Aug 21 2010

The Process Of Crate Training Dogs

Being consistent and not giving up on your dog is what it takes to get started in Crate Training Dogs. Many dog trainers recommend this process to get your dog housebroken. Having a dog go to the bathroom in the house is not acceptable, so this is an easy way to train.

A dogs natural instincts is not to soil his sleeping area or den. When the dog learns that the crate is his special place then he will not soil his sleeping area. A dog likes to have his sleeping area clean like we do.

A dog in a crate is very important. It protects them in an airplane, car or a bus. If he is used to it, then he will not bark and whine while traveling. If leaving dogs at home it gives them a safe place to wait, especially if the outside weather is bad.

If you feel a punishment is needed for a dog, do not put it in the crate. The dog needs to know that it is his safe place to be and not a bad place where he gets locked up.

Pets need to learn the rules of the house, just like people do. Chewing on things that are not for dogs is a very important lesson to be taught. It takes time to learn this lesson so a crate or cage will help them to learn. Remember that time and patience is very important, and this could take more time than you expect, depending on the dog.

When choosing a crate, their are lots of choices. The plastic ones are nice and usually have a locking door and a feeding dish. Fabric cages are pretty good but owners need to stay with their pet. Metal cages collapse making it easy to pack in a car, and does not take up much space. A dog needs to be able to turn around and stand up in the cage, to be the right size.

Now that the crate has been bought a person can get started in the training. Put it in a place where the family spends some time. Leave the door open and put a towel or blanket in it. Put some toys to entice him in the cage. Put some food on the outside of the door then gradually move the food inside.

Some dogs will whine because they do not want to be in the crate. After the whining stops the dog can be let out. It is important to not let the dog have his own way. Be sure there is plenty of food and water in it.

It is important not to leave him in the crate too long. Puppies will need to go outside during the night. Do not crate a dog for more than four hours at a time. If a person is gone all day, make arrangements for your pet. He should not be crated all day and again at night.

Keeping a crate close to you will help with night crying. Dogs get lonely and want to be with their masters. If the dog has to go to the bathroom then take him. If he is whining merely because he wants out then make him stay in the crate. Usually the whining will last for a few nights when he first comes home.

Taking your pet out regularly will help him learn. After you feed him, when he wakes up, and before he goes to bed should all be times to go outside. Pick a spot for him to use and he will go there again. Exercise your dog to keep him healthy and happy.

Searching to find out more about the steps to crate training, then visit TW Bell’s site on how to pick the best dog crate for your animals needs.

categories: dog,crate,training,dog crate,crate training,dogs,puppy,pets,animals,obedience,home

Aug 06 2010

Choosing The Proper Dog Crates For Your Pets

In a pet-friendly culture, you see man’s best friend everywhere- in homes, parks, spas and even restaurants. Today’s dogs enjoy privileges within the community that they never had in the history of their domestication. Dogs are loyal companions that provide security, affection and in some cases- can be trained to aid their owners for work and other specific purposes. So, for dog’s on-the-go, the most essential accessories to have are dog crates.

Crate selection is a necessary process in training your dog. You will need to purchase a crate that is big enough for your dog to stand and lie in it comfortably. Be advised that if you buy a bigger kennel your dog may eliminate in the corner, so it is important to get the right size. Take two measurements, taking from the shoulder down to the floor and from the head to the base of the tail then add three inches to both measurements. This gives you a figure on the minimum height and length of the kennel you need to purchase. If you are considering getting a dog crate for your puppy, purchase a wire crate with a divider panel. A divider panel is cost-efficient because it is versatile enough to adjust the crate as the puppy grows.

Dog crates come in many types and features. Generally, there are three types of kennels that are available to you at pet stores, these are wire, plastic, and metal crates. They come in different shapes, colors, sizes, features and some of them can be customized to suit you and your baby love’s needs.

Wire carriers are long lasting. They are cost effective and require less maintenance. Because the sides are corrugated, it has superb air flow. These kennels are resistant to corrosion, equipped with a sliding pan, and is easy to fold up and put away.

