Hundreds if not thousands of stray dogs are found each year around the world with no one in sight and nowhere to go. These dogs are often in great danger whether it’s because of neglect on the owners’ behalf, or because of unforeseen circumstances causing the dog to become lost and scared.
What can be done in these situations can be a tricky choice, and a choice that will need to be done quickly. Simply driving past a suspected stray dog on the side of the road could end in the death of the dog minutes later.
What to do when you find a stray dog is different in almost every case, but there are guidelines to follow to help save the life of a scared stray, and put the mind of the loving owner at ease.
To begin you should always be aware that the dog in question may be very aggressive due to being scared, lost, and possibly very hungry, so approach with care. If you feel the dog is not a violent one then you should still be very careful not to startle or scare the dog in any way, a scared dog could easily run onto a busy road or dangerous area.
A good way to reassure the dog you are not there to harm them and to get them close is to use a strong smelling food such as tuna or other dog favourites as well as speaking gently and calmly to the dog.
When you finally get the dog under control and have no fears of aggressive behavior, reassuring the dog by stroking and talking to them will make it easier for others to deal with them. If you have leash or any other form of dog control with you then try and secure the dog with them, still being careful not to scare the dog.
When you have successfully captured the dog or if you have had other problems making it difficult to capture then you should phone for help from the local animal care or control authority to ensue the correct procedures are met and the safety of the animal will be secure.
For more information visit our dog training website at this link... Dog Training
Monday, April 6, 2009
Why You Should Never Hit Your Dog- Even When Training
Dear Adam:
I will try and make this short and include only the details I think will help. I HAVE read the entire book on line. I will pick up all of the tapes along with the book when I come to USA in May.
I live in a third world country. Most of the dogs here are wild, mixed breed or mistreated.
I will try and make this short and include only the details I think will help. I HAVE read the entire book on line. I will pick up all of the tapes along with the book when I come to USA in May.
I live in a third world country. Most of the dogs here are wild, mixed breed or mistreated.
We went to another part of the country to obtain a pure bred dog. He is bred to guard sheep... an older breed and very large. Our dog is 9 weeks old and most of the time is good... just regular puppy stuff.
My problem is that I cannot obtain a pinch collar or anything else for giving corrections until I come to USA in May. Sometimes our dog is very aggressive if wanting to do opposite of what we want. Seems he is challenging more often and with greater aggressiveness...snapping and biting. These dogs here are very UN-domesticated! Any suggestions on how to give a correction with hitting? I growl, spit in food. Don't have kennel or crate yet. Need to find materials and build one...difficult here. Help.
He is smart and I don't want to give up yet, but I feel like I am doing everything wrong without proper correction tools. Thanks in advance.
- Paula
Dear Paula:
Never hit your dog.
I have no idea why you cannot order dog training supplies from somewhere in Europe or have them shipped from America?
But regardless, hitting your dog is never appropriate.
In the meantime, you could go to a hardware store and make yourself a make-shift slip collar from either chain or rope. And improvise either a cord or rope as a leash. However, Id probably be remiss in stating that this should have been something you thought about BEFORE buying a dog.
Regardless, it is possible to train a dog without the proper tools. But its a lot harder especially for a beginner.
In the meantime, if he nips at you, you should say, No! and then grab the scruff of his neck and give a firm, quick pull and release. You may also try grabbing his ear and giving it a quick tug/pull.
Neither of these techniques are optimal. But given the circumstance, its the best I can recommend.
Also, please be aware that you should only be correcting biting and for housebreaking. Don't start formal obedience until the dog is 4 to 4 1/2 months old.
Good luck,
Adam.
To read more of my dog training ramblings, read about my book (click below): http://tinyurl.com/4efaq
Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!
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