My Dumb Dog

Dogs age at approximately seven times the rate humans do. So it’s not surprising that your dog should have a physical examination at least every seven “dog years”–that’s every year in human terms. And as your pet gets middle-aged–that’s over 40 in people years or over 6 in dog years–physicals are recommended twice a year.

“Not only do dogs get older faster than people do, but their ailments progress more quickly, too,” according to veterinary doctors.

A once-a-year physical gives your dog doctor a chance to sit down and chat with your pet about what’s changing in his/her life. More importantly, yearly physicals let your pet’s veterinarian establish what is normal in your dog, so he or she will know when something is abnormal.

A yearly physical is good preventive medicine. According to the veterinaians, “Finding and treating diseases in the early stages gives your pet a much better prognosis than discovering a disease already in full swing,”. Your veterinarian may observe changes in your pet that you haven’t noticed.

During the physical examination, your veterinarian will look for systemic abnormalities. During physicals the veterinarian will move from the front to the back of your dog observing any abnormalities, starting with the eyes, ears, nose, and throat and moving to the lungs, heart, and gastrointestinal tract. Always checking for new lumps or bumps as he/she moves along.”

Heartworm tests should also be done at the time of the annual physical. Heartworm is a serious disease, common everywhere mosquitoes live. The physical exam is a good time to keep up to date on vaccines. Our veterinarian also suggests checking whether your pet has worms or other parasites once a year. A simple fecal test can determine whether your de-worming protocol is working.

Between annual examinations, be on the lookout for signs that your dog is having trouble: not eating, changes in weight, vomiting, coughing, sneezing, elimination problems, or other changes in habits. Any of these may indicate the need for an extra visit to your veterinarian.

If your dog is healthy, you will find that he/she becomes more active.Engaging your healthy dog in activities is a sure way to keep him happy and healthy. The dog collars you have packed away will once again become useful, once your dog feel better.

It is very important to take care of your Dog health in order to keep your dog healthier and happier.

A yearly physical is good preventive medicine. According to the veterinaians, “Finding and treating diseases in the early stages gives your pet a much better prognosis than discovering a disease already in full swing,”. Your veterinarian may observe changes in your pet that you haven’t noticed.

Also learn how to house train dog.

Your dogs nutrition is critical for leading a long, healthy and happy life. There are so many different types of dog foods available to you that it is sometimes difficult to determine which one is the right one for your dog. Just because a dog food is expensive, does not always mean it is the best food for your dog.

IMPORTANT One thing that is critical to the health of your dog is to know what NEVER to feed him. Some foods that humans can eat can be hazardous or even fatal to dogs. So, you better go for dog food products Some of these foods you need to avoid are: alcohol, baby food that contains onion powder, bones from fish, cat food (too high in protein), chocolate, coffee or tea, grapes or raisons, citrus oil extracts, onions, garlic, table scraps, mushrooms and more. Some of these are toxic and could cause death, whereas some will cause less severe health issues, such as diarrhea and vomiting.

The guide not only contains healthy dog food recipes but also other aspects of keeping your dog healthy such as:

1. Healthy dog food recipes for both younger and older dogs

2. Natural recipe to keep fleas away

3. Gourmet Biscuit recipes

4. Dozens of recipes for delicious, economical, healthful dog food

5. Various other treats

Im sure most of you who care greatly for your dogs have probably spent hours talking to dog experts,as well as reading many books on dogs in order to get the sort of information available in this guide. So before you go and spend more money on expensive vets and other dog experts, do yourself a favour and try this ebook, because by the time you have finished reading this guide, you will probably know more than the pro’s do.

Simply put, switch your dog’s diet, natural balance dog food from harmful, commercial dog foods to healthy, all-natural dog foods is the not only less expensive; but, also, will improve your dog’s overall health and prolong its life! So with that, choosing all-natural foods for your dogs is a right and safe choice for keeping it healthy and active for years to come!

It is always so exciting to bring home your new puppy. There is a lot of responsibility that comes with owning a dog especially if you want to be considered a responsible dog owner. You have to feed her, groom her, provide her with proper health care, and give her a safe place to call home.

