DOG TRAINING EQUIPMENT

Pet Ownership rates in Canada match those in Britain and other Western countries. Rural regions, with boundless distances to run, things to sniff and other animals to meet, would thrill any dog. While cats are also common, they are not as obvious as their canine cousins. In addition to the usual risks from people and automobiles, domestic cats can have trouble defending themselves from wild animals.
Many people choose to keep their cats in the house and sometimes leave them unaccompanied for long periods in small apartments.

Pet owners are responsible for their animals' actions, and towns and cities have become progressively stricter about cleaning up feces. In the winter some dog owners may be tempted to bury the evidence in the snow, which leads to much disgust once the snow melts in the spring. Communities have off-leash areas, but otherwise dogs should be walked on a lead.

The National Animal Health Program is the governing body responsible for the importation of animals and animal products, including pets. As an agricultural nation, Canada has strict rules to maintain its environmental integrity. Surprisingly, a fairly long list of creatures may enter Canada without a plant protection permit, among them tarantulas and scorpions - neither of which would fare particularly well should they escape into the snow.

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the fact that Britain is a non-rabies country bodes well if you want to bring Spot with you to your new home - although the flight will be very hard on him.
Be aware that the cost of air fare. Not only is there is the price of the flight, but vets' fees for micro chipping, vaccinations and blood tests, import permits and possibly insurance. At this time, Canada does not insist on quarantine for cats or dogs coming from countries where rabies is not prevalent, although it would be a good idea to have proof of vaccination.

Turtles and their eggs require an importation permit, and in many cases, will only be granted to zoos or research laboratories.

It is always advisable to confirm animal regulations before coming to Canada. Birds from Asia cannot be brought into the country because of avian flu. Under no circumstances may you bring your pet primate, unless you are coming from the United States. Gorillas, monkeys and their many cousins may only come into zoos, so have your husband shave his back and hands before leaving for Canada.

It's a pretty common problem - separation anxiety in dogs. There is the dog that looks a little put-out that the owner is leaving and not taking him, and then there is the dog that scratches through the screen on the window trying to get out of the house to follow his owner. The first example is natural, but the second is not.

There are many reasons why a dog can have separation anxiety. Dogs from shelters have been abandoned once and may feel that they're being abandoned again. Dogs from pet stores can have anxiety because they've been taken away from their mothers too early.

Some dogs become anxious about being separated after changes occur in their lives. There may be a change in the family dynamics with a new baby, a divorce, loss of a roommate, or the death of another pet. Frequent moves or a change in the owner's work schedule can bring on anxiety as well.

To help the pet, owners should take the time to ease them into any new changes. If they've moved cross country, added a new spouse, or started working nights, they should take some time to give their dog extra attention. Play with them and walk them. Exercise helps relieve stress in dogs too.

If the pet owner has to work long hours, they should consider hiring a pet sitter to come in during the day for a half hour to walk and play with the dog. If this becomes the new routine for the dog he doesn't feel so isolated; he now has a friend to play with. Plus he's more likely to take a nap afterward than scratch at the door.

Sometimes it helps to leave talk radio on or some low, soothing music.The radio can also cover up the sounds of people walking by outside, which can cause some dogs to go into a barking frenzy and become distressed.

It is helpful for the owner to say goodbye matter-of-factly. This is better than long, guilt-ridden, apologetic goodbyes because the pet will sense the owner's guilt and it will make the pet feel even worse.

Another thing the owner can do is give the dog a job when he leaves. There are safe chew toys that can hold a treat that take some time for the dog to get out. Now they have a job to do while the owner is gone.

Separation anxiety in dogs is a common problem, although the severity can differ. If your dog doesn't like it when you leave, try these tips. If the problem is severe, contact a dog behavioral specialist.

House training for dogs is a challenging task faced by most dog lovers. To train a dog in the correct way is a time-consuming process, which requires a commitment from the owner. The house training process needs a huge amount of patience and regular attention during the initial period.

