The Best Advice for Training Your New Puppy

Author: Jimmy Cox

Raising a puppy is a comparatively simple project, providing you make liberal use of patience and common sense. The young puppy cannot be expected to act like a grown dog; he needs direction and supervision. But the pup will quickly grow up and the period of close daily supervision becomes correspondingly shorter as the puppy matures. Naturally, raising a young puppy will cause some changes in your life and home. Whether these changes are pleasant or unpleasant depends largely on you and the regime you set for the puppy.

Setting The Stage For The New Puppy

If theres anything that will get the family and puppy off to a bad start, its bringing the pup home without any preparation. Resist the temptation to surprise the family with a new puppy. No doubt your family will quickly recover from the excitement stirred up by the sudden appearance of a captivating pup, but what about the puppy? It can be a trying time for him.

Sleeping arrangements

Decide whether the pup is going to sleep indoors or outdoors. Make this decision before you bring him home. The type and location of his bed are important. His bed or doghouse should be his own, a place where he can curl up and nap, away from the clatter of family life. And once he takes over bed or doghouse, respect his right to privacy.

Indoors

The puppys bed can be an ordinary cardboard box with a mattress of cedar shavings, shredded newspaper or a washable blanket. Or it can be one of the more elaborate commercial beds. If you use a cardboard box, cut down about one-half of one side, so the pup can climb in and out. Whatever the type of bed you buy or make, it should be so constructed that it is easily cleaned.

Once youve located the bed, avoid shifting it around after the pup has taken over. Moving the bed from spot to spot and room to room will only serve to confuse the puppy. He may well give it up altogether and find himself another nook.

Outdoors

If you provide the puppy with a dry and snug doghouse, he will manage very well outdoors all year round. Most dogs do, except the toy and miniature breeds. Nature will help the dog that lives outdoors by giving him a heavier coat.

Have the doghouse set up before the puppy arrives. If you dont have it ready, youll find yourself coping with two sleeping arrangements: one, his sleeping in the house until you can get a doghouse; and two, again when you put him outdoors. And once he gets accustomed to sleeping in the house, hell not want to go outdoors. Eliminate this double work by having the doghouse on hand.

Locate the doghouse where it will be protected from the hot summer sun and the winter winds. If a southern exposure is not practical, you can reduce wind-draft by erecting a canvas or burlap shield around the doghouse area. In summer, an awning will provide shade if no trees are nearby.

Equipment and accessories

A lot of running around and using makeshift equipment can be avoided if you have the necessary equipment and accessories before you bring the puppy home. Your pups "layette" should include a feeding dish, water pan, brush, comb, collar, leash, and some indestructible toys.

Stainless-steel or aluminum food and water pans are best. Enamelware splits and cracks. The food dish should not be too large, otherwise the pup will step into it. Later on, you can get him a larger pan. If you are getting a long-eared dog, you would be wise to buy one of the special food dishes for these breeds.

Now you are ready to bring your pup home!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/the-best-advice-for-training-your-new-puppy-296726.html

About the Author:Become A Dog Whisperer And Put an End to the Annoyance of Your Dogs Behavior Problems!

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Taking your puppy home

The change in environment will be stressful for the new family member. A few points to remember:

• Keep the pup on the same diet for the first ten days.



• Obtain the worming history from the breeder and establish when it should next be de-wormed.



• Make a point of obtaining a vaccination card and make a note when the next vaccinations are due.



• Keep the puppy in one room taking care to the door closed. Ignore the noise (1st training)



• Ensure a warm, comfortable bed with a hot water bottle and an alarm clock in the clothing. The dog will find the ticking clock comforting.



• Newspaper on the floor to soak up accidents.



• Supervise the introduction of other animals to the pup.



• Puppies need to relieve themselves frequently and very often after exercise, eating, or sleeping. Encourage the pup to relieve itself on paper. Never punish it for soiling on the floor and dont put its not in the mess - some owners mistakenly believe this to be the right thing to do.



• The first few nights will be nosey, as it will be missing mum and litter mates - ignore.



• Always bring the puppy home on fridays when you have an off day on Saturday and Sunday to spend with the pup in order for it to adjust.

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Selecting a puppy

The easiest way to select the right pup is to ask the breeder to choose one that is not shy, overly dominant or stubborn. However, if the breeder prefers you do the picking, try to take an experienced person with you to view the pups.
If all fails, th following tips should help.

• Watching a group of pups at play will help you choose th one you want. So, if you do not get the opportunity to view several pups, try to arrange to the whole litter together. Then you will be able to see temperament differences in action. If, for example, you wish to avoid owning a pack-leader type, you can look out for the classroom-bully-type pup that dominates and picks on the other pups. Once you have distinguished this type of pup, you will know that it will not be going home you!
• Likewise, avoid the pup that runs and hides when the bully appears. A pup that barks at you or the other pups should also be avoided at all costs. You do not want a pup that is overly vocal: if one of the litter is barking at this early stage, it is going to be a nuisance barker. Good watchdogs do not usually start barking until they are between seven and 12 months.

Now you have decided on the breed type, CONGRATULATIONS.

The ideal age to acquire your new puppy once you have made the decision about your breed type is between 6 to 8 weeks of age. At this age the puppy will be newly weaned from its mother and dependent on its new owner. This is the ideal time to establish a strong bond between owner and pup.

Also insist tht the pup be purchased conditional upon your veterinarian examining it and giving it a clean bill of health.

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Thinking of Getting a New Puppy Make Sure That you Apply your Dog Training Skills Right Away

Author: Chris Simpson

If you have never owned a puppy before, this article should help to prepare you for the many things that you should know and expect from your puppy and some of your responsibilities as the owner, as far as how you should go about properly training them. Dog training is very important and the earlier that you start with it, the much better off that you will be, no doubt about that one. Puppies come into our homes and you need to keep in mind that even though they are very small usually, they are also very, very inquisitive and will surprisingly catch on to many things very quickly. It is so important for anyone who is considering to get themselves a little puppy to definitely remember that you will just have to make sure that you apply some dog training skills on them right away, the longer that you put it off, the more difficult they will be to train.

