Dog

Dog - How to Choose the Right Dog Carrier for You and Your Dog

2007-11-14T14:17:00.001-08:00

There is an ever growing assortment of dog carriers on the market today. People continue to look for smaller dogs to add to their home and families. Consequently, the demand for dog carriers is higher than ever.

How do you decide which carrier to choose from the growing assortment? What size is your dog? What is your budget? What is your particular or unique style? Once you answer those questions you are well on your way to finding the perfect dog carrier for you and your dog. The smaller dogs are best transported in dog carriers.

When you have a dog that weighs 15 pounds or more it will difficult to carry that dog in an over the shoulder carrier. You might opt for a suitcase style carrier in this case.

If your dog weighs over 9 pounds, you might as well forget about a fashion carrier. You will need a practical carrier. The dog world of fashion does cater to the smaller teacup breeds. These are dogs anywhere from 2 to 7 pounds in weight. If your dog fits this category you will have a wider array of choices and fashion styles.

Whatever you do, don't buy a carrier that is too large for your dog. You want a carrier that your dog can snuggle and stretch in comfortably. Place a soft blanket or piece of soft fleece material and your dog's favorite toy in the carrier.

Your budget will determine what type and how many carriers you can buy. Top of the line dog carriers are made of luxurious leather. Some of these carriers look as good as your own luxurious leather handbag. They can resemble your own handbag so well in fact that you can pretty well go anywhere with your dog undetected, which is becoming more and more appealing for dog owners who do not like to leave their dogs behind even when they go out to eat.

The faux leathers and designer fabrics are also very popular. These are not necessarily cheaper, however. The materials offer consumers a greater variety in design and colors.

Be sure the carrier you purchase has the following:

1. A safety snaps to clip onto your dog's collar to prevent your dog from jumping out.

2. Adequate ventilation at both ends of the carrier at least, preferably also at the top of the dog carrier.

3. A comfortable and easy clean interior.

4. Storage pockets for treats and other necessities is a nice extra feature.

Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She offers Designer Dog Clothes at: http://www.littleguysdogclothesshop.com
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Dog - Dogs That Escape

2007-11-08T10:52:00.000-08:00

Here's Today's Joke: Why did the Dachshund bite the woman's ankle? Because he couldn't reach any higher.

No owner likes to get a call from the pound telling them that their dog has been picked up for roaming the streets, but even the best trained dog can escape and end up in places where it shouldn't be.

In many towns you can find yourself in legal trouble if your dog is found to be wandering the streets. And quite rightly so as a dog on the loose can do quite a lot of damage to other people's property, pets, children and elderly folk.

Dogs that generally try to escape from their property are usually those that have not been trained or are bored.

Boredom is most often the case, and giving your dog suitable stimulation to ensure that he/she remains contented on the property can prevent this. This can be as simple as leaving toys for your dog to play with, fresh water and a suitable place to sleep, shelter from the weather, and anything else that the dog might need while you aren't in attendance. Obviously a big fence and a locked gate will go a long way to deter your dog from escaping.

Consider the alternative of trying to catch your dog once it has escaped, and the damage that can be done, should it run out in front of a cyclist or a car. Prevention is always best.

Giving your dog regular exercise will also reduce the likelihood of it wanting to escape. Even the fact that the dog knows it will be getting exercise when you arrive home will eliminate much of the possibility of having it escape during the time when you're away.

If your dog gets this exercise before you go out you are less likely to have problems because it is more likely to sleep after having exercised.

The Call to Come Command

Dog Quote: A dog is the only thing on this earth that loves you more than he loves himself. ....Josh Billings

The Command to Come when Called.

One of the most basic and important commands that you will need to teach your dog is to come when called. No matter what else happens, if you have taught your dog this command you will always be able to maintain control whether at home or in public.

Should your dog ever get off it's leash or escape from your property you will know that when you call it that it will come back and this certainly makes life a lot easier for the dog owner.

