Tips on how to Train your Dog to Walk on a Leash Part 1

The process of training your dog to walk on a leash can be an easy venture or a difficult one. Most of this depends on your attitude and patience. It is beneficial if you can start your training in the puppy stages. Your puppy will most likely pull against you as the rules and boundaries have not been set yet.

First start by introducing a collar to your puppy and let him wear it for a while before attempting the walk. Your puppy needs to overcome the feeling of something around his neck and act as if it is not there. Once your puppy is not paying attention to the new collar any longer, you can introduce the leash.

It is important to do the same routine with your puppy previous to a walk. Your puppy will start to know what you expect from him and will start to listen to your commands if you always repeat the same routine.

Make sure you put your puppy on the leash before opening the door to go outside and make sure that your puppy is calm during this process. You will need to exit the house first and then let your dog follow behind you. This is very important as this will establish who is in charge of the walk.

Do not let your puppy pull on the leash as they are very curious of the outside world and all the things in it and it can cause them to gag. Pull straight up on the leash and say “heal” to get your puppy’s attention. Take a step or two and see what reaction you get from your puppy. He will probably pull again and you will need to make the correction again with pulling up and saying “heal”.

When I was training my Pit/Lab mix Boo Boo, she would take part of the leash in her mouth and walk along with me. Although it was very cute to see her do that, I had to stop her as when she had the leash in her mouth, she was walking me. It is important to take control of the walk and have a calm attitude. Your dog can feel your energy through the leash during a walk. Constant tension on the leash is not a good thing. This should be a relaxing experience for you and you puppy therefore you should not be tense at all.

Stay ahead of your dog and do not let your dog lead the way. Do not use one of those leashes that automatically let line out or take line in. It is best to use a regular old fashioned leash. Get one in your favorite color or if you walk in the evenings, get one that is glow in the dark for safety.

Keep repeating these tips:

Put your puppy or dog on the leash before you open the door for the walk.

Walk out of your home in front of your dog and never let your dog exit before you

If your dog is pulling on the leash just pull straight up to stop the forward motion and get his attention

Make sure your dog walks behind you; keep your dog on a short leash if necessary

Make sure that you are relaxed and in control during the walk as your dog will know if you are not.

This is just basic introduction to walking on a leash. Once you have mastered these steps you can start working on other commands during the walk. I will explain those techniques in part 2 coming soon.

If you have found this article helpful and would like additional Free tips and information please visit my website at http//:Basics of Dog Ownership.com

Five Steps to Follow If a Dog Or Other Animal Bites Your Dog

If an animal or other dog bites your dog, the possibility of it becoming serious is very likely. The saliva of other animals or dogs contains huge amounts of bacteria, which can certainly induce an infection throughout the wound. Even a little bite that does not look serious can critically damage your dogs underlying tissue. Regardless of the size of a bite wound, it is best to have a veterinarian check and treat the injury to make sure it remains infection free and does not end up worse. Here are five things you should know and do if your dog does end up bitten by another animal.

1. When a dog experiences pain, often it will lash out, even at their owners or family members. This is extremely common so the first thing you should do if your dog receives a bite is place a muzzle on your dog, which gives you protection in case the dog snaps and tries to bite you or someone else. Before touching the animal, use a muzzle, or if you do not have one available, use a makeshift one and carefully tie the dogs mouth closed using panty hose, gauze, or other material available but without covering the dog's nostrils. If the dog suddenly gets stick or starts having trouble breathing, remove the muzzle immediately.

2. If the pet is tiny and cannot wear a muzzle, use a towel and place it around the dog's head to protect you from a dog bite. You certainly want to avoid blocking the dog's air supply, so wrap its head loosely and only leave the towel on for a short period.

3. Once you have muzzled the dog, you should use K-Y or another type of water-soluble jelly and carefully put a thin layer directly on the dog's bite wound. You are now ready to trim the hair near and around the bite wound area. This makes it simpler to clean the wound along with helping it air out so it heals quicker. Use electric clippers, a disposable razor or scissors to gently, carefully trim the hair.

