Stopping Dog Bites

Posted on October 6, 2010 by

Last week, the third week of May, was Dog Bite Prevention Week.  Statistics are gathered during this week each year on dog bite activity. We hope that the numbers will show a significant decline over the prior year. 

Dog bites are mostly preventable, yet the numbers are bad enough that a week has been dedicated to its awareness.  So how bad is it?  There are 4.7 million victims of dog bites each year according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.  They, along with the American Academy of Pediatrics, the U. S. Postal Service and other agencies sponsor Dog Bite Prevention Week through a national educational campaign. 

The majority of dog bite victims are children, with ages 5 through 9 having the highest number.  Next are the elderly and postal service carriers.  National Dog Bite Prevention Week is a chance to remind people of this problem. Last year, Houston led the nation in postal service carriers being attacked by dogs, followed by Santa Ana, CA and then Sacramento. 

As responsible dog owners, there are things we can do to prevent our dogs from being a part of these statistics? Many are just common sense but we never think our dog is going to attack someone, right?! It’s always a good idea when you get a new dog or puppy to send them to dog obedience training. The best time to train a dog not to bite is when its a puppy. There they will learn the commands while working with you as their master or “pack leader” in their eyes.  

Other responsible things you can do are to keep your dog on a leash when outside with you or use dog pens in your backyard.  Spaying or neutering your dog will decrease the liklihood they will bite.  Always be conscious of who is answering your front door when you have a loose dog in the house. Never let a child answer the door as dogs are protective and may see the person at the door as a threat.  Spend time with your dog playing and showing affection.  Dogs that are well socialized don’t tend to bite. 

So what about coming upon a loose dog when you’re out and about? Don’t approach it and don’t run past it.  Running may make the dog start chasing you.  Instead, try to stay motionless until the dog loses interest and leaves. You may want to walk slowly backward until the dog is our of sight before turning your back on it. If a dog threatens you, don’t scream.  Try to remain calm and don’t make eye contact.  If a dog starts to attack you, put something between you and the dog … anything you have or can grab whether it’s a purse, backpack, bicycle, etc.  You can use this to keep the dog off you. 

A dog attack is no laughing matter and can be very scary.  Let’s all do our part to keep the dog biting statistics low. 

Debbie Foster is the owner of http://petbedsunlimited.com where you’ll find a wide selection of quality pet beds, dog crates, dog carriers, dog pens, cat beds, cat carriers, large dog beds and pet strollers.

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Puppy and Dog Training Tips- the best you can ever get

Posted on October 6, 2010 by

You have a new puppy or dog and they are not behaving the well you want them to or understand well? The problem is that you haven’t learnt the proper puppy or dog training tips to apply in training your dog. This are the few tips you can use, words like sit, stand, shake me, roll, speak. Things like this can help your puppy or dog learn fast before you know it. Some of the trickiest one to apply is the potty training. This can be a little bit difficult to apply because its take a while for your puppy or dog to understand this but they will surely master it as long as you apply it. Most people find it difficult teaching their dog housebreaking lessons. This is the most important part of puppy or dog training tips.
What do you understand by the word housebreaking?
This is the act of training your dog to maculate, urinate or carry out any mess outside the house. This should be the most important or first thing to teach your puppy so as make carry out his poops outside instead of doing it in your house, places like the rug, table, chairs or the bed. This will make your house smell and uncomfortable for living. This housebreaking lesson are good because it makes your puppy to understand where and when to carry out his mess when ever its time for him to. So make housebreaking lesson the number one priority.
Biting.
With all the lawsuits that surround pit bulls, am sure you wouldn’t want your dog to start biting people. Always teach him not to bit people by using some keywords in addressing that situation. You can use a simple word like “BAD” to address the issue anytime he bites you, this will make him understand that what he is doing is not good. You have to make this a continual thing until he understands it.
Obedience.
Train your dog to be obedient, this way you will not have problem with him at all. this will also build a good relationship between with you to. Dogs learn well when you are friendly to them. It is very easy to train as dog if you apply the necessary puppy or dog training tips that is required. Do not wait any longer, START NOW

you have now learn the tricks of training your puppies, why not go to puppy training king to learn more

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Get Yourself a Puppy Potty Training Plan

Posted on September 30, 2010 by

Having a new puppy in the house is almost like having a new baby in the house. Training your new puppy where to potty will take time and patience.