Rewarding our little puppies with tons of praise and even some little treats, is the best way to teach them right from wrong. They love to make their owners happy and will go out of their way to every single time, as long as you have constantly given them that praise that they deserve for being such a good puppy and listening to your commands. Everyone wants to be the proud owner of a very well behaved lil puppy but most people do not want to put forth the effort to actually try and get their puppies trained by a professional or train the puppy themselves, which is why so many of us really need to get educated a little bit more about puppy care and the many reasons why it is so very important to properly train our animals, especially our little curious puppies. They are so adorable but can turn out to be very ugly later on if they are not immediately properly trained, so that they will know exactly how they are really supposed to act.

There are just a few things that everyone who owns a puppy should remember, when they are ready to begin applying their dog training skills. Learning just the few basics on dog training will really help to prevent any bad behavior out of your puppy in the near future. It will only take a little bit of your time and a great deal of consistency ofcourse, and then you will have the opportunity to show off your dog training skills to all of your friends and family, they will all be very impressed by your pooches good manners and adorable tricks. There are so many different books available that can teach you even more about dog training and all of the different dog training techniques. You will be so surprised once you begin learning more about this, surprised at how simple things could be for you and your new little friend with the most appropriate dog training skills.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/thinking-of-getting-a-new-puppy-make-sure-that-you-apply-your-dog-training-skills-right-away-295904.html

About the Author:

You DONT have to struggle with your dogs behavior issues any longer. Get the facts and eliminate your dogs behavior problems now. Grab your free 10 lesson report at http://infoblink.com/SitStayFetch.

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Your reasons for wanting a new puppy

1. The children want a dog

Once the puppy loses its appeal, as it grows bigger, it is quite possible that it may become a burden and a stressor. All puppies will one day grow to dogs. Contrary to belief, puppies and children do not necessarily combine. The wrong choice of pet could place unnecessary stress on your household and an innocent animal. The poor animal might end up in the shelter (SPCA).

Getting a puppy for security

Dogs or puppies for that matter need to be loved and looked after. You can not expect a dog that is tied on a drum outside or somewhere behind the house to protect you. The more the love you show to the animal the better the chances that it will protect you with its own life should a threat come your way.

A dog needs training, grooming, feeding (good food) not just left overs from the table.
In order for it to be in a position to protect its master. You need to spend quality time with your dog walking it and petting it all the way in your car or at the park. This has nothing to do with certain race groups. We all need to love our animals, thats the bottom line.

If you want a dog for only security reasons, GET AN ALARM AND A GOOD REACTION UNIT. Those do not need any looking after besides remembering to pay your monthly subscriptions.

HAVE A HAPPY DOG WEEKEND AND DONT THROW ME BONES, I ALSO NEED THE MEAT

Send any questions to me regarding your puppies or Dogs and before you purchase any puppy, go through the previous chapters on getting a new puppy and you will not be disappointed.

Regards,

Maqhawe the Mamba kuba ka Mamba, ntfulini, samketi nabonkhosi nabo ngwane. ka Mamba akuvalwa ngetivalo kuvalwa ngemakhanda madoda.

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Puppy Training Tip

Just a tip I found, hope it helps!

f you can structure the environment in such a way that the puppy is never rewarded for jumping and make sure the puppy is consistently rewarded for sitting instead, you will have an adult dog that doesn’t jump when greeting people. In fact an adult dog with this type of history will impress your friends by sitting when it greets guests.

There are other great instances of this principal, such as getting your new puppy accustomed to going potty on a particular kind of surface. An example may be teaching your pup to potty on gravel and it will be less likely to go on surfaces unlike gravel. I find this principle particularly troublesome when dogs stay with me that where conditioned as young pups to potty on concrete. When these dogs stay with me for a short amount of time it can be almost impossible to recondition them to potty in a more hygienically appropriate area of my yard.

A good deal of this resistance to change can be explained by the phenomena of imprinting. There are certain times when a puppy’s brain is developing in a way that enables life experiences and successful behavior to become permanently wired connections. By training at this age you are actually building your puppy’s brain and its future behavior.

During puppy training you need to remember, puppies don’t have the endurance of an adolescent or adult dog. Puppies can be very active for short amounts of time and then they need to rest and sleep. Some believe this rest helps the puppy build those important brain connections, as well as the muscle and bones of a developing body.

When puppy training we must respect, understand, and use the rules Mother Nature has imposed upon the system we experience as a developing individual.

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Crate train your puppy

If you have never tried to train an animal, the idea may be rather intimidating. There is a lot of information out there and sorting through it all can seem difficult. These are just some tips to help you start out with dog training the right way.

It takes small steps to crate train your puppy; they must become accustomed to it. Once he is comfortable walking in and out of the crate, try quietly closing the door and offering him a biscuit through the wires. Start small, like at 10 seconds per approach, and then gradually increase the times. If they become upset, you are moving too fast.



 When you know that you need to be gone for a few hours, take your dog for a long walk before you depart. If you tire them out, they will be better able to handle feelings of anxiety when they are alone and separated from you.

 Always keep the atmosphere positive and motivational when conducting a training session with your dog. If your dog performs a task you ask him to, reward him. Negative reinforcement will only confuse your dog early in its training and is likely to make your dog afraid of you.

 You always want to make certain your dog has good leash manners. This helps keep both you and your dog safe when going on walks.

 Include plenty of physical activity in your dogs training routine. Dogs can get bored easily. A bored dog will try and find something interesting to do, and training is not usually interesting. It is easier for your dog to focus if he is happy and well exercised. A long walk or a brisk run are great ways to get rid of some of your dogs excess energy.

 When training your dog never punish him; doing so will only make him be resistant to any further training. You should make every effort to prevent the behavior in the first place, but if your pet does misbehave, show him what he should have done instead. You should make training a time to interact with your dog, you want to build a positive relationship with him.

 Your dogs diet should be healthy and balanced. Too many table scraps can unbalance your dogs diet. Not only does it affect the dogs health, but it can have an impact on its behavior. Simply improving their diet may have a bigger impact on how they respond to training.

 One of the most basic dog training tips around is to use your dogs name to command its attention. This will direct his attention to you immediately every time, and especially right before you issue a command. Get your dogs attention this way ten times every day. Also, it is very inappropriate for you to call the dog over to you and then punish him, as this will teach him to fear you and discourage him from coming when called.

