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Imagine taking your pup for a nice long walk only to have it abruptly interupted by your dogs aggression towards another puppy he sees. Or the aggression might flare up because of a new person in your presence. No matter which, the process of training a dog that is aggressive proves to be difficult even for experienced dog owners.

Animal behavior is largely determined during the development stage, so there are important steps that dog owners should take to ensure that pets can develop proper modes of pro-social behavior as they develop. Importantly, your dogs behavior during his grown up years is going to be largely impacted by how you treat your pup during his first year. Puppies who receive attention, care and affection prior to maturity are able to develop pro-social norms of behavior. For puppies who lack an early supportive environment, it can be an uphill battle for pet owners to properly cultivate behavioral traits.

Often times, dogs will show aggression even when his owner is super friendly. Breed, environment, and genetics will cause your puppies behavior to change some but there are ways to ensure proper behavior around other dogs. Dogs, like most species, try to establish dominance of their environment, so they must be gently disciplined to understand proper behavior.

Animals may become aggressive out of dominant behavioral traits or out of fear - in either case it’s possible to ensure your dog is properly socialized before these traits are established. The training process is not helped when you get a dog with aggression issues already, especially if the dog is full grown. Dog Aggression often times leads to people giving up their furry friend unnecessarily and if they used some solid training they could avoid that heart breaking process.

Understanding their role in your home is a basic foundation your dog must understand which will lead to them respecting you, your visitors, and other family members. In particular, all dogs need time outdoors to explore and to experience the environment. Keeping your pup in fine physical condition is of the utmost importatance which makes regular visits to the vet a necessity.

By setting up an environment that rewards proper modes of behavior (and gently punishes mistakes), a dog will begin adapting to the environment. Dogs set in their ways will over time change bad behaviors with proper training, but it’s much more effective to have trained them correctly from the beginning. You may want to attend professional obedience school with your dog to further learn how to inculcate proper temperament so you can share an enjoyable home environment.

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Do you have a shy or fearful dog?  He’s probably very attached to you, but is leery of strangers.  Your pet may even go so far as to growl and snap at unfamiliar people or dogs who get too close.  People may say he’s a “one-person dog.”

It’s important to work on training your shy dog before his behavior escalates to fear aggression in dogs.  This type of aggressive dog behavior is characterized at first by growling at people he doesn’t know, and can quickly progress to snapping and biting.

Why Is My Dog Shy?

Sometimes a dog is shy or fearful of strangers due to a bad experience somewhere along the line.  Some cases are due to genetics.  But most cases of shyness in dogs are caused by one thing; neglecting to socialize a puppy in his first few months of life.  It’s also very important not to stop socializing your dog too soon, as many dogs go through a shy period around six months of age.

Are You Teaching Your Dog To Be Shy?

Speaking softly and reassuringly to your fearful dog in an attempt to calm him down is a mistake.  First, you’re teaching him that if he hides, or growls, or even snaps at someone, he’ll be rewarded with your praise and attention.

Second, consider the sound of your voice when you’re comforting your dog.  To your canine, it sounds like a dog’s whimper.Your dog may not understand what you’re saying, but he definintely understands how it sounds.He’ll become even more anxious about the stranger because he thinks you’re whimpering at him.

Training Your Shy Dog

Socializing your dog when he’s a puppy is the best way to prevent your canine from becoming a shy dog.  He needs to be exposed to a wide variety of people, places, and dogs so that he can learn through experience that there’s nothing to be scared of.

If your canine friend is already a shy adult, socializing your dog is still possible.  It takes longer, and you’ll need lots of patience, but  it can be done.

The important thing to remember with training your shy dog is not to rush him.  If you try to force him into socializing with unfamiliar people or dogs, all you’ll do is reinforce his belief that these things are scary.  Plus he may feel that he has no choice but to defend himself, which leads to aggressive dog behavior.

Don’t let a stranger get close to your dog and try to pet him.Allow your dog to make the first move.  If he doesn’t want to, that’s fine.  If he’s hiding, don’t try to coax him out, as he’ll think you’re praising him for hiding out.

Ignore your dog when he acts shy or scared around strange people or dogs.  Keep him on his leash, and don’t let him get close enough to start displaying fear aggression in dogs.  Let him hang back and check out the situation from a distance.  When he’s ready, he’ll get closer on his own to the stranger.  This is when you praise him lavishly.