For air transports, airlines would advise you to use plastic dog crates as they weigh less and allow for optimum airflow in the confined space of the aircraft. To avoid upsetting your animal during the ride, it is wise if you get it accustomed to being in a crate prior to the flight. You would to risk traumatizing your pet.

Metal or aluminum crates are heavy duty. They are perfect for big, heavy canines. They come in collapsible varieties; most of these crates are pre-assembled and easy to clean. Although, they are slightly heavier than most crates, they are useful for traveling. Be sure you purchase the one with proper ventilation. Some aluminum crates are airline approved. Check on further airline guidelines before purchasing.

With all the fully-customized pet accessories we can access through your local pet store or on the internet, finding the best dog crate to fit your needs, lifestyle and your pets personality is an easy task indeed. Sizes and embellishments are yours for the asking if you find the right supplier.

The ease of mobility afforded to you by these dog crates is truly invaluable as they give your dog the opportunity to travel with you in style and comfort. The journey you take will be made all the more memorable if you take your best friend along.

Looking to find out more about the steps to crate training, then visit Tim Bell’s site on how to select the best dog crate for your animals needs.

categories: crates,crate training,training,dog training,puppy training,puppies,pets,animals,pet health,kids,home and family,home

Jun 07 2010

Puppy Food - Your Little Pooch Could Have An Allergy

Did you know that your young pup could actually be allergic to her puppy food? Since the symptoms are very similar (and we are not trained vets), many dog owners have a hard time distinguishing the difference between an allergic reaction to food, vs. one from some other source. Keep in mind that a food allergy can present itself over a long-term time frame, like months or years, or last a short while, for a few days. And they can occur at ANY age, so it is certainly not unheard of for your pup to develop allergies to the same puppy food he’s been eating for months or years. Unfortunately, the downfall of consuming the same chow can sometimes create allergens to built in you dog’s system prior to ever seeing any symptoms. Research has proven that if your young pup eats the same puppy food for over two years, and develops a reaction, there’s a 70 percent chance it came from her food!

Okay, one of the best ways we can take very good care of our canine friends is to LEARN the signs of food allergies.

* Development of Skin Problems The very first sign of a allergy is when you see your dog excessively scratch or lick himself. This means that his skin is itchy. You may also see him rub his face on the floor, carpets, and other inanimate objects just to relieve his discomfort. Excessive scratching, and even biting, can lead to skin being even more irritated (red patches, scaly skin). Your puppy may even suffer from hair loss.

* One more sign is trouble digesting food. Frequent flatulence, abnormally runny excrement, and vomiting are common symptoms that often accompany a food allergy.

* Impaired breathing is one more symptom. The allergy can cause your pouch to wheeze, cough, and sneeze, much the same as any other allergy can.

Here are some tips on how you can avoid these allergies:

* When the allergic reaction starts to manifest, take your pup off her current food. The next step is to begin slowly returning the ingredients of this puppy food formula, ONE ingredient at a time. By doing so, you can pinpoint exactly which ingredient is causing your pup’s allergies when systems return. You will then know just which ingredient, or ingredients, to remove from your dog’s diet. Of course, you should consult you vet before starting this elimination diet. With consent however, your vet should recommend following this diet for 12 weeks.

* You can also feed your young canine a hypo-allergenic puppy food with more pure and healthy ingredients like vegetables, potatoes, rice, duck, and lamb.

* Hyposensitization/Desensitization Desensitization is a process that helps your dog develop resistance against common food allergens by injecting him with a minute quantity of allergen at a regular basis. Through which, he will develop antibodies that will combat allergic reactions.

* You can use antihistamines. Same as for us, these drugs can be used to alleviate allergies in your pouch, too. Your vet will know which ones to use, and the proper doses to give.

* Skin testing/Blood Testing This procedure is done by vet dermatologists. The procedures are highly accurate and can help you determine the type of puppy food that your canine must avoid.

