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

Jul 09 2010

Learn To Control Your Dog To Stop Him Chewing

Whenever your pet starts to give you trouble, like biting, chewing or barking, then it’s time to take control of your dog and help him to understand what’s right and what’s wrong. The bond between a man and his dog is so strong, but only if you take the time to properly teach him the way to act in the home and around other dogs.

The Right Way of Teaching Him

Taking control of your dog to stop him chewing means that you need to approach your dog training in the right way. You’re expecting your dog to put effort into learning what you’re teaching him, which means you also need to put effort into praising him when he does well.

Be Consistent

Once you do start the training, you’ll need to make sure that you keep it up consistently. This means working on it each and every day, and not letting sessions run on for hours at a time - otherwise this will overload him! You’ll just get frustrated if you push it too far.

Stop Him From Chewing By Understanding Its Cause

When your dog chews, he might do it for any number of reasons - so you should start thinking about this and incorporate it into his training. For example, he might get separation anxiety when you go out, in which case you need to slowly build up the length of time you go out for to get him used to being home alone. He might just be bored, so give him plenty of chew toys and take him out to make sure he has something to do.

Dogs will also start chewing when they’re teething, which is natural for him. It’s up to you to give him things that he is allowed to chew, and to praise him when you see him chewing the correct things. When you see him chewing things that he isn’t allowed to, tell him a firm no so he starts to understand.

These are just the beginning steps when it comes to taking control of your dog’s chewing and teaching him the way to go. It takes real patience, but it is possible for anyone to train their dog with a little effort.

Feeling lost about your dog chewing? Check out Dog Training: Chewing for steps you can take to get him to stop quickly. It isn’t as hard as you think!

categories: dog,pets,home and family,home,animals,education,resources,shopping,books,training,tricks

May 20 2010

Going On An Airliner With Sherpa Dog Carriers

Many of us know of Sherpa Dog Bags by now as well as the wonderful advantage of traveling they provide our little dogs. There’s much more to it than loading your dog up and going to the airport. Some careful considerations must be made.

Flying with small pets has changed during the last two decades because of the Sherpa Dog Tote. These excellent small dog bags pioneered the way for enabling us to fly along with our little dogs and cats up in the cabin of the jet with us. Ever since then, there’s been a tremendous increase in the quantity of these kinds of carriers from many various brands Sherpa included.

There are a few important components to traveling with our smaller animals before we start on our air carrier trip. The main, being to contact the air carrier you’ll be flying on well in advance of the departure time. This lets you get the specific specifications for that airline and its policies concerning traveling with smaller sized animals.

If going with a Sherpa crafted bag, this company delivers the great “Guaranteed on Board” protection. The program displays all participating air carriers, and you can fill out the form for that air carrier, and if you happen to be refused boarding after completing the requirements, the company will reimburse you the expense of your airfare and dog travel charge.

There are several other fantastic puppy totes that you can buy as well. Most don’t come with a guarantee like that, but many happen to be made to fulfill the requirements of the airline carriers. This is one particular reason you must contact the specific commercial airline before your flight. They will give you the measurements they need your dog tote to meet in addition to any unique rules they could have.

Something to remember is that the dimensions given to you are for hard sided or solid pet crates. Many of the bags for little dogs and cats are soft sided and may be molded to fit. On that basis, if yours is an inch or two larger than the measurements given to you, it’s still most likely okay to use it. This is a question that you should certainly ask the air carrier when you get in touch with them.

Furthermore, even if you happen to be traveling with one of the “Guaranteed on Board” Sherpa Totes, it is still a good idea to contact the airline merely to ensure there aren’t any unique requirements for flying. Your bag may be guaranteed to travel, but there may be unique guidelines and specifications for you and your furry friend as well. It never hurts to make certain before getting hit with a big surprise once you show up for the flight. Your airline fare and animal travel expenses will probably not be returned if you happen to be refused boarding for some other qualification that isn’t related to the pet carrier itself. Enjoy traveling with your furry friend and the countless styles and fashions that exist today.

