My daughters are better at dog training than me

I have to admit that while observing a couple of my daughters working at training Cola this week I came to the conclusion that they are better at dog training than I am. They have more patience for it and they are more playful at it than I am.

I wonder if any of you other amateur adult dog trainers out their feel the same way about your kids?

For further regular people kind of info on dog training check out the following program:
http://tinyurl.com/dogschool.

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Dog Treats How Safe Are They

By Keith Londrie

When your dog is performing a nice trick or behaves good during training or a certain event you feel like giving him a nice dog treat. But are you sure that every dog treat is healthy for your pet?

Dogs basic nutrition is almost the same as the human nutrition; our pets need fats, carbohydrates and protein too, but in other ratios and prepared differently.

People can chose to feed their pets with raw food or special dog food in stores. There is a big controversy between some groups of pets about the way we should feed our animals regarding raw food and commercialized food; some believe that raw food has been used for centuries and its better for animals while others think that using special dog food assures the optimal nutrition.

Dog treats which are found in stores are usually biscuits made with meat products, milk and wheat but they also contain more fats than normal dog food. Think about dog treats like fast food or chips for humans.

In the last years commercialized dog food including dog treats was found to be poisonous for most dogs. Some of the ingredients contained by dog treats which are known to cause problems are: wheat gluten, onion and garlic products, dairy products in large quantities, large quantities of liver, salt, chocolate etc. These products can cause: diarrhea, kidney failure, heart diseases, obesity, etc.

If you arent sure of the dog treats you buy, you can try making some in your home, there are a lot of recipes on the internet and in special pet magazines. All you have to do is to make sure you avoid the products listed above and others which you know that affect your pet.

Other important nutrients which must be assured daily are vitamins. If you feed your dog raw food you might find it hard to calculate if he gets enough vitamins so you might need some supplements; there are a lot of brands which commercialize products that assure the daily vitamin need. If you feed your dog with commercialized dog food, you will know that the daily dose written on the package contains the vitamins your little buddy needs.

Some dog treats contain vitamins too but they are also very tasty for your dog so be careful! If you feed your dog too many dog treats you should cut down the food you give them in meals to avoid obesity and digestion problems. If you bake your dog treats at home try to calculate the amount of nutrients; you can find a lot of nutrient lists on the internet and calculate the optimum amount of food for your dog.

Keith Londrie II is the Webmaster of http://www.about-bird-houses.info/ A website that specializes in providing information on bird houses that you can research on the internet. Visit http://www.about-bird-houses.info/ now!

Article Source: http://www.bestdogarticles.com

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Why You Should Train Your Dog

Let me ask you a question, Do you think that training your dog will interrupt the wonderful relationship you share with him/her? Sure he/she does bark rather annoyingly when you take him/her out on walks, and you do have to lock him/her up during dinner parties given how it snarls and growls at your friends four year old, but that’s all ok, because that’s what dogs do right?

Ummm….not really.

Sorry to burst your bubble but in spite of not being a human being your dog too is expected to be polite. Sure his antics might seem adorable to you, you might think it’s cute when he jumps up at neighbors and scratches up doors, but your dog’s victims sure as hell wouldn’t agree with you.

You might think you do not want to exercise the sort of authority required to tell him to behave any better, and that’s all quite all right really. Being the owner of a dog doesn’t require you to suddenly transform into a whip swinging ring master and you are right in denouncing the pathetic idea of establishing who the boss is when dealing with an animal.

Where you are wrong, however, is in your basic understanding of dog training. You need to realize that training your dog is not about proving how much better you are than it, you are not trying to teach it ‘human rules’ and thereby attempting to make it more ‘human’, training is not a method of ‘humanizing’ a dog. What it is, in fact, is a way of improving the relationship you share with your pet, and of course a means of making it more sociable.

‘What’s the point of that?’ you might ask. Well, here is the thing. Most of us spend the larger fraction of our daily lives toiling in office, drinking our instant coffee, reading those balance sheets. The little time we get with our family and pets we try to merge with some sort of socializing. We go to the park for a stroll on a lovely evening after work, or to a friend’s house to watch a movie. If our dogs are unfriendly then on all these occasions we keep it back home, alone, such that in no time it’s in no way a part of our life at all.

Now, like human beings your dog too gets lonely, it gets lonely and depressed and awfully sad especially when it’s left all alone in a dark house where there isn’t anyone to pat his tired little head.

