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pup
SEE, I TOLD MOM HE WOULD LOOK OK STUFFED AND MOUNTED
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YEAH, I’M GRUMPY – YOU GOTTA PROBLEM?
Yeah, I'm Grumpy - You Gotta Problem?
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ONE BAD WORD AND I GET THE MUZZLE…WTF??
One Bad Word and I get the Muzzle...WTF??
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YUP, MOMMA DONE DID ME WRONG!!
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HAVING A BAD DAY? TRY SMILING INSTEAD!
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Socialize Your Dog for Life!
We tend to forget these days that dogs are pack animals. Many of us may have just one dog, or even two. But we don’t see them as they were in nature. Left to their own devices, dogs join up into a pack, often of related animals. Like their wolf cousins and ancestors, dogs have a hierarchical structure to their packs, with leaders, assistants, subordinates and followers. In nature dogs would learn everything they need to know, including dog manners, from their mother and other pack mates.
To live in our world of cars, buildings and cell phones, we have taken dogs almost completely out of their natural world. In many places they exist without even having fields and forests anymore to share with their humans as they did only 100-200 years ago. The only way they can exist in our world is if we teach them the skills they need to understand it and to thrive in it. This means we have to socialize them to the human world and to the people in it.
Socialization means much more than learning a few commands. Socialization is learning, from birth, to accept humans. Good breeders begin socializing puppies from the day of their birth, picking them up and holding them, stroking them and talking to them, getting them used to sights and sounds in the house. This should continue for the first seven weeks of life, with puppies being introduced to new things each week.
From the age of 8 weeks to 12 weeks, the time when many people get their new puppy, puppies are going through a fear imprinting stage. This means that it is very easy at this time for anything that frightens the puppy to be remembered for the rest of their life. New owners should take special care during this time to bolster their puppy’s confidence. Do let puppies see new things and introduce them to new places and people. Give them time to see that there is nothing to be afraid of. Give plenty of praise when the puppy is brave and curious about things. Try not to encourage your puppy to be fearful at this time or reward fearful behavior. If a loud noise or something frightens your puppy, instead of cuddling the puppy take him to see what it is and show him that it’s okay. Dance, laugh, be positive instead of petting the puppy for being fearful. This is the difference between a fearful adult dog and a confident one later in life.
Introduce your puppy to many different people during this time to help him learn that he has nothing to fear from strangers and that he can meet them and be friendly. Take him for short rides in the car. Introduce many strange things at this time, such as umbrellas and the vacuum cleaner if he has not already encountered them. Let him see normal things in unexpected places in the house. Make sure he gets used to being groomed and bathed during this time. And, of course, make sure he learns some leash training. This is helpful since he will be going to the vet for his shots during this time. Makes these pleasant experiences for him (especially bathing) and your future experiences will be much better.
Exercise basic common sense, of course. Don’t allow your puppy to put himself in any danger while encouraging him to be confident. Don’t allow him to wander where other animals have left droppings. Remember that your puppy is not fully vaccinated yet so limit his socialization time with any unknown pets. Don’t make your puppy do anything that is frightening for him. Puppies at this age will remember things forever. You want to encourage confidence, not ask them to do more than they can cope with. And, remember that your puppy is just a baby at this time. He needs lots of sleep and several small meals during the day. You should only have a couple of socialization sessions per day along with things that occur on their own.
The socialization period continues until dogs are about 20 weeks old. By that time their basic personality is in place, though socialization can continue for months. You’ll begin to see your puppy making his own decisions about what he wants to do, what he likes and doesn’t like, what frightens him and what he’s confident about.
Early socialization is an extremely important time in the life of every dog. You can help your dog adapt to living with humans by working with him during this time and make your future life together a very happy one.
Socialize Your Dog for Life courtesy Dog Articles.
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Puppy Dog Training
I know exactly how it can be, you buy that brand new, nice smelling, affectionate dog and you really want to offer it everything beneath the sun. It is a natural reaction for any individual whom looks at a sweet, small puppy to shower him or her with every little thing they would like, however this can certainly cause a few undesirable behavior and produce even more work for you. Now it will be a very good plan for you to get started in your own puppy dog training soon, and let your dog fully understand who is in charge.
As the owner you have to develop a relationship with your new puppy. The relationship you develop has to include a stable foundation, as well as your own puppy needs to learn that you are the leader! Simply by giving in to those puppy dog eyes every time your dog cries, you are just demonstrating to your pet that he is in charge, that he is the boss. In the event that you grant your puppy free reign in and around your house, your dog will never learn self-control, discipline, and will lack respect for your entire family.
