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!