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Tough Dog Toys for Chewers

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:29:27 +0000

My dog loves her chew toys. The only problem has been finding one that lasts more than a day.

Most of the squeaky toys get chewed up before she even gets to play much. I would buy all kinds of different styles to try out with her, but she would still chew them up fast.

One day I decided to stop throwing away money and get her a real tough dog toy.

I found one that looks like a tennis ball bone and it has lasted six months already.

Her real favorite is just a tennis ball made for tough dogs and chewers. We have played fetch with this tough dog tennis ball for over 7 months now and it’s still going!

Dogs like to have their play time and you can enjoy many hours of fun with these toys for tough dogs.

If your dog chews up one toy after another, save your money and get them a tough dog toy that will last for a long time.

Please feel free to visit our main site at:

http://tough-dog-toys.com

To get more tips and tricks for your dog.

A Pet’s Ten Commandments

SueMiller — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:12:14 +0000

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4. Don’t be angry with me for long and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6.. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I’m not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old and weak.

9. Please take care of me when I grow old You too, will grow old.

10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can’t bear to watch. Don’t make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.

~ take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy and take good care of them.

~ Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without God’s critters.~

Dog Aggression Training

SueMiller — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:51:29 +0000

You can stop your aggressive dog behavior and have your dog following your every command. However the first thing you have to do is retake dominance of the household. The only reason that your dog begins to show aggressive behavior towards their owners is because they have claimed dominance of the household and it is up to you to show them that you are the leader of the household.

There are several ways to do this and I will explain some of the ways that you can begin doing this.

1. Begin Young: It is important to start disciplining your pet when they are young; chances are if you let them get away with this type of behavior while they are small then it will escalate as they become older.

2. Make Them Wait: Never let them crowd you when you are trying to do something like give them food. Many dominant dogs will become very dominant when it comes to dealing with food.

I used to deal with growling all the time when I was trying to feed my dog. He would sit there and growl the entire time as I poured his food. However today he will sit patiently; (well maybe not so patiently) but he will wait for my command before he even tries to eat.

3. Obedience Classes: When I first started having problems I was against taking him to obedience classes because I did not believe that someone could help me solve the issues I was having. However I was wrong you have to be open to trying new methods of taking care of your family pet.

Never let them see that you are scared of them and if you are scared of your own pet; then you may want to consider getting a different one. Dogs who know that their owner fears them can cause serious and harmful damage.

Help Rescue Dogs

SueMiller — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:26:05 +0000

Get a dog adoption pink wristband – (but sshhh, don’t pay for it!)

Did you manage to get one of the stunning, limited edition Rescue Me t-shirts, marketed by DogsBlog.com – in aid of promoting rescue dogs?

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If you did or you didn’t, you may be interested to know that you can currently get one of the ultra exclusive ‘Rescue Me Pink’ wristbands for FREE when you order a t-shirt.

The ‘Rescue Me’ pink wristbands have been getting snapped up by dog lovers all over the world. We did a limited run on the wristbands but we have now decided to change tactics.

We WANT you to have one! After all, our ambition is to promote rescue dogs and there is few better ways to do that than by encouraging people to wear this highly visible, attractive fashionable wristband (along with the truly amazing Rescue Me, limited edition print t-shirt)

You can get yours today at: http://m1e.net/c?69574121-weusSfPdZPyKw%404537557-of7tc3X7CEE2Y

Please note: both t-shirts and wristbands are strictly available on a first come first served basis. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. So don’t miss out!

Dog Tricks

SueMiller — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:43:26 +0000

Shake Hands: Start by having your dog sit. Say, “Shake hands,” and take his paw with your hand. Hold his paw and say, “Good dog!” Let go of his paw. Do this a few times every day.
TIP:
After a while, say, “Shake hands,” but don’t take his paw. See if he raises his paw by himself. If not, keep showing him what to do by saying, “Shake hands,” and taking his paw with your hand. Your dog is not slow; he is just learning!

Speak: Choose a game that your dog loves to play, like catch with a ball, or hide and seek with a toy. Then get him excited by saying, “Let’s play! Want to play?” and show him the ball or toy. Jump and act silly so he barks and then say, “Good dog, speak!” Then play the game as his reward for learning “Speak”.
TIP:
You can’t make a dog bark, but you can get him happy and excited so he wants to bark. After a while, your dog will bark when you say, “Speak.”

Come: Have your dog sit in front of you. Using a dog whistle from your local pet store, blow it once and give your dog a treat. Do this several times and repeat several times during the day. Repeat this over several days, trying it a increased distances. Your dog should soon be running to you every time he hears the whistle.
TIP:
Us a small, but tasty treat, one that your dog really loves. After your dog will come to you from different areas in the house, move outside, to fenced areas only. When you notice your dog is a little distracted, give the whistle a blow and see if he comes. By now, he should be coming. If not, go back to shorter distances without distractions and take the steps a bit slower. More to Come…

Basic Dog Training Commands

SueMiller — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:43:35 +0000

Step 1 Off! Give this verbal command when a dog is jumping up on a person. You may also use this command when a dog is on furniture. Never use the command “down” in these situations. The “down” command has a different meaning.

