather. Berners are fairly tolerant with strangers but still make excellent watch dogs and guard dogs.

Dog Training Tutorial- HOUSETRAINING

Choosing The Right Breed Of Dog For Your Family

There comes a time for most families to add a four-legged friend to the household. This decision is not one to be taken lightly. Choosing the right breed of dog can be the difference between complete happiness and absolute terror in your home. I have outlined the steps I walk through prior to bringing a dog into my home and I recommend these steps to my friends and family.

A good topic to discuss first is how much hair you are willing to put up with? You are going to have to deal with your dog’s hair in some fashion. He will either shed or require grooming. It’s a time vs . money question. You can always take the middle ground, though, and find a dog that sheds minimally a couple times of year.

The next thing to consider is how much time you have to devote to walks and playtime? Some breeds require a great deal of daily exercise. Without it, they can become very destructive. Choosing a breed with an energy level that fits your family’s time commitment can avoid a lot of behavioral problems.

Do you prefer a small or large dog? When considering the size of dog you must really think about the cost of maintaining the dog. It costs a great deal more to feed a St. Bernard than it does a Chihuahua. Medical expenses requiring anesthesia will also be greater as physicians charge by weight. Boarding kennels and groomers may charge by weight as well. The general rule is, the larger the dog, the more expensive it will be to care for him.

What type of temperament are you looking for? If you have kids, you will want to choose a breed that has a reputation for being good with children. If you want a good watch dog, choose a breed that has a natural guard instinct.

After answering these questions, you can look through any dog breed book and start comparing the qualities you’re looking for to the breeds listed. Write down at least 5 breeds that fit your needs. The next step is to research reputable breeders in your area (I recommend calling your local veterinarian first) and make contact with at least 3 for each breed. Yes, this will take time. But it is worth it to get the right dog. Interview each breeder thoroughly and share with them your list of qualities. Ask them if they would recommend their breed to you and if so , why. If not, why not? The breeder will be the expert on their breed and can prove to be a very valuable resource.

Once you have completed your research for all breeds, you will have a much clearer picture of which breed is right for you and your family. And, you have already interviewed breeders so you should have found at least one that you feel comfortable purchasing a dog from. If you don’t want a puppy, please consider going through a breed rescue organization or your local animal shelter. There are so many great dogs of all ages and breed type in desperate need of good homes. Your home may just be the perfect match!

I hope you find these tips helpful in your journey to finding the perfect dog. Take your time, do your research and you will find the companion best suited for your family. Best of luck!

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The Labrador Retriever Breed

Purebreds and Cross Breeds: Good Temperament vs Good Health

Purebreds, you can find them in movies, in forums, web sites and even exclusively in dog shows. They are popular and are well-liked by many people and dog owners. Cross breeds also known as mutts are not so fortunate. They get little attention and are widely found in animal shelters. Why is there such a huge disparity? This article seeks to discuss that and help you learn more about pure and mixed breeds.

Pure Breeds are dogs that are well-documented and acknowledged by the public as a group with similar lineage. They are selectively bred dogs that produce a particular body type and specific behaviors that are relatively similar throughout the particular breed. In order for a dog to be recognized as a true breed, it must be proven that its parents are of the same ancestry such that they will pass on their exact temperament, characteristic and appearance - this is known as breeding true.

For people involved with professional breeding, there is a huge difference between purebreds and mutts. Some cross breeds might well be purebred, they only lack the proper paper to prove that they are so. If you are looking for a pet and have no interest in entering competitions with your dog, this might be a viable option for you and the cost is considerably lower too.

The selection process of purebreds is done very carefully. The pair is tested for every possible disease which includes having all the information regarding the pair's ancestors and health records on file. Should there be no problem in the history of the pair, then the breeding can begin. During testing, should the pair is not compatible due to diseases that are common in a specific breed, another dog will be selected as a match instead.

There are many places to get a dog such as a kennel or the pet store but if you want to get a purebred, it is advisable to seek a reputable breeder to get the best results.

Cross breeds in contrast are likely to have been bred out of experimentation to produce a better, stronger and healthier breed than its parents. It is also very likely that they are the results of accidents. On the whole, cross breeds are so different it is almost impossible for anyone to list down their various characteristics in details.

When it comes to the dog's health, purebreds could encounter lesser problems because the breeder has done a good job in screening and getting the best and healthy dogs to breed. On the other hand, a relatively common issue with purebreds is that they face higher chances to inherit health problems from their parents; eye diseases that cause blindness, bone and joint disorders that cause lameness, sudden heart disease that causes early death, epilepsy, seizures, or immune system diseases, just to name a few of the over 300 genetic health defects documented in dogs.