A Good Dog Training Course Can Work Wonders With A Shy Dog

You can see how easy it is to give your dog the wrong idea.  The fact is that dogs just don’t think like people do.  Understanding how your dog thinks is crucial to training shy dog properly.

Investing in a good dog training course is essential.  You’ll want to find out what other dog owners who have used the course think of it.You’ll want to check for testimonials from people who have used the course to see how satisfied they are with it.

If you’re struggling with a shy or fearful dog, just click on any link in this article to learn more about a dog training course that includes a free consultation with an experienced dog trainer.

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Though, slightly harder than training a pup, crate training a dog isn’t as tough as some might envision.  If done correctly, your dog will feel at ease within his crate and not be capable of causing problems while you are not in the same room watching him.

Here are a few ideas that may help you to make crate training an acceptable experience.

*Is The Crate The Proper Size

A correctly sized crate for your dog allows him to stand, turn around, and move within the crate. If they are not able to do those types of things easily, then the crate is not big enough.

You can purchase a special type of cushion made to fit in your crate, or you can put whatever he normally lays on in there.

If the bedding is comfortable, it does not matter if it was made especially for this crate.  Another good idea is to select bedding which is easy to wash.

Often times dogs can be mistreated by past owners, and if you are attempting to crate train and your dog seems afraid of the crate, it could be because it was punished or neglected in a crate in the past.  These issues will require more patience with your pet in order to successfully crate train.

Crate Training A Dog

*Take Your Time

Begin by putting the crate in a room where the dog currently is comfortable and spends allot of his time.  Let the crate there and the door ajar. Let your dog go inside at his own pace, don’t rush him.

Increase your dog’s acceptance of the crate by placing his beloved toys or treats nearby. Gradually move the treats or toys further inside the crate.

If your pet goes inside of its own accord, you can have a go at shutting the door (just don’t exit the room; make sure your pet knows you are there).  Start by having it shut for a few minutes at a time.

Increase the amount of time spent in the crate gradually.

It won’t be to long before you can leave him in there for longer periods of time.  Next, go out of the room for just a couple of minutes, and then slowly increase the amount of time that you are out of the room and away.

You must not progress to the next phase until your pet appears to be comfortable with the present phase.

Never use the crate as a form of punishment, that is a common mistake made by to many people.
  
Your dog will correlate negativity with the crate by doing this. If done properly, your dog will think that its a good place to live without any fear or tension.

House Breaking Your Dog

Once you have successfully introduced the crate training, you will be able to leave him in the crate for hours at a time.

Some people make the decision to put their dog in a crate while they are at work.  Many people may leave their dog in a crate overnight.  You really must not, however, participate in both things. 

If you keep a dog in a crate for 8 hours during the day and then 8 hours at night they will spend more than half their lives in a crate.  This is not acceptable.

Appropriate crate training is really not a fast or simple process.  Although it make take several weeks or even months, having your dog crate trained is truly worthwhile.  A crucial component of crate training is to make sure your dog learns to relate positively to the crate. 

Assist him in learning that he is in a safe place while you are gone.

By staying the course, all should be well.

How To Train A Dog

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A lot of us enjoy Halloween and we want to include our pets in the fun, but we must be careful because our pets can become scared by all the noises, strange costumes and visitors coming to the door. Plan ahead and if your pet is one to bark at every visitor or try to bolt out the door, then confinement to a back bedroom may be warranted. Be safe by making sure your pet has an ID tag, microchip or even a GPS tracker in case he escapes or gets lost.

Halloween has the highest incidence of lost dogs, injuries from car accidents, and accidental poisoinings than any other holiday. The Halloween holiday has a higher number of dog bites to children and to people the dog is normally social around. You are resposible for protecting and controlling your pet to keep him from escaping or accidentally biting the trick or treaters coming to your door.
Halloween costumes may frighten our pets. Be extra cautious with your dog so he won’t be scared or try to attack the stranger in a costume. Masks or hats can sometimes confuse your dog or trigger territorial instincts even if they are normally familiar with that person. Even my own dog, Jake, did not like the “monster” that had swallowed my son and tried to pull the costume off of him. We had to take our son with the coustume in a bag to his friends house to change and go trick or treating. We even attempted to put a costume on Jake, but he did not tolerate that either. Some dogs love the costumes, and some dogs hate it.