Here’s a few suggestions for helping you out with puppy potty training.


Between two to three months old is the best time to begin puppy potty training your new pup because it will have better muscular control by then.


A schedule needs to be developed for when to take your puppy out to the potty area at least an hour each day. This way your puppy will know at what time each day is potty time. Keeping on this routine is quite helpful and your new puppy will understand much faster.


Only saying “No!” firmly to your puppy right when you see it going potty in the wrong area is quite important. There is no need for roughness or the puppy can start to fear you. Just say ‘No!’ and move the puppy to the appropriate area to go potty.


Always make sure to give your puppy treats and praises for doing a good job and going outside or to the appropriate place to go potty. Again, always make sure to praise him or her for doing a good job.


You can also take advantage of training pads to help in the whole puppy potty training process, especially if you live in a small area.


Not having a backyard in addition to having a busy day schedule that doesn’t permit you to take your puppy outside on a regular basis might make you want to consider using puppy crate training when you are out of the house. But if you get a puppy then you should be able to take your puppy outside at least 2-3 times a day.


Almost equally important is purchasing an odor and stain remover for puppies so that your puppy will not “find” that same spot again which tends to happen with regular cleaners. Removing the smell and stained area with these special removers prevents your from finding that area again. So now you should have a firm grasp on the fundamentals of puppy potty training.

Gary Ball is a puppy training enthusiast and enjoys providing dog and puppy training classes on the weekends and in his free time.

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Dog & Puppy Aggression Training Tips

Posted on September 30, 2010 by


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Boxer Dog Training – Why It’s So Important To Train Your Boxer

Posted on September 30, 2010 by

So, you’re interested in boxer dog training. Of course you are. You love your boxer dog and want to help him to be the best he can be. If so, then it is very important that he receives the necessary training he needs. Unlike other dogs, boxers are not a high maintenance breed. Boxers are quite lively and very vigorous dogs. If you want him to behave, you have to make sure he gets enough exercise. As far as training goes, a positive enforcement method such as treat training can work well with your boxer dog.

The Boxer by nature is not an aggressive or vicious breed, but, like all dogs, requires socialization with people and other dogs. Boxers are generally patient with smaller dogs and puppies, but issues with larger adult dogs, especially those of the same sex, may occur. Boxers are usually more comfortable with companionship, in either human or canine form. This breed if dog is extremely loyal. Boxers are genuinely a lovable family dog and make a great pet for anyone.

Boxers are calm dogs that will usually not bark without cause. They are of a medium-build and strong breed of dog that got its name from its habit of standing on the hind legs to begin a fight and boxing with the front paws.

Boxers are an energetic, smart and playful breed and tend to be very good with children. They are active dogs and require plenty of exercise to prevent boredom-associated behaviors such as chewing or digging. Boxers have earned a slight reputation of being “headstrong,” which can be related to inappropriate obedience training. Owing to their intelligence and working breed characteristics, training based on corrections often has limited usefulness. Boxers, like other animals, typically respond better to positive reinforcement techniques such as clicker training, an approach based on conditioning and behaviorism, which affords the dog an opportunity to think independently and to solve problems on his own.

Boxer dogs are working dogs. Throughout history it has been trained as seeing-eye dogs, police dogs, seeing-eye dogs, hunting dogs, and guard dogs. Training you boxer dog is the best thing you can do for him. Boxers love to have a job to do. They are the happiest when they are working and doing something important for you. From as early as 5 weeks old you should start your boxer dog training as this will help him when he grows up.

Because of their intelligence, Boxers can be very stubborn but when it comes to training. How do you train your boxer dog? Rather than try to just make up some kind of training on your own, I recommend that you get a training course written by a professional dog trainer. Also a DVD or video is of great help. Most people learn better by watching than just reading.

