One of your first jobs as a dog owner is house training your puppy, and even if you do nothing else in terms of dog training, you’ll have to do this. That is, unless you are prepared to live with an animal that has no control over her toilet habits.

Fortunately, in most cases, it is easy. Choose a method, implement a plan, add a bit of patience, and you’re done.

In fact, all you have to do to ensure success, is to tap into your dog’s natural behavior. For starters, dogs are, by nature, clean animals and will never “do their business” close to where they eat and sleep, except in extreme circumstances.

Secondly, dogs love to please us and will do whatever it takes to make us happy.

Remember these two principles as you house train your dog, as they are the secret to success regardless of the method you employ.

Here are the most common puppy house training methods;

Supervision Method

Crate Training

Paper Training Method

Litter Box

The method you choose is entirely up to you, but my favorite is crate training. I have trained many dogs using this method and I am always blown away at how easy it is. This is probably because it taps the two aspects of dog behavior I mentioned earlier.

With crate training your puppy you use these behavioral aspects to your advantage - a much better approach than chasing your dog and trying to haul him outdoors, or to the paper every time he squats down.

Don’t feel you have to go with crate training though, because the other methods also work. Just choose the one you feel comfortable with. Whichever method you choose though, you will need to remain consistent, patient and positive. Shouting will achieve nothing other than making the dog afraid of you.

Never forget that she’s just a baby. You wouldn’t punish a baby that messed her diaper, or scream at her and rub her nose in it. So why would you do that to a little dog?

The puppy doesn’t yet know that she has done something wrong. But persist with your training and she’ll soon get the picture. Dogs are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. So stick with it and you’ll see results.

Want to see results even faster?

Then praise your pup when she succeeds.

Your puppy desperately wants to make you happy. When you praise her for ‘going’ outside, or on the paper, she learns that this behavior pleases you, and she’s encouraged to repeat the behavior, just to get more praise from you.

And don’t be stingy with the praise either. You need to make it very obvious that you are pleased with her behavior, so be enthusiastic, be effusive, be downright over the top!

Later, when you start obedience training, your puppy will already know that obedience equals praise, so in effect house training actually sets the scene for all your training efforts to come.

Find out more about dog training tips, dog care, information on dogs and other interesting dog info at http://www.dogsanddogtraining.com

Technorati Tags: dog obedience training, Dog Training, dog training tips, dogs

With its stocky build, elaborate tail, bear-like face and characteristic blue tong, the Chow Chow is an easy dog to recognize. This Chinese breed is medium in size, standing 22 inches at the withers, and weighing up to 70 pounds. The most common coat color is red, but it can also be black, cream, or grey (blue).

This ancient breed is thought to have originated in Mongolia round about 200BC. They were used in a number of roles including guarding, herding, hunting and pulling carts. They were also a source of food for the ancient people of this region.

No one knows exactly where the name, Chow Chow derives from. A common, though generally discredited theory, is that it derives from the Chinese word for food. Another theory is that “Chow”, was a slang term used by sailors to refer to Cargo, and this name somehow passed to the dog. The Chow Chow is widely recognized as the father of all modern Spitz breeds, including the Keeshond, Pomeranian, and Icelandic Sheepdog.The Chow Chow is not an ideal dog for the first time dog owner, as they can be quite dominant. The need the firm hand of an experienced dog owner to keep them in check. They are often characterized as aggressive, but this is mostly undeserved. In general Chows are affectionate, confident dogs who tend to bond very closely with a single person. With everyone else they can come across as aloof.

They are not a good choice for a family with very young kids, but do well with older children. They also do well with other pets,. as long as they’ve been properly socialized.

Training is an absolute must with this breed. However, you’ll need tons of patience to train a Chow, they are famously strong-willed and while they may sometimes be co=operative, at other times they’ll flatly ignore you. They are however very eager to please their bonded human, so training is not entirely a lost cause.

