One of the great joys of life is acquiring a new dog. Whether it is a lively fun seeking puppy or a mature dog from a rescue centre there is the excitement of collecting the dog and the eager anticipation of the pleasures of dog ownership to come. But how can you ensure a long and happy relationship? You need to learn about dog care and training as well as considering your own situation before you even start looking for a dog.

Considerations
At HomeAre there children in your household.Do you have other pets.Do you have a reasonable sized yard or garden.Have you considered the dog’s toilet arrangements.Are members of your family prepared to spend time training and exercising your dog.Can you fund good quality feed, some vet’s bills, insurance and kennel stays if necessary

Dog Breeds, Size and Weight

You will sometimes need to handle your dog e.g. grooming, trimming nails, bathing or lifting onto scales for a weight check. Obviously, the size and weight of your dog will make this easy (Chihuahua at 2.70 kg to 3.63 kg) or near impossible (St Bernard at 75 kg to 91 kg)

Exercise

Exercise is a key factor in maintaining your dog’s health. Small dogs like Jack Russell Terriers will not need as much daily exercise as a working breed such as a German Shepherd.You need to decide how much time can be given to the task. The less time available the more important it is to acquire a smaller dog.

Home Environment

If you like your house to be warm some dogs may find it distressing – a Shih Tzu dog for instance or a dog with a thick coat. If you have an immaculate home filled with expensive furniture, you will need to think carefully about the sort of dog you intend to buy especially if you want a puppy.

Grooming Your Dog

You need to groom your dog on a regularly. Size comes into it but so does the type of coat. A short coated dog is obviously going to pick up less dirt, and mud. and be easier to clean and groom. A muddy dog may require washing. This needs a facility such as an old fashioned tin bath. You could use your shower or even your own bath but it means a lot of cleaning up afterwards.

Temperament

You’ll find that working breeds, a broad group, including everything from guard dogs to sheep dogs are often more stubborn and tough-minded. Terriers are often bossy and a little aggressive. Hounds are usually relaxed and friendly, but sometimes difficult to train.
Carry out some research into different breed characteristics. Do this on line and ask your vet’s opinion. Dog breeders will normally promote their own breed so they are not necessarily the first people to ask for an opinion.

You will be looking to compare the following points.

Energy level
Activity and playfulness levels
Affection and Loyalty levels
Intelligence
Aggression (towards people/other dogs/other pets)
Ease of training
Heat and cold tolerance
Compatibility with people and other animals

Some Breed Comparisons:

Labrador

This breed is good with children and quite intelligent. They can be hyperactive if they do not get enough exercise because they are basically a working dog.

Golden Retriever
These dogs are similar in temperament to the Labrador but have less tendency to hyper activity
Poodle
An intelligent dog. It has an excellent temperament. It was used as a hunting dog in times gone by so it is quite tough by nature.

Beagle
Friendly, clever and not too big, making them suitable as a family dog. They can be over energetic if not exercised. They respond well to firm training.

Cairn Terrier
Busy little dogs that adapt well to children. They are usually of good quiet temperament

Collie
The Collie and the smaller Shetland are both calm, gentle and tolerant breeds that usually do well with children. They do need some constructive play i.e. fetching a ball etc.

German Shepherd
Very intelligent but it is a big dog and needs exercise and constructive play. It is loyal and a good guard dog. However, a German Shepherd must be properly trained.

Cross-Bred Dogs
Come in all shapes and sizes and typically should not suffer from in-bred temperament faults.

Owning a dog is great fun but you need to think carefully about management before you take on your new “best friend”.

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Some dogs act like they were born to chew and get a great deal of enjoyment out of chewing on things; other dogs seem indifferent about chewing and rarely do it unless they get bored.

Destructive chewing in dogs might be a phrase that sounds redundant to you. You’d be right, of course, because by its nature, all chewing is destructive. Your dog’s jaws are strong and full of sharp teeth, and just about anything she chews will quickly start showing evidence of damage. So, when I mention “destructive chewing in dogs,” what I’m really referring to is inappropriate chewing. You know the type I mean – destructive chewing in dogs that is inappropriately directed toward your personal possessions and household items instead of your dog’s toys and chews.

Most Dogs Chew for One of Three Reasons:

1. Almost all dogs are born with an urge to chew. Chewing keeps them entertained, helps them pass the time and prevents boredom from setting in. Basically, they enjoy chewing, so they do it. And some things taste good when they’re chewed.

2. Chewing provides an emotional outlet for bored, lonely or anxious dogs. The repetitive act of chewing can soothe the nerves of some distressed dogs. Think of chewing as the canine equivalent of human comfort food.

3. Chewing lets dogs work off excess energy. Basically, it gives them something to do.

How to Prevent or Stop Destructive Chewing in Dogs

Dogs are intelligent, and by putting in a little time and effort you can teach your dog not to chew your personal possessions. Here are some tips to prevent or stop destructive chewing in dogs:

1. Take control by dog-proofing your home. Don’t tempt your dog, even if she’s a model of good behavior.

Remember, dogs don’t have hands, so they investigate everything using their mouths. Dog-proofing your home involves making your personal possessions inaccessible to your dog. You’ll need to take into account your dog’s size and physical abilities while you’re putting things out of her reach. If your dog is large or capable of jumping up onto things, you’ll need to move more of your possessions than you would if you have a short dog that’s not very agile.