House training for dogs helps to keep owners happy with their dogs behavior. It is always best to start house training dogs at a younger age, around 8 to 12 weeks old. Training makes the pets understand good manners and common house rules.

Puppies go potty about every 3 hours. Therefore, regular potty timing is essential to keep the dog neat and tidy, by taking the puppy to the designated area frequently and less than every 3 hours.

Watch the puppy carefully for signs, such as sniffing and circling around an area. If you catch the puppy in the act, grab him/her by the scruff and say 'no' sternly. Take the puppy to the designated spot and let the puppy finish the job. Once the puppy is done in the right place, pat the puppy on the head and say "good 'puppy'" (replace 'puppy' with their name).

A consistent and systematic schedule is necessary for the puppy to follow. Dogs give high response to a systematic schedule in the training process. The fundamental steps induced in house training dogs are regular drinking, feeding and potty schedule.

House training for dogs will make your puppy an ideal member of the house. There are some simple things to remember while training a pet dog.

Take the puppy to the bathroom area the moment it reaches the home.

Try to make the dog understand the purpose of the bathroom with appropriate voice message. Use the same word(s) for going potty repeatedly and forever. Dogs do not have logical thinking skills to perform every action simultaneously. Dogs cannot speak or understand human language. Therefore, owners need to repeat important phrases for any desired action.

Potty training for a house dog is a difficult task, but stable determination will bring out a positive result. Repeated wordings, which owners use a certain times, help dogs to understand the indications.

Punishment in house training for dogs may destroy the entire training process. A reward based method will be more rewarding for both the owner and the puppy as well as more effective. Proper timely encouragement works a lot in dog training.

Non-neutered male dogs have a habit of marking their territory by lifting their legs up. Neutering helps to ease the process.

To sum up, effective house training for dogs makes a perfect household pet with good manners and pleasing behaviors.

7 Areas To Cover When Training Your Dog

Dogs are said to be mans best friend. But I will take it a little furture than that. A well trained dog will become your best friend. Beyond being well socialized, a well trained dog removes the stress of the liklyhood of biting someone. They also tend to stay calm in distracting environments. Not jumping up on people and being much more curtious on household furniture.

Also, well trained dogs are more likely to stay with the same owner, as opposed to being abandoned to the pound. Owners with well trained dogs are more satisfied with their decision on owning a dog. One research report from the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found that 96% of shelter dogs had never had any training.

Training your dog helps to teach them boundaries, thus making them more comfortable around humans. There are many different dog training programs and many professional dog trainers. However, just because someone has a business card doesn't mean they are a qualified trainer.

Finding a qualified trainer does not have to be a lot of work. If your friends have well trained dogs, ask them if they know of a good trainer. Also, take advantage of networking at your local park. While walking your dog ask other dog owners who they recommend.

Once you have found a trainer, ask them what method of training they teach. There have been dozens of different training methods for dogs that have been in and out of fashion over the years. Ask the trainer what method they use, why they use it, and what the benefits of it are. Also ask for references.

Whether you train your dog yourself or find a professional, teaching your dog commands and socializing it is important. Areas to cover in training include:

1. Socializing to strangers: This is easy to accomplish while out walking your dog around the neighborhood and introducing them to people.

2. Socializing with other dogs: You can do this at dog parks, or even better in a dog training class.

3. Leash walking at a steady pace: You can start this training as soon as you get your new dog.

4. Crate training: This is important, especially to build up a tolerance to stay in a kennel environment for several hours.

5. The sit command: This is usually the first command new owners teach their dog.

6. The down/stand command: These commands help develop boundaries for the dog.

7. The stay command: This command is important for your dog to master, especially in an environment with a lot of distractions.

There are many benefits to having a well trained dog. But it doesn't necessarily mean the dog will not develop behavioral problems down the road, like separation anxiety. Simply put a well trained dog is a joy to be around and strengthens the human-animal bond.

