Dog|dog-123.com
Jul
30
Filed Under (Animals) by dog
musicaldogsport asked:
Carolyn & Rookie - Grease Routine
BRIAN
Jul
28
Filed Under (Pets) by dog
Sylvia Dickens asked:
Adopting a dog? Consider it’s personality. Personalities among humans can clash and so it is between dogs and humans. By knowing the dog’s personality, you can avoid headaches later on.
Knowing a puppy’s personality before you commit to buying or adopting him will help you to make a wise choice in selecting the right puppy for you. A personality test will assist you in determining why he doesn’t accomplish certain disciplinary objectives.
Checking your puppy’s personality starts with understanding his breed, because many of his characteristics will be inherited. If you don’t know the specific breed, try to determine what breed cross he might be and refer to those personalities to see if they fit.
There are some excellent books in the library to help you figure out how your particular breed of dog thinks and reacts. Alternatively, you can ask a breeder or your vet.
As long as your puppy is over seven weeks of age, you can get a good result from a personality test. The main personality types are responsive, strong willed, energetic, timid, easygoing and aggressive although you’re likely to see a mixture, depending on the mixture of breeds and the circumstances. For instance, a dog might be easygoing around the family, but aggressive around strangers. This is common in dogs that are protective, rather than social and friendly.
Friendliness Test
The friendliness test will determine if your dog is a socializer.
Take the puppy into a quiet area, free of other distractions and whine like a young puppy or talk to him in a friendly, affectionate voice. You’re trying to see what kind of response you get. If he cocks his head to one side, becomes alert and happy, then he has a responsive personality.
If he ignores you initially and then runs around, jumps all over you and gives you friendly barks and nips, he is a high-energy dog.
A strong willed dog will become alert and will away again barking and eventually come to you. A timid dog will whine back and bark before crawling up to you with his tail down and his ears pulled back.
An easy going dog will show be more laid back and seem not to care. He is quick to lose interest in your whining, most likely because he’s decided it really doesn’t matter to him.
If the dog lunges at you and growls with his ears and tail standing straight up (rather than curled or dropped and relaxed) he is an aggressive dog with dominant qualities. If he barks, backs away and crouches down yet remains defensive, he is showing fear aggression. Fear aggression is common in dogs that have been abused.
You can do other tests as well. You can test a dog’s sensitivity to noises, how he reacts to discipline, and how tolerant he is to pain and discomfort.
Sound Test
For the sound test, put some pennies into a tin can and shake it to see how your dog responds. Keep in mind that dogs have sensitive ears and are able to hear sounds humans can’t. This test could reveal that your puppy might have hearing problems or that he is “gun shy”.
Move away from distractions and, from half a dozen feet distance from the dog, shake the can to make a noise. Try to hide the can behind your back as seeing it might clue him in to what’s causing the noise. We want the noise to be unexpected.
A responsive dog will perk up when he hears the noise and become inquisitive about its source. If you had rolled the can on the floor to make the noise, he would see it as a toy and begin playing with it.
A high-energy dog will respond to the noise, but will become easily distracted. He might even bark at the noise as if trying to scare it away.
Shy dogs will back away and lower his ears and tail while raising the hair on the back of his neck. This is a ********** posture. It’s common for shy or timid dogs to run and hide from loud noises.
An easygoing dog will saunter up to the noise, check it out but will soon return to whatever he was doing.
An aggressive dog backs away, growls, curls his lips and will make direct eye contact with you as if in defiance. A fear aggressive dog, on the other hand, will crouch and take a ********** stance. Such dogs often will urinate as a sign of submission.
Discipline Test
The discipline test can be helpful when you think about how easy it might be to train this particular dog. Understanding this aspect of his temperament can be useful in determining the methods you’ll need to use during the training process.
Be careful when issuing this test as an aggressive dog might try to attack you or bite you. If you suspect that the dog is aggressive, you might want to skip the first version of this test. Do not continue this particular test if the dog demonstrates that he is fearful.
Version 1: Raise your hand and pretend to hit the dog, but don’t actually hit him. If he shows curiosity and stays happy or ignores you, he has either a responsive, easygoing or a high-energy personality. If he cowers, flinches, ducks his head or wets, this is a timid, shy and insecure dog.
