Learn how to properly train your dog when you answer the door; learn more tips on dog training in this free pet obedience video taught by an experience dog trainer. Expert: Ryan Gwilliam Bio: Ryan Gwilliam has trained over 10 dogs. He specializes in obedience training. Filmmaker: joseph wilkins
Posts Tagged ‘Dog’s’
Dog Training Tips : How to Answer a Door with Dogs
Thursday, December 24th, 2009Dogs in Hot Cars
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009There has been a lot of publicity in the last few years and even recently about dogs being left in hot overheating cars in the hot summers, by now most people know that hot cars are a real danger for dogs but there are still some of you out there that don’t seem to take the situation serious enough, or don’t realise how quickly the situation can change.
Every year dogs die because they are trapped in a heated car while their owners go into a shop, store, or any other situation when the dog will be left for long periods of time.
Dogs do not have the ability to sweat in heated conditions causing them to overheat a lot quicker than humans, along with the dog’s big fur coat; this makes a recipe for disaster on a hot day. As the heat rises outside it can be less than 10 minutes before your dog is screaming to get out in the agonising heat of the car.
You may think that your car windows being slightly open will help your dog and keep them cool, but this is not the case. If your car windows are slightly open then there will not be enough fresh air coming in to cool your dog quickly enough and if you have your windows fully open you risk loosing your dog in an unfamiliar place or even get stolen.
When a dog overheats it causes a very agonising death, if you have to rescue or treat an over heated dog you should cool them down with cool water ( not cold, this could cause to much shock to the system), or use a wet towel and wrap them in it, feed them cool water or a nice ice cube to lick and then proceed to consult a vet about the situation and get a full examination for your dog.
Bad Foods for Dogs
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009You may have seen many articles on the best and healthiest diet for your dog, but what foods should your dog not eat and what will help your dog’s health in the short and long term.
There are many different cases to look at when defining bad foods for dogs but there are guidelines that can be followed to prevent dog pests, dog diarrhea, and many other illnesses that can affect your dog. Routing through trash is another bad idea for your dog and if you discover this is a problem then it should be strictly disciplined.
So what should you avoid to maintain your dog’s immune system and keep their digestive system intact? Here are some bad ideas and health effecting foods that may harm your dogs health if you’re not careful. Please note that some dog food quality standards may have changed since the writing of this article.
Processed foods
These canned processed foods are nothing but bad news for your dog, after all the processing they are left with not much nutrients for your dog, the quality of meat is poor and other chemicals used in this food make for a bad dog diet and although some rare cases may exist it is generally best avoided.
Chicken Bones
Chicken bones, although you may suspect that it is ok to feed you dog on these leftover bits of meat can be harmful to your dog and when your dog chews the bone it can break and cause a choking hazard and mouth damage.
Chocolate
Chocolate contains caffeine which is considered bad for your dog’s nervous system and heart. And also contains sugar and sweetness that is not good for your dog.
Other Bad Foods
Citrus oil extracts, grapes and raisins, rotten foods and mushrooms amongst others.
Be sure to check labels and research anything you are thinking of feeding your dog before hand.
Guide Dog Training : Guide Dogs for Blind & Visually Impaired
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
A popular myth is guide dogs are only trained for blind people. Learn who benefits from guide dogs from a guide dog training expert in this free educational video. Expert: Ian Ashworth Bio: Ian Ashworth is the program director for Dog Guides Canada, an organization that provides Dog Guides to Canadians. Filmmaker: Kevin Fletcher
Dog Traiing – Stray Dogs
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009Hundreds if not thousands of stray dogs are found each year around the world with no one in sight and nowhere to go. These dogs are often in great danger whether it’s because of neglect on the owners’ behalf, or because of unforeseen circumstances causing the dog to become lost and scared.
What can be done in these situations can be a tricky choice, and a choice that will need to be done quickly. Simply driving past a suspected stray dog on the side of the road could end in the death of the dog minutes later.
What to do when you find a stray dog is different in almost every case, but there are guidelines to follow to help save the life of a scared stray, and put the mind of the loving owner at ease.
To begin you should always be aware that the dog in question may be very aggressive due to being scared, lost, and possibly very hungry, so approach with care. If you feel the dog is not a violent one then you should still be very careful not to startle or scare the dog in any way, a scared dog could easily run onto a busy road or dangerous area.
A good way to reassure the dog you are not there to harm them and to get them close is to use a strong smelling food such as tuna or other dog favourites as well as speaking gently and calmly to the dog.
When you finally get the dog under control and have no fears of aggressive behavior, reassuring the dog by stroking and talking to them will make it easier for others to deal with them. If you have leash or any other form of dog control with you then try and secure the dog with them, still being careful not to scare the dog.
When you have successfully captured the dog or if you have had other problems making it difficult to capture then you should phone for help from the local animal care or control authority to ensue the correct procedures are met and the safety of the animal will be secure.
Best Toys for Dogs
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009Dog toys are essential to keep your dog occupied to stop barking problems, boredom issues and through teething times for your dog. Finding a good toy for your dog through these times is essential, leaving your dog with a bad chew toy that they don’t like will leave your dog with no option but to chew something else, there are many chew toys available so the choice is endless.
Dental health for your dog will be greatly improved by chewing toys so it is important to keep your dog interested in the toy choice you give them. Popular toys usually contain something that tastes good, smells good, some light up, and others make noises to keep you dog entertained. If the toy is fun for your dog then you can use it to reward your dog for good behavior or take it from them when they are bad.
