Basic Dog Training : Principles for Dog Owners

Here are some basic principles for the dog training that all dog owners need to learn and follow:

Be consistent. A behaviour is either acceptable or it isn’t. It can’t be acceptable on alternate Tuesdays when you’re in the mood. For example, it can’t be OK to allow your dog to jump all over you on the weekends when you’re in casual clothes, but not during the week when you’re dressed for work. That’s an obvious one, although you’d be amazed how many people I’ve met who do exactly that. Here’s one that’s less obvious. It can’t be OK for your dog to chew fabric toys but not to chew 'inappropriate' fabric items. In other words, if you give your dog an old sock to play with and say, “Girly, chew this,” don’t be surprised when she eats your shirt or your trousers. Consistency is a bit easier for singles or couples, and toughest for families. The more people interact with the dog, the greater the likelihood of inconsistency. I strongly recommend that families conduct a few meetings to discuss and agree upon what will be universally unacceptable behaviour on the part of the dog. Everyone needs to clearly understand what the rules will be for a training programme to be most successful. That being said, we live in the real world and I recognize how difficult it is to maintain consistency on the part of a six-year-old child. Parents of younger children will need to practice a fair amount of prevention and understand that the dog’s training process may be a little bit more difficult and prolonged.

If you want your dog to learn to listen to obedience commands the first time they’re given, you need to be prepared to properly teach your dog to obey them the first time. This is most effectively accomplished if the initial foundation-level obedience you teach around the house is done off leash. I have sometimes run into problems when discussing how important it is for dogs to obey commands consistently. In my opinion, this is an area where attitudes have gone downhill in the last 24 years. Decades ago the idea that a dog needed to obey commands the first time they were given would not have drawn frowns or comments. Today, there are many owners who are uncomfortable with the idea that their dog should be trained to respond so predictably.

I’ve had owners object, based on the idea that they did not want their dogs “to become robots.” It is important for these owners to understand that, first of all, if training is primarily done with compassion and reward this will not happen and second of all you might not care if your dog listens on the first command until the very first time she runs out into the street. Then, as cars are barreling towards her, you will pray she listens on the first command, because you may never get a second one. However, the principles of consistency really need to be understood here.

Understand how behaviours take shape and deal with problems by dealing with the cause. When owners learn to do this, they will not just be reacting to what are often symptoms of an underlying problem.

Learn basic training techniques and then follow rules one and two. All owners need to understand the principles of prevention, maintenance, redirection, reward and correction. And they need to use them consistently. Once you understand how a dog learns, it will be very easy for you to train your dog. Mind it: If You Have a Dog, You Are a Trainer. It is just like that if you are driving a car, you are a driver and mind it there is a difference between a lay driver and a professional driver.

In the end, I would like to tell you that training of a dog is just like your child’s education. It needs lots of patience.

Precaution for Your Pets in Rainy Season

Every year, Rainy season comes and yes, our pet owner friends have lot to think about their pet’s health. Due to high moisture content in the air, there is a tendency that your pet suffer from different diseases, which are very common now a days.

As a pet owner, you must be very concerned for your beloved’s health and you want that it should always be in good health. The question is what type of problem you suppose to face in monsoon season and how to combat with it. As a veterinarian, I must advise you that the foremost thing is not to give your pet a direct and sudden cold exposure during rainy season. It could be dangerous for your pet, because the sudden change may create some problem for the basic immunity of your pet and even pneumonia can be developed. So be careful during monsoon season.

It is very common to see your pet is suffering from respiratory diseases. Due to high moisture content, wetness, lack of exposure towards sunlight etc, pets are suffering mainly from upper respiratory tract infection which may be associated with allergy. Make sure that your pet should be kept in dry and warm place instead of putting your AC on. Coolers are not advisable too. It will create an adverse effect on the organism which is already under stress due to heavy rainfall. You can give warm milk with vitamin B complex and can add some anti allergic preperation. But remember, for any specialized treatment you must contact your vet.

Fungal infection is very common in this season. Many pet owners complain about this. You may notice that in pows, abdomen and other parts of the body, there are pimples, redness, itching sensation etc. It may be because of fungal infection. It is advisable to clean your pet regularly, brush it properly and apply some anti fungal powder regularly. All the products are easily available at your pet shop. You can use some ointments having anti fungal properties for localized infection.

Deworming is absolutely necessary for your pets in rainy season. Pets are very succeptible to worms in this season. Worm infestation may lead to anemia, general debility anorexia, dullness of coat and many other complication.

I think that nutrition of your pet comes in foremost in rainy season. Due to bad weather condition, sometimes it is not possible to take out your pet for walking or exersise. If you are unable to do so for a long time, then you may notice obesity problem specially in case of Labrador. So you should be very careful about the feeding practice. Now a days, there are lot of good range of pet foods are available at your pet shop. In this season it is better to give feed according to the nutritional requirement of your dog. In home made feed, it is impossible to calculate the energy requirement of your dog for you. So you should go for a good quality feed of a good brand of dog feed. There are breed specific and weight specific feeds available in the market so you can choose at per your requirement. In my clinical practice, I have noticed that different dogs are suffering from nutritional diseases due to lack of protein, vitamins, minerals, who are provide home made feed. In case of home made feed, some minerals, vitamims live to be compensated from outside. So it is advisable to provide your dog readymade dog feed in spite of giving home made feed in rainy season.

