Dog Beds - How To Choose The Right One

By Denise Clement
One of your first purchases when buying a dog should be a bed for it to sleep in. It may seem a cute idea to have your four-legged friend join you on your bed, but it will become tiresome, and once the habit is formed it is hard to break.

A much better approach is to provide a suitable bed for your dog from day one.

What's In A Bed?

Dog beds come in all shapes and sizes, just like dogs. They also come in a number of different designs, some of which are more resilient and suitable for long-term use than others.

Here are the top five things to consider when buying a bed for your dog.

1. Where's Rover Going to Sleep?

The first thing to decide is whether your dog will sleep inside or outdoors – it may not be a consideration in colder climates, but in warm countries it is perfectly practicable for a dog to sleep outside on a terrace or in the garden.

Most beds are designed for indoor use, and we'll concentrate on those from now on.

2. Can It Be Washed?

Make sure you buy a bed that is completely machine-washable. Even if your dog is well-trained and regularly-washed, over time the bed will begin to smell and will need washing. You won't want to have to do this yourself with a scrubbing brush…

3. Not All Padding Is Equal

Fleas like nothing more than to make their home in a well-used dog bed. Help prevent this by ensuring that your dog bed's padding is good quality thick foam. Cedar shavings are another possible alternative.

4. Will He Fit?

Dogs like to stretch out and curl up just like humans do in bed. Make sure your new bed is going to be big enough for your dog to be comfortable in it, or it will never get used, and you'll be shopping for another one!

5. Any Special Requirements?

If your dog has any special needs or problem behaviours, you might want to remember these when choosing a bed. Examples include:

• Orthopaedic beds • Waterproof beds/sheets • Thermal/heated beds (like electric blankets) • Chew-resistant beds

Don't choose a wicker basket for a dog with a tendency to chew, for example – they will rapidly destroy it.

Other possibilities include travel/car beds for regular travellers and fashionable designer beds for the pooch about town.

It's a Personal Thing

Once you've found the right bed, you'll need to find the right place to put it. It may well be in a corner of your bedroom, or perhaps in the kitchen or living room – somewhere where your dog will feel safe and comfortable.

Once your dog gets used to his bed and its location, he should stop disturbing you at night and might well sleep better, giving you a chance to do the same!

Denise Clement is the co-owner of the successful online pet supplies website www.petsupply-store.com

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How To Train A Puppy: 7 Common Mistakes To Avoid2

By: Jason Turnbull
4. Hitting Your Dog Or Using Harsh Corrections

Quite simply put, this is a quick way to lose trust with your puppy. There is a big difference between your dog following your commands out of respect and trust as opposed to out of fear. The old ways of learning by hitting the nose of your puppy or spanking are out of date. In fact it is the cause of many dog attacks as irresponsible owners have hit their dogs as a teaching method. When another person attempts to pat the dog it becomes fearful and attacks the person out of defense. So if you want your dog to know they have done something wrong, correct them verbally and then show them the correct way of doing things. If you don’t know how to train a puppy without using violence then it might be a good idea to find a professional trainer to help.

5. Patting Your Dog Or Praising After Correcting Them For Doing Something Wrong

A very common mistake made when people learn how to train a puppy is to pat their dog after they have just corrected them for doing something wrong. In fact who can blame you for feeling bad about correcting your dog when they look at you with their gorgeous puppy eyes. However by patting your pooch directly after correcting them, it provides a mixed message. In fact your dog may associate doing something wrong with being patted after they are corrected. Instead it is better for you to correct your dog and then show them the right way to do things. Should they do this right, then it is a good idea to praise them so they associate the new behaviour with being rewarded. This doesn’t mean scolding your dog for misbehaving and then ignoring them for the rest of the day. Your puppy will know pretty quickly when you are displeased with them, just make sure you help them do the right thing and then offer praise.

6. Punishing Your Dog For Doing The Right Thing Without Knowing

You might look at this common mistake and think what on earth are we talking about? An example to use is when you walk your dog off lead and then for some reason you need them to come. You call your dog and then their reward is being put back on the lead. Obviously you are putting them on the lead for good reason however your puppy will associate being called with being told off. This is a problem. To counter this, use a similar solution to the rewards one mentioned above. If every time you call them they go on the lead, obviously they won’t come because they assume they will be put back on the lead. Instead call your dog on walks and when they come praise them and give them a pat. Maybe take a couple of treats with you and randomly give those as well. This way your dog doesn’t always think they will be put on the lead when called. This also applies for many other things so it is important to always think about how your dog would associate your commands.

7. Rubbing Your Dog’s Nose In His Latest Toilet Mishap
Shelley Davies and Jason Turnbull, passionate dog lovers and creators of http://www.suitable-puppies.com/how-to-train-a-puppy.html, are striving to educate people on the keys to owning a puppy. Knowing how to train a puppy, how to take care of your dog and how to have fun is essential for your new best friend.