 Dogs learn by repetitive technique and reward. Repetition and reward are the best ways to train a dog. However, you should limit your training sessions to a certain time frame otherwise you may both become frustrated. This is the most effective way to modify a dogs behavior or teach him a trick. You have to show them with plenty of repetition and rewards.

 Your dog needs to be mentally stimulated just like a human does. Visit your local pet shop for new and entertaining toys for your dog on a regular basis. If you neglect your dog, your dog wont neglect to chew up your valuable possessions.

 Dont bog your puppy down with more information than he can process. You need to keep your training sessions short so that your puppy pays attention. If training sessions are too long, the puppy wont remember the specifics of the training session, just that is was grueling and exhausting. This will make it harder to train him next time.

 Keeping your dog active is an important part of successful dog training and is also good for their health. Dogs are not made to sit around. The happiest, healthiest dogs run and work. Run with your dog, take it to the park or teach it to play Frisbee. Do not allow your dog to become bored and keep it entertained by keeping it active.

 Every dog is unique and is motivated to learn by different things. Dog training can be a learning experience, especially with it comes to determining what motivates your pet. It doesnt matter the reason you want to train your dog, you need to offer a variety of exercises along with positive reinforcement. Any time your dog is happy, you will find they have a better performance.

 Training your dog can be much easier if you use a crate. Use a consistent schedule for proper crate training of your dog. Over time, a dog that is properly crated trained is less prone to having accidents inside the home.

 There are a few tricks you can try when attempting to crate train a puppy or dog. If the dog doesnt want to get in the crate try putting a chew toy in it and close the gate when theyre not there. This will make the puppy want to be let inside the crate to get the bone. Open the door, and praise them when they go inside.

 Do not tie more than one dog in the same area. It is possible for the chains to become intertwined, and the animals can be hurt as they try to get free. If a large dog becomes tangled with a smaller one they could wrap up to the point the airway of the latter is closed off and the dog would die.

 As with most things, and this goes with dog training as well, dont ever give up. Dogs need consistent reinforcement in what you have taught them so they remember the good behaviors and dont revert back to their old, disobedient ways they had before training. Training never ends. It is an important part of taking care of your dog.

 Dogs that have trouble with separation anxiety need to develop stronger relationships with others in your household. Allowing the dog to establish relationships with new people will lessen its dependence on the owner.

 A clicker works well when training most dogs. Using a clicker is as simple as showing your dog that good things happen when the clicking noise is heard. Try using this technique right away, doing it frequently over a span of a few days. Your dog will soon know that the clicking noise means that they are doing a good job.

 It is not uncommon for dog owners to express surprise at the simplicity of weaving dog training efforts into daily life, and how fast they achieve great outcomes. So if you are looking to change any of your dogs wayward ways, try some of our tips for quick success!.

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Training your dog the right way

Training your dog the right way - the basics

In order to be considered properly trained, there are some basic commands that he or she must master. Understanding these basic commands is vital to the well being of the dog, the owner and the family.

Learning just a few basic commands can go a long way toward creating a dog that is a joy to be around. Everyone has seen examples of both well trained and poorly trained dogs, and few people would opt for the poorly trained varieties. Training a dog properly the first time is especially vital for owners of dog breeds that have been bred for their aggressiveness, such as pit bulls, Doberman pinchers and German shepherds.

In addition, proper training is important for families with young children. Young children can torment dogs and cause biting reactions, so it is important that the dog learn how to deal with these types of situations.The basic obedience commands that every dog must know are - "Heel", "No", "Sit", "Stay", "Down" and "Off". These six commands form the basis of every basic obedience class, and it is vital that you and your dog master these basic commands. These are the fundamentals, and it will be impossible to move onto other commands, or to correct problem behaviors, without having mastered the basics.

Heel
Lets start with the most basic command of all, the heel command. Teaching a dog to heel is the fundamental first step in teaching the dog to walk properly on the leash. The proper place for the dog to walk is at your side, neither lagging behind nor straining to get ahead. If your dog begins to forge ahead on the lead, gently tug on the leash. This will cause the training collar to tighten and give the dog a gentle reminder to fall back into line. If the dog begins to lag behind, gently urge him forward.

A lure or toy is a good tool for the dog that constantly lags behind. Once the dog is consistently walking at your side, try changing your pace and encouraging the dog to match his pace with yours. It should always be the dog who adjusts his pace to you; you should never adjust your pace to meet the needs of the dog.

The word "No"
The word no is an important one for your dog to learn, and one you may be using a lot as training begins. It is important that the dog learn to respond to a sharp "No" promptly and obediently.

The "Sit" command
The sit command is another vital link in the chain that is dog training. Teaching a dog to sit on command, using voice commands alone, will form the groundwork of much future training, so it is important for the dog to master this vital skill. The sit command can be combined with the heel command. As you walk alongside your dog, stop abruptly. If your dog does not stop when you do, give a sharp tug on the leash to remind the dog. Many dogs will instinctively stop when you do, while others need to be reminded through the use of the leash and the training collar.

Once the dog has stopped by your side, urge him to sit by pushing gently on his hindquarters. It is important not to use too much pressure, or to push him down abruptly. Doing so could frighten, or even injure the dog. Rather, apply a steady downward pressure. Most dogs will recognize this as a sit command. It is important to say the word sit as you do this. Repeat this procedure a few times by walking, stopping and sitting your dog. After a few repetitions, the dog will probably begin to sit down on his own every time he stops. It is important to say the word sit each time, so that the dog will eventually learn to respond to voice commands alone.

The "Stay" command
Like the sit command, the stay command is a vital building block to other, more advanced training. For instance, the stay command is vital to teaching the dog to come when called, which is in turn vital to off leash work.The stay command can be made into an extension of the sit command. Have your dog sit, and while he is sitting, slowly back away. If the dog begins to follow you, as he probably will it first, come back to the dog and ask him to sit again. Repeat the process until you can reach the end of the leash without your dog getting up from a sitting position.

After the dog is reliably staying where you indicate, you can try dropping the leash and backing further away. It will probably take the dog some time to reliably stay where he is put without becoming distracted.

The "Down" command
The down command is another important part of any basic obedience training program. Teaching a dog to lie down on command is much more than an entertaining trick. The down command is very important in regaining control of a dog, or stopping a dog who is engaged in an inappropriate behavior.

