These Foods Are Deadly for your Dog

Many people are unaware that some of the foods that we eat on regular basis can be deadly to your dog.

A piece of chocolate can cause seizures, coma and death.
Even a small piece of chocolate is dangerous.
Anything containing caffeine can have a similar effect and be as dangerous as chocolate, and that includes coffee grounds, tea, and tea bags.

Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure and even a single serving of raisins can kill your dog.
Excessive salt intake can also cause kidney problems.
Onions can cause anemia by destroying red blood cells while tomatoes can cause tremors and heart arrhythmias.
Tomato plants are particularly toxic to dogs.
Avocados are also highly toxic and can cause breathing difficulty and fluid accumulation around the abdomen chest and heart.

When giving your dog bones ensure that they are raw as cooked bones can splinter and damage their internal organs.
Excessive fat can cause pancreatitis, so it is not wise to feed your dog a diet of fatty foods.
Fried foods also fall into this category and are not good to retain maximum health in your dog.
Certain nuts, such as Macadamia nuts and walnuts can cause weakness and muscle tremors.
Peanut butter however is generally okay provided you use the salt and sugar free peanut butter as sugar can encourage cancer growth.
The core and pits of fruits such as Apple's cherries and peaches contain cyanide, which is poisonous to dogs and can kill them within 24-hours without warning.
If in doubt, always refrain from feeding your dog foods that we are eating assuming that they will be okay.
What is safe for humans can kill your dog within hours.

Create Your Own Cost Effective Quality Dog Food

In an earlier newsletter I talked about allergies and how many of these are related to the food that your dog eats.

This is due to all the filler, colors and preservatives that the dog food manufacturers put into the processed dog foods that are sold through the stores.

There is a solution if you have a dog that has food allergies and it is not only a cost effective way to feed your dog but it can also add to the quality of your dogs health.

Creating your own dog food and dog treats might be the best solution for your dog's allergies.
Even if your dog doesn't have food allergies you can often see an improvement in the health of a dog by changing to homemade treats that don't have all the harmful additives of the dog food you will buy over the counter.

You will also have full control over the ingredients that you use for your food preparation and you can eliminate any foods that you already know your dog is allergic to.

If you are still unsure of the food that your dog might be allergic to you can add and delete the various different foods until you eliminate those that cause negative reactions and only use food that your dog is comfortable eating.

While it might be difficult determining exactly what is in the dog food that you buy from the store you will always know exactly what your dog is eating if you prepare the food yourself.

You can create the food fresh and in the quantities that you require rather than rely on the portions that are determined by the manufacturers.

A Collar and Lead for your Dog

It is important that every dog learns to feel comfortable with a collar and lead, as this will be required when taking the dog to public places.

Walking your dog with a collar and lead is a basic and important skill otherwise you will be one of those people where the dog takes them for a walk and they are forever straining to hold the dog back from running away.

The bigger the dog, the bigger the problem.

Even if your dog is extremely well trained it is unwise to take it out without a collar and lead as accidents can happen.
The dog might get scared from unexpected noise or another dog might attract its attention and it could run off.

If the dog is in new surroundings it could also get spooked by new noises and run off without thinking.

Having a collar with good identification will help you to locate your dog should it ever go missing so this is an important safety factor that we all hope we never have to rely on.

You must always choose a collar that your dog will feel comfortable with as it will be wearing it a lot of the time and you can't even start leash training until your dog has become accustomed to the collar.

On puppies it is not unusual for them to try to remove the collar when they first start wearing it.
It is best to simply ignore your puppy and they will soon get used to wearing it.
You can help by distracting it with toys or playing with it so it forgets that it is even wearing a collar.

Once your dog has accepted wearing the collar you can begin leash training.

Clicker Training for Your Dog

Clicker training is a technique that is highly successful for training dogs.

The trainer uses a simple clicker that can be purchased from most pet stores and the dog is trained to respond to the sound of the clicker.

The dog will quickly learn that the sound of the clicker is followed by a reward and they will respond to commands when the clicker is used knowing that a reward is to follow.