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How To Train A Puppy: 7 Common Mistakes To Avoid1

By Jason Turnbull
The web is filled with tips on how to train a puppy and no doubt you have found many contradict one another. However, there are some things which you will find most dog trainers and behaviorists agree upon and that is the many mistakes you can make training your puppy. All your time spent teaching your best friend to follow your commands can come undone by making a few mistakes. Hopefully this list can guide you against making some common mistakes as you learn how to train a puppy.

1. Being Inconsistent With Commands

No doubt you have found many command words in your search for how to train a puppy. There are the common ones such as sit, stay, fetch etc. However which word you use doesn’t matter as much as how you say it and what you associate the word to. A common problem is that people don’t continue to use the same word and tone of voice with a command. If you teach your dog to sit using the word "sit" and use a low tone of voice, it is not a good idea to then try to get your puppy to sit by saying "sit down" in a high tone of voice. This is likely to confuse your pooch and create unwanted results. If you train your puppy to sit by saying sit, stay consistent with the word and how you say it.

2. Using Food As A Reward Every Time They Follow Your Command

Sometimes it is extremely difficult to resist those big wide eyes staring at you when your puppy wants a treat. However rewarding your dog for every correct command followed is a sure way to make your puppy training harder. There was a study a while ago where researchers trained monkeys in two groups to follow commands. The first group received a treat as a reward every time they followed a command and the second group was rewarded randomly with treats for following a command. The researchers found that the first group became dependent upon the reward and only would follow a command if a treat was offered for doing so. The second group however would follow the command every time because they didn’t know whether they would get a treat or not. How does this relate to training your puppy you ask? The same thing can be found with your pooch. Instead of giving a treat for every correct command followed, only reward them with food some times. Of course this doesn’t mean that you can’t always praise them with a pat for following your command.

3. Don’t Ignore Bad Behaviors

You may have found information informing you to ignore bad behavior and reward good behavior when you learn how to train a puppy. This is poor advice as your puppy needs to know right from wrong. Should you never correct them, the bad behavior will become an acceptable behavior to them. By all means this does not mean to hit or use any harsh punishment on your dog for a bad behavior. Simply telling your dog "no" and showing them the correct behavior is a simple way to remove bad behaviors. Things such as chewing your favorite shoes or barking unnecessarily can become a large problem should you leave it go without correction.

Shelley Davies and Jason Turnbull, passionate dog lovers and creators of http://www.suitable-puppies.com/how-to-train-a-puppy.html, are striving to educate people on the keys to owning a puppy. Knowing how to train a puppy, how to take care of your dog and how to have fun is essential for your new best friend.

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Dog Cough: Understanding the Causes

By Catrina Dogurton
As you would expect from humans, dogs tend to cough for many different reasons. In fact, the underlying causes of dog cough are too diverse to describe comprehensively but some of the more common factors known to cause dog cough include internal parasites, heartworm, distemper, fungal infections, allergies, tuberculosis, and even second hand cigarette or cigar smoke. In addition to the causes for cough, there are also several types of dog coughs. A dog’s cough may be phlemgy or dry, may sound like gagging, or may be more like wheezing. Moreover, depending on the cause of the cough you can expect a dog cough to vary in frequency from chronic to intermittent. Typically speaking, a dog’s cough will get progressively worse if left untreated as the cough itself causes dryness in the respiratory tract and therefore more coughing.

Kennel Cough
Inflammation of the trachea and bronchus leads to a high, dry cough in dogs most often known as kennel cough. Dogs suffering from kennel cough will usually have few other symptoms in addition to the cough and the illness will usually pass within a couple of weeks. Fortunately, the major problem with kennel cough is the annoyance it causes to other family members who have to listen to a dry and persistent cough. Usually, veterinarians will take a very conservative approach to treating kennel cough as it is not life threatening. Nonetheless, your veterinarian will probably recommend that you isolate sick pets from healthy ones in order to prevent the spread of the infection. It is also important to maintain a comfortable temperature for a dog with kennel cough and to ensure that your dog is able to get plenty of rest. In very severe cases you may want to try administering children’s cough syrup to alleviate your dog’s cough.

In puppies and certain toy breeds, kennel cough can cause more serious problems and even lead to pneumonia. For this reason, it is always advisable to have your dog tended to by a veterinarian if it is suffering from a cough. There are vaccines for certain strains of kennel cough that should be considered especially if your dog will be in frequent contact with other dogs.

Distemper
While most dogs are vaccinated against distemper when they are puppies this disease can still pose a significant risk for dogs that are not vaccinated or for puppies that are too young to have been vaccinated. Ideally, you should limit your puppy’s contact with strange dogs for at least the first 14-16 weeks of life to ensure that your puppy is properly vaccinated.