If you want your dog to wear a costume for Halloween, make sure he is comfortable at all times. Avoid costumes that use rubber bands or can restrict circulation or breathing. Check for toxic paints or dyes. Try dressing your pet up a few days earlier to get him used to the idea rather than waiting for Halloween. If your pet becomes uncomfortable with his costume, at least get a quick picture, then let him go trick or treating in his birthday suit.
When your child returns with their treats, be sure to put the goodies far out of reach of your pet. Chocolate is toxic to dogs and pets are known to eat the goodies; wrappers, sticks and all. Also, watch your treat bowl. An unguarded treat bowl brimming with goodies is tempting to your dog.  Nothing ruins a Halloween festivity than a trip to the animal emergency hospital with a sick pet.
Halloween can be fun for you and your pet with a little planning and safeguarding your pet against escape, injury or poisoning.

Technorati Tags: dog costumes, halloween, pet costumes, safety

To stop dog from chewing on unacceptable items, you must firstly understand why he is chewing on them at all.

Click For more on stop a dog chewing

Training your pet what he can and cannot chew on could save his life or at the very least your furnishings.

Your pet could be in danger if he chooses the wrong thing to chew,electrics or something poisonous for example. His mouth, throat or digestive sytem could be damaged. Something that contains fiberglass for example, may not feel sharp, but would fill his mouth and throat with glass splinters. And of course, he could chew on something toxic. And of course, your belongings can be damaged in the process.

Despite how dangerous it can be to chew on these things, it seems to be irresistible to dogs. Why is that? There are a number of causes for chewing, and for inappropriate chewing in particular. All canines chew, instinctively, as a way to keep their jaws strong; of course, they themselves don’t know why they chew, only that it’s fun. Your understanding of this instinctive need is the key to successful training.

Unwanted chewing is created because it is the dogs natural instinct to chew, he simply doesnt realise that some things are ok and others are not. If you have considered all the factors and concluded that it is just his instinct then provide him with dog chews as alternatives. Give him praise when he chews one of his toys and if he chooses something that is not acceptable then take if off him in no uncertain terms. Your dog will learn what he is and what he is not allowed to chew.

Click For more on dog training methods here

There are certain factors that make chewing worse, however, and they’ll require extra attention.

Just as human children teeth, and experience discomfort, so do puppies. Especially as his adult teeth begin to grow, a puppy’s jaws will ache and his gums will itch. Chewing soothes him both by exercising his jaw, and by taking his mind off the uncomfortable feelings. To help him feel better,and save your shoes from being gnawed on,buy him a puppy-teething toy. They can be filled with water and frozen, and are designed both to entertain your pup and make his mouth hurt less.

Anxiety caused by boredom or being left alone for long periods can also lead to your dog chewing. If he’s left by himself for a long time, or if you often confine him to a small space without any company or entertainment, your dog will naturally become anxious. To distract himself, he’ll find something to chew on. You can solve this by spending as much time with him as you can, and when you have to leave him alone, make sure he has plenty of toys he likes, and bones to chew. Think about getting a friend or a professional dog walker to help if he does have to be left.

To stop dog from chewing, consider why he does it.Provide alternative things to chew on and show him how to understand what he can chew on and what he cannot.

LOOKING FOR MORE ON DOG TRAINING METHODS

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Since brushing dogs’ teeth is not always the easiest of tasks, conscientious owners give their dogs bones to help keep their teeth clean. The chewing helps to clean off debris and tartar from their teeth. Dogs love the different varieties, and they’re good for giving your dog something to do.

One example of a potentially dangerous dog treat is dog rawhide. Dogs love it because it tastes like meat, but they can possibly choke on pieces of rawhide that they rip off the treat. When your dog swallows hard rawhide pieces, the can scrape the esophagus or throat. Rawhide can sometimes cause an obstruction in your dog’s intestines. If you’ve ever checked out a partially eaten rawhide dog chew, you’ll find that it’s gummy and wet. So your dog swallowing that is a lot like us swallowing chewing gum – not a good thing.

Another treat that your dog will love is cow hooves, but they can lead to some of the same problems as rawhide. On top of all that, they are sometimes hard enough to crack your dog’s teeth. If your dog swallows an uneven, sharp piece of a cow hoof, it can tear the wall of the bowel. Often death, or at least infection, can be the result. It’s just not worth the chance.

Pig ears can contain salmonella, and they can also cause blockages. Rather than risking an injury or illness, it’s better to go with safer dog treats.