The "Off" command
The off command is just as vital to as the other commands, and it forms the basis for later training, especially when training the dog not to chase people, cars, bikes, cats, etc. For instance, when training a dog to remain still when a bicycle goes by, the owner would stand with the dog calmly on the leash. If the dog begins to strain against the leash, the owner sharply issues an "Off" command accompanied by a tug of the leash. Eventually the dog will learn to respond to the voice command alone.

In the next post I will continue with the basic commands.

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Dealing With Problem Puppy Behaviors

Dealing with problem puppy behaviors

Everyone who owns a puppy or dog will eventually have to deal with and correct less than desirable behaviors on the part of their companion animal. There are a number of behaviors that should be nipped in the bud, including:

Jumping up on people
This is one of those behaviors that many owners inadvertently encourage in their animals, since jumping up, wagging his tail and the like can be adorable in a young puppy. When that puppy is older, larger and heavier, however, this jumping up behavior ceases to be cute and begins to become annoying and even dangerous.
A large, heavy dog jumping up on people can be dangerous to young children and even to some adults, since a large, 100 pound plus dog can easily knock down a child or small adult. Since you as the owner are responsible for the behavior of your dog, it is important to nip this problem behavior in the bud. The best time to do that, of course, is when the puppy is still small and easy to handle. When the puppy jumps up on you or someone else, gently place the puppys feet back on the floor. When the dog remains standing there, be sure to praise it extensively.

It is also important to give the puppy an alternative to jumping up. Puppies jump up on people to express their enthusiasm, so it is important to redirect this energy in a more socially acceptable direction. Try teaching the puppy to present his paw instead of jumping up. When teaching the puppy to not jump up on people, it is important to be consistent. Consistency is important in any training program, and all members of the family must understand that the puppy is not permitted to jump on them.

Pulling, charging and tugging on the lead
One problem you definitely want to nip in the bud is this one. It is important that the puppy learn to respect the collar and leash now, when he is still small and light enough to handle. Teaching this lesson to a 10 pound puppy will be much easier than teaching the same lesson to a 150 pound dog. Using a good strong body harness or head collar can be a big help when training a puppy not to pull, or to retrain a dog that has already learned to pull on the leash.

When first fitting a harness, it is important to allow the puppy to walk around wearing it, so that he can get used to wearing it. The first thing your puppy must learn, and the basis of all subsequent training, is teaching your dog to heel. Teaching your dog to walk quietly at your side on a loose lead is the basis of all dog training, and until your puppy has mastered this vital skill he will be unable to move onto more advanced training.

When walking with a puppy on a leash, it is important to always keep slack in the leash. If the puppy begins to pull on the leash, the handler should quickly change directions. The puppy will then find itself lagging behind instead of forging ahead. The leash will be loose except for the split second it takes to change directions. It is important for the handler to use a quick tug of the leash, followed by an immediate loosening, when teaching this lesson.

When teaching the puppy to walk properly, it is important to never allow the puppy to pull you around, or to forge ahead on the leash. Allowing the puppy to pull you around will teach him exactly the wrong lesson. Of course, training is not for only young dogs. Older dogs need training as well, either to unlearn bad behaviors or learn proper obedience.

The next post will provide valuable information on getting the most from the relationship with your new best friend.

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Good Citizen passes

Back in December we had our usual Good Citizen test night. Well done to everyone who passed...all that practising paid off!

Bronze

Silver

Gigha missed the photo for Silver but Morags chuffed with her pass!

Gold

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Training your new puppy

Training your new puppy
Bringing a new puppy into the household is always an exciting and fun time. Everyone wants to play with, cuddle and hold the little ball of fur. The last thing on the minds of most new puppy owners is training the new addition, but it is important that puppy training and socialization begin as early as possible.

Socializing a new puppy is a vital part of any training program, and it is important for socialization to begin early. The window for socialization is very short, and a puppy that is not properly socialized to people, dogs and other animals by the time he or she is four months old often never develops the socialization he or she needs to become a good canine citizen.
Learning how to interact with other dogs is something that normally would occur between littermates. However, since most dogs are removed from their mothers so soon, this littermate socialization often does not finish properly.

One vital lesson puppies learn from their littermates and from the mother dog is how to bite, and how not to bite. Puppies naturally roughhouse with each other, and their thick skin protects them from most bites. However, when one puppy bites too hard, the other puppies, or the mother dog, quickly reprimands him, often by holding him by the scruff of his neck until he submits.
The best way to socialize your puppy is to have it play with lots of other puppies. It is also fine for the puppy to play with a few adult dogs, as long as they are friendly and well socialized.

Many communities have puppy playschool and puppy kindergarten classes. These classes can be a great way to socialize any puppy, and for handler and puppy alike to learn some basic obedience skills.
When socializing puppies, it is best to let them play on their own and work out their own issues when it comes to appropriate roughness of play. The only time the owners should step in is if one puppy is hurting another, or if a serious fight breaks out. Other than that the owners should simply stand back and watch their puppies interact.

While this socialization is taking place, the pack hierarchy should quickly become apparent. There will be some puppies who are ultra submissive, rolling on their backs and baring their throats at the slightest provocation. Other puppies in the class will be dominant, ordering the other puppies around and telling them what to do. Watching the puppies play, and determining what type of personality traits your puppy has, will be very valuable in determining the best way to proceed with more advanced training.

As the socialization process proceeds, of course, it will be necessary to introduce the puppy to all sorts of humans as well as all sorts of puppies. Fortunately, the puppy kindergarten class makes this process quite easy, since every puppy gets to interact with every human. It is important that the puppy be exposed to men, and women, old people and children, black people and white people. Dogs do not see every human as the same. To a dog, a man and a woman are completely different animals.

It is also important to introduce the puppy to a variety of other animals, especially in a multi- pet household. Introducing the puppy to friendly cats is important, as are introductions to other animals the puppy may encounter, such as rabbits, guinea pigs and the like. If your household contains a more exotic creature, it is important to introduce the puppy to it as early as possible, but to do it in a way that is safe for both animals.
It is often best to start by introducing the puppy to the smell of the other animal. This can be easily accomplished by placing a piece of the animals bedding, like a towel or bed liner, near where the puppy sleeps. Once the puppy is accustomed to the smell of the other creature, he or she is much more likely to accept the animal as just another member o the family.