The K-Y jelly will protect the injury by preventing the hair from getting into the bite wound. After trimming the dog's hair, clean the injury carefully to prevent infection. Use running, lukewarm water to flush the wound for approximately five minutes. If the bite is more than twenty-four hours old, use antibacterial soap to scrub the bite injury as there may already be bacteria in the wound. Flush with running, warm water and dry the wound.

4. Once you thoroughly clean and dry the injury, apply Neosporin or another antibiotic over-the-counter ointment on the wound. A clean cloth or gauze makes an excellent bandage but slip your finger under the bandage to be sure it is not too tight.

5. Always keep your dog's rabies vaccination and other vaccinations up to date.

Watch the dog bites carefully and have your veterinarian examine the dog wounds for your own peace of mind.

For more information recommended by Kelly Marshall, see these recent articles Aggression With Dogs: How It Came Into Being and All About Vitamins.

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The Best Things You Can Do To Make Your Dog Happy

Deciding to bring a dog into your family can be one of the most rewarding decisions a family can make. Dog ownership can be a wonderful experience with the proper supplies, patience, and guidance. You must first decide where you will obtain your new addition. You can buy from a breeder, look into your local animal shelter, check online, and check in the newspapers. Sometimes your dog will find you as we acquired our dog by word of mouth from a neighbor that know of this little 8 week old lab/pit mix that needed a home.
Once you decide on where to gain your new dog, you need to decide on a breed. Do research on the traits and characteristics of the different breeds so you will know what to expect. Find a breed that fits into your lifestyle. You do not want to get a dog that needs lots of room to run if your dwelling is not conducive to those needs.
There will be some necessities that you will need to have when you bring your new dog home. Some of the basics are food, food and water bowls, collar, leash, crate (if you crate train which I highly advise), chew toys, shampoo, brush, flea comb, flea treatment, heartworm pills, and plenty of balls to throw. Make sure you check with your vet for the best food for your dog. Some dogs need specific diets and a change in the food can bring on stomach problems. Also make sure that the shampoo that you buy for your dog is appropriate for the dog's skin type. Always check with your vet for the best options for you or do some looking on line as there are a number of safe organic supplies that will do the trick.
Start training your dog from day one. If you have brought a puppy into your home you will need to take a deep breath and start the potty training immediately. This can be accomplished simply with the right tools and attitude. You will need to establish yourself as the Pack Leader and reaffirm that position every day. This is extremely important as you need to let your dog know who is in charge and this will help tremendously in all facets of the training that you will need to do with your dog.
Dog ownership can be very rewarding if you are prepared with the right tools and mindset. Please remember that your dog will need your attention and love on a daily basis. You will need to have patience and understanding and a lot of love, you will also get that love back from your dog which makes everything worth it.

If you found this article helpful and are looking for additional information about raising your dog or information about training, please visit my newly revised site at http://www.basicsofdogownership.com or my informative blog at http://www.basicsofdogownership.blogspot.com which gives you tips on many different topics of dog ownership. Thanks so much for reading this article.
Tami Grant is a lifelong animal lover and dog enthusiast and accomplished niche website developer. She is the proud owner of Boo Boo who is one of the loves of her life. Meet Boo Boo at her website.
You may republish this article on your blog, website or e-zine by providing credit to the author with a live link to Basics of Dog Ownership Website and blog.

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Help Fido Enjoy a Tick-free Summer

Pets tend to spend more of their time outdoors in the warmer summer months. In case of dogs, it is essential to be cautious about parasites, bugs and micro organisms that can harm them while they are enjoying the fresh air. Precautions are necessary to keep such dangers away. One of the major pests that can cause a lot of damage is ticks since they can carry contagious diseases. Avoiding ticks initially is more preferable than trying to treat them at a later stage.