There are safer dog bones for your furry friend to enjoy. Especially in this age of all-natural products, you can find many different kinds of dog treats that are healthy for your dog and that don’t pose so many potential risks.

As you can tell from their name, Nylabones are made from nylon. They are very strong. Unlike rawhide, they will not break into chunks or splinter. The whole bone is digestible, and even aggressive chewers will have a good time with a nylon bone. When the Nylabone is down to a little stump, pitch it and get your dog a new one.

One brand of highly digestible and low-fat fake pig ears are called Better than Ears. Healthy ingredients like soy flour and wheat bran make them better than pig’s ears. Dogs adore Better than Ears. They just don’t last!

Here are some tips on how to give dog bones and when to not give them bones as dog chews. Never give your dog chicken bones. They can become lodged in your dog’s throat or even splinter.

Compressed rawhide, on the other hand, is not dangerous like regular rawhide. The rawhide bone is dense due to compressed layers of beef hide. This kind lasts up to five times longer than regular rawhide dog bones.

Check the ingredients and take a look at the bones when you’re buying dog treats for your little buddy. Greasy looking ones aren’t healthy for your dog. It’s a good idea to watch your dog whenever you give him a new type of dog bone to chew on. If it splinters or if it looks like it may be dangerous for your dog, throw it away. Don’t take a chance with the health and safety of your best friend.

For more dog treat information and advice please visit me at Dogs Love Dog Treats .

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Got a new puppy? Excited to teach it how to sit, stay, fetch? Need a couple of dog training tricks to get your puppy to behave?

I remember the excitement I felt the first time I went to a pet store to purchase my very own dog. There were a dozen other pups yipping and yelping for our attention, but one puppy caught my eye. It was brownish-gold cocker spaniel with adorable puppy dog eyes, flappy ears and the softest paws. And it was just begging (i.e. jumping, yapping, whining) to be brought home. Well, needless to say, I fell for the shameless puppy-begging hook, line and sinker. But what I didn’t know then was that I was in for quite a ride.

Taking care of a dog is a lot like taking care of kid. They’re needy, helpless and quite clueless about everything. It takes a while for a dog to understand what you’re trying to say to it (“No, pillows are for sleeping not chewing”) and – unlike human babies – will never develop the capability to communicate with you through speech.

So, how can you possibly train your dog?

Remember the saying “it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks?” Well, that saying is very true. It is important that you start training your pup as soon as you can, otherwise it’ll develop habits of its own that will be hard to break. I started training my dog a few days after I got him when he was less than three months old.

Dogs learn through good and bad experiences. That’s why the “reward and punishment” system works best when dog training. If you want to teach your dog to sit, for example, make sure you have a bag of treats ready.

Hold a treat in your hand and hold it up at the dog’s eye level, close enough for him to see it and far enough so he won’t be able to snap at it. Say “sit” firmly. Raise the treat higher up until the dog assumes a sitting position. When he sits, reward him with the treat. Repeat until he learns to sit even without you holding a treat.

Once your pup has learned how to listen to you, start introducing some dog training tricks.  Fetching sometimes comes naturally to some dogs, while others need to learn how to fetch.  Take your dog to a fenced in yard and give him some treats while showing him how to run after the ball.

Other dog training tricks to start with are roll-over, paw-shaking, and playing dead.  Always offer positive reinforcement and reward them with treats.

Feel free to check out this great resource for dog training.

For more information check out Cris Santeiro’s blog for more dog training tricks and advice.

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Step 1: Play with your dog for at least 5 to 10 minutes before trying to teach something. This reinforces your bond with your pet and domination over him because the dogs all about hierarchy. The next step should involve you talking to your dog, comforting him, and then you can begin teaching new tricks. Make sure they get ample amounts of water from adjustable dog bowls when training.

Step 2: Prior to giving a command to your dog, make sure that your dog is fully aware of you and what you are about to teach him. Use your hands, since dogs by nature are very visual and the pet knows that your hands will give you the treatment, so your hands look when they try to teach.

Step 3: Use specific commands with your hands together with words spoken to help your dog to understand. At first your dog will not do anything while you do your signs that are fine. Never hit the dog while you’re teaching, but use a firm voice and say no! After that you must teach your dog to do physically. When you meet the objective, praise it too, give it its reward and wait an hour to re-teach what to do. A reward could be anything from a treat to dog paw jewelry.

Step 4: After teaching him patience, your dog will learn the trick. Expect at least a week to teach and ask another trick, tricks that you know at least two times per day.

