How to End Puppy Play Biting

What's cuter than a puppy? Very few things, that's for sure! Raising a puppy, just like raising a toddler, is equal parts rewarding and exhausting. Play biting or mouthiness is a common problem among puppy owners that can get out of hand as the dog gets older, but can easily be addressed with a few consistent responses. Since biting is an inevitable truth with any dog, this is an important lesson for every dog and their families.

What play biting isn't

Play biting is most commonly mistaken for teething. The difference between the two is play biting is something that happens during social play and comes in short bursts of biting. You'll know your puppy is teething when they are quietly sitting there chewing or gnawing, usually on something they shouldn't!

Bite Inhibition

Biting is a form of dog-dog communication that's learned when the puppy plays with its littermates. When the action gets a little too heated and someone gets hurt they'll yelp out in pain and stop playing with the meanie who bit too hard.

Puppies use this social withdrawal to teach other puppies how hard they can bite without causing pain or damage. This is called bite inhibition and it's why it is so important that puppies are not separated from their litter before they're 7-8 weeks old. Since bite inhibition is learned through rough play, it's vital that anyone watching the puppies play not interfere with playtime.

How to Stop Play Biting

Of course, preventative measures are always something to highlight right off the bat. If you are going to buy a dog from a breeder always be sure that the breeder provides a good standard of care for their animals and never take a puppy home that is younger than 7-8 weeks.

This kind of preventative measure isn't always possible when adopting a puppy from a shelter. Because of health concerns for dogs spending any amount of time in shelters, most prefer to adopt out animals as soon as possible to reduce their likelihood of infection. This goes for puppies too despite how young they are when they leave the litter.

Once you have your puppy home, set them up to succeed! These three things can make or break the rest of your puppy's play biting training.

Playtime should be a social event full of social learning and appropriate oral stimulation. A great way to stimulate your puppy's need to bite during play is to play tug of war and fetch (even if the actual fetching of the object is lost on them!).

Provide teething toys that are safe for puppy to chew on. Doing this won't directly help with play biting, but it will limit their need for oral stimulation.

Never allow mouthy behavior. Allowing it even one time every few sessions is enough to encourage the behavior. Don't allow your puppy to bite or nibble anything inappropriate, especially anything on a human (hands, feet, shoes, clothes). This is probably the MOST important rule your puppy will have growing up since most people misinterpret mouthy adults as biters. Take this step seriously now so you don't have any biting accidents later.

Odds and Ends

Always stop playing with the puppy as soon as they bite. It's important to be very quick with your response. 

Never allow them to bite.

Be sure that all interactions between children and the puppy are supervised. Kids aren't quick or assertive enough to keep up the strict no mouthing policy. 

Supervise playtime.

Always play with appropriate toys. Toys should always be something your dog can have in his or her mouth and chew on without getting in trouble. This is obviously not the case for your arms, hands and feet. I know I already mentioned this, but it's the most common reason for out of control mouthiness.

Don't allow your puppy to get your attention with play biting. Say "No" or "Off" (you could also yipe like a littermate) to interrupt the bite and turn away or leave the room. You need your pup to understand that biting gets him nowhere.

Leave the room long enough for your puppy to be confused by your absence. You are utilizing social withdrawal (just like their littermates), so be sure to withdraw long enough for it work. Around 2-3 minutes should be sufficient, but take the temperature of your puppy to be sure it's not too long or too short.

Don't pick the puppy up to remove them from the room since it can be misinterpreted as play and won't discourage the biting.

Never physically punish your puppy. Punishments can cause anxiety and turn what was play biting into fearful or even aggressive biting. It can also cause your puppy to get even more riled up and bite more.

If biting doesn't stop after 1-2 weeks of consistent training try a head halter to help redirect your puppy from biting - and any other bad behavior - and reward them for whatever you directed them to.

*Rest assured that your puppy isn't play biting so they can dominate or control you. It's a normal part of canine communication that needs to be learned. It's a lot like volume control in kids, they need to learn from others when they are being too loud. They aren't yelling at you to intimidate you.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-End-Puppy-Play-Biting&id=9525240

How to Take Care of a Puppy: Bringing a Puppy Home

For those thinking of getting a puppy, this video will give you some useful guidance.