A dominant dog will growl, curl his lips, snarl and perhaps bite. If this happens, it’s best to stop the test for your own safety. A fear aggressive dog will respond in a similar way, trying to bite as a way to protect himself. A dog that responds this way, in all likelihood, has been abused or mistreated in the past.
Tolerance test
This test will be beneficial if you have children around. By knowing how much your dog can tolerate, you will be better informed whether this dog is a good choice for you and your family. This test isn’t so much to discover his personality as it is to determine how much discomfort your dog can tolerate.
A dog that is pain intolerant might be suffering from a disease such as arthritis or Hip Displasia, from previous mistreatment or simply from its breeding. Children, for example, tend to like pulling a dog’s tail or ears or riding the dog, which can be painful to the animal.
There are three areas you can test (tail, toes, skin), but for this article, we’ll discuss the tail, since that’s an easy target for many children and even some adults.
Keep in mind that you don’t want to hurt the dog. Pull his tail gently and see how your dog reacts.
If he turns and mouths your hand without really trying to bite and even becomes playful, it’s evident this puppy has a safe tolerance level. If the dog tries to stop you or tolerates it for a short time and tries to move away, he has an average tolerance level.
If the dog yelps, growls and snaps while trying to get away, he has a poor pain tolerance. If he bites and growls, the dog has very little or no tolerance whatsoever. If you have children, you might want to choose a different dog, or teach your children not to pull the dog’s tail.
Knowing a dog’s personality and temperament before he comes to your home is helpful in making a wise decision in choosing a suitable pet for your family.
BRENDAN
Adopting a dog? Consider it’s personality. Personalities among humans can clash and so it is between dogs and humans. By knowing the dog’s personality, you can avoid headaches later on.
Knowing a puppy’s personality before you commit to buying or adopting him will help you to make a wise choice in selecting the right puppy for you. A personality test will assist you in determining why he doesn’t accomplish certain disciplinary objectives.
Checking your puppy’s personality starts with understanding his breed, because many of his characteristics will be inherited. If you don’t know the specific breed, try to determine what breed cross he might be and refer to those personalities to see if they fit.
There are some excellent books in the library to help you figure out how your particular breed of dog thinks and reacts. Alternatively, you can ask a breeder or your vet.
As long as your puppy is over seven weeks of age, you can get a good result from a personality test. The main personality types are responsive, strong willed, energetic, timid, easygoing and aggressive although you’re likely to see a mixture, depending on the mixture of breeds and the circumstances. For instance, a dog might be easygoing around the family, but aggressive around strangers. This is common in dogs that are protective, rather than social and friendly.
Friendliness Test
The friendliness test will determine if your dog is a socializer.
Take the puppy into a quiet area, free of other distractions and whine like a young puppy or talk to him in a friendly, affectionate voice. You’re trying to see what kind of response you get. If he cocks his head to one side, becomes alert and happy, then he has a responsive personality.
If he ignores you initially and then runs around, jumps all over you and gives you friendly barks and nips, he is a high-energy dog.
A strong willed dog will become alert and will away again barking and eventually come to you. A timid dog will whine back and bark before crawling up to you with his tail down and his ears pulled back.
An easy going dog will show be more laid back and seem not to care. He is quick to lose interest in your whining, most likely because he’s decided it really doesn’t matter to him.
If the dog lunges at you and growls with his ears and tail standing straight up (rather than curled or dropped and relaxed) he is an aggressive dog with dominant qualities. If he barks, backs away and crouches down yet remains defensive, he is showing fear aggression. Fear aggression is common in dogs that have been abused.
You can do other tests as well. You can test a dog’s sensitivity to noises, how he reacts to discipline, and how tolerant he is to pain and discomfort.
Sound Test
For the sound test, put some pennies into a tin can and shake it to see how your dog responds. Keep in mind that dogs have sensitive ears and are able to hear sounds humans can’t. This test could reveal that your puppy might have hearing problems or that he is “gun shy”.
Move away from distractions and, from half a dozen feet distance from the dog, shake the can to make a noise. Try to hide the can behind your back as seeing it might clue him in to what’s causing the noise. We want the noise to be unexpected.
