Posts Tagged ‘Dog’
|Saturday, November 14th, 2009
Shih Tzu Puppy
Teaching a shih tzu puppy or a shih tzu dog proper socialization skills is vital to the safety of both your dog and other dogs and people with whom he comes into contact. A properly socialized shih tzu dog is a happy dog, and a joy to be around for both humans and animals. A poorly socialized shih tzu dog, or one with no socialization at all, is a danger to other animals, other people and even his own family.
Socialization is best done when the shih tzu puppy is as young as possible The socialization lessons a young shih tzu puppy learns are difficult to undo, and it is important to remember that the socialization skills the shih tzu puppy learns will affect his behavior for the rest of his life.
A shih tzu dog that is properly socialized will be neither frightened of nor aggressive towards either animals or humans. A properly socialized shih tzu dog will take each new experience and stimulus in stride, and not become fearful or aggressive. Shih tzu dogs that are not properly socialized often bite because of fear, and such a shih tzu dog can become a hazard and a liability to the family who owns it. Improperly socialized shih tzu dogs are also unable to adapt to new situations. A routine matter like a trip to the vets or to a friends house can quickly stress the shih tzu dog out and lead to all sorts of problems.
Socialization is best done when the shih tzu puppy is very young, perhaps around 12 weeks of age. Even after 12 weeks, however, it is important that the shih tzu puppy continues its socialization in order to refine the all important social skills. It is possible to socialize an older shih tzu puppy, but it is very difficult to achieve after the all important 12 week period has passed.
There are some definite do’s and don’t when it comes to properly socializing any shih tzu puppy. Let’s start with what to do. Later in this article we will explore what to avoid.
Socialization do’s
Make each of the socialization events as pleasant and non-threatening for the shih tzu puppy as possible. If a shih tzu puppy’s first experience with any new experience is an unpleasant one, it will be very difficult to undo that in the shih tzu puppy’s mind. In some cases, an early trauma can morph into a phobia that can last for a lifetime. It is better to take things slow and avoid having the shih tzu puppy become frightened or injured.
Try inviting your friends over to meet the new shih tzu puppy. It is important to include as many different people as possible in the shih tzu puppy’s circle of acquaintances, including men, women, children, adults, as well as people of many diverse ethnic backgrounds and ages.
Also invite friendly and healthy dogs and puppies over to meet your puppy. It is important for the shih tzu puppy to meet a wide variety of other animals, including cats, hamsters, rabbits and other animals he is likely to meet. It is of course important to make sure that all animals the shih tzu puppy comes into contact with have received all necessary vaccinations.
Take the shih tzu puppy to many different places, including shopping centers, pet stores, parks, school playgrounds and on walks around the neighborhood. Try to expose the shih tzu puppy to places where they will be crowds of people and lots of diverse activity going on.
Take the shih tzu puppy for frequent short rides in the car. During these rides, be sure to stop the car once in a while and let the puppy look out the window at the world outside.
Introduce your shih tzu puppy to a variety of items that may be unfamiliar. The shih tzu puppy should be exposed to common items like bags, boxes, vacuum cleaners, umbrellas, hats, etc. that may be frightening to him. Allow and encourage the shih tzu puppy to explore these items and see that he has nothing to fear from them.
Get the shih tzu puppy used to a variety of objects by rearranging familiar ones. Simply placing a chair upside down, or placing a table on its side, creates an object that your shih tzu puppy will perceive as totally new.
Get the shih tzu puppy used to common procedures like being brushed, bathed, having the nails clipped, teeth cleaned, ears cleaned, etc. Your groomer and your veterinarian with thank you for this.
Introduce the shih tzu puppy to common things around the house, such as stairs. Also introduce the shih tzu puppy to the collar and leash, so he will be comfortable with these items.
There are of course some things to avoid when socializing a shih tzu puppy. These socialization don’ts include:
Do not place the shih tzu puppy on the ground when strange animals are present. An attack, or even a surprise inspection, by an unknown animal could traumatize the shih tzu puppy and hurt his socialization.
Do not inadvertently reward fear based behavior. When the shih tzu puppy shows fear, it is normal to try to sooth it, but this could reinforce the fear based behavior and make it worse. Since biting is often a fear based behavior, reinforcing fear can create problems with biting.
Do not force or rush the socialization process. It is important to allow the shih tzu puppy to socialize at his own pace.
Do not try to do too much too soon. Young shih tzu puppies have short attention spans, and continuing lessons after that attention span has passed will be a waste of your time and your puppy’s.
Do not wait too long to begin. There is a short window in which to begin the socialization process. A young shih tzu puppy is a blank slate, and it is important to fill that slate with positive socialization skills as early as possible.
Tags: Dog, Dogs, Puppies, Puppy, Shih Tzu, Shih Tzu Puppies, Shih Tzu Puppy
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Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
House training a shih tzu puppy is very important for the well being of both the shih tzu puppy and the owner. The number one reason that dogs are surrendered to animal shelters is problems with inappropriate elimination, so it is easy to see why proper house training is such an important consideration.
It is important to establish proper toilet habits when the shih tzu puppy is young, since these habits can last a lifetime, and be very hard to break once they are established. It is very important for the owner to house break the shih tzu puppy properly. In most cases, true house training cannot begin until the shih tzu puppy is six months old. Puppies younger than this generally lack the bowel and bladder control that is needed for true house training.
Shih Tzu puppies younger than six months should be confined to a small, shih tzu puppy proofed room when the owner cannot supervise them. The entire floor of the room should be covered with newspapers or similar absorbent materials, and the paper changed every time it is soiled. As the shih tzu puppy gets older, the amount of paper used can be reduced as the shih tzu puppy begins to establish a preferred toilet area. It is this preferred toilet area that will form the basis of later house training.
The Do’s of House Training Your Puppy:
Always provide the shih tzu puppy with constant, unrestricted access to the established toilet area.
When you are at home, take the shih tzu puppy to the toilet area every 45 minutes.