9 Tips For Choosing A Dog Seat Cover For Your Car or Truck

Bonve Pet Dog Seat Cover

Choosing The Best Protection For You, Your Dog and Your Car

Pet lovers like to take their dogs with them everywhere. Their claws can scratch expensive car seats. Dogs also track in dirt and dog hair. Sometimes they have accidents which spreads pee and saliva to the seats. This can spread germs and odors.

A dog seat cover can prevent all these problems while keeping your dog safe and comfortable. Here are some of the things to consider when choosing protection for your car or trucks seats.

1. Covers the entire seat

The seats in most compacts and mid-sized cars are less than 54" across. Look for a seat cover that is 54" wide. The unit should cover it from edge to edge

YoGi Prime

2. Waterproof

Dogs sometimes have accidents. They pee or drool or even knock over their water dishes if you are watering them in the car. Keeping the liquid from leaking through can save your seats and prevent the spread of germs and odors. Liquids that do get through often drip between the seats making it especially hard to clean up. Sometimes the liquids can even soak into cloth seats. Edge-to-edge waterproofing is a must have in our opinion.

3. Non-slip backing

PETerials Car Dog Seat Cover

If you have ever gone to a fun house that has the moving floor, you have some idea of what it's like for your dog if the seat cover slips and slides. That's why having a non-slip backing is essential for a safe comfortable ride for your pet. Non slip backs can be a full rubber mat or silicone dots on the back of the piece. The silicone dots don't work very well but they are better than nothing. A full edge-to-edge rubber back is preferred.

4. Adjustable seat belt straps

Seat covers are attached to the rear seat head rests. Some use elastic straps. These usually lose their elasticity after a while and break. If they stretch, your seat protector won't fully cover your seat and you lose protection. A preferred choice is an adjustable nylon strap. This will resist breaking and can be pulled tight to make the seat cover look like a custom fit. Higher priced models include quick-release connections so you don't have to readjust your straps every time you put the seat cover in the car. Leather reinforced straps are available on more expensive units and are a good idea if you have a larger dog.

5. Hammock Option

ZQ Waterproof

Many top of the line covers offer a hammock option. Instead of just covering the rear seats, it allows you to attach it to the front seat head rests creating a hammock or sling. The purpose of this it to keep your dog from falling on the floor in the event of a quick stop. Instead of falling on the floor, the hammock will suspend the dog above the floor keeping him or her safe from injury.

6. Seat Anchors

Seat anchors are straps with a plastic tube that fits between the seats. It holds the seat cover in place so you can get a nice tight look but also prevents the dog from falling on the floor when the hammock option is used. Without seat anchors, your dog will fall forward in the event of a quick stop and the hammock will collapse under his weight providing no protection at all. He'll still fall on the floor.

7. Seat Belt Access

K9KONNECTION Pet Seat Cover

Access to the seat belt allows human passengers to share the back seat and still use the seat belts for safety. Many people use seat belt extenders to secure the dog in the back seat and keep him from wandering up to the front seat or jumping out of the windows. Remember to use seat belt extenders only with dog harnesses. Hooking your dog's collar to the seat belts could break his neck in the event of a hard or fast stop or accident. His body weight will propel him forward but the collar is attached to the seat. Not good for your dog.

8. Side Flaps

Seat covers generally protect the top and back of the seat but often leave the sides of the seat exposed. As your pet jumps in the car, his claws may scratch the sides of the seats. Side flaps cover the sides of the seat to prevent this. Not all seat covers have this feature. Look for it on your next purchase

9. Removable washable mat

PETerials Car Dog Seat Cover

One of the newest innovations in pet seat covers is the removable washable mat. Why is this important? If your pet has an accident, the waterproof seat cover should keep the liquid from getting to the seats but it often pools on the water proof section. It can still spill on the seats. If your seat cover is a heavy duty canvas cloth, it will absorb at least some of the urine, saliva or water but then it smells. Canvas based seat covers should never be placed in a washing machine. The agitators and/or aluminum drum can destroy the waterproofing or non-slip back. Unless you can sanitize it, your pet will smell the odors and think this is a potty area.

Making the seat cover in two parts, a canvas based seat cover and a washable removable mat solves the problem. A heavy canvas based seat cover will last for years and years with proper care. The mat not only absorbs the liquids; it also is a dog hair magnet. Simply throw it in the washing machine whenever it gets dirty to sanitize it. It can be replaced as necessary and even changed for use in other vehicles to match their interior colors.