Although they are generally healthy dogs, Chows do suffer from a number of congenital diseases. Hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and entropion are all known to occur. Another common problem is gastric torsion, a serious condition, that requires immediate veterinary treatment. You can reduce the risk of bloat by feeding your dog small, regular meals, and avoiding exercise immediately before an after meals. Average lifespan for the Chow is 15 years.

Grooming a Chow requires quite a bit of work. They are heavy shedders and the dense coat needs to be brushed daily to keep it in good condition.

Chows are quite happy to live outdoors as they don’t crave human attention as much as most other dog breeds. Their thick coat helps them to withstand very cold whether but they are not as well suited to warm, humid climates.

Good dog names can be hard to find. The best advice is to try one of the online dog names, sites. My personal favorite is Puppy Names HQ, a site that has tons of excellent dog names to pick from, including thousands of female dog names.

Technorati Tags: dog breeds, dog names puppy names, dogs

Dogs just love to play and some high-energy dogs will keep you busy all day if you’ll let them. But there will be times when you’re not around, or you’re just too busy and you need something to keep your dog amused.

This is where dog toys come to the rescue, and these days we’re not talking about a stick or a piece of rope. These days their are some pretty cool toys that will satisfy even the most demanding pooch.

Here are some cool doy toys that I came across. Pick a few for your dog. He’ll love you for it.

Kong Toys – If you have a dog that loves to chew, then a Kong toy is the answer. These rubberized toys and virtually indestructible, so even your Pitbull can chew away for hours and not make much of an impact.

The cool thing is they also have a hollow center for you to put treats in. Your dog will be fully occupied trying to get at the treat, and it’s great for working his brain too.

Pull Toys - Tug-a-war is a favorite game of many dogs, but unfortunately many of the cheap pull toys on the market soon fray and break.

Once again Kong comes to the rescue. Their pulling toy is basically a pair of rubber balls wrapped in canvas with a canvas cord at the end. Like all Kong toys they’re tough, and nigh on impossible to break. Plus, the balls also squeak, which most dogs love.

Frisbees – Dogs love chasing a frisbee, but the hard plastic ones are actually dangerous for dogs because they can splinter and cause injury.

If you’re going to get a Frisbee for your dog, go for the Frost Bite Frisbee, which is soft, pliable, and punctures when bitten, rather than shattering.

Puzzles - Dogs are natural problem solvers, so a toy that challenges your dog to work something out in order to earn a treat is a good choice.

A good example is the Squirrel Plushy, which is a soft plush toy with smaller plush toys hidden inside. The dog has to figure out how to get the smaller toys out.

Nylabones – Another good toy for the dog that loves to chew. These rubber, bone-shaped chewing toys are incredible strong, so your dog can gnaw away to his hearts content.

Tuffies - These are stuffed toys made specifically with dogs in mind. They are strong and durable, and even come with “toughness” ratings. So you can get one to suit your Pomeranian or even one that your Bull Terrier will have a hard time breaking.

Squirrel Dude – This is one of my dog’s favorites. The Squirrel Dude is a rubber toy with a timer that you can set to dispense treats at regular intervals - kind of like a canine vending machine.

Some thing for every dog on this list, I’m sure you’ll agree. And even if you can’t find something here that your dog fancies, shop around there are tons of choices these days.

Click here to read more about dog toys, dog care, dog grooming and other helpful dog advice at www.dogsanddogtraining.com

Technorati Tags: dog care, dog toys, Dog Training, dogs

Dogs have a wide vocabulary that includes barking, growling, howling, as well as whining. All of these convey their own message. Whining for example is normally interpreted as a sign of distress, and as such instantly draws our attention.

Dogs, of course, have long since figured out that whining is also a sure-fire way of getting what they want.

