Archive for Pets
06.13.08
Posted in Pets at 11:04 am by admin
Dog training is an art, and like any artist you must pick your tools carefully in order to properly train your dog. Each dog is different, and thus you must be able to decide which collar is most appropriate for your dog based on its temperament, personality, and strength. Below, you will find a description of all the major varieties of dog training collars that you might come across when deciding to purchase one for you pooch.
The metal choke collar is perhaps the most popular and widely used collar in the dog training world. It should be used in training larger, stronger dogs that tend to take YOU for a walk.
The metal toggle choke collar is basically the same as you regular choke collar with the major difference being that you can correct you dog easily by using the toggle while your dog is off-leash.
The pinch collar should be used RARELY and only in situations where the choke collar is ineffective in controlling your dog (i.e. in situations where your dog is very strong, where its highly aggressive, and when it repeatedly lunges at other dogs and people).
The fur saver choke collar is designed to control the dog without leaving chain marks around the dogs’ neck or getting fur caught in the chain which sometimes occurs when using an ordinary metal choke collar. It is mainly used when showing dogs and NOT in training them because the dogs don’t tend to respond to them in training and they don’t give the quick jerk needed for proper correction.
The nylon choke collar is best used in small dogs and puppies up to 3 months, because they tend to be more gentle and they tend to get young puppies used to wearing a collar.
The gentle head leader is best used on dogs that are more shy and easily corrected (i.e. dogs that respond quickly to your commands and dogs that tend to cringe upon your correction).
The electronic collar is mainly used for two reasons: first its used on field dogs (i.e. in bird hunting) and second it is used as a means of training the “out” command to a protection dog in its bite training phase.
The tracking harness is used for exactly what its name suggests: for tracking game, suspects, lost individuals, or competition articles.
And finally, the seeing eye dog harness is designed so that the dogs’ owner can hang on to the lead while the dog guides her to her destination. Unlike other leads, this lead is designed so that the dog can pull its owner forward as it walks instead of gently walking beside her on loose lead.
Armen T. Ghazarians offers advice, information, and articles regarding many aspects of professional dog training for all those who are not professional dog trainers themselves. For more articles like this one, visit his website at http://www.newdogtrainingsecrets.com
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06.03.08
Posted in Pets at 11:58 am by admin
Top five dog breeds for homes with children
* Beagle
* Bernese Mountain Dog
* Bichon Frise
* Bloodhound
* Boston Terrier
* Boxer
* Brittany Spaniel
* Bulldog
* Coonhound
* English Setter
* Foxhound
* Gordon Setter
* Irish Setter
* Keeshond
* Labrador Retriever
* Mastiff
* Newfoundland
* Pugs
* Samoyed
* Siberian Husky
* Springer Spaniel
* Standard Poodles
* Vizsla
With proper training of both the children and the dog, any one of the above breeds should be able to adapt without many problems. Of course, there are some individuals, both human and canine, that simply refuse to get along.
Watch for warning signs like overprotection of food, toys, bed, or an area that he has claimed as his own. Be especially careful with very young todlers that may crawl right up to the dog while it is eating. Even small dogs can leave a nasty bite on a small child. Be careful not to let children play tug of war or wrestle with dominant breeds, when the dog wins, he will feel empowered and will consider your child inferior. This may lead to more aggressive actions against your child.
Some dog breeds to avoid, or at least be wary of are listed below. Obviously there are exceptions to every breed, but research shows that the following are some of the worst breeds for homes with small children (alphabetically):
* Chihuahuas - Intolerant, especially toddlers and infants
* Chow Chows - Often bond to just one person, can be very cranky with kids
* Dachshunds - Intolerant
* Dalmatians - Too excitable, prone to jumping on and knocking down kids
* Dobermans - A dominant breed, may consider child inferior
* Giant Schnauzers - A dominant breed, may challenge even adults
* Heelers - Prone to nipping at legs and heels of children
* Lhasa Apso - Intolerant, may be intolerant of some adults too
* Malamutes - A dominant breed, may consider child inferior
* Mini Pinchers - Intolerant, fierce for their size
* Pekinese - Intolerant
* Pit Bulls - Either adore children or hate them, Powerful bite can break bones
* Rhodesian Ridgeback - A dominant breed, may consider child inferior
* Rottweiller - A dominant breed, may consider child inferiorv
* Toy Poodle - May be injured by children, may bite in self defense
These following breeds may adapt to family life but should have come with warning labels attached. Dogs chosen from these breeds should be very carefully screened individuals that were raised in homes that also had children. They should be well socialized with many children from puppyhood, and they should most definitely be obedience trained.