All seat covers are not the same. There are budget models which will do an adequate job of keeping your seats scratch-free but don't do much for the safety or comfort of your pet. They are generally considered throw-away items that only last a few trips. The more expensive models will last longer and protect your seats and your dog. If you only plan to take the dog on one trip like a vacation, an inexpensive seat cover is probably fine for you. For the true dog lover who takes his pet everywhere, a full featured seat cover will last longer and not have to be replaced as often and can lead to many satisfying adventures for you and your dog.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?9-Tips-For-Choosing-A-Dog-Seat-Cover-For-Your-Car-or-Truck&id=9521045

Understanding Heartworm Disease in Dogs: Decoding the Facts

The mere site of parasites can create apprehensions in the minds of dog owners. These pesky beings are so nasty and gross that you always think about the health of your pooch whenever dealing with this situation. If by chance, your doggy is affected by heartworm infection, it can lead to disastrous effect on the health of the pet which can be very fatal for his health. Before taking any step further, glance at some of these facts about this disease, so that you have a better idea of what exactly you are dealing with:

It Is Very Important To Prevent Heartworm Disease In All Dogs

Lot of prominence has been given to preventing heartworm disease and it is absolutely right. The reason for that is very simple. With a monthly dosage of heartworm preventative treatments the larval stages of heartworms get killed after the mosquito bites. This assists in halting the infection and the mosquito is not able to transmit the larva that bites your tyke and pass it on to other dogs. This treatment results in not only assisting your doggy but also reducing the spread of the disease, thus forestalling the exposure of the disease to nearby dogs.

Prevention Of Heartworm Disease Is Easier & Cost-effective In Comparison To Treatment

This should not be surprising as treatment of heartworm disease not only expensive, but also uncomfortable and lengthy. The preventative treatment in comparison contains a monthly chewable dose and it is very easy to give to the pooch. The only difficult task is to remember the monthly task of giving the dose and taking the initial appointment of the veterinarian to get the prescription.

Human Beings Cannot Acquire The Disease From Dogs Directly

Heartworm disease is spread through mosquito bites and so even if you have two dogs and one of them is suffering from heartworm disease, the second dog will not acquire it from the first. This is absolutely true even if both dogs are bitten by the same mosquito bite in short succession, since the heartworm larvae requires an incubation period within the mosquito before it can be transmitted to another dog. There are rare possibilities of human beings to acquire heartworms.

Heartworms Are More Prevalent In Hot & Humid States

Since heartworm disease is acquired through mosquito bites, the disease is most likely to spread in hot, humid states, which is very conducive for the mosquitoes. That being said, heartworms are more prevalent in dry states. Hence, it is very important to give heartworm preventative treatment to the dogs irrespective of the place you reside. This is especially true, in case you go on a road trip and wind up in a state where mosquitoes are more likely to prosper.

Female Heartworms Grow Quite Long

Female heartworms grow quite long - up to one foot in length. Now just imagine the female heartworm snaking at the heart and lungs of the pooch. You can sense what impact it can have on your furry pal's health. But the male heartworms are smaller in size, about four to six inches in length.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Understanding-Heartworm-Disease-in-Dogs:-Decoding-the-Facts&id=9519491

6 Amazing Ways to Get Rid of Fleas and Ticks on Dogs

Fleas and ticks are the nemesis of domesticated dogs all across the world. They not only irritate the canines, but also cause peculiar diseases that can harm your tyke. Even if your furry pal spends most of the time indoors, still there is a potential risk from pathogens that fleas and ticks can carry. Hence, it is important to take these pointers into consideration to get rid of fleas and ticks on dogs:

1. It is very important to groom the pooch and keep him clean and healthy. Remember, canines pick up dirt, debris along with fleas and ticks. When you groom him, there is a window of opportunity to carefully scrutinize for the signs of fleas, ticks or other infestations along with some skin ailments. Utilize a pin brush if you have a long-haired breed and bristle brush for other dog coats. It is important to brush short-haired breeds on a weekly basis, while long-haired breeds like sheepdogs need to be brushed on a daily basis.

2. You can check for ticks on the dog's coat by feeling the bumps. If you find a bump, scrutinize the space for ticks. Even look under the legs, between toes and in the ears of the dog. If you see a tick, put on a pair of gloves and get rid of it. It is recommended to remove the tick using tweezers or a tick remover.