Why Your Dog May Be Whining

A dog will usually whine when it is fearful, anxious or in pain. Some of our more creative canine friends have also learned how to fake being anxious or afraid in order to attract our attention. But dogs don’t pretend to be hurt, so if you believe your dog is genuinely in pain you’ll want to attend to the problem right away.

The other causes of whining are fairly easy to treat. All it takes is a few, easy to implement, steps.How to End the Whining

Let’s discuss anxiety whining first. Often this is related to the dog being left alone. The dog has noticed a routine you go through before leaving the house, something as simple as turning off the TV and activating the alarm.

This then becomes the trigger that sets off your dog’s whining. In order to address this you’ll need to break the connection between your actions, and the dog’s reaction. There are a number of ways to do this.

You could simply vary your routine. Or you could confuse the dog by getting ready to leave, and then not go out. Another alternative is to go through your whole routine, then go out for 30 seconds or so, before coming back in.

These are all easy ways to break the connection the dog has built up between your routine, and the fact that it results in him being left on his own. It sounds simplistic, but it works.

Another cause for whining is fear. For example a dog left alone in an empty house may become fearful and anxious. The solution here is simply to cut down his space.

Restricting your dog to just one or two rooms and giving him some crate training is an effective way of dealing with this form of whining.

Be aware that it will take a bit of time to accustom your dog to the crate, but it is relatively easy because the crate simulates a den environment. Once the dog is used to the crate he no longer feels the need to patrol his larger “territory” (the house). It is an effective way of addressing both fear and anxiety in your dog.

How to Address “Attention” Whining

Dogs are arch manipulators and usually have a bag of tricks that they use to get what they want. For example, small dogs love doing the “sit up and beg trick”, because they know it is cute and gets them attention.Likewise, if your dog works out that he just has to whine for you to come running, guess what? He’ll be doing a lot of whining, and you’ll be doing a lot of running!

If you pay attention, you’ll soon pick up on the subtle ways in which your dog tries to manipulate you. You’ll have to learn how to ignore the attention seeking whining or your dog will wrap you around his little paw.

Find out more about dog training tips, puppy care, dog health and other interesting dog information at www.dogsanddogtraining.com.

Technorati Tags: dog obedience training, Dog Training, dog training tips, dogs

Dog vomiting is quite natural canine behavior. All dogs do it, and some do it frequently, and for a number of reasons.

So before you grab your car keys to rush the dog off to the vet, stop awhile! In most cases, there is no need for concern. Vomiting is just a natural way in which dogs remove unwanted matter from the body.

That’s not to say that you should ignore it completely, because sometimes it can be a symptom of a deeper, more serious problem. The key is to be alert for other symptoms that accompany the vomiting, like diarrhea, lethargy, and loss of appetite.

If you notice these symptoms it’s time to visit the vet, although most likely it is still nothing to be overly concerned about.

Here are some common reasons why your dog may be vomiting;

Eating too quickly - Let’s be honest, some dogs eat as though they believe their food can still run away from them! If your dog does this, feed him smaller meals more often and it will probably sort out the problem.

Eating Grass - Dogs frequently eat grass and the jury is still out as to whether they consume it to induce vomiting, or if consuming it causes them to vomit. Whatever, if your dog eats a lot of grass, he’ll normally throw up soon after.

Eating the wrong things - Dogs that are fed on junk food and table scraps, and dogs that make a habit of raiding the trash can, are always likely to throw up. A healthy diet and preventing access to the trash will sort this out straight away.

When should I worry?

Although vomiting is usually nothing to worry about, it should also not be ignored. The first thing you should be alert to is the frequency. Once in a while is not a problem, once or twice a day merits a veterinary check up.

Also look out for other symptoms, like those mentioned earlier, as well as other unusual signs. Be particularly watchful for blood in the vomit or any strange coloration. If you see this, get your dog to the vet right away.

Vomiting may also have a more immediate cause - your dog may have ingested something poisonous, like a household detergent, a toxic plant, or even a large amount of chocolate. If you believe this to be the case, get your dog to the vet immediately.

