Just like humans, dogs thrive when properly exercised. While not all breeds have the same exercise requirements, certain types of dogs such as those from the sporting, herding, or terrier groups require more activity than other breeds. Running is one of the quickest and most efficient forms of exercise, and is one activity that requires little training. Listed below are the benefits of running with your dog, and how to safely start a running program together. Running has numerous benefits for pets beyond simply keeping them trim and fit. Adequate exercise can eliminate most nuisance behaviors in pets such as excessive barking, digging, chewing, humping, and attention-seeking because it is an outlet for excess energy. Dogs also crave mental stimulation that cannot be provided when simply let into the yard. Running is a fantastic form of socialization and helps dogs experience new sights, sounds, and smells that bust boredom. Finally,...
Continue reading » Dog HealthNo Comment Puppies bite. In fact, sometimes we may even wonder whether we’ve adopted a baby crocodile instead of a dog. After a week with our new puppy, our hands are marked, our clothes are filled with wholes and our minds are desperate! Does this mean we’ve adopted an aggressive dog? Will he bite people in the future? The truth is, this is a perfectly normal behavior for puppies. Just like human babies, they discover the world with their mouths. Since their mouths are filled with tiny, pointy, sharp teeth, it hurts. If it didn’t hurt, they would miss the opportunity to learn an extremely important life lesson: bite inhibition. Imagine the following scenario: two young puppies are happily playing with each other. They nibble, mouth and bite each other. All of the sudden, one of the puppies enthusiastically bites his sister; she yells and moves away from him. The young puppy...
Continue reading » Behavior, PlanningNo Comment Now-a-days, it is as easy to find a dog trainer, as it is to find a McDonald’s. They’re everywhere and the number of dog behavior related professionals keeps growing. We can find Facebook pages, websites, ads on the local newspaper and several business cards being displayed at veterinary clinics and hospitals. Since the prevalence of behavioral problems in dogs seems to be increasing, this could be a good thing. When the demand increases, so should the offer. However, the problem lies on the lack of legislation and certification when it comes to animal behavior professionals. Dog training isn’t a regulated profession. Legally, it doesn’t exist. As a consequence, anyone can wake up in the morning and decide to start working as a dog trainer; no one will force you to study, to become a certified professional or to be evaluated. And, unfortunately, most dog trainers aren’t adequately educated professionals and...
Continue reading » Planning, TrainingNo Comment Dogs and babies aren’t incompatible. On the contrary, when a child has the opportunity to grow next to a doggy friend, the benefits are immense. Living with a pet can help children develop their nurturing skills, responsibility, empathy and communication skills; they can also learn how to be empathetic and kind. Some studies have shown that dogs can help kids develop their self-esteem, create and maintain healthier social relationships and also exercise more regularly (which decreases the incidence of obesity and weight problems). They can also contribute to a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, things may not go as smooth as desired once the baby arrives. This is why you should invest on preparing your dog to accept the presence of the baby. Here are a few tips on how to do it: Go to the internet and search for baby sounds. There are plenty of videos with babies...
Continue reading » PlanningNo Comment So your alarm clock wakes you up at six a.m. You decide to open your eyes and the first thing you see is your dog, staring at you while waving his tail with excitement. He’s waiting for you and you know he won’t wait much longer; you better take him out… You put on your robe and shoes, grab his leash and walk towards the front door. When you open the door, your heart misses a beat: it’s dark and freezing cold, the wind is so strong your and it’s raining in a way that would make Noah cry in despair. Well, a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do… Okay, After all, your dog needs to pee! Okay, this may be a little over the top but I’m sure you get my point. For most people, walking the dog may feel like this! It can be seen as...
Continue reading » Behavior, TrainingNo Comment A marker is a tool that allows us to tell the dog exactly what behavior is being positively reinforced and it allows us to do so in a clear, objective and simple way. In other words, a marker turns out to be a tool that facilitates communication between the owner/trainer and the dog. When we correctly use a marker to train our dogs, we speed up the whole process by making it faster and more efficient; it also prevents the dog from developing frustration during the training session for not to being able to understand what we want from him and what behaviors are being reinforced. How do we use a marker, then? 1st Rule – We should mark the behavior at the exact moment it occurs. That is, if we want to teach a “Sit”, we should mark the exact moment the dog’s hind legs touch the ground; if...
Continue reading » TrainingNo Comment Have you ever though that your pet friend can face dental, oral problems as well? Yes, that’s right. Your dogs can suffer from oral health conditions like gum disease and much more. Dental problems in your furry friend can result in lost or broken teeth, loss of appetite and damage to organs when bacteria get in the bloodstream via diseased gums. So, to avoid getting such dental problems, there are dog dental chews and treats available in the market that proves to be really useful. Some of these products contain polyphosphate in the form of coating. It helps to reduce tartar by around half. These chews are available in different flavours and tastes as well like some taste like mint and others like chicken and so on. Professional brushing and cleaning are surely amazing ways that help to maintain good oral health. But these dog dental chews may provide amazing...
Continue reading » Dog HealthNo Comment Do you remember the time when your parents gifted you a new remote control car when you got A grade on your report card? That made you study harder, right? This is known as positive reinforcement. Same is the case with dogs. They want praise, reward and food. Using positive reinforcement, you can train your dog in no time. As the rewards make the pooch more likely to do the desired behavior again, this type of training can prove to be the most useful tools to shape up or change the behavior of your dog. Timing matters Timing is very important when you plan to use positive reinforcement. For instance, reward should be given immediately or your dog may not be able to associate with it if not given on time. Teaching commands This training method is also great when it comes to teaching your dogs certain commands...
Continue reading » TrainingNo Comment Hip dysplasia is very painful in dogs and it is thus heartbreaking for the dog owners to see their pet suffering. The problem is so severe that the canine will struggle hard to do his normal day to day activities and the pain gets so serious that it can change the temperament of the dog. Also, your pet friend will not wish to play or indulge in any type of exercise or games. But you need not worry much as there are many treatment options available for curing hip dysplasia in dogs. Medical therapies Weight management is the best way to stop the problem faced by the canine due to extra weight on his body. The medical or surgical procedures will surely be more successful when the dog is not overweight or obese. So you need to keep a check on what your pet eats. Also, exercising is equally crucial...
Continue reading » Dog HealthNo Comment Hip dysplasia is the abnormal joint structure and laxity of muscles, ligaments and connective tissues that support the joint. When joint laxity is faced, articular surfaces of two bones then lose contact with one another. And this separation of cones within the joint or subluxation causes great change in the overall shape and size of articular surfaces. Most dogs suffering from hip dysplasia are born with having normal hips however because of genetic makeup or other factors, soft tissues which surround the joint then develop in an abnormal way thus causing subluxation. It is thus the subluxation and hip remodelling that results in symptoms that we generally link with the disease. Hip dysplasia indeed may or may not affect both the hips. Also, each case of this disease is different, as per the dog and its condition. It can start to develop in pups of just 4-5 months and may...
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