You've undoubtedly noticed that your dog is much smaller than a horse. (Well, most are anyway.) Nevertheless, most horses are much more frightened of dogs than the reverse. That creates unique problems - for dog, horse and the person who has to govern both.

In this case, unlike other animal training areas, it helps very little to start the interaction out when both animals are young. Young horses are at least as skittish as older ones, and are often accompanied by a mare. Neither is naturally fond of nor curious about puppies. To a horse, nearly everything but their owners and a few other horses are threats - at least until they're mature.

But there are many circumstances where dogs and horses interact successfully. Whether the dog owner is a regular visitor to barns or riding schools, or whether the dog lives on the premises both can get along well.

Always keep puppies restrained around horses until they've learned what to do and what to avoid. A leash, for at least the first several weeks of training, is essential. And ensure that the horse is not in a position to rear or run where the dog can be injured.

Training a dog around horses involves a series of separate, but easily learned behaviors.

First, the dog has to learn to respect a boundary - whether a paddock with metal bars a dog can easily slip through, or a series of stalls, or other enclosure. Begin by using a leash and collar and make the boundary training part of a more general walk where you train the dog to follow you. Follow you, not lead you.

As the dog approaches the boundary, its sense of smell will cause it naturally to be curious about the horse. Allow the dog to approach - but not move beyond - the boundary. If it tries to breach the boundary, tug on the leash and give a sharp 'No!' or 'Stop'. ('Stay' is a different behavior, requiring a different - and unique - command.)

Next, simultaneously really, any tendency to bark needs to be suppressed. Barking frequency varies with breed and individual temperament, but horses aren't discriminating. When seemingly threatened, they react - and a horse's reaction to barking is not usually something pleasant.

Dogs, like horses, are pack animals and will usually follow the lead of the alpha (leader). Unless, they're trying to be the alpha. This drive for dominance, coupled sometimes with fear or simply the desire to warn of a threat, can lead to barking.

Reinforce your 'top dog' status, by a sharp jerk sideways on the leash, accompanied by a sharp verbal 'No bark!'. Jerk sideways, not back, in order to get the dog's attention without risking injury to the throat. Dogs have very strong neck muscles, but throats can still be too easily bruised by excessive force.

If the dog insists on barking, remove him from the area and try again another day. Don't give up too easily, though. You don't want to train the dog that every time he barks 'Danger', you obey by fleeing.

As with any dog training regimen, patience and consistency are the keys to success. Be firm, but not abusive, and execute the same unique command and physical movement regularly for each associated behavior taught.

According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), dogs bite more than 4.7 million people per year. Law suits, medical bills and sometimes dog euthanasia are common results from this unwanted - and often avoidable - behavior.

As with any dog training issue, how easy or difficult it is to train a dog not to bite will vary with the breed, age and individual temperament of the dog. But there are some common techniques that will usually help suppress biting behavior.

Wherever possible, start young. Puppies have a natural inclination to mouth and nip. Though it's often encouraged by owners who understandably see the behavior as cute, human restraint is a prerequisite to dog restraint. Good - and bad -  habits start young.

Beyond about the age of four weeks, puppies can begin to learn simple commands. When the puppy moves his mouth to bite, a gentle, but firm 'No!' followed by a slight squeeze of the muzzle can help.

Be careful not to cause the puppy to bite its tongue, though. Be especially careful not to squeeze hard or too high up on the muzzle. Dogs have sensitive and delicate odor receptors high up inside the nose. You never want to damage a dog's ability to smell.

The squeeze isn't to punish, but to inform. The goal is to help the young dog associate the verbal command with something it can understand at that age - discomfort. Most dogs naturally dislike having their muzzles squeezed at any age.

Along with verbal discouragement and gentle physical restraint or reminders, socializing your dog - as young and often as possible - can help develop calm and confident dogs. Fearful dogs, not used to strangers (whether human or animal), are much more prone to biting behavior.