Inspiring your Dog's Lives

It is often thought that owning dogs in the city is cruel. They have no back yards and the city is busy and noisy. How lucky are city dogs? They have no green space or yards. Dogs in the suburbs and country have it far better. These dogs have yards to run about in and often spend all day and night outside. How lucky are these dogs? They have yards! Well, maybe the suburban dogs are not as lucky as we think. Maybe these are the dogs that are missing out.

Life of the well-cared for dog in the city is a wonder of social interaction. Think: owner gets up; dog goes out for a morning walk and often to a local dog park for a run. Midday, person comes in and takes dog for a walk while owner is at work. Dog gets used to someone else being with him and waking with other dogs. In the evening, owner walks the dog again – often back to the dog park! On the weekends, they go visit friends and relatives in the suburbs. During the daily walks, the dog gets used to different surfaces and how to relax around crowds. Sirens and trucks do not bother him nor does the honking of horns. People in uniforms, carrying bags, wearing hats and hoods or flapping coats are all part of his daily life. Dog gets to see many sights and smells and meet people. When he is at home, he has plenty of interactive toys in case he gets bored. These toys and a good walk in the morning help alleviate boredom and take off the edge off of built up energy from a good night's rest. His owner also knows that since he lives in an apartment, barking dogs create a nuisance so reducing boredom is crucial. Boredom and too much energy are a big cause of nuisance barking. The dog has learned it is good to potty outside and all he has to do is cue his owner when he needs to potty. Plus, the midday walker means that the dog is not forced to hold an unreasonable amount of time! Does this life sound all that bad?

Let's look at life of the average dog in the suburbs. Owner gets up, dog goes out to go potty in the yard while owner gets ready for work. If lucky, the dog will be brought inside while owner works. If not, he will stay outside during the day. It is easier than hoping the dog holds his bladder and sure beats getting someone in to walk the dog midday. However, the dog has not learned good house training and even at two years of age, still does not know how to ask to go potty. The dog sees two situations – house and yard. He has no idea how to behave around other people or dogs, as he has never had a chance to interact with them. On the rare occasions when owner does take him out, the dog shies at trucks and sirens; he lunges at other dogs and panics when he sees a flapping coat. He does not encounter new things regularly and is very under socialized. He has no idea how to react to many situations. When outside during the day, his excess energy from sleeping as well as lack of stimulation leads him to become a nuisance barker. He bothers the neighbors who are at home during the day and one has even made a noise complaint to the police. The dog is bored and has no good outlet for his physical and social needs. Neighborhood kids torment him as they walk to and from school. The owner, when home, ignores the barking and the dog learns that children are a threat. One time he even bit a child who leaned over a fence to say “Hi.” But all the dog knows is children are danger and that danger must be fought. The danger is on his turf and the turf has to be protected. He never gets to dog parks and has no idea how to interact with his own kind. In his excitement of seeing his own kind, the dog lunges and barks and people think he is aggressive. In actuality, the dog is not well trained or socialized and does not know how to respond to others of his own kind. Does this sound good?

Part of enriching our dogs' lives is proper socialization. The average suburban, and to a greater extent country, dog lacks in this area as owners have the luxury of a yard for the dog to go out in. There is no need seen to walk the dog. But walks are vital for socializing opportunities. How else can the dog learn that the world does not have to be feared? It is amazing what dogs will view as a threat and either shy from or snap at trying to escape that threat. By getting the dog out and building confidence in the world, the dog becomes less likely to respond adversely. But the sprawl of suburbs and yards makes dog owners lazy and the dogs under socialized. Dogs who are bored tend to develop destructive and annoying behaviors such as barking, chewing and digging. The dogs are not getting back at humans; they are just trying to entertain themselves. Dogs who spend all day alone and isolated from the pack may develop barking problems as well as become escape artists. Owners see the dog as hard to handle, trying to “get back at me” and refuse to take him out even more as a form of punishment for not behaving. This does nothing but exacerbate the situation. The dog is not being given the opportunity to learn and he is being even more socially deprived. The dog has no idea why he is being deprived or punished. All he knows is frustration. Is this fair?

One way to get dogs out and around other dogs in a social environment is through training classes. Ideally, training in classes should begin as soon as pup has completed his 12-week shots or ten-week shots depending on the schedule your vet uses. (Some vets go 6, 9, 12 and others 6, 8, 10, but pup should have three sets of shot for his own health). A good puppy-k program will emphasize socializing and give you ideas how to better socialize pup. Even a good adult program will teach socializing and what should be done. Another great way to socialize is sports. Agility, Flyball and such gets dogs out and about with other dogs and working around them. Another way to socialize is going to dog parks. Many communities have them. And if not, have friends with social dogs get together once a week for a play date at a house with a fenced yard. Isolation from his own kind is misery for a dog.