The chances of a purebred being infected with inherited health issues is much higher due to 2 primary reasons:

1 . The AKC makes it compulsory for all purebreds involve in the breeding process to be dogs that are registered with them, only then will their offspring be recognized as purebreds. This rule take off the large majority of other dogs that could have been available to breed. Because of this reason, most purebreds are bred on a close gene pool with similar ancestry. Without the introduction of new and unrelated genes in to the breed in the long run, purebred dogs suffer from "loss of genetic diversity, " which inevitably leads to dogs with inherited health problems.

2 . There are instances where certain breeders are more concerned about financial gain rather than the welfare of the animal. This is especially true of those breeders who do not practice the strict guidelines of proper breeding thereby producing inferior dogs.

To avoid getting a dog with inherited health problems, you should always look for responsible breeders who make their dogs go through medical tests as proof of good health. Some of the health tests are - Cardiac test to detect certain heart diseases, Ophthalmic test to determine the presence of PRA and cataracts, X-rays to detect hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia. Bear in mind that not all tests are required as certain inherited health problems are present in certain breeds only.

Mixed bred dogs on the other hand are surprising generally healthier than purebreds. Cross breeds tend to enjoy better health and vigor because of their wide range of genes diversity. The main reason is because the parents' genes are by and large not related, it is highly unlikely for the puppy to inherit bad genes that are not presented in both parents. It is usually the pairing up of the same defective genes that cause inherited health problems to occur.

Some dog owners has a tendency to like purebreds more than cross breeds. The primary reason is that it carries a certain prestige with it, often glamorized by television, movies and breeders. They are also constantly featured at dog shows where mixed dogs are not allowed to compete in without a compelling reason.

These incidents led the public to believe that the cross breeds are inferior dogs when compare to the purebreds, therefore they create lesser interests and awareness from the public. It is a shame to see most of them being round up frequently and left to die in animal shelters.

To conclude, purebreds will give you predictable characteristics that you are looking for in a dog, but suffer from higher potential for genetic defects and inherited health problems.

Cross breeds are more likely to be healthier on the whole, nevertheless, you have to accept the fact that your dog has the chance to grow up into something that is not predictable, including his appearance and temperament. The only option is to make smart educated guesses by observing its parents closely. Nevertheless, you also know that your dog is truly unique and one of its kind.

To bring a dog into your life is a long commitment and possibly a life changing decision. You should avoid making a decision to get a puppy solely on the fact if it is pure breed or not. In fact , the more important aspect is to consider getting a dog breed that suits your lifestyle and family.


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Ultimate Talking Dog : German Shepherd Talks for bacon

How to Puppy-Proof Your House: Safety for Your pup, peace of mind for you

The decision to bring a puppy home is just the first step towards a long commitment. The first and foremost thing to do is to get the house ready for the arrival of the new pup. Your house could be a danger zone for a puppy considering the curiosity of a new pup. You need to puppy proof your house, make sure it is safe and that all the essential puppy supplies are bought.

But how do you know if your house is safe and ready for your new puppy? Listed below is a checklist for you to take note of before you bring your new puppy home:

1 . Clear your house of poisonous items - Have you cleared your house of all poisonous items and taken them out of your pup's reach? If you haven't, now is the time to put away cleaners, laundry detergents, bleach, disinfectants, insecticides, cleaning fluid, fertilizers, mothballs and antifreeze in cabinets or high up on shelves. Of course , as he grows, and if he has an adventurous streak, he's sure to jump high on to your shelves to find out what's where.

2 . Secure all medications and unauthorized foods - These items will cause food poisoning or damages to your dogs' health - Drugs such as Motrin and Tylenol causes liver damage. Common household food items that are harmful include alcoholic beverages, avocado (the only "fatty" member of the vegetable family), coffee, salt, yeast dough, garlic, fatty foods - turkey, artificial sweeteners – Xylitol, potatoes, onions, nuts, chocolate, grapes and raisins.