Boxer dog training is also a lot of fun and a great way to spend quality time with your dog. Train your boxer dog and he will love you for it.

Brad Bahr is a dog lover and has owned many dogs over the years. He is especially interested in Boxer Dog Training. If you would like to learn more about the methods he uses to train his own dogs, please take a look at his recommended training program at http://boxer-dog-training.info

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Stopping Excessive Dog Barking

Posted on September 29, 2010 by

Your dog has a voice, just like you do, and she uses it just how you do too: to communicate something to the people she cares about. I don’t think that barking is necessarily a bad thing – in fact, I think it’s encouraging that my dog wants to “talk” to me, enough so that I can overlook the stentorian qualities of his voice (which, in enclosed spaces, is positively overpowering) in favor of his desire to communicate with me. It’s the thought that counts (even though I feel better-equipped to stand by this sanctimonious belief when my ears are sheltered safely behind industrial-quality ear-plugs).

Unfortunately, the language barrier between dogs and humans is pretty well impermeable, which means it’s up to us to use the context, the body language of our dogs, and the circumstances of the vocalization to parse meaning from a volley of barks. So why do dogs bark? It’s not easy to say (it’s like trying to answer the question, “Why do humans talk?” in so many words). Let’s start off by saying that dogs bark for many different reasons.

A lot of it depends on the breed: some dogs were bred to bark only when a threat is perceived (this is true of guarding breeds in particular, like Rottweilers, Dobermans, and German Shepherds); some were bred to use their voices as a tool of sorts, to assist their owners in pursuit of a common goal (sporting breeds such as Beagles and Bloodhounds, trained to ‘bay’ when they scent the quarry), and some dogs just like to hear themselves talk (take just about any of the toy breeds as an example of a readily-articulate dog!).

Fortunately, the fix for this problem is pretty simple: you’ll just have to exercise her more. Try getting up a half-hour earlier in the morning – it’ll make a big difference. If this is absolutely impossible, consider hiring someone to walk her in the mornings and/or evenings. And if this is impossible too, then you’ll just have to resign yourself to having a loud, frustrated, and agitated dog (although whether you can resign her to this state remains to be seen).

The second most common cause of excessive vocalization in dogs is too much ‘alone time’. Dogs are social animals: they need lots of attention, lots of interaction, and lots of communication. Without these things, they become anxious and on edge. If you’re at home with your dog, you’re not paying attention to her, and she’s spending a lot of time barking at what appears to be nothing, she’s probably bored and lonely and would benefit from a healthy dose of affection and attention.

Derrick Madison has two wonderful dogs, and shares his dog training methods on his blog. For more information on dog training techniques, and how to deal with problem dog behavior, you can visit his blog at: Dog Behavior Training 101

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Home Dog Obedience Training Using the Positive Reinforcement Method

Posted on September 27, 2010 by

Most dog trainers believe that the best way to train any dog is using a method called positive reinforcement training. For those who are doing home dog obedience training this process simply entails using positive reinforcement for good behavior and ignoring bad behavior.

A dog’s natural instinct is to please her owner. Positive reinforcement uses this instinct and allows your dog to learn what it is you want her to do. This type of training has more meaning to your dog because she is able to learn what you want her to do using her own mental capacity.

Here are some quick tips you can use to implement this training method at home:

1. Pick good rewards. You need to keep your dog’s interest level up in what you are doing. A pat on the head or saying “good girl” will lose a dogs interest pretty quickly. Use tempting rewards such as food treats and physical affection to reinforce your dog’s good behavior. Dog trainers call these primary incentives and dogs are very responsive to these.

2. Timing is important. Good behavior and obedience needs to be rewarded the moment it happens. This way your dog begins to understand what behavior is being rewarded. This is where clicker training can be used. Using a small metal device that emits a click when pushed you click the clicker the moment your dog follows a command successfully. To reinforce the meaning of the clicker a treat should also be offered.

3. Use the same commands consistently. If you want your dog to sit don’t use “sit” one time, “sit down” the next, or “down” later on. This is confusing for a dog because they learn through repetition. Pick a command and stick with it for each behavior you desire.