But one of the most important things you can do for your new dog or puppy is to provide essential dog training.

Discipline and Behavior

Having a dog that is always misbehaving is not something that you want. They can an be an embarrassment and in worst cases, they can be dangerous.

Training can be a lot of hard work and require a lot of time and patience, but the end result is a well behaved dog that you can be proud of. The bond between you and your pet can be strengthened through training. Take the time to train your dog and set the rules for appropriate behavior. For the best results you should start early.

Dog Obedience Training

Obedience training is also an important part of your dog’s overall training program. Levels of training varies from basic to advanced.

You should at least provide basic training for your dog or puppy. Commands like sit, stay, and come, are all part of basic training. So are house training and leash training.

Of course, you can always progress to a more advanced level. Provide additional training for your dog and you will have a well behaved pet. Destructive behaviors like barking, chewing, and digging can usually be prevented just by including the proper training. Just find a program that meets your needs and provides a results such as Sit, Stay, Fetch.

Puppy Training

Puppy training should start at an early age. Some people wait too long to start training their puppies and it makes it a little more difficult and frustrating. Some people believe that it is not possible to train a puppy younger than six months old, but I assure you that is a myth.

Of course there are some skills that are beyond a puppy, teaching many of the commands and appropriate behaviors can start right away. Just do some research to make sure you follow the proper techniques.

There are many different sources of information available - dog training books, ebooks, websites, and even complete training programs. Something else you could do it enroll in group training. You can also hire an experienced dog trainer if your budget allows.

Group Training Classes

Most of the larger pet stores offer training classes. They are usually cheaper since they are in a group setting. You can also ask around as your local area animal shelter or other animal groups may offer free or discounted group training classes.

One added advantage of group training, in my opinion, is that it gives your dog the added benefit of socializing with other dogs and their owners.

Professional and Experienced Trainers

The benefit of a professional trainer is the one on one training that they will provide. Just be sure to ask around for recommendations so that you can find a trainer who is know to provide results.

In my opinion I recommend hiring a professional dog trainer for major issues such as dealing with an aggressive dog. This is not something you want to try and handle on your own.

Conclusion

Owning a dog is a huge responsibility. As responsible owners we need to make sure that our dogs are well behaved and great to be around. Just be sure that you go into any training program with an open mind and the right attitude and you will find that it is a rewarding experience.

And remember, you can always search for more information about dogs.

Most hunters who own bird dogs treat the dogs not as a tool to use on the hunt, but as friends and companions who live with them every day. If your dog is living in your home with you, you’ve probably realized that these gun dogs also make great pets. In order to keep it that way, though, proper training for living in your home is a must.

Before you begin the task of training your dog, you should however keep in mind that training a dog, no matter what age isn’t going to happen over night. You have to have patience, but be persistent at the same time. If your dog is a puppy you will have to remember that puppies are just like children, they are extremely smart, but don’t have a very long attention span and often decide to do what they want when they want. Crate training is an extremely easy way to train your dog to learn basics, so your time together can be enjoyable.

Although many see crate training as a form of cruelty they couldn’t be more wrong. Dogs aren’t human (even if we treat them like they are) and they have totally different natural instincts than we do. If you create an environment in the dog crate where your dog feels warm, safe and can be quiet, this is the perfect environment for your dog to relax and is good for their well being. Keep in mind that gun dogs instinctively have a den mentality – they prefer small places that offer security and safety and if you create that environment in the crate, your dog will take to it naturally.

The size of the crate is a very important thing to keep in mind. You will want to purchase a crate that is big enough for your dog to be able to comfortably turn around, lay down straight, and be able to stand up comfortably. Most breeds of hunting dogs, a medium or large size crate will suffice. Don’t worry if you have a puppy, there is no need to buy multiple crates, you can buy the crate that will fit your dog when they are full grown. It is suggested however that you section off the crate and make it larger as your puppy grows. If the crate is too big, you will run into the problem of you puppy going to the bathroom in an empty corner. If there are no empty corners, the puppy won’t want to have an accident where he is sleeping.