It is a great technique for home training of dogs as it is a simple technique that the owner can use to get fast results.

Some other dog training techniques can be a little difficult to master and unless the trainer has a good understanding of the training process it can become quite frustrating when the results don't come as fast as expected.

Clicker training generally gets results relatively fast and the owner and the dog can have a lot of fun during the training with both parties getting what they want out of the training sessions.

Clicker training leaves the dog with no doubt what it needs to do to get the reward.

Clicker training doesn't involve any forms of punishment if the dog doesn't do as it is told, because it will know that it will not get the reward.
Punishment training can lead to confusion where the dog does not know what it has done wrong and this confusion can lead to an unhappy dog.

There is no such problem with Clicker training.
It is actually a form of positive reinforcement for the dog and this will help it bond and build a better relationship with it's owner.

Dogs have also been shown to learn a lot faster when positive reinforcement is used rather than any form of punishment.

It is much better to let them know when they have done something well rather than bad and this process can also be used to eliminate bad behavior.

How Toys can Boost Your Dogs Intelligence

There are many benefits in giving your dog the right toys to play with.

While most people think that dog toys are only to relieve boredom this is not the only use for these toys.

Sure dog toys are excellent for relieving boredom and are especially good where you might have to leave your dog on it's own for periods of time, but there are other reasons why you should consider buying your dog toys.

Some dog toys are designed to boost their intelligence where they will only get a reward after they have performed certain tasks.

These toys are a very effective method of training.

Other toys help a dog to know what they can chew and in doing so you can save yourself a lot of expense by not having to replace expensive items throughout the house that can be destroyed at the teeth of your pet.

There are chewing toys that will help your dog strengthen and keep their teeth clean and there are toys that will help teach your dog with retrieval training.

You really need to decide what you want the toys for before buying and also to determine what the personality of your dog is before you can get the right toys for it.

Some toys are designed to last for a short period of time when they will be replaced by new ones, and these are often the chewing variety.

Some toys of the chewing variety are flavored so you will need to check first to see what ingredients they have used for the flavoring or you might be buying a toy that your dog is allergic to.
These toys with flavoring often have preservatives in them so beware.

With such a wide variety of toys available on the market these days there is certain to be something that your dog will enjoy and make their life all the more happy.

Watch For Changes In Your Dog

One of the best things you can do for your dog besides regular exercise, good food, water and shelter, is to be aware of any changes that it might exhibit in all aspects of it's life.
Particularly as dogs get older they might seem like they are just not interested in exercise any longer but this might be due to the fact that they are suffering from pain of some form or another.

Many older dogs suffer from arthritis and this can be very painful.
There are all sorts of remedies that can help your dog from natural remedies to ones that your local vet might prescribe.

Our beloved pets cannot talk to us and they can only hope that we are aware of their conditions by knowing what they are usually like and noticing any behavioral changes.

Even if a normally quiet dog starts whining or barking more often they might be trying to give you a signal that something is not quite right in their life.

A regular checkup at the Vet is a good solution to ensure that your dog is always in optimal health and that includes their mental state.

Older dogs can become depressed because they are no longer getting the required stimulation mentally and a depressed dog will suffer just as a human can do in similar circumstances.

If your dog starts to eat more or less food than normal this could be another sign that there is a problem and also if they gain or lose weight they could be suffering from some health problems.

Always be aware of their behavior and it will ensure that your dog has a happy and long life.

Which are the Smartest Dogs

While we would all like to think we have the smartest dog in the world there are some breeds that are generally more intelligent than others.
In this newsletter we will look at the dogs ranking from 6th most intelligent to tenth.
And then in the next newsletter we will look at the most intelligent dogs in the world.
Don't be too concerned if your dog doesn't appear in either of these lists, as sometimes it is not always an advantage to have an intelligent dog.
As expected, the more intelligent dogs generally need more stimulation or they will get bored and this can cause problems, particularly if they are left at home during the day when you're at work.

So lets start with the tenth most intelligent dog...