To find a Sherpa Dog Bag for your dog, come have a look at Canine Crate Store and look at our assortment of the best dog carriers.

categories: dog products,dog carriers,pet carriers,pet training,dog training,pet travel,dog travel,pets,dogs,pets and animals,animals,home and family

Dec 03 2009

Dog Training With Dog Training Aids

The art of persuasion is a good skill to develop when dog training. Your voice is the most important aspect of this skill. It’s important to use your dog’s name before each command, and to use a persuasive tone of voice. Keep your tone of voice low and pleasant, but also firm.

Talk constantly to your dog when dog training. When training your dog to retrieve, you’ll need to persuade him to take an item from you. Great dog training aids for this are very light dumbbells. As soon as your dog starts to take the dumbbell, immediately praise him with a happy and excited voice. And don’t forget to pet him as well.

Never become angry with your dog when dog training. Becoming angry will not help, and is likely to make your dog anxious. To make matters worse, your dog won’t understand why you’re angry with him.

Always remember that your dog is trying to please you. This is the case even when he is not following your commands. Your dog may not understand what you want of him. He is not being deliberately disobedient.

Once your dog understands what you’re asking him to do, he will probably be happy to repeat the action over and over again. Remember, your dog’s prime motivation is to please you, so once he finds an action that pleases you, he’ll be happy to do it again and again.

If your dog does not understand that you want him to take the dumbbell (or whichever other dog training aids you’re using), it may be necessary to gently place the dumbbell in his mouth and then gently hold his jaws closed by placing both your hands around his muzzle. Be careful not to bang your dog’s teeth on the dumbbell.

Dog training sessions are a great opportunity for you to spend some quality time with yoru dog. Yes, dog training takes time and effort. It sometimes takes considerable patience. But always bear in mind that dog training should be a fun time for your and your dog.

Keep placing the dumbbell into your dog’s mouth until your dog actually understands what to do.

Once your dog understands the taking of the dumbbell, you need to extend the reach of the item. Place the dumbbell on the ground in front of your dog and ask him to “Retrieve” or “Fetch”. Then start moving the dumbell further and further away from him. Your dog will soon get the idea.

What are the some of the some of the more important features of dog training? Discover what they are, and discover how dog training aids can assist when training your dog to retrieve, to fetch, and much more.

categories: dog training,dog training aids,dog training sessions,dog training-behavior,dog behavior,dog supply,dog supplies,dog training supplies,professional dog training,dog training book,pets,dogs,home and family,home

Nov 22 2009

What You Need To Know In Potty Training Dogs

Let’s face it, dogs are a man’s best friend until they unload a bomb in your living room and you’re stuck with cleaning duties. If you want your residence to be an official no canine poop zone; potty training dogs is what you need to be reading up on. Well, what do you know– you’re reading the simple and fast guide on how to do it right now.

Not a lot of people jump for joy at the mention of house training dogs. As a result, some people who adopt older dogs will be surprised to find them still untrained in ‘doing their business’ outside. While it may be easier to teach puppies to eliminate properly; adult dogs can still be taught correct toilet behavior anytime.

It is much simpler to train a dog how to do something than to guide him in unlearning wrong habits. A lot of times, you will end up feeling frustrated. What you should do instead is to teach him a new way of doing things in place of the former. In this case, its using an outdoor area for relieving himself.

Choose an area for this specific purpose. Around ten to fifteen minutes after meal times, go out and walk him around the designated spot. As you walk back and forth around the spot, clearly speak out a phrase that relates to this particular activity like, ‘go potty’. Say it repeatedly until he finally ‘goes potty’. Praise him enthusiastically right after to let him know he’s done a good job. Do this for a few weeks, always using the same toilet area. Remember house training dogs require consistency in the patterns you set.