Step 5: Teach your dog a new trick, but don’t forget to praise him afterwards; your pet gives you love without asking for anything in return so show him the love he deserves. It’s necessary constantly to show the animal through basic training, who is the leader, respect for the animal to its owner and follow directions. You will want to teach your puppy simple commands at first, such as recognizing his name, “sit”, “stay”, and so forth. The word NO, when doing something wrong. One of the first activities that teach the puppies is to relieve themselves in an appropriate manner. If they do it on your carpet, then pet stain and odor remover is necessary.

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All breed dog grooming is for professionals, that is a fact! A dog owner will usually learn how to groom his/her pet according to the breed specificity, but an expert needs training to handle all kinds of dogs of different breeds and sizes. You can learn all breed dog grooming by taking some classes or courses designed especially to meet the needs of those who want to make a living out of this profession. Over the years, plenty of schools have been founded and there is even the possibility to  take a certification online, through long distance courses. In case this alternative works for you, then, the trainer you pay for the classes should be accredited.

Once the all breed dog grooming training is complete you can move on to the next level: starting your own business. Vet centers, rescue centers, kennels and local groomers service local neighborhoods. In case you are trying to launch your business, you should first invest in grooming equipment such as table and brushes.

Look for Discount Dog Grooming Jacket in our Dog Grooming Tools store.

All items of equipment have a certain role to play, and you don’t know when some will prove very useful. All breed dog grooming cannot be performed without a very large range of hair combs, brushes, clippers, grinders and the rest, so that all the challenges of the grooming can be faced successfully. Experience and skill are the advantages that will win you most customers. All breed dog grooming means working on all sorts of dogs, some hairier than the rest. There is a simple explanation for this: a thick-haired dog that needs special coat cutting will be difficult for the owner to groom at home. There is a lot of work for such cases, but there is more money too! Be reasonable in your pricing policy, because, this too attracts customers.

All breed dog grooming is also tackled with in lots of books written by expert groomers. Nevertheless, although such guides are practical and useful, they do not qualify one for a real dog grooming career. You still have to go through the training steps necessary for authorization. Any business requires certification and authorization, and those are the first things you should be concerned about!

Technorati Tags: animal, dog, dog grooming, dog owner, dog training, dogs, nature, pets

If you own a dog, you probably already know this: Dogs want to be trained. They want to please their master and through training they learn how to do this. So, the first step in dog training is to realize that it is a win-win situation; both you and the dog will be better off. (For more information, please see Charlie LaFave’s Dog Training Secrets.)

Whether or not your dog is smart, he still can be trained. Some basic strategies must be followed though. The first involves the use of rewards. Dogs must learn English but they do immediately understand rewards. A reward says to the dog, “You did exactly what I asked in that command.” A reward underscores good behavior.

In one sense, a dog is like a baby. Successful training for both involves consistency and clarity. Clarity means that we use the same phrase for the same command. If, for example, you say, “Come,” “Here, boy,” “Over here,” and use a waving gesture randomly to train your dog to come, he will be confused. Instead, use a gesture and a word, like pointing down and saying, “Come” every time you want to dog to come. When he comes, give him a treat or at least verbal praise and a pat.  Once he consistently follows this, you can wean him from the gesture.

Consistency, say the best dog training books, involves making your expectations of the dog constant. For example, if the dog obeys a command three times and then doesn’t obey the fourth time, something different has to happen for him to get the message this was not acceptable. This may involve sad or harsh words and, of course, no reward. The dog must be expected to do the command every time it is given, without exception. If you don’t mean for him to obey, don’t give him the command.

For proper training, be sure that the dog’s basic needs are met. For example, if the dog is overdue for a bladder emptying and he is not allowed outside, don’t punish him for wetting the carpet. If the dog is starved, it may not be time to train him to roll over. Basic needs for a dog would include food, water, exercise, acceptance, and safety.

Choose a time to train your dog that we can adhere to consistently, daily. Then follow your schedule like an important appointment. Keep the training times short so that you can get the most out of each one. Usually 15-20 minutes at a time is best. Keep the session focused on one new trick, rather than trying to teach several at a time.

Be patient. The intelligence of your dog is far below yours. Repeat the command over and over until he gets it. But don’t expect too much of him.

Each of these points is vital for the success of your training program. By following them, you will be proud of your dog, and your dog will be happy that he has pleased you.

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