Obedient Dog Tips

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In the past, chic pet accessories such as the rhinestone dog collar were so hot, however some people thought they were too gaudy for animals and thus their popularity declined. However, with the renaissance of flash and bling, rhinestone dog collars are becoming a hot item once more. People are now recognizing that their pooches also deserve to be stylish in their own right.
Dog lovers treasure their pets very much, and one way of showing high regard for their pet is by giving them something that makes them stand out and look so special. Most dog owners express their pet’s individuality through their collars. There is a wide variety of dog collars to choose from each one catering to different preferences. But the most special among them all is the rhinestone dog collar, which truly makes any pooch look like a million dollars.
Rhinestone dog collars are usually made of leather, cloth, nylon, and even metal with rhinestones embedded on the leash. These tiny, sparkling stones make any color shine, complementing the dog’s eyes and coat. The materials used for rhinestone dog collars are usually very flexible, following the contour of the dog’s neck. It can be a colorful band that is similar to the dog’s owner’s tennis bracelet.
Some rhinestone dog collars can be specially designed to spell out your pet’s name in flashy gems. This is definitely a prettier alternative to the usual dog tag that just has your pet’s name engraved on a small sheet of metal.
Before, rhinestone dog collars are only worn by female pets, but with the emergence of metrosexuality, even male dogs can wear rhinestone collars without much problem. For those who still prefer their dogs to maintain a butch image, there are also rhinestone collars that come in rugged designs that complement their pooch’s macho impression. Examples of these are those black leather collars with a few big rhinestone studs that are well-spaced.
Rhinestone dog collars may come with buckle or snap-on closures. Whatever kind of rhinestone collar you choose, you must make sure that it closes securely so that it would not fall off easily. Snap-on closures are usually convenient, especially for small toy dogs. However larger dogs usually need more security which only buckled collars can provide. It is thus important to test whether the kind of lock the collar you are buying would withstand the strength and size of your pet.
When you are considering to get your pet dog a new rhinestone dog collar, it is important to make sure that the collar fits well and the gems are properly secured. You would not want Fido to be able to remove the collar easily and then chew or choke on the sharp little stones. You should check the collar regularly to see that there is no damage with the material and all the stones are in place. Always watch out if a stone falls off so that you can quickly keep it away from your dog’s reach.
An easy way of measuring the fit of your dog’s rhinestone collar would be the finger test. If you have a small dog, one finger should fit snugly between the dog’s neck and collar. For medium dogs you would need two fingers. Large dogs would need three fingers. If the rhinestone collar is too tight, it can choke your dog and kill it, but if it is too loose, it can easily fall off and get lost.
Other than these reminders, rhinestone dog collars are not really that difficult to maintain. You just need to clean the collar once in a while to maintain the brilliance of the tiny gems. You would probably just need water, with a little mild detergent to remove stubborn grime and stains. Missing pieces might not be inevitable so it is wise to keep some spare gems to replace those that would eventually fall off.
In these times when being fashionable is already considered an asset, dogs can keep up with their owners with the accessories that they wear. Perhaps the best way to glamorize your dog is to have it wear a rhinestone collar. It serves the purpose of regular collars but adds style and flair to your most beloved pet.