3. While utilizing tweezers, ensure that you hold the tick up, away from the dog swiftly to get rid of the entire tick. It has been observed that sometimes while removing the tick, the head of the pesky parasite can remain attached to the skin of the canine that can lead to infection. Hence, while using a tick remover, follow the manufacturer's instruction completely so that you get rid of the whole tick. After taking it out, place it in a small container filled with isopropyl alcohol to preserve the specimen for identification if the tyke develops a tick-borne disease.

4. A flea comb is a tool that can be used to search for fleas on dogs. Run the comb through the fur of the pooch, commencing from the head, working back toward the tail. After a few strokes with the comb, inspect the comb's teeth for fleas. Then dip the comb in soapy water to kill the fleas and then clean it with a rag or cloth. Once you have completed the process to wait for a few minutes and then repeat it. Get rid of the soapy water in the drain and vacuum the area where you combed the doggy.

5. Once the brushing and combing is completed, bath your furry pal. Fill the bottom of the tub with a couple of inches of warm water and then softly lift and place your pooch in the tub. Grasp the pet gently but firmly in the tub thereby praising him. Use a handheld shower nozzle or poured water from a cup to wet the pet, commencing from head and moving towards the tail. Ensure that the water does not enter the canine's eyes or ears. Then apply the dog shampoo on the fur of the pet till the coat is lathered. Rinse the shampoo in the same way as you wet the dog but ensure that the water and shampoo does not enter the eyes or ears. If it is a hot climate, you can even bath your doggy outside, utilizing a garden hose.

6. If you find fleas using a flea comb, utilize a flea and tick shampoo to wash your furry pal. But follow the manufacturer's instruction. Dry the dog's coat using a towel. After the bath, once again brush the coat to keep the fur of the pet from getting matted and to keep his coat shiny.

I am a proud owner of two doggies, and so naturally I have read a lot about the different problems that canines face during their lives. 

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?6-Amazing-Ways-to-Get-Rid-of-Fleas-and-Ticks-on-Dogs&id=9520796

How To Start Training Your Puppy!

Many people who bring home a young dog between 8-12 weeks find training to be an overwhelming experience. Even if you have had a dog in the past, it's easy to forget the small details that are essential for puppies and can truly make a big difference.

Why Is Puppy Obedience Training So Important?

The bond between pet and owner can be a rewarding, life-affirming, and deeply enjoyable relationship. Unfortunately, it can also be a nightmare when a dog does not respect its owner and does not behave. There are a number of reasons why puppy obedience training is so important. Here are some of the most important benefits to keep in mind when deciding whether to sign your pooch up for some lessons in good behavior.

It's Good for the Dog

You might think that your dog would be happier just left to his own devices, but in fact, an obedient pet will have a much more enjoyable life. A dog that is well behaved and relaxed, even with other dogs or in big crowds of people, is more likely to be allowed to accompany the owner in these situations. This means that the dog can spend more time socializing, bonding, and running around in the world at its master's side. More importantly, a pet that has been through puppy obedience school is safer than one who can't be trusted to obey commands. Imagine that your dog slips its leash at a crowded intersection. A dog who has learned to obey its master's commands will heel and stay safe, while a dog who has not might run into traffic, risking injury or death.

It's Good for the Owner

Puppy obedience training is good for the owner for many of the same reasons it's good for the dog. An obedient pup will be a much more enjoyable companion. Even a mildly ill-behaved dog can be quite the headache for the owner. If it barks all hours of the night and keeps its owner up; if it chews on furniture and stains rugs or exhibits any other bad behavior, then the owner may be motivated to turn the dog over to a shelter.

Statistics show dogs that receive proper instruction as puppies are far less likely to be sent to a shelter or put down. In the worst case, a violent or aggressive dog could hurt someone, and the owner could be found legally liable for the injury. In fact, the majority of states now ascribe strict liability to owners, even if they had no reason to believe the dog posed a danger.

It's Good for Other Dogs

This doesn't just apply to the dogs your dog interacts with, though they certainly would prefer not getting bit or harassed as much as the next critter. A bad apple can ruin the whole bunch, and the more frequently misbehaving dogs cause problems in public, the more likely it will be that tighter restrictions are placed on all dogs. Don't let your dog be the source of anti-canine feelings in your community!

Puppy obedience training benefits the dog, the master, and society as a whole by fostering and preserving the harmonious relationship between the two species. Do everyone a favor and get your dog trained!

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Is-Puppy-Obedience-Training-So-Important?&id=9520169