For working dogs, this is a vital skill as a handler needs to know that at any time they can get the dog back beside them and ready for their next command. When you are comfortable that your dog knows the commands of 'stay' and 'come' you no longer have to be as concerned that it needs to be kept on a leash at all times. This allows both the owner and the dog to have a lot more freedom.

Generally, this command of 'come' is incorporated when teaching the dog to stay, as these two lessons work hand-in-hand with one another. The dog is first taught to stay and then the owner will teach the dog to come, while still on an extended leash.

After gaining success in getting the dog to come, while still on a leash, the owner can then teach it to do so without the leash. Obviously for an untrained animal this would be better taught in an enclosed area until the dog has learned to respond to that command.

I'm a business coach, and my coaching web can be found at http://www.course-internet-marketing.com

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Dog - An Introduction to Elevated and Raised Dog Feeders

2007-11-08T10:51:00.002-08:00

You love your dog and would like to give all the best things to it. And that includes utmost nutrition and eating pleasures. Nowadays, there is a question of feeding dogs in raised dog feeders. Some research had been conducted and favorable results with the use raised dog feeders have been observed.

Dogs feeding in raised bowls give them these four important benefits:

1. It promotes better posture. Dogs have postures to protect too, especially the older ones. Eating without the need to lean forward and down is essential to keep the dog's bones frame structure in tiptop condition even as they age.

2. It promotes better digestion. If dogs eat on a raised food bowl, the process of digestion is going to be smoother. The food will move from the mouth into their stomach in a much quicker and easier manner. With that, you are sure that the food will be transformed faster into energy for your pets to use.

3. It reduces stress on your pet's forearm and wrist area. The forearm and the wrist area are the dog's Pasterns. If the dog do not need to lean down all the time, the tension on its front limbs are lessened, making it abler for some other productive activities.

4. The same goes for the shoulder and hip areas as well. The same principle can be applied to your pet's other body part, such as the hips and shoulders. Raise dog feeders can surely improve your dog's muscular frame, too.

In buying raised dog feeders, here are some things you should consider:

1. The dog feeder's height. It is believed that the perfect height for feeders is six inches below the dog's front shoulder. If your dog is relatively small and six inches seem to be too low for it, four inches should do.

2. The dog feeder's capacity. This is needed just to be sure that you feed your dog in one go. You can try to measure his current food bowl. Fill it with water and see how much your dog can consume. Currently available raised feeder bowls ranges from 2 to 16 cups in volume.

3. The material the dog feeder is made of. For this point alone, there are many points to consider. The ideal feeder is lightweight and is rot resistant. It should also have low thermal conductivity, which is ideal for times you have to serve oven-fresh food to your dog. It should also be easy to clean and comes in good colors and textures that can easily be repainted, if needed be.

4. The made of the raised dog feeder. These bowls comes with the respective stands. Make sure that the construction is superb. Some manufacturers add a cross bar for further support. Some are made of good quality metal or hardwearing plastic. The material used is going to be the determinant whether the one you are buying is durable or not.

5. The functionality of the bowl feeder. Raised dog feeders can come in a single to three-bowl feeders. Two-bowl feeders are ideal if you have two pets or if you rather serve food and water at the same time. Some are made especially for big dogs, while some can be customized according to your needs. Whichever the case, try to make sure that the one you are going to buy best matches the requirements of your pets.

6. The actual cost of the dog feeder. The prices vary so much, according to the capacity, the height, and the number of bowls present. Customized raised dog feeders can cost higher than usual. The price can range from $30 to as much as $200. Just make sure that the price you are going to pay is reasonable for the value that you are going to get.

7. The availability of the product. There are products that can readily be shipped, especially the ones offered through the Internet. Some can be bought at regular pet stores. Well, it really doesn't matter where you buy. What matters more is the thought that your dog can take advantage of the raised feeder in no time.

These are the things that you should know about raised dog feeders. With these sets of information presented to you, you should now have a good idea why and how you should have it. Why not give him the raised one as a reward for his good deeds?