If you are training your dog at home you will need to learn to reward your dog in a meaningful fashion. If you know what your dog likes as far as physical attention and treats you will know what works as far as rewards go. Some dogs prefer edible treats while others enjoy playing with a favorite toy.

If you are using food treats for your home dog training reinforcement you need to be aware that many dog trainers have found that dogs actually respond better if they receive treats in a more sporadic fashion. Apparently it keeps their attention better because they remain interested in what you are teaching them if rewards are given intermittently.

Positive reinforcement training is a great home dog obedience training process to use because it is relatively easy. Ignoring bad behavior is the cornerstone of this method because a dog being ignored is an unhappy dog. This can do more to motivate your dog to do what you ask more then just about anything else.

There is an excellent resource for training your dog using the Positive Reinforcement Method called SitStayFetch. To learn more about this training method please Click Here for a Review of SitStayFetch.

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How to find a Dog Bite Attorney

Posted on September 24, 2010 by

Dogs have always been considered to be man’s best friends. Statistics however, show that a probable 2% of the U.S. inhabitants are bitten annually by a dog. What is more unfortunate is that many of the victims are children. This is the reason, a dog bite can be one of the most traumatic experiences that people encounter throughout their lives and In many cases, it leaves a lasting negative impression of the victim.

The dog bite laws in the U.S. aspire to make good the financial, physical and psychological pain and suffering. The victim may also have a limited amount of time to take the case to court. They are well defined and clearly specify the rights and responsibilities of the victim and the dog owner. These laws hold the owner responsible for all the injuries caused by the dog, whether the attack took place on public or private property; and depending on the state that you live in, your local jurisdiction may hold the dog owner responsible for any damages incurred if the dog trespassed. This way, the law makes the dog owner responsible for limiting the dog to his own territory.

It is advisable to contact a dog bite attorney as soon as possible to discuss any legal and financial remedies as a result of an attack by a dog. This is because an experienced dog bite attorney can help you recover any future loss and help you retrieve the appropriate compensation for the physical and psychological pain that occurred as a result of the attack. A dog bite lawyer should therefore be your first step if you decide to take legal action. Research shows that an experienced dog bite attorney can recover 66% more than what would have been recovered without the attorney’s intervention. In addition, many dog bite lawyers work on a contingency basis, which means that there is no out of pocket expense unless you settle or win your case.

Dog bite laws in U.S. differs from state to state. Several states hold owners accountable for the harm or injury, irrespective of the dog’s behavior in the past. This means that the dog owner may well be held answerable for the dog’s action even if it has not exhibited any violent behavior in the past. This is thus the reason one must research and retain a qualified dog bite attorney for any of his legal or monetary dog bite associated issues.

Dog bite laws may differ from state to state. By hiring the right dog bite attorney who has a thorough knowledge of your legal and monetary rights, you are taking the necessary steps to ensure that your rights are protected and that you will be compensated accordingly.

Finding a personal attorney is easy, but finding a good one is awfully tough, particularly because good attorneys charge their services higher than regular attorneys. You should therefore ask your family or your friends if they have a trusted good lawyer or attorney.

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Your New Puppy: Must Haves For Your Dog

Posted on September 24, 2010 by

Now that you’ve decided to get a puppy or dog, the next few weeks will be busy and at times, more than a little bit crazy. That’s why it’s important to plan in advance for the arrival of your new pet. If possible, get as many necessities ready before your puppy comes home.

The Basics

Travel crate: Even if you don’t plan on crate training your dog, consider the benefits of owning a crate for other reasons, like transporting an ill or injured puppy to the veterinarian.

Food and water bowls: If you have a puppy, keep the bowls low and shallow. Tip-proof works well, too. As they grow, you’ll likely need to upgrade to larger dishes to accommodate your pet’s size.

Food: Choose an age-appropriate food. Ask your vet or local pet store for recommendations if you’re not sure what kind to purchase. Remember that high quality dog food keeps your puppy healthier and happier.