Training your puppy not to bite
Biting is one of those things that every puppy seems to do, and must be taught not to bite. Like many behaviors, such as jumping up on people, biting and nipping can seem cute when the puppy is small, but much less so as he gets older, larger and stronger.
Left to their own devices, most puppies learn to control their biting reflex from their mothers and from their littermates. When the puppy becomes overenthusiastic, whether when nursing or playing, the mother dog, or the other puppies, will quickly issue a correction.

Unfortunately, this type of natural correction often does not occur, since many puppies are removed from their mothers when they are still quite young. It is therefore up to the puppys owner to take over this important process.
Socializing the puppy with other dogs and puppies is one of the best and most effective ways to teach the puppy the appropriate, and non appropriate way to bite, and to curb the biting response.

Many communities and pet stores sponsor puppy playtime and puppy kindergarten classes, and these classes can be great places for puppies to socialize with each other, and with other humans and animals as well. As the puppies play with each other, they will naturally bite and nip each other. When one puppy becomes too rough or bites too hard, the other puppies will quickly respond by correcting it.

The best time for this socialization of the puppy to occur is when it is still young. It is vital that every dog be properly socialized, since a poorly socialized dog, or worse, one that is not socialized at all, can become dangerous and even neurotic. Most experts recommend that puppies be socialized before they have reached the age of 12 weeks, or three months.

Another reason for socializing the puppy early is that mothers of young children may be understandably reluctant to allow their young children to play with older or larger dogs. Since socializing the dog with other people is just as important as socializing it with other dogs, it is best to do it when the puppy is still young enough to be non threatening to everyone.

It is important for the puppy to be exposed to a wide variety of different stimuli during the socialization process. The socialization process should include exposing the puppy to a wide variety of other animals, including other puppies, adult dogs, cats and other domestic animals. In addition, the puppy should be introduced to as wide a cross section of people as possible, including young children, older people, men, women and people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds.

While socialization is very important to providing the puppy with life lessons and preventing him from biting, it is not the only method of preventing unwanted biting and mouthing. Giving the puppy appropriate things to play with and bite is another good way to control inappropriate biting. Providing a variety of chew toys, ropes and other things the puppy can chew is important to preventing boredom, keeping his teeth polished and keeping him from chewing things he should not.

As with any training, it is important to be consistent when teaching the puppy not to bite. Every member of the family, as well as close friends who may visit, should all be told that the puppy is to be discouraged from biting. If one person allows the puppy to chew on them while everyone else does not, the puppy will quickly become confused, and that can make the training process much more difficult than it has to be.

Teaching a puppy to accept his collar and leash
Learning to walk on a collar and leash is the basis of all further training for every puppy. Until the puppy has learned to accept the collar and leash, it will be impossible to perform any additional training. The first step toward getting the puppy to accept the collar and leash is to find a collar that fits the dog properly. It is important that the collar be neither too light or too heavy, neither too thin nor too thick. A collar that is too light for the dog can be easily broken, while a collar that is too heavy may be uncomfortable for the puppy to wear.

It is also important that the width of the color be appropriate for the size of the dog. Determining the proper length of the collar is relatively easy. Simply wrap a tape measure or a string lightly around the dogs neck to get an accurate measurement. It is important that the tape measure not be tight, just slightly snug. Most collars are sized in two inch increments, so you may have to round up to get a properly sized collar. For instance, if the dog has a 13" neck, you would buy a 14" collar, and so on.

After you have purchased the perfect collar, the next step is to put it on the dog and allow him to wear it around the house. Do not be dismayed if the dog whines, paws at the collar or otherwise tries to remove it. This is normal, and the dog should not be punished for it. It is best to simply ignore the dog and allow him to work out his own issues with the collar.

The dog should be allowed to wear the collar 24 hours a day for a number of days to get used to the feel of the collar on his neck. After the dog is accepting the collar well, it is time to start introducing the leash. A lightweight leash works best for this process. Simply attach the leash to the dogs collar and allow him to walk around the house with it. The dog should of course be supervised during this process in order to make sure he does not get the leash caught on anything. Getting the leash caught or snagged could frighten the dog and create a leash phobia that will be hard to overcome.

In the beginning, the leash should only be attached for a few minutes at a time. It is important to attach the leash at happy times, such as playtime, meal time, etc. It is important for the dog to associate the leash with happy things. When the leash is not attached to the dog, it is a good idea to keep it near the dogs food and water bowls. The dog should be encouraged to investigate the leash, and to discover that it is not something to fear. After the dog is used to walking around with the leash attached, take the end of the leash in your hand and just hold it. Allow the dog to walk around. If the dog bumps into something, just allow the dog to react and move as he desires. The goal of this exercise is to simply allow the dog to get used to the feel of the collar and the leash.

It is important to allow the puppy plenty of time to get used to wearing the collar and leash before ever attempting to lead the puppy. It is best to perform this exercise in the home or other environment where the puppy feels safe and secure. After the puppy is comfortable and content walking on the leash in the home, it can slowly be taken outside. It is best to make these outside trips very short at the beginning, and to lengthen them slowly over time. Some puppies take to the collar and leash immediately, while others may require some additional time.

Tips for house training your new puppy
House training a puppy is one of the first, and one of the most important things, that any new dog owner must do. It is easy to get frustrated if you do not understand the basics of this important process, so we have put together a few tips to make the process of house training your puppy a little easier.

It is vital to establish good toilet and hygiene habits in the puppy when he is young, since the patterns that are established in those first few months can last a lifetime. When you consider that house training issues are the number one reason why dogs are surrendered to animal shelters, it is easy to see why house training is so extremely important.

In most cases, a puppy will not be completely house trained until he or she is six months of age. That is because puppies younger than six months often lack the bowel and bladder control that they need in order to be reliably left alone in the home all day.
Puppies younger than six months should be confined to a single, small puppy proofed room any time the owner is not available to supervise the animal. The entire floor of the room should be covered in newspaper or other similarly absorbent and cheap material.