A responsive dog will perk up when he hears the noise and become inquisitive about its source. If you had rolled the can on the floor to make the noise, he would see it as a toy and begin playing with it.
A high-energy dog will respond to the noise, but will become easily distracted. He might even bark at the noise as if trying to scare it away.
Shy dogs will back away and lower his ears and tail while raising the hair on the back of his neck. This is a ********** posture. It’s common for shy or timid dogs to run and hide from loud noises.
An easygoing dog will saunter up to the noise, check it out but will soon return to whatever he was doing.
An aggressive dog backs away, growls, curls his lips and will make direct eye contact with you as if in defiance. A fear aggressive dog, on the other hand, will crouch and take a ********** stance. Such dogs often will urinate as a sign of submission.
Discipline Test
The discipline test can be helpful when you think about how easy it might be to train this particular dog. Understanding this aspect of his temperament can be useful in determining the methods you’ll need to use during the training process.
Be careful when issuing this test as an aggressive dog might try to attack you or bite you. If you suspect that the dog is aggressive, you might want to skip the first version of this test. Do not continue this particular test if the dog demonstrates that he is fearful.
Version 1: Raise your hand and pretend to hit the dog, but don’t actually hit him. If he shows curiosity and stays happy or ignores you, he has either a responsive, easygoing or a high-energy personality. If he cowers, flinches, ducks his head or wets, this is a timid, shy and insecure dog.
A dominant dog will growl, curl his lips, snarl and perhaps bite. If this happens, it’s best to stop the test for your own safety. A fear aggressive dog will respond in a similar way, trying to bite as a way to protect himself. A dog that responds this way, in all likelihood, has been abused or mistreated in the past.
Tolerance test
This test will be beneficial if you have children around. By knowing how much your dog can tolerate, you will be better informed whether this dog is a good choice for you and your family. This test isn’t so much to discover his personality as it is to determine how much discomfort your dog can tolerate.
A dog that is pain intolerant might be suffering from a disease such as arthritis or Hip Displasia, from previous mistreatment or simply from its breeding. Children, for example, tend to like pulling a dog’s tail or ears or riding the dog, which can be painful to the animal.
There are three areas you can test (tail, toes, skin), but for this article, we’ll discuss the tail, since that’s an easy target for many children and even some adults.
Keep in mind that you don’t want to hurt the dog. Pull his tail gently and see how your dog reacts.
If he turns and mouths your hand without really trying to bite and even becomes playful, it’s evident this puppy has a safe tolerance level. If the dog tries to stop you or tolerates it for a short time and tries to move away, he has an average tolerance level.
If the dog yelps, growls and snaps while trying to get away, he has a poor pain tolerance. If he bites and growls, the dog has very little or no tolerance whatsoever. If you have children, you might want to choose a different dog, or teach your children not to pull the dog’s tail.
Knowing a dog’s personality and temperament before he comes to your home is helpful in making a wise decision in choosing a suitable pet for your family.
BRENDAN
Jul
24
Filed Under (Pets) by dog
Janet Winter asked:
Dog lovers are suckers for allowing their precious pets to sleep in the bed with them. They will adjust their sleeping position during the night so their pooch can curl up or stretch out in their favorite position. Wouldn’t everyone get a better night’s sleep if Fido had his own perfect dog bed?
Observing how your dog sleeps will give you important clues to make the right decision when choosing a bed. Since dogs are creatures of habit and prefer to sleep in the same spot, this makes it even more important to choose the right bed to accommodate your dog’s sleeping habits.
5 Dog Bed Options Based on Shape and Style:
1. Donut shaped bed. This is the perfect choice if your dog likes to curl up into a ball or lean against something soft. It’s a cozy bed that is a comfort for dogs that like to be warm and feel protected. Determine the size based on whether your dog likes a cozy fit or wants a bit more room to stretch out.
2. Round pillow style beds. For dogs who like to sprawl out or circle around to make a soft nest, this is the style to choose. Round beds allow plenty of space for any sleeping style and the soft fill inside the cover provides soft, yet supportive comfort.
3. Rectangular dog bed. This bed will accommodate dogs that like to lie on their stomach! The shape is a great space saver and works well under tables or desks, so your dog can be close by whether at home or work. This style works well in crates and makes a great travel bed.
