When your dog has a behavior problem, here’s what to do.

While you might not be thrilled at some of the behaviors your faithful companion has taken on… you need to realize that your dog isn’t at all bothered by digging, barking, chewing, jumping, begging for table scraps, chasing cars, getting into the garbage, being aggressive toward other dogs —these behaviors are a part of who he is, and has been through the centuries. They are behaviors he (or she) would have used out in the wild. Your dog isn’t digging up your garden or chewing on your new shoes to spite you…  he’s not barking because he’s angry or feeling neglected — he does these things because they come naturally to him. There’s nothing more to it than that.

Once you understand and accept this, you’ll be in the right frame of mind to change the bothersome behavior once and for all. The trick to being successful isn’t at all about brute force or intimidation — it’s all about using your dog’s natural inclinations to help you correct the behaviors you don’t like while still keeping the warm, loving relationship you want to have with your best friend. It can be done, but it takes time and a consistent effort to turn those behaviors around.

As you work to change your dog’s bad habits, keep in mind that…

·              Your dog needs enough exercise for his age and breed. Too little exercise gives him endless energy to dig, to chew, or to pursue other problem habits. But, if his energy is spent on walks or runs in the park he isn’t likely to have anything left over for bad behavior.

·              Your dog needs your time and attention — you’ve heard it before, dogs are social animals. You and the members of your household are your dog’s pack and he wants to be with you as much as he can. Many bad behaviors stem from the dog not having enough time, attention and guidance about what’s expected and what’s not.

·              A visit to the vet might be in order so you can talk about what’s going on; sometimes bad behavior can stem from pain, an infection, hormone imbalance or other physical problem — all of which need to be ruled out first. Other times behavior problems come from an inborn tendency of the breed. In either case, an honest talk with your vet can give you a clue about what you’re up against.

·              You need to catch your dog in the act so that your displeasure can be clearly linked with the act. Reprimand your dog while he’s nose deep in the hole, not when you find your garden overturned. A dog just can’t connect your screaming (or punishment) now with what he’s done in the past — to him your temper is not in any way connected to that chewed-up pair of shoes. Over time dogs deal with what they see as unpredictable anger by loosing trust in you, which brings on even more problems.

·              You need to look for the source of the behavior — consider things other than not enough exercise or time with the family as reasons for what’s happening. Some dogs tolerate being alone all day, others don’t. A recent move or the arrival of a new pet (or baby) in the home are other sources of upset you should think about.

If you’re struggling with problem behaviors that go beyond what can be handled by these suggestions, you may want to consider seeking professional help, which comes in one of two varieties.

A dog trainer will help you handle more straightforward obedience issues (jumping up on people or furniture, chewing or housetraining problems) so that you establish the communication needed to get your dog to understand what’s expected of him.

In cases where a dog’s behavior is motivated by fear, aggression or anxiety an animal behaviorist may be your only hope of handling the problem. These pros have advanced training and will work with you and your dog to get at the root of the problem, and then help you change the behavior to something more acceptable.

In some cases, intervention by an animal behaviorist is the only hope of keeping the dog with the family. Learn more about these unique specialists at http://www.canines.com/ or find one in your area at http://animalbehaviorcounselors.org/

The good news is that even the worst behaviors can be changed, so long as you stay consistent and keep working on the problem. Talk with other dog owners to see what worked for them. Learn all you can.

Twelve smart tips for keeping your dog

happy and healthy today, and for years to come.

You love your dog to death and want to keep him (or her) healthy and happy for years to come. The good news is this isn’t difficult —it involves regular medical care, good eating habits and plenty of fresh air and exercise. Coincidentally, these are the very same things that keep you and I healthy. Of course, since your four-footed friend can’t do any of this for himself, he needs you to take the lead.

Here’s what you can do to keep your dog (young or old) happy and healthy:

1.            Find the best veterinarian you can — someone you feel comfortable talking to and can afford to see. The practice location, financial policies and hours should be convenient, and the philosophy of the vet should agree with your own personal one.

2.            Keep your dog’s vaccinations up to date by making (and keeping) appointments for regular checkups at least once per year; every six months for an older dog.

3.            Feed your dog the best food you can afford — better quality food can help your dog stay healthy, have a shinier, more glossy coat, better smelling breath, more energy and surprisingly also results in smaller, less odorous stools.

4.            Resist the temptation to overfeed — obesity in dogs, like in people, is on the rise and can bring on diseases like diabetes and other conditions that are difficult to manage and treat.