* Akita
* Cocker Spaniel - Inbreeding has caused personality defects in some pups
* Collie
* German Shepherd
* Golden Retriever
* Great Dane
* Great Pyrenees
* Irish Setter - Inbreeding has caused personality defects in some pups
* Irish Wolfhound
* Old English Sheepdog - Either like children or hate them
* Saint Bernard - Either like children or hate them
So which dogs are the very best breeds for homes with children?
In my opinion, there are five.
I think the very best suited for the position, is the Labrador Retriever. They are intelligent, affectionate and can take a lot of abuse from children without getting grumpy. A Lab is most likely to lie on the floor, wagging its tail, as your toddler plays his stomach as a drum set. They should receive firm obedience training, but they will make excellent pets.
Second is the Golden Retriever. They are reliable, loving and very sociable dogs that will also be able to take some rough handling from children without getting too upset.
Third is the Basset Hound. Lazy and stubborn they most certainly may be, but also very sweet and gentle. They adore children and can be very affectionate with them.
Fourth is the Beagle. They are affectionate, intelligent and lively dogs best suited for children over the age of six, but somewhat adaptable.
Fifth is the Bulldog. They can be very good with children over the age of six if the child is taught to respect them. They are generally good natured, but very strong dogs.
The best choice for young children is always going to be a puppy born and raised in a household with children. A good dog is one that already has a history of pleasant interaction with youngsters.
Introduce the dog to your children before you agree to purchase or adopt, and make sure that there aren’t any personality conflicts. The dog should be attentive, loving and gentle even if the children are a little rough with their affection. If the dog or puppy plays well with your children in it’s current home, it will probably play well with them in your home.
Best of luck, and happy puppy hunting!
Visit Avid Pets for additional helpful tips and advice on caring for both puppies and dogs.
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05.20.08
Posted in Pets at 6:08 am by admin
ORIGIN
Do you know that the adorable little puppy you bought home last week could possibly be a descendent of a wolf? It may well be true! In fact, many theorists believe that wolf is the direct ancestors of domestic dog. Nevertheless, there are just as many who argue that it seems impossible to have over 400 varieties of dogs descended from just one species.
-Anatomically, the make-up molecules of the wolf over the centuries have remained unchanged, and research revealed that the DNA of wolf and dog are almost identical! The general pattern of dogs’ skeleton is still very similar to those of wolves in terms of their components, but significant changes can be detected, most obviously in the shape of the skull and the length of some of the limb bones.
The divergence in physical appearance could possibly be the result of mutation or even during cross breeding. Today, breeds such as the Alaskan malamute still retain a strong affinity with the wolf, in terms of their facial appearance and underlying skull structure.
-Behaviorally, both dogs and wolves bury bones; turn in circles before settling down for sleep; howl at the moon and frequently leg lift to mark territory. Both gestation periods is 63 days each, and the birth and development of their young is also almost identical
-Structurally, dogs and wolves are also extremely similar. Both also live in a pack-like hierarchal system where they are comfortable with a top dog, or Alpha role model. With regards to domestic dogs, Alpha (leader) role should belong to the owner they live with.
Whatever the theory, it isn’t difficult to spot the similarities between dog and wolf. Although, in some cases, the appearance of the domestic dog has diverged significantly from that of its “suspected” ancestor, most dogs still retain many of the traits of their ancestor.