Expose the dog to other (non-aggressive) dogs. Differences in smell and looks are triggers that can cause dogs to become wary. Introducing them to variety at a young age can help discourage this territorial response.

Most dogs will naturally inhibit biting when playing with litter mates. They nip, but learn early not to press hard. Take advantage of this by 'widening' the pack to include family members, other pets and frequent visitors.

Restrain your pet at first when introducing animals from other households. Restrain the other animal as well. Let them approach slowly and sniff or carry out other natural behavior.

Look for body tension, snarling, erect ears and other indicators of oncoming aggression. Make the dog sit, stroke its back and put out your hand to the other animal then convey the smell to your pet. Then allow them to interact.

Dogs normally learn bite inhibition by four and a half months, but don't be discouraged if it doesn't happen that quickly. Breeds vary and so do individuals. Older dogs, ones not trained early to suppress biting or not socialized, will naturally be harder to train.

Some dogs will never be fully trained not to want to bite. Part of training involves training people, too. Make sure any such dog is unable to reach other people or animals. And, make sure that people are informed not to try to interact with the dog.

Gradual, persistent, patient training will usually pay off in a calmer, more playful pet. Which, despite the effort involved, is better than paying off lawsuits.

Dog training philosophies vary as much as dogs and trainers do. Most professionals agree, however, that a large part of training dogs consists of training the trainers.

Whether those trainers are pet owners or professionals they need many of the same attributes. Most dogs are neither stupid nor intelligent in the same way humans are. But whatever their natural aptitude they require and benefit from consistency, repetition and a patient style of guidance.

Dog trainers need to have or develop an attitude of restraint, calm and focus. Not everyone has, nor can acquire, the patience to carry out a training regime that takes weeks to months or longer. Training is sometimes as short as an hour per day, often as long as all day, broken up into shorter segments. Taking up that effort is a task not all are equipped to master.

Trainers need to be patient, firm and fair not only with dogs but also with their owners. Honest answers to legitimate questions breeds the respect essential to successful training. A willingness to explain in clear, patient terms what training will involve and to set out the goals of training is vital.

Variations in breeds, individual temperament and owners themselves makes guaranteeing results impossible. But before training begins, trainers need to communicate answers to questions owners may not know enough even to ask. Realism is the only way to properly set expectations.

Dog trainers need to learn a substantial amount about canine veterinary medicine. While they make no pretense to be vets, they need to recognize the external possible signs of hip dysplasia, bacterial infections, diabetes and other diseases and conditions. Training can only proceed with a healthy dog.

Trainers need to learn safety procedures, both for the sake of the dog and the trainer. Even friendly, well-behaved dogs can become excited during play. Dogs are emotional creatures and once their hormones begin to flare, they often take several minutes at best to calm down again.

During those periods of excitement, teeth are often bared and the dog is moving around erratically. It's easy for a trainer's hand to get in the path, or for the dog to injure itself over a leash or training block.

Trainers have to develop acute powers of observation and communication. Trainers aren't merely dog lovers. Though, they are almost always that. They're individuals who have or acquire the ability to carefully observe dog behavior, even subtle cues and clues. That observation has to be understood to the point that reacting becomes automatic.

Dogs will often signal when they are about to bolt, or to vomit grass, or exhibit a slew of other behaviors. A good trainer has a keen eye and the knowledge of how to use those observations to maximize the effectiveness of training.

The Association of Pet Dog Trainers in the U.S. provides guidelines and training for trainers that help keep trainers and owners satisfied with the results. Not all professional dog trainers are members, and not being a member doesn't mean a professional is unqualified. Nevertheless, the organization is a good place to start to learn more about dog trainers and their methods.

The APDT can be contacted by mail, phone, or at their website.

Website:
http://www.apdt.com/

Phone:
1-800-PET-DOGS
(1-800-738-3647)

Address:
The Association of Pet Dog Trainers
150 Executive Center Drive Box 35
Greenville, SC 29615

Training styles differ, but some traditional techniques have proven their worth.

