Give Your Dog A Job

Is your Border Collie being mischievous? Is your German Shepherd digging under the fence? Is your Labrador Retriever driving you crazy by bringing you the ball? These are all examples of a bored working dog that needs something to do. 

Quite often a new dog owner will buy a dog that's meant for working but their lifestyle is of the type that will not give the dog the exercise and work that it needs. 

So here are some things that you can do to give your working dog a job. 

1. Go for a daily walk - if 30 minutes doesn't seem to be enough shoot for an hour you'll be amazed at what it does for your dog and for your waistline as well. Even better yet if you are a jogger take your dog with you. Depending on its physical condition you may need to condition it for longer runs but it will be good for both of you. 

2. If you have a dog that enjoys Frisbee teach your dog to catch a Frisbee and spend some time every day playing with your dog. In fact if you both get into the Frisbee game there are actually clubs that you can join in most major cities that include training and competition. 

3. Obedience training is another way to give your dog a job. Yes obedience train your dog 2 - 3 times a day for a simple short no more than 15 minutes at a time session. You will be amazed at how a 15 minute obedience session can take some of the energy out of your dog.  

Brain and Exercise Game for Dogs

4. If you would like your dog to use it's brain there are now several different toys that will challenge your dogs mind while it tries to figure out how to get a treat. Take a look at your local pet store or simple Google "mind games for dogs". 

5. If your dog enjoys swimming you can always take him down to the river or your own pool if you happen to have one. Swimming is an excellent way to exercise humans and it works for dogs as well. 

The key to all of this is to get your dog up and busy. If your dog has a job or is exercised well you will have less problems with it at home. 

Remember what I have been saying forever, "a trained dog is a happy dog and an exhausted dog is even happier". So get out there and do something fun with your dog.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Give-Your-Dog-A-Job&id=8489472

Use A Dog To Teach Your Child Responsibility

Has your child been begging for a puppy? Well before you say yes or no there are a few things you need to think about. Having a pet is a really good way to teach your child responsibility, however, is your child ready for responsibility?

Let's discuss the things you need to think about to help you make the decision.

Have you and your child thought about all the things that are required for raising a puppy or taking care of an adult dog? Let's go over a few those things right now.

Potty Training

If you're getting a puppy it will require being taken out several times a day probably even in the middle of the night while it is being potty trained. Who will be doing that, you or your child? If you don't have a fenced yard somebody will have to take the dog for his potty walks again the decision is who will be doing it.

Here's a big question that comes up quite often. If you do have a fenced in yard and are able to just let the dog go out into the back to do his business who will be cleaning up the poop? It needs to be done on a regular basis to keep your yard sanitary and to keep everybody from stepping in it.

Feeding

For a puppy feeding time comes three times a day and if this is going to be your child's dog certainly your child should be doing the feeding. Even though feeding a puppy is not a hard chore your child needs to realize that he or she will need to be home in order to take care of this responsibility. An older dog only needs to eat once or twice a day so it's much easier.

Exercise

Playing and exercising your dog is a large responsibility and something that your child should be doing with the dog. Dogs need to be walked on a daily basis or taken out in the backyard and allowed to retrieve a ball but no matter how you do it you need to spend a generous amount of time with your dog.

Training

Training your dog to be an obedient and faithful member of the family requires some work but it's definitely something that is a necessity. If you get a large breed dog they grow very rapidly so training should begin early when the dog is 16 weeks of age. Smaller dogs can wait to be trained a little bit later around six months of age. However it doesn't matter whether your dog is big or small training is something that is a must. There is nothing worse than a poorly behaved dog.

As you can see there are several different things to consider when getting a dog for your child. However allowing your child to have a dog is an excellent way to teach responsibility as you can see from the list there are many things that he or she will be responsible for. So now the decision is yours, however if you decide to allow them to have a dog make sure that they stick to their responsibilities.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Use-A-Dog-To-Teach-Your-Child-Responsibility&id=8419667

Three Ways To Have Fun With Your Dog

Having a pet dog can be hard work but rewarding with a lot of fun as well. Playing with your dog not only helps to build a bond but also creates trust, builds communication, and help to keep the dog strong and healthy. While it is a ton of fun, the dog will get to enjoy the games. You will and should remain in control of the kind of games that you play. Here are some great ways to play and have fun with your dog.

1. Tug of War

The idea of playing tug of war with the dog is a scary thing for some people. However, this can be a fun experience for both you and your dog. The dog gets to have fun and still learn how to listen to commands. The game is a sensible way of bonding with your dog. You will need a sturdy rope or small toy for the game. The game will be more fun if your dog loves playing tug, but you can still create an interest in the game by just wiggling the toy or rope in front of the dog and trying to pull it from his bite. Tug of war is not for children. This is a game for adults only.

2. Hide and Seek

It might be a childhood game, but you can relive those days of playing hide and seek with your dog. First, teach him how to stay in a room and leave only when called. If he does not know how to stay, have someone hold him as you do hide. If he knows how to stay, you can leave him in a room, and you go hide in another room and call him to find you. Make sure you keep switching your location until the dog finds you and reward him with treats and praises for his efforts. It is a fun game that helps sharpen his brain and senses.

3. Backpacking

Dogs love the outdoors and are their happiest when occasionally taken out of the house. Take your dog out for a stroll in the woods. However, you should plan early for your backpacking trip. Check whether pets are allowed in the places you plan to visit. Hitting the open trails will be great fun for the dog and a good time to play fetch as he runs about. Remember to carry enough water and treats for both of you.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Three-Ways-To-Have-Fun-With-Your-Dog&id=9098968