Typically, dogs are tempted to chew on objects like shoes, clothing, eyeglasses, books, garbage, cell phones, remote controls and the like. You should also put all food out of reach. For example, don’t leave any snacks lying out on tables or kitchen countertops. Put all food into containers or back into the pantry. You should also rinse any dirty dishes to remove scraps of food before placing them in or near the sink. You’d be surprised by what your dog can reach when some food is up for grabs!

2. Prevent your dog from experiencing the enjoyment of chewing on inappropriate items. The more times your dog manages to chew on a table leg, shoe or some other “illegal” object, the more times she’ll want to do it again. Preventing her from chewing your possessions makes it much easier for your dog to learn what you expect from her. Until you’re certain your dog understands what is permitted and what is not, you should keep her in a dog crate or another dog-proofed location in your home when you’re not available to supervise her behavior.

3. Make it easy for your dog to learn. Setting clear boundaries between what’s acceptable for her to chew (her toys) and what is unacceptable (your possessions and household items) makes it easier for your dog to learn. For example, if you let your dog chew on some of your old shoes or socks, you’ll be setting her up for failure. How can she tell the difference between old socks and new?

4. Give your dog appealing alternatives to chew. You can’t blame your dog for chewing on your stuff if you haven’t given her alternatives that appeal to her but are also more acceptable to you. Keep in mind that although most dogs need to chew, a puppy or dog that is under three years of age will probably want to chew even more than an older, more mature dog. Go shopping and buy a fair number of chews and toys for your dog, then let her play with them two or three at a time. If you rotate your dog’s toys and chews once or twice a week, they’ll keep her entertained.

5. Supervise your dog. Although you might be able to confine her in the yard or in her crate, that’s not much fun for either of you. You got a dog to be able to interact with her, right? Otherwise, you could have gotten some fish. And, your dog will never learn what you want her to do (and not do) if you keep her confined in a dog-proof area all day long. In order to learn she has to be able to explore the boundaries you’ve set. That’s the only way she can learn the difference between what’s appropriate to chew and what’s not.

6. Catch her in the act. Whenever you catch your dog chewing on an inappropriate object, stop her by clapping your hands or making some other startling noise. As soon as she stops chewing, give your dog a chew toy and praise her as she takes it. This strategy will teach her that she’ll be praised when she chews her toys but she’ll get in trouble if she chews on anything else.

Be Realistic and Have a Positive Attitude

When you want to stop or prevent destructive chewing in dogs, making sure your expectations are realistic is one of the most important things you can do. No one’s perfect, so there will probably be at least one occasion where your dog chews on something she shouldn’t. This is particularly likely to happen while she’s still learning her boundaries.

Destructive chewing in dogs takes time to eliminate, so it will be a while before your dog can be trusted to leave your stuff alone. And, even after she learns the “chewing rules,” she might chew on something inappropriate if you leave her alone too long or she feels abandoned or neglected.

Spending time with your dog will help her learn faster. Remember to keep your things safely out of her reach until she understands the rules.

The post Destructive Chewing in Dogs – Tips to Stop This Destructive Behavior first appeared on Puppy Blog.

Why do you need Dog training books? Here’s why. Picture this, While you are out one day, you enter into a pet shop and see a site too cute for words, a Bloodhound Puppy. The next thing you know you are considering buying him. I mean seriously, how much work could a dog that size really be…well in case you did not know, it only takes an hour or two tops for most folks to go uh oh after they have brought the mutt home. Suddenly you have minefields of poop waiting to blow your nose sky high, sporadic and unbelievably continuous barking which will challenge the soundest sleeper(the sleeper will lose, I guarantee), your clothes will be redisrtibuted around the house, furniture will become chew toys…the list goes on. Dogs use “shock and awww” which will put the most ardent doting doggie mom or dad’s patience to the test!

You are probably terrified of the whole idea now, I may have convinced you to have children instead, take a breath! It is very simple to train a dog using dog training books. Many people just do not contemplate that their dog must be trained…When potty training kids is such a big deal, whatever made you think that teaching your dog how to sit will be easy? Of course dogs are incredible animals that will bring mountains of joy to your life, but the simple fact is that they need to be trained and trained consistently.

With so many supposed training methods out there, people can get a bit carried away with various gadgets and goodies; this is pretty unfair, particularly as this can get very intense and make the dog feel like he is being punished. In a desire to get results we finally get them to submit and obey, this obedience is fear driven, which is cruelty, not relationship driven. This is a fundamental reason why you need relevant dog training books as a guide and reference. Dog training has advanced so much over the past 20 years and there are so many techniques that it is useful to have the right dog training books available to you to double check on what you are being told to teach.

Having an obedient well trained dog is such a priveledge. You not only know that your dog is safe but that your family is safe and of course all your friends will be envious of your dog. A well trained dog is welcomed where ever he goes, you don’t have to shackle him up like some escaped convict, he will come when he is called; sit when he is told, in short he truly becomes “a man’s best friend”.

The post Read This Before Buying Dog Training Books first appeared on Puppy Blog.

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