A dog is great, but they can be annoying. One of the biggest problems faced with a new dog is the problem of barking. Many people go out of their way to stop their dogs barking however their actions may be exacerbating the problem. In this article, we will look at some of the things that you should NOT be doing if you want to stop your dog barking. In fact, by doing the things in this article, you may be making the problem worse.
* Scream at Your Dog- Screaming at your dog gives them the attention they are craving. It may also make them bark louder as they try and compete with you.
* Let Them Inside or Pay Attention to Them- Again, your dog wants attention- that is why it is barking. Ignore the dog, or punish it, but do not let the dog inside.
* Cuddle Your Dog or give it food- Again, if you do either of these you are essentially praising, or positively conditioning, the dog to bark. You absolutely must NOT feed your dog or cuddle it if you are trying to get it to stop barking.
You need to make sure that you are not positively conditioning your dog to bark. You need to punish your dog if you are trying to stop it barking. You could do this in a number of ways:
* Use a bucket of water- One common way to get your dog to stop barking is negative conditioning. You need to have the puppy experience something negative, and experience this every time they bark. A common way of doing this is to tip a bucket of water over your puppy if it barks inappropriately.
* A No-Bark Collar- Another option to stop barking is to use a No-Bark Collar. Each time your dog barks, they will experience a shock.
* A rolled up newspaper- If neither of these suit you, or they do not work, you could try slapping your puppy on the behind with a rolled up newspaper every time them bark.
About the Author:
If you're tired of constant dog barking, then check out the free articles on http://www.stopbaddogbehavior.com - Stop your dog's barking today!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Can an old dog be taught new tricks? by sas_liz
Have you ever seen a well trained dog and thought, "I wish my dog could do tricks like that"?
It is probably the dream of most dog owners to be able to teach their pet to do some of the tricks they see other dogs doing, but there is one thing they must remember above all others before starting down the path of teaching tricks. The dog must have at least some basic obedience. There is not much chance of teaching it to do tricks if it is a badly behaved dog in the first place.
The basic commands such as sit, down, heel etc, should be known by your dog before trick training starts, as this will make life so much easier later on. Once these have been mastered you can begin to build on them and your dog will soon be amazing your friends with the following three simple tricks.
Begging
To start teaching this trick it is best to have your dog sit in a corner of the room with his back to the wall and you standing in front of him. The walls will support your dog and give him the confidence that he won't fall over if he raises his front legs off the floor.
Take some small pieces of food and hold it above your dog whilst enticing him to reach up for it. Each time he takes the food, praise him and repeat the procedure slowly encouraging him to reach higher each time.
Whilst encouraging the dog to reach up for the food, you must make sure that he is keeping his haunches on the ground. This is achieved by moving the food back over his head slightly making the dog shift his weight back over his haunches and teaching him to keep his balance.
Once the begging trick has bee mastered in the corner of the room you can gradually begin to move away from the wall and practise the trick where the dog has no back support. You must expect at this stage that the dog will seem to go backwards in his learning, but this is to be expected until he can perfect it just using his own body weight.
Shaking hands
There are two parts of this trick for your dog to learn. A verbal part and a non-verbal part which both work together to give the dog a cue that you want him to perform the trick.
Firstly the dog should start off in a sitting position. Give him a single word verbal command such as 'shake', whilst at the same time reaching out with your right hand until it is just a few inches from your dogs' right leg. Your outstretched hand is the non-verbal cue.
Initially your dog will probably just sit motionless unsure of what to do, so with your left hand, gently push or prod his right leg forwards until it rests in your right hand. When he has done this, praise him so that he knows he has done what you wanted him to do.
Practice this trick several times; praising after each successful result and gradually reducing the amount of left hand prompting until only the verbal and non-verbal cues are all that are needed.
