An Introduction to Principle Based Dog Training
Dog Breeds
First we must start with what kind of dog you have.
All dogs come with the basic starter pack of genes – they instinctively know that food, company and a tickled tummy are nice. But added on to that are the things your type of dog was originally bred for. Dogs find any instinctive behaviour – the things they were bred for – fun to do.
Labradors revel in retrieving, Greyhounds get a kick out of chasing & Collies get high on herding. That is not to say you can’t train a Greyhound to retrieve, but expect it to be more difficult than training a Labrador. Anything your dog has been bred for will be easier to train because they already like to do it. The down side is that, for the same reasons, it can be very difficult to train a dog not to do something they have been bred for.
Mixed breeds can get a mixture of behaviour. This can actually be easier, for example a lab/collie cross may like chasing after things AND retrieving them back! What types of behaviour has your dog inherited?
Source:David Ryan: Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist.
If you want to learn more about this and put some techniques into practice to train you dog then enrol at Calahonda Pet Dog School www.k9handlers.com
Monday, 25 July 2011
Friday, 22 July 2011
Help for my puppy owners
Now that your puppy has settled into his new home and family, he/she needs to be introduced to as many different types of people as possible. Being unfamiliar with someone’s appearance or a new place can be intimidating for your puppy, so help them build the confidence they need to cope with in our world.
In addition to integrating your puppy into your home life, it is vitally important that your puppy learns how to be friendly and sociable with other people and animals they may meet, and not just other dogs. Socialization is an ongoing process that is not just confined to puppy classes, but starts as soon as you bring your puppy home and introduce them to your family and any pets you may already have. Puppies have to make a sudden transition from the familiar comfort and security of their first home with their mothers and littermates and face the unfamiliar sights and sounds of their new environment. Some puppies may be confident and others may be shy, but, whatever their nature, they are all highly inquisitive. By exposing your pup to lots of new situations and unfamiliar people of all ages, and to other animals, you can make sure they develops the confidence he will need to live in our human environment.
In addition to integrating your puppy into your home life, it is vitally important that your puppy learns how to be friendly and sociable with other people and animals they may meet, and not just other dogs. Socialization is an ongoing process that is not just confined to puppy classes, but starts as soon as you bring your puppy home and introduce them to your family and any pets you may already have. Puppies have to make a sudden transition from the familiar comfort and security of their first home with their mothers and littermates and face the unfamiliar sights and sounds of their new environment. Some puppies may be confident and others may be shy, but, whatever their nature, they are all highly inquisitive. By exposing your pup to lots of new situations and unfamiliar people of all ages, and to other animals, you can make sure they develops the confidence he will need to live in our human environment.
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
Walking your dog in the Summer
Most dogs love to be taken out on walks, and it's fun to see well-behaved dogs being walked on leashes. Their heads are up and their tails are up and wagging. Some of the walking, trotting or jogging dogs even seem to be smiling.
But in the dog days of summer, when temperatures soar into the 30s and 40s, walking dogs can be a risky business.
Just how hot are those streets and tiled walkways in towns? At 2 p.m. Tuesday when AccuWeather said in Marbella temperatures were 36 degrees and climbing, I put a little kitchen thermometer flat on the pavement. The mercury quickly climbed to 120F or 48C degrees -- the maximum reading on that thermometer.
Hot roads and pavements can burn paw pads. And because dogs' bodies are much closer to the hot asphalt they can heat up quickly, according to the Web site Petfinder.com.
But in the dog days of summer, when temperatures soar into the 30s and 40s, walking dogs can be a risky business.
Just how hot are those streets and tiled walkways in towns? At 2 p.m. Tuesday when AccuWeather said in Marbella temperatures were 36 degrees and climbing, I put a little kitchen thermometer flat on the pavement. The mercury quickly climbed to 120F or 48C degrees -- the maximum reading on that thermometer.
Hot roads and pavements can burn paw pads. And because dogs' bodies are much closer to the hot asphalt they can heat up quickly, according to the Web site Petfinder.com.
Friday, 15 July 2011
Some things about some Dogs .
Some dogs get big.
Some dogs bark a lot.
When you walk a dog, you have to pick up the mess.
Dogs need a secure garden.
Dogs cannot be left on their own all day.
When you plan to go out for the day the dog has to be included in your plans.
Dogs can get sick and mess up the carpet.
Dogs can chew furniture.
Dogs shed hair.
Dogs get lonely when they are by themselves.
Dogs can chew your toys.
Dogs can get sick and cost a lot of money at the vet.
Dogs can be picky about their food.
Dogs jump on people.
Dirty dog dishes need to be washed.
Dogs need baths.
Dogs scratch, bite, and chew.
Dogs can’t always understand what you are saying.