Man’s Best Friend
Early cave drawings show us that wild dogs and wolfs were with humans even in prehistoric time. One of the earliest documentations of man and canine was noted more than 12 000 years ago on an ancient site in Egypt when the fossilized remains of a man and a small puppy were found in a grave in hugging position. Although, it is doubtful whether the puppy was that of dog or wolf, this is not an important issue. Today, Scientists recognize and agree that the process of domestication of the dog has existed for 14 000 years, however they are not in agreement as to how domestication occurred:
-Some believe that man adopted offspring of the wolf and through natural selection chose to keep those that were less aggressive and that craftily begged for food.
-Others believe that wolves adapted themselves in following man because they could get a good meal.
Whatever the case, it’s hard to distinguish if wolves just tagged along or if they were invited. From ancient time till today, man and dog are inseparable who lived together and changed together. In earlier times man was only concerned with gathering food. However, over time he began to become involved in hunting for food, turning his canine to “friend” as he helped immensely in hunting activities, this occurred some 12 000 years ago.
Later, man realized that not every animal should be his prey, but that some should be kept alive in order to domesticate for his purposes. At that time, domesticated animals needed to be protected from predators, this responsibility was taken up by dog becoming the guard dog, and this new role occurred some 7000-9000 years ago.
Dog Breeding
Dog breeding began when humans started to emphasize certain characteristics in dogs. Long-legged dogs, for instance, could be used to chase prey, heavy-set animals made better guard dogs. Several types of dogs emerged at the time of the New Kingdom in Egypt (circa 1570 B.C.) and drawings began to show dogs with drop ears, curly tails, straight tails and many coat patterns. Soon people all over the world were breeding and using dogs to suit their own needs.
The Greeks and Romans were training heavy-set dogs for sports, the Far East saw the toy dogs as prized possessions and the Europeans were developing sporting dogs for particular uses - smaller dogs to go to ground, stronger dogs to hunt. Dogs started to be grouped by appearance or function for convenience and were then even further divided into workers, herders and sports.
By15th & 16th centuries, dogs began to gain popularity, not only for being functional, but by becoming a popular pet. The commercial importance of dogs and dog breeding escalated quickly as they became fashionable. During the 19th century, the number of new breeds grew quickly, with the first dog shows beginning in the 1850s.
Today, although there are roughly over 350 different breeds of dogs acknowledged by the FCI classification, all of them have one common quality that follows them throughout history and that is their unconditional love and loyal relationship to man.
This is without a doubt the oldest friendship recorded in history!
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. ~Roger Caras
About the Author
Moses Chia is a dog lover and owner of http://DogsObedienceTraining.com - The dog training resource site for a happier and healthier dog. You are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.
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03.24.08
Posted in Pets at 10:14 am by admin
Dog Training
Dog training is a very important key to a happy, healthy, pet.
Dog training can help your dog stop excessive barking, biting,
and whining. Dog training can fix almost any behavior problem
that your pet may be experiencing. If you want to put an end to
the problems and stress that your dog is creating, you need to
consider dog training. Dog training will help build a positive
relationship between you and your dog.
When done properly, dog training, will help your dog to behave
in any type of situation. Consider what the key problems are
when assessing your pet. Do you want your dog to sit when people
come over? How about excessive barking and whining problems, are
they getting annoying? All of these problems you can overcome
with your dog and the proper dog training techniques.
When your dog is having behavior problems and acting out, they
are just begging for dog training. Dogs are very smart animals
and they need and thrive from the stimulation they get from the
interaction with you. Do you need and want a better relationship
with your dog? Dog training will help get you off on the right
start with your dog.
It’s never to late to start dog training your companion. Even if
your dog is older and set in their ways, they will love the
stimulation they get from a dog training course. You don’t even
need to take your dog to some expensive, high priced, dog
training class. You can train your dog on your own from the
comfort of your own home.
A great ebook for dog training is “Sit Stay Fetch: Dog Training
To Stop Your Dog’s Behavior Problems” you can get by Clicking
Here! I highly recommend this ebook for all your dog training
needs.
Your companionship between you and your dog can be wonderful but
at the same time challenging without proper dog training
techniques. Check out the book now to get on your way to a
healthier, happier pet. You might even find that your
relationship with your pet will bring you to a whole new level.
Dog Training
Link: Dog Training
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