Thursday, April 3, 2008

A New Dose Of Dog Training by Dr. Mayra Alfonso

Dog training comprises a lot more than simply training dogs to make your life a brighter one. While dog training commonly happens in order that pet owners would discover a useful way of modifying their dogs behavior, the process itself can also broaden up to something so much more. Much more than just training your dog to make them more useful in terms of asking them to do simple errands, you can also allow your dog to take part in behavioral dog training.

Yes, there's such a thing as behavioral dog training. And this particular type of training is more rigorous than the typical type of training. If you want to subject your dog into this particular setup, you've to realize that you'll really need to commit some time and regular effort on it. Behavioral dog training involves a series of prescreening requisites prior to your dog been accepted into the program. But you should rest assured that the payoffs to be obtained from this type of dog training is more than sufficient to keep you going for it.

Behavioral dog training is generally aimed for developing therapy dogs. As you'll be able to see, people are not the exclusive ones which can be tapped and instructed how to provide basic therapy services. These days, not too a lot of people are getting into healthcare programs and if they do, they are typically not too keen on performing therapy sessions twenty four hours and seven days a week. Furthermore, it could also be kind of expensive to employ health care givers for home services. This is one of the reasons why therapy dogs are such a feat. They're more affordable to maintain and they can genuinely provide their full blown services to the patient.

Nevertheless, therapy dogs do go through rigorous and strict dog training before they qualify for such job. Dog training for behavioral methods won't start to begin with if the dog isn't adaptable enough to be around various types of people. This is critical, because the therapy dog will have no alternative to pick out the character of the individual he or she will be around with. Besides, dog training for behavioral methods will require exposure to various characters of people therefore it will constitute a difficult thing if the dog will not be capable to get along with other people than his master. Because of such requirements, dogs must be certified as good canine citizens first prior to been able to be accepted into the program.

Dog training involving behavioral techniques for therapy dogs involve getting them around hospitals. Dogs have the inclination to be frightened in unfamiliar places and get overly excited with interesting places. In order to avoid this and to get dogs properly familiar with the place exhaustive behavioral training is necessary. This particular dog training would involve having to be acquainted with hospital equipments and to see hospital as just another place and not as menaces. It's likely that rehabilitating people will usually have to be in the hospital therefore therapy dogs must be capable to accompany the patients when doing so.

Therapy dogs have proven to be very useful in the care of patients with disabilities, not only from the physical stand point but also from the psychological and emotional stand point.

About the Author

Increase the happy years of your dog by checking out my free e-book. In it I reveal all the secrets I've used to develop a happy, healthier dog. Visit Dr. Alfonso's dog training blog right now...

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

How To Choose A Puppy

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Rupert_Malone]Rupert Malone

So you want to buy a puppy. Okay, but have you thought about what breed you want? If you have thought about it, are you sure that you have chosen a breed that is compatible with your family and environment? Buying a dog is a big commitment and it is for the long term so you need to put a bit of thought into it.

It might be worthwhile visiting your local pound or rescue shelters to look for mixed-breed pups who have been brought in off the street. Mixed-breed dogs can make some of the most intelligent and well-behaved pets you'll ever find. If, on the other hand, you decide to go for a purebred, you will still need to figure out which breed is going to be the best breed for you. It is no use getting a high-energy puppy if you live in an apartment and you won't be able to take it for more than three walks a day. It just wouldn't be fair on the dog. If you are not sure which breeds are high-energy do a little research at your library, or check out some relevant website next time you go online. Talking to other dog owners is a good idea too. Especially if they happen to own the breed that you are considering buying. It all might sound like a bit of a chore, but it will be worth it in the end.

Once you have done the research and have decided which dog is right for you the next step is to choose whether to go through a breeder or through a local rescue group who can help you find homeless or rescued puppies of the breed that you want. If you decide to go through a rescue group you will probably have a longer waiting period, but you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have helped an animal in need (pat yourself on the back, you deserve it).