At first the puppy will go everywhere and anywhere in the room. As the puppy gets older and begins to display better bladder and bowel control, the amount of paper used is slowly reduced, until the puppy goes only on the established "toilet" papers. This toilet area will form the basis of later house training.

House training the puppy - what to do:

• Provide the puppy with constant, unrestricted access to the toilet area that has been established.
• Take the puppy to the toilet area every 45 minutes when you are at home.
• When you are away from home, or when you cannot supervise the puppy, it is important to confine the puppy to a small area that has been puppy proofed and covered with newspaper.
• It is important to be sure that the toilet area does not resemble anything in the home, such as carpet or hardwood floor. Once the puppy is used to eliminating on a particular surface, such as grass or blacktop, he will want to eliminate on that time of surface.
• Always provide lots of praise when the puppy does its business in the established toilet area. The puppy needs to learn to associate eliminating in the established area with positive things like treats, toys and praise from you.
• It is important to keep a set schedule when feeding the puppy, and to provide ready access to fresh, clean drinking water at all times. Providing a consistent schedule for feeding will help you learn to anticipate your puppys toilet needs.
• Using a crate can help the puppy to develop much needed self control. Dogs are naturally very clean animals, and they will try their best not to soil their bed area.

And finally, it is vital to employ patience during the house training process. House training can take as long as several months, but it is much easier to house train right the first time than to retrain a problem dog.

House training the puppy - what to avoid

• Do not punish or reprimand the puppy if it makes a mistake. The puppy will not understand the reason for the punishment, and he may become nervous and agitated. This could set the training back even further.
• Do not give the puppy constant access to food. Keep the puppy to a set feeding schedule instead of leaving food out all the time.

The puppy should not be given the run of the house until he has been thoroughly house trained.
House training a new puppy is not always easy, but it is important to persevere. By exercising patience, and rewarding your dog with lavish praise every time he does the right thing, you will have your puppy house trained in no time at all.

I will deal with problem puppy behavior in the next post.

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If you or a friend needs a puppy let me know

I sell puppies and only registered pups, with full innoculations and I offer after care service. Any breed you may need, I will be able to get for you.

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Defining Dog Health Care

By Roland Jefferson III

It is most important to realize that to be successful in the goal of providing your companion with a happy and contented life style, the form of dog health care that works best for your pet, must include exercise and diet as well as frequent checkups with the vet.

Most people equate dog health care with rabies shots and the other series of immunizations that your vet has persuaded you that your doting animal requires. You, as the funding agent for your dogs health, feel obligated to accept all that your vet says. Given that you are most likely smarter than your dog, any other action would be taking advantage of the situation. Lets face it, your dog cannot even spell dog.

It is most important to realize that to be successful in the goal of providing your companion with a happy and contented life style, the form of dog health care that works best for your pet, must include exercise and diet as well as frequent checkups with the vet. care. In fact most, if not all dogs, cannot spell at all. Given that, you alone define the right dog health care for your trusting friend.

Exercising Your Dog For the human and their companion, exercise is probably one of the most important aspects of health care. Holistic dog care must include an appropriate amount of exercise for your faithful friend. Although you can train your dog to sleep most of the day by your side and be as lazy as you, this is not good dog health care practice. To be happy dogs, dogs need to be active. This exercise does not need to be excessive.

If you have a Puggle, it most likely does not need more than a walk around the block. Your average Labrador might need a couple of miles a day to feel contented. You should understand the needs of your dog and makes sure that it gets the exercise it needs. Unfortunately most dogs completely rely on their owners for exercise and it is important for the owners not to let them down.

Caring for Your Dogs Stomach

The final component in providing good dog care that is most often ignored is the provision of the right form of food. Cat owners have this down. Cats regularly regurgitate their food and their owners are normally determined to find food that reduces the frequency of their furry purring friend repeatedly doing this.

Animal throw up of all kinds is pretty disgusting to most human beings and we should all strive to minimize the activity for our own benefit. However, most dog owners do not regard the management of the dogs diet as part of an overall practice of good dog health care. They should. Particularly in Europe, dog foods are incredibly inconsistent in quality and content. You should read the labels carefully.

In Europe horse meat is common, in Australia most likely this is replaced with kangaroo meat. These are both difficult meats for the average dog to assimilate. Most dogs do better on milder foods such as lamb and rice. Dog health care practices should include a solid nutritional program that is customized to the sensitivity of the particular animal.

About the Author:Roland Jefferson is an online researcher based out of Los Angeles, Calfornia. For free resources covering Long Term Health Care Insurance, please visit our Long Term Health Care Insurance Resource.

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Training The Puppy About The Collar And Leash

By Jay Jacovitz

Puppy training in the early days is very easy. A puppy is naturally inclined to follow you as the "pied piper". This will change as the puppy becomes more curious and feels more secure, and wants to wander further to explore its environs. Then, puppy training requires a bit more guidance on your part.

A collar takes getting used to for a young dog. A puppy often must be trained to accept the collar. The puppy collar carries the contact identification tag (vital for return of a lost pet) and rabies tag. Dont put the dogs name on the ID; the name could endear it to wrongdoers.

Some puppies adjust easily to a collar and others attempt to remove the collar at first opportunity.

There should be enough room to slip two fingers between the collar and the neck, but should not pull over the ears. Any looser, the collar can slip over the head, get lost and the puppy escapes!

The collar should be worn at all times. Buckle collars (adjustable or flat) are safe for daily wear. Most collars have a ring to hold the ID and rabies tags; and breakaway buckles, or the collar itself will break if the puppy gets it caught on something. The puppy training collar, commonly known as a "choke chain or choker", should never be left on a puppy that is unattended. If snagged, it can choke the puppy to death, or cause permanent injury to the trachea, esophagus and voice. Puppy training collars are for training only! All collars should be removed and checked on a regular basis for uncomfortable hardness, stiffness, dirt and grime.

The puppy may need time to get used to the collar as well as the restraint of the leash.

Attaching a leash to the collar may come as a surprise to the puppy. The leash may seem like a game and the puppy may attempt to take it in its mouth and pull against your control effort or treat it as an unwanted restraint. Start by attaching a string about two feet in length to its collar. Make the string just long enough to trail behind for the puppy to play with, but not heavy enough for the dog to feel weight from it. When the puppy ignores the string completely, replace it with a heavier rope, and repeat the process. As soon as possible, attach the leash to the collar and allow the puppy to accustom to it. The puppy will train quickly to ignore the leash.

