Saturday, August 11, 2012

Simple Ways To Help Train Your Dog

By Kirk McGee


If Spot is acting up and not listening to a word you say, he needs dog training. It can be incredibly frustrating to deal with a disobedient dog, and it can be difficult to know how to stop your canine's bad behavior. This article will answer a lot of the questions you have about dog training.

Realize an older dog's limitations. An older dog will never be able to be trained perfectly: they all have little quirks that you should learn to embrace! Remember that if you adopt an older dog, they may be very set in their ways. While it may be possible to teach them new habits, sometimes it's best to concentrate on the negative things that you can alter, and learn to live with the other things.

Avoid aggressive dog training techniques such as "rolling." Dogs are domesticated pets, not wild pack animals so it is ineffective to treat a dog like a wolf, despite the advice of certain television personalities. Aggressive training does not inspire trust and loyalty, both of which are essential for successful dog training.

If you want to train your dog, you should wait until it is at least six weeks old. A younger dog will not understand what you are expecting, and not be able to control itself enough to obey your commands. The first weeks of your puppy's life should be about creating a bond with you.

Throwing out your dog's food bowl can assist you with your training program. Studies have shown that animals respond well to working for their meals. Incorporate food as a reward in your training and also, use it for entertainment purposes. You can do this by putting the food in a toy or a puzzle.

Housebreaking a dog takes time. Make sure that you take the dog out first thing in the morning and keep taking him out throughout the day. Always take him to the same spot when taking him out to potty. The dog will learn to associate this spot with his business. If an accident happens clean it up and ignore the dog. This will let him know that you are unhappy with him. Do not physically discipline the dog or rub his nose in it, doing so just intimidates the dog and makes accidents more likely to occur.

These tips help to explain why it is necessary to ensure that your dog is properly trained. Even if a professional trainer teaches your dog how to behave, in the end, your dog has to listen to you, the owner. By following these tips, you can make sure that your dog always knows who's in charge.




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Sunday, August 5, 2012

Dog vomiting first aid treatments

By Jerry Welsh


Dog owners are not really worried if the pet vomits. Dog owners are not really concerned to see the pet vomit as these animals really do throw up once in a while. Dogs are known for their huge appetites. Dogs have this habit of wolfing down food. In the wild, hunted prey will be devoured by the pack in an instant. The habit of eating too fast was attributed to scarcity of food. Gulping down food is an ingrained canine habit as in spite of the food regularly provided by owners, dogs would still eat fast. A vomiting episode will occur when dogs eat too much or too fast.

To remove toxins and other substances not accepted by the stomach, the dog would simply vomit. To resolve stomach upset caused by ingested substances, the dog would munch grass to induce vomiting. Retching and heaving of the stomach muscles are the signs that the dog is going to vomit. After drooling and whining, the dog will vomit to remove the contents of the stomach.

Dogs would usually throw up a frothy and yellowish substance in the morning. This kind of vomiting occurs in dogs that did not have their dinner. Canine vomiting though can be due to a lot of reasons, some of which are associated with life threatening health concerns.

Dehydration is one of the serious and life threatening outcomes if dogs vomit repeatedly. Ingestion of toxic substances is one of the life threatening causes of vomiting. The once or twice vomiting episode of the pet should not concern the owner as the dog would be its normal self after gagging and hacking. But if the vomiting occurs repeatedly, if the vomit is blood tinged and if the lethargic dog is having diarrhea as well, immediate medical attention is mandatory.

Vomiting can be resolved easily but it is necessary to know the reason why the dog is vomiting. If vomiting results from the dog's dietary indiscretion, the dog owner's first aid knowhow can resolve the condition of the pet. Vomiting though is one of the dog illnesses that has no instant cure. The goal of the treatment is to rest the stomach thus food and water have to be withheld for at least 12 to 24 hour. A solution of water and sugar can be given to the pet after the fasting period. If the electrolyte solution did not make the dog vomit, the pet can now be allowed to eat bland food like boiled rice and chicken.




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Saturday, August 4, 2012

People Foods that can Poison Dogs

By Jerry Welsh


When it comes to the health of the pet it pays to heed the experts' advice. Simply put, the pet must not be given human foods as some of them are poisonous to dogs. A pet parent will certainly prevent the pet from eating if it is known that the food is poisonous. However, not many dog owners are aware that some common human foods can have toxic effects on the dog.

Dogs have huge appetites and they are also omnivorous thus anything will be eaten. Not many dogs love fruits but owners would entice the pet to eat because fruits are healthy foods. The vitamins dogs will derive from fruits will strengthen the immune system and allow easier waste elimination as the intestinal muscles are strengthened as well. However, grapes and avocados are toxic to dogs. An unknown substance in grapes and raisins is toxic to dogs as it can cause severe kidney damage. Dogs must be prevented from eating not only the avocado fruit but also the bark, leaves and pit as the avocado plant contains a toxic substance that causes fluid to accumulate in the dogs abdomen chest and heart.

The theobromine in chocolates and the caffeine in tea and coffee are naturally occurring stimulants that can have fatal effect on the dog as these substances when ingested in large amounts affects the nervous system and the heart. Dogs are not only affectionate but also entertaining companions as they can be trained to do tricks. Pet owners that have trained the pet to drink alcoholic beverages from the can would be very proud of the accomplishment but dogs that have learned this trick can end up dead. The chemical compound in alcoholic beverages called ethanol cannot be tolerated by the dog's system. This substance that is rapidly absorbed by the dog's system will affect the central nervous system and cause respiratory depression. Inducing the pet to vomit will not be helpful as the toxin is readily absorbed by the body thus urgent medical attention is necessary.

Onions cannot be tolerated by the dog's system. This pungent bulb has thiosulfate, a substance that destroys red blood cells. This substance is not destroyed by cooking thus the dog can be poisoned if regularly fed human foods that have onion as an ingredient. Onion consumption can result to the death of the dog.

It should never be assumed that foods eaten by humans are also safe for dogs. Although it is said that humans and dogs have many genetic similarities, the difference in metabolism makes dog intolerable of some human foods.




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