When you are not at home or cannot supervise the shih tzu puppy, you must be sure the shih tzu puppy cannot make a mistake. This means confining the shih tzu puppy to a small area that has been thoroughly puppy proofed. Puppy proofing a room is very similar to baby proofing a room, since puppies chew on everything.
Always provide a toilet area that does not resemble anything in your home. Training the shih tzu puppy to eliminate on concrete, blacktop, grass or dirt is a good idea. The shih tzu puppy should never be encouraged to eliminate on anything that resembles the hardwood flooring, tile or carpet he may encounter in a home.
Praise and reward your shih tzu puppy every time he eliminates in the established toilet area. The shih tzu puppy must learn to associate toileting in the established areas with good things, like treats, toys and praise from his owner.
Always keep a set schedule when feeding your shih tzu puppy, and provide constant access to fresh, clean drinking water. A consistent feeding schedule equals a consistent toilet schedule.
Using a crate can be a big help in helping a shih tzu puppy develop self control. The concept behind crate training is that the shih tzu puppy will not want to toilet in his bed area.
And finally, it is important to be patient when house training a shih tzu puppy. House training can take as long as several months, but it is much easier to house train right the first time than to retrain a problem dog.
The Don’ts of House Training Your Shih Tzu Puppy
Never reprimand or punish the shih tzu puppy for mistakes. Punishing the shih tzu puppy will only cause fear and confusion.
Do not leave food out for the shih tzu puppy all night long. Keep to a set feeding schedule in order to make the dog’s toilet schedule as consistent as possible.
Do not give the shih tzu puppy the run of the house until he has been thoroughly house trained.
House training is not always the easiest thing to do, and some dogs tend to be much easier to house train than others. It is important, however to be patient, consistent and loving as you train your shih tzu. A rushed, frightened or intimidated shih tzu will not be able to learn the important lessons of house training. Once you have gained your shih tzu puppy’s love and respect, however, you will find that house training your shih tzu puppy is easier than you ever expected.
Tags: Dog, Dogs, Shih Tzu, Shih Tzu Puppies, Shih Tzu Puppy
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Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
Choosing a new puppy to bring into your home is a big decision. Here are some helpful hints and tips to making sure your new puppy is the right one.
The first thing you need to consider is research! This is the one step that is so often ignored when choosing a puppy, but is perhaps the most important step.
Too often people choose their new puppy based on emotion, and not the facts.
First things first, research the breed you want. I would recommend getting an all breed dog book at your library or local book store to help you in choosing a puppy. Get a book that gives details about the breeds temperament, energy level, adaptability, size, trainability, etc. Many people will pick up a dog magazine to check out the dogs for sale advertisements in the back. The problem with using this method to choose a breed is that these ads are designed to sell you on that specific breed from a specific kennel. Instead of choosing the right breed for you, you may be swayed by a nice layout and a professional ad.
When researching dog breeds, take everything into consideration. For example, some large dogs do better in apartments than certain small dogs. Some small breeds do better with room to run and play and despite their small size wouldn’t do well in an apartment. Some dogs are very independent and are more difficult to train. There are grooming requirements to consider. Some dogs are prone to certain health problems. Learn these things about the different breeds before you choose which one to purchase. When choosing a puppy, there is no such thing as too much research.
Once you have settled on the right breed it is now time to really buckle down and do your research. Now you’ve got to decide where to get this perfect dog. At this point it is important to note that there is typically one place where you don’t want to get a new puppy. That place is the pet store. It is not always the case, but dogs from pet stores often come from puppy mills. A puppy mill is a business that someone has set up to basically manufacture dogs. Puppy mills are notorious for overcrowding, lack of sanitation, health problems both from external causes and from poor breeding practices. Female dogs in a puppy mill will give litter after litter until their body is no longer capable. Owners of puppy mills give no thought to what makes a good dog, both structurally and mentally. The sole desire of a puppy mill is to make money, not to maintain and improve the gene pool of a certain breed. Don’t be drawn in by the cute puppy in the pet store window. It is very likely that behind that cute puppy exterior lurks genes that will make an unbalanced and unhealthy dog.
So where should you go about choosing a puppy? The answer is simple: from a reputable breeder. However, while the answer is simple, it isn’t so easy to go about finding that breeder. They aren’t always easy to find. Here are some tips for finding the right breeder:
- Don’t start out in the classifieds. Too often the classifieds section of your local newspaper is inhabited by ‘backyard breeders’. A backyard breeder is often just as dangerous as a puppy miller. The backyard breeder breeds his dog because ‘We wanted her to have a litter before we got her fixed’, or ‘We wanted the kids to see the miracle of birth’, or ‘Well, we had a German Shepherd and so did the neighbor, so it just made sense’. Shelters nationwide are filled with dogs resulting from these breedings. If you want your dog to have a litter ‘just because’, don’t do it. If you want your kids to witness the miracle of birth, rent a documentary. If you breed your dog because your neighbor has a similar one, have you considered the temperament, genetics of the parents, etc.? Probably not. Choosing a puppy from a backyard breeder can have regretful consequences. Avoid backyard breeders.
- Talk to a breed association. Nearly every dog breed has an affiliated association. Some of the more popular breeds have several national, regional, and local associations. These associations should be able to provide you with guidance on where to find reputable breeders. Many even specialize in helping new owners in choosing a puppy.
- Talk to local dog trainers and veterinarians. These professionals will often have contacts that may be able to help in choosing a puppy.
- Look in the back of the large dog magazines. There will often be many breeders. You will have to do your due diligence as any breeder can make it in the back of a magazine if they have the money to spend. It can be a useful resource for finding several breeders, though.
- Use the internet as a way to find breeders. Don’t be ‘sold’ on their website alone. Make sure you to do your due diligence.
Once you have a pool of several potential breeders from whom you are considering choosing a puppy, get in contact with them. A good breeder will actually interview you. A good breeder will want to know who you are, how you live, why you want the dog, and many more other things to make sure that you will properly care for something they have put so much work into. Answer these questions honestly. Hopefully, you will have a long relationship with this person.