Dog accidents can still crop up even when you are in the middle of potty training him. If you catch in the act, quickly stop him and take him outside to finish his business. Give him treats and play with him right after he successfully finishes doing it outside. If you find the mound of poop alone with no dog in sight, do not look for him and start yelling. He will not understand that you are getting mad because of this particular action. Be vigilant to the dog right after his eating time to avoid future similar incidents.

When it happens, immediately clean up the accidents as thoroughly as possible. A deodorizing solution should be applied to remove any residual smell the poop might leave behind. Dogs will sniff out the area and use it again for the same purposes. Keep their cages as small as comfortably possible to aid in potty training dogs. Animals do not relish sleeping in the toilet area so they will restrain eliminating until you can get them outside.

Do not feed him or put water and food inside his cage at night so your sleep will not be disturbed. You can take him outside to discharge in the morning or even after he wakes up from a short cat, I mean, dog nap. When you have succeeded in teaching him how to go out for this particular activity, see to it that leaving the house is as convenient as possible for him. A swinging dog flap installed in your doors or a cage near an open back door will do the job.

Potty training dogs is a priority for the responsible pet owner. It serves as good mental exercise for your dog and your home will be thankful to you for it.

Geraldine Dimarco finds fulfillment in house training dogs. Get free information on great tips for Potty Training Dogs today.

categories: potty training dog,potty training dogs,house training a dog,house training dogs,potty training,house training,training dog,training dogs,dog,dogs,pet,pets,home and family

Aug 11 2009

Obedience Classes for Dogs

by Martin Davis

There are many types of techniques when teaching your dog obedience training. Many people will tell you different things but all dogs will react differently to different commands.

Getting your dog to learn new things can be challenging, there are lots of things to take into consideration. As we go on you will start to understand how to get your dog to be obedient.

1. Respect and loyalty is import between you and your dog, the relationship has to be built up around mutual respect. However do not let your dog take control, remember you are in charge!

2.When training your dog to be obedient make sure that you stay confident and in control.

3. When teaching your dog new techniques make sure that the dog is happy and is enjoying the learning process. Make teaching enjoyable and your dog will learn new commands much faster.

4. Of course the other thing that is important when training dogs is that you work with their natural drives and instincts. This will again make them trust and respect you more.

Below you will see some of the main rules for getting your dog to obey and understand your commands within the quickest time period.

Rule 1. When your dog does as you ask, you should praise and reward them for doing so. However, if they do not, then you need to correct them immediately as this will help them to understand where they have gone wrong. Unfortunately a dogs concentration span is not that long and if you fail to correct any problems immediately then they will simply carry on.

Rule 2. The concentration level on a dog is very much limited, they take time to put up new commands. The best thing to do when teach obedience training is repeat your commands over and over.

Rule 3. Make sure you provide feedback whatever the outcome when teaching your dog new commands, this will let the dog no whats acceptable and what is not.

Rule 4. Be realistic when teaching new obedience skills not all dogs are the same, some are going to take longer to pick up the commands. What you should never do is punish your dog if they are wrong in the initial stages.

Rule 5. Teaching your dog new commands if meant to be fun so keep it like that. If the dog seems to become bored they will start to lose attention.

Rule 6. Start off slow when teaching you dog new commands, because this is all new to them it will take time. Teach your dog new trick and techniques one at a time, this will save confusion and able the dog to learn faster.

Rule 7. Do not just train your dog at training sessions its a good idea to teach them in their everyday tasks. One example of this would be to give them their food on command, hold back and make them sit before they eat.

Rule 8. You should never attempt to correct your dog if they are not in the wrong. It is important that if your dog does wrong then correct them by grabbing their attention. If you do not correct them immediately and leave it, this may leave your dog feeling somewhat confused and will not understand why it has happened.

Rule 9. Finally, when it comes to obedience training look for those things that will help to motivate your dog during the sessions. Find out the kinds of treats that they love and use these as an incentive that they will be given when a command is done correctly!