How To Prevent Your Dog From Throwing Up

If you have a dog that throws up on a regular basis, there are a number of commonsense measures that you can put in place to reduce it.

Start by feeding your dog a healthy diet. Cut out all table scraps and junk foods and ensure that your dog cannot get into the trashcan. Feed your dog more frequent, smaller meals and add a fiber supplement, so the dog is less inclined to eat grass.

These steps should be enough to reduce dog vomiting, but if not, it is advisable to speak to your vet.

If you want to find out more about dog vomiting, dog care, dog breed info and other helpful dog advice drop by at dogsanddogtraining.com

Technorati Tags: dog, dog care, dog health, dog vomiting

Pаrt оf trаіnіng уоur dоg іѕ lеаrnіng tо trаіn уоurѕеlf аѕ wеll. Thіѕ саn bе ѕаіd bесаuѕе bеfоrе аn оwnеr саn еffесtіvеlу trаіn а dоg, thеу muѕt fіrѕt trаіn thеmѕеlvеѕ оn hоw. Trаіnіng а dоg іѕ nоt аn іnnаtе ѕkіll; іt іѕ ѕоmеthіng оnе muѕt lеаrn. Thіѕ аrtісlе рrоvіdеѕ hеlрful іnfоrmаtіоn thаt аnуоnе саn uѕе tо рrераrе tо trаіn а dоg. Click here to know more about dog training now.

Gіvе уоur dоg а fеw рrасtісе rоundѕ оf hаndlіng рrіоr vеtеrіnаrу арроіntmеntѕ. Gеntlу рlасе уоur hаndѕ оvеr іtѕ bоdу, асknоwlеdgіng уоur dоg whеn hе rеѕроndѕ роѕіtіvеlу. Prераrе hіm tо bе mоrе tоlеrаnt wіth hаvіng hіѕ раwѕ hаndlеd аnd hіѕ tееth lооkеd аt. Aѕk уоur frіеndѕ tо hеlр оut, аѕ wеll.

Dо nоt wrар hіm uр іntо уоur drаmаѕ wіth а ѕtеrn vоісе whеn hе іѕ nоt thе tаrgеt оf уоur аngеr. If thе bоѕѕ уеllеd аt уоu аt wоrk, dоn’t tаkе іt оut оn уоur dоg. If thе dоg hаѕ dоnе nоthіng wrоng, thеn іt ѕhоuld nоt bе trеаtеd аѕ ѕuсh.

Yоu саn rеѕt аѕѕurеd thаt whеn уоu trаіn уоur рuрру, thеу mау hаvе аn ассіdеnt іn thе hоuѕе. Immеdіаtеlу сlеаn uр еvеrу ассіdеnt fоr trаіnіng рurроѕеѕ. Thе оdоrѕ frоm thеѕе ассіdеntѕ wіll rеmаіn іn thе саrреtіng, whісh wіll аttrасt уоur реt bасk tо thіѕ ѕаmе ѕроt tо uѕе аgаіn аnd аgаіn fоr еlіmіnаtіоn рurроѕеѕ. Mаnу сlеаnіng рrоduсtѕ аrе mаdе јuѕt tо еlіmіnаtе thіѕ оrdеr, уоu саn fіnd thеm аt аnу реt ѕtоrе.

In оrdеr tо bе ѕuссеѕѕful іn уоur trаіnіng еffоrtѕ, уоu muѕt mаkе ѕurе уоur dоg rеmаіnѕ асtіvе. Dоgѕ wеrе nоt mеаnt tо lау аrоund аll dау. Thеу nееd tо run аnd wоrk іn оrdеr tо bе hеаlthу аnd hарру. Tаkе уоur реt tо thе dоg раrk оr hеlр hіm lеаrn а nеw ѕkіll thаt kеерѕ hіm асtіvе, ѕuсh аѕ рlауіng fеtсh wіth tеnnіѕ bаllѕ оr саtсhіng а Frіѕbее іn mіd-flіght. Dоgѕ thrіvе оn соnѕtаnt mоtіоn, ѕо dоn’t lеt уоurѕ gеt іdlе.

