Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Could That Labrador Golden Retriever Puppy Be A Future Life Saver?

Some people have known for a long time that particular crossbreeds of animals are an improvement on each of the original breeds. The trick is finding the best crossable breeds. Some of these crossbreeds even go on to become established breeds on their own. One of the most successful crossbreeds in dogs is seen in the Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy, known also as Golden Labrador Retrievers. As puppies they begin to show the best traits of their parents breeds.

The Best Dog?

Both Labrador and Golden Retrievers are dogs that really like to be around people and are eager to please. Note that not every one is alike, and bad training will always make a disobedient, fearful dog (regardless of breed), but on the whole, a Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy is a born people lover. They are fascinated by people and seem to identify with them. They also have a lot of strength and high energy levels, which comes in handy for service and search and rescue dogs.

Best Seeing Eye Dogs

The Golden Labrador Retriever are hailed as the best seeing eye dogs by experts that train seeing eye dogs in England. There is an excellent breeding program run in England by Guide Dogs to raise dogs to be seeing eye dogs. A Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy is first tested at about eight weeks of age to see what his personality is like.

A seeing eye dogs training is never really over. Many a Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy fails the program and is put up for adoption as a pet. It costs about $70,000 US Dollars to take a Golden Labrador Retriever puppy and turn it into a specially trained service dog. They work until old age or illness forces them to retire, and then they are placed in care homes for the remainder of their days.

Other Things to Know

Although many online Labrador puppies information web sites will say that a Golden Labrador is always yellow, this is not true. Every now and then there is a black or chocolate Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy born. American Canine Hybrid Club is where you can register your Labrador Golden Retriever puppy.

Every day, there is a newborn Golden / Labrador Retriever puppy who makes that first step to being a specially trained service dog. They all can rescue us from ourselves and our selfishness and help give our souls back to ourselves.

Get Some Dog Obedience Training To Stop Your Dog Barking

For some people it is an offence to have a barking dog around them, they think that dogs should be seen and not heard. This is slightly unfair given that the bark is a dog's voice and like yourself it uses it to communicate.

But of course your dog barking may be just the behavior you are expecting from it, naturally when strangers approach your house you want to make use of your dogs natural guarding instincts. In most cases your dog is just trying to talk to you, perhaps he is just happy about something, dog obedience training will help you to find this out for sure.

The problem is that the language barrier between barking dogs and humans is well nigh impenetrable. Therefore, you are forced to resort to the facts of the situation in which your dog is barking and try to understand from its body language just what it is trying to say.

Apart from that many people ask just why do dogs bark? Deciding what is going on here is very tricky, if only dogs could talk a language we understand.

Naturally they will bark when they are happy about something such as greeting you on your return or perhaps they are happy about running around in the park.

Some dogs having barking bred into to them such as toy dogs or sporting breeds where they are trained to bark in order to notify their owners of the presence of a particular quarry being hunted. Other dogs like the guarding breeds are trained only to bark when a threat is perceived.

Some more reasons for barking that are not always obvious include simple boredom, being hungry or lonely or just a means of getting attention for the fact that it needs to go to the toilet.

Again the context of the situation will help you to decide the likely cause. But of course it is not fair for you to try to shut the dog up. She may be communicating for a very good reason, you just need to spend some effort in understanding her.

However, dogs are not stupid animals there are situations where they realise that they can use their bark to annoy or force their owner into a particular action. Bullying by barking is something you should never allow your dog to do.

For instance you dog may have decided that it is time to play and continues barking until you give in and drop what you are doing to amuse her. The problem here is that the dog then learns that all she has to do is to bark whenever she wants something and you will oblige.

This can get very wearing after a quite short period of time. The best approach would have been to show the dog that it cannot get its own way by giving it the cold shoulder.

Just take no notice and turn your back on your dog to show your displeasure. After repeated actions your dog should eventually get the message.

Please remember that part of your dog's training is learning that you go out and play at times to suit you, not your dog. This teaches your dog respect and hopefully makes for a quieter household with limited barking dog problems.

Consult a good book on dog obedience training like SitStayFetch to solve many of the problems you will encounter when you are training your dog.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Dogs with Yeast Infection find Natural Cure for Yeast Infection

Rex was a very playful dog. He loved to have you throw him any small object and he would run and get it. Sharon's kids loved Rex. They would come over to my house with Rex and my boys would also enjoy playing with Rex.

One day the boys came over and Rex was not with them. When I asked why, they hesitated to tell me. The older boy hung his head and told me to call his mom, Sharon and she would tell me. I called Sharon only to learn that she too was ashamed to tell me that Rex had yeast infection.

I asked her how he got it and she explained that the vet told her that Rex had dog ear yeast infection, which was a primary yeast infection that affected the skin and because his immune system could not resist the bacteria that causes yeast infection, he had contaminated it from other dogs in the neighborhood that he might have been playing with.

Dogs with yeast infection

Sharon sounded so sad and so were the boys. My boys also missed Rex and were asking me so many questions that I could not answer.

Sharon told me that she did not want Rex to be around the kids because he had all kinds of skin rashes and he just wouldn't stop scratching.