Tenth on the list is the Australian Cattle Dog
The Australian Cattle Dog was originally bred for herding cattle, just as their name suggests.
Obviously to be tenth on the list they are very intelligent, but they need to be stimulated, as one would expect from an intelligent dog.
They are happy when they are working, as they need regular exercise and mental stimulation.

Ninth on the list is the Rottweiler.
Contrary to popular belief, the Rottweiler is actually a great family dog, and is not quite as fearsome as many people believe.
There are a highly intelligent dogs and respond well to training.

The eighth dog on the list of intelligence is the Papillon.
Like the Australian cattle dog the Papillon is very protective of its owner and makes a lovable and intelligent pet.
And as with most intelligent dogs they are relatively easy to train.

Number seven on the list is the Labrador Retriever.
These are one of the most popular family dogs because of their good nature, which allows them to socialize well with other dogs and more importantly, children.
Like the previous dogs on the list, Labradors need exercise, and particularly in their case, without exercise they tend to gain excessive weight.

Number six on our list of intelligent dogs is the Shetland sheepdog.
Like the Australian Cattle Dog the Shetland sheepdog was bred for herding cattle and sheep.
Obviously to do this well they need some intelligence and that is why they have ended at number six on our list.
They're not quite as good at socializing with other people or children but are excellent pets in their own family.

And the Top Five Dogs Are..........


And at number five on that list is the Doberman.
It is important that the Doberman is trained early on in its life, as they can be quite temperamental.
If they are trained they can be great family dogs and really good with children despite their reputation.
They are highly intelligent, and like many intelligent dogs are very protective of their master and family.

Number four is the Golden Retriever, which is often regarded as one of the most popular breeds of dog.
They are great with children and are a very loyal and loving dog.
It is not uncommon to see Golden Retrievers winning dog competitions where intelligence is of importance.

Number three on our list is a dog that is often associated with police work.
Yes, it's the German Shepherd, and it is chosen for its police work due to its intelligence.
They make great family dogs and love children.
They need to be kept busy with work or some form of stimulation otherwise they can become depressed and unhappy.
They need to know who their master is from a young age to ensure both they and the family get the most out of their relationship.

The second most intelligent dog might surprise a lot of people.  Not only for the fact that they are highly intelligent, but also because they are one of the easiest dogs to train.
And that dog is the Poodle.
Yes the Poodle comes in at number two on our list of intelligent dogs.
They love people, and because of this they don't like to be left alone.
They are very protective and can become quite vicious if anybody encroaches upon their property or territory.

And the number one all-time most intelligent dog of all is the Border Collie
The Border Collie is another dog that is often seen winning competitions.
They're highly intelligent, but along with that intelligence comes the need for them to be stimulated regularly.
They're happiest when they're working or performing in competitions or dog trials.
So there you go, if you have a Border Collie, you know you have the most intelligent dog in the world, provided of course, that you have trained it well.

A Diet of Good Food and Exercise for your Dog

To stay fit and healthy and happy and strong, a dog needs good exercise and good food just as humans do.
They're an important part of our families, and they rely on us understanding their needs, as they cannot talk to us.
Fortunately, dogs are a bit more resilient than humans but they still do need regular exercise and good food.

One of the benefits of owning a dog is the fact that in many cases, knowing that they need exercise is a good reason for us to get out and exercise as well.
So you could say that owning a dog actually keeps humans healthier.
Certainly a well-trained dog keeps us a lot happier.

There are many benefits that can be gained from owning a dog but you only get as much out of them as you put into them.
Good training, good shelter, good food, fresh water, regular exercise and a happy home are all that a dog needs to be content.

Just as the wrong foods can be very detrimental to the health of humans, the same goes for the health of dogs.
We have already discussed some of the nutritional requirements in an earlier newsletter and in the next newsletter we will be looking at some items that can be quite dangerous to dogs such as chocolate.

Until then, feed your dog premium pet food and fresh meat and make sure you get out and take them for a walk or run.

Dogs and Separation Anxiety

Dog Quote: They are better than human beings, because they know but do not tell.

