Dog and Puppy Supplies and Tips

Archive for the ‘Dog & Puppy Training’ Category

There are many good reasons why crate training your puppy is a good idea. Your puppy will become housebroken more quickly, will have a safe place to stay when you can’t watch her, and will have a comfortable space to call her own when she wants to nap away from the action.

But keep in mind it is up to you to train your puppy to use the crate. For many people crate training is very hard as you may have the tendency to give in to your puppy is she cries.

Like with a baby, training can be harder on the trainer than the one getting trained.

Here are some tips to help you get started.

1.  Make it so the puppy sees the crate in a positive light.  Leave the door open so you can explore the crate together in a non-threatening way. Allow her to walk in and out of it; don’t shut the door on her yet.

2.  Put her things in the crate. You want her to not only be comfortable when she’s in it, but you want it to have familiar smells. Her mat or blanket and maybe her favorite toy are options.

3.  Put the crate where she can still be a part of your life. For example, put it in the room where you watch TV and not outside around the back corner of the house. She wants to see and monitor the action.

4.  Start putting her in it for very short periods of time. If you say “kennel”, walk over to the crate, throw a treat in it, and matter-of-factly shut the door when she goes in, she’ll be okay with it for a short while.

The best time to start this is right after a play session when she’s tired. Do not leave her in there for very long. You’ll want to gradually build up to longer and longer sessions. Eventually when she hears the word “kennel”, she will go inside the crate and wait for her treat.

5.  Never give her attention if she is whining to be let out. If she whines and you let her out, she’s learned this is the way to have you open the door and every time you do that, you reinforce this behavior.

6. Remember the crate is not a substitution for your attention. If you’re home and able to watch your pup, then don’t put her in the crate. Better yet, play with her often and encourage her to use the crate when she wants to rest.

7.  Puppies do not like to “go” where they live, so it usually doesn’t take too long for them to learn to hold it while they’re in the crate. This means you must be diligent in letting your dog out often to relieve herself.

Crate training your puppy results in a puppy who is housebroken fairly quickly, has a safe place to stay when you’re not around, and has her own haven.

WOOD WOODEN DOG CAT PET HOUSE CRATE BED HOME KENNEL US $260.00 Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 6:35:08 PST   | Watch this Item

WOOD TRADITIONAL OFFICE FURNITURE SIDE TABLE DOG CRATE US $260.00 Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 6:45:06 PST   | Watch this Item

48" 3 Doors Folding Dog Pet Crate Cage Kennel w/Divider US $54.51 (7 Bids) Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 7:32:34 PST   | Watch this Item

MidWest Ultima Pro 24" Triple Door Dog Crate 724UP US $76.99 Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 7:56:01 PST   | Watch this Item

Small 22" Dog Crate Cage Kennel Folding Chihuahua Yorki US $33.99 Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 8:12:40 PST   | Watch this Item

If you live with a puppy, you know the sheer endless amount of energy this little fur ball seems to have. He sniffs, he rolls around in the sheer happiness of exploring a grassy patch in your back yard, and he may love to run around with other pups or maybe just chase leaves as they fall from threes. Your dog loves to play with you and is content to have you scratch his ears and tub his tummy.

Yet there might be one aspect of his little budding personality that you might not be so fond of – his chewing. Oh sure, if your little canine friend could find a way to limit his chewing to chew toys and other approved materials, you would have no problem.

Unfortunately, it seems that he has declared anything and everything fair game, whether it is your pair of prized slippers, or your purse. Something has to give – preferably your dog’s habit.

Here are four ways to stop your pup from being chew-happy.

Have plenty of appropriate chew toys around – not just one or two. Having one or two in every room where your dog may spend any amount of time will actually increase the likelihood that he will make a good choice and go straight for the chew toy rather than your Gucci handbag.

If an accident does happen, and you catch your dog in the act of happily chewing up yet another pay of shoes, simply take away the item and replace it with a chew toy. Do not scold him, do not yell, simply praise him for taking the other chew toy – after all, you want him to chew, so if you scold him, he may think that his chewing itself is wrong.