4. Orthopedic beds. If your dog is older or has arthritis or other joint problems, this is the bed to choose. Some beds are heated, which provides additional comfort for older dogs in the winter.
5. Outdoor beds and crate mattresses. Dogs that spend time outside or in a kennel probably deserve a comfortable bed even more than an indoor dog. There are heated beds, cooling beds and waterproof beds to consider. Check out the washing instructions, since these beds will need to be washed more often.
Selecting the right dog bed cover:
Anyone who has ever had a dog knows how messy they can be, so it’s important that your dog bed is up to the challenge. Of course, you want to keep your maintenance to a minimum, so choose 100% machine-washable fabric covers that can be removed from the mattress when it’s laundry time. The best beds come with a zip-off cover. In addition to the styles mentioned earlier, many of the new sofa-type dog beds can be purchased with a washable slip cover. They are definitely worth the extra money.
Choosing the size:
Dog beds must be big enough and strong enough to match your dog’s breed, but not so big that you waste money on unused bed space. Carefully measuring your dog will assure the proper fit.
There’s no hard and fast rule for size selection, but the following information offers a good guideline. Measure your dog standing up from tip of nose to base of tail and also from floor to shoulders or head. If you will be buying a mattress dog bed, add 12 inches. This will give you an approximate width and length for a flat dog bed.
Measure your dog’s length another time in his favorite sleeping position when he is fully stretched out, or his diameter when curled into a ball. For nest and ball-type beds measure the length of your dog while he is curled up. Measure from the top of his head to the point where his tail meets his hindquarters, and then add 7 to 9 inches.
The right size dog bed will be a close match or just slightly larger than your measurements. Beds that are too small may not be comfortable for your dog. It’s important to allow room for growth, if your dog is still growing, or you’ll be wasting money and replacing beds often. Be sure to allow room for movement regardless of whether your dog is still growing or if he’s already at maximum size.
Fabrics:
Does your dog enjoy sleeping in a sunny spot in the morning and by the bed in the evening? If so, select a bed that can be easily moved about the house and fits the decor in several rooms. To save money, buy a bed that matches the room where your dog spends the most time sleeping, usually where ever the family spends the most time.
Dog beds these days come in many designer colors and fabrics. There is something for every dog and dog owner that not only offers a soft or durable fabric but blends with the home decor.
To paraphrase a familiar saying - when Fido’s happy, everybody is happy. Your dog’s health and comfort depends upon his getting a good night’s sleep. Keep in mind that small dogs or dogs with arthritis may find it difficult to climb into a platform or furniture type bed. Make an informed decision when you purchase a dog bed and your dog will benefit for years to come.
Sweet dreams to all!
GONZALO
Dog lovers are suckers for allowing their precious pets to sleep in the bed with them. They will adjust their sleeping position during the night so their pooch can curl up or stretch out in their favorite position. Wouldn’t everyone get a better night’s sleep if Fido had his own perfect dog bed?
Observing how your dog sleeps will give you important clues to make the right decision when choosing a bed. Since dogs are creatures of habit and prefer to sleep in the same spot, this makes it even more important to choose the right bed to accommodate your dog’s sleeping habits.
5 Dog Bed Options Based on Shape and Style:
1. Donut shaped bed. This is the perfect choice if your dog likes to curl up into a ball or lean against something soft. It’s a cozy bed that is a comfort for dogs that like to be warm and feel protected. Determine the size based on whether your dog likes a cozy fit or wants a bit more room to stretch out.
2. Round pillow style beds. For dogs who like to sprawl out or circle around to make a soft nest, this is the style to choose. Round beds allow plenty of space for any sleeping style and the soft fill inside the cover provides soft, yet supportive comfort.
3. Rectangular dog bed. This bed will accommodate dogs that like to lie on their stomach! The shape is a great space saver and works well under tables or desks, so your dog can be close by whether at home or work. This style works well in crates and makes a great travel bed.
4. Orthopedic beds. If your dog is older or has arthritis or other joint problems, this is the bed to choose. Some beds are heated, which provides additional comfort for older dogs in the winter.
5. Outdoor beds and crate mattresses. Dogs that spend time outside or in a kennel probably deserve a comfortable bed even more than an indoor dog. There are heated beds, cooling beds and waterproof beds to consider. Check out the washing instructions, since these beds will need to be washed more often.