Ticks tend to stick to warmer temperatures, CO2 and movement. Ticks do not transmit through the air; their motion is limited to crawling. They transmit themselves by climbing up taller structures or plants and drop onto any living human or animal. The danger of diseases or kinds of diseases transmitted by ticks depends upon the country and culture, therefore, the cure of after effects from ticks and ticks themselves vary from country to country. The danger of having ticks on your dog's body begins once the tick bites. The bite itself is painless and unfeeling but the area of the bite may become infected. Consulting a veterinarian is advisable for treatment which normally involves a course of oral antibiotics. If your dog becomes ill due to a tick bite, there is a risk of spreading the infection through your pet's saliva. The most popular disease transmitted by a tick bite is Lyme disease.

The best way to avoid ticks is to avoid walking your dog in the midst of vegetation during tick season. Always keep the vegetation around your home trimmed. Certain preventive medication products are also available. Talk to your veterinarian about the suitability of these alternatives for your dog in respect to age and area. Do not use tick preventative medications without a veterinarian recommendation and be sure to follow proper dosage instructions. Please remember that these medications are suited for a single class of pets only, meaning that tick prevention medication for dogs is for dogs only and should not be used on cats or any other pets.

When your dog comes back from the outdoors, make sure to check him carefully for ticks. Ticks are normally found in warm areas, under the arms, in the ears, between the toes and in the folds of the skin. If you find any, remove them safely. Do not touch the tick; use an alcohol swab, then pull it out slowly with tweezers. Make sure not to leave any parts of the tick sticking to your dog. If you are unsuccessful contact your vet for assistance.

Lee Anne Emig is the founder of The Pet Sitting Institute. She owned a successful pet sitting business and is the author of several pet care articles. The Pet Sitting Institute offers complete systems, products and tools to help people start the pet sitting business of their dreams and succeed in the industry. Visit http://www.PetSittingInstitute.com for more information.

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Age To Get Puppies Spayed

Having your puppy spayed is by far the best way to ensure that we combat the problem of unwanted dogs. There are a huge number of healthy dogs put to sleep each year in America and an even greater number waiting in shelters to be adopted. Much of the trauma that these animals go through would be spared if only we took a more responsible view regarding the age to have puppies spayed.

Puppies are sexually mature at around six months old. From this time on a bitch can become pregnant and have her own litter of puppies, despite the fact that she will still seem like a puppy to you. Therefore, if we wish to keep the overpopulation of dogs to a minimum, the best age for puppies to be spayed would be before they are six months old. This should be before the puppy comes on heat for the first time.

Not only is this the best age to have puppies spayed from the viewpoint of controlling the dog population, it is also better for the dog on medical grounds. You will have reduced the risk of your dog suffering from mammary adenocarcinoma by about 98% when she is older.

Whether there is a limit regarding there being too young an age to have puppies spayed is a much discussed subject. The American Medical Veterinary Association now advocates the spaying of female puppies from as early as 7 weeks. There are many other reputable organizations who agree with the AMVA on this decision including The Humane Society of the United States and The Kennel Club of the United States.

There has been years of research into the subject and findings have been contra to previous beliefs. It was thought in the past that operating so early in life could cause the dog problems in later years. It has now been proved that there are no medical contraindications for the procedure at this age regarding either behavior or physical well being. Many veterinarians however, will still not agree to the procedure at such an early age and are still of the opinion that the best age to have puppies spayed is at around six months, just prior to first season. Veterinarians who are involved with The Humane Society of the United States are particularly supportive of early age spaying if it means that the animal can be adopted from a shelter rather than euthanized. Another rule for some is the weight of the puppy. Some will only spay if the animal weighs at least two pounds.

The majority of specialists will say that the ideal age to have puppies spayed would be at six months. In some cases this can be reduced for an early age spay from as young as 7 weeks. Either way, the important issue is that you do have your puppy spayed. This will be one step closer to helping reduce unwanted pregnancies and save the trauma that unwanted dogs have to endure.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about spaying puppies, please visit Spay and Neuter Today for current articles and discussions.