A dog not possessing respect for their master will be the hardest achievable circumstances to have. By simply giving into your own pup, he may mature to become an even much larger monster, with absolutely no behavior training, rowdy as well as a lot of instances aggressive towards some other pets along with individuals. Most dog owners who possess these puppy dog training issues, often times simply give them away to shelters or even worse, simply abandon them. I do not wish this to take place to any pet therefore carry out with your puppy dog training.
In order to achieve control and respect via your very new pup you must challenge him or her with some primary commands. These types of commands need to be comparable to Sit, Stay, Down, and so forth. You should help make your puppy sit prior to he will go outdoors, or goes for a walk. Make your pet follow some important commands just before his routines and he will probably soon understand he has to comply to you before he or she receives everything that he wishes. Keep in mind that pups love a challenge, so turn this kind of instinct into a positive effort for you. Get your own puppy to pick up their toys, sit, fetch tennis balls, anything that places you in control. As a result of making your pup comply with several primary instructions on a daily basis, he or she will probably quickly understand that if he or she complies to your request, he will get a treat.
Or perhaps he will get his favorite toy, or go for a stroll. The faster your own puppy can pick up on this partnership you are creating with him, the quicker you will find benefits throughout your puppy dog training. Whenever your puppy follows through along with your instructions you should continually encourage him highly enthusiastically! When your puppy recognizes that he pleased you, your dog will certainly want to carry on with this kind of behavior over and over repeatedly. You never want to yell or discipline ones canine throughout your puppy dog training due to the fact that this particular kind of actions will certainly just set you back, and also make your pet plan to rebel against just about any command you require of him.
Puppy Dog Training courtesy Dog Articles.
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10 Pet Safety Tips You Should Know
In some ways having a pet is like having a child. You have to do all of the thinking and planning for him. You have to be prepared for every contingency. That means being prepared in case of emergencies and taking the proper precautions ahead of time.
Here are some tips that should help you take good care of your dog:
1. Make sure that your dog is up-to-date on his vaccinations and that he has proper tags and ID at all times. Microchips are recommended. This is a great help should your dog ever become lost. It gives him the best possible chance of being returned to you if somebody finds him.
2. Obey leash laws. This means that you should keep your dog safely contained in your own yard behind a fence. When you have your dog out with you make sure that he is restrained on a good quality leash. Don’t let your dog run loose. This is dangerous to him and a nuisance to the neighborhood.
3. Be careful what you feed your dog. No chocolate. No onions. No raisins. If in doubt about something your dog eats or if you suspect poisoning call your local veterinarian immediately. Know the number of your closest emergency vet clinic and the shortest route in case you have an emergency at night.
4. Crate train your dog. Your dog should ride in a crate in your vehicle. This is the safest way for your dog to travel. Crate training is also a great way to help house train your dog. If you ever intend to fly anywhere with your dog he will also need to fly in a crate.
5. Keep a pet first aid kit on hand and know how to use the contents. A good first aid kit should contain blankets, surgical tape, a muzzle, an antibacterial ointment (such as Neosporin), cotton swabs, tweezers, gauze and gauze pads, hydrogen peroxide, ipecac, scissors, forceps, diarrhea medication, and activated charcoal. Remember that if your dog experiences an injury that he may react out of fear or pain. Be careful in handling him. He could bite you accidentally.
6. Take special precautions in hot summer weather and during extreme cold. Remember that dogs can’t sweat and that they suffer during extremes of weather just as people do. They should not be left in vehicles during either extreme, even for a few minutes.
7. Remember that your dog needs fresh water available at all times. Dogs can become dehydrated just as people can.
8. Take special precautions with dogs when there may be fireworks or other loud noises. Many dogs are sensitive to these loud booms and can become frightened from them. Some dogs can bolt and become lost.
9. Old dogs need special care. Keep an eye on their weight. You don’t want them to be either too thin or too much overweight. Both can be signs of an underlying health problem. Make allowances for their age. Provide a softer place to sleep, give them more time to eat, make their food more appealing. Take them for a senior check-up starting when they’re about seven-years-old.
10. Be patient with puppies. They come to you not knowing anything. They will make mistakes. Teach them using positive training techniques and they will be able to learn anything you want to teach them. A trained dog is a happier dog and has a better chance of fitting into your home and lifestyle and living a wonderful life with you.
10 Pet Safety Tips You Should Know courtesy Dog Articles.
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Housebreaking Your Puppy Do’s and Don’ts
Dogs are considered “man’s best friend” for a good reason – they are known to develop deep and meaningful bonds with their owners and remain loyal to them. Television shows, movies and books have all been devoted to the intensity of the bond between a human and their dog and this isn’t without good reason!
