Can You Benefit From Training Your Golden Retriever Correctly?

By : John Philips
A training schedule for your Golden Retriever should involve a lot more than just teaching him to sit or stay. All family members should be implicated in the exercise, because, even though training your dog is a prerequisite it should also be pleasurable, fulfilling and satisfying for all concerned. A first priority should be house training your Golden Retriever, if only for your own sanity and hygienics.

A necessary requirement may be several coaching sessions a day, with plenty of patience and persistence, when you first start training your Golden Retriever. Golden Retrievers, being one of the more responsive breeds to training, usually learn at faster rate than most other varieties of dogs. Effective training is as much about attitude as skill, remembering that all dogs respond faster to positive inducements than punishment or trepidation. Training for your Golden Retriever needs to involve more than just refinement and perception.

Obedience training should not be arbitrary and if, done correctly, it will build your relationship and bring about a change in character within any dog. It will end nearly all behavioural problems and is the best way to keep both you and your dog happy. It may get frustrating at times in the early days, for both you and your Golden Retriever, but should always be carried out with a positive attitude and, importantly, reward your dog when he gets something right rather than punishing him for his mistakes.

Defining good conduct can be fun for you and your Golden Retriever and he will have no behaviour problems if he is clear about where he stands and his function within the group . Unsupervised a Golden Retriever puppy, will cultivate his own schedule and behaviour as will most breeds of dog. Reward good behaviour with lavish praise and use verbal reprimands instead of punishment. Bringing about the opposite behaviour than what you are trying to achieve, even compounding existing ones, can be the result of severe punishment tactics, which can actually cause behavioural problems in itself.

Dog training can, in itself, be an overwhelming task so a professional dog trainer may be your preferred option. A reputable dog trainer shouldn't be too difficult to find, but if you have problems the first places to search would be your local kennel or veterinarian's office. Obvious skills to look for in a trainer are knowledge, commitment, patience, and adaptability. Of equal importance is the experience he has gained through the amount of different dogs he has had through his hands. He must be comfortable around dogs and people, discerning and enthusiastic, but most of all is the relationship he builds in a class or one to one environment.

Accept that most dog trainers, especially a problem dog trainer, will spend most of his time training the owner, so be prepared for this. But, as he is experienced in the task, a professional dog trainer will actually show you the proper way of housetraining and handling your dog.

Your enthusiastic approval is the most dependable training instrument you have so be unvaried in your instructions and be aware and it will help your dog understand. Like all dogs, Golden Retrievers, do not distinguish the spoken language unless it's corresponds consistently with something meaningful to them. But they are moved by your emotions, even when they don't understand them, so they must see that it is the bad behaviour that you don't like, not the dog itself.

Years of enjoyment and allegiance will be the result of a fully trained Golden Retriever. And when analysed closely you will detect that you as the teacher will benefit even more from this relationship with your canine pupil.



Author's Resource:

Get further assistance about Golden Retrievers by visiting www.golden-retriever-facts.com an accepted website that provides tips and advice to care for your family pet

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WHAT CERTAIN DOG FOOD INGREDIENTS MEAN?

By: Gladys Avery
Most of us would look at a label on a bag of dog food we purchase and think it was fine for our pets. Recalling what we learn in our science classes some of the nutrients listed down on a dog food label are familiar if not known to us. One deficiency of pet dog owners is to mistake our needs identical to that of our beloved pooch. Some things aren't just obvious to some pet dog owner...simply put our needs are worlds apart. Deciding what to give our pets and the nutrients they may seemingly need (according to ads and marketing hype), is tricky nowadays. Here are some of the familiar nutrients that sneak up on us in the dog food aisle.

PROTEIN
Protein is from the Greek word "prota" meaning "of primary importance". This is a nutrient that is important to the body. Proteins are organic compounds that are made of amino acids. They are needed to build sturdy and healthy skeletal bones, muscular structure and cellular (skin) systems. This protein is defined as essential to the body and is digestible. Although, there is another kind of protein which is NOT digestible and cannot be absorbed in the body. The best kind of protein is animal and vegetable protein which are essential to an animal’s development. To make it easier to understand, here's an example. A leather belt is 100% rich in protein BUT is 100% not digestible, while prime kibble has 30 % protein but is 100% digestible. What is the likely choice?

FAT
Fat is used as a calorie source. If a dog does not have enough fat in their diet the body will manufacture it from the protein intake. Fats are essential for nutrient absorption, glossy coat and supple skin. Most dog food goes through high temperature (extrusion) preparation which destroys whatever nutrients and fats are in the mixture. In baking food, nutrients and fat can be cooked into the mixture at a lower heat, like kibble. This allows a longer shelf-life and aids in the digestibility of raw protein. Usually to cut costs though, Omega 3 fatty acids are used as a substitute. Making baked kibble is preferred although the contents are not enough to get a dog its proper diet.