Different Dogs enjoy different textures and tastes, you will need to find what your dog likes to chew and try your best to find a similar product but without it being as destructive to your house like their old toy, the table leg, was.
Avoiding tugging toys may be a good idea in some cases, more excited breeds of dog and puppies especially will get the message that tugging is fun for you as well as your dog, thus encouraging him to tug at you trouser legs when they’re in need of attention and curtains when they’re bored. Personally I would avoid theses toys.
When looking for a good toy for your dog, here are some good suggestions:
1. Look for a dog toy with something different like sound, taste, or lights.
2. Pick a dog toy that is tough enough to withstand your dogs chewing and biting
3. Choose dog toys that you think your dog will enjoy, using experience of what he normally chews is a good idea.
Remember that choosing a dog toy all depends on the dog in question, each dog will have different tastes and experiences of what they enjoy, something as cheap and simple as a tennis ball could be enough to keep your dog occupied for hours on end.
Dog Traiing – Dogs Hit by Cars
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009Your dog may be the best trained dog in the world, understand your commands perfectly, and you may think that your dog understands the roads and can cope with cars well, but there is always a chance your dog could get knocked over by a car and knowing what to do in this situation is vital.
As stated above, you may think your dog is well suited to roads and can avoid cars and know when and where to cross the road, but from a dogs perspective this is all guess work and learnt from previous situations and near misses. Even after many years of crossing roads and viewing cars, dogs can still get caught up in situations that are dangerous and harmful.
If your dog does become the target of a road accident there are certain rules that should be adhered to when arriving at the scene and these rules can be the basis of how much pain and how healthy your dog will be afterwards.
The first thing to do is not panic, if your dog is conscious and can sense you panicking then they will panic also which won’t help the situation. Common injuries of a dog being run over are cuts and bruises so there is a good chance your dog is fine.
Dogs should not be moved after a car incident and until you know and are sure of the injuries they have, should remain in the same place or moved using a few people and a sheet or blanket as a stretcher if totally necessary.
Always check their breathing, your dogs breathing may have stopped as a cause of the accident and will need respiration by holding the muzzle closed and breathing air through the nose. If there is any severe bleeding you will need to add pressure to stop the bleeding and then seek urgent medical treatment.
If you are not sure of the seriousness of the damages, then contact your vet and explain the conditions to get advice on how to deal with the situation properly.
Dog Training – Dogs on Bonfire Night
Saturday, December 19th, 2009This time of year can be a worrying and confusing one for your dog, occurrences like bonfire night don’t happen very often and that’s what makes it a lot scarier for your dog or puppy.
Dogs do not like unfamiliarity’s and all the flashes and sudden bangs can make your dog extremely scared and afraid of what is happening. Unfortunately there have been many cases of dog deaths on bonfire night over the last ten years so it’s a must to keep an eye on your dog at this time of the year and any other similar time such as New Years Eve.
Accidents and injuries happen on bonfire night because of dogs or puppies being loose outside and the unfamiliar sounds and flashes causing them to go into a panic and running away from home, running into roads, or getting stuck in tight spaces trying to hide from the noises.
Fortunately, there are rules and advice that can be followed to prevent times like these and keep your dog in safe hands. To begin you will need to stop your dog being out at night and keep them reassured indoors and away from their outdoor home if they have one. This should be done from one week before the event to one week after the event so no fireworks before or after will scare them into trouble.
Make sure all the doors are locked and shut, if your dog sees an opening they will go for it if they become scared. Try to make a small sheltered area for your dog where they feel protected and in control, and cuddles and calmly playing with your dog may help your dog be less nervous and take their mind off the situation.
If your dog does escape, be calm and positive with them wile trying to get them back inside as quickly as possible, if all these rules are followed then everything should go to plan and you will be able to relax on bonfire night and not have to worry about your pet.
Dog Training – Overweight Dogs
Saturday, December 19th, 2009An overweight dog is something many owners should be very aware of especially after the middle age of about 7 years of age (depending on dogs’ size). A dogs weight can seriously put your dogs health at risk and cut their life short as well as causing a unnecessary painful ending.
Dogs tend to be able to eat as much as we choose to feed them at times and feeding your dog till he/she is full is a bad idea at the best of times. A set amount should be given to your dog each day and some notification next to your dogs bowl might help the confusion of who’s fed the dog and who hasn’t.
As your dog becomes older, you will need to check their weight more often as their metabolism will slow down and overeating will become out of control and a problem for your dog. Obviously dogs come in different sizes and shapes so there is not set amount of food that has to be given to your particular breed of dog and a small amount of research or a trip to the vets will be needed to see how much your dog should eat.
Determine the weight of your dog is correct by checking that your dogs’ ribs can be easily felt with little pressure, and are not visibly noticeable. Your dogs’ hips should be easily felt and not are surrounded by too much flesh and fat, and from looking down on your dog the body curves inwards after the rib cage slightly.
If these are all in place then your dog appears to be a healthy weight and this should be maintained throughout their life. Always ensure your dog has plenty of exercise and play time to maintain a healthy dog. If your dog becomes too thin then a vet should be contacted for advice and support as well as if your dog is very overweight.
Dog Training Video -The Truth About Your Dog’s Body Language
Thursday, December 17th, 2009
Learn how your body language can help or hurt your dog training efforts. Discover simple steps you can take to improve your dog training. Please leave a comment and you can get a free ebook “101 Ways To Improve Your Dog’s Behavior.” Go to www.amazingdogtrainingman.com Please leave a comment and you can get a free ebook “101 Ways To Improve Your Dog’s Behavior.” Go to http