....Emily Dickenson

Separation Anxiety

Many people are unaware that separation anxiety even exists with their dog.

There are many different traits that can be seen in a dog due to separation anxiety.

When we leave home for work each day, most people are unaware of what their dog is experiencing, and for many of them it is separation anxiety.

We assume that because the dog appears to be happy when we arrive home at the end of the day, than it has been happy all day long.

In many instances, the dog could have had quite a traumatic day.

 Many dogs are concerned that when their owner leaves, they might not be coming back.

They have no way of knowing that we will be back in eight or nine hours.

The stress that this causes for a dog can lead to destructive behavior where they will chew everything in sight.

Other dogs might express their stress by soiling the house.

Either way, if you come home from work and find that your well-trained dog has done something out of the ordinary you need to consider whether it has had a stressful day or not, and certainly not reprimand it until you know what the circumstances have been.

If you sense your dog has been stressed during the day, you might like to consider giving it more toys to stop it from becoming bored, or better still, have somebody call in and visit at some stage throughout the day so it knows that it is not alone.

Exercising your dog in the morning before you leave is a good idea because it is more likely to sleep during the day.

Another method to reassure your dog that you will be coming back when you leave, is to do several smaller trips in the course of a few days or weeks, where the dog becomes more and more accustomed to you leaving and returning at different intervals.

By slowly extending these hours of separation, your dog will become accustomed to it, thereby eliminating separation anxiety.

Build a Relationship With Your Dog Through Training

Here's Today's Joke: How do you stop a dog smelling?
Cover its nose.

Dog training is all about building relationships.

Good dog training is all about building positive relationships where the dog has respect for it's owner and also where the dog realizes that the owner is the master and leader of the pack.

If the owner assumes the position of the leader of the pack and the dog knows and respects that position then it will feel more secure and be a happier pet.

Under no circumstances should the dog be fearful of it's master and that is why most current methods of dog training focus on the positive aspects of the dogs actions and reward it for the good actions that it takes rather than punishing it for anything that it does wrong.

A well trained dog that respects it's master will always want to please, and that leads to a better-behaved dog both at home and when socializing with other dogs and people.

These positive training techniques are also great at retraining dogs that have consistently done something wrong, as they will quickly learn that the rewards for good actions are far greater than the attention they are seeking from their negative actions.

Even older dogs can be trained quite well by using these methods so a dog is certainly never too old to learn new tricks.

Train Your Dog To Come When Called

Dog Quote: A dog is the only thing on this earth that loves you more than he loves himself.

....Josh Billings

The Command to Come when Called

One of the most basic and important commands that you will need to teach your dog is to come when called.

No matter what else happens, if you have taught your dog this command you will always be able to maintain control whether at home or in public.

Should your dog ever get off it's leash or escape from your property you will know that when you call it that it will come back and this certainly makes life a lot easier for the dog owner.

For working dogs, this is a vital skill as a handler needs to know that at any time they can get the dog back beside them and ready for their next command.

When you are comfortable that your dog knows the commands of 'stay' and 'come' you no longer have to be as concerned that it needs to be kept on a leash at all times.

This allows both the owner and the dog to have a lot more freedom.

Generally, this command of 'come' is incorporated when teaching the dog to stay, as these two lessons work hand-in-hand with one another.

The dog is first taught to stay and then the owner will teach the dog to come, while still on an extended leash.

After gaining success in getting the dog to come, while still on a leash, the owner can then teach it to do so without the leash.

Obviously for an untrained animal this would be better taught in an enclosed area until the dog has learned to respond to that command.

Train Your Dog Not To Run Away

Here's Today's Joke: Why did the Dachshund bite the woman's ankle?

Because he couldn't reach any higher.

No owner likes to get a call from the pound telling them that their dog has been picked up for roaming the streets, but even the best trained dog can escape and end up in places where it shouldn't be.

In many towns you can find yourself in legal trouble if your dog is found to be wandering the streets.

And quite rightly so as a dog on the loose can do quite a lot of damage to other people's property, pets, children and elderly folk.