When planning a day out on the town, women typically try to look fabulous in the latest fashion trends. With the latest styles in designer dog collars, your puppy pal can too!
With the appearance of shockingly bright colors, woven fabrics and bold graphic patterns, designer dog collars follow suit to ensure your pampered pooch stays up to date. For a complete ensemble, coordinate your pooches couture with your own.
BOLD GRAPHIC PATTERNS:
For women bold graphic colorful patterns are huge on the runway this season,so why not deck out on your pooch in one of the designer collars available on the market? Some of the most popular looks this season are bright and graphic geometrical patterns or a delicate romantic floral inspired pattern. To enhance the impact of the pattern even farther, provide your dog with a matching leash.
In order to harmonize with your furry friend’s designer dog collars, wear a coordinating solid or light designer tie-dye dress. For an even trendier look, follow some of Hollywood’s hottest celebrities and pick up a matching belt or tie for yourself.
The high-quality designer dog collars available today look significantly better than traditional choke chains and provide more fashionable options like Cheetah patterns that are easily coordinated with human clothes and accessories.
ULTRA- BRIGHT COLORS:
Dressing in this season’s hottest colors is no problem for your pooch. Seek out designer dog collars in brightly colored jewel tones and shocking colors such as bright yellow, electric pink, and terracotta. For a casual look, don a matching bright T and designer jeans. For an evening out with your dog, try one of this season’s off the shoulder ankle length gowns that can be found on many of the world’s most popular runways.
For men, brightly colored silkscreen printed t-shirts are a popular casual look this summer. To match this pattern puppy-style, select designer martingale also known as sight-hound style collars for dogs that back out of their collars like Sight-hounds, or Bulldogs or dogs that pull excessively and coordinate a matching leash to the look. Or for a more conservative look try to select collars and matching leashes in in monochrome color pallets that range from the color of the dog to pale hues. With the popularity of patterns this season a pattern repeat in any way is big in either shocking bright colors or monochromatic hues.
Big and bold is definitely in this season and accessories are no exception. For your dog large colorful charms for his or her designer dog collar and a matching or coordinating leash is a must. Steer away from solid embellishments like studs, rhinestones or pearls as they can present a safety hazard if scratched out and ingested by your beloved dog, and lets face it dogs scratch even when immaculately coiffed its the nature of even the best beast.
Always consider your pets safety and comfort when choosing collars, in relation to size, always have a little adjustablility, and style either martingale/sighthound style or regular standard collars. Some manufacturers even go to the extreme of lining collars with satin to ensure your pets comfort and reduce hair loss. Washable collars are a must to keep your pet fresh and clean.
Your dog is an important part of your life, so why not indulge them? Doggie couture is one of the best ways to show pets you care and give them the prestige they deserve. With this summer’s newest fashion trends and designer dog collars and leashes, you and your dog will be having fun and look fabulous while you are out and about or simply hanging out around the house.

Vitamin C is needed for healthy teeth and gums as well as for a strong immune system to fight diseases. While dogs can produce their own vitamin C, it is not enough and therefore needs to be part of the diet. Vitamin B is needed for energy and to break down protein and carbohydrates. Minerals are a critical component of a diet but they make up less than 2% of most formulated dog food products. Since more than half of the necessary minerals are lost in manufacturing processes, adding mineral supplements to your pet’s food is recommended. Ready access to fresh and clean is necessary for your dog to maintain proper body functions as well as to aid the body to break down hard-to-digest food like meats. Whether you make your own dog food or buy them off the shelf, it is necessary to make sure the proper nutrients in the right amounts are given to your dog. Just a little effort goes a long way in helping our pets lead a healthy life as your companion.  Kennel cough or infectious tracheobronchitis is a common and highly communicable respiratory disease in dogs. The disease is characterized by a dry, hacking cough that sounds as if something is lodged in the dog’s throat, and can be quite forceful that its leads to retching or heaving. Healthy dogs can easily acquire the disease in vaccination clinics, animal shelters, veterinary hospitals, local parks, kennels, dog shows, grooming parlors or animal boarding places with infected dogs. Crowded situations where the air is very warm and ventilation is poor are a potential source of kennel cough. Kennel cough can be caused by one or a combination of the following airborne agents (either as the causative or secondary agent): canine distemper virus, canine adenovirus 2, canine parainfluenza virus, the bordetella bronchiseptica or other gram negative bacteria. The condition is triggered when two or more of these pathogens attack the dog at the same time, leading to bronchial and tracheal inflammation. Other signs of kennel cough include thick yellow or green nasal discharge, rhinitis and conjunctivitis in some dogs. A dog will exhibit clinical signs of kennel cough between five to 10 days following infection from carriers. Although the condition sounds serious, the self-limiting nature of the disease makes it generally harmless, with dogs recovering without any major effect a week or two after. Kennel cough symptoms can persist for up to 20 days. Owners should note that extremely young and old dogs may develop serious respiratory complications from the disease. The disease is usually diagnosed by a veterinarian by checking on the dog’s history and a physical exam. The trademark cough can be triggered by simply massaging the animal’s trachea or larynx. In cases where dogs have fever, depression or unusual lung sounds, veterinarians may require a chest x-ray, complete blood count and a laboratory analysis to check for microorganisms in the airways. These diagnostic tests will help establish if pneumonia is already developed or canine distemper and other infections have already set in. Affected dogs usually remain active and maintain appetite levels despite kennel cough. However, since the trachea becomes highly sensitive, owners should loosen or avoid leashes and collars to minimize the possibility of tracheal damage, particularly when their pets have a coughing spasm. Since dogs often recover from the disease by themselves shortly after contraction, treatment usually focuses on cough control. Butorphanol and hydrocodone are two common control drugs given for kennel cough, although pet owners should first consult their veterinarians for advice on the best treatment for their dogs, particularly for antibiotics in more severe cases. These cases – some of which could lead to pneumonia – typically call for isolation of the infected pet to prevent the disease from spreading. Vaccinations are another preventive step. There is a subcutaneous vaccine of modified live parainfluenza, distemper and adenovirus 2 and an intranasal B bronchochiseptica vaccination. Similar to human patients, vaccination schedule and dosage varies across dogs in terms of age, with activities also considered by veterinarians. Aggressive dogs are the ideal patient for injectable vaccination, particularly if they are the type that bites when their muzzle is handled. Owners should remember that this treatment will not prevent kennel cough 100%, but will make infection less severe. Two-week old puppies can already receive intranasal vaccination, which gives 10-12 months immunity and followed with annual booster shots. This form offers faster immunity compared to injectables, as it stimulates local immunity by targeting the site where the infection naturally occurs. The DHLLP vaccine is the standard vaccine for kennel cough, with the treatment for adenovirus 2 applicable also to adenovirus 1 – the canine hepatitis agent. Owners must remember that vaccination will no longer be effective if their dogs are already incubating kennel cough. Some veterinarians prescribe a cough suppressant-antibiotic combinations following diagnosis. One recently developed antibiotic, azithromycin, has been found highly effective, particularly for mycoplasmal tracheobronchitis. Another option is the sulfa or trimethoprim combination. Since multiple organisms cause kennel cough, immunization may not eliminate totally eliminate the problem. Owners should also consider preventive measures to limit exposure, including refraining other dogs – both familiar and unfamiliar – from sharing food and toys with their pets. In addition, a good number of veterinarians feel that no treatment may actually be the best course of action, as antibiotics could later weaken a dog’s resistance and increase exposure to pneumonia and other more serious complications.