If you’ve just picked up your family’s new furry addition and want to find out the right way to care for your puppy, then check out Puppy Pet Supplies for helpful tips and advice on puppy training, and so much more! Plus, discover the four essential puppy supplies you need to have for your puppy’s arrival!

categories: puppy pet supplies,training a puppy,dog training,house training,potty training a puppy,crate training,puppies

May 21 2010

Puppy Basics

Training a puppy takes a lot of dedication and hard work. Supervision, consistency, and patience are vital to housebreaking and training your puppy. After you have found your perfect puppy name him/her and immediately begin to use his/her name when talking, playing, or feeding. This will help your puppy to learn their name quicker and easier.

To begin housebreaking, designate a particular area for your puppy to use as the “potty area.” Be very persistent with showing them that this is where he/she is to relieve themselves. An eight week old puppy needs to go relieve himself approximately every 30 minutes to an hour, especially after every nap, mealtime, and playtime. Crate training is critical for housebreaking because it is a natural instinct for a puppy not to “mess” where they sleep. Supervision while outside or in the crate helps greatly with preventing accidents in the house or crate.

Puppy is housebroken, now what? It’s a good idea to socialize your puppy at a young age. It gets him used to different people, places, and things. Take your puppy with you whenever you need to run an errand, pick up food from the pet store, or even a car ride. Most puppies love car rides.

Don’t take your puppy to public parks, rest stops, or around unvaccinated dogs. The risk is too great, as there are too many germs for your puppy’s young immune system to fight off. If you choose to take your puppy to a park, choose a dog park that requires your dog to be up-to-date on their vaccinations.

Don’t be inconsistent with enforcing the rules, your puppy will become confused and take longer to be trained and you will become highly frustrated with your family number. If your puppy is not caught in the act of doing something wrong, then don’t punish him for it. Punish him when you catch him breaking the rules. Positive reinforcements such as: treats and praise are both great ways to let your puppy know he/she has done a good job. This is how they begin their learning process and to eventually be able to not only be housebroken, but learn tricks, etc.

Would you like to learn more about teaching your pup to become a great new addition to your home visit us at Pet World

Jul 26 2009

Puppy Training Tips On Effective Crate Training

by Geraldine Dimarco

Want to hear something crazy? People need vacations. Have you ever had a crazy day wherein you simply wanted to leave everything and spend some time alone to revive yourself? You probably have a boss who begrudgingly gives you only the weekends to relax. What if one day he decides to personally plan a vacation for you, will that help you appreciate him? Don’t you agree that retreats actually help the person live a fuller and a more stress-free life?

Canines operate in a similar fashion. They need to find a secure place to nest in once in a while. It is a deeply primal instinct that goes back several decades, even centuries. A masters responsibility is to lead them into things that we know are good for their well-being. This is an article that aims to do just that with puppy training tips on the often misunderstood but terribly useful crate training.

You hear crate training a puppy and you think it is a cruel and inhumane treatment of dogs. Not really. This is actually a useful dog training method many experts employ. Canines do not sleep in an area which they have previously eliminated on so a crate trained puppy will restrain from soiling himself until he is released from his crate. Make sure the enclosure is small enough. After an hour or two inside the crate, take him out for toilet activities.

Put the enclosure in a room where people gather together. Do not rush the puppy into the whole process; it can be traumatic when done incorrectly. Place his favorite treats and things in and begin to feed him inside the crate. This is your puppy’s special place and you want him to associate the crate with happy and pleasant things. Never use this as a form of punishment.

After a while, he will begin to be comfortable inside. When you feel the time is right, close the crate while you are still in the room. Do not release him the moment he cries or becomes upset. This will tell the puppy that reacting violently will get him what he wants and believe me; no owner would ever want that. Unless he is in pain or wants to potty, wait for the cries to subside before opening the crate.

The next step is getting the puppy so comfortable inside the crate he won’t mind being there alone. Keep his play things inside to occupy him. When you feel the time is right, leave the room for a short period of time and gradually increase it. If you need to leave the house, do not go away for more than four hours. Puppies have not fully developed their bodily functions as well as an adult dog.