As you go to their kennel or breeding facility take note of the conditions.
Good breeders are fanatical about sanitation.
Make sure things are well kept and maintained. Depending on the age of the puppies that you go to see the mother still may be around. Try to get a feel for her temperament and look. If the father is available, insist on seeing him too. The parents should be strong, healthy, and confident. They shouldn’t shy away from you or exhibit other behaviors that indicate a weakness or genetic problem.
Observe the puppies. They should be healthy. Make sure, when choosing a puppy, that you are looking for a puppy that is confident, large, and social. Don’t fall in the trap that many do by selecting a small, sickly puppy because they feel bad for the little guy.
Don’t be fooled by certain behaviors, either. A growling, nervous puppy is not going to make a better watch dog. He is growling out of an intense fear, not watchdog material. Keep in mind that the dominant puppy may be too much for you if you aren’t used to working with dogs.
Above all, use common sense. I know they are cute, but try to make a decision based on logic and reason, not because that little puppy hiding in the corner is so cute the way he trembles when someone goes near him. Choosing a puppy should never be a snap decision.
As is often the case, you may find that the best breeder with available puppies isn’t in your local area. In a case such as this you have a few options. You can travel to them, observe the facilities first hand, and purchase your puppy. This often isn’t reasonable for most people. Or, you can get references and thoroughly check out the particular breeder by phone and internet. Then, once you are satisfied that you will get a quality puppy, an arrangement can be made for choosing a puppy through photographs and breeder recommendation, and then get your puppy shipped by air freight. If you do this well you can have a great experience. I have been involved with the remote purchase of many dogs from as far away as France and the Czech Republic and have been very satisfied with the results because of doing proper research.
Just remember, when choosing a new puppy, do your homework and you will be grateful for the life of your dog
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Tags: Breed, Breeder, Dog, Puppies, Puppy, Train
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Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
Last time we covered a bit of everything in a way. We covered many reasons as to why the walk is important to a puppies training as well as to his overall development. We said what a walk does for him. It’s important to know this because when go to on a walk with your puppy you need to know exactly what you are doing for him. This is important because when you raise and train a puppy you need to give him the tools to become a stable and happy dog when he grows up. You don’t want him to be unstable with regards to his behavior and his attitude. This important time in his life plays such a crucial role that it should almost be enforced when you first get the puppy. Another part of raising a puppy that we discussed was the aspect of roles between you and your dog. Roles are important because they simply establish what role you play with regards to him and what role he should play when it comes to you.
As much as the walk is important, both you and your puppy knowing your roles with respect to each other are just as important. The reason for this the walk is vitally important. Knowing each other’s roles is the first step to having a healthy and beneficial relationship. The walk only strengthens that but to have these kinds of effects between you and your puppy, you need to be consistent and you need to determined. The reason I say this is because there have been quite a few people who have started this with this same intent but as the time went by, their determination began to fade and they lost all their hard work.
When you go on the walk you need to go with the intent of teaching your puppy what you think he needs to know with regards to the rules you want to set down. The purpose of the walk is not only for your puppy to go to the bathroom but for you to strengthen the bond between you as well as introduce him to the outside world. Even though that may be you need to make sure you maintain the pace. When you walk you puppy always make sure he walks next to you and not in front of you. This instills the fact that you are the leader of this walk and not him. If he pulls you make sure you stop him and let him know that you don’t want to be pulled. This is also where the consistence comes in. Every time he does something that you don’t approve of you need to make sure you reprimand him every time he does it. This shows him that his actions are not good and you don’t want him to keep doing this. This is just a basic walk though of what should happen during your walk but as you go along it will evolve based on your needs and his actions.
Tags: Dog, Dog Beds, Dog Training, Dogs
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Friday, October 9th, 2009
Puppies are such cute furry bundles of joy it is little wonder that most of us find them irresistible. The thing to remember though is that that cute furry bundle comes with a whole bag of responsibility and moreover some day that little furry bundle of fun will transform into a big furry bundle. The point to note here is that it isn’t enough to see a puppy and exclaim “ahhhh” and feel that covers all your future obligations and requisite requirements to becoming a dog owner. Nothing could be further from the truth!Before you go puppy scouting you first need to do some research on the type of dog breed that best compliments your personality. Another point to consider is that if you are getting the puppy for a child most of the responsibility of taking care of that puppy is going to fall on your shoulders, your child’s promises and good intentions notwithstanding.Choosing Your PuppyChoosing the right puppy for you and for your home requires a certain degree of insight to yourself. If you intend to have a long and happy relationship with your dog then you need to get a dog breed that will fit into your lifestyle and match your character. Thus you need to ask yourself a number of questions and be prepared to answer them with nothing less than stark naked honesty. Such questions include:• Are you an energetic/active person• Are you a couch potato• Is the dog going to primarily be a companion or pet• Do you live in an apartment• Do you have a backyard• Is the dog going to be a playmate for kids• Is the dog primarily for protection• Do you intend to exhibit your dog at dog shows• How does having a dog fit into your work schedule• How much time are you prepared to spend on grooming• Do you want a super affectionate dogThe above list is by no means all encompassing but certainly tackles some of the questions you should ask yourself before you eventually get your puppy. Think of these questions as primers to your quest for the perfect puppy dog!Get A Dog Breed That Compliments You And Your NeedsThe great thing about getting a dog is that there are well over 200 different breeds to choose from; and it gets better. Over a span of many hundreds of years (in some instances thousands) man has bred every and any type of dog to cater to practically any need he so desired. That means that somewhere out there is the perfect dog breed for you. Hence if you are little inclined to indulging in long arduous walks or are loathe to bouts of daily exercise, it makes no sense at all to get a dog that belongs to the sporting group of dogs, because such dogs invariably need a lot of exercise.In other words if your nature leans towards couch-potato hedonism then get a puppy that compliments your couch-potato lifestyle. Fortunately there is no shortage of dog breeds that possess such qualities. In a somewhat similar vein if your intended dog is for protection, guarding or some other form of service, it makes sense for you to choose a dog from the working dog breed group.Probably the single most common mistake that would-be dog owners tend to make is to base the appearance of a dog as the ultimate criterion for their selection. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with initially basing your choice of dog on the breed’s appearance but remember that looks tell you little if anything about any dog breed’s inherent character and nature. Take the Poodle for example; most people think that the Poodle is nothing but a show dog. However what they don’t know is that the Standard Poodle (this is the big variant which attains a weight of 65lbs plus and grows to a height of 21 inches and more) actually makes a very capable watchdog with a pretty convincing bite to remind you and anyone else inclined to forget that it is more than just a pretty face in a doggy world!Where To Get Puppies FromThere are a variety of places that you could get your puppy from, some highly recommended while others you should avoid at all costs for a number of reasons that will be explained shortly.1. Puppies From Reputable BreedersThese are people who raise dogs because they actually love dogs and are not in it for the money. Such a dog breeder:• Raises their puppies in close proximity to people and in a warm, safe comfortable and protected environment. The reason why it is essential that puppies be raised in close contact with people is so that they get accustomed and socialized to humans from an early onset which makes for a better pet.• Never breeds more than a couple of litters each year and restricts any one female dog to a single litter per year.• Screens their puppies and dogs for genetic or hereditary disease and other ailments and will supply you (the end-owner) with the relevant registration papers and certificates proving so• Would as a matter of course inquire about your lifestyle, where you live and what kind of experience if any that you have with dogs. They’ll ask you such questions not because they are nosey but rather to ensure that you are truly compatible and well matched with the dog that you are about to introduce as the newest member of your family. Remember, as stated before, reputable breeders are concerned about the welfare and well being of their dogs and want to ensure that their puppies don’t end up being abandoned by a negligent owner.Getting your purebred puppy from a reputable breeder will initially cost you more money upfront but will pay off in the backend because in effect what you are paying for is a guarantee of a puppy that:• Is well socialized• Has been screened for health defects and possible genetic disease• As an adult dog will exhibit the positive attributes and characteristics typical of the breed and not the unwanted traits that appear in poorly developed purebreds as a result of over breeding along the same generational lines2. Dog Rescue SheltersEvery year millions of dogs are euthanized in the United States alone, many of them being abandoned pets that cannot be housed in foster homes in a timely fashion before funds for their upkeep run out. A lot of those dogs in rescue shelters are purebred dogs that have been abandoned for some reason or other by their previous owners.Good Reasons To Get A Dog From A ShelterThere are actually a number of advantages in getting your dog from a rescue shelter and such reasons include:• You will pay much less for your new pet even if it is a purebred dog (typically you’d just pay the adoption fee which helps to keep the shelter open and is about $50. Getting your purebred dog from a reputable breeder would set you back anywhere from $500-$1500.• Most dog shelters have some degree of veterinary facility on their premises ensuring that dogs are neutered/spayed (commonly but not always) as well as treated for any ailments/diseases and screened for problems. All this is done at no extra cost to you, having been incorporated in the miniscule adoption fee.• The average dog from a shelter has undergone some level of housetraining which is a huge weight off the shoulders for any new prospective dog owner. Where Not To Get Puppies FromThere are two places you should avoid getting your puppy from at all costs and those places are:A. Puppy Mills: as the name suggest such places are devoted to churning out puppies in volume without due consideration to their welfare and well being. Puppies from puppy mills are raised in horrendous conditions, rarely if ever in contact with people and are removed from their mothers prematurely at the tender age of 5 weeks (which is much too soon). A consequence of such horribly conditions and a deprived puppyhood is that these dogs make for very poor pets. Moreover such puppies are far more likely to suffer from undiagnosed genetic disease as well as other ailments because it is a good bet that the puppy mills are certainly not bothered with such trivialities as the good health of their wards! B. Pet Stores: Next time you see that cute but sad-eyed puppy in a pet store brace yourself and walk on by. Why? Because pet stores are actually the sole reason that puppy mills still exist. Pet stores get their puppies from puppy mills or from for-profit backyard breeders, two types of establishment that aren’t concerned with: the pedigree purity, genetic disease, or emotionally and mental well being of the dog. Puppies from pet stores typically get there at about five weeks of age and are finally placed with an owner around 12 weeks of age. Conditions in the pet store may be better than those of the puppy mill but only marginally so. Much of the time the puppy is in isolation and has little if any human contact, which means that if you do break down and get that sad-eyed puppy in the window you are getting a dog that has next to no socialization skills and is almost invariably emotionally and mentally scarred! Besides by getting your puppy from a pet store you are in effect perpetuating this horrible cycle of canine misery.
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Tags: Dog, Dog Breed, Dog Breeder, Dog Owner, Dog Rescue Shelter, Doggy World, Dogs, Pet Stores, Poodle, Puppies, Puppy, Puppy Dog, Puppy Mills
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Thursday, October 8th, 2009
You just brought home your new puppy, now, what should you feed him? There are a million types and brands of dog food, from canned to kibble. How do you know how much you should feed your puppy? For medium to large size puppies, they need to be fed a well balanced, quality, dry, puppy formula, 4 small meals a day, up to 4 months of age. They are growing so fast and using up so much energy, they need to be refueled frequently. From 4 months to 8 months of age, they should be fed 3 meals a day, and from 8 months to 12 months, feed 2 times a day. If puppies are started on dry kibble from the time they are weaned, they will have no problem eating dry puppy food.
Treats can be given in moderation, especially small treats for reward during training. Table food and leftovers should be avoided, although the occasional piece of apple or carrot is okay. Certain foods are not safe for puppies or dogs to eat. Most people know chocolate can harm dogs, but raisins, grapes, onions, garlic and certain nuts are also harmful.
It is important for large breed puppies to be fed a dry puppy food specially formulated for large breeds. Also, do not overfeed your puppy to increase or speed growth. This is especially important for large breed puppies because rapid growth causes improper skeletal development, which leads to bone and joint problems. A slower, steady growth rate is better. You should not encourage your puppy to become an oversized adult to make him look more impressive.