Are you at your wits end with your dog? Don’t give up, help is near!!

Does your dog embarrass you? Does He Still Jump on Everyone Who Comes In.? Your dog needs to be trained. You must do more than just tell your dog to stop doing what he is doing; you must not confuse him, keep your words simple and be consistent. He does not understand sentences, only simple one or two word commands. Real dog training is not a “quick fix”; it is a conditioning, life-long process. Dog training is very important today because many people take their dogs everywhere they go. Not all dog training is the same. Positive dog training has become the preferred method of dog training. This method of training is possible for almost every young dog. Dog training involves more than just training your dog; it involves teaching the owner “you”. Dog training is like going to school for you and the dog. Training is all about making your dog understand you, and you need to learn to communicate with your dog. I have heard that about 90% of dog training is teaching the owners. One of the basic training points in this regard is teaching your dog to sit on command. Training your dog to “sit” is probably the first (and easiest) thing you should train your dog to do. When you start the training: say, “Sit” while gently pressing it?s rump down and holding a treat above the dog’s head. When he looks upward, he will automatically sit on his hind legs. Again if you want your dog to sit, hold a treat a bit above his head and say, “sit”. As the dog sits, say, “Sit” again and then immediately, give him the treat. Your dog will drop into a ’sit’ position in order to get the treat. My favorite command is fetch. Playing fetch with your dog promotes bonding while making sure he is getting some exercise. First throw a ball (not too far though), and give the command “Fetch”. As he starts to run towards it, yell fetch again. Instead of a ball, you could use one of his toys that he loves, as this makes him want to go get it. Avoid using heavy items or sticks, as this can damage the dog’s teeth or hurt him. A well-trained dog should stay where his or her owner tells him to, so stay is another important command in dog training as well. That will come in a later article. The most basic of dog training is to get your dog to sit, stay and fetch. Proper dog training is not a “quick fix”: it is an ongoing process. Dog training is a very physical, so be prepared to get tired. With breeds that are more aggressive, dog training is never without risk of injury. Training your dog continues throughout your dog’s life. Dog training is certainly necessary for all dogs. One major mistake many pet owners make is to assume that the dog training is over once the pet has learned the basic commands. It is all about communication with your individual dog. Dog training is definitely not difficult and it can be made much easier than you would expect, especially if you get help from a good dog-training guide or book. I highly recommend the following books and videos as they have worked for me. I felt that I was the old dog trying to old to learn new tricks, but I guess I was wrong. And you can believe me when I say, “If a 70 year old great grandmother can learn from these books & videos YOU CAN TOO.

