Transport Dog Crates and Air Travel

by: GeraldineDimarco
It is not ideal to travel by air with your dog, but sometimes there is no other option. You'll need to consider transport dog crates, and the key is to make the trip as stress free for your dog as you can.

You've probably heard about dogs becoming injured, lost or even of dogs dying when traveling by airplane. The majority of dog air trips are free from complications of any kind, but you do not want to take any risks when transporting your dog by airplane. Preparation is therefore very important.

Before buying your airline tickets or selecting your transport dog crate, you should call the airline and find out their current rules and regulations in relation to pet travel. The general rules relating to pet travel, governed by federal regulations, state that your dog should be no less than 8 weeks old and have been weaned for no less than 5 days before the date of travel.

Small dogs (under 15 pounds) may be able to fit inside small transport dog crates or small pet carriers that will fit under your seat, if you are travelling with your dog. But large dogs must travel in the cargo section of the plane, which has no heat and no air-conditioning. This can be very uncomfortable and scary for your dog.

Some steps you can take to provide your dog with a stress-free airplane trip:

- stop-overs and transfers extend the journey for your dog, so opt for a direct flight wherever you can.

- find out about any delays in your flight schedule before you leave for the airport. You can confirm your flight the day before but it's also a good idea to call the airport just before you are due to leave as well, to double check whether the flight is scheduled to take off on time.

- take your dog for a walk shortly before you leave for the airport.

- check with your vet as to feeding recommendations for your dog. Most vets will recommend that your dog travel on an empty stomach. For long flights, your dog will need to be fed, and your vet will advise you what is appropriate, taking into account your dog's age, size and regular diet.

- ensure that plenty of water will be available to your dog during the flight to prevent dehydration.

- it's good practise to plan to arrive early at the airport. This is especially important when you're traveling with a pet, as there are more things that can hold you up.

- if you are leaving from a destination that's close to the airport, make sure your dog is given an opportunity to toilet just before you leave. If you are a distance from the airport, wait until you arrive at the airport before toileting your dog. Either way, it's important that your dog has a toilet opportunity to avoid accidents in the transport dog crate during the trip.

- get ready for your flight before you leave for the airport. Take magazines or reading material and activities for your kids with you so you don't need to spend time shopping at the airport. It's important that you spend all the time you can prior to boarding the plane with your dog. If possible, put your dog into the transport dog crate yourself (as opposed to airport staff doing this) and if it's allowed, take your dog to the gate yourself as well.

- tell your flight attendant as soon as you board the plane that you have a dog in the cargo area.

- make your way to the baggage area as soon as possible after landing, to meet your dog.

About the Author
If you need transport dog crates, you can obtain further info in relation to dog transport and stylish pet carriers at HealthierDogs.com

Can Aggressive Dogs be Re-Trained?

by: AmyNutt
Having an aggressive dog is not only a problem to the dog owner, but also to other people. You will never know when your dog may attack or injure someone. In fact, dog aggression can result in injuries and even deaths of innocent people, and there are many laws and by-laws that are imposed to punish dog owners whose dogs are guilty of physical assault.

Find the cause of aggression before re-training

If you have an aggressive dog, you should know that it is possible to curb its aggression with the right training. With proper dog training, aggressive dogs will learn not to be hostile towards strangers, or your friends and relatives. However, if you really wish to understand the basics of re-training aggressive dogs, you have to know why dogs become aggressive.

There are numerous reasons why a dog can become aggressive. The main reason may be that it is territorial and feels that its territory is being invaded. Sometimes, it feels threatened with certain changes in the environment, and it will become defensive and react with aggression. This type of aggression usually comes about because of lack of security and confidence, and simple dog obedience training is not sufficient to curb the aggressive behavior of the dog.

Such aggression requires special dog training. The usual symptoms of dog aggression are barking and lunging at people. These symptoms have to be controlled before they become a serious problem that causes bodily harm on other people.