Shaking the head: 'No'
Before you can begin to teach this trick to your dog, you will need to find something which will make him shake his head naturally. Some things which may help are blowing gently on the ear, tickling the ear with a feather or even lightly attaching a paperclip to the ear - remembering that you should not cause the dog any pain.
Once you have found the method which makes him shake his head you will then have to decide on which verbal and non-verbal cue you want to use. A single word such as 'head' along with shrugging of your shoulders is just one idea.
Again your dog should start in a sitting position when first teaching him this trick. As in the shaking hands trick, use both cues together, along with the prod (tickling his ear, etc) in an effort to stimulate your dog to shake his head. Once he does, reward him, even if it is just a small movement.
This trick is best learned in short sessions with momentary breaks in between, so don't try to repeat the exercise more that five times in one session or the dog will become confused and not learn.
Gradually reduce the amount of prodding so that all that are needed are the verbal and non-verbal cues. Once your dog has mastered the trick, he can be progressed to learn it in standing position and laying positions as well.
The main thing with training dogs to perform tricks is for the owner to learn that patience is a virtue and that the dog will learn in his own time. Do not scold the dog if he does not seem to be learning, it is always better to be patient and encourage him more.
About the Author:
Written by Liz for Rentaccomspain.com. Rent or buy your perfect Spanish retreat direct from the owner.Find other articles at Selectivearticles.comSubmitted by: Super Article Submitter
It is probably the dream of most dog owners to be able to teach their pet to do some of the tricks they see other dogs doing, but there is one thing they must remember above all others before starting down the path of teaching tricks. The dog must have at least some basic obedience. There is not much chance of teaching it to do tricks if it is a badly behaved dog in the first place.
The basic commands such as sit, down, heel etc, should be known by your dog before trick training starts, as this will make life so much easier later on. Once these have been mastered you can begin to build on them and your dog will soon be amazing your friends with the following three simple tricks.
Begging
To start teaching this trick it is best to have your dog sit in a corner of the room with his back to the wall and you standing in front of him. The walls will support your dog and give him the confidence that he won't fall over if he raises his front legs off the floor.
Take some small pieces of food and hold it above your dog whilst enticing him to reach up for it. Each time he takes the food, praise him and repeat the procedure slowly encouraging him to reach higher each time.
Whilst encouraging the dog to reach up for the food, you must make sure that he is keeping his haunches on the ground. This is achieved by moving the food back over his head slightly making the dog shift his weight back over his haunches and teaching him to keep his balance.
Once the begging trick has bee mastered in the corner of the room you can gradually begin to move away from the wall and practise the trick where the dog has no back support. You must expect at this stage that the dog will seem to go backwards in his learning, but this is to be expected until he can perfect it just using his own body weight.
Shaking hands
There are two parts of this trick for your dog to learn. A verbal part and a non-verbal part which both work together to give the dog a cue that you want him to perform the trick.
Firstly the dog should start off in a sitting position. Give him a single word verbal command such as 'shake', whilst at the same time reaching out with your right hand until it is just a few inches from your dogs' right leg. Your outstretched hand is the non-verbal cue.
Initially your dog will probably just sit motionless unsure of what to do, so with your left hand, gently push or prod his right leg forwards until it rests in your right hand. When he has done this, praise him so that he knows he has done what you wanted him to do.
Practice this trick several times; praising after each successful result and gradually reducing the amount of left hand prompting until only the verbal and non-verbal cues are all that are needed.
Shaking the head: 'No'
Before you can begin to teach this trick to your dog, you will need to find something which will make him shake his head naturally. Some things which may help are blowing gently on the ear, tickling the ear with a feather or even lightly attaching a paperclip to the ear - remembering that you should not cause the dog any pain.
Once you have found the method which makes him shake his head you will then have to decide on which verbal and non-verbal cue you want to use. A single word such as 'head' along with shrugging of your shoulders is just one idea.