5.            Consider adding dietary supplements to your dog’s diet —glucosamine or chondroitin for example are used to protect against arthritis.

6.            Attend to your dog’s dental health as well — this will keep his teeth looking good and his breath bearable.

7.            Be sure you always control fleas and ticks, as they can be the source of illness for both your dog and your family.

8.            Keep your dog well groomed — regular brushing will help keep his coat healthy and shiny, and regular baths from an early age will help keep your dog clean and smelling great.

9.            Never let your dog roam on his own, unattended — he can be hit by a car, injured by another dog or wild animal, or contract troublesome diseases when out and about unsupervised.

10.        Exercise your dog — a good run, game of Frisbee or fetch help keep his heart, lungs and muscles in tiptop shape.

11.        Spay or neuter — statistics show your dog will live a longer life with no chance of getting uterine cancer, testicular cancer or other life threatening conditions.

12.        Be sensible about sheltering your dog — those pets that are kept outside all the time tend to bark more, dig or engage in other unwelcome behaviors.

Of course most important to your dog’s health — physical and mental— is the amount of love and attention your canine friend gets from you. Dogs are perceptive enough to sense when they are loved (and when they are not). Like people, dogs can get depressed if left on their own too long. Instead keep your four-footed friend close, spend some part of each day with him or her, do all you can to keep your dog healthy and you’ll be rewarded with a loving, happy and healthy companion for years to come. 

Training tips that really do the trick!

To train you dog, you first need to understand just how your four-footed friend thinks.

Dogs, no matter how cute and cuddly, are descendents of far wilder ancestors — wolves. Though they’ve become more docile and responsive to our commands over the centuries, these beautiful animals have kept their excellent eyesight, keen sense of smell, and their need to be a member of a pack. Only today that pack is you and the other members of your household.To train your dog, you need to understand, learn and use this to your advantage. A pack has one leader (that’s you) and others (everyone else in the house) who show respect to that leader. Most breeds, with a few exceptions, don’t want to lead the pack; they feel safer with someone else in charge. If your dog senses that you’re a wimp in need of direction, he’ll gladly step into that leadership role and rule the roost. Somebody has to be the top dog - if you won’t, your dog will.When it comes to training, what you want to do is redirect the dog’s natural inclinations to outlets that are acceptable to you. Training continues the work of building a relationship between you and your faithful companion. The process, done correctly and with patience, helps to establish communication, enhance understanding and is a subtle demonstration of your command over the dog.

Whether house training, training for obedience, or teaching your four footed friend a few more involved tricks to impress company - start with an attitude of quiet confidence. From there, use some of these common-sense guidelines while working with your dog:

1. Always be firm and consistent - this will show your dog that he can’t get away with misbehaving, even if he is the cutest thing you’ve ever seen.
2. Keep training sessions short – no more than 10 to 15 minutes two times per day, depending on your dog’s attention span.
3. Find a distraction-free place to work - choose a quiet, familiar environment free of distractions so the dog’s attention isn’t drawn to other things that make it hard to focus on what you want to teach.
4. Every so often, show your dog who’s boss - make him move and take his place, or eat your meal before feeding him his, these simple actions put your pet in his place and establishes you as a leader.
5. Never yell at or hit your dog - this teaches him to be nervous and fearful around you and keeps him from learning what you want to teach.
6. Use repetition - do things over and over and over again, using the same tone of voice, command and hand gestures until he gets it, reward every time your dog does as you ask.
7. Use reward - not only the treats your dog loves, but lavish your dog with praise in a high-pitched, happy voice and add lots of squeals of delight for effect and be sure you say his name frequently.
8. When issuing commands like “sit” or “come” use a low, gruff voice - dogs don’t understand any of the words we say, but they do recognize and respond to a change in tone.
9. Practice learned tricks regularly - even after he’s got a trick, reinforce what he or she knows by doing the trick again and again every day; teach only one new trick each week.

If you’re having problems training your dog - don’t lose hope (or patience), start by talking to your vet (or breeder) and asking for some suggestions. You might also want to talk with other owners whose dogs are well behaved and get some tips and tricks to use. If you like to use the computer, go online to some of the discussion forums devoted to dogs, visit dog.com for example, to talk to other dog owners who are also struggling to get their “best friends” to behave properly.

The time and effort you spend working with your dog will make a huge difference in his life, and yours. Not only will your dog be happier and easier to control in dangerous situations, but also he or she will have more freedom because you can count on your pet to behave properly in your home… with company… or when you’re out and about.