Dogs that generally try to escape from their property are usually those that have not been trained or are bored.

Boredom is most often the case, and giving your dog suitable stimulation to ensure that he/she remains contented on the property can prevent this.

This can be as simple as leaving toys for your dog to play with, fresh water and a suitable place to sleep, shelter from the weather, and anything else that the dog might need while you aren't in attendance.

Obviously a big fence and a locked gate will go a long way to deter your dog from escaping.

Consider the alternative of trying to catch your dog once it has escaped, and the damage that can be done, should it run out in front of a cyclist or a car.

Prevention is always best.

Giving your dog regular exercise will also reduce the likelihood of it wanting to escape.

Even the fact that the dog knows it will be getting exercise when you arrive home will eliminate much of the possibility of having it escape during the time when you're away.

If your dog gets this exercise before you go out you are less likely to have problems because it is more likely to sleep after having exercised.

Train Your Dog Not To Jump Up on People

Dog Quote: They have dog food for constipated dogs.

If your dog is constipated, why screw up a good thing?

Stay indoors and let 'em bloat!

....David Letterman

Jumping on People

No matter how much we might enjoy our pet jumping up to greet us, there are many people who dislike having a strange dog coming up and jumping on them.

For many people it can be a frightening experience as not everyone is a dog lover.

Besides that, many people just don't want dirty paw marks over their clothing.

It can also create major problems if a large dog were to jump up on a child or an elderly person.

Dogs will generally jump up on people because they are overly excited and pleased to see them - even if that person is a stranger.

Many people inadvertently encourage this behavior by rewarding the dog with attention after the dog has jumped up on them.

The dog then seeks similar reward from other people whether they like it or not.

This is detrimental to the proper training of the dog and all members of the family must realize that they're doing more harm than good by encouraging their dog to jump up on people.

Consistency is important in all forms of dog training, where members of the dog's family will need to exercise discipline and accept that training will be all the more difficult if the dog is allowed to continue with this behavior.

Failure to do so will lead to confusion with the pet not knowing what is right or wrong.

An alternative to having your dog jump up on you and other people is to teach it to sit and lift it's paw when greeting you for a handshake or similar tricks where the dog will be rewarded with attention.

Training Your Dog for a Leash

Dog Quote: Oh, that dog!

Ever hear of a German shepherd that bites its nails?

Barks with a lisp?

You say, "Attack!" And he has one.

All he does is piddle.

He's nothing but a fur-covered kidney that barks.

....Phillis Diller

Training your dog to not pull on the leash

One of the most common problems people have with their dogs is pulling on the leash.

There are many reasons why this can occur, and quite often it is nothing more than excitement on the dogs part.

If this is the case, allowing the dog a few minutes to simmer down before taking it on his/her walk can often stop it.

Once again, the dogs pack mentality can come to play with the dog assuming leadership over its owner as the leader of the pack.

This comes back to the basics of dog training where the dog must be aware of who the master is.

Failure to get this basic dog training technique under control can lead to all sorts of problems, particularly if the dog gets off the leash.

In the presence of other dogs, and sometimes young children this problem becomes pronounced.

One of the basics of dog training is for the owner to establish him or herself as the leader of the pack otherwise no training can be effective.

Once this is been established you can start the process of getting your dog to walk calmly beside you with or without a leash.

And that process can only start if you are able to get your dog to sit calmly while you put the leash around its neck.

That is the very first step of training your dog to walk without pulling in its leash.

Once you succeed in that task, you can move on to the next step where you can get your dog to walk beside you without a leash and be assured that he/she won't run away.

And from there you will not be one of those people where the dog is taking them for a walk.

Preventing Unwanted Urination From Your Dog

Dog Quote: If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you.

This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.

....Mark Twain

Preventing Unwanted Urination.

There are a number of reasons why dogs have problems with inappropriate urination and in some cases defecation.

Unfortunately most dog owners don't understand why this happens and are unsure what to do.

It can even happen to dogs that have been trained and housebroken.