Additionally, do not select chew toys that mimic forbidden chew items, such as shoes, newspapers, or pillows. Manufacturers love to shape chew toys into these items, but to a pup it is simply confusing why one shoe is okay to chew on (the one made from rawhide) and one is not (the one made from imported Italian leather).

If your dog has the unfortunate habit of chewing on the furniture, you probably have a bigger problem on your hands. Giving him plenty of appropriate chew toys is still important, but you may need to also take on some chemical warfare.

There are several products on the market that you can spray on furniture and bedding that will give these items a taste so bad that your dog will stay away from them. The downside to this approach rests on the fact that it is only temporary, and some dogs do not appear to be affected by it altogether.

Yet if you do have a dog that is negatively affected by the smell, you will have bought yourself some time during which to redirect his urge to chew to the more acceptable materials that are available.

Do not lead your dog into temptation. Do not leave your dog alone with your nice, new, fresh smelling leather shoes in easy reach.

Similarly, do not leave your couch cushion on which you spilled this morning’s bacon grease sitting there with the thought that you will get to it later. Such smells are a strong temptation for dogs, and perhaps one that he cannot withstand for hours.

Some veterinarians will suggest for you to crate your dog. While this approach works, it is reserved only for very short periods of time, and thus is not a real solution for someone who works an eight o-clock to five o’clock job. Instead, rope off an area in a room where you want to keep your doggie while you are away.

Use baby gates to limit his access to other areas of the house. Make sure he can reach his food (if you leave out kibbles) and most certainly his water, that he can lie down comfortably, and that the area is neither too hot in the blazing sun of the afternoon nor too cold from the drafts that are coming in from underneath the door.

Applying the “Goldilocks principle,” the area should be “just right.” While you train your dog to use his appropriate chew toys, you can keep him confined during your absences until you are certain that you have been able to redirect his attention to approved chewing materials.

An open line of communication between owner and dog does not always ensure that the messages sent will be received correctly. A common instance in which unintentional messages are sent to a dog is during a fearful episode.
The dog encounters a frightening object, event, or person and displays a variety of fear reactions, which may include shaking, barking, and backing away.
The owner then sends out messages to comfort and assure the dog that there is no reason to be fearful.

These messages are highly potent as the owner lovingly strokes the dog and commiserates with a cross between baby talk and sincere empathy, “It’s okay, no one will hurt you.”
The message the owner intends to send to the dog is the information that the situation is not threatening. The message the dog receives through the stroking and baby talk is that acting and being fearful is rewarding and pleasing to the owner.

Being consoled and stroked overshadows any information the dog could receive from the environment should he be allowed to remain in the situation without any intervention.
Furthermore, the dog is reinforced for exhibiting fearful behavior by the pleasure of being stroked and consoled. Avoid the strong temptation to lovingly comfort the fearful dog lest he learn to act frightened for subsequent reinforcement.

Fortunately for many dog owners, dogs tend to pick up things they are taught very easily. As a result, you should be able to teach your dog how to perform some exceptional tricks.

In order to get your dog to start doing tricks, you need to find a trick that you know he could easily adapt to. That is to say, if your dog likes to fetch things you could teach him to fetch the morning newspaper.

No matter which trick you choose to teach your dog, make sure you’re consistent in your training and you reward him for his efforts.

Your guests will be in awe if you teach your dog to sit down and shake hands with them.

Dog training experts say that this is the easiest of tricks to teach your dog. After you teach your dog how to sit you can start teaching him how to shake hands. This can be done by saying the word “shake” while holding his paw and shaking it.

Be sure to reward him. If you repeat the word while you hold his paw he will start putting two and two together and associating the word with the action. Repeat the action everyday and he will be able to do it on command anytime you’d like him to.

Seeing a dog dance is also another amazing trick that you can teach. Since many dogs tend to jump on people that visit the house, by teaching your dog to dance you can bypass that unwanted behavior.

When your dog excitedly jumps up on you to play, gently hold his front legs. Then you can command him to “dance” a few times after which you should give him his treats.