Rule 10. After time and a lot of practice your dog will soon become very obedient and will obey your commends. If you do find it all a little difficult there are loads of training classes in your local area!

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Jul 25 2009

Discover The Right Way Of Potty Training Dogs

by Geraldine Dimarco

Let’s face it, dogs are a man’s best friend until they unload a bomb in your living room and you’re stuck with cleaning duties. If you want your residence to be an official no canine poop zone; potty training dogs is what you need to be reading up on. Well, what do you know– you’re reading the simple and fast guide on how to do it right now.

Not a lot of people jump for joy at the mention of house training dogs. As a result, some people who adopt older dogs will be surprised to find them still untrained in ‘doing their business’ outside. While it may be easier to teach puppies to eliminate properly; adult dogs can still be taught correct toilet behavior anytime.

It will be helpful to know that it is easier to train older canines to do than to don’t. What this means is that if he is not taught how to go out to eliminate; you will find it almost impossible to undo this learned behavior. You will need to teach him a new habit. In this scenario, it is going outdoors to do his business.

Choose an area for this specific purpose. Around ten to fifteen minutes after meal times, go out and walk him around the designated spot. As you walk back and forth around the spot, clearly speak out a phrase that relates to this particular activity like, ‘go potty’. Say it repeatedly until he finally ‘goes potty’. Praise him enthusiastically right after to let him know he’s done a good job. Do this for a few weeks, always using the same toilet area. Remember house training dogs require consistency in the patterns you set.

Once in a while you will still come across the dreaded mound of discharge inside your house. If he is in the middle of potty, stop him quickly and bring him outside to finish his business. Give him treats when he discharges outside successfully. If you do find the poop without the pet nearby it will be no use to yell at him anymore. He will not understand your reason for being upset and this will only serve to confuse him. To ensure this doesn’t happen again, be extra vigilant after meals.

When it happens, immediately clean up the accidents as thoroughly as possible. A deodorizing solution should be applied to remove any residual smell the poop might leave behind. Dogs will sniff out the area and use it again for the same purposes. Keep their cages as small as comfortably possible to aid in potty training dogs. Animals do not relish sleeping in the toilet area so they will restrain eliminating until you can get them outside.

Do not feed and water your dog less than two hours before sleeping time to ensure that there will be no accidents that will surprise you in the light of day. Bring him out to do his business first thing in the morning and after he wakes up from naps. When you have successfully potty trained your pet, make going outside as easy and convenient as possible for him. Place the cage near an open back door or give your doors a swinging dog flap for his easy access.

Potty training dogs is every responsible pet owner’s priority. This will keep your dog disciplined and mentally stimulated- a good preparation for other obedience tasks. More than that, your home will welcome the change and thank you for it.

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Jul 08 2009

Tips on How to Stop a Dog From Digging

by Andyl Hannerl

As dog owners, it is normal that our dogs dig as this is one of the things that they love doing and this is okay if you have the luxury of giving them a designated yard to dig in, but at some point, they will need to know that they can not do this all the time and its not okay to tear up the yard. If you are having a hard time with your dog digging the whole yard, there are tips that will let you know how to stop a dog from digging and you might want to learn about these tips. If you want to learn and have the knowledge on how to stop your dog in digging, here are some tips that will really help you train your dogs in this area.

Walk the dog

One of the best things that you can do if you need to know how to stop a dog from digging is to take them for a walk. Even just a walk around the block is going to entertain them and get their mind off digging. Of course you should be taking them for a walk a couple times a walk a week as well.

Let them play with toys

You can choose among a lot of great toys from any pet stores, and you can just opt to get your dogs toys every now and then. This is just so your dog will have something new and different to play with.

Have them trained

Now there are going to be certain cases when you are just not able to deal with the dog and you are starting to get to the end of the rope. If this is the case with you, then you are going to want to at least consider getting a trainer to help you out here. There are lots of fantastic dog trainers that you can hire and which are going to be able to take control here and make sure that your dog gets trained. Now of course you are going to have to pay for their services, but it will definitely be worth it because you know 100 percent that they are going to be able to train your dog.