If you decide that you really don't want to wait that long for your puppy you will need to do a little more research I'm afraid. Yeah, I know it's a pain, but you do want a healthy puppy, don't you? Yeah, I thought so, so you will need to find a good breeder. The best way to find one is to search for groups of enthusiasts, or owners, of the breed you have decided on. These are probably the best people to go to for a list of preferred breeders or kennels in your area. These breeders will usually be very meticulous about making sure none of their dogs carry the negative traits, disorders, or diseases that are associated with the breed. This means that your puppy stands a much better chance of remaining healthy throughout its life. Be warned, their prices might run a little higher than some of the other breeders, but the extra cost will be worthwhile.

When you have selected a breed and found a breeder, the next step will be visiting the litter and deciding which pup is the pup for you. You probably don't want the most rambunctious one in the litter, but neither will you want a dog that is too submissive and has trouble socializing with other dogs. The best way to tell which is which is to pick up each puppy and cradle it in your arms. The puppy that squirms about the most is the dominant one of the litter so cross it off the list. The puppy that struggles least of all is the most submissive of the litter so cross that one off too. Submissiveness might seem like a positive trait for a dog, but it can actually end up resurfacing in many negative behavior patterns that can be more detrimental than dominance.

If it's possible to do so, take each puppy away from the litter to a quiet secluded spot and interact with them on a one-to-one basis. This should give you a feel for the different personality of each pup. It will also give you the opportunity for a closer inspection of them.

Pay close attention to the following aspects:

Eyes: The eyes should be bright and clear with no weepy discharge from the corners.

Ears: Floppy-eared puppies should still have very clean, shiny inner ears with no excess wax or black material in them.

Nose: The nose should be cool and wet when you touch it. If the puppy has just woken up from a nap, the nose might be dry though. If there are no other signs of illness apart from the dry nose and the pup interacts well with you then it is probably okay.

Coat: The puppy's fur should be silky, shiny, and well-maintained. No puppy available from a breeder should have a matted or tangled coat. If it does it indicates a lack of proper care on the breeder's part and you should be very cautious.

When you have found the right pup for you, you will need to schedule a pick-up date with the breeder. In the meantime, ask for the puppy's shot records along with the records of any other health treatment it has been given. Once you have the information you need to take it to your vet so they can start assembling a chart for your new pet. You should also try to take the puppy to your vet as soon as possible after bringing him home. A general check-up and exam will help detect any illness or conditions that you might have missed and, if necessary, you will still have time to return it to the breeder. [http://www.mr-c.me.uk/dog-training-secrets/ ]Dog Training Secrets

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rupert_Malone http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Choose-A-Puppy&id=1081183

Dog Training - The #1 Thing You Must Do With Your Puppy

Is there one thing that you can do that will help your puppy to be a friendly, more stable, easier to train dog? Is there just one thing that you can do that will reduce the chances of your puppy becoming aggressive to other dogs, or people, including kids? Is there just one thing that you can do with your puppy that will make him much happier and less fearful?

Yes.

What is that one thing?

Socialization. Socialization is the absolute best thing you can do with your young puppy. Puppies have a socialization period where they are like little sponges. They are taking in a lot of information into their young brains and becoming familiar with their world. The socialization period that all puppies go through is a window of opportunity for you to expose your puppy to a lot of different sights, sounds, smells, and people. Expose your puppy to as many different things as you possibly can.

Puppies that are not properly socialized sometimes become fearful and aggressive. The best time to socialize your pup is from eight weeks to four months old. During that time I always advise puppy owners to bring their pups into the woods hiking, into the city for a walk around some busy streets. Take a trip to the beach or a lake. Bring your pup for a friendly visit to the vet's office and the groomers.

It is also a great time to start obedience training. The younger the puppy starts training the easier it is to train the dog. Waiting until the puppy is six months old is a terrible myth. If your pup is brought home at eight weeks old and you wait until the sixth month you have lost four valuable months of training time. There is also a good chance that in those four months your dog will have developed some behavior problems like jumping that could have been avoided if training had started earlier.

Start socializing your puppy today. You and your puppy will be much happier.

Eric Letendre the author of The Amazing Dog Training Man invites you to visit http://www.amazingdogtrainingman.com for leading edge dog training tips, instructional video clips and articles that will help you train and understand your dog. You can also get free dog training updates with a free Smart Dog Newsletter subscription, available at http://www.amazingdogtrainingman.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Letendre http://EzineArticles.com/?Dog-Training---The-1-Thing-You-Must-Do-With-Your-Puppy&id=1082423

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