Monday, August 20th, 2007
by Sandy Oberreuter
Dogs are children’s best friends. Every child wants a dog to play with and love.
Usually after seven years of age, children are ready to have a dog.
“A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down.” – Robert Bechley
The question though is what breed of dog is best for your children?
There are many breeds of dogs that are good with children. Some have a great rapport with children like the Golden Retriever. Some love to play with kids like the Labrador Retriever. Beagles are patient and love to play with children.
Most small breed dogs are not good with children especially small children. One exception is the Bichon Frise who is great with well-behaved kids.
Some dogs are too big to be around small children but with older children they can be wonderful companions.
Besides choosing what dog would be great for your child there are other considerations to take into account. For instance, what kind of time do you have to take care of a puppy or dog if your child is to small to help? What is your lifestyle? Where should you purchase a dog? What are the health concerns of different breeds? These are just a few considerations you should look at.
Therefore, research different dog breeds before you decide on what dog to get your children. Learn the different characteristics of different breeds. Your child and his “dog” will become great companions and have lots of fun if you do your homework first and get the right dog for him or her.
“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself” – Josh Billings
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Sandy Oberreuter has a web site on small dog breeds but also on the most popular dogs that include dogs good with children and seniors, finding the best vets and breeders and much more. Visit http://www.small-dogbreeds/ebook-dogs.html.
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Thursday, August 9th, 2007
by Hagar Lagarto
Most training revolves around giving the dog consequences for his behaviour, in the hope of influencing the behaviour the dog will exhibit in the future. Operant conditioning defines four types of consequences:
Positive reinforcement adds something to the situation to increase the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, giving a dog a treat when he sits.)
Negative reinforcement removes something from the situation to increase the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, releasing the tension on an uncomfortable training collar when the dog stops pulling on the leash).
Positive punishment adds something to the situation to decrease the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, growling at a misbehaving dog).
Negative punishment removes something from the situation to decrease the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, walking away from a dog who jumps up).
Most modern trainers say that they use “positive training methods”, which is a different meaning of the word “positive” from that in operant conditioning. “Positive training methods” generally means preferring the use of reward-based training to increase good behavior over that of physical punishment to decrease bad behavior. However, a good trainer understands all four methods, whether or not she can put operant-conditioning terminology to them, and applies them as appropriate for the dog, the breed, the handler, and the situation.
Rewards
Positive reinforcers can be anything that the dog finds rewarding – special food treats, the chance to play with a tug toy, social interaction with other dogs, or the owners attention. The more rewarding a dog finds a particular reinforcer, the more work he will be prepared to do in order to obtain the reinforcer.
Some trainers go through a process of teaching a puppy to strongly desire a particular toy, in order to make the toy a more powerful positive reinforcer for good behaviour. This process is called “building prey drive”, and is commonly used in the training of Narcotics Detection and Police Service dogs. The goal is to produce a dog who will work independently for long periods of time.
Some trainers believe that the toy acts as a positive reinforcer for the desired behavior, when in all likelihood the prey drive works on an entirely different level from standard training and conditioning techniques. This is seen most clearly in the fact that, according to the laws of operant conditioning, positive reinforcers lose their effectiveness if they’re given every single time a dog does what is desired of him; the more predictable the reinforcer, the less reliable the behavior. Yet detection dogs only work well when they are always rewarded with a toy, every single time they find drugs or explosives, etc. The reason for this disparity is that when a dog is trained through the prey drive, the training activates an instinctive, automatic sequence that has to be completed in order for the dog to feel satisfied. That sequence is: search, eye-stalk, chase, grab-bite, and kill bite. So when a dog searches and finds drugs or explosives, he feels he hasn’t finished his job unless he can bite something. This is the primary reason he’s always given the toy. It’s not really a positive reinforcer. If it were it would reduce the reliability of the behavior overall. It’s a means of completing the predatory sequence for the dog.
Punishments
“Positive punishment” is probably the consequence that is least used by modern dog trainers, as it must be used very carefully. A dog is generally only given this type of punishment if it is willfully disobeying the owner. Punishing a dog who does not understand what is being asked of him is not only unfair to the dog, but can make the dog a fearful or unwilling worker.
Punishments are administered only as appropriate for the dog’s personality, age, and experience. A sharp No works for many dogs, but some dogs even show signs of fear or anxiety with harsh verbal corrections. On the other hand, certain dogs with ‘harder’ temperaments may ignore a verbal reprimand, and may work best if the reprimand is coupled with a physical punishment such as a quick tug on a training collar. Trainers generally advise keeping hand contact with the dog to positive interactions; if hands are used to threaten or hurt, some dogs may begin to behave defensively when stroked or handled.
Avoiding punishment
Keeping a puppy on a leash in challenging situations or in his crate or pen when not closely supervised prevents the puppy from getting into situations that might otherwise invite an owner’s harsh reaction (such as chewing up a favorite pair of shoes).
Next: Dog Training Part V – The Command Voice
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Hagar Lagarto is a long time pet lover with many articles and websites on the subject.You can get much more info at http://pet.freehostia.com .
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Wednesday, August 8th, 2007
by Lee Dobbins
Every dog owner wants a well trained, obedient dog. You can enjoy your pet so much more if they are well behaved, and the dog is happier because you are happy with them. The ultimate goal is to have your dog obey your commands while off the lead. This level of compliance, however, takes much training and time. Here are a few great dog training tips to help you along the way.
1. One of the most important tips for training your dog is to start training early. Don’t wait for bad behavior to start. The sooner you teach your dog what is acceptable and unacceptable, the happier you will both be. Even a puppy can learn basic commands and household manners. Check out local puppy or dog obedience training classes and get enrolled right away.
2. Only reward desired or ‘good’ behavior. Never give treats or attention for bad behavior. Your dog wants your approval and attention. If you only give it to them when they are being good, they will learn to behave appropriately in order to get your approval.
3. Dogs have a lot of energy. Find an outlet for this natural energy. Many dogs enjoy activities like agility and fly ball. If that doesn’t appeal to you, try regular walks or runs, playing fetch, or take a trip to a doggy park where your dog can run and interact with other dogs. If you give your dog a way to burn off their energy, training will be much easier.
4. Find a regular time that works for you and your dog. Regular training sessions are another one of the key dog training tips that will insure your success as they will have more of an impact than sporadic ones. Make sure that you are both in a good mood, and that your dog has been well exercised before the training session.
5. New puppies need to be handled a lot to ensure that they will tolerate it and become a good pet. A crucial dog training tip is to make the handling of your puppy a frequent and pleasant experience for both of you.
6. Don’t ever hit your dog or yell at them. You want your dog to associate pleasant things with you. A dog naturally wants to please you, so if your dog is engaging in undesirable behavior, simply ignore them or remove them to a confined space where they are alone. Dogs are naturally social animals and not being with you is a very hard thing for them, therefore it is a very effective punishment.
7. After your dog has completed a command, make sure you praise them very quickly. You want your positive attention to be associated with the desired behavior.
8. Use a release word to end a command. For example, when a dog has been in a down, stay position and you are finished with the command, say a word like “free” or “release” to tell the dog that it is okay for them to get up. Try not to use common words like “Okay” since this can be confusing to the dog.
These are just a few dog training tips that you can use to successfully teach your dog obedience. Find the things that work best for you and your individual pet. Above all, the most important dog training tip is to have fun and enjoy your dog!
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Get the latest on dog training by visiting http://www.complete-dog-training.com – a website that offers information and articles on training your dog including tips on clicker training, crate training and dog behavior training .
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Wednesday, August 8th, 2007
by Terence Young
Virtually any dog can learn to behave in an obedient and well mannered fashion. There are several keys to simplifying the process of training your dog to obey you. Keeping these keys in mind when working with your dog will improve your results. Read on for ways to make dog obedience easier.
One important factor in training a dog is to be consistent. It doesn’t take a lot of time, but the training sessions need to be done every day if possible. If you spend five minutes twice every day taking your dog through commands such as sit, stay, heel, and come, it will yield better results than an hour of training twice a week. Dogs have short attention spans, and need attention frequently as well.
Another key factor is to know your dog well enough to know how to reward or penalize it. Rewards are absolutely essential to training. Verbal praise can be one of the most effective. Pet that dog and tell it how wonderful it is when it does what it is supposed to. A food treat, such as a tasty kibble of dog food, is a classic reward, too. Make sure your dog hasn’t just eaten a full meal or it will lose its effectiveness.
Punishment doesn’t work as well, but there is a time when penalizing will work. This means providing a negative outcome when the dog is not doing what it should. Ignoring a dog when it is misbehaving can be a form or penalizing it, as can giving the leash a jerk. Beating or kicking a dog, or locking it up in a boring building for hours, are forms of punishment instead of penalty, and should be avoided.
You want the relationship between you and your dog to be based on trust and good feelings, not on fear and negative feelings. The best way to do this is to use positive reinforcement when it behaves, and by knowing what it likes. It is worth it to take the time needed to know what your dog really likes and then use it as a reinforcer for good behavior and obedience.
One thing to remember when obedience training a puppy is that they need some time to mature. Starting early is great. We’ve all heard that old dogs don’t learn new tricks very well. But the truth is you will be wasting your time if the puppy is too small. Be really patient in the early weeks. Use the early weeks for getting acquainted and for house-breaking. Leash training can come later.
House breaking is best done using the crate method. Have a dog carrier or small pen that will be the dog’s own special area. If you contain the pup in this crate whenever you are gone, and overnight, the dog will not soil it, but will wait till you return to use the potty. Of course if you will be gone for a very long amount of time, or if you failed to take him out to potty before penning him up, he might have to go so bad that he will soil his crate. Generally speaking, though, a dog has a natural instinct not to soil his kennel.
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For more dog obedience and training tips and ideas visit: http://www.obediencedoggytraining.com
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Tuesday, August 7th, 2007
by David Beart
You’ve already made two big decisions: 1) To add a dog to your family and 2) The breed of dog. The next important step is selecting a breeder. With thousands of breeders to choose from, it’s hard to know where to start, but by taking the time to do research and to find a quality breeder, you help ensure that your new family member will be a healthy and happy addition to your home.
Before visiting breeders, a stop to a local SPCA or other humane organization might surprise you. Thousands of purebred animals are surrendered to shelters each year, and all are in need of a loving home. If you prefer to go through a breeder, then be sure to choose wisely.
A good first stop is the American Kennel Club’s website. There is information about every breed of dog that is recognized by the group, as well as information on reputable breeders and breed specific rescue groups. This is a good jumping off point for your puppy search, but is by no means the only way to find a good breeder.
High quality breeders may choose to advertise in any number of mediums. They may take an ad in the local paper, hang fliers or work solely by word of mouth. Unfortunately, not-so-savory dog breeders also use these methods of advertising. So how can you be sure you are getting your pet from a good breeder?
There are several qualities that EVERY reputable breeder will have in common. Here are some things to look for when searching for a breeder.
Veterinary and Other References A quality breeder is going to have an established relationship with a local veterinarian. Talk to that vet, and make sure that all dogs owned by the breeder are up to date on shots.
Also, call past customers who are willing to vouch for the business practices of the breeder. If any references, such as from a state or national breed club, are offered, follow up with those as well.
Treatment and Condition of the Dogs A high quality breeder will not have her dogs living in dirty, cramped, outdoor kennels. Rather, her dogs will live inside with the family. When you spend time with the dogs, they will appear happy and healthy. They will not be terrified of outsiders, and they will allow you to pet them.
The areas where the dogs spend most of their time should be clean, and fresh water and a high quality food should be available.
Under no circumstances should you buy a dog from a breeder that you have not visited personally. No reputable breeder is going to have a problem showing you where the dogs live, what type of food they eat and how they interact with outsiders. In fact, many breeders will require multiple visits before agreeing to sell you a dog. If a breeder will not allow this then move on to another breeder.
Written Contracts and Health Guarantee A breeder should offer both a contract and a health guarantee. The contract should protect the best interests of the puppy as well as the buyer. It should require that the dog be spayed or neutered (unless it is to be a show dog), and should state that if the buyer cannot keep the dog for any reason that it must be returned to the breeder.
All quality breeders will offer both of these documents.
Puppies for Sale (but not every breed and not all the time)
A breeder should not have puppies available at all times. Rather, they should be making a list of interested buyers, doing some screening of their own and then calling the buyers they are interested in when puppies become available.
Also, breeders should not offer several breeds of dogs. Instead, they should focus on one or two breeds. They should be very well versed about breed standards and belong to breed clubs on a local, state or national level.
The breeder should be able to answer all of your questions about the breed, and should offer information on the potential future health problems the dog may have.
A good breeder is going to be as careful about selecting a buyer as you should be about selecting a breeder. Below are some items that the breeder should require of each buyer. If they don’t, it should raise a red flag.
* They should ask for a letter from your landlord or housing authority stating that you are allowed to have dogs. * The breeder may want to visit your home to see where the puppy will be spending most of his time. * They should require that every family member (including other pets) spend time with the new puppy before agreeing to sell to you. * If you have other pets, they should require a reference from your current vet.
Adding a new furry friend to your family is a big step, and requires a commitment of up to 20 years. By using a high quality breeder, you help ensure that the pet will be your loving companion for many wonderful years.
About the author:
David Beart is the owner of www.professorshouse.com. Our site covers <a
href=”http://www.professorshouse.com/pets/dogs/breeder/dog-breeders.aspx”>puppies for sale</a>, household finances, family.
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