I decided to go on a research to find out what I could do to help this family since Sharon told me that what the doctors were giving Rex was not helping at all.

Curing a dog yeast infection

I did some extensive probing online and found a book written by Sarah Summers, titled 12 Hours to Natural Cure of Yeast Infection." I wasn't sure if this book could help since it seemed to target human beings and not canine yeast infection.

I sent an email to Sarah Summers, not sure if she would answer me back. Lo and behold, I got an email from her within a few days. She confirmed what I had hoped for. The natural methods that she had in her book had been well researched, she reported, and could help any type of yeast infection in men, babies, women and dogs.

I still wasn't sure, so I asked her if she could give me the email or phone number of someone who had tried it for their dog. I was sure now that she was going to give me a negative answer. I had pushed her in a corner.

To my amazement, she told me she would get back to me within an hour. I got an email a little over an hour later and was given the name and phone number of someone who had used her method to cure dogs yeast infection. However, before I made the phone call, I wanted to be sure that I wasn't just given the name of just any person so I did a reverse phone search to make certain that the phone number belonged to that person and that was when I made the phone call.

To make the story shorter, within 4 days of purchasing Sarah Summer's book online and getting the natural treatment for the dogs yeast infection, Rex was his old self again and that yeast infection was gone and never returned.

So it is from that standpoint that I can recommend Sarah Summer's book. If you would like to know more about how to get a copy of this book, go to 12 Hour Natural Cure for Yeast Infection Now.

Monday, September 29, 2008

The Bad Dog Myth

Top Dog Breeds


How often do you hear an owner shout, 'Bad dog' when what really needs to be said is 'bad handler'. It just aint cool when a dog jumps on you and puts paw prints over everything you're wearing. When your front yard is the chosen venue for the next door dog to leave his many calling cards, this is also frustrating. The dogs are no worse than the children of the neighbor. What else other than bad behavior can you expect from animals and kids when the concerned adults have no idea what they are supposed to do?

The dog ought to be given pre-set behavioral limits when inside or when it is taken to public places. Sensible owners take the help of dog trainers who teaches them proper handling methods without breaking the natural spirit. Your vet office or local pet stores can put you in touch with trainers who hold group discussions with the owners along with their pet; or enroll in an online course to tackle any problems instantly.

A section of this training is involved with tutoring the owner how to handle his pet. There is a saying amongst trainers however that it is far easier to train dogs than the people that own them! Dogs need to practice when they are taught to walk with leash when they are taken out and for this they need to walk around in a yard or any other area. Owner and other residents get irritated when these animals bark even if it is a typical occurrence. When they bark, they are simply communicating with us; a reprimand him might give them the wrong signal and confuse them.

So why does a dog bark? Well, just like a young child or baby, it needs attention, food or something to drink. A dog barking can alarm the owners of a burglar intrusion so attempting to stop him from doing this may work against you. It is wrong to encourage a puppy to bark and then punish him for barking when he attains adulthood.

Trainers teach you how to promote the dog behavior you prefer by praising your pet and giving them the occasional treat. How do you make your puppy stop the undesired behavior? Well, simply learn to reward him when he does something which is 'desired' behavior. Don't waste your time trying to teach a dog some behavioral pattern which contradicts his natural breed. To make your pet follow specific behavioral training, you ought to choose one from a breed with can give you what you need. Dedication, patience and a loving attitude are needed if you wish to train a dog.

 

Sunday, September 28, 2008

How To Choose Dog Training Schools

dog training

The truth is there are so many dog training schools that offer their services to anyone willing to pay them. The problem though is not all schools will meet your standards or your expected guarantees. Here are some points of considerations when trying to choose a good school for training your dog.

Reputation

Reputable has different meanings to different people- for some it is the capacity to yield good results regardless of the means, for others it is the popularity of the school itself which makes it highly recommended. Knowing the school by reputation is a good indicator as to the popularity of the school and the training methods used. It also is a good indication how many others have set their trust in them.

To find a school with excellent reputation you could ask around or search through websites. Veterinarians usually have several names of schools and trainers to give you, your dog breeder could also provide you with some references and ASPCA or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals can provide a list of registered names that are sure to use humane methods approved by the organization.

Methods of Training

Any self-respecting training school uses responsible dog agility training methods. The school must have equal concern to your dog as you do, treating your dog one of their own. Beware of schools that employ trainers who still use old training methods such as yelling or hurting the dogs for there exists many of this kind.

A good school should use humane techniques that promote positive training and limits the use of risky negative reinforcement techniques. The former covers praises and the use of dog treats in recognition of the desirable behavior while the negative reinforcement techniques include practices like alpha rolling, choking and yelling.

Sufficient knowledge

The knowledge on training of the schools must range from the oldest unreliable method to the latest training techniques for dogs. Having extensive orientation in this field would optimize the capacity of your dog to learn since it would be exposed to all possible trainings to which it could respond well.

In researching for training schools, secure information regarding the latest seminars that the trainers attended to and the up-to-date facilities they have. Remember that you would pay hefty amounts to get your dog trained, it is but proper that you and your dog receive proper compensation for your investment.