There are some key ingredients important for your pups diet. DHA, which is a fish oil has been shown to promote faster learning in puppies. Protein is important for muscle, skin, coat and organ development. Calcium and Phosphorous are needed in the proper ratio for teeth and bones to grow correctly. Omega-3 fatty acids help develop a healthy immune system.
Dogs do not naturally produce all the nutrients they require so a quality dog or puppy food is crucial for healthy growth and development. An all natural, human grade pet vitamin is also beneficial because it provides an important digestive enzyme lost during the processing of dog food. A quality pet vitamin also provides Essential Fatty Acids not produced in the body. A good pet vitamin also helps protect against allergies and immune disorders, such as Irritable Bowel Disease.
With the proper care and nutrition, your puppy will grow to be strong and healthy. You will be able to enjoy your new best friend for a long time.
Joseph M. Sabol is a world class Doberman breeder. Please go to http://petvitamins4u.com or to http://theroadhousedobes.com for further information
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_M_Sabol
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Tags: Doberman Nutrition, Doberman Puppy, Dog, Dog Health, Dog Nutrition, Dogs, Puppies, Puppy, Puppy Health, Puppy Nutrition
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Saturday, October 3rd, 2009
Nipping puppies are a common occurrence. Puppies play hard with their littermates and when you bring your puppy home he transfers this behavior to you. Those sharp little teeth really hurt, however, and this is a behavior that needs to be nipped in the bud.
Nipping puppy behavior has nothing to do with teething or dominance. It is simply puppy play behavior that has gone wild. Buying chew toys and offering them to your puppy won’t do anything to deter them from mouthing people or teach the puppy to have a safe mouth around children. Safe chew toys are a great idea and important to have but they teach puppies how to chew on puppy toys instead of people things. They don’t teach puppies not to bite people.
Mouthing and nipping is usually a sign that the puppy is hyperstimulated and wants to play. They simply need to learn to play in a gentler way. Nipping and mouthing on people and having the people tell the puppy that it HURTS teaches the puppy the critical lesson of “bite inhibition” so they can learn better control over their aim with their mouth. Bite inhibition is something that puppies also learn from their dams and their littermates. Their control over their biting usually improves over time if you properly and consistently reinforce the message that you send. Your puppy will get better emotional self-control and physical coordination.
This is exactly the same lesson that 2- and 3-year-old human children have to learn about playing with other children: be gentle or no one will play with you. The goal is to have the puppy become gentler and gentler with their mouth so that being soft with their mouth becomes a habit. Or a skill. It takes time to build a habit.
You teach a puppy to be more gentle with his mouth by shrieking with pain when he nips you. You need to overdo it. Really let your puppy know that it HURTS. Follow this by immediately leaving the room and closing the door so your puppy cannot continue the biting. Some puppies may try to run after you because they still want to play so be sure to leave the room and close the door. Start out by shrieking over a painful nip and work your way to up a shriek about any tooth-to-skin contact at all. By the time your puppy is 4 1/2-5 months old they should have a very soft mouth if you apply this method consistently. This is the same method that is taught in most puppy kindergarten classes.
You are basically doing the same thing that your puppy’s mother or littermates would do when he nipped them. His mother and littermates would cry out and stop playing with your puppy if he bit them too hard. He would learn that if he played too rough there would be no more play.
If you are playing with a puppy who starts to become overstimulated or who shows signs of nipping you can take a time-out. Stand up, turn your back on your puppy, cross your arms and look away. Stand still, even if your puppy jumps on you. Don’t acknowledge your puppy. Don’t speak to him. Count to 30. If your puppy has calmed down you can praise him and resume play. If he hasn’t calmed down by a count of 30 try another count to 30. If that still doesn’t work you should calmly leave the room, with the puppy still in the room. If your puppy is still showing signs of being overstimulated you should do a time-out with your puppy in his crate for 2-5 minutes. These are ways of teaching your puppy emotional self-control. Your puppy learns to calm himself down in order to get you to play with him some more.
If you teach your puppy using these methods it should solve your problems with nipping and becoming overstimulated when playing. You want your puppy to grow up to be a dog who has good control of his mouth and teeth and who doesn’t become overstimulated and accidentally bite.
Time-outs can be used effectively when your dog is getting out of control. If your dog is barking excessively a time-out in his crate for a few minutes may get his mind off barking. Sometimes a dog may bark wildly at a squirrel or something else outside. Your dog may be overstimulated at these times and a time-out can help calm him down. There are some good ways to try to discourage barking behavior but a time-out may be the only thing that breaks the barking sometimes.
Tags: behavior, Breeds, Dog, feeding, Food, Health, Information, Puppies, Puppy, Purebred, training
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Saturday, September 26th, 2009
Bringing home a Pomeranian puppy can be a special time as these little balls of fluff can steal your heart in an instant. But caring for a puppy is not all fun and games and there are certain things that need to be done to ensure your puppy grows into a happy healthy dog. If you’ve adopted your Pomeranian puppy from a reputable breeder much of his initial care will have been done for you and you will probably be given a good set of instructions as how to continue his puppy care. Here is the some of the things of concern when caring for puppies.
Vaccinations
Anyone that’s had a dog knows that they need to have vaccinations much like human babies to protect them from diseases. When you get your pupppy from the breeder, he should have already had his first set of vaccinations done by the breeder’s Veterinarian. you should record this information and bring it to your veterinarian so that he or she can schedule your puppy for any booster shots.
Worming
The initial warming on your Pomeranian should have been done before you picked him up, but there is probably some follow up that you will need to do. When you take your puppy for his first Vet visit you Victor Neri and will check his stool and we’ll let you know what further action needs to be taken. Sometimes puppies need to be wormed again after a few months. Worming is easy, your veterinarian will probably give you a liquid to give to your puppy which will kill the worms.