John S. Rhodes publishes the Pet Comfort Newsletter, a FREE weekly publication packed with tips, advice, discounts, and bonuses for pet owners. Subscribe today and instantly download a FREE copy of Insider Dog Training Secrets ($17 value).
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Dog - My Puppy Chews a Lot - Mostly on Me

2007-11-08T10:51:00.001-08:00

Puppies who chew are normal. Chewing is a natural and necessary puppy behavior. Puppies at about four months of age are more prone to chewing because this is when they usually start teething. Other dogs that chew, especially when you are not at home, may be suffering from separation anxiety. Separation anxiety requires an entire new behavior treatment plan. In this newsletter, I want to give you a few tips for your typical, normal-behaving puppy chewer!

Some things you can do is try to teach your puppy not to chew inappropriate items. You can sit on the floor with him, casually place an object before him like a shoe, or a pencil (something he has chewed on inappropriately). As puppy approaches the object, give a firm "No," and replace the item with appropriate chew toy. When puppy takes the appropriate chew toy, praise him. You might even offer him a treat to try and reenforce the appropriate behavior and also.....that chewing on treats is alright too.

Have a variety of chew toys on hand. Give him no more than 3 or 4 chew toys at a time. Rotate the chew toys to provide variety and to help stimulate interest. Puppies can be compared to children who enjoy a new toy or returning to a toy they have not played with in a while.

Keep plenty of Bitter Apple Spray on hand and use it on spots where you find puppy has chewed or is about to chew. This has been the absolute best trick I have ever found in keeping puppies/dogs away from objects I don't want them chewing on.

My Puppy Bites my Hands When we Play!

If you have ever watched puppies playing together or moms playing with their puppies, you will notice how they nip and bite each other sometimes to the point of what sounds like a blood curling scream.....Very Normal Behavior, however. Not so pleasant though when puppy plays with you and attempts the same kind of antics. You will need to teach puppy not to play biting games with you. Try screaming: "Ouch!" Walk away from her for several minutes. You don't want to give her attention for this behavior. You want to plainly tell her "THAT HURTS," and I do not like it!!! If she just barely touches your skin with a little nip, just gently say "No." Try feeding her treats straight from your hand and do not throw them on the floor or leave them out for her to nibble on. Sort of like, puppies/dogs will not bite the hands that feed them, most usually, unless they have some kind of severe psychological disorder. You can also grab her mouth, hold it together firmly and say "NO BITE."

Connie Limon publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Coupons for shih tzu puppies and other products are offered to subscribers. Updates of available puppies. Sign up at http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com
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Dog - A Dog Trainer's Guide - The CORRECT Way To Train Your Dog

2007-11-08T10:50:00.001-08:00

There is one vital rule:

good dog training = dog obedience

It is important to stress this because the thing is not everyone has the right idea of dog training actually consists of. You are INCORECT to try and reason with a dog in your own terms. There is only one way to train a dog and that is to think the way a dog would and then relate to him. Professional dog trainer Dove Cresswels has managed to do just that and it has been mastered by many but it has to be taken seriously. If you get frustrated with your dog because it isn't doing what you are trying to teach, the dog will sense it bringing on guilt to himself therefore you get more and more your distanced from your dog rather than closer.

You may have a dog problem at this moment and need results RIGHT AWAY. Or maybe you want to teach you dog a few obedience rules and some tricks. You can have total confidence that you will quickly master the proven techniques. Your dog will LOVE this training method... and you will too! The aim of dog training is to control the actions of the dog through the medium of the canine mind. It is the mind of the dog which we are training. Probably the most common error that dog owners commit is that of crediting their dog with more powers of reasoning than it really possesses.

How many times have we seen a dog out in the park, running free, with the owner attempting to recall the dog and being totally ignored? Eventually the dog returns and is greeted with a reprimand and/or punishment and then put on the lead. It is perfectly clear to the owner why he has done this but unfortunately the dog is completely mystified and can?t figure out why it has been punished. However it does use its intelligence and decides (quite rightly!) that it?s not a good idea to return when recalled. The owner has now succeeded in training their dog not to come back when commanded! Learn to teach your dog in a way that he will understand...

Article continues at

http://www.dog-trainers-guide.com

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