For dog’s that have developed distemper there are several key indicators. First of all, for most healthy dogs that are properly cared for the symptoms of distemper can be quite mild. On the contrary, unhealthy or immune-compromised dogs will likely show more severe symptoms. On the extreme, distemper can be fatal and secondary infections are not uncommon. Usually, distemper is associated with a distinct and dry cough at the beginning of the disease. Your dog will also usually suffer from a fever and will probably have a yellow discharge from the nose and tear ducts. If you notice these symptoms it is important for you to take your dog to the veterinarian immediately.

Because distemper can be treated by vaccination it is not a major concern of most dog owners. Only puppy owners really need to be concerned about protecting their dogs from distemper. Also, if your dog has not been vaccinated it is important to do so as soon as possible.

Parasites
Many internal parasites, like heartworms and roundworms, can cause a dog cough. Roundworms, for example, take up residence in your dog’s intestinal tract. From here, eggs develop and hatch and the worms can infiltrate other internal organs like the lungs thereby causing coughing. Puppies of infected mothers can be born with roundworms and is therefore a common concern for puppies with a cough.

In the case of heartworm, a dog cough signifies a much more serious problem. Dogs get infected with heartworms through mosquito bites and eventually these heartworms travel through the blood to infest the lungs. This process usually takes about 6 months and one of the first symptoms of adult heartworms in the lungs is a dog cough. Unfortunately, the coughing symptoms of heartworm can be particularly debilitating for dogs as they become completely incapable of engaging in light exercise without coughing. Medical treatment is always indicated for heartworms.

Conclusions
The diverse array of causes for dog coughs can make it difficult to decide whether the cough is a serious problem or not. Tuberculosis is a particularly deadly infection that causes coughing in dogs and that can be passed between dogs and humans. As such, it is always important to address your dog’s cough by a visit to the veterinarian.

Catrina Dogurton is online leading specialist in cat and dog health supplies. Find more information and pet health products to prevent and treat pet diseases such as Dog Cough, Dog Kidney Disease, Dog Pinkeye, and other.

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The Japanese Akita Dog

By Ken Charles
Origin and History of the Akita Dog.

The Japanese Akita is not a suitable dog as a normal family pet. It was originally bred in the Akita Prefecture in Japan, as a hunting dog, for deer, wild boar and even bears. For this purpose, it required to be a large, strong dog with confident, dominant tendencies and an independent nature. The Akita is also known as Akita Inu, which is Japanese for dog.

The average height for the Akita is between 24 to 28 inches and will weigh from eighty to one hundred and ten pounds. He has strong, heavy bones and a muscular body. This is a lot of dog!

The Akita has a double coat, which is harsh and waterproof, with a thick, dense undercoat. It sheds profusely, all year round and requires brushing and grooming every day. Colors include white, white with tan patches and other combinations, including brindle. The dense coat of this breed means that he is happy in the snow but he will suffer in a hot climate.

This is not a dog for inexperienced owners, or for people who are elderly or weak. Akitas are intelligent and athletic and when socialized are faithful and affectionate but will always strive for the dominant position in the family group. He may show aggression towards family members and may not suit a family with small children. With this breed, it is vital that you are the Alpha Dog and that he knows his place in your "pack"!

The Akita may show aggression towards other dogs and small animals and should not be allowed to roam off-leash in public areas where there are many people and other dogs.

Training Akitas

The Akita can be difficult to train because they are intelligent and stubborn and can quickly become bored. it should never be a question of "asking" an Akita to do something. It must always be a strong command from a dominant owner. When you say "NO", mean it and make it stick. You may have problems with house training, as Akitas suffer from urinary infections in infancy.

There is plenty of information available online, much of it Free, on the subject of Dog Aggression. Any dog which shows undue aggression, to people or animals, is in urgent need of proper expert training.

If you take an Akita into your family, you must be prepared to spend time and effort on training, socializing, excercise and grooming. This large dog also costs a lot to feed.

Akitas in the Family

There are conflicting opinions about the suitability of Akitas with young children. Historically, the breed had a strong reputation for being protective of young children and were often left in sole charge. Other opinions point out the dominant nature of the breed and the fact that these dogs will compete for their place in the pack. Certainly, a young child will be no match physically for an adult Akita.

Proper supervision of the behavior of the dog and the children is essential in this situation. Having said this, a well socialized Akita will be more comfortable with this.

Akitas make extremely good guard dogs. They have a strong territorial instinct and will be very protective of family and property. As a watch dog, they are quietly effective. They do not bark unnecessarily but will certainly raise the alarm at the approach of any strange visitors or sounds.

The average lifespan of the Akita is about 12 years. Like many other breeds of dog, cancer is the most common cause of death. Recent surveys in both the United Kingdom and the USA/Canada revealed this to be the case, with other causes including cardiac and bloat/torsion.

There is a load of Free information and useful links on Japanese Akitas at http://allabout-dogs.co.uk/akita which also covers all aspects of dog ownership, including Dog Training, Dog Breeds, Dog Food and Dog Health. For the best advice on training the Akita, visit http://allabout-dogs.co.uk/Dog_Trainers

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