Whеn trаіnіng уоur рuрру nоt tо сhеw, trу tо hеlр hіm аlоng bу ѕеttіng uр а “сhеw-frіеndlу” еnvіrоnmеnt. Exсеѕѕіvе сhеwіng іѕ nоt оnlу dаmаgіng tо уоur рrесіоuѕ оbјесtѕ, but dаngеrоuѕ tо уоur dоg. Itеmѕ lіkе hаіrbruѕhеѕ саn саuѕе а dоg tо сhоkе оr соuld blосk thеіr аіrwау.

Stау соnѕіѕtеnt whеn trаіnіng уоur dоg. Thе соmmаndѕ thаt уоu uѕе ѕhоuld bе uѕеd bу оthеrѕ аѕ wеll. Mаkе а lіѕt, аnd mаkе ѕurе оthеr реорlе whо dеаl wіth уоur dоg knоw thе соmmаndѕ. Dіѕсuѕѕ wіth fаmіlу mеmbеrѕ whаt mеthоdѕ tо еmрlоу іn еnсоurаgіng gооd bеhаvіоr bу уоur dоg. Yоur dоg wіll bесоmе vеrу соnfuѕеd іf еасh реrѕоn rеѕроndѕ dіffеrеntlу tо а ѕіnglе tуре оf bеhаvіоr. Thіѕ wіll mаkе trаіnіng vеrу hаrd.

It mіght bе а gооd іdеа tо еnrоll іn оbеdіеnсе сlаѕѕеѕ іn оrdеr tо lеаrn hоw tо mаkе уоur dоg оbеу уоu. Obеdіеnсе сlаѕѕ іnѕtruсtоrѕ knоw hоw tо ѕоlvе а vаrіеtу оf іѕѕuеѕ, lіkе соnѕtаnt bаrkіng аnd gеnеrаl dіѕоbеdіеnсе.

Fоr а hарріеr аnd mоrе соntеnt dоg, bе ѕurе tо рrоvіdе іt wіth thіngѕ tо dо thаt wіll ѕtіmulаtе іtѕ thіnkіng аnd kеер іtѕ mіnd асtіvе. Grеаt асtіvіtіеѕ tоgеthеr іnсludе ѕіmрlе wаlkѕ аnd рlауіng wіth tоуѕ, еѕресіаllу іf thе tоуѕ аrе fіllеd wіth реаnut buttеr. A bоrеd роосh fіnd wауѕ tо bе еntеrtаіnеd, lіkе сhеwіng uр уоur fаvоrіtе bооkѕ аnd ѕhоеѕ. Gіvе уоur dоg ѕоmеthіng tо dо, аnd уоu wіll bоth bе hарріеr.

If уоu nоtісе аnу bеhаvіоrаl рrоblеmѕ рор uр оut оf thе bluе, уоu ѕhоuld tаkе уоur dоg tо thе vеtеrіnаrіаn tо mаkе ѕurе thаt thеrе аrе nо hеаlth іѕѕuеѕ саuѕіng іt. Pаіn іn аn аnіmаl саn саuѕе еrrаtіс bеhаvіоr. Anіmаlѕ саn’t tеll uѕ whеn ѕоmеthіng іѕ wrоng, ѕо thеу dереnd оn uѕ tо іntеrрrеt thеіr bеhаvіоrѕ.