Many dog owners who are unable to address the problem simply take their dog to the pound as they assume there is no alternative to the problem that they are unable to solve.

Unwanted urination is a very common problem that many dog owners face and is more common than most people would assume.

You will need to eliminate any medical reasons first, as there could be bladder infections that are causing the urination, but aside from that there are other reasons why dogs will urinate.

One of the most common reasons for a dog to lose control of it's bladder is from excitement and you will generally see this happen a lot more with puppies.

With puppies this is a lack of bladder control that will generally stop, as they get older.

Puppies are often unaware that they are urinating when they get excited and to reprimand them for doing this will cause confusion.

To get angry with your dog for excitement urination can lead to other problems where the dog will begin to urinate from submissiveness rather than excitement thereby creating another problem that will need to be addressed.

With excitement urination the best cure is prevention and that is achieved by not allowing your dog to get overly excited.

And the best way to stop your dog getting over excited in certain circumstances is to expose him/her to those situations more often until they no longer get excited to the extent that they urinate.

Puppies will eventually grow out of excitement urination as they develop better bladder control.

Submissive urination is something that is common in the wild, where dogs, being pack animals, show their submissiveness to the leader of the pack by lowering themselves and urinating.

Where a dog is showing signs of submissive urination this is effectively a sign of insecurity and is very often associated with dogs that have been abused.

It can be difficult to correct submissive urination and quite often the best method is to ignore what is happening and focus on developing a better relationship with your pet and help to build it's self confidence.

Helping Your Dog Alleviate Boredom

Here's Today's Joke: Why did the dog chase his tail?

Because he was trying to make ends meet.

Boredom

Dogs get bored just like adults and children

Assuming that your dog is happy to just lie around all day or stay on it's own while you are at work could lead to a very unhappy animal.

While it's not possible or practical for most people to have contact with their dog throughout the day, due to work and other commitments, a dog will always be a lot happier if it knows that at the end of each day it will get the opportunity to go for a walk in the park or a run along the beach.

The stimulation that it will get from this activity and the time that it is spending with you will help it to keep a healthy mind and a happy personality.

This time together is all important for building the bond that will ensure you both get the maximum benefit from your relationship.

Quality time with your dog will reap rewards, just as they would with a child, with a more obedient dog who is happier to please you than to misbehave.

And a happier dog is a healthier dog that will tend to live longer and give you more years of pleasure.

Crate Training For Dogs

Dog Quote: I have a great dog.

She's half Lab, half pit bull.

A good combination.

Sure, she might bite off my leg, but she'll bring it back to me.

....Jimi Celeste

Crate Training

One of the best things you can do for your puppy early in life is crate training.

Many people are under the misconception that crate training a puppy is cruel but this is far from the truth.

Dogs actually get a lot of benefit from having been crate trained and they generally come to like the fact that they have been crate trained.

Many people also assume that crate training is difficult, but this is also far from the truth.

Dogs, naturally avoid soiling the area where they will eat and sleep and this is one of the reasons why crate training is important.

It is essential to take notes of the times when your puppy likes to eat, sleep, and 'go to the toilet' because this will help determine the best times for the crate training.

Crate training is not about keeping your dog locked up for extended lengths of time.

Crate training needs to be handled with the care that one would expect from a family member.

You should remember that, done correctly, crate training will enhance the lives of both you and your dog.

There are bound to be mishaps along the way when your puppy might 'mess' in the crate but he/she should not be punished for this, as it is highly unlikely that it would have been intentional.

Crate training is the best method of potty training a puppy by far, so it is well worth doing when they are young to eliminate one area that can be a problem with dogs, as they grow older.

While it might seem that your dog doesn't like crate training initially, (many dogs will fuss, whine and bark when they first start crate training) most crate trained dogs learn to love their crate as their own place, much like children have their favorite blanket for security that they will carry around.

Crate training usually starts with short periods of 10 to 15 minutes slowly building up to two hours as they become more accustomed to their crate.

Prevent Doggie Boredom

Here's Today's Joke: Why do dogs bury bones?