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Jul 02 2009

Ouch! Training a Puppy to Stop Biting

by Andyl Hannerl

Bringing a new puppy home is an exciting new adventure which brings with it a lot of responsibility for bringing the puppy up with proper training. The training should start at day one, when the owner should enjoy the cute little puppy, but should keep in mind that everything that he does with the puppy is reinforcing behavior that will continue when the puppy turns into an adult.

The puppy training should be consistent throughout its life so that the behaviors that are allowed with the owner are also allowed with people that enter the home. If the behavior would be an embarrassment or could cause harm or annoyance to the person entering the home the owner must not allow it with himself, otherwise the dog will be confused as to what behavior is appropriate to do with people.

Biting

One common issue that has to be stopped through training is biting. Puppies are likely to bite as they are exploring their world, and unfortunately, people sometimes get the brunt of that attention.

The puppy should never be hit or slapped when training it to stop biting since this can lead to the puppy thinking that the owner is playing with it, roughhousing like dogs will do with each other.

One way to train the puppy to stop biting is to refuse to play aggressive games with it such as tug of war, chase or wrestling. Although these activities are fun for dog and owner, they encourage aggressive behavior which is not acceptable for the dog to exhibit with all humans that come into the home.

One of the best ways to train a puppy not to bite is to let out a sharp “Ouch!” whenever the puppy tries to bite and then removing eye contact and turning the back to the puppy. This is the same method that dogs use with each other, letting the other dog know that it hurt and they are not going to play that way.

This method uses negative reinforcement to train the puppy that biting will not get him the attention that he wants. When the puppy calms down and does not try to bite, the owner should give it attention and praise so that the proper behavior is reinforced.

If a puppy bites on your hand, place a finger under its tongue and hold on to the bottom of the jaw firmly for about ten seconds and make sure that the puppy cannot get away. This will prevent the puppy from biting down and will provide the negative reinforcement that such behavior is not acceptable at all.

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Jun 28 2009

Ways To Stop Dog Aggression

by Andyl Hannerl

There are many reasons that a dog might become aggressive toward other dogs. Some dogs might get nervous or fearful around other dogs. In other cases the dog is striving to be the dominant dog. In other cases, the dog is becoming aggressive since he is defending his territory.

There are also some cases that a dog can be taught by the owner to be aggressive rather than be socially interactive with other dogs. Other dogs are simply being protective of their masters who make them aggressive in a way and this goes for being sexually aggressive as well.

Tips

One way of stopping a dog aggression is by making sure that your dog is socialized as a puppy to other animals. Puppies should be permitted to play with other dogs that are well behaved and mature.

This way, they will be able to learn proper dog behavior from adult animals. The puppy also learns that being with other dogs is okay and that he need not fight with another dog just so he can defend his territory or be protective of his owner from other animals.

Another way to stop dog aggression when a dog starts to become aggressive is to address the issue immediately each time it happens. The dog should never be allowed to get away from this type of dangerous behavior. A head collar or muzzle can be effective while the dog is in training to stop dog aggression, but is not the solution to the problem in the long run.

Strict training is also one way to stop dog aggression so that the dog is tuned into the commands of the owner and not be focused on other animals. Remember that the attention of the dog is focused on the owner. This way, when the owner gives another instruction to the dog like sit or down, it would still comply regardless of the fact that there is another dog around.

The owner should also teach himself to control his anxious feelings and behavior, as small as it might be, so that the dog does not take a nervous cue from the owner. This can help to stop dog aggression since the dog always takes its cue from the owner.

Once the dog knows how to focus, he can be distracted by commanding your dog to find a treat when there is another dog around. This will help stop dog aggression because the dog being asked to find the treat will not even mind the other dog around him and this means that dog aggression is stopped even before it starts.

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