Dogs can get fleas, worms, and ticks.
Dogs can run away.
Dogs can bother the neighbours.
Dogs need to go for walks.
Dogs need things like leashes, collars, and toys which cost money.
Dogs need a pet sitter or boarding when you want to go away.
Dogs need frequent brushing.
Dogs need exercise.
Friends or family might be allergic to dogs.
Dogs need obedience training.
Dogs drool on your hands and on your clothes.
Someday your dog will die.
Some dogs bark a lot.
When you walk a dog, you have to pick up the mess.
Dogs need a secure garden.
Dogs cannot be left on their own all day.
When you plan to go out for the day the dog has to be included in your plans.
Dogs can get sick and mess up the carpet.
Dogs can chew furniture.
Dogs shed hair.
Dogs get lonely when they are by themselves.
Dogs can chew your toys.
Dogs can get sick and cost a lot of money at the vet.
Dogs can be picky about their food.
Dogs jump on people.
Dirty dog dishes need to be washed.
Dogs need baths.
Dogs scratch, bite, and chew.
Dogs can’t always understand what you are saying.
Dogs can get fleas, worms, and ticks.
Dogs can run away.
Dogs can bother the neighbours.
Dogs need to go for walks.
Dogs need things like leashes, collars, and toys which cost money.
Dogs need a pet sitter or boarding when you want to go away.
Dogs need frequent brushing.
Dogs need exercise.
Friends or family might be allergic to dogs.
Dogs need obedience training.
Dogs drool on your hands and on your clothes.
Someday your dog will die.
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
Dogs and Hot Weather
All dogs
During hot weather care should be taken with ALL dogs. Always have fresh water available. Always make sure they have shelter and shade to stay in. Never leave your dog in a car. Many people still think it is ok to leave their dog in a car if they leave the window down, DO NOT do this. Your dog could still quickly over heat and this could be fatal. There are still so many cases of dogs being found dead in over heated cars, here at dogs.info we want to stress dont leave your dog in a car! Even if you have a window down it is not enough to keep a car cool. Even if you leave water in the car it is not enough to cool your dog! If you park in the shade the car will still over heat, and as the sun moves the car may no longer be in the shade on your return. Even if your only going to be a few minutes out of your car, dont leave them, temperatures can soar very quickly. Be safe and dont take the risk!
Brachycephalic dogs
All dogs with “flat faced” nose and head structure are technically called “brachycephalic”. Dogs with this structure feel the effects of warm surroundings and exertion sooner than dogs with more typical nose and head structure. Brachycephalic dogs include: British bulldogs, French bulldogs, pugs, pekingnese, and boston terriers amongst others.
All brachycephalic dog owners MUST know and understand the following
Hot weather can be fatal to a these dogs, they don’t even need to be moving about in it to succumb to the heat. Please make sure that any exercise is given early in the morning or late in the evening, don’t be tempted to go for a nice Sunday afternoon stroll when it is very sunny or hot. Also please don’t allow your dog to lay out in the sun for long periods, they do not know when they have had enough and it doesn’t take long for their panting to become out of control.
How to recognise when your dog is too hot:
Any exercise will make him pant but watch for when the panting becomes "heaving" this is the earliest sign that he is getting too hot. When the panting has become loud and is becoming a "roar" he has already become too hot and the outcome can be fatal.
Stages of overheating:
Your dog will begin to "heave" as he pants
Your dog will begin to "roar" - best described as sounding like severe asthma
He will begin to look tired and distressed
His tongue will be very floppy and very red in colour
His body temperature will rise (normal temp approx 38.6)
His airway will swell and his throat become full of white foam (caused through the excessive panting)
He will quickly become exhausted and will fighting for breath
He could die
How to prevent overheating:
Do not allow your dog to lay out in the day time sunshine
Do not walk your dog in hot weather
During hot weather keep your dog inside during the hottest part of the day
How to deal with overheating:
Lower his body temperature: Always ensure that you have ice to hand during the summer months. Pour cold water over your dog, especially around his head, rub ice around his head and under his tail (around his rectum). If possible stand him in a cold bath and keep going with the ice until the breathing is less laboured.
Clear the airway: Squirt some lemon juice (from one of those plastic lemon shaped bottles that you squirt on your pancakes) into the back of his throat, he will hate you for it, but the lemon juice will quickly break up the excess foam and clear the throat. Do not allow him to drink a lot of water as this can cause him to vomit.
Keep him calm: Once you have reduced his panic keep him in a quiet place and keep a close eye on him.
If this doesn’t work then you need to get to a vet as quickly as possible - put a cold damp towel under him for the journey
Brachycephalic dogs overheat quickly because of the shape of their throats, their soft palates are almost always too long and when they get very hot they cannot pant sufficiently to keep their body temperature down, their attempts to pant quickly cause the production of foam which in turn blocks the throat and causes laboured breathing and eventually they will begin to roar as they try to breath through the blockage.