Dental
Pomeranians can be prone to dental problems, therefore it’s important to start good dental hygiene when your Pomeranian is still a puppy. You want to get him used to you brushing his teeth. I find that using a little that has rubber nodules that goes over your finger the best way to brush my Poms teeth. Be sure to use special toothpaste formulated for dogs which actually comes in a flavor that they like. When you start with your Pomeranian puppy, just start gently rubbing the toothbrush in his mouth just a little bit to get him used to it as time goes on he will think nothing of it and you easily be able to continue brushing his teeth when he is an adult.
Grooming
Pomeranians do need to be groomed so it’s best to get your Pom puppy used to this as soon as possible. Get them used to the brushing and, in particular the nail clipping. Your Pomeranian should be brushed every day in his nails clipped regularly. You also need to clip the hair that grows out in between the pads on his feet so make sure your puppy gets used to you handling his feet early on.
Feeding
Find out from your breeder what food they were feeding the puppy and be sure to continue feeding in this food as an abrupt change in feed can cause digestive upset for your puppy. If you don’t want to feed your Pomeranian this food, you can switch it out gradually. You’ll also want to find out what his feeding schedule was and keep to that gradually changing it to match with your schedule. Typically, you should be prepared to feed your puppy three times a day when you first bring him home.
Other Considerations
When you bring your Pomeranian puppy home, the first thing you should do is call your veterinarian and make an appointment so that you can get them started on schedule for booster shots and regularly yearly checkup’s. Another thing to consider is whether you want your Pomeranian to be neutered or spayed – if so, this should be done when they are around six months old and you’ll need to make arrangements with your vet for this. You might also consider having a microchip implanted in case you’re puppy gets lost as this may be the only way that someone can find that he belongs to you.
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Tags: Dog, Dogs, Pet, Pets, Pomeranian, Puppies, Puppy
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Thursday, September 24th, 2009
To get your puppy off to a good start, schedule a veterinary check-up within the first 48 hours of bringing it home. You can then get a clean bill of health, a schedule for future vaccinations and spay/neuter surgeries and advice on food, training, parasite preventatives and trainer recommendations.
What to consider before getting a puppy?
* Investigate the breeds and mixes.
* Ensure you are familiar with the breed’s adult size & personality traits.
* Estimate costs of regular veterinary care, flea/tick and heartworm prevention.
* Estimate costs of grooming, food and how it fits into your lifestyle or family life.
How to keep your puppy safe?
* Create a safe environment at your home. A puppy, just like a human baby, finds the tiniest nooks and crannies to get into and they often get into trouble playing with computer cables, electric cords, cleaning products, pantyhose, etc. Hide or contain wires and cables, put baby locks on low cabinets (little paws and noses can pry doors open), pick up stray strings, needles, paperclips, shoelaces, and move valuables, books and breakables to new heights.
* Crate – search for one with enough room for your puppy to turn around, lie down and sleep but not too spacious as this leaves room for it to eliminate in areas where it doesn’t sleep.
* Until your puppy has finished all rounds of immunisation, he should not mix with a lot of strange dogs or be where there is a high volume of other dogs walking, as he needs to be fully protected before venturing in public places.
What are the handy things you need to have to care for a puppy?
* Use non-tipping metal food and water dishes – this helps keep the dishes from sliding.
* Buy some stain and odour neutralizer – your puppy will always be drawn to areas where “accidents” took place, a good neutralizer will eliminate odours from its urine or stool.
* Buy a brush, nail clipper and a comb if your puppy will eventually grow into a dog with a medium to long coat.
* Get an adjustable collar, identification tag and a six-foot nylon or leather leash with a small clip. Try to avoid chain collars or leashes.
How to house-train (potty-train) your puppy?
* House-training a puppy is not difficult if you’re consistent and stick to a schedule. You will probably be feeding three times a day. First thing in the morning, take the puppy out of its crate and quickly take it outside to where you’d like it to eliminate. Be patient, and as soon as your puppy starts to eliminate, CALMLY praise it with “Good dog” (or whatever term you’d like to use). When your puppy has finished all its business, take a few minutes to play or cuddle it. What you want to teach your puppy is the sooner it eliminates, the sooner it gets to play with you. When playtime is over, bring it inside, feed your puppy breakfast and let it have water. In about 15-20 minutes, take it outside again and repeat the routine. Once back inside, if you have time to monitor your puppy, you may let it explore its surroundings. After that, put it back in its crate.
* Never leave your puppy in the crate for more than its limit in controlling its bladder. Usually a puppy can hold it for as many hours as its age in months. For example, a 2-month old puppy can stay in the crate for no more than 2 hours, as long as it has eliminated before being crated. Repeat the feeding, elimination, play routine at lunch and dinner, then no more water or food 2 hours before bedtime. If the weather is very warm, a few ice cubes in your puppy’s water bowl will quench its thirst but not stimulate its bladder like water will. Generally, at 8 weeks to 3 months, your puppy will have developed better bladder and bowel control and is capable of sleeping through the night. But remember to take your puppy out first thing in the morning!
* When your puppy pees on one spot, he tends to go back to exactly the same place over and over because your puppy recognises the smell. Therefore take your puppy to the same spot every time. If your puppy does it in the right spot, lavish him with lots of praises! Use your happy voice, your puppy will soon know he did it right and will want to do it right the next time.
* If your puppy had an accident somewhere inside the house, make sure you clean the floor or the carpet thoroughly to neutralise the smell. A good quality pet odour remover should do the trick.
* Each time you want your puppy to defecate or urinate, teach you puppy a specific word by repeating the same word many times, for example “go poop”, “go potty”. By repeating the same words each time, it will become another command for your puppy and he will be able to do it when you mention the command.
* Ideally you will have a dog door installed so that your puppy can be trained to go outside when it needs to eliminate. If this is not practical, keep an eye on your puppy, try to observe how your puppy normally acts before he pees, and take him outside as soon as you see the signs. You can also teach your puppy to ask for the door, but that might take some time.
* Establish a routine – for example, after a nap or before play time, take your puppy outside to eliminate.