You cannot train a puppy that you cannot get your hands on right away.

Your puppy should never be allowed out of its crate without its collar and leash. Do not let the puppy out of your sight while he has on a leash. When the dog appears to ignore the dragging leash, take control of the leash by stepping on it or picking the leash up. The idea is to stop the puppys free movement and take a different direction than the dog was going.

The puppy might fight it, or he might go willingly. If the puppy starts full-body twisting, yanking, and biting at the leash, resisting the pull, do not let go of the leash, and do not continue to pull on it. Call your puppy by name to get its attention. Give the command only once. Do not be mean but be forceful so the puppy realizes he should respond immediately. Bring the puppy to your side, taking up any slack in the leash as it comes toward you. Reward with lots of praise, and repeat the process.

A simple buckle collar and a six-foot leash is all you need for this puppy training exercise.

Have a few treats in your pocket, and coax the pup to remain near your side as you walk and praise as you go. Puppies have short attention spans, so five minutes at a time, several times a day, keeps puppy training sessions both short and positive. The purpose of this exercise is to get the young dog trained to the connection of you in control of the leash attached to the collar, and to be accepting and calm. We do this before the next step of training the puppy to walk with you under control.

We have existed as a company since 1985, but it was a love of dogs, the dogs that have been a part of our life, and the passing of one dog in particular, Rusty, that inspired the creation of http://www.CalloftheDog.com and http://www.CalloftheDogShop.com -- created to provide the things your dogs and pets need. Visit us for great information and quality dog supplies! Be sure to see our About Us page as well.

The two sites are dedicated to the dogs we have loved so deeply, and who have given us so much love in return. Purebreds and mixed breeds, but mostly rescues in need of a home. We educated them, but each one has had something to teach us in exchange.

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Dogs meet traditional wear

BUHLE BEMASIKO NEBUVE BETFU TSINE BENDLU LEMNYAMA

Its been dogs all along, But I just want to also mention that I also supply traditional wear to those people who love wearing their cultural wear.





We sell and rent emabheshu (emajobo) netidvwaba nayo yonkhe imvunulo yesintfu. I try to accommodate many different cultures.





You can get more information on our website http://www.mthembuleatherwork.co.za/

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First few days with your puppy

There are a couple of principles that we use when teaching a puppy anything. Here they are:-

1. We teach everything by conditioning a puppy to act in a certain way. We show him to do something and then reward him when he does it.


2. We use a puppys name before every command except "stay!" and "toilet". It makes him excited and alert and ready to jump into action to do whatever it is that we want him to do!


3. We repeat a game several times to form a pattern for the puppy to learn from.


4. We reward the puppy the second he does the right thing.


5. We use the same command for the same exercise every time. We also try to use the same tone of voice and body gestures that go with that command.


6. We NEVER punish a puppy when teaching him something. The puppy only gets a reward when it does the right thing and we make sure that it does the right thing!


7. We use a high-pitched voice when talking to a puppy (rather like humans use cootshy-coo language on their babies!). This tone excites them so that theyre keener to work. This goes for adult dogs too!! Barking out commands to them army-fashion has the opposite effect.

Next time we will be looking at toilet training for the new member of the family. Come with me as we watch our puppy grow and develop to protect and give us unconditional love.

Bye for now: Maqhawe the Mamba

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Dog Puppy Training

A new puppy in the home excites everyone especially children but make sure you got the puppy for a good reason and not just on a spur of the moment feeling. Like they say dogs are for life not just for Christmas. A puppy can bring lots of happy memories and times but they have a lot of training and work involved to, they are not all fun and no work!

A puppy’s temperament depends on where the puppy has been brought up and what type of breed he is. German shepherds, Rottweilers, bull dogs and boxers are all guard type dogs so tend to be very loving and protective. Border and bearded collies tend to be herding dogs and reared on farms and tend to be quite enthusiastic and never sit still (be aware because they are reared on a farm they may be a little bit nervous around modern day technologies, such as bridges, loud noises etc). Labradors, gun dogs and pointer are all hunting dogs so expect them to be full of energy and laughable moments. Of course these are just general expectations every dog has its day…and its personality!

Puppy dog training is something that can be achieved in a matter of weeks depending how much time and attention you spend on it. You don’t need to train for hours and hours a day, a few minutes several times a day is all it takes. The first thing you need to train your new puppy in is obedience, commands like sit, come, heel, stay and fetch are basic enough for them to learn. As they get older you can incorporate commands like paw, roll over and play dead! Training a young puppy is not as hard as you may think as they are like a blank sheet of paper waiting to be written on. The way and things that that they are taught will stick to them and will influence them later on in life, although training isn’t forever so you need spend a few minutes every day just to keep reminding them what to do.

There are not so nice consequences involved when puppies aren’t trained, for a start your house will constantly be a toiler ground for them and your furniture will have massive holes in it. Puppies are like babies and need to be taught the difference between right and wrong, to do this you need some puppy dog training!

Many handlers experienced or in-experienced are turning towards training products and aids but training can be done without these methods. Just a bit of good old hard work! A puppy may take several months to training but when it is complete the rewards will be well worth it, but don’t forget to top up on your training for several minutes each day or your dog will slowly forget and you’ll have to start all over again, with an even bigger task, training an older dog!

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Secrets Of Professional Dog Trainers Top 10 Tips To

By Nicholas Dodman

Dog obedience training is one of the best things you can do foryour dog and yourself. Obedience training doesnt solve allbehavior problems, but it is the foundation for solving justabout any problem including soiling your house, destroying yourbelongings, barking excessively, digging holes in your yard,fighting other dogs and even biting you.

For most dog owners, dog obedience training is a daunting task.However, training your dog is about to get much easier, if youfollow my advice below.

Here Are My Top 10 Tips for Training Your Dog.

1. Dog training should be an enjoyable experience for you andyour dog. If you are not in the right mood for training, donteven start.

2. Keep dog obedience training sessions short (5-10 minutes) tomaintain your dogs motivation. Dogs will learn much more fromregular short sessions than from longer, less frequent ones.Once the dog has learned several useful commands on thecontinuous reward schedule, the schedule should be changed toone of intermittent rewards.