So you see ultimately due to your aversion towards training you keep your dog from enjoying the sort of company and activities it would like to.

Obedience training is a means of letting your dog cope better with it’s immediate environment. It grants every dog an easier life and makes them easier to live with. Training your dog will give you more opportunity to spend more time with your beloved pet, no matter where you are going and who you are going with.

So get in their and give your dog a nice pat and take it out for training. A few magic words like ‘heel’, ‘down’, ‘stay’, ‘come’ and ‘sit’, will change your relationship with your favorite companion forever. Good luck.

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What are the Best Toys and Treats for Your Dog

By Stephen Dolan

Keeping your dog entertained is important to his health and wellbeing. Oh, and of course dogs love to play and play and play! Dog toys can help keep your dog fit, healthy and they can also be part of your dogs education when used with treats to help with training.

Not all dog treats are created equal. While every dog enjoys treats you will find that your dog prefers some to others. With so many choices now on the market its not a difficult task to find a dog treat that he prefers. Once youve found the ideal treat you can start to use it as a training tool. That doesnt preclude you giving him a treat because you love him but by treating your dog for good behavior you are re-enforcing positive actions which will become a habit for your dog.

There is a wide variety of dog treats available. Some are sweet, some are hard, some are soft, or crunchy or savory or a combination of these. As with us, your dog will prefer a different type at differnt times. Some things to be aware of if youve chosen a hard or crunchy treat are that its not too hard and that it wont hurt or break your dogs teeth. You may be surprised to find that some treats are designed to clean your dogs teeth and remove that bad dog breath! You will find that as your dog ages his preferences will change too and you should change the treats that you feed him to suit his age.

Be aware that not all dog treats are beneficial. A lot of them have sugar, preservatives or chemicals that are bad for your dog, so always check the label. If you have a dog with allergies youll need to check the labels to find a treat that does not cause allergic reactions and that your dog likes. Your vet may be able to help you in this case.

If you dont locate the perfect dog treat you should think about creating your own. Its not as difficult as you may think, and whole companies have started from a kitchen table and a good recipe. Some ingredients to consider are chicken, rice, carrots and peas. Its fun to do and your dog will appreciate the effort! If youve any left over consider selling them to your local pet store. Many carry small lines of homemade treats. If you need some recipes try searching on the internet, or just invent your own. Once youve made your treats keep them in airtight containers. This not only helps keep them fresh, but also keeps them safe from your dog too!

One of a dogs favorite pastimes is chewing. Most dogs just love to chew! Oh, and chew :-) So dont be surprised that a lot of the dog toys on the market today are focused on chewing. A dog toy that can be chewed provides a benefit for your dogs teeth and supports his natural tendency to chew. This not only helps dental health but is a non destructive and safe outlet for your dogs need to chew.

Before you go and buy a chew toy you need to think about how your dog likes to chew. A canine that chews hard and vigorously will need a stronger toy made out of hard rubber or nylon. Latex and vinyl toys are designed for canines who are lighter chewers. Whichever type your dog is, you will need to keep a watch when hes playing with the toy, especially squeaky toys, to make sure that you can take away the pieces as it falls apart. Some toys can be destroyed in a matter of minutes.

For the moderate or average chewer and for puppies there are dental or flavored chew toys made out of rawhide that can be eaten. These are great, just give it to your dog and let him have at it! Also for puppies there are the plush toys that he can carry around and snuggle up with. Make sure its machine washable though otherwise its going to get really dirty!

For fun you might like to try out a Tricky Treat Ball. This is an entertaining toy that gets filled with treats, usually dry like kibble. You can also try out cheese, carrots or meat cut into small cubes. Put the food into the ball and give it a shake. Then let your dog play with it and the food will fall through the holes in the ball. Your favorite friend will love it!!

You can go even further with this idea. There are gumball machines designed to use treats or dry food for your dog. Just add the food to the machine and let your dog play with the gumball machine.

Its important to keep your dog entertained with good dog toys and treats, and he in turn will keep you entertained for hours!

Steve Dolan is a dog lover and long time dog owner. For more information about dog toys and treats click Dog Toys and Dog Treats, and for more about dog health and keeping your dog happy click Dogs and Puppies Online.

Article Source: http://www.bestdogarticles.com

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