The reason there are people that think that crate training is cruel is because they are under the assumption that the dog spends most of its time in the crate. This is untrue, and if it is true, then that person is incorrectly using the crate. The dog should only be in the crate when you aren’t home or unable to properly supervise the dog’s activities. Dog’s are very smart, and will catch on fairly quickly. In order to prevent an accident you should take your dog out every half hour or so until he is successful. Rewards work very well to let your dog know that he has done well. Rewards can be a treat, a certain toy to play with, or simple praise works wonderful too.

Speaking of puppies, remember that they do not have the control of an adult dog and will probably have accidents inside their crate. First and foremost, do not berate or punish your puppy for this as it sends a mixed message that puppy won’t understand. Instead, put puppy in a safe area and clean up the mess. Make sure that puppy doesn’t see you cleaning up, as this also sends the wrong message.If your dog is still a puppy you’ll have to be patient because they simply don’t have the control of their needs as much as an adult dog does and accidents do happen (both inside and outside the crate). Dog’s are not able to easily understand what they’re doing wrong so don’t punish them for this because they simply won’t understand – the other thing to avoid is cleaning up a mess in front of them because they can get into the habit of thinking this is fine because you’re cleaning it.

Routines are your friend when you’re trying to train your dog. If you do your level best to take them outside at pretty much the same times day in and day out they will eventually figure out that’s when it’s time for them to go to the bathroom and you’ll be happier (and so will they). If you’re using a crate make sure that the dog understands when he has to be there (i.e. when you’re sleeping or working) and don’t forget to take them out of the crate regularly for exercise and play – just like training them to go outside to do their business, they’ll get into the routine of playing and exercising at the same time every day making your training much more effective.

Crate training is the easiest, fastest, and most human way to teach a house break a dog and to teach a hunting dog to behave indoors.

It was a breezy summer evening when approximately 12 dogs from various breeds were all assembled in a small group at a local city park in San Diego, California. At each dog’s side, its owner stood by, attentively listening to the dog training instructor whom was in the middle of the group

“Today’s lesson will teach you how to give your dog the “Down” command.” He went on to say: “Now with your dog sitting by your side, and with a little bit of slack on the leash, loudly say the word ‘Down’ and then step on the leash hard so that your dog is forced to the ground and knows exactly what the down command means. This will show your dog that you are in charge and capable of making him go down whether he likes it or not.”

Like mindless listeners, the entire class obeyed the lesson and literally crammed the heads of their dogs down into the ground by stepping on the leash. By the time the entire training session had ended, it seemed like every “down” command ended in shrieks and moans from every dog. There was mass hysteria while the toy dog breeds fought off the leash and collar and the larger dogs just got confused, not understanding the forcefulness of the lesson.

Any dogs that rebelled against their owners and the leash in the attempt to force them down were asked why the instructor to stay behind for some “special handling”. This special handling only turned out to be a much more aggressive counter-lesson with a rolled up fist and an aggressive action towards the dog.

Is This Worth Saving A Few Dollars?

The above story is an all to common practice unfortunately all over the country. Anyone that reads manuals, books, watches videos and dvd’s on dog training, and research can seem to feel themselves qualified to be a trainer. This is not always so. A good trainer is someone who has more than a laman’s knowledge of dog behavior and training.

Are you interested in taking a look at some dog Supplies, dog dress and dog sweaters.

It just goes to show you that wherever there is money to be made in any type of field, especially dog training, you’ll always have your egomaniacs and fake “experts” rushing to fill the gap and make a quick buck.

“It may be a simple matter of economics”, as one pet store owner was saying. “Many dog owners come into the store and want to know how to properly train their pets. Although I sell dozens of instructional booklets, they want one-on-one teaching instructions. However, it’s quite expensive to hire a real professional so all they do is search around on the Internet or their local newspaper ads to find a cheap dog training class, which is usually run by someone that does not know what they are doing and for the most part uses aggressive tactics.”

The point here is to let all of you dog owners know that it is much safer to work on your own training abilities by using qualified information instead of hiring the wrong person to do the job. And there are some organizations, such as “Petco”, is nationally recognized animal pet store, that hires professionals to teach obedience and training classes for your dogs each week.