Selecting the right dog bed cover:
Anyone who has ever had a dog knows how messy they can be, so it’s important that your dog bed is up to the challenge. Of course, you want to keep your maintenance to a minimum, so choose 100% machine-washable fabric covers that can be removed from the mattress when it’s laundry time. The best beds come with a zip-off cover. In addition to the styles mentioned earlier, many of the new sofa-type dog beds can be purchased with a washable slip cover. They are definitely worth the extra money.
Choosing the size:
Dog beds must be big enough and strong enough to match your dog’s breed, but not so big that you waste money on unused bed space. Carefully measuring your dog will assure the proper fit.
There’s no hard and fast rule for size selection, but the following information offers a good guideline. Measure your dog standing up from tip of nose to base of tail and also from floor to shoulders or head. If you will be buying a mattress dog bed, add 12 inches. This will give you an approximate width and length for a flat dog bed.
Measure your dog’s length another time in his favorite sleeping position when he is fully stretched out, or his diameter when curled into a ball. For nest and ball-type beds measure the length of your dog while he is curled up. Measure from the top of his head to the point where his tail meets his hindquarters, and then add 7 to 9 inches.
The right size dog bed will be a close match or just slightly larger than your measurements. Beds that are too small may not be comfortable for your dog. It’s important to allow room for growth, if your dog is still growing, or you’ll be wasting money and replacing beds often. Be sure to allow room for movement regardless of whether your dog is still growing or if he’s already at maximum size.
Fabrics:
Does your dog enjoy sleeping in a sunny spot in the morning and by the bed in the evening? If so, select a bed that can be easily moved about the house and fits the decor in several rooms. To save money, buy a bed that matches the room where your dog spends the most time sleeping, usually where ever the family spends the most time.
Dog beds these days come in many designer colors and fabrics. There is something for every dog and dog owner that not only offers a soft or durable fabric but blends with the home decor.
To paraphrase a familiar saying - when Fido’s happy, everybody is happy. Your dog’s health and comfort depends upon his getting a good night’s sleep. Keep in mind that small dogs or dogs with arthritis may find it difficult to climb into a platform or furniture type bed. Make an informed decision when you purchase a dog bed and your dog will benefit for years to come.
Sweet dreams to all!
GONZALO
Jul
14
Filed Under (Pets) by dog
John Williams Dog Training asked:
Exercise is one of the main way in which dogs keep their muscle tone, bones, joints, and mind healthy, there are plenty of ways in which to exercise your dog. Some exercises are good for keeping you healthy as well, and others are more relaxed and effort free for those times when you get back from work and your dog is staring at you all excited and ready to play.
Some breeds of dogs are more active and need more exercise than others, and sometimes more than a lot of owners think they can give them due to other commitments like work and there not being enough hours in the day. But this doesn’t have to be the case as many professional dog trainers will tell you, and keeping your dog in shape can be fun and rewarding for both parties.
Here are some of the exercises that are popular in the dog community and reasons why –
Fetch
Starting off with the most well known of exercises, the fetch game involves you throwing a ball and your dog running after it and returning it to you. This can be little exercise for you and a lot for your dog if you use any throwing enhancing products that are on the market today.
Tug
The tug game involves both you and your dog pulling on either end of a tugging toy, requires little effort on your behalf and can be played while you sit and watch telly or between breaks of other activities.
Jogging
Jogging is a highly active sport and helps keep your health up as well as your dogs, your dog will love to pay this game with you and it will ensure a healthy and happy dog.
Cycling
Although cycling may seem like a difficult exercise for your dog to follow and keep an interest in, there are special leashes for you to use on your dog to maintain hands free control over your dog giving you a more subtle form of exercise. Care may be needed and basic dog training should be given to make sure your dog will be in no harm during the task.
COLTON
Exercise is one of the main way in which dogs keep their muscle tone, bones, joints, and mind healthy, there are plenty of ways in which to exercise your dog. Some exercises are good for keeping you healthy as well, and others are more relaxed and effort free for those times when you get back from work and your dog is staring at you all excited and ready to play.