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5 Easy Tips For Identifying Dog Skin Problems

Although there are many canine skin disorders, the 5 following tips will help to identify some of the more common dog skin problems:

1. Fleas: The best way to identify a flea problem is to check your pets belly area and along the inside of the back legs. The hair is thinner in this area and easier to spot both fleas and flea dirt. The flea itself is brown or copper colored and roughly the size of a pin-head. Flea dirt looks like sprinkled pepper. Ruffling the fur on your dog's back and along the base of the tail is also an easy way to find fleas and flea droppings. Often times dogs that develop Flea Allergy Dermatitis will show hair loss around the base (top) of the tail. There are many options available for flea and tick control.

2. Food Allergy Dermatitis: Although food allergies can appear in pups as early on as 5 or 6 months, they can also develop in adult dogs as late as 11 or 12 years old. Common symptoms of food allergy dermatitis are itching of the skin, excessive scratching, hot spots and even skin infections. Dog owners should realize that there is a distinct difference between Food Allergies and Food Intolerance. Like people, classic symptoms of a food intolerance would be an upset stomach and diarrhea. All foods do not agree with all dogs. Pink Bismuth is a safe remedy for stomach upset and diarrhea in dogs. Food allergies require slowly eliminating foods and changing the diet.

3. Atopic Dermatitis: A condition caused by environmental allergens. Dogs that suffer with airborne allergies will often rub their face along the side of a sofa or along the carpet. As with food allergies, dogs will also chew their feet. With Atopic Dermatitis, it's common for dogs to develop ear infections due to a yeast overgrowth. Pollen, trees, grass, dust and wool fabric are just a few common airborne allergens that some dogs are sensitive to. Antihistimines are often prescribed.

4. Acral Lick Dermatitis (Lick Granuloma): This raised lesion will be red, hairless and is usually found on the leg of the dog. This neurological condition is self-induced due to continuous licking. Possible causes include anxiety, boredom and stress. Treatment will include identifying the source of the problem (anxiety, etc.), restricting licking of the area and often times medication for behavioral modification.

5. Hot Spots: Medically referred to as Acute Moist Dermatitis, these round lesions generally appear in warmer weather. Along the hip, the sides of the chest and around the head area are the most common locations for hot spots. These moist and hairless inflammations are painful causing the dog to fixate on the particular spot by licking, chewing and scratching at it. Continuous licking in one area is a large factor in the development of hot spots. These lesions can quickly become very large in size. The location of the hot spot will help determine what the underlying problem could be an; anal gland problem, ear problem or a flea problem. A Veterinarian will clip the hair around the spot, clean it with a medicated solution, prescribe antibiotics and pain medicine.

Determining the source of dog skin problems can often be difficult. Yet, skin conditions can be uncomfortable and painful, so dog owners should not give up until they know where the problem stems from.

Along with her two dogs and husband, Janie resides in the Pittsburgh area. With over 25 years of dog handling experience, she shares many articles on the importance of dog care and canine nutritional health.

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What is the Best Method For Cleaning Dog Teeth?

Do you have your own pet dog? Are you giving all the best care and love for him? Are you sure? You might have been very keen when it comes to his health and his hygiene but the fact of the matter is, most dog owners forgot the importance and the proper way of cleaning their dog's teeth and some would even shrug the idea off for they know that cleaning the those pearly whites (or are they?) in canine is very difficult and matter of fact, dangerous, too, and you might be one of them. On the hand, you might have been cleaning your dog's teeth but is it the right method? Check it out right here if you're adapting the best method for cleaning dog teeth.

To effectively clean your buddy's pearly whites (again, are they really that white?), you have to know that giving the proper and best oral care for your flea-bitten varmint can extend years in his life. For some owners and dog experts, life of a dog can be extended four to five years if you give proper oral care other than health care and proper diet and harmonious environment.

Here's on effective way on how to make your dog open up his mouth every time you try to open it with your own bare hands without him swallowing you up in whole. Cleaning Your Dog's Teeth Properly Can Extend Years Of Life.