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Dogs as animals do not naturally listen to human beings for direction. Yes I know that dogs are mans best friend and sometimes women too. Because dogs are animals we as human beings must understand that. We all learned our habits by repetition.

 Whatever habits we have good or bad we learned by doing it over and over again. The same principle goes towards animals and especially dogs. Some of us learn habits quickly and some of us learn habits not so quickly.

With dogs the same learning curve applies. It may seem like I’m comparing dog learning to human being learning but it’s just an analogy. If you want to learn 3 of the more common mistakes that a lot of people make in teaching their dog good habits then you need to read the rest of this article.

 Relating to these common mistakes will help you immensely in training your dog properly. It’s that simple to fix but you have to know about them first. That’s what this article is all about and what it can do for you. You will be enlightened on these mistakes and also there will be a link to a free report to understand more about training dogs.

So teaching a dog new tricks can really happen quickly or slowly depending on the temperment of the dog. Some dog breeds work better than others. Why is that? You can call it anything you want but that is the face of reality. The learning curve of training dogs is dependent upon their breeds, their background, disposition and how they were treated before you got them into your household.

Some of the mistakes that I will be mentioning you probably aren’t even aware of them. At the conclusion of this article you will be aware and know what to do in these cases. When you first get your dog, or first start training your dog you definitely need to set some ground rules before total disobedience occurs.

Right from the beginning you will need to set ground rules for your dog so that they know what they can and cannot do. It doesn’t matter if you want to get into a full fledged training program for your dog you need to let your dog know who is the boss. Mistake #1. Shouting at a dog is counter productive to what you want it to do.

Shouting in itself is an act of aggression. Dogs being animals are able to pick up on intonations and shouting is not a good habit for you to use. Yes dogs are not perfect and there feels like there’s a legitimate reason to shout at a dog. But truthfully you do not want to make the dog understand and obey you only when you yell. Otherwise you will have to yell to get your dog to obey you.

You want your dog to obey you at a normal tone of voice. You can be strong with a normal tone voice just as you can with a shouting tone of voice. It can be done with a little work on your part. Mistake #2. Training your dog for 30 minutes or even an hour at a time. Keep the training attention span limited to 15 minutes.

 Especially if you have a high spirited dog 15 minutes can seem like an eternity. But for low strung dogs 15 minutes is like a nap time. It takes a lot of patience on the dogs part and the handlers part to train and keeping the training periods to 15 minutes are just about right. You or the dog won’t get flustered as much if you keep your training periods to a manageable time. Mistake #3. Not enough praise.

By not giving your dog enough praise when they do something right is another big mistake that a lot of people do. How difficult it is for a dog to obey you? Very tough for an animal to follow through with your instructions. When they do as their told then make your dog feel like a million dollars.

Make sure you have goodies handy for them in cases like this. If you work your dog enough, they will expect to get these treats when they do something right. Your dog will want to please you all the time.

A dog adopted from the shelter is essential just like any other dog. His physical and emotional requirements are the same and his capacity to love, learn and live are also the same as other dogs. However, there are some factors which render such dogs unique.
Firstly, shelter dogs are mostly mixed breed dogs. While more and more shelters are picking up pure breeds, mixed breeds are more common. In case of some dogs, you can easily identify the constituent breeds. However, some breeds offer no chance of hazarding a guess.
Getting a mixed breed dogs involves some disadvantages. Some are listed below:
• You can never predict how a mixed breed pup will turn out when it grows up. You never know whether it will grow up to be big, small, active, lethargic, reserved, outgoing in nature. Will it be fond of fetching or will it prefer herding?
• Since you get to see just the pup and have no information about its parents, you do not have any knowledge of the medical and emotional history of the pup. Has it inherited any disease from its mother? Was its father a very aggressive dog? You never know!
• Shelter dogs often bear physical or emotional scars from its past. They may have been abandoned in the past. They may have been subjected to violence in the past. They may not be ready to trust people immediately.
Time is the best doctor. Passage of time along with a steady dose of love and affection should be sufficient for the dog too overcome its past traumas. The disadvantages mentioned above can be overcome by adopting a compassionate and observant attitude towards the pet.
You can always go through breed rescue societies to get the breed you want. However, choosing from a shelter is a smarter and better decision.
Leash Straining Can Have Serious Consequences On The Dog’s Health
All pet owners have experienced a situation where the dog kept on straining on the leash. Most pet owners see the problem of excessive leash straining as a minor embarrassment in front of others. However, this habit of the dog may lead to severe consequences.
A large dog is strong enough to pull its owner off his or her feet. Leash straining may lead to severe injuries for the owner. However, the health of the dog is also at risk. Dogs strain the leash because they are not comfortable wearing them.
If you dog strains against the leash, check whether the leash is causing discomfort. Do not ignore leash straining. A survey by noted behaviorist Anders Hallgren has indicated that 63% dogs of the sample size of 400 dogs had spinal injuries. Nine out of ten dogs suffering from injury strained on the leash. Either they regularly strained on the leash or they had suffered a harsh jerk in their neck due to the leash. Further, the survey found that 78% of the aggressive dogs were affected by spinal injuries.

As a dog trainer, living a structured life with my dogs comes as second nature to me. Their lives are neatly divided into three categories: work, rest and play. Because my personal dogs are free from the major problems plaguing most of my clients, I also allow them a certain amount of liberty in the home. I call this “I Have No Idea What The Dog Is Doing” time.

This article is not about training dogs. Whatever method you use to train dogs cannot succeed if the dog is living in pandemonium when not training. I’d like to write about living with dogs, not training them.

Unlike most “civilians,” my life revolves around the dogs. I know where they are and what they are doing almost every moment of their lives. They have earned those moments when they are loose and unattended. Yet loose dogs, not carefully observed by their owners, are those who cause the most trouble…and bring trainers the most business.

Housebreaking errors, chewing and incessant barking are crimes, yes. But typically, they are crimes of opportunity. Eliminate the opportunity and you also eliminate the crime. Simply stated, do that for long enough and the dog becomes so accustomed to good behavior that he barely remembers how to be naughty.

Another major contributor to dog behavior problems is when the relationship between dog and owner is not in good order. For example, dogs do not bite or growl up the flow chart, unless the behavior is driven be fear. However, dogs may guard space and resources from their owners when they perceive themselves to be above the owner on the flow chart of authority.

Since I’m talking about authority and relationship, the question arises as to whether this concept is the same as dominance and submission. It also brings to mind the question of whether humans and dogs can enjoy partnership as opposed to relationship based strictly on authority and respect for same. To speak to this issue, let’s first examine how dogs relate in the pack.

In observing my own three dogs as they live with one another I have come to some conclusions about this matter. My Doberman is the pack leader. Either of the other two will yield to him on any issue he chooses. The Border Collie mix is next in line. He does not challenge the Dobe on any issue of importance. Yet, he does demand this same respect from the Rat Terrier, who will yield to either of them if they demand.

Does this mean that the pecking order is clear, and ever present? Yes and no. Many a time have I seen the Rat Terrier playfully grab my tolerant Dobe by the throat, or bite his rear hock as he’s walking away. She’ll also steal a bone right out from under him if he’s not careful.

How can this happen and how does the structure of the dog pack permit such acts of defiance? Simple. The Dobe only puts his foot down on matters which truly concern him. From her body language, he realizes that the terrier isn’t seriously challenging him when she bites at him. So he responds playfully if he’s in the mood. Or he stops her with a hard look if he’s not. He does the same with the Border Collie, and so forth down the line.

And up the line. No superior pack member can or will force a subordinate to play if the subordinate does not wish. Each has a certain control over his own life and the lives of the others.

There is little serious discipline to be practiced among them precisely because the pack structure is well understood by each of the dogs. I represent the most critical aspect of the hierarchy. There is an unassailable law which applies to the entire pack, whether they are acting as individuals or as a group. They must each obey me, individually and as a pack. I have the right to place any of their bodies where I wish them to go. I have the right to take each of their resources. And I have the right to reinforce known rules upon any member.

It is this clarity of authority which allows the pack to function as a partnership. Even lower ranking members feel comfortable demanding their share of resources, whether it be jockeying for my touch, dividing bones, or sleeping space on the dog beds. I am quite sure that there would be a great deal more squabbling if my presence was not foremost in the dogs’ minds.

But the concept of work, rest and play has been deeply instilled into each of these dogs. Therefore, the abundant use of obvious authority is not necessary anywhere within the food chain. It is not often that my Dobe must fix the terrier with a hard glare. And it is not often that I must shoot one at him. That’s because I have rigged their lives with such a high degree of structure that each knows his place relative to the other, and to me. My dogs are under specific obedience commands only occasionally, when necessary. Life is relatively peaceful, and power is shared most of the time.

I constantly see clients in my home. They bring unruly or aggressive dogs into my environment. Therefore, my dogs are all accustomed to being crated when I need them out of the way. They cope easily with this confinement (rest) because they also receive adequate play and work time. It’s just part of the balance of life.

This balance is also the centerpiece of my training with client dogs. If the dog is living in my house, his schedule is quickly meshed with those of my pack. There are defined moments when we work, when we rest in the crate or on tether, and there are specific times when we play. Play is supervised and has rules. All good games have rules. My primary rule for playing dogs is that they not fight over resources such as toys or space, and that they moderate their play style so as not to overwhelm any dog. This does not come natural to most client dogs. They have to be shown that they can share and that they can play without overpowering. But once the dog realizes he will have access to all this, he’s willing to access them on my terms. That yielding to my rules doesn’t happen without gentle insistence on my part. I do insist. And it does happen.

For example, many of the dogs I train do not like the crate, according to their owners. Yes, for the first couple of days I find I must insist they step into the crate and remain quiet in there. Generally, by the third day, most dogs are cheerfully hopping into the crate for me under their own steam. That’s because they know they may randomly receive a treat for loading. They also accord me the power to ask them to place themselves within.  I also feed in crates, building the concept that this is the dog’s private, happy space.

Usually, a dog who respects your authority to place his body in a crate, is also a dog who will not growl at you for moving him off a couch, or otherwise taking resources. I believe a dog demonstrates this respect by crating himself when you point at the open door.

Quiet in the home as well as the crate is very important to me. I cannot abide meaningless barking. I do permit the occasional bark of happiness or alert. But barking without purpose merely serves as expression of a dog’s needless frustration. Once I have stopped useless barking, I find the dog far likelier to remain in a calm frame of mind. That is the state in which I want him to live most of the time.

It is a good idea to walk through the dog’s space occasionally instead of walking around. The subtle message is: all the space in the world belongs to me, yet I do share it with you. I think similarly of toys. I do have a bunch of dog toys, but they’re not scattered all around the house. I keep them put away in a box. When I want the dogs to enjoy them, I pull a few out and distribute them. Sometimes I even put my own saliva on them, marking them as mine. Not so curiously, those are the most sought after of the dog toys. If they’re good enough to belong to the boss….

I have a confession to make. Probably sixty percent of the learning experience I give to client dogs comes from highly structured, managed animal husbandry. It doesn’t come from training at all, at least not what we would label traditional dog training. Yet it is the most powerful form of dog training there is…living with dogs in a way that makes sense to them, and encourages them to collaborate within the pack.

Partnership does not mean equality. It means fulfillment to each, and to each his fair share of the “stuff of life.” Respecting the authority of the boss and respecting the needs of the dog enables each to partake of the relationship in a way that deeply satisfies both dog and owner.

Recently I trained a 14 week old Labrador puppy. I nicknamed him the Pirhana. This puppy was a major biter, with no bite inhibition. The owner’s girlfriend is covered in scars and scratches. I found the Pirhana detached from humans in that he neither asked for nor accepted any form of affection. He was not housebroken. And his play with my dogs was aggressive.

I lived with this dog for only ten days. But that ten days was composed of 240 hours, or 14,400 minutes, or 864,000 seconds. For each of those 864,000 seconds I managed that dog, whether it was how he was permitted to use his mouth, when he ate and where he eliminated. The result was a puppy who finally began to solicit affection, did not bite me, played appropriately with the other dogs, and who did not have a single accident in his last nine days of living with me. I also trained him to walk nicely on a leash, not to jump, and to come when called. Those skills took only a couple of hours to teach. The Pirhana , really named Frank, is an incredibly smart dog. However, he was a puppy completely devoid of respect for authority, and in fact, ignorant of the entire concept. It was the management of living with me that turned him around. The dog training was a small bonus.

The day after he went home his owner wrote to me:

Today was the first day Frank was truly a member of our family.  Sara (the owner’s three year old daughter) and Frank spent the entire day with each other and I have never seen either of them so happy.Frank has become the affectionate and wonderful puppy that we knew was inside.  We have seen too many positive changes to even list.  The most important, and most evident, is that he is HAPPY!  Rather than limiting him, his boundaries and rules have set him free. We realize that there is a lot of work to be done.  This is work we look forward to.  We have no doubt that the investment of time will pay dividends for a lifetime.We look forward to working with you as Frank continues to grow and develop into the best friend he was meant to be. Thanks so much,Kelly, Sara and Karl

 

You can do get the same great results with your dog. I’m no miracle worker. All I did for Frank, formerly known as the Pirhana, was to manage his life and his resources long enough for his true nature to come forward. Frank is a dog. A dog is most comfortable in pack drive…the drive to collaborate with the leader and receive his share of resources including food, water, space, playtime, and love.

Training a dog requires many hours of dedication and patience. But you will need double the patience and dedication to train a rescued dog. However, the rewards will be worth the effort.

Unplanned litters continue to be common even though the practice of spaying and neutering has been around for decades. Because of this it is hard to find loving homes for all of these newborn pups.. If you add to this the number of runaways and lost dogs, the shelters and missions are filled to the brim. For many of these dogs being euthanized will be the sad reality.

A second chance awaits a lucky few. Some will be adopted into the care of a loving family or rescued from the street. The new owners, however, are often not quite sure how best to deal with the rescued dog.

Dogs that are brought to shelters are generally not in the best condition. It is not uncommon for them to be victims of neglect, abuse of even terrible living conditions. And in some circumstances dogs are released into the wild to take care of themselves.

A dog’s nature is to be a pack animal. Because of this dogs that are in the wild usually do not do well in isolation. A domesticated dog that has been released into the wild and no longer has human or animal interaction do poorly. Wild dogs such as these are usually fearful and distrustful of humans, but with proper training they can learn to overcome these traits.

As the first step in rescuing a dog you should take it to your veterinarian for a full exam. If the animal is sick or in pain your training efforts will be wasted. It is very important to give the dog enough time to regain weight and energy.

It may be a tall order, but whenever possible try to get the dog’s history. Knowledge of past abuse, general temperament, or medical history will help you as your train the dog.

Take your time when trying to gain the dog’s trust. It is important not to force yourself on the dog. They will need to learn that they can trust you before they seek you out. Many dogs are food driven so using treats to build trust can help. Place a treat on the floor and back away a few steps. Do not stare directly at the dog. It is important to praise them once they take the treat.

A few dogs that are rescued look for physical interaction from the beginning. Others may take a few days or weeks. Once established you can try to roll them onto their back and place your hand on the chest. You can expect that the dog will either resist if they tend to be aggressive or a fearful dog will accept. Neither aggression nor fear is good. Forcing an aggressive dog into a submissive position is done under normal training. This will not work with a rescued dog. Remember to take your time when establishing trust. Make sure that a fearful dog understands that being on its back is not a punishment by given it a belly rub and talking in a calm voice.

You may find that the training is slower and more difficult with a rescued dog. They are often older dogs, mixed, and with difficult temperaments which makes training more challenging. Don’t give up. You will be rewarded in the end.

Feeling sorry for the dog can actually do more harm than good. Training can be hindered by doing this. Be patient, loving and understanding but don’t let the dog have the run of the house. You must establish your position as a leader and let the rescued dog understand that you are the alpha of the pack.

It’s a lot of sweet and hard work but you will have a companion for life.

Training a dog requires many hours of dedication and patience. A rescued dog will require double the patience and dedication to achieve the desired results. However, the rewards will be worth the effort.
Unplanned litters continue to be common even though the practice of spaying and neutering has been around for decades. The result is that the number of puppies born far outnumber the number of available homes. And if you combine this with dogs that are lost or have runaway, the animal shelters are spilling over. Many of these dogs will never find homes in time and be euthanized.
For a some lucky dogs, there is a second chance. They could be adopted from shelters or missions or taken in off of the street and into the care of a willing family. The new owners, however, are often not quite sure how best to deal with the rescued dog.
Rescued dogs are often in poor shape when they are brought in to a shelter. They often have a history of abuse or neglect and sometimes lived in horrendous conditions. Other times, for a number of different reasons, these dogs were released into the wild to fend for themselves.
A dog’s nature is to be a pack animal. Wild dogs generally do poorly on their own. Released domesticated dogs do very poorly in the wild, without any animal or human interaction. Wild dogs such as these are usually fearful and distrustful of humans, but with proper training they can learn to overcome these traits.
A rescued dog will need a full examination by a vet as the first step in the rehabilitation process. A dog will not be able to respond positively to any training if it is in pain or sick. It’s crucial to give them enough time regain their health.
It may be a tall order, but whenever possible try to get the dog√¢‚Ǩ‚-¢s history. Your training efforts will be helped if you have information on the dog’s past abuse or medical history.
It is important to establish trust with a rescued dog slowly. It is important not to force yourself on the dog. The animal will begin to seek you out once they have learned to trust you. Many dogs are food driven so using treats to build trust can help. Try stepping back a bit after putting a treat on the floor. Avoid direct eye contact. It is important to praise them once they take the treat.
It is not uncommon for some rescue animals to initially seek out physical contact . Many others will take longer. But once you have established it, try to roll the dog over onto his back and place your hand on their chest. You will have two possible reaction, either resistance from an aggressive dog or fearful acceptance from a passive dog. Neither aggression nor fear is good. Forcing an aggressive dog into a submissive position is done under normal training. A rescued dog will not respond well to this. Take your time and establish trust. Make sure that a fearful dog understands that being on its back is not a punishment by given it a belly rub and talking in a calm voice.
In the case of a rescued dog training can be slow and difficult. They are often older dogs, mixed, and with difficult temperaments which makes training more challenging. Don’t give up. Your perseverance will pay off.
Don’t feel sorry for the dog. This is counter-productive and will only hinder the training. Be patient, loving and understanding but don’t let the dog have the run of the house. You must establish your position as a leader and let the rescued dog understand that you are the alpha of the pack.
Rescuing a dog from a shelter is great adventure and with a little extra work and patience, will give you a great companion for year.