What are the development stages and behaviours you can expect from a puppy to a dog?
* The Juvenile Stage: 3 to 4 Months
The Juvenile stage typically lasts from 3 to 4 months of age, and it’s during this time your puppy behaves a little more independent – he might start ignoring the commands he’s only recently learned and tries to exert his new-found independence with its “I don’t have to listen to you” attitude!
You will need to apply firm and gentle reinforcement of commands and training at this stage. Your puppy might even start biting you, play biting or even a real attempt to challenge your authority. A sharp “No!” or “No biting!” command, followed by several minutes of ignoring him should take care of this problem.
When you bond with your puppy, avoid games like tug of war or wrestling with him. He may perceive tug of war as a game of dominance – especially if he wins and wrestling is another game that can rapidly get out of control. As your puppy’s strength grows, he will want to play-fight to see who is stronger – even if you win, the message your puppy receives is that it’s alright to fight with you but this is NOT the message you want to send out!
* The Brat Stage: 4 to 6 Months
Your puppy will demonstrate even more independence and wilfulness during the Brat Stage which begins at about 4 months and runs until about 6 months. You may observe a decline in his urge to please you – expect to see more “testing the limits” type behaviours. During this time he’ll be going through a teething cycle and will also be looking for things to chew on to relieve the pain and pressure. Frozen doggie bones can help sooth him during this period.
Your puppy may try to assert his new “dominance” over other family members, especially children. It is common for puppies at this age to ignore commands to return or come to their owners, which can be a dangerous, even fatal, breakdown in your dog’s response to you. If you turn him loose in a public place, and he bolts, the chances of injury or even death can result – so don’t take the chance. Continue his obedience and basic commands training, but make sure to never let him off his leash during this time unless you’re in a confined area.
Your puppy will now begin to go through the hormonal changes brought on by his growing sexual maturity and you may see signs of rebelliousness. (Think adolescent teen-age boy!) If you haven’t already, you should have your puppy neutered (or spayed if you have a female) during this time.
* The Young Adult Stage: 6 to 18 Months
From 6 months to approximately 18 months, the Young Adulthood stage takes place and is usually a stabilising time in your puppy’s life. He’s young, he’s exuberant, he’s bursting with energy and yet he’s learning all the things he needs to become a full-fledged adult dog. Be realistic in your expectations of your dog at this time, just because he’s approaching his full growth and may look like an adult dog, he’s not as seasoned and experienced as you might expect.
Slowly increase the scope of activities and training for your dog. You can start more advanced training during this period, such as herding or agility training. Otherwise, extend his activities to include more people and other animals – allow him to interact with non-threatening or non-aggressive dogs.
Tags: Advice, Care, Crate, Dog, Dog Advice, Dog Care, Puppies, Puppy
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Tuesday, September 15th, 2009
Even if you have never owned a dog, the Maltese breed makes pet ownership a joy. These intelligent dogs are friendly, sociable and easy to train. With their intelligence and personality, there is no doubt that they are so popular.
One of the delightful things about this breed is that they are incredibly easy to train. These puppies are willing to learn whatever that you are teaching. If you have never had a dog, or perhaps just discovered this dog breed, here are a few tricks that you can apply in your Maltese puppy training.
Puppy Proofing
In order to reduce the stress that puppy training can cause, do things the easy way. Before you bring your new Maltese puppy home, you will want to puppy proof, much like you would do for a toddler. Since your dog will be curious, make sure that you have put everything dangerous or irreplaceable away from your puppy’s reach. It will make training much easier if you have to spend less time correcting your dog.
You can spray Bitter Apple (a chewing deterrent available for dogs) on furniture legs and other potential chewing posts.
Make sure that your puppy has his own basket of “good” toys. Maltese are very smart, and will become protective over favorite toys. You can even teach them to clean up at the end of the night and put their toys away.
Puppy Potty Training
Your puppy’s housebreaking should progress smoothly, as long as you keep your puppy on a schedule. When puppy potty training, your Maltese should be taken out the very first thing in the morning and last thing at night. You should also take them out after meals and after nap time.
You can also train your puppy to use puppy pads. Since many Maltese are apartment dwellers, they will often use the pads throughout their life, and not just during their puppy training.
When you are away from your dogs, keep them in a crate large enough to turn around in. Dogs are den animals, and being in a crate replicates being in a cave or den. Your dog will feel secure, and is much less likely to have an accident when in fairly confined quarters.
Don’t punish your dogs when they do have an accident. Be persistent, and your little dog will catch on. Remember that when a puppy isn’t housetrained, it is a human error – not a dog’s mistake.
Puppy’s Behaviors at Home
From the first day, decide what is acceptable from your Maltese. For example, if you don’t want a dog that begs from the table, or one that jumps on company, you must start with the first day home. With consistency, your dog will become a well behaved companion that you will enjoy for many years.
When puppy training your dog, use quick and strong “shh…” sound in stead of “No” to mark for undesirable behaviors will be more effective. The reason is the word “No” is always in use in your daily conversation. Don’t forget to give plenty of praises for the good behavior as dogs will always learn better with positive reinforcements.
I believe that you couldn’t wait to apply the above tips on puppy house training at your home. You should check out my website if you want to learn more tips and techniques on Maltese puppy training.
For more information on how to effectively train your Maltese, please visit: Maltese Puppy Training.
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Tags: Dog, Maltese, Maltese Puppy Training, Puppy House Training, Puppy Potty Training, Puppy Training
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Thursday, September 10th, 2009
Puppies should be eating solid food and should no longer be nursing at around 8 weeks of age. At this tender age, puppies are ready for their new homes and life without their mother.
* Choose food designed specially for Puppies. Puppies over the age of 8 weeks no longer require milk. In fact many puppies develop diarrhoea if you feed them milk.
* Raw meat should not be given to puppies. Dogs are just as susceptible to Salmonella or Campylobacter diarrhoea as you are. If you feed your dog with raw meat and it catches these bugs, you might catch them from your dog too.