Some breeds of dogs are more active and need more exercise than others, and sometimes more than a lot of owners think they can give them due to other commitments like work and there not being enough hours in the day. But this doesn’t have to be the case as many professional dog trainers will tell you, and keeping your dog in shape can be fun and rewarding for both parties.
Here are some of the exercises that are popular in the dog community and reasons why –
Fetch
Starting off with the most well known of exercises, the fetch game involves you throwing a ball and your dog running after it and returning it to you. This can be little exercise for you and a lot for your dog if you use any throwing enhancing products that are on the market today.
Tug
The tug game involves both you and your dog pulling on either end of a tugging toy, requires little effort on your behalf and can be played while you sit and watch telly or between breaks of other activities.
Jogging
Jogging is a highly active sport and helps keep your health up as well as your dogs, your dog will love to pay this game with you and it will ensure a healthy and happy dog.
Cycling
Although cycling may seem like a difficult exercise for your dog to follow and keep an interest in, there are special leashes for you to use on your dog to maintain hands free control over your dog giving you a more subtle form of exercise. Care may be needed and basic dog training should be given to make sure your dog will be in no harm during the task.
COLTON
Jul
10
Filed Under (Pets) by dog
John Williams Dog Training asked:
This command is a very useful command and is relatively easy to teach your dog. After learning the sit command, this command should be a breeze for you. Getting your dog to be able to lie down and wait while you go into a shop or walk away is a very useful command and is also key to gaining trust and a good relationship with your dog.
This command should be firstly taught indoors or in a comfortable place your dog is used to learning and doing commands for you, and then as time goes on and your dog gets better at achieving success with the command, you should take it into a public place with lots of interests and new smells to distract them. This should test the strength and commitment your dog has for the down command.
To start, make sure your dog is in the mood for training and preferably in a hungry and wanting mood where they will be more than happy to please you if it means they get a treat, just before meal times is generally a good time for training and will help the progress of your dog.
When you are ready to begin and you have your dogs treats to-hand, start by getting your dog to sit for you, followed by a reward .Then let your dog know you have another treat in your hand for him and slowly lower it in front of him, going lower and lower, as the treat gets lowered closer to the ground your dog will be forced into the down position with their belly firmly on the floor and paws ahead of them.
As soon as your dogs belly touches the floor, the command ‘down’ should be said and you should reward them with praise, encouragement and the treat you used. This makes the dog associate the command with the action and the action with a reward to help your dog training process.
If your dog steps out of line during the training exercise, gently punish them accordingly. After you have learnt this command and you now think you’re ready for the next step, try taking your dog into a distracting place or area, or playing with their ball around them. When you have your dog under control at all times using the down command it is time to move on to more advanced dog training and you have now got a new trick to show your friends and family.
GASTON
This command is a very useful command and is relatively easy to teach your dog. After learning the sit command, this command should be a breeze for you. Getting your dog to be able to lie down and wait while you go into a shop or walk away is a very useful command and is also key to gaining trust and a good relationship with your dog.
This command should be firstly taught indoors or in a comfortable place your dog is used to learning and doing commands for you, and then as time goes on and your dog gets better at achieving success with the command, you should take it into a public place with lots of interests and new smells to distract them. This should test the strength and commitment your dog has for the down command.
To start, make sure your dog is in the mood for training and preferably in a hungry and wanting mood where they will be more than happy to please you if it means they get a treat, just before meal times is generally a good time for training and will help the progress of your dog.
When you are ready to begin and you have your dogs treats to-hand, start by getting your dog to sit for you, followed by a reward .Then let your dog know you have another treat in your hand for him and slowly lower it in front of him, going lower and lower, as the treat gets lowered closer to the ground your dog will be forced into the down position with their belly firmly on the floor and paws ahead of them.
As soon as your dogs belly touches the floor, the command ‘down’ should be said and you should reward them with praise, encouragement and the treat you used. This makes the dog associate the command with the action and the action with a reward to help your dog training process.
If your dog steps out of line during the training exercise, gently punish them accordingly. After you have learnt this command and you now think you’re ready for the next step, try taking your dog into a distracting place or area, or playing with their ball around them. When you have your dog under control at all times using the down command it is time to move on to more advanced dog training and you have now got a new trick to show your friends and family.
GASTON