With the increasing number of serious incidents reported at public and community dog parks, private dog parks such as Royal Paws Dog Park & Dog Day Care are quickly gaining popularity as the only safe and enjoyable choice for dogs and their owners.

The current trend is city and home communities responding to area dog owner demand by setting aside a small plot of their least desirable piece of land and designating it as the area dog park. Unfortunately these unmanaged and unregulated dog parks often turn to that of neighbor confrontation, injury and horror, even with the best of intending groups and dog owners. Let’s face it, without any oversight or enforcement, incidents are going to occur. So with this increasing number of these dog parks follow the increasing number of serious incidents being reported. The well intending community becomes the venue for headlines such as “Dog Killed” or “Child Mauled by Aggressive Dogs”. The only safe alternative is that of a well run, private dog park where it is run as a viable business. A properly designed and managed private dog park is an entirely different experience than public parks because it will include dog screening, grounds maintenance, park rules enforcement and more suitable land parcels.

The benefits to a dog at an off-leash dog park or any open area of land are immense. Unleashed running elevates heart rate, increases metabolism, improves gastrointestinal efficiency, and extends muscles and joints, all of which contributes to general overall fitness. It is known that maintaining such a healthy lifestyle for your loved dog will increase longevity and reduce risk of all associated conditions and diseases that obesity can cause. The experience for a dog in open field run is like no leashed exercise. Benefits of off-leash play beyond fitness include socialization, that is, if experienced without incident. Well exercised and well socialized dogs make better community members as they are much less likely to contribute to neighborhood nuisances like chronic barking or aggression to other dogs.

If public parks could operate as the run private dog parks do, these benefits would be available to all community dogs near any type of dog park. Unfortunately, these community or city dog parks cannot staff, screen or have the resources to manage park operations. Thus, incidents will occur, often causing loss of dog’s developed social skills and development of behavioral issues. Incidents like a dog being intimidated, bullied or even attacked by another dog will occur in parks not privately run. Such negative experiences can cause dog aggression, fear aggression or cause physical injury or death. Physical or emotional recovery of a dog from a traumatic incident requires a positive and secure environment that only a well managed private dog park can provide. The good experiences enjoyed in a well-managed private dog park is the primary reason that many loved dog owners everywhere chose private over potential chaos at a public dog park.

Even with the best of run private dog parks, the dog owners retain a high level of responsibility upon park entrance and must be willing to withstand the occasional park staff directive. They must carefully watch their dog, abide by all park rules, maintain the obedience skills of the dog and know their dog well enough to predict their dog’s behavior. Each dog owner should understand their dog’s postures, expressions and movement to be able to differentiate in off-leash situations when they are comfortable and when they are not and to identify or correct any potential troublesome behaviors. This too is critical to the enjoyment of the park by all.

While private dog parks are gaining popularity because they may be the only choice for safe and enjoyable off-leash fun, still do homework because none of the dog parks are regulated by any government agency. A good rule of thumb for any place intended to visit with a dog, learn your dog’s body language and level of social skills, have good control and be comfortable with the facility layout and staff to lessen the chances of any possible incident with your dog.