Then when guests come over, have your dog dance rather than jump on them. Teaching a dog to dance is usually easier for owners of smaller sized dogs, and in fact, many small dogs can dance on their own without needing their owner to hold their front paws.

Finally, teaching your dog to fetch something is a time-honored tradition. Dogs can be taught to fetch items and will remember the various names for items.

This can be not only a fun trick, but a handy one if you’re unable to easily get things for yourself. You dog can learn to fetch all sorts of things by name – toy, ball, bone, newspaper, shoes, etc.

Start with one word, and really emphasize the word. When he’s consistent at fetching that item, you can add another word, and so on.

Take the time to teach your dog some cool tricks. Yes, they’re fun for you and you’re able to show off your dog, but your dog likes them too because you’re giving him tasks to do and quality time with you.

Originating from Germany the Dachshund dog breed dates back hundreds of years. It was originally bred for hunting badgers and hares.

The word “dachs” means badger but they are also called sausage dogs or wiener dogs.

If you own a dachshund you may want to consider taking your dog to training classes. Dachshunds can be very hard to train due to their stubborn nature. They are strong minded, energetic, curious dogs and can get into quite a lot of mischief.

You need to spend a lot of time with them because if they are not given enough attention they can be naughty. For the inexperienced owner this can make them hard to handle.

Although dachshunds are normally good with children and other pets, a dog that is over-indulged can become jealous and may become snappy and bad tempered, showing signs of aggression.

A family with older children is probably ideal for this breed, but that is not to say they are not very affectionate, devoted and loyal given the right attention and will give great pleasure to the owner.

Dachshunds, as with many small hunting dogs, are courageous and their body language and personality gives the impression that they are much bigger dogs and they are actually unaware of their small stature.

Dachshunds are an ideal breed for apartments or for homes with small gardens or maybe just a terrace area, but that is not to say they don’t need lots of exercise.

They are lively, boisterous and playful and need lots of walks. Quality exercise is essential for these little dogs and being cooped up indoors for several days with only the occasional foray into the garden to do what is necessary is not good enough.

This may lead to behavior issues because they do need regular exercise, preferably twice a day, to release their excess energy. Without this exercise they can quickly gain weight and with this breed that can lead to heart and spinal problems.

Dachshunds are prone to spine injuries and children in particular should be made aware of the weakness in the back and not be allowed to treat them roughly.

With puppies start obedience training immediately but keep it short, just 10 to 15 minutes three to four times each day, ideally before meals when your dog is at its most lively.

Plenty of time will be needed for dachshund training because of their stubborn nature so do not expect your dog to be well behaved instantly, but with lots of patience these fun-loving little characters will give you love, loyalty and affection for many years to come.

2 dogs Shock+Vibra Remote Electric Dog Training Collar US $49.99 Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 6:51:44 PST   | Watch this Item

Dog AGILITY Flyball Training Fleece Fur Rope Tug Toy US $7.75 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 6:52:21 PST   | Watch this Item

Electric Dog Bark Stop & Flashlight Training w/o Collar US $29.98 Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 6:52:44 PST   | Watch this Item

Dog AGILITY Flyball Training Fleece Fur Rope Tug Toy US $7.75 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 6:53:05 PST   | Watch this Item

Dog AGILITY Flyball Training Fleece Fur Rope Tug Toy US $7.75 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 6:54:42 PST   | Watch this Item

Anti-Bark No-Barking Dog Training Shock Control Collar US $0.99 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 6:56:14 PST   | Watch this Item

NEW Dog Remote electric shock Training Collar+virb+tone US $24.99 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 6:56:59 PST   | Watch this Item

Dog AGILITY Flyball Training Fleece Fur Rope Tug Toy US $7.75 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 6:57:10 PST   | Watch this Item

USA New Anti Barking Dog Training Shock No Bark Collar US $0.01 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 7:00:12 PST   | Watch this Item

6 pcs 6V Battery for Dog Training shock collar 4LR44 US $0.90 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Friday Mar-12-2010 7:00:26 PST   | Watch this Item