Cures for Barking Dogs

by
Kelly Jezek

It is one thing to have a Joan Miro’s painting, “Dog Barking at the Moon,” hanging in your living room. It is another thing to have an actual dog who won’t stop barking at the moon in your backyard or neighborhood! There is nothing quite as annoying as a dog that won’t stop barking. A neighbor of mine had a dog who would bark uncontrollably every time the doorbell rang or a car drove by the house. Any time I would take a walk around the neighborhood and that dog would see me, he would bark non stop. My neighbor could do nothing to stop him until I was out of sight. I decided that if I got a puppy, I would do my best to train him to have a little self control in the barking department.

If you own a barking dog, you need to realize that it is going to take time to break this habit. If the dog is a barking puppy, it will still take time, patience, and consistency to train the dog to stop barking on command. When learning about how to stop a dog from barking, understand that it is a normal and natural thing for a dog to bark. They bark when they are bored, frustrated, frightened, or excited. When training your dog, don’t send him mixed signals. When a dog barks to go outside and you get up and open the door, you are reinforcing his behavior. The same is true when you get up to let him inside when he barks again.

While there are specific training techniques, it is also important to make sure that your dog is getting enough exercise and playtime. If you work all day and your dog is in a crate, he needs to get out and release some of his energy. Play with him. Walk him around the neighborhood. Throw a tennis ball to him. If he is able to exercise, chances are he will be tired at night and not as likely to bark.

If your dog starts barking, say “Stop barking” and show him a yummy treat. Most dogs will stop barking when they see food. As soon as he stops, give him the treat and praise him for not barking. If he barks again, even a little bit, you should scold him. If he stops, give him another treat and praise him. If he starts barking again, use a really loud voice and say, “Listen! Stop Barking!” Dogs respond to their owner’s tone of voice, and this is a time when you want to be stern. As you progress in this exercise, wait a few more seconds to give your dog the treat when you say, “Stop Barking!” This can take weeks of repetition, especially if your dog is already a barker. You really have to be committed and have lots of treats on hand at all times in order to reinforce your dog’s improving behavior. Dogs do respond well to praise and treats, so hang in there.

The problem might be that you don’t own a dog, but your neighbor has a dog that barks all day and all night. You obviously cannot train your neighbor’s dog, but some bark control products can be purchased. These devices attach to your fence or your home and send an ultrasonic sound that only dogs can hear; apparently, they really help to lessen the amount of barking. Hopefully this will be an easy way to stop the neighbor’s dog barking so that you can get some sleep and not resent your otherwise friendly neighbor.

Kelly Jezek is a successful Webmaster and publisher of dogtrainingessentials.com. She provides more helpful tips on getting a dog to stop barking at her site. Visit http://dogtrainingessentials.com today!

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Barking Problems

by
Grant Carroll

It is no secret that dogs like to bark, but sometimes it becomes so much that it can hurt relationships with neighbors. This can lead to serious issues such as fines or even lawsuits. Knowing the cause of the excessive barking can go along way to helping solve the problem. Some common causes include:

1)Separation Anxiety

2)Territorial Issues

3)Lack of Activity

Separation anxiety is a major cause of distress for dogs and can lead to such unwanted behaviors such as excessive barking or possibly even aggression. What happens is that the dog comes to depend on it’s master’s presence to be comforted. In the “wolf pack” mentality, the dog is part of a pack consisting of the owner and family. When the dog is left alone, this is like being abandoned by the pack. The dog must learn that his owners will return.

Territorial issues often cause excessive barking. Dogs think that the back alley or side road are all part of their territory and that anyone passing by is intruding and trying to hurt their pack. So, they bark like crazy. This type of barking can cause the most strain between neighbors and so should be corrected as soon as possible.

Lack of activity will frustrate any dog. Dogs are meant to run and play in the open, and often people forget this. Let your dog run and play.

Grant Carroll proud father of three dogs and co-owner of http://www.littlepamperedpets.com with Dog Clothes and Small Dog Sweaters

Visit Elizabeth Austin for Wholesale Dog Clothes and Wholesale Pet Supplies

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The Problem of Processed Food

by
Grant Carroll

When you’re walking down the supermarket aisle looking for a good dog or cat food, you have no choice but to rely on what advertisement looks best or what food is cheapest. Unfortunately, neither of these tactics will get your pet the proper nutrition because pets digestive systems were never meant to eat processed foods in the first place.