Summer Check list:
Plenty of ice
Jiff Lemon Juice
If you need to go out freeze some damp towels the day before and take with you together with both of the above items and plenty of cold water.
In an emergency you can substitute use packets of frozen veggies for the ice. Find a horse trough, stream, river or pond to stand your dog in or knock on the nearest house and ask to borrow a hose pipe. Remember this can happen at any time, even if up until now he has coped perfectly OK with the heat. Prevention is much better than cure.
Note: Stress can often bring on the same symptoms and should be treated in the same way as described above.
Source:http://www.dogs.info/healthcare/hotweather.html
During hot weather care should be taken with ALL dogs. Always have fresh water available. Always make sure they have shelter and shade to stay in. Never leave your dog in a car. Many people still think it is ok to leave their dog in a car if they leave the window down, DO NOT do this. Your dog could still quickly over heat and this could be fatal. There are still so many cases of dogs being found dead in over heated cars, here at dogs.info we want to stress dont leave your dog in a car! Even if you have a window down it is not enough to keep a car cool. Even if you leave water in the car it is not enough to cool your dog! If you park in the shade the car will still over heat, and as the sun moves the car may no longer be in the shade on your return. Even if your only going to be a few minutes out of your car, dont leave them, temperatures can soar very quickly. Be safe and dont take the risk!
Brachycephalic dogs
All dogs with “flat faced” nose and head structure are technically called “brachycephalic”. Dogs with this structure feel the effects of warm surroundings and exertion sooner than dogs with more typical nose and head structure. Brachycephalic dogs include: British bulldogs, French bulldogs, pugs, pekingnese, and boston terriers amongst others.
All brachycephalic dog owners MUST know and understand the following
Hot weather can be fatal to a these dogs, they don’t even need to be moving about in it to succumb to the heat. Please make sure that any exercise is given early in the morning or late in the evening, don’t be tempted to go for a nice Sunday afternoon stroll when it is very sunny or hot. Also please don’t allow your dog to lay out in the sun for long periods, they do not know when they have had enough and it doesn’t take long for their panting to become out of control.
How to recognise when your dog is too hot:
Any exercise will make him pant but watch for when the panting becomes "heaving" this is the earliest sign that he is getting too hot. When the panting has become loud and is becoming a "roar" he has already become too hot and the outcome can be fatal.
Stages of overheating:
Your dog will begin to "heave" as he pants
Your dog will begin to "roar" - best described as sounding like severe asthma
He will begin to look tired and distressed
His tongue will be very floppy and very red in colour
His body temperature will rise (normal temp approx 38.6)
His airway will swell and his throat become full of white foam (caused through the excessive panting)
He will quickly become exhausted and will fighting for breath
He could die
How to prevent overheating:
Do not allow your dog to lay out in the day time sunshine
Do not walk your dog in hot weather
During hot weather keep your dog inside during the hottest part of the day
How to deal with overheating:
Lower his body temperature: Always ensure that you have ice to hand during the summer months. Pour cold water over your dog, especially around his head, rub ice around his head and under his tail (around his rectum). If possible stand him in a cold bath and keep going with the ice until the breathing is less laboured.
Clear the airway: Squirt some lemon juice (from one of those plastic lemon shaped bottles that you squirt on your pancakes) into the back of his throat, he will hate you for it, but the lemon juice will quickly break up the excess foam and clear the throat. Do not allow him to drink a lot of water as this can cause him to vomit.
Keep him calm: Once you have reduced his panic keep him in a quiet place and keep a close eye on him.
If this doesn’t work then you need to get to a vet as quickly as possible - put a cold damp towel under him for the journey
Brachycephalic dogs overheat quickly because of the shape of their throats, their soft palates are almost always too long and when they get very hot they cannot pant sufficiently to keep their body temperature down, their attempts to pant quickly cause the production of foam which in turn blocks the throat and causes laboured breathing and eventually they will begin to roar as they try to breath through the blockage.
Summer Check list:
Plenty of ice
Jiff Lemon Juice
If you need to go out freeze some damp towels the day before and take with you together with both of the above items and plenty of cold water.
In an emergency you can substitute use packets of frozen veggies for the ice. Find a horse trough, stream, river or pond to stand your dog in or knock on the nearest house and ask to borrow a hose pipe. Remember this can happen at any time, even if up until now he has coped perfectly OK with the heat. Prevention is much better than cure.
Note: Stress can often bring on the same symptoms and should be treated in the same way as described above.
Source:http://www.dogs.info/healthcare/hotweather.html
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