3. Always end training on a positive note. Ask your dog torespond to a command you know he or she will obey. Then rewardyour dog for a job well done and issue a finish command such as©free© or ©release.© Avoid common words such as ©okay.©Following a training session, both owner and dog should be leftwith feelings of accomplishment.

4. Keep in mind that your dogs motivation to respond to acommand decreases as the complexity of the task increases. Ifyour dog doesnt respond appropriately to a command afterseveral attempts, dont reward him or her. Resume training a fewseconds later using a simpler command. Return to the morecomplex task later.

5. Remember, the odds of success hinge not only on the degreeof sophistication of the task, but also your dogs motivation torespond. From a dogs perspective the question is, which is morerewarding: chasing the squirrel or returning to the owner?Understanding this aspect will increase your patience andchances for dog training success.

6. Training should not involve any negative or punishment-basedcomponents. There should be no yelling, no hitting, no chainjerking, no hanging, and absolutely no electric shock. Rememberthat the opposite of reward is not punishment; it is no reward.If you ignore unacceptable responses, your dog will not berewarded for his or her failed response. Most dogs want toplease their owners or, at the very least, to obtain highlyvalued resources (food, attention and toys).

7. Ensure that your dogs motivation for reward is highestduring a training session. If food is the reward, train before ameal, not after. If praise, petting and other aspects of yourattention are to be used as a reward, schedule the trainingsession at a time when your dog hungers for your attention (forexample, after you have returned home from work).
For complex tasks, such as the off leash down-stay, your dogwill be more motivated to comply if he or she has receivedmoderate exercise before the training session. Asking a dog thatis bursting with energy to remain in a prolonged recliningposition is asking for failure during the early stages oftraining.

8. Make sure the reward you offer in training is the mostpowerful one for your dog. Food-motivated dogs work well forfood, but the treats used should be you dog©s favorite food. Ifpraise is used as a reward, deliver it in high singsong tones,which are most pleasing for the dog. Also, enthusiasm in yourvoice will be much appreciated. If petting is to be used as areward, it should be in a way that the dog enjoys, such asstroking the dogs hair on the side of his or her face in thesame direction that it grows, or scratching him or her on thechest.

9. After a correct response, reward your dog within ½ second ofthe command. This will ensure your dog makes the connectionbetween the behavior and the reward.

10. Use short commands such as sit, down, leave it, quiet, out,and off. Say the word once. Do not repeat the command. Dogs willremember a command for about two minutes before the notion islost. Shorter words are better than longer words and words thatend in a hard consonant (C, K, T, X) are better than those thatend in a vowel because you can ©spit© them out.

A Bonus Dog Training Tip:

The ©Holy Grail© of training is to have the dog reliablyobeying commands off lead, even when other things are going onaround him or her. This level of training can be achieved, butonly after a lot of hard work and investment of time. Itssomething to strive toward.
About the Author: Get your free daily dose of pet crazy storiesand access to over 8000 veterinarian approved advice articlesguaranteed to help you train your dogs and keep them livinglonger, stronger lives at: http://www.petplace.com/dogs.aspx

Source: http://www.isnare.com/

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How to Train a Puppy

As a dog trainer, I often get asked for helpful tips about how to train puppies. As I think of them, I will post them on this blog. Here are a few to get you started:

1)  Communicating with your dog.
Communication is needed in order to successfully train your dog.  Never be angry or upset when you start a training session, because a negative attitude could cause the dog to become apprehensive toward being trained.  Getting and keeping your dog’s attention is necessary during a training session.  Start by saying your dog’s name in a happy, upbeat tone of voice, promptly followed by the specific command you want him to obey.  If necessary, immediately enforce the desired behavior, and praise your dog.  In your initial training, if you are commanding the dog to move, at the same time you say your dog’s name, and the command, give a quick snap and immediate release on the dog’s leash.  Then continue by verbally encouraging him to obey.  Remember to always keep the dog’s leash loose.  An additional way to get your dog’s attention is to use a treat, but if you use treats, they should be used sparingly, more as a reward instead of being a bribe for obedience.  Praise works best and is always available.

2)  Be consistent in your training. 
Your dog learns through repetition, so always be consistent in your training.  Mean what you say and say what you mean.  Be careful not to give the dog a command that you do not mean or are not ready to enforce if it’s not obeyed.  If the dog does not instantly obey, and is not immediately corrected, he is still learning, but what he’s learning is that he does not have to obey when you speak.

3)  Keep your training sessions short and happy.
Dog obedience training should be a very enjoyable time for both you and your dog.   Use lots of praise and encouragement.  Ten to fifteen minutes twice a day is a good length of time to practice.  It is better to have a couple short lessons daily than to have one long session.  If the dog is not doing well on a particular exercise, change exercises, or end that training session by giving the dog something easy to do, and then praise the dog.

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Toilet training

Because dogs are pack animals it is important to let your puppy come into your house every day to spend quality time with the family. If you are only going to let him in a short period at a time then you can easily prevent him from going to the toilet inside by watching him and taking him out if he needs to go. If hes going to be allowed in permanently then you are going to have to take him out regularly to the toilet (the younger he is the more often he will need to go) and know the most likely times that he will need to go (usually after waking up, eating, drinking, and long periods of play).

Here is the toilet routine:

You pick the puppy up as soon as he needs to go to the toilet (he will start circling to find a place) and take him to the place outside where we want him to do it. Once there you must put him down and start walking in a small circle, looking at the ground and say,Toilet! Toilet!. He will start circling and then go to the toilet. As soon as he does, you must praise him "Good boy!" and when he is finished you must stroke him and continue to praise him and then walk with him back into the house.

The reason why we pick the puppy up in the first place is to prevent him from going to the toilet before we reach our destination. We walk in a circle because if you stand still the puppy will sit and watch you to see what you are going to do next, and if you walk in a straight line he will not stop to go to the toilet because he will think that you are on your way somewhere and that theres not time to stop! Stroke him only when he has finished to avoid distracting him.. Taking him straight back into the house shows him that he is not being exiled from the house when he goes to the toilet outside.

By now we have a puppy we are proud of, that does not mess in the house and the next up date would more about fun as we teach our friend to FETCH .

Speak to you next time!

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