The school's exposure to widespread training is another thing that you should keep in mind. There are schools that claim of specialization while others advertise that they have sufficient knowledge on all fields of dog training. Your choice should depend largely on the scope of knowledge the training school has.

Classroom Set Up

There are two different classes of rooms setup providing private lessons. The main advantage of the group class is that it promotes socialization and good behavior in the presence of other dogs. Also, when the owner trains alongside his dog, the owner could benefit from exposure to other handlers' mistakes and techniques.

At the same time, these private sessions could not yield these advantages. There is also a good chance that the transfer of learning and obedience to command given by persons other than the trainer is poor.

It is easy to pick any dog training school but choosing the right one for your dog could prove to be a tedious process.

Why Is A Wide Leather Dog Collar Right For Your Dog?

All dogs need a dog collar because it's usually required by law.  You might like the look of wide leather dog collars.  But is this the right kind of collar for your dog?  You need to take in mind your dog's physique, temperament and any training issues he or she might have.  You might discover that the best dog collar isn't a wide leather dog collar at all.

If Your Dog Pulls

Some dog trainers will recommend a wide leather dog collar to help discourage dogs from pulling strongly on the lead.  This is better than using a choke chain (which can often cause spinal damage in dogs) and far better than a dog shock collar (which should be banned).  Stay far away from any trainer who advises the use of shock collars.

But, in the end, no gadget will help your dog stop pulling, not even a wide leather dog collar.  For example Labradors need patient and persistent training to get them to stop.  When they pull, you stop and do not go any further.  You only walk when the dog is behaving.  It's hard to do, but it's the only sure cure.

This writer has a strong pulling dog.  I just got used to it.  I did teach her to stop and look back at me on command.  The pulling actually makes her seem a little wild and kept undesirable people away.  In order to keep her from choking, I attach her lead to a chest harness instead of her collar (which is nylon and not a wide leather dog collar).

How Big Is Your Dog?

Wide leather dog collars need to be on dogs with necks big enough to wear them comfortably.  Your dog might not be the biggest in the world, but if he has a massive neck, then perhaps it will take a wide leather dog collar.  Breeds that can take wide leather dog collars include Mastiffs, Bullmastiffs, Neapolitan Mastiffs, any of the bulldog breeds and some Great Danes.

Special Occasion


Genuine leather is beautiful and durable, but is also very expensive and can be difficult and time-consuming to clean.  You might also have a dog that can’t resist the smell of genuine wide leather dog collars and decides to eat it.  Not all dogs will eat leather, but quite a lot will.  Also, if any animal-rights activists are nearby, you will get the evil eye from them for using genuine leather.

You might want to save the wide leather dog collar for special occasions such as going to the dog photographer and have a nylon collar for everyday wear.



The Correct Dogs Diet Will Help Its Outputs

If you know anything about computers, then you will know what term GIGO means, it stands for garbage in and garbage out. So now you ask what has this to do with your dogs diet? Well your dog certainly is not a walking, tail wagging, barking computer, but your dogs diet definitely effects it in the same way. What food you feed your pet will eventually come out in the end.

The diet you feed your dog will have a considerable effect in its outputs. There are of course other factors that play a roll in this, such as nerve, illness and the weather. You can tell a lot about the health of your pet, by the outputs they produce.

Cleaning up after your pet is not the most pleasant job, but it is a necessary one that we all have to do. Being selective with your dogs diet, will make this task more pleasant and a easier job to do.

If you feed your dog a diet that is high in fillers, then the excrement will be large in size and often runny. Thus, making it hard to pick up. This is not recommended to do, but if you give your pet leftovers from the table, then when you go to clean up it will not be nice to do. This is because the outputs of a pet eating an unhealthy diet is just plain messy, smelly and large.

To many treats, such as rawhide or bones will change your dogs stool. You need to monitor how treats affect your dogs outputs, this way you can determine how healthy the snack really is for your hound.

If you feed your dog a balanced healthy nutritious diet, that is of high quality, then you will notice a difference in the outputs. Cleaning up after your pet may not be at the top of your list of things to do, but it will be a far easier task and much more tolerable to do, if your dogs diet is healthy and nutritious.

Always consult your veterinarian before you decide what type of diet is best for your dog. If you decide on dry food, then look for one that lists meat as the first ingredient. This way you will reduce the amount of fillers that your pet consumes.

Feeding your pet on a regular schedule is important. When you are deciding what your dogs diet will be do not simply focus on what you are feeding your pet, as its just as important to focus on when you feed your dog. If you feed your dog at consistent mealtimes, then you will be far more able to predict your dogs potty schedule. This also plays an important role when you are house training your pet.

By helping your pet eat a balanced healthy nutritious diet, then you are taking the first and most important step to maintaining a healthy diet for your dog. Your dogs diet, when you monitor it, will keep things running smoothly, it will also minimize outputs and mess. But be warned about to many treats in your dogs diet. By knowing what goes into your pet, will reduce the garbage and mess coming out.

Choosing the right Dogs Diet is not always easy, for further free information and advice try visiting Dog Diet Tips