Follow these puppy training tips and you will regain a certain freedom most pet owners have forgotten about. A disciplined dog brought up in this method will be easier to schedule for sleeping and potty breaks. Not only that, an actual vacation will be possible now that you can leave your puppy for longer periods of time inside his little nook. After crate training a puppy successfully, you will wonder how you ever managed otherwise.

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Apr 21 2009

Five Benefits of Crate Training

by Donna Mihajlov

The benefits of crate training make for a happier and healthier household. When a dog understands his boundaries, he can be more affection and loving towards the family he is part of. The owner will also benefit with loving obedient dog.

Crate Training Benefits For Your Dog

A Crate Makes Housebreaking Easier

No dog enjoys resting in his own mess, therefore your dog will tend to gain better bladder control when confined to his crate. This will make housebreaking easier when you then associate going outside with the act of relieving himself.

Dogs, being den animals, generally like their place clean and quiet. It is also good to remember that puppies need to go more often, so do not keep them in the crate for a long period.

A Crate Stops Destructive Behaviors

Since your dog naturally love chewing on things, your job is to train him on acceptable objects. Your dog crate will assist you in this job. By providing acceptable chew toys in his crate, you dog will begin to learn the right things to chew on and in the right place.

A Crate Will Protect Your Dog From Household Dangers

Typically, a house contains many potentially dangerous objects for your dog. You can be asking for trouble when you let your dog roam the house unsupervised. Your dog may be tempted to chew on lethal objects like electrical wires or poisonous foods or plants.

Crate training your dog will bring you peace of mind since your dog will be out of danger when you’re not around to supervise him.

A Crate Makes Car Rides Safer

A crate-trained dog will rest in his crate during a car drive and make the trip for you and him safer and more peaceful. Containment will eliminate some possible distractions if you have a very active dog.

Crates provides a safe place for your dog when he is tired, not feeling well or just wants to be alone.

Do you ever notice dogs sleeping under tables or desks? Naturally, dogs like small enclosed spaces in your home that may mimic a den. Dog crates can serve as a great refuge and excellent dens your dog can hangout in. Crates will also prepare your dog from some potentially stressful situations like going to the vet.

Crate training is great for both your dog and you. So why not buy a crate and start you crate training today!

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Apr 19 2009

Five Benefits of Crate Training

by Donna Mihajlov

Crate training benefits both your dog and yourself, the loving dog owner. Your dog will be more loving and affectionate towards family members when he understands his boundaries.

What Are the Crate Training Benefits For Your Dog?

A Crate Makes Housebreaking Easier

Housebreaking your dog becomes considerably easier when crate training because no dog likes to soil where they sleep. Confinement to a crate helps the dog gain better bladder control by associating going outside with the act of relieving themselves.

Generally, dogs are den animals that like their place to be quiet and clean. It is good to keep in mind that puppies need to go frequently, so limit their time in the crate.

Destructive Behaviors Are Limited

Dogs naturally enjoy chewing. Your dog needs to learn the things that are acceptable or not acceptable things to chew on. Since your dog is generally going to chew on something, would it not be better to chew on acceptable toys rather than your chair legs and shoes? Therefore, by providing safe chew toys in his crate, you will protect your house from damage and also teach your dog acceptable things to chew on in the house.

Dog Crates Protects Your Dog from Household Hazards

You can potentially put your dog in danger unnecessarily if left to roam unsupervised. As you may know, a house may contain many potentially dangerous objects to chew on. Your dog may not realize the danger chewing on electric wires or certain plants or foods.

Proper crate training of your dog provides more confidence that your dog will limit getting in trouble even when you are not around to supervise.

Traveling in a Car Is Safer

A crate-trained dog will rest in his crate during a car drive and make the trip for you and him safer and more peaceful. Containment will eliminate some possible distractions if you have a very active dog.

Provides your dog a little safe space (security) where they retreat to when they are tired, not feeling well or want to be alone.

