Dog Behaviourist

Setting Up Your Home to be Dog Friendly

admin — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 07:58:21 +0000

Keeping your dog safe and secure in their home environment is an essential part of a dog owner's duty to their beloved canine companion.

Now, thanks to the good people at DogTips.co, you can access a free, in depth guide on how to have a secure, dog proof home and garden as well as learning the steps you can take to deter would-be dog thieves from making your pet one of their victims.

You can read it here: http://www.dogtips.co/dog-proof-home/

Hyperkinesis in Dogs: What Is It, Why Should You Care?

admin — Thu, 19 May 2011 08:28:39 +0000

It's rare and that probably explains why so few dog owners have heard of it.

Canine hyperkinesis is a condition which renders a dog almost untrainable.

Over at DogTips.co they've published an insightful profile of the condition and also a really interesting piece detailing a case study of using drugs as a meant to try treat hyperkinesis in a dog.

Well worth a couple of minutes of your time.

What is Hyperkinesis in Dogs?

Ahh! How Do I Stop My Puppy’s Destructive Chewing?

admin — Wed, 18 May 2011 08:57:04 +0000

One of the most common puppy problems encountered by new dog owners is destructive chewing.

Thanks to our good friends over at DogTips.co, we can now provide some relief and assistance to anyone who's struggling with the problem of destructive chewing – particularly as it relates to puppies (cure puppy chewing).

Suddenly that cute new puppy has turned into a chewing monster; nothing is safe from his/her mouth. What is happening?

Puppies explore their world by means of their mouths. Chewing helps relieve the pain of teething and it is necessary for a dog’s physical and mental health. Chewing helps relieve tension and stress.

Since nature did not give dogs hands to use, their mouths are their source of exploration; their means to investigate new things, tastes, and it is a basic behavior instilled in dogs since the beginning of time.

Source…http://www.dogtips.co/cure-puppy-chewing/

Dog Training Info: Dog Clubs

admin — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 23:15:31 +0000

Can dog clubs solve behaviour problems such as fighting, wrecking the house, or attacking the Hoover? Frankly no, these problems need to be dealt with in your own home by an experienced behaviour advisor. Dogs never have ‘just the one’ problem, but often it is only one of many which drives owners mad, or proves to be expensive. If your dog has any behaviour problems, sort those out first, as training will not help.

Do dominant dogs benefit from training? Eventually, but how do you spot dominance in your dog? Most dogs will assume dominant behaviour if they feel the lack of leadership within the household. A good rule of thumb is a dog who won’t be groomed won’t be trained.

The reason for this is that superior or dominant dogs will not accept grooming from their inferiors. Should you find yourself in this position, get advice and sort out who makes the rules in your house. Dogs do not appreciate being in charge, this is your job, but they will take on the role if you refuse to.

What can you expect to learn at a Club? Walking on the lead without pulling, returning when called, sitting, lying down and staying when told to are the basic building blocks, and you can expect to learn these exercises first. Should competition work be your goal, you will need to find a specialist Club.

Should you simply want a well behaved pet, try a club which hosts The Kennel Club’s Good Citizen Scheme, as this means that the training should be well planned, follows a well thought out route and you get to earn certificates and rosettes along the way! It also means that the Club is listed with The Kennel Club, and that it has valid insurance. The latter is important, as should you have an accident, or you or your dog suffer injury, an Insurance claim will need to be made. Well trained Instructors will show you how to use play, food, body language and voice to train your dog, and never a check chain in sight!

Common dog training problems

In a recent survey, 89% of owners said they had turned to the Internet to help them succeed with puppy house training. Training a new dog to go to the toilet outdoors is one of the most common behaviour problems new owners encounter. Dog club won't solve this particular problem but some of the people who attend dog clubs will certainly be able to advise!

Article sponsors and resources:

—
London / petbuzz / March 2011
Distributed by Robin Wiseacre on behalf of petbuzz :: social media for pet brands.

5 Exceptional Dog Training Tips

admin — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 10:28:06 +0000

It's often hard to circumnavigate the world wide web of knowledge and pinpoint the exact information you need, right when you need it.

That's why we thought we'd be nice and put up what we think are 5 exceptionally useful dog training articles dealing in 5 topics that we know – for sure – lots of people are regularly hunting for information on.

5 Dog Training Resources:

House Training a Puppy Top Tips

admin — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 10:17:19 +0000

How to house train a new puppy is one of THE most common queries we receive here.

We've had a good look around for the top puppy house training tips and would recommend this article in K9 Magazine for an excellent starting point.

In it, you will find out step by step instructions on the puppy house breaking process along with some excellent fast track tips for getting your new puppy in to the swing of house training, using positive methods and effective dog training techniques.

Stop Dog Pulling on Lead

admin — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 12:48:44 +0000

If your dog is pulling toward another dog or a group of people, you can slow your pup down by dropping your weight and by chopping the leash with your left hand directly over the back, creating the letter "L" with the leash. With this manoeuvre, the leash works as a pulley to keep your puppy from moving forward.

You can also teach your puppy to back up if you don't want him to cross paths with another dog or a group of people by sitting low in your walk and applying downward pressure on your leash with your left hand to reduce his speed.

Then start walking backward and say "Back, Back!" Your puppy will back up with you.

This comes in handy when you wish to remove your puppy from situations on the street that can be stressful.

If you apply pressure low enough to the leash, this will cause the puppy to sit.

Dog Training Commands

admin — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 12:10:56 +0000

One of the more common errors that many new dog owners make is to have a dog training command vocabulary that is either too large or too complicated for the dog to ever understand properly. Here we discuss 9 common dog training commands and their most regular meanings.

1. Bait: A treat used to get your dog to give you his attention.

2. Collars: A "puppy" collar is a buckle collar made from a wide piece of cotton or nylon fabric. A slip or chain "choke" collar is made from cotton, nylon or chain. The best chain collars are brass with very tight, small links.

3. Cord or Long line: A piece of cotton or nylon cord, very lightweight and small in diameter (in relation to the size of your puppy or dog) with a snap at one end and a handle at the other.

4. Correction: A term that describes a restraint to the dog, redirecting undesired behaviour to desired behaviour.

5. Free: Without restraint.

6. Leash or Lead: A leash is a six-foot leather line with a handle at one end and a snap at the other. It should be small enough in width to comfortably fit in your hand.

7. Praise: Positive physical or verbal reassurance to reward your dog.

8. Reward: An edible treat or tossable toy.

9. Show leash or Show lead: A lightweight lead. This type of leash comes in different materials, fabrics and lengths. Some show leashes have built-in collars while some are to be attached to separate collars.

How to Settle a Puppy in a New Home

admin — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 12:04:27 +0000

These 5 little tips will prove helpful in settling a new puppy in to your home.

The first nights in a new home for a puppy are much like a baby's first few nights at home. The best way to get your new puppy to sleep through the night quietly is to:

1. Make sure his last play period is a good, hearty one that ends about one hour before you feed him his last meal, which should be about an hour before your bedtime.

2. Take him out to potty as soon as he is done eating and about fifteen minutes before you go to bed.

3. Leave a very small quantity of water with him when you put him to bed.

4. Try to make your bedtime and his getting-up time no more than six hours apart until he is four to five months old. With this schedule and proper containment, a healthy puppy should both sleep and housebreak easily.

5. Make him a proper bed. The puppy's "bed" can be a rug at the end of your bed (tie him to the bedpost), a box or crate or pen, or any other small area that restricts his movement. You want him sleeping while you are sleeping!