3. Uproot all life-threatening plants - Do you have life-threatening plants at home? Seemingly harmless plants such as apricot pits, spinach and tomato vines are dangerous to your pup. You can find a detailed listing of poisonous houseplants that you might have in your family, at this site: www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/cover1.htm

You can also ask your vet for more such plants that could affect your pet's health and life - If your puppy has ingested poisonous plants, contact: Animal Poison Control Center at - 888-4ANI-HELP - (888-426-4435)

4. Put away dangerous objects - Position electrical cords out of your puppy's reach, so that he cannot chew them. Pick up and keep dangerous loose items such as nails if they are lying around. Put away all sharp objects such as wires, sewing needles and pins, far away from your puppy's reach. This is to prevent your puppy from swallowing them as such items can harm his mouth and internal organs.

5. Supervise your puppy's movement - Don't let your pup remain by himself, unsupervised for long, irregardless of him being indoors or outdoors. Also, remember to keep him away from balconies, upper porches and high decks or he may just slip through the railings and fall. Remember to keep your toilet cover seat down: puppies sometimes like to play in water. Frolicking in the toilet bowl is harmful for him as he may swallow the toilet cleanser. Also, don't tie ribbons round his neck because he may chew it and this can lead to digestive problems or choke himself if the ribbon gets snagged on other things.

Preparing the Essential dog Supplies

1 . Food and water bowls - Select solid and stable bowls that won't tip over when he eats or drinks out of it. Are they easy to clean? Buy one each for food and water. Initially, buy small bowls and then as he grows older, buy him larger ones. If you do this, he won't develop the habit to overeat for his age nor will he fall into his water bowl whenever he goes to take a drink.

2 . Collar - There are a large variety of lightweight collars available for your puppy. No matter which one you choose, attach an identification tag, listing your puppy's name, your address and phone number.

Let his first collar be made of lightweight nylon or leather. To get a good fit, you should measure his neck properly. To do so, measure the circumference of his neck and add two inches to it. To be sure that the collar fits properly, slide two fingers between his collar and your pup's neck. If it's a snug fit, the size is right. But if there's too much space, you need a smaller collar. If your fingers don't fit in comfortably, the collar size is way too small. Your pup may take a little while to adjust to his collar, so give him time to get used to it.

3. Leash - Leashes come in many lengths and styles, such as leather, nylon and retractable leashes. If you buy a six-foot leash it would serve both as a leash for training and walking.

It is important to keep your dog leashed unless he is in a close-up area such as a fenced in yard. In many parts of the U. S., leash laws prevail, making it mandatory to keep your puppy on his leash at all times. If he's unleashed, you may be fined. If your dog happens to defecate in public places, you are expected to clean up after him.

4. Grooming supplies - Grooming him means investing in a number of tools but this will depend on the dog breed you buy and his coat length. For short haired breeds, do invest in a brush with natural bristles, a rubber currycomb or a hand mitt. Sturdy wide-toothed metal combs, flea combs and mat splitters are needed for long haired breeds.

5. Toys - To entertain and exercise your pup, buy him a few toys, as this will help him exercise and get over their cravings for chewing. Choose toys specifically designed for pups – ones that can't be splintered, torn or swallowed. What's fun and safe to have are rawhide chips, nylon chews and hard rubber balls. And, if they don't fit comfortably in his mouth, it's not right for him.

6. Recommended puppy food - Give him his essential nutritive foods and get him used to a feeding schedule. Seek advice from your breeder directly or from your veterinarian.

7. Crate or sleeping bed - A Crate is basically a big cage made of metal, plastic or wood. Available in many sizes, the crate should be big enough for your dog to stand up, turn around easily, as well as lie down in. It should be airy. It is recommended to set up your pup's sleeping area in a place where it is warm, comfortable and within your sight. A crate serves very well as a den in your absence from the house. A crate could also be a portable crate enclosed in plastic or a simple wire crate.

When you buy an adult-sized crate, also buy partitions, or place a cardboard box in the back to serve as a cozy space for him. Apart from the crate, set up a sleeping area for him, for the times when you are at home and the crate is not in used. Buy a puppy-sized bed instead of an adult-sized bed, so that he is safe and snug.

A crate when used in the right way promotes good sleeping habits, helps in potty training your dog and discourage undesirable behaviors like nuisance barking and chewing. It can also be a safe confinement for your dog when he's not supervised at home or when you are driving. A crate is so useful, every owner should have one!

8. Stain and scent remover - To take the odor away from his nose, buy a stain and scent remover. This helps in house training and the maintenance of your house cleanliness.

These are the basic essentials a puppy owner should prepare when bringing a brand new pup home. Do take the time to ensure that your house has been ‘puppy-proofed' and you will find that the preparation will make socializing your new puppy a lot easier!

101 Dog Tricks with Kyra Sundance