What you must know before bringing Fido home

Adding a dog to your life can be one of the best experiences ever — or an absolute nightmare —depending on how much thought and planning you’ve put into this decision. You need to consider your lifestyle and surroundings… the time and energy you have… as well as how much money you want to spend.

So… before you commit to those big brown eyes and wagging tail, be sure you know (or have at least thought about) the answers to some pretty basic questions.

QUESTION #1  Puppy or adult dog?

It’s the first thing you really need to think about. Puppies are cute and cuddly, but they don’t stay that way for very long —— you’ll spend a lot more time with the adult dog than you do the adorable puppy. You should also know that it’s very hard to get a good read on the future personality (not to mention size, coat and activity level) of the adult dog from the puppy. Those adorable balls of fluff can also be mischievous, defiant and destructive and go through a stage of rebellious adolescence where they need almost constant supervision. You should also consider the cost and time commitment of vet visits, house training, behavior training and socialization.

In contrast, adult dogs have passed through all this — so what you se is what you get. You may have little information on the puppyhood and early life, but you’ll more than make up for this with an adult dog’s better attention span (making training easier), as well as a more accurate read on size and the amount of shedding. Your vet will also be better able to diagnose health problems in an adult — ones that cannot be foreseen in a puppy. What’s more, choosing an adult dog is a valuable service to good animals that need a loving home. You’ll find some wonderful dogs at your local animal shelter or online at http://www.petfinder.com/. Other good sources are your local classified pet column for lots of good, loving dogs that are “free to good home”.

QUESTION #2:  Purebred or Mixed Breed?

If you’ve got your heart set on a particular look or breed, need to consider allergies or other health issues, or have a specific purpose (a hunting companion or guard dog) in mind, then a pure breed is probably the right choice. The American Kennel Club (online at http://www.akc.org/) recognizes over 150 different breeds and offers a good deal of information on each one. Purebreds come with generations of breeding to strengthen and refine special skills — so that tracking or retrieving abilities become far superior to those of the general population of dogs. The down side is that this can unknowingly pass on other, less desirable traits or serious health problems as well.

Which breed is right for you and your family? Here’s a quick, easy-to-do quiz that might help you narrow down the choices: http://www2.dogbreedinfo.com/search.htm.

For many of us, a key factor that drives our choice of breeds is cost. Mixed breed dogs are almost always more affordable than a purebred, though they make take more time and legwork to find. You might want to start with your local animal shelter where dogs are brought in for a variety of different reasons and are examined by a vet and cared for until they can be adopted — some shelters even screen dogs for behavior issues. To adopt a dog (puppy or adult) from the shelter you’ll typically be asked to pay a small fee to cover the exams and cost of neutering.

Rescue groups are another source for a potential best friend. Here dogs are placed in foster care with an experienced and loving host family, so you’ll know a lot about each animal’s temperament and level of training. If you do go this route, you should expect to complete some type of application process, as well as submit to possible home visits and a somewhat lengthy screening process. If all this seems too involved for you… consider making a regular check your local paper’s classified section. You should also get the word out to family, friends and co-workers. The more people who know you are looking, the better.

QUESTION #3:  Large or Small?

As you have for the age and breed, you need to put some serious thought into the size of the dog you plan to bring into your home. Common sense might suggest that a large dog in a small apartment isn’t the best choice, but these arrangements can be quite successful, if handled properly. Often it isn’t so much about the size of the animal (or yours for that matter) but rather your ability to be in command and control at all times that really counts.

Beyond this, larger breeds tend to cost more — you’ll need to buy more food, bigger crates, beds and toys, not to mention a sturdier collar and leash. Vet bills for surgery or medications will be higher, and grooming will also cost more. Smaller breeds are more affordable, but have a reputation (not deserved, but popular) for being high-strung and nippy, and can easily get underfoot, be hurt unintentionally or slip off unnoticed in the hustle and bustle of a busy home.

Answer, or at least think about, these questions and you’ll have a much better idea of what you’re getting into. Not that you still can’t be swept away by a pair of wide, trusting eyes or an adorable little face… but when that moment comes you’ll have a far better chance of making this new addition to your life a lasting one.

Welcome to Pet Care Hub Blog!

Thank you for stopping by the Pet Care Hub blog. I hope to educate and inform you about taking care of your pet, whether it be a dog, cat, fish or horse.

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