Now, what about enriching our own homes for our dogs? Dogs view the world as a chew toy until we teach them what they can and cannot chew. A dog that is totally deprived of stimulus will find his own entertainment. That antique chair may fall victim to boredom and lack of training. The dog is not bad or trying to get even, he is just trying to fill a void. There are a variety of things we can do to fill this void and let our dogs act out the natural behaviors of chasing, chewing, tearing and digging. Toys and bones you can fill with a tasty treat are one way to alleviate boredom and let a dog be a dog. Kong toys, hollow bones and such can be stuffed with a bit of spread cheese, spread meats, cheese cubes, hot dog chunks, semi-soft dog treats, canned dog food, etc. The dog gets to work and chew to get the treat out. If you hide these toys, the dog gets to enjoy the hunt and seek for a reward. Sturdy chew toys (hard-pressed rawhide, ropes, etc.) also allow for chewing. A toilet paper or paper towel tube with some kibble put in it and the ends crumpled allow the dog to tear into a toy. A clean milk jug with the top off and kibble dropped in lets the dog throw and tear and tackle. Buster Cubes and similar toys have various compartments inside that kibbles rolls about in, Sometimes the kibble comes out. Feed your dog one of his daily meals or even both in this fashion (works better if you have a single dog, for multiple dogs I use stuffed bones). A strong rope tied to a tree with heavy bungee cords lets the dog pull and tug. Games of hide and seek are wonderful! One person hides and another gets the dog to go find. Once the hiding person is found, a toy gets tossed for the dog. Or hide a toy for the dog to find. Start simple (behind a chair on the same room) and build up the complexity (up the stairs and down the hall and under a box in your room). Take a bunch of plastic or paper cups and lay them out mouth down. Put a treat under just one cup and encourage the dog to find the treat. Big boxes make great tunnels and many dogs will fit through the play tunnels sold at many human toy stores. Small logs and lengths of PVC pipe (4” and 5”) can be laid down for the dog to walk and jump over while playing. (For safety, dogs under 12 – 18 months of age should have all jumps very low). Make a digging area for your dog! In your yard, lay down a 4'x4' box and fill it with a soft sand and dirt mix. Encourage your dog to dig here and not in your garden. Use landscaping timbers to mark off the dog's digging box. A toy buried or some kibble sprinkled over the area can help redirect his digging from your Azaleas to the box! These are all things above and beyond fetch that we can do to help enrich our dogs' lives. And if you have a higher- to high-energy breed, these games are wonderful for burning off that energy! Get creative. However, monitor toy use and if you suspect a toy is not suited for your dog, do not use it. There is no toy ideal for all dogs and safety with toys is essential!

Boredom in dogs leads to undesired behaviors. However, enriching their environment, getting them socialized and understanding that we make our dogs what they are goes along way in making our lives together happy and healthy.

Know Your Pet

Spending time with a pet is the most important thing you can do for it. Not only is it good for both you, psychologically and emotionally, but it pays to understand your pet's moods and habits. Many pet owners have gotten a feeling that "something isn't right" before any symptoms of a disease start showing. They may not be able to pinpoint what is wrong -- maybe Fluffy wasn't as interested in usual in being petted, or Rex didn't seem as hungry for his dinner -- but they know something is different.

For most pets, a change in behavior is your first warning that something is wrong, or that a significant event, such as giving birth or shedding a skin, is imminent. Most illnesses cause our pets to change their daily habits in slight ways. Your pet may feel sick, but not yet have a runny nose, hair loss, or other symptom. He may instead show his feelings by wanting to sleep when he would usually play, or by turning up his nose at a favorite treat. By recognizing that your pet is acting differently, you are getting a jump on treatment.

Some of our pets aren't far removed from their ancestry in the wild. Birds and lizards, in particular, instinctually hide their symptoms from observers, since otherwise, in the wild, they could be targeted by predators as easier prey. Often, by the time a bird or lizard shows a symptom, the illness has progressed dangerously far and the animal is just too weak to hide it any longer. The illness will now be much harder to treat sucessfully.

By spending time with your pets, and getting to know their routines, moods, and history, you have an invaluable jump start on their care.

I knew my rat would give birth that day because I knew how approximately how long she had been pregnant, and she and her cagemates started showing interest in smelling her nether regions. Giving her some privacy helped the birth be a little less stressful.

I knew my tarantula would molt soon because she stopped eating crickets, her abdomen had a new bald patch, and I knew she hadn't molted for about 10 months. Increasing the humidity in her tank helped her wiggle out of her old exoskeleton.

I knew my guinea pigs wanted grapefruit, because I give them a slice at the same time every evening, and they expected it. Guinea pigs can't metabolize Vitamin C on their own, and it breaks down so quickly that it must be provided fresh daily.

Once explained, my "insights" no longer seem very psychic. However, I did have to spend time with each of these pets every day, in order to recognize the changes each of them were going through, or in the case of my guinea pigs, know their routine. Do the same with your pets, and you have another weapon the fight to keep them healthy and happy.