In fact, if owners knew exactly what went into making dog and cat chow, they’d never let their pets touch the stuff again. For example, the fat in food is often left over cooking grease that’s been sitting in 50 gallon drums in the sun. Vets say the processed food can lead to serious health problems, such as skin and digestive conditions.

Processed food has other issues with its quality as well. The ideal food for any dog or cat is raw meat. This is what their ancestors and wild cousins eat, and it’s what their intestinal tract is made to eat. Pet food companies have to cook their meat before turning it into chow. They must also add preservatives to prolong the shelf life of the product. Imagine how healthy you would be if all you ever ate was processed, preserved food in pellet form.

Grant Carroll proud father of four dogs and co-owner of http://www.littlepamperedpets.com with Dog Clothes and Small Dog Sweaters

Visit Elizabeth Austin Wholesale for Wholesale Dog Clothes and Wholesale Pet Supplies

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TV Dog Trainers Exposed!

by
Aidan Bindoff

Who could fail to be impressed by the extraordinary results of TV celebrity dog trainers? In minutes they can turn anxious, aggressive, "dominant" mutts into angelic pooches who never set a paw wrong... or can they?

The wonderful thing about television is it's value as an entertainment medium. TV producers (with some very limited exceptions) are not there to disseminate important information, they are there to sell advertising time or subscriptions. And nothing sells like a story of transformation that inspires hope, particularly if that story is about a beloved pet. It's something any pet-lover can relate to. Particularly if you are like the majority of pet owners and struggle with training, obedience and doggy manners.

As a dog trainer I am often amazed at the remarkable success stories I see on TV programs about dog training. In minutes, these gifted individuals can turn a problem dog (or dog owner) around. Sure, I've had a few remarkable success stories myself, but I know they are the exception, not the rule. Big changes to serious problems tend to take more time than TV producers allow for.

The truth is that TV producers will only show the best stories, and even then they won't show you the whole story. What gets left on the cutting room floor? Why do we rarely see follow-up? I know a local TV dog trainer has a string of unsuccessful cases that appeared to be successful on television. Those certainly haven't been followed up and aired!

I also know that it's easy to impress a client by asking their dog to do something very specific in a situation which sets that dog up for success. With a little knowledge and experience I don't tend to make the same mistakes my clients will make, yet even my own dogs are far from perfect. The real world sets us up to make a few mistakes along the way. A 5 minute slot on a highly edited TV program is about as far removed from the real world as possible.

So what can we believe about TV celebrity dog trainers? Everything - with a grain of salt. Watching your favourite dog trainer on television may entertain you, but it's value as an education medium is somewhat limited. Sure, remarkable success stories are possible. Experienced and knowledgeable trainers will get faster results than the general public. But the laws of learning do not change, and it pays to read, discuss and practise them. Getting your information from a multitude of sources would be a wise investment, as would seeking help from a competent 'real live' dog trainer if you have a dog behavior problem you need to solve.

Aidan Bindoff is Editor of Positive Petzine, a free resource for people training their own dogs.

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The Dangers of Hyperthermia for Dogs

by
Grant Carroll

Some may think that winter is the only time of year that weather can be dangerous for dogs. However, the fact is that hyperthermia can kill just as easily as hypothermia can. The ancient Egyptians believed that during the hottest days of summer, dogs were possessed by evil spirits that made them foam at the mouth and search madly for water. Today we know that they were just overheating and dehydrated. Dogs don’t sweat like we do; they expel heat through panting. This panting does cause them to lose water, though, which makes summer a deadly time for many dogs.

It’s important to keep your dog cool this summer, so be sure to take the proper precautions. Most importantly, have plenty of clean, cool water where they can easily get it. Keep them indoors during the hottest time of day (11am-4pm) or at least make sure they have plenty of shade. Those most susceptible to hyperthermia are short-nose dogs, puppies and older dogs. Also, be sure to never exercise your dog during the heat of the day.

If your dog has to be outside, try a cooling pack against his/her belly. They’ll appreciate how good it feels and you won’t have to worry about them overheating.

Grant Carroll proud father of four dogs and co-owner of http://www.littlepamperedpets.com with Dog Clothes and Small Dog Sweaters

Visit Elizabeth Austin Wholesale for Wholesale Dog Clothes and Wholesale Pet Supplies

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