Training styles are sometimes divided into those that use both positive and negative reinforcement, or rewards and punishment and those that rely solely on rewards. Using the word 'punishment' naturally turns off many who want to treat their companion with care. Substitute the word with 'discouragements' and you have the more accurate sense.

Rewards run the gamut from praise - which should be lavish and frequent when the dog exhibits a desired behavior - to petting and belly rubs or back scratches, to treats.  All these are useful for rewarding learned behavior.

But when using treats, don't go overboard. High in calories and packed with flavor, dogs will often eat as many treats as are offered. Dogs prone to weight gain can have too many, and too many treats can produce fussy eaters when regular food is served. The goal is to eventually elicit the behavior solely from verbal commands and hand signals.

Leash and collar training are essential, at least for a time, for almost every breed and individual. Like young humans, dogs have a natural desire to do what they want when they wish. Self-restraint doesn't develop spontaneously.

When training a 'sit', a short and gentle pull on the leash can encourage slow-learners or the reluctant to comply. Pull back, not up. But not hard, you don't want to bruise a throat. When training to exit - not jet - the house a restraint is imperative, especially if something interesting (like a rabbit or cat) just zoomed by.

Discouraging unwanted behavior also involves a large variety of techniques, some requiring considerable creativity. Stopping plant chewing, for example, can often be accomplished with a little cayenne pepper paste applied to the leaves. Harmless to most plants, be sure to check with your gardening expert before applying.

But the same technique can't be used for, say, shoe or furniture chewing. Most dogs aren't leashed inside the house, so that tool isn't available either. Creativity and experimentation is called for. Sometimes it's necessary to substitute with rawhide bones, cotton chew balls, ropes and other more esoteric objects.

Wrapping an old cotton-shirt around a 'peanut butter bone' - a pigskin or rawhide toy suffused with peanut butter odor - has rescued me more than once. But those who keep laundry within dog's reach won't want to encourage chewing on t-shirts.

Common sense will help individuals avoid bad training techniques.

If you were slapped with a newspaper when you vomited on the rug, would you regard that as an appropriate response? Dogs are not humans, but they are aware and have some reasoning capacity. Physical punishment or loud, harsh words for unavoidable accidents injures trust and creates fearful dogs. Fear is counter-productive, except in extreme emergencies, where the dog or a person is in danger.

Dogs can be trained to do amazing things. One well-known woman has a dance routine with her companion that goes on for several minutes. Few would have said it was possible before she spent the years of attention needed to create that range of behaviors.

Find a style that generates trust and attention, that leads a dog to want to cooperate, and you've reached an important goal: leading your willing 'pack'.

Contrary to popular belief, there are not as many training styles as there are trainers. Despite individual differences, people handling dogs fall into clearly recognizable categories. And no matter your individual style or that of your dog, there remain certain truisms.

The Too-Easily Frustrated

No activity apart from human childrearing requires as much patience as developing cooperative behavior in a dog. And most individuals don't spontaneously possess that much. So, along with training the dog, self-training is usually necessary.

Be prepared to invest the time daily, at least half an hour but preferably an hour, to developing the desired behavior in your companion. And when you feel you're at your limit of patience, whether at 10 minutes or an hour, end the session.

Strive to lengthen that 'time to boiling point' a little each day. Remind yourself you are dealing with a dog. Even the most easily trained breeds or individual dogs understand at roughly the level of an average two-year old human. Of course, there are those rare exceptions.

The Too-Ready To Surrender

Dogs by nature are pack animals that develop in a hierarchical social structure. There are alphas (leaders) and omegas (passive, sometimes fearful) and those in the middle. For any training program to succeed it's essential that the human (male or female) be the alpha male of the pack. You are training the dog, not the reverse. Though it can understandably feel like the latter, sometimes!