Ask your dog vet to suggest an aggressive dog trainer

Since a dog vet often meets with trainers and dog owners, he or she is the best person to approach when you are looking for the perfect aggressive dog trainer. A qualified trainer will have the necessary experience to control the aggressive behavior of any dog. However, remember that aggressive dog training costs more than normal dog training, and it is usually done with a special skill set. So, set aside sufficient money to pay for this kind of training.

Though you have to pay quite a large sum of money for aggressive dog training, you can be assured that you will get the results that you desire. It is not advisable that you enroll your aggressive dog for normal dog training classes because the trainers will not take any risk to train it with other dogs in the school.

Some training schools may harm your dog

Instead, your dog has to be sent to a special dog obedience training school where qualified trainers have the necessary skills and knowledge to handle aggressive dogs. You can use the yellow pages to find the best training school for your dog. One thing you have to consider when choosing the right trainer for your dog is the training method employed by the training school. You should avoid training schools that use obsolete training methods that can cause harm to your dog.

It is always better to choose a more experienced dog training school. This is because such a school will have the necessary experience and knowledge to train aggressive dogs effectively. As such, it will produce better results with the re-training of dogs.

With the right aggressive dog training techniques, it is possible to train your dog to control its aggression. Once your dog stops its aggressive behavior, you will find that it is indeed a loving companion, and you can spend valuable time with it. Without the aggressive behavior, you need not worry about the safety of your family or that the dog will bite other dogs or people.

Use websites for dog training tips

If there are no aggressive dog training schools or trainers in your vicinity, you can also search the internet to learn some tips on how to curb your dog's aggression. There are some sites on the internet that provide these tips. However, whether or not such tips are effective depends on how you understand and implement them on your dog.

About the Author
For professional dog obedience training and dog training techniques, let our expert dog trainers help you train your dog or puppy.

Six Common Mistakes Made by Novice Dog Trainers

by: JohnMailer

When new trainers start training, they tend to make a lot of mistakes in their approach and methods in their training process. There are some mistakes that are common among most trainers.

Expecting too much- True dog lovers usually expect too much and often make this mistake. This happens only when they watch the well trained dog or neighbor's dog doing some tricks like that of any sitcom characters. This also happens when they go to the park and see all the dog owners enjoying the company of their dogs that are obedient and well trained. At that moment, they tend to forget all the time and money that has been spent to train these dogs.

Giving Up- This is also a common mistake done by novice dog trainers. Just because the dog cannot learn to play Frisbee in an hour or so, the owners conclude that the dog would just not learn at all.

Positive reinforcement- Many frustrated trainers go home with deprived results because they forget to reward their dogs for doing well. Rewards must be consistent, just like the training. The dog which always receive only correction and never gets rewarded will get frustrated.

Not Following thoroughly- Dogs love to learn and will learn through repetition and consistent lessons. However, these lessons must be followed correctly. If you happen to train him only for few hours on Monday and totally forget to train him for the rest of the days then it is very obvious that he would not remember anything at all.

Techniques- While it important to glean wisdom from other trainers experiences, using everything you hear can be detrimental. Each trainer has different ideas of how things should be done and trying to incorporate all of them will frustrate you and your pet. Rather, choose a method that works for you and be consistent and you will see much better results.

The major mistake the trainer makes is by thinking that the training is over. Training is a learning process and it doesn't have an end. Your dog may learn some commands and know it well. So why do you stop there? Your dog loves to learn and you are a good trainer. Train your dog something new and enjoy your day forever.

With the knowledge of these mistakes that are often committed by trainers, you can recognize some of the common feelings that you might have encountered while training your dog. So it is better to stem in the initial stages itself before they become a problem.

About the Author
John Mailer offers excellent tips and advice on dog and puppy training including how to look after their health and other dog problems. Want to learn Online Dog Training Lessons for FREE? Visit the website http://BasicsDogTraining.com and find out the ways.