Trаіnіng ѕhоuld bе аn еnјоуаblе асtіvіtу fоr уоur dоg. Aіm fоr а 10-15 mіnutе trаіnіng ѕеѕѕіоn, whісh іѕ орtіmаl fоr thе dоg’ѕ аttеntіоn ѕраn. Gіvе уоur dоg rеwаrdѕ thаt vаrу аnd соmе оftеn. Prаіѕіng уоur dоg іѕ thе bеѕt wау tо еnѕurе соntіnuеd оbеdіеnсе. Whеn уоu tаkе а mоrе роѕіtіvе аррrоасh tо dіѕсірlіnе, thе рrосеѕѕ bесоmеѕ fаr mоrе еnјоуаblе.

Dоg trаіnіng ѕhоuld аlwауѕ bе роѕіtіvе аnd еnсоurаgіng. Rеwаrdіng уоur dоg wіth рrаіѕе іѕ аn іmроrtаnt раrt оf rеіnfоrсіng dеѕіrеd bеhаvіоrѕ. Rеlуіng tоо muсh оn nеgаtіvе rеіnfоrсеmеnt оr рunіѕhmеntѕ wіll јuѕt mаkе thе dоg fеаr уоu, whісh wіll mаkе furthеr trаіnіng hаrdеr.

If уоu wаnt tо trаіn уоur dоg еffесtіvеlу, dоn’t bоthеr wіth wее-wее раdѕ. Thеѕе tуреѕ оf раdѕ wіll lеаvе а mаrk оn уоur flооr bесаuѕе оf thе еnzуmеѕ. Thе рuрру wіll ѕmеll thе еnzуmеѕ аnd аѕѕumе thаt thе аrеа іѕ fіt fоr uѕіng thе bаthrооm. Thе раdѕ wіll аlѕо соnfuѕе а dоg іntо thіnkіng thаt аnу rug оf thаt ѕhаре іѕ аn ассерtаblе рlасе tо uѕе thе bаthrооm. It іѕ bеѕt tо hаvе уоur dоg uѕе thе bаthrооm оutdооrѕ аll thе tіmе.

It’ѕ іmроrtаnt tо іnсludе уоur fаmіlу whеn trаіnіng уоur dоg. Whіlе hе mау hаvе оnе реrѕоn whо wоrkѕ wіth hіm оn а rеgulаr bаѕіѕ, hаvіng еvеrуоnе bе а раrt оf hіѕ trаіnіng wіll tеасh hіm thаt hе muѕt fоllоw thе rulеѕ оf thе hоuѕе аt аll tіmеѕ, аnd kеер hіѕ trаіnіng mоrе соnѕіѕtеnt.

Dоgѕ nееd rоutіnе, ѕо fееd уоur dоg аt thе ѕаmе tіmе еvеrу dау. Thіѕ аlѕо hеlрѕ wіth trаіnіng. Thіѕ саn hеlр уоu аvоіd ассіdеntѕ оn thе саrреt bу bесоmіng аwаrе оf whеn thе dоg nееdѕ tо gо. Hаvіng а rеgulаr ѕсhеdulе wіll hеlр уоur dоg knоw thаt а роttу brеаk wіll bе соmіng, аnd hе wіll hоld lеаrn tо hоld hіѕ bаthrооm urgеѕ untіl thаt tіmе.

Evеrуоnе thаt lіvеѕ іn уоur hоmе ѕhоuld knоw thе ѕаmе dоg соmmаndѕ. If уоu mіx uр соmmаndѕ, lіkе оnе fаmіlу mеmbеr ѕауіng “uр” whеn аnоthеr ѕауѕ “јumр,” thе dоg wіll hаvе а mоrе dіffісult tіmе fіgurіng оut whаt уоu wаnt. Fосuѕ оn ѕресіfіс соmmаndѕ fоr уоur dоg аnd tеасh еvеrуоnе thе rіght wау tо ѕау thеm аnd уоu wіll rеасh уоur dоg trаіnіng gоаlѕ.

Evеrуоnе іn уоur hоuѕеhоld nееdѕ tо bе оn bоаrd fоr dоg trаіnіng tо bе еffесtіvе. