Solve Those Dog Walking Problems

Walking your dog can be a problem for some dog owners. Sometimes because their dogs don't walk well on a leash. Other dogs are a problem because they show aggression and it is really embarrassing to take your dog in public. However for some people finding the time to walk their dogs is tough while there are also those dog owners who physically have a problem taking a walk, they just can't do it. Let me take just a few minutes to offer some dog walking advice for each of these four problem areas.

My Dog Doesn't Walk On A Leash Well - This probably means that you dog is pulling you down the street. It isn't fun and can sometimes even hurt shoulders and elbows. Teaching your dog to walk on a leash nicely is really easy so find a trainer that can help you get it fixed. While you are at it be sure and teach your dog the sit, down and stay exercises your dog will thank you in many ways as the years go on.

My Dog Is Aggressive And I am Embarrassed To Take Him For A Walk - I know exactly what you mean and I have seen 1000's of people with the same problem over the years. The neighbors all run inside when they see you coming. Here is the answer, it's really easier than you might think.

I have found that 99% of all aggressive pet dogs are also untrained dogs. Yes, it's true. Training can usually solve the biggest part of the problem by simply teaching the dog that it is not the alpha in your pack. Now this does not mean that you dog will be people and dog friendly however it does mean that you will probably be able to go for a walk without people scattering along your path. Find a good behavior specialist because it will take more than just a dog trainer to fix the problem. It will require some work but I think you will agree that it is worth it.

I Just Can't Find Time To Walk My Dog or I Physically Can't Walk My Dog - These are very common comments however there is still hope. If you don't have time for a 30 - 45 minute walk every day or you just are unable to walk, then it's easy hire a dog walker. Do walkers are everywhere, heck you may even have a neighbor who would like to take over that chore for a small fee. If not check with you vet for a referral and if that doesn't work simply do a Google search. Dog walkers are out there and waiting for your call.

I hope these ideas will help you solve your dog walking problems. Your dog's deserve it.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Solve-Those-Dog-Walking-Problems&id=9013004

Dealing With A Hyperactive Dog

Generally, when we are talking about a hyperactive dog we are talking about a puppy or an adolescent dog that hasn't yet achieved maturity. Just like human children dogs can be very hyperactive when they haven't been stimulated with lots of exercise. Let's talk about some of the ways that you can cut down on the hyperactivity of your young dog.

If your dog is at least four months old you can start obedience training. Training is not only physical but it also works the mind and can cause you dog to be tired. I have always said that "A Trained Dog Is A Happy Dog And An Exhausted Dog Is Happier" so lets talk about some methods that will help keep you dog busy and less likely to be hyperactive.

Going for long walks is probably the easiest way to exercise a dog. If you are not able to go for long walk consider hiring a dog walker or maybe even a young person in your neighborhood that can do the walking for you.

Swimming is another excellent form of exercise so if you have a pool or a lake close by some frequent swimming sessions will be fun and provide the needed exercise.

If you have a breed that enjoys retrieve games it can be an easy way to get your dog the exercise it needs with out you having to walk for miles. The same is true if you have a dog that enjoys catching a Frisbee. Either one can provide a tremendous amount of needed exercise without too much work on your part.

I have a bunch of clients that really enjoy taking their dogs to a doggy daycare. Make sure the one that you go to pre-screens all the dogs to make sure they are not dog aggressive. Doggy day care can provide hours of non-stop exercise for your dog and you will reap the benefits of that exercise for the next few days. Everybody says that usually 2 or 3 visits a week is adequate to calm a hyperactive dog.

Here is one last idea that you may find more affordable. Put together a group of 3 or 4 of your friends that have dog friendly dogs and do a doggy get together 2 or 3 times a week in different people's backyard. You get the benefit of doggy day care without the cost and you get to enjoy the companionship from some other dog lovers.

I hope these ideas will give you some inspiration to get that dog out and exercise it. I know you will both reap the benefits that come from the effort.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Dealing-With-A-Hyperactive-Dog&id=8538398

5 Ways to Eliminate Boredom From the Lives of Your Doggie

In this crazy world that we live in, it becomes very difficult to take our pooches everywhere we go; as not all places are dog friendly. Hence; this gives our tykes little scope to enjoy their day to the fullest. So, how will you come to know whether your dog is feeling bored? There are different cues that dogs give like:

· Chomping the garden instruments, sprinkler and lawn furniture

· Whining in your absence

· Gnawed furniture, tattered clothing or trash can contents spread in the entire house

· Shaking, trembling or extreme drooling behavior

· Urinating, vomiting, or leaving feces in the house

If your dog is giving these cues he is definitely feeling jaded. So what is the best thing that you can do to eliminate this dullness from his life? Quite simple... Give him some tools to kill the time in a productive manner.

Ways To Eliminate Boredom From The Lives Of Your Doggie:

Plenty of exercise

Remember a tired dog is a quiet dog; and so give your doggie plenty of exercise. Utilize the space of your yard or a portion of your house to exercise your pet.

Play games with the pooch

There are plenty of games that you can play with your pooch. One amazing game is hide and seek; wherein you hide the dog's favorite treat in the room or the yard, and then ask the pooch to find it. The key here is to show the location where you are hiding the treat a couple of times so that your tyke understands and sees that you are hiding their favorite treat. Always hide treats in places where it is easy to find for the dog. This will not only keep him active, but also entertained.

Get dog toys

A favorite way to get undivided attention from your doggie is to get dog toys which will keep him mentally stimulated for long periods of time. You can even stuff in your dog's favorite treats in it. Buy the best toys from the top-grade stores and keep your furry friend occupied.

Hire a dog walker

A dog walker will ensure that your doggie will have a routine to follow. It will be a perfect way to set up an exercise regimen for him. You can even ask the dog trainer to spend time in the backyard to play with the tyke, and spend quality time with him.

Get another furry pal

This is totally dependent on your financial situation; and the way you think about it. Initially, ask your friend to drop by with their tyke and see how your doggie reacts in front of the other dog. If the response is positive; then think about getting another furry pal.

It may take some doing, but ultimately when your dog gets enough activity and is tired he will eventually be nice and calm thereby forgetting about the boring old days in the past!!

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?5-Ways-to-Eliminate-Boredom-From-the-Lives-of-Your-Doggie&id=9470318

Six Tips For Better Walks With Your Dog

Between working as a dog walker for years, owning two dog walking companies and teaching countless dog owners how to leash train their pups, I've learned a thing or two about how to solve leash-related problems and improve the walk experience. If your walk could use a little work, read on because this one's for you!

1. Treat walks as a training session, not a free for all. Your dog is always learning - learning how to do things you like, or learning to do things you don't like. But either way, learning is taking place. If you are not intentional about your walks and let your dog do whatever she wants, she is probably picking up some bad behaviors. Pulling, chasing, barking, stopping/starting frequently, zigzagging, jumping at other dogs or people, lack of focus - all of these behaviors can result from being lackadaisical in your approach to walks. A better approach is to make your walks a structured experience with clear instructions and rules. This means that you make decisions about what you want the walk to look like. For example, you want your dog to walk loosely on the leash, stop and look at you at streets and sit before going to sniff something interesting. When you know what the rules are, you know exactly what you need to teach your dog or instruct your dog to do. And when you know what instruction to give and how to give it clearly, now your dog can start to understand the rules as well. Over time, you stop having to give instruction because the behaviors have become habitual, and your neighbors will start asking you "What happened to that crazy dog you used to have?".

2. Play Red Light/Green Light. This is really more of a rule than a game, but games are fun and rules aren't, so let's call it a game. Every time the dog pulls and the leash gets tight - stop abruptly. That's your red light. Now do absolutely nothing and wait for your dog to slacken the leash on her own. This means no giving verbal cues, manipulating the leash or prompting in any way. Wait it out. The dog will eventually either shift her body back, turn to look at you, circle behind you or sit down, and the leash will slacken. The moment the leash is loose, mark the behavior verbally ("yes") or with a clicker and begin moving forward again. This is the green light. The consequence for pulling is we stop and remove the reinforcer (moving forward). The reward for putting slack on the leash is we resume moving forward. This technique works wonders on even the worst pullers, but it does require a bit of patience.

3. Use life rewards. Life rewards are simply things that your dog enjoys and finds rewarding that are part of daily life. The life rewards that you may encounter on walks are things like greeting dogs and people, sniffing interesting smells, playing with or carrying sticks or having the freedom to choose which direction to go in and what area to explore. One of my favorite life rewards combines sniffing and exploring. When I notice that the dog I'm walking is drawn to a particular area, I will stop, have her sit and give me eye contact and then say "free" and point to the area. At first, the dog usually needs a little coaxing since they know I make decisions about where to go on the leash, but once they get the hang of it, they learn that 'free' means "OK, take a moment to sniff around and explore freely." I make sure to follow the dog closely wherever she wants to go so that we keep the leash loose. After 30 seconds or so, I'll give a command that indicates to the dog that free time is over and I expect them to follow me again. Usually that will be a heel command. The beautiful thing about this is that we teach the dog that they can have their cake and eat it too. They can have what they want, they just have to ask nicely for it and earn access to it. In this case, the dog did it by sitting and giving me attention. Life rewards are everywhere. Use them.

4. Reward natural behaviors. Dogs are always doing awesome things that usually get completely ignored. When I'm training with puppies, I'll make a huge deal about it every single time the dog looks up at me while we are working on lead. Attentiveness on the leash is a wonderful behavior to reinforce, and when you do, you'll get a lot more if it. If you notice that at times, your dog walks easily at the heel, make sure to let her know that you like what she is doing. You can praise, treat, and/or use life rewards.

5. Be decisive. This is a big one for many dog owners and it raises the question, who's walking who? So often, it is the dog making all the decisions on the walk while the human trails along. This is no good. At best, it's simply giving your dog the wrong idea about who is in charge and can lead a dog to ignore attempts at leadership in other situations. At worst, it could mean a dog being hit by a car or a fight that ends in a vet or hospital visit. So let's make the decision to make more decisions! You will make the decisions about which way to go, where to stop, how long you wait, when the dog can greet, how the dog can greet, when the dog crosses streets and goes through doors, how fast or slow you move, and what behavior is acceptable on the leash. This is a far safer approach to walks and it is also an approach that teaches your dog that you are the decision maker. Our dogs need that from us - particularly the working breeds. Teach them to defer to you and to follow you, and life with your dog will be far easier and more enjoyable.

6. Use the right tools. The kind of leash/harness/collar combo you use is dependent on your particular dog's needs. Pretty much any dog can walk nicely on a standard flat collar if taught how to do it using techniques such as the red light/green light game. Front-attaching harnesses and head halters can be helpful for pullers. And back attaching harness are good for small dogs with a delicate trachea, or for doing behavior modification work such as BAT. But no dog, I repeat - NO DOG - should be on a retractable leash. Please, if you have one, throw it in the can right now. I have seen retractable leashes snap in two more times than I care to recall. They are a major safety hazard. In regards to teaching your dog to walk nicely, they will do the exact opposite by encouraging pulling, lack of focus and disengagement with the handler. When it comes to retractable leashes, just say no.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Six-Tips-For-Better-Walks-With-Your-Dog&id=9469892

5 Effective Dieting Tips For Overweight Dogs

Experts say that overweight canines have a higher risk of health problems such as arthritis, different forms of cancer, diabetes, kidney problems, heart disease and high blood pressure. As a dog parent, it is your responsibility to monitor what your furry friend eats and take care of their overall physical well-being. If your dog is overweight, there are plenty of tricks you can try to get him off too much food but still keep him happy.

Here are a few tips you could follow:

Measure your dog's food

Did you know that in small dogs, even 10 extra kibbles of dog food each day can amount to about 1 pound of weight gain each year? That's where the beauty of using a measuring cup comes in when it comes to giving food to your pooch. Consult your vet regarding how much calories per day your pet needs to stay healthy and stick to that number - no more, no less.

Walk and exercise

A healthy, fit body can be achieved with a combination of nutritious food and the right amount of exercise per day. The same goes with our pets - if all they do is eat and they don't sweat it out, there's nothing to gain but weight. Make it a habit to walk your dog daily, even just for 20 to 30 minutes. This does not only keep him fit but daily exercise has plenty of health benefits such as boosting immune function, improving heart health and reducing behavioral problems. Hire a dog walker if you can't commit to a daily walk with your dog.

Feed your pet healthy food

Most store-bought pet treats and snacks are usually packed with addictive sugar that only add to your pet's waistline. If you have time, make your own treats made out of fruits and vegetables to ensure that he eats healthy. Apples, banana, broccoli, carrots and other fresh produce can go a long way for your dog's health and weight.

Learn to read food labels

Canines are naturally carnivorous - they just love their meat and they can't live on fruits and vegetables alone. When buying dog food from the store, read food labels and opt for the low or no grain variety with a good source of protein. Be sure to consult with your vet first before making any dietary changes.

Consider supplements

Supplements are a great way to make your dog healthier and at the same time encourage weight loss. An omega 3 fatty acid supplement is ideal for most canines as its powerful oils help and treat many common dog health problems. Ask your vet which supplements are safe to take.

Follow these simple tips and your pooch will be on his way to slimmer, healthier body!