A pet is an animal kept for companionship and enjoyment or a household animal, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful characteristics, for their attractive appearance, or for their song
31.5.11
Today's awwwwwww
27.5.11
N. America's oldest Asian elephant dies
23.5.11
Yeah, I tried to get out of jury duty, too
19.5.11
15.5.11
Dog Puppy Training
A new puppy in the home excites everyone especially children but make sure you got the puppy for a good reason and not just on a spur of the moment feeling. Like they say dogs are for life not just for Christmas. A puppy can bring lots of happy memories and times but they have a lot of training and work involved to, they are not all fun and no work!
A puppy’s temperament depends on where the puppy has been brought up and what type of breed he is. German shepherds, Rottweilers, bull dogs and boxers are all guard type dogs so tend to be very loving and protective. Border and bearded collies tend to be herding dogs and reared on farms and tend to be quite enthusiastic and never sit still (be aware because they are reared on a farm they may be a little bit nervous around modern day technologies, such as bridges, loud noises etc). Labradors, gun dogs and pointer are all hunting dogs so expect them to be full of energy and laughable moments. Of course these are just general expectations every dog has its day…and its personality!
Puppy dog training is something that can be achieved in a matter of weeks depending how much time and attention you spend on it. You don’t need to train for hours and hours a day, a few minutes several times a day is all it takes. The first thing you need to train your new puppy in is obedience, commands like sit, come, heel, stay and fetch are basic enough for them to learn. As they get older you can incorporate commands like paw, roll over and play dead! Training a young puppy is not as hard as you may think as they are like a blank sheet of paper waiting to be written on. The way and things that that they are taught will stick to them and will influence them later on in life, although training isn’t forever so you need spend a few minutes every day just to keep reminding them what to do.
There are not so nice consequences involved when puppies aren’t trained, for a start your house will constantly be a toiler ground for them and your furniture will have massive holes in it. Puppies are like babies and need to be taught the difference between right and wrong, to do this you need some puppy dog training!
Many handlers experienced or in-experienced are turning towards training products and aids but training can be done without these methods. Just a bit of good old hard work! A puppy may take several months to training but when it is complete the rewards will be well worth it, but don’t forget to top up on your training for several minutes each day or your dog will slowly forget and you’ll have to start all over again, with an even bigger task, training an older dog!
10.5.11
Dog Training Technique
When you say "sit" does your dog give you that “there’s no way I’m going to do what you say” look? When you’re taking him for a walk does he tug and pull and make you half run to the park? If the answer is "yes" then you need to learn some dog training techniques. They are harmless and aid free ways to train your dog to listen to what you have to say to him.
There is one dog training technique which I have tried and tested and it is great. It’s called the “Nothing in life is free” technique. It basically works on the fact that nothing is free, your dog has to do something to get something in return. For example if he wants food he has to remain seated until you make his dinner, or if you want to talk him for a walk then he has to lie down until you put his leash and collar on. These training techniques all are based on the fact that your dog will realise to get what he wants he has to do what you are telling him to do. What if he doesn’t do it? Walk away. Don’t shout at him or keep trying if he doesn’t listen just ignore him and walk away then about 5 minutes later go back and try again. He soon comes to realise that you are in charge and he has to do what you say to get what wants.
When dogs are born they usually have siblings and their mother is the “Leader of the pack”, when a young dog leaves his mother he starts to think that he is free and can do what he wants. When he first joins a family he starts to act dominant. He tries to be leader of the house. You can’t let him gain this position you need to show him through dog training techniques that humans are the head of your house not the dog. He does not have to be aggressive to get what he wants. Sometimes dogs use the sympathetic approach using their puppy dog eyes. This is just another attempt at trying to get higher in the dominance hierarchy and you can’t let them get ahead of you.
When it comes to kids dog’s see them more as playmates than masters as children can get down to their height and play with them, under adult supervision when your child gets to around the age of nine you can start to teach them to use dog training techniques so they can show the dog that when they ask him to do something he has to listen to them, not just listen to you.
Dog training techniques are extremely efficient and very simple to carry out, the training doesn’t even seem like training it just requires repetition and you dog will soon catch on that nothing in life is free!
5.5.11
Basic Dog Training
“How does your dog sit when you tell him to and mine doesn’t?", “How can your dog heel to you like that?", “Wow! He comes when you tell him to” - Sounds familiar? If it does, you need to invest some time into a little bit of basic dog training. Starting to train your dog from a young age is crucial as the first few months of his life is when you will have the greatest influence on him; this is where he is shaped into the dog he is going to be when he is all grown up.
The most basic of dog training is to get your dog to sit and come. Teaching him those commands are essential for him to learn. These commands are used for various different reasons, if you are in competition, if your dog jumps making him sit will immediately get him off and "come" is the all important one. If you take your dog for a walk, you let him of the leash and you expect him to come back to you, not run around the park with you chasing after him shouting at him to “get here right this instance”. That would be just down right embarrassing!
To teach your dog how to come requires only the most basic of techniques but a lot of repetition. The simplest way to get him to come is have a toy in one hand and a treat in the other, when you are in the house simply walk away from him, hold out the toy and excitingly call him to you, when he comes over give him a treat, always use the command for come that you are going to use in the future. Doing this several times a day is a great way to teach him, but remember to have lots of long breaks so he doesn’t get bored and stop enjoying it, and don’t forget the treats!
Getting him to sit could be a slight bit harder but again only requires basic dog training. When you have mastered the come command call him to you, place your hand on the end of his back and say "sit" while gently pushing down on his backside, when he sits his bottom down give him a treat and a lot of praise. If you want him to sit longer just delay giving him the treat and the praise, get him to sit but take your time bending down to him and feeding him his titbit.
Basic dog training is simple and very effective. It should also be fun for you and your dog, it doesn’t have to be hours and hours each day just may be 5 minutes or so. Don’t forget to reward your dog and yourself for all the “hard” work though!!