You must make your dog get used to letting your open up its mouth and do it slowly, one at a time, with patience and sheer determination. In the first phase, you must get your dog used to having its mouth handled by lifting its teeth and you act like you're just expecting his teeth. No brushing involved yet, not yet, not at this time. Do this 2-3 times a week and while doing this, give your pet a small treat or even just a pat in the head after you're finished doing that.

Before you know it, he will get comfortable with the teeth cleaning process knowing that there'll always be some treat when it's over.

Then, here comes the toothbrush. You got to...no, you need to introduce this foreign gadget to him and slowly...slowly.. To gradually accustom him to having you handle his mouth while attempting to push something inside. The best ideal toothbrush for this is a wash cloth or a gauze pad so you can wrap it around your finger. Toothpastes for dogs are readily available offline and online. You might want to let him use human toothpaste but you see, dogs can't spit. Humans spit then bite but dogs bite directly. Kidding aside, if you use human toothpaste, it would be dangerous for him because he might swallow it instead of spitting it out.

In general, be gentle with how you brush your dog's teeth. Talk to him occasionally so he won't be apprehensive and fearful that would make him take a bite on your finger. By the way, you can find some dog toothbrushes (the appropriate ones) online should you need to have one.

In general, if you really care for your dog, not only you will give him the proper health care, the love and attention, some personal dog hygiene, but you also have to give special attention on the best method for cleaning dog teeth. What you have read here is mostly based on personal experiences which, in turn, based on the professional perspective but as always, its best you should learn the best method by getting first-hand information and the best place to get it is through the Internet.

To learn more about the different types of best method for cleaning dog teeth and pet meds for your dogs, cats, horse, etc., and how to get discount and cheap pet medications, make sure to visit http://www.callpetmeds.com where you will find everything on getting quality yet affordable pet medications as well as tips on how to take care of your pets like the experts.

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House Train Your Puppy with a Crate

One of the best ways to house train your puppy is through the use of a crate. This works especially well if you have to leave your puppy unattended for any length of time. It is a good idea to use a crate for at least the first nine months as you will want to protect your flooring and any items that a puppy may want to chew on.

Please buy a crate that your puppy can grow into as this is part of the training. When training my Pit/Lab mix we only experienced a few accidents that happened on our way outside. A puppy or dog typically will not defecate where it sleeps. It is important to make sure that while your puppy is in the crate it only has enough room to turn around in. Most crates come with a divider that you can keep moving as your puppy grows. This will help in the training as your puppy will learn to hold itself until taken outside. It is a good idea not to feed or give your puppy water at least an hour before bedtime. Make sure you establish a schedule for your puppy so it will start to know when it will be taken out for bathroom breaks.

As soon as you wake up in the morning take your puppy out immediately. You may need to carry your puppy for the first week to the outside to avoid any accidents on your way outside. We carried our puppy outside for the first week and praised her when she would go in the grass. We also said the words “go pee pee “and “go poop” when she did the act. Those commands reinforced daily will help later as she will now go on demand as she knows what those words mean due to association with the act. We rewarded her with petting, attention and play when she would complete the act instead of food. We wanted to reserve the food for the training of the regular commands such as sit, stay, lay down, etc. We did not want to confuse her with getting a treat for using the bathroom and then use the same method for regular commands. You must also watch the amount of treats given to a puppy as to not upset their stomachs as they are still growing and can only handle so much food intake.

You need to be consistent with the timing of the bathroom breaks which will mean you will need to be trained to use a schedule as well. Never reprimand with hitting for accidents which will most likely happen during the first few weeks. You must have patience and understanding when you are housebreaking your puppy. Here is a breakdown of what you can do to be successful:

· Buy a safe, quality crate that your puppy can grow into

· Set a schedule that you can stick to that will allow for frequent bathroom breaks for your puppy

· Limit food and water before bed time and walk just before putting your puppy in the crate for the night

· Use key words to get your puppy used to the commands to go to the bathroom

· Praise your puppy for going outside and never reprimand for accidents that will happen

Please remember that your puppy is just like a baby and will need to be taught how to do everything. You will need to have patience and understanding and a lot of love.