Step 2 Sit! Give this verbal command when you want the dog to sit. Use the command in combination pushing the rear end of the dog to the floor with your left hand while pulling up on the leash with your right.

Step 3 Stay! Use this verbal command when you want the dog to remain seated as you continue to walk forward. Use this command with your left hand palm facing forward, fingers pointing down and moving right to left in front of the dog’s nose.

Step 4 Down! Use this command when you want the dog to lower its chest to the floor, while still on its paws. This is a down and ready position.

Step 5 Heel! Use this command when you are walking your dog. Position the dog on your left side with its shoulder next to your leg. Tug on the leash to position the dog while you issue the command.

Dog Training Secrets and Tips

admin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:57:52 +0000

More Dog training tips and tricks coming soon.
We are going to put an RSS Feed with the latest dog training tips scrolling on this front page! Learn pet training secrets for free!

Free Dog Health Tips eBook

SueMiller — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:48:16 +0000

Free Dog Health Tips eBook
100 Greatest Dog Health Tips eBook (Worth £7.99) – Yours for FREE To receive this eBook you will need to enter the following password: ilovedogs

It’s yours, free. No strings. Click the link, enter the password download the product, compliments of K9 Magazine.

http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/2234/100-greatest-dog-health-tips-ebook-worth-799-yours-for-free/

Leash Problems

admin — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 03:45:15 +0000

Exercise is a major part of our dogs’ lives. Cesar Millan, the “Dog Whisperer”, tells us that to maintain a healthy relationship with our beloved pooches, that relationship should consist of 50% physical exercise, 25% discipline, and 25% affection. That’s a lot of exercise! In order for us to be able to enjoy exercising our dogs as much as they need, it’s important for them to behave well both on the lead. Unfortunately, there are many dogs out there who are afraid of the leash itself – resulting in neurotic, fearful, submissive behavior whenever the lead comes out. In this newsletter, we’ll take a look at the most effective way to deal with fear of the leash. Fear of the Leash The majority of the time, the sight of the leash is enough to bring on a fit of joy – the dog knows that leash = walk, and reacts accordingly. For some dogs, though, the leash connotes fear and submissiveness more than anything else. Perhaps the leash was used in a negative way with a previous owner – as a tool for dragging the dog around. Perhaps it was used to confine the dog for long hours at a time. In some extreme cases, dogs have even been whipped with the leash as punishment. Or perhaps your dog is just very highly strung, and is prone to developing phobias seemingly arbitrarily. Although fear of the leash can have a severely negative impact on your walks with your dog, the good news is that it’s easy to cure. You just need some patience and some basic equipment. What you’ll need – A leash, made of webbing or leather. Approximately 5 feet (1.25 meters) is a good length, as it enables control without risk of the dog getting tangled in the leash when out walking. Chain-link leashes aren’t recommended, as they’re hard on the hands – and also can flick the dog in the face, which isn’t something you’d want to inflict on any dog, let alone one that’s suffering from fear of the leash! – A good-quality collar, again made of leather or nylon webbing. If you’re using one with a snap-lock, make sure it’s safety-approved and won’t come undone under pressure. Slip-chain collars (also known as ‘choke-chains’ or ‘check-chains’) should never be used on an unattended dog, as they’re a training tool, not a real collar. – A little bit of time, and a little bit of patience. What to Do – Your aim here is to accustom your dog to the lead a little bit at a time, keeping him well within his comfort zone at each step of the way. Because he’s already got a fear of the leash, some discomfort in its presence is to be expected, but watch out for signs of extreme fear: hyperventilating, drooling, submissive urination, rolling eyes (often showing the whites). So step one: remember to take baby steps at all times! – If he’s really afraid of the leash, you’ll need to accustom him to it very slowly indeed. Practice leaving it out in full view, preferably in ‘fun’ places: next to his food bowl, in preferred play areas, near his bed. – Once he’s stopped reacting to the sight of it, introduce the leash to him in a more active manner. You can do this by wrapping it around your hand as you pet and groom him. Hold the leash in your hand as you prepare his food; sit by him and stroke him, with the leash wrapped around your hand, as he eats. Keep this up until he’s stopped showing any signs of discomfort – it may take some time, but remember that you’re aiming to accustom him comfortably to the leash. Any rushing is counterproductive. – When he’s not showing any signs of nervousness with this level of progress, you can start attaching the leash to his collar. Put him in a sit-stay, using a firm, calm voice, and clip the leash on. Don’t make a big deal out of it: your dog will take his emotional and psychological cues from your behavior. If you act as though it’s not a big deal, he’ll follow your lead. – Once the leash is on, give him some time to get used to the sensation of something hanging off his neck. He may get a little panicky at this stage, and start pawing at his neck and trying to rub the leash off along the ground. If he’s showing signs of nervousness, distract him with a game: a short game of tug-o’-war (providing he knows to drop the toy when you’ve had enough) is a good idea; if he can run without getting tangled in the leash, play a short game of fetch; or, if the two of you are outside in a safely enclosed area, you can go for a short walk. Don’t attempt to touch the leash at this stage, just let him walk around freely. – Take the leash off after five minutes or so, and praise him lavishly for being such a good boy. Give him a couple of small, tasty treats, and lots of petting. – Repeat these last three steps several more times before progressing to the next level: you want to give him plenty of opportunities to get used to the sensation of the leash itself before you start using it to control his walking. The more positive associations he forms with the leash (which he will do through the games, walks, and treats while wearing it), the better for his progress. – Next, it’s time for a short obedience-training session while he’s wearing the leash. Five minutes is plenty: practice a sit-stay and the recall command (“come”) while he’s wearing the leash. This will reinforce your authority and leadership, and remind him that he’s still expected to obey you while wearing the leash. – When he’s readily obeying your commands with the leash on, you can take him for a short walk while he’s wearing it. If he’s jumpy, do not reinforce his nervousness by rewarding him with attention. Simply ignore him and carry on walking. Remember, he takes his cues from you, so keep calm and wait for it to pass. – If, at any point, you feel that he’s simply too nervous to proceed (for example, if he’s still panicking after three or four minutes of walking on the leash), go back to the level at which he was last 100% comfortable. Wait a few days at this stage before attempting to proceed. Things to Remember – Remember to be patient! Don’t attempt to rush your dog’s progress: using force is counterproductive to your end goal. You’re teaching him to relax and be calm around the leash – if you get stressed or frustrated with his lack of progress, he’ll be able to tell, and his anxiety levels will increase, not decrease. – Remember not to indulge his nervousness or coddle him if he plays up or gets nervous. If you react to his crying and trembling with petting and cooing, you are telling him that it’s OK to feel like that. If he’s nervous, either ignore it and carry on, or distract him with a game or short walk. If he’s still panic-stricken after three or four minutes, revert to the previous step and give it more time. – This should go without saying, but never correct or punish him for skittishness or nervous behavior – again, it’s counterproductive in the extreme. For Further Information For more information on a variety of leash-related problems, as well as a detailed look at the whole spectrum of common canine behavioral problems, you may want to check out Secrets to Dog Training. It’s a comprehensive training compendium for the responsible owner, and covers just about every topic you could ever need for building and maintaining a happy, healthy relationship with your dog. You can check out the Secrets to Dog Training site by clicking on the link below: Dog Training Info Click Here