Because they can't hide them in trees.

Dogs are a lot like children.

They need stimulation or they will get bored and we all know the trouble children can be when they get bored.

Bored dogs are generally unhappy dogs and they are also the dogs that are most likely to get into trouble with other animals and humans.

The happiest dogs are often the working dogs as they not only have a purpose in life but they also get the praise and regular attention of their owners.

Even simply getting your dog some toys of it's own to play with can add a lot of fun and happiness to it's life, but more importantly getting the dog involved in family activities will have a positive effect on it's mental state and happiness.

Dogs love to be taken for walks or a run along the beach.

They get to look at a different environment and interact with strangers and other dogs.

This social interaction is very important for the overall well being of your dog and it is something that needs to be done on a regular basis.

One of the benefits of dog training schools is the fact that your dog will get to interact with other dogs, however training your dog at home also has it's benefits as you will be learning each others personalities when working closely together and your dog will still get the opportunity to socialize with other dogs when you take it for walks in the park and similar activities.

Any time spent with your dog, whether it is training or just enjoying playtime, is great for building a long and happy relationship.

How To Stop Your Puppy Biting

Dog Quote: To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs.

....Aldous Huxley

Puppies love to bite.

The do it naturally but it is something that they must be taught not to do.

This needs to be addressed while they are young because dog bites can lead to all sorts of problems including legal action.

It may seem fun and funny to have a puppy biting but a full-grown dog can do a lot of damage, particularly to children if they are in the habit of biting.

Dogs have immense strength in their jaws and even a playful nip can do permanent damage to a child.

Generally, puppies are taught to control their biting from their mothers but in most cases we get puppies as pets that have been taken from their mothers at a very young age and it is up to us to teach them as puppies not to bite.

By letting your dog socialize with other dogs from a young age they will quickly learn from their elders, provided they have been taught well, that the desire to bite needs to be curbed to avoid retaliation and an ensuing fight.

The sooner the puppy is taught not to bite by the owner or by interaction with other dogs, the less aggressive they will become as they grow older and the more pleasant they will be to live with.

Taking a puppy to a dog training school will allow it to interact with other dogs where it will quickly be corrected for any misbehavior.

Puppies should generally learn to interact with other dogs within the first three months of their life.

The longer this is left the more difficult it becomes for your dog to socialize correctly and they can become dangerous later in life.

As with children, the sooner your puppy can learn correct behavior patterns the better they will be in the long term.

It is also wise to get the puppy to behave correctly in the presence of other animals including cats and any other pets that they might come in contact with over their life.

There are many items that are available from the pet stores and vets that can give your puppy suitable satisfaction to chew and bite upon.

This will allow your puppy to learn what is right and what is not right to bite.

Basic Dog Training Tips

There are a few basic commands that need to be mastered and they are all relatively simple.
These commands are...

1. Down: this is where you teach your dog to lay down on command, and is one of the main aspects of any successful training program.
2. Heel: this is where you teach your dog walk beside you at the same pace without pulling on the lead.
3. Learning the 'No' word: this is a particularly important word for your dog to know and can save you a lot of trouble. In fact it is probably one of the most important aspects of training, if you can get your dog to understand and respond to the word no. It can certainly save you a lot of trouble in the future.
4. Sit: sit is one of the most basic of all dog training commands and is one that you'll want to teach from the outset to maintain control of your dog's behavior.
5. Stay: and finally 'stay' - this is important to ensure that no matter where you are, you'll know that your dog will stay precisely where you want it.

If there is nothing else that you train your dog to do beyond these basic commands, it will certainly improve the relationship you have with your dog and the enjoyment and happiness that you and your dog will have together.
It is well worth the time while still a puppy, as it will improve the quality of life for many years to come.

Training will also let your dog know that you're the boss and in doing so eliminate many behavior problems.
Dogs that are untrained can often get depressed, despondent, and unhappy and display symptoms of anxiety and confusion.
You are actually giving your dog a purpose in life, where they will get pleasure out of the fact that they are pleasing you.

Cute Pooch!