Do you ever notice dogs sleeping under tables or desks? Naturally, dogs like small enclosed spaces in your home that may mimic a den. Dog crates can serve as a great refuge and excellent dens your dog can hangout in. Crates will also prepare your dog from some potentially stressful situations like going to the vet.

As you can see, crate training is beneficial for both your dog and you. Start your crate training today, and reap the benefits.

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Mar 30 2009

Crate Training

by Craig Clemins

One of the most popular methods used to train dogs is known as Crate Training. A crate is a plastic of wire box that comes in a wide range of sizes. Crate training has benefits for both the dog and the owner.

Crate training works very well because dogs and puppies dont like to go to the toilet where they sleep. Given that crate training requires that your dog sleeps in the crate, your dog will quickly learn how to hold its pee until it is out of the crate.

The crate will serve as your puppies den during crate training. Your puppy/dog will be required to be inside the crate at all times during the training period except when it is let out to play, feed, or go to the toilet. Upon letting your dog out of its crate you should immediately take it outside so it can go to the toilet.

The crate should be big enough for your dog to move around in but not so big that there is excess space (the puppy may use the excess space to pee). A good crate size is about 1.5 times the length of your dog and about 6-7 inches taller than your dog. If your crate is too long for your particular dog you can modify it by simply blocking of one end of the crate. Plastic crates are the easiest to clean and also the lightest so we recommend these over other construction methods.

You should take your puppy to the toilet fairly regularly during the crate training period. As your puppy grows you can reduce the number of times it is let out of the crate each day as it will get used to holding its urges to go to the toilet.

Ideally your puppy should see the crate in a positive light. You can build up this positive association by feeding you dog inside or close to the crate. Also make the crate more enjoyable by putting your puppies most loved toys inside there. To further grow the positive view of the crate, give all your dogs good behaviour rewards to your dog inside the crate.

If you are not in the house its best not to leave your dog locked inside its crate as this might make it feel anxious and afraid. Even if you are in the house its best to let your dog out of the crate once in a while (even if only for a couple of minutes) to ensure your puppy doesnt see the crate as some form of prison.

Crates can be very convenient for transporting your dog or puppy. Crates are useful when travelling in the car with your dog and are required for all air travel.

While crate training dogs and puppies has been proven to be a very effective way of training dogs, it is not universally accepted with some experts claiming that dogs and puppies become too attached to the crate after being locked inside it for a long period of time.

Use the link listed below for more information on dog and puppy training as well as additional information about crate training.

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Mar 30 2009

Learn These 3 Dog Training Myths For A Better Life With Your Dog.

by Rachel Kears

Number 1 - When a dog chews somethings it is because he is really bored or just trying to be spiteful.

Not true. Although it’s not straightforward. Chewing is definitely one of the most common undesirable behaviors. However, dogs chew is part of their nature but they also need to chew on things to maintain healthy teeth and gums and good jaw strength.

Allowing your dog to chew on something is also really needed when you have a puppy and they begin to teeth. The secret is to redirect any chewing behavior to something that is safe and acceptable for him to chew.

Myth #2 - You need to understand and communicate in “dog language” so that your dog will understand you.

Incorrect again, I find this a tough one to understand, but your dog knows you are not the same as him. You don’t look like him and you don’t smell like him. It is important however, to spend time reading your dog’s body language. So for example, you know whether a bark is playing or it means there’s an axe murderer behind you.

Although you do need to be ‘alpha’ over your dog. In the wild dogs went around in packs with a clear leader who kept everyone else in line. You have to be that dog or otherwise your dog will keep playing up.

Myth #3 - You’re only training your dog when you THINK you’re training your dog.

Not true. Your dogs life is a training ground and he is picking up cues all of the time whether they be verbal or non verbal.

For example if the phone rings and you jump up to answer it, your dog will understand that’s OK and he will jump up when he hears a ring.

If you get nervous each time you pass by the neighbor who walks their Great Dane on the other side of the street in the morning, you are training your dog to be nervous if the Great Dane is in sight. You need to be consistent with your Dog and make sure you spend quality time together.

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