If you have a new puppy in your home, congrats! A dog can be your closest friend in the world and will never turn down your affections, will never stop listening when you need an ear and will be your friend for the rest of their life if you take the time to build a healthy relationship with them.
However, the dog in your home does not make the rules. You do. That being the case, you need to make sure your animal understands what is acceptable and what is not. Dogs don’t train themselves!
Be sure to make big decisions early such as what he will chew on and play with, where he will sleep and what is off limits to him (for example: Can he get on the furniture? Are any rooms in the home off limits?).
Housebreaking your dog as a young puppy will help ensure they respond successfully and quickly to the training and thus be a happy and positive member to the household, causing you (and him) as little stress as possible.
The crate training method is a perfectly humane and quick way to train your puppy not to go in the house.
Before we dive into that, some Do’s and Don’ts on housebreaking your new family member:
Do’s:
Be Consistent. Without your consistency, your puppy will only get confused as to what you are expecting it to do.
Do regulate your dog’s food and water intake during the day. Never withhold food or water if your animal needs it, but remember that the more your animal eats or drinks, the more it will need to go to the bathroom.
Do remember to stay close to your puppy. If you aren’t near him, he will have no way to get let out to use the restroom. If you have to be gone for long periods of time while you are training him, make sure that you keep the puppy in a limited area of your home where you are prepared to have accidents happen.
Do reward your doggy with praise whenever he does what you’ve asked or expected him to do. Your puppy wants to make you happy and he needs to learn what are the right things to do that generate that praise he is seeking.
Be realistic. As frustrating as house training can be, your new dog may not be completely housebroken until 6 months of age or more.
Don’ts:
Don’t allow your pup to use the restroom anywhere other than his designated area during the training period.
Don’t discipline your dog when he has an accident. While housebreaking a new puppy, accidents are inevitable and when they do happen it means you did not get him outside to use the restroom soon enough. Clean up the mess and move forward.
Don’t use your puppy’s crate as a way to punish them, the crate should not be associated with negativity. Also, don’t lock your doggy up in their crate for long periods of time.
The crate method and why it works:
Dogs are by nature picky about where they do their business. They will not use the restroom where they eat or sleep. If your puppy sleeps in their crate, they simply will not use the restroom in it.
To Begin With:
– Puppies urinate often. Anytime they drink, eat, run, chew, play or walk they will need to use the restroom within 15-30 minutes following depending on the size, age, temperament, and breed of your puppy.
– Document how often and when your puppy needs to do his business for a few days. Keeping an eye on his general schedule will make training easier.
– After you’ve determined your puppy’s natural schedule, plan your walks around it. Between the ages of 10 weeks to 6 months, your puppy should be taken out or walked 5 to 10 times daily. Between 6 months and 11 months this number will drop down to 4 to 6 times daily. After he is grown 3 to 4 times daily should be enough.
– Especially on your first walk of the day (after your dog has spent the night in their crate), do not come home from your walk until your puppy has done their business. If, for whatever reason, you do need to return, return your puppy to his crate and let him back out every 15 minutes until they use the restroom.
The crate:
Your puppy’s crate is his special sanctuary away from any stresses during the day. It functions as his bedroom and his own personal spot that no one else uses.
Your puppy should associate his crate with only positive things. Be sure to keep his favorite toys, blankets and treats inside. While he is still adjusting to the crate, leave the crate door open until he has no anxiety about being inside it.
The better your puppy feels about his crate, the lower the chances of him using the restroom inside it.
Do not encourage bad behaviors by letting your puppy out of the crate for whining, scratching or barking.
Getting Started:
– Create a daily schedule of taking your puppy out and feeding him.
– At night time, put your puppy in his crate, but be sure to take him outside first thing in the morning and do not return from your walk until he has used the restroom.
– After you’ve taken your puppy out and he has eliminated, bring him indoors and allow him to play for about an hour. (Also remember to keep an eye on his whereabouts in the house until he is fully housebroken.)
– Feed your puppy.
– Using the information about your puppy’s natural schedule that you’ve already written down, take him outside within fifteen minutes of when you anticipate he will need to go. Do not return from outside until he has used the restroom.
– Come back inside and allow the puppy to play.
– Put your puppy back in his crate for naptime.
Repeat this schedule throughout your day.
This may seem like a ton of effort, and it is, but this is a method that is wildly effective. Your puppy will quickly be house trained and when your puppy is older, he will inform you when he needs to go out. During the training process, you will have confidence in your dog and know that accidents are much less likely to happen.
Housebreaking Your Puppy Do’s and Don’ts courtesy Dog Articles.
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