Collar: Pick a collar that fits properly now. You can always upgrade later if necessary.

Leash: A six-foot lead works well. Choose the right thickness and strength for your dog. A Chihuahua’s needs are very different from the needs of a Rottweiler.

ID tag: As one of the first things people search for when finding a stray dog, an ID tag can help make sure your puppy makes it home safely. At a minimum, have your phone number engraved on the tag.

Grooming supplies: Different breeds require different levels of grooming. However, every pup can benefit from a good weekly brushing. It’s also a great way to have quiet, bonding time with your new dog.

Housebreaking supplies: Even adult dogs have accidents, so be prepared with good cleaning supplies.

Veterinarian: If you don’t have a favorite vet already, ask family, friends and neighbors for a recommendation. Have an appointment scheduled within the first few days of bringing your puppy home, so your vet can check for worms, other health conditions, and start her vaccination regimen.

The Extras

Obedience classes: Every dog can benefit from learning some basic obedience skills.

Puppy treats: Yummy treats are the perfect reward when you’re working on obedience. Or for when they’re just being adorable.

Toys: Chew toys help satisfy your new puppy’s teething needs. If you’d like to teach your dog to retrieve, look at purchasing a few balls, but make sure they’re not so small that your dog chokes. A lot of people swear by Kong, an awesome rubber toy you stuff with treats to keep your new pal busy.

Sour apple spray: Use this product to spray on spots your puppy loves to chew on. It’s a terrific deterrent for naughty puppies.

Baby gates: Want to keep your dog in one area of your house? Use baby gates to corral him. Let’s face it; for a lot of us, dogs are our babies anyway!

Dog house: If your pup will spend any time outdoors, he’ll love having his own little house. Fill it with great chew toys and a cozy blanket, and it will be the perfect home away from home.

Doggie door: Training your dog to use a doggie door when she needs to go outdoors makes life easier for you and your pal.

Clothing: Depending on where you live, sweaters or snow boots may be required outdoor gear for your dog.

Now that you have the basics on hand, don’t forget the most essential items for your new puppy: lots of hugs, kisses, and sweet talk. Best of all, they’re free!

Find more dog names at http://www.popular-dog-names.com.

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Dog Aggression Towards Other Dogs-Learn How To Stop Dog Aggression Towards Other Dogs

Posted on September 20, 2010 by

Are you tired of your four legged companion being aggressive towards other dogs? Has he made you look for ways how to stop dog aggression towards other dogs? Although aggression is a difficult issue to deal with, there are different ways in which the issue can be alleviated. Here are some tips for you to stop dog aggression towards other dogs.

1 – The first step is to recognize your dog’s bodily signs of confrontation. He might stare at the other dog with the hair on the back on his neck standing. He may also flatten backwards and with a tilted head keep on staring at the other dog. This is the time to intervene, if you fail to intervene at this moment your dog may start barking or attack the other dog.

2 – While you learn how to stop dog aggression towards other dogs, safety should be your first priority if you have a generally aggressive dog. Muzzle your dog to avoid injury to another dog.

3 – Socialize your dog as much as possible; however, you should keep him on a short leash. The more your dog encounters other dogs the less he will feel intimidated on spotting one.

4 – While you are on the sidewalk and another person approaches with his dog, stand in front of your dog blocking his view to the other dog and keep on speaking to him so that his attention is towards you and not the other dog. Praise your dog and perhaps give him a treat if he stays calm.

5 - You should control your own emotions while the dog is behaving aggressive. Do not yell still issue commands firmly. With your anxiety you can worsen his tension and make him to act more aggressively.

As you can see here learning how to stop dog aggression towards other dogs can be a difficult and tedious process.  When working with an aggressive dog, a good dog training course can be very useful. You will want to look for the one that includes a free consultation with an experienced dog trainer.

Gary Price worked at a vet clinic and an animal shelter, and has had lots of experience with dogs. Visit him at, Train My Doggie, to learn how to Stop Dog Aggression Towards Other Dogs. Discover which dog training course he recommends at http://TrainMyDoggie.com/Aggression.html

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