* Human foods should be given in moderation. There are no major reasons as to why you cannot feed your puppy or dog food such as breakfast cereals, table scraps and other titbits once in a while but it is best to avoid them for the following reasons:
- If fed in large quantities and regularly it causes an unbalanced diet.
- You will teach your puppy bad eating habits. It will quickly get used to tastier human foods and refuses puppy food.
- It will cause serious behavioural problems by elevating the puppy’s status in the household through the feeding of human foods. You should always start your puppy on less palatable puppy/dog food, not human foods. Dogs have a pack instinct, with a dominant leader in a strict hierarchy. You must train your puppy to know you are superior to him to overcome dominance and aggression issues in the future.
* Additional vitamin supplements and minerals should only be prescribed to your puppy following advice from your veterinarian to treat a specific condition. There is a high risk of skeletal damage when adding supplements that are unnecessary for a normal healthy puppy.
* It is important to measure the total amount of food given daily to suit your puppy’s nutritional needs. Dietary requirements are not fixed. Factors such as age, activity, the type of breed and health of a puppy play significant roles in determining the amount to be fed. But generally for a 10-week old puppy, it should be fed 4 times a day.
* If you change the type of food your puppy has been fed with, do it slowly over 3 or 4 days. Feed your puppy a proprietary puppy food designed to supply all the essential nutrients that a growing puppy needs. Check the package label to ensure it provides a complete and balanced ration, and that the Association of American Feed Control Officials (or the appropriate food control body) has approved the food. Their official stamp of approval ensures that the food has been tested and found satisfactory for feeding puppies that are growing rapidly.
* Your puppy can be fed both dry and wet food. Dry food is generally cheaper but is less palatable than wet food. Try mixing in a little chicken or beef stock over the dry food with a little warm water – this will make the food more appetising and softer for your puppy.
* Try not to make food readily available to your puppy (i.e. dry food always available in its food dish) as this encourages your puppy to over-feed and become overweight which puts undue stress on their soft growing bones and joints at a most vulnerable time. Not only it makes house-breaking much more difficult as there are no predictable regular feeding times, it also makes it harder for you to spot any problems with your puppy’s feeding behaviour. By 12 weeks of age, feeding can be reduced to 3 times a day, and by 16 weeks to twice daily. Try and keep to a regular schedule, as puppies are creatures of habit. An easy schedule consists of waking up around 7 a.m., with a quick trip outside to empty his bladder, followed by breakfast. After 5 minutes of feeding, take another trip outside to a designated potty area as your puppy will need to both pass faeces and urine, and when it’s successful, reward your puppy with praises.
* Nap time is next, followed by play time (you can include obedience training such as sitting and staying). At around noon to 1pm is lunch time, with the next meal at between 5 to 6pm and possibly a small snack or treat at bedtime. At 10 weeks old, your puppy is too young to go without food from 5pm to 6 or 8am the next morning.
* Be consistent about where you feed your puppy and keep to a time schedule for feeding. If your puppy gulps his meal down very quickly and then looks for more, the amount may need to be increased. If there is still food left in the bowl after 15 minutes, pick it up and feed a little less next time. Look at the size of your puppy. Viewed directly from above, she should appear to have the indication of a waist. If the puppy looks round with no waist, then she may be a little too fat.
* Treats may be used as a reward for good behaviour when training a puppy, but don’t over do them. Treats should be small and used sparingly; otherwise they could cause an imbalance in the diet. Words of praise work very well for housebreaking, reserving treats for when training the puppy to come when called and other basic training. At this age puppies get more than enough exercise running around the house and yard and do not need to be taken for walks. In fact, excess exercise may be detrimental to their development and predisposing your puppy to various joint problems later.
* Never feed your puppy scraps from the table at meal times, as this will lead to begging and pestering people at meal times. This may be cute in a puppy, but irritating in an adult dog, and once the habit has been formed it is very difficult to break.
* Do not feed raw meat to your puppy, as it may be contaminated with a variety of bacteria that can cause life threatening vomiting and diarrhoea. Many people do not feed any sort of human food table scraps as they think it leads to fussy feeding, but a few cooked steak remnants added to the regular meal does no harm, especially for Labradors, which normally do not develop any hang ups over feeding. Greed is more of a problem than finicky feeding.
Tags: Advice, Care, Crate, Dog, Dog Advice, Dog Care, Feed, feeding
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Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
You are bringing your new bundle of joy home finally. You have done your research, know you have the right breed and you have complete faith in the breeder of your new pup. (more…)
Tags: Dog, feeding, Food, Health, Information, Kibble, Puppy, Weight
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Tuesday, August 25th, 2009
Puppy Housebreaking / Housetraining Procedures and Methods
Puppy housebreaking should start just as soon as you bring your new puppy home – and it is the best way to teach your purebred puppy to go outside when it has to relieve itself. How long does it take to do puppy housetraining? (more…)
Tags: Canine, Dog, Dog Breed, Dog Breeders, Dogs, Housebreaking, Pourebred Dog, Puppies.k9, Puppy
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Tuesday, August 25th, 2009
Getting a new puppy is always an exciting adventure, but training them can be a feat. Free puppy training tip lists are readily available, and can can be very useful when attempting to train a new puppy at home. (more…)
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Friday, August 21st, 2009
This article will discuss pet feeding and how to properly feed your pet to ensure they receive all the nutrition they need to live a long and healthy life. However, more and more pet owners are resorting to making meals for their pets or feeding pets raw food. (more…)
Tags: Cat, Dog, Feeding Pet, Pet, Pet Feeding, Pet Food
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Wednesday, August 19th, 2009
photo credit: jeleneThe speed at which a puppy puts on weight varies depending upon the breed of dog and whether or not it receives enough exercise or food. There are general puppy weight estimates you can use as a guideline for raising your puppy, however if you suspect that your puppy is either over or underweight, talk to your vet for a confirmation. (more…)
Tags: Dog, Dog Growth, Dog Weight, Pet, Puppies, Puppy, Puppy Growth Chart, Puppy Weight Chart
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