Again your dog should start in a sitting position when first teaching him this trick. As in the shaking hands trick, use both cues together, along with the prod (tickling his ear, etc) in an effort to stimulate your dog to shake his head. Once he does, reward him, even if it is just a small movement.
This trick is best learned in short sessions with momentary breaks in between, so don't try to repeat the exercise more that five times in one session or the dog will become confused and not learn.
Gradually reduce the amount of prodding so that all that are needed are the verbal and non-verbal cues. Once your dog has mastered the trick, he can be progressed to learn it in standing position and laying positions as well.
The main thing with training dogs to perform tricks is for the owner to learn that patience is a virtue and that the dog will learn in his own time. Do not scold the dog if he does not seem to be learning, it is always better to be patient and encourage him more.
About the Author:
Written by Liz for Rentaccomspain.com. Rent or buy your perfect Spanish retreat direct from the owner.Find other articles at Selectivearticles.comSubmitted by: Super Article Submitter
The Many Benefits of Obedience Training For Dogs by Lisa Nobles
Most people know that they should put their dog through obedience training, but many people do not know why they should put their dog through obedience training. The purpose of this article is to give you some reasons why you should be training your dog and what benefits you will see. They include:
* It makes your dogs life easier- If you train your dog, there will be no confusion. It will know what it has to do when you say something.
* It's fun- Obedience training is fun. You get to spend more time with your new puppy, and spending time with your puppy is why you bought a pet in the first place.
* Your dog will be happy, relaxed and confident (and so will you)- You can take your dog out and about with you and your dog will be happy and relaxed. It won't be anxious because your puppy trusts you and will do as you say.
* Your dog will be safer- Your dog will be safer for a couple of reasons. You can trust that your dog will not attack or bite anybody as it will do what you say. Also, if your dog runs out on to the road you will be able to control it with your voice.
* Your dog will respect you- With obedience training, your dog will come to respect you. Puppies are generally pack animals and they either look to the leader or want to be leader. Obedience training ensures you are seen as the leader of the pack and your dog will look up to you.
Obedience training is rewarding and as many benefits. It is a step-by-step process that you must continuously work on. As you keep working on obedience training, you will get to spend quality time with your dog and your dog will be extremely confident and happy.
About the Author:
Learn the number one mistake most people make when training their dogs. Get solid dog training tips at http://www.stopbaddogbehavior.com
* It makes your dogs life easier- If you train your dog, there will be no confusion. It will know what it has to do when you say something.
* It's fun- Obedience training is fun. You get to spend more time with your new puppy, and spending time with your puppy is why you bought a pet in the first place.
* Your dog will be happy, relaxed and confident (and so will you)- You can take your dog out and about with you and your dog will be happy and relaxed. It won't be anxious because your puppy trusts you and will do as you say.
* Your dog will be safer- Your dog will be safer for a couple of reasons. You can trust that your dog will not attack or bite anybody as it will do what you say. Also, if your dog runs out on to the road you will be able to control it with your voice.
* Your dog will respect you- With obedience training, your dog will come to respect you. Puppies are generally pack animals and they either look to the leader or want to be leader. Obedience training ensures you are seen as the leader of the pack and your dog will look up to you.
Obedience training is rewarding and as many benefits. It is a step-by-step process that you must continuously work on. As you keep working on obedience training, you will get to spend quality time with your dog and your dog will be extremely confident and happy.
About the Author:
Learn the number one mistake most people make when training their dogs. Get solid dog training tips at http://www.stopbaddogbehavior.com
Four Tips For Selecting Natural Dog Food by Kim Fleming
There has been a lot of concern over different kinds of dog food. Various recalls and consumer complaints have shown that not all commercially sold dog food are good for dogs. This has led a lot of people to consider giving their pets natural dog food. There are, however, a couple of things to keep in mind when choosing natural food for your dog.
* Understand What Food Your Dog Needs
You may be aware that there are different types of natural dog food. Raw meat and vegetables are considered natural, and so are cooked meat and vegetable, as well as commercially sold natural food. The key is to know which one best suits your dog's needs.