BASIC DOG TRAINING RULES

SueMiller — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 23:33:02 +0000

When training your dog at home, there are a few basic rules you should remember.

Keep your training sessions short. Especially for a new puppy. Their attention span is not like persons. Puppies are like small children. They can only focus for a few minutes and after that both of you will become frustrated, because nothing else will be learned. About 10-15 minutes for a puppy. A dog that is 9 months to a year or better can hold their attention span for about 20-30 minutes. So concentrate on one or two commands at the most.
You must be in calm, cool and in control. This is very important or your efforts will fail for both you and your dog. If you dog senses you are losing patience, with will be difficult to work with. You need to keep a steady tone of voice, NO YELLING. You need to control the leach, but do not jerk or choke your dog. Constant movements, but steady and keep your voice firm, but no need to shout. You might even want to practice saying the command in a low voice to make sure they are listening. This is also good training if you choose to teach them hand signals as well.
No need to over praise. You need to re-enforce their actions with a pat on the head and a good boy or girl. You can give treats at the END of the session, but not every time they do the command correctly. You need to let them know they have pleased you, but if you give them a treat each time, they will come to expect them after training is complete.
Consistency. If you are training your dog to heal for instance. Always start off with the same foot. If you don’t your dog will be confused and will not be able to learn the command and you will both get frustrated. If you want them to lay down and you start off by saying “down”. Then you must stick with that command. Same with any other commands.
End the session with an “at a boy/girl”. If you end on a positive note, your dog will look forward to the sessions. They only want to please you and if you are mad at them or frustrated when you quit, then when you take them to the same spot for training, that you have been taking them to, they will remember it and training will be more difficult.
Do not associate a command with a punishment. A stern NO is different than a punishment, like a swat on the behind or sending them to their bed/pin. You need to be stern, if necessary, but if you punish them during training, like jerk on a pinch collar or tell them they are “bad”, they will associate this time together as a bad experience and this will become a dreaded time, instead of a good positive experience.

Training your dog is not for everyone. Be honest with yourself after the first couple of sessions. If these basic rules are not something you can stick with, then it is best to take your dog to someone who does this for a living. That way, you two can remain
”best friends.”