PRESERVATIVES
Manufacturers are not in the business to be charitable, most of the time the law of supply and demand is followed. Dog food makers stock up their distributors with kibble that will last a long time. For long lasting dog food, preservatives must be used. There are two types of preservatives: made from chemicals or made from vitamins. Chemical preservatives include BHT, BHA and Ethoxyquin, all known carcinogens. Vitamin preservatives are tocopherols (vitamin E) and a form of vitamin C, (ascorbyl palmitate), both are anti-oxidants and improve shelf-life to half a year. Some people think “Great! They are natural preservatives!” Wrong! Natural preservatives are used to extend the life of the food not your dog.

BY-PRODUCTS
These are technically left-over parts of animals that are deemed not suitable for human consumption. Most by-products are the inedible parts of beef, pork and poultry. True, these are high in protein, but again the question of digestibility comes up.

MEAL AND BONE
These are put in to improve the amino acid content in the profile of the feed. Making it a bit more like a window dressing for what its worth.

FILLERS
Corn cobs, corn and ground husks have tyrosine in them. Tyrosine is an amino acid that blocks the making of tryptophan, the precursor of serotonin, a feel good chemical to the brain. Tryptophan can cause headaches and bad behavior in dogs.

ANIMAL PROTEIN
There is no actual indication on what animal protein is included. The logic as to why it is a proponent makes you scratch your head and wonder.
We can only assume that there may be a number of ingredients that are not listed on dog food labels. The ingredients are listed by the higher content percentage in a descending order. If a label lists vegetable based contents before the meat content I would think twice before purchasing it. We are all programmed by advertising hype to be percentage conscious, but keep in mind whether it is digestible and whether the nutrient source is ideal for your dog to get proper nutrients.
Manufacturers spend a lot of money on packaging, presentation, plus % deals and rebates. One thing they have not considered is our ability to choose the right food for our pet.



Author's Resource:

Article brought to you by Pet Super Store - A site featuring dog beds, pet steps and invisible fence systems.

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Caring for an Abused Dog

By : Ashley Peach
Dogs naturally take a lot of care, more in fact than cats. Dogs are man’s best friends. They crave human companionship and can get quite lonely when they spend the day by themselves. Among other problems dogs can have is when they have been abused. Dogs that are abused are going to have physical scars as well as mental scars. Dogs that have been abused will take more care than other dogs. If you find yourself going home from an animal shelter with a dog that has been abused you will need to understand how they have been affected by the trauma.

Any dog is going to need proper nutrition, exercise, and grooming. So really this part of dog care is no different. You may need to ask the shelter if your new dog has specific food they have been given while at the shelter or if they need to have a specific diet. Some abused dogs may have sensitive systems that require them to have special food. It may be a mix of wet food and dry food or you may have to prepare a meal for them like you would your child. It is extremely important to find out what they have been fed and what a veterinarian recommends.

You will also need to find out if they are on any medication as a result of the abuse. Most often when you take a dog home, they will tell you exactly what the dog has been given, what they may need to take, and when you should take them to the veterinarian. The importance of understanding the medication comes in understanding the physical issues the dog may have. For instance they may suffer from broken bones that have heeled in correctly or pain from older injuries where a great deal of exercise can really cause them undue stress. If you have never had to administer medication to a pet before you should have the shelter or veterinarian show you the best way to give them the dose. Some dogs can take their pills when you feed them, while others may have to be force-fed the pill.

Grooming is also an important aspect of any pet care, however your abused dog may need a little more care. Some dogs are abused with water or abused while in the bathroom. This can make giving the dog a bath extremely difficult. They may have been abused with a brush or something like it to make them nervous of certain grooming equipment. The idea behind the care of an abused dog is to understand exactly what abuse they have suffered and by whom in order to understand how basic care should be carried out. The shelter or veterinarian should be able to tell you want they suspect or what they know about the dog’s case.

Additional care may mean that you have to take the dog to work. An abused dog left at home can damage your home because they feel abandoned. Raising your voice or making sudden movements can also have them cowering. Dogs who have been abused by a male or female may be agitated around that type of person. For example a dog abused by a man will be extremely agitated and caution around other men. They may not feel comfortable being petted or played with. Some may require the person to sit down before they feel comfortable coming over to be petted. An abused dog really needs love, affection, and a lot of playtime. Like humans an abused dog needs time to adjust to a new home and the love you will be offering.



Author's Resource:

Ashley Peach - Dog Collars, Dog Bowls and Dog Toys.

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