The best way to find out is to get to know your dog personally. You have to know his nutritional requirements based on his breed and special health conditions. You can do a little research on your own. Supplement your knowledge with your veterinarian's advice.
* Get Food Prepared for Your Dog
Many dog owners feel that they should be the ones preparing natural dog food for their pets. Again, this is only a good idea if you are fully aware of what exactly your dog needs and in what quantity. Some may serve raw meat while others feel that cooking meat and vegetables is a better idea. Heating and cooking can help destroy harmful bacteria that may have found their way into food.
You should also take note that not all human foods are good for dogs. Chocolates, raisins, mushrooms, onions and raisins, for example, may be dangerous or toxic to dogs. List what foods are toxic to dogs and avoid them. If you are not prepared to cook for your pet, then it is safest to go for commercial brands of natural dog food.
* Read Labels
Just like what you do with human food, you should always check what is on the lable when you purchase dog food. As a general rule, natural dog food should not have such ingredients as wheat and corn fillers, artificial coloring and flavoring, animal and plant by-products, as well as artificial preservatives. Many of dog's behavioral changes and health problems, such as gastrointestinal problem and malnutrion, can be attributed to these synthetic ingredients.
* Get Enough Proteins and Nutrients for Your Dog
Dogs are carnivorous and should be served with enough protein. Lean meat and poulty are good sources of high quality protein, and you should by all means stay away from low-grade meat by-products.
Apart from protein, vitamins and minerals are also essential nutrients that should be found in natural dog food. You may choose to buy foods with fortified nutrients, or may feed your dog with vitamin-rich foods, such as squash, beans and peas.
About the Author:
If you are serious about keeping your dog healthy and happy, be sure to read more about natural dog food from our site. You may also like to check more about dog food from our dedicated section if you would like to dig further.
* Understand What Food Your Dog Needs
You may be aware that there are different types of natural dog food. Raw meat and vegetables are considered natural, and so are cooked meat and vegetable, as well as commercially sold natural food. The key is to know which one best suits your dog's needs.
The best way to find out is to get to know your dog personally. You have to know his nutritional requirements based on his breed and special health conditions. You can do a little research on your own. Supplement your knowledge with your veterinarian's advice.
* Get Food Prepared for Your Dog
Many dog owners feel that they should be the ones preparing natural dog food for their pets. Again, this is only a good idea if you are fully aware of what exactly your dog needs and in what quantity. Some may serve raw meat while others feel that cooking meat and vegetables is a better idea. Heating and cooking can help destroy harmful bacteria that may have found their way into food.
You should also take note that not all human foods are good for dogs. Chocolates, raisins, mushrooms, onions and raisins, for example, may be dangerous or toxic to dogs. List what foods are toxic to dogs and avoid them. If you are not prepared to cook for your pet, then it is safest to go for commercial brands of natural dog food.
* Read Labels
Just like what you do with human food, you should always check what is on the lable when you purchase dog food. As a general rule, natural dog food should not have such ingredients as wheat and corn fillers, artificial coloring and flavoring, animal and plant by-products, as well as artificial preservatives. Many of dog's behavioral changes and health problems, such as gastrointestinal problem and malnutrion, can be attributed to these synthetic ingredients.
* Get Enough Proteins and Nutrients for Your Dog
Dogs are carnivorous and should be served with enough protein. Lean meat and poulty are good sources of high quality protein, and you should by all means stay away from low-grade meat by-products.
Apart from protein, vitamins and minerals are also essential nutrients that should be found in natural dog food. You may choose to buy foods with fortified nutrients, or may feed your dog with vitamin-rich foods, such as squash, beans and peas.
About the Author:
If you are serious about keeping your dog healthy and happy, be sure to read more about natural dog food from our site. You may also like to check more about dog food from our dedicated section if you would like to dig further.
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