Be firm, but not harsh. Have the patience not only to avoid the anger prompted by frustration at failure to obey, but to persist. Don't surrender your authority. Training a dog to obey isn't for the purpose of ego-gratification or feeling superior. The benefits are increased safety for your dog, your children and neighbors, and a well-adjusted companion.

This won't always be easy - some dogs are natural alphas. But even in purely wild packs that role can and does change among individuals, when the more assertive individual insists on taking it. Be consistent, don't give up, and your dog will follow your instructions.

The Unreasonable

Even the best-trained dogs will not always do what you want when you want. Expecting a dog to too-quickly understand a new command or to unfailingly remember a previously learned one is a recipe for frustration. Dogs' memories work very differently from humans, even two-year-old humans. Take the time to learn your individual dog's capacity and limitations.

Some breeds are inherently more easily trained, and individuals vary. Some are more naturally energetic (terriers, retrievers, dalmatians) and some more low-key (basset hounds, collies). Age obviously makes a difference. Ten-week old puppies will invariably display less attention than a three-year old dog.

Work with your dog's nature, not against it. Harsh tones at the least provocation, strong physical punishment for less-than-instant obedience, and other tactics are self-defeating. The goal is to build trust so the alpha (you) will be obeyed by preference, not fear.

In Part II, we discuss some of the more productive styles.

Over 130 different breeds compete in major dog shows, such as the Westminster in the US or Crufts in the UK. But there's a good deal more to developing a show dog than simply acquiring a dog of one of those breeds and teaching it to sit or stay.

Within any breed there are dogs that are closer to the 'ideal' than others. This 'conformation' is an important first criteria. Conformation refers to the specific arrangement of parts - legs, tail, head, ears, etc - that determine the dog's appearance. Since this is difficult to judge in young puppies, show dogs are often the offspring of other show dogs.

Once you have a fine example in hand, you're ready to begin a dedicated training regimen. Daily for several months or years, the trainer teaches the dog 'the basics' and then more advanced behaviors. Sit, stay, heel, and so on are covered, of course, but with a keener eye toward precision than usual.

A show dog has to hit a mark (a specific spot in a show ring), pose ('stack') exactly, and walk in tune with its handler. And all this with thousands of people watching.

As with any training, begin young. Along with the basic behaviors, you'll need to teach the dog to be calm in the face of much handling. Judges will inspect eyes, teeth and other body parts along with the coat and general posture.

Bathing is one of the best ways to begin this process. Teach the dog to enjoy having its feet moved, its gums exposed, ears fondled and so forth. This should be pleasurable for the dog and fun for you. If you can teach them to defer shaking vigorously when wet, you're on your way!

During and after the bath, practice posing ('stacking'). Four feet on the ground, one foot raised, standing and sitting, and other postures will all be needed. In every case the dog should hold the pose precisely and for as long as you wish.

When you leash train the dog to walk, the goal is to get them to follow you precisely whichever way you choose to go at any given second. Start with normal walking/heeling, but move on to sharp direction changes as soon as possible.

To encourage the dog to follow use a clicker when executing a change, or give a quick, sharp tug and release on the leash. Of course, the tug should be in the direction you go. At all times the dog should be directly at your side, never ahead or behind.

Graduate to walking on a very loose leash. Before long the dog should be able to follow along at a brisk pace and sense immediately when you change direction. Then it should turn as you do and resume the 'at the side' position.

Gradually increase the speed of the walk until you work up to a slow trot.

Just as important is to stop at the precise moment you do. With clicker or tug and release, the dog can quickly learn to follow your lead. Go when you go, stop when you stop. And for as long as you stop or walk. Before long only the lightest indication by the leash should be required.

As with any training, lavish praise and a sense of enjoying the activity is enormously helpful. Show dogs, though some are temperamental, almost universally get great enjoyment from the activity. You should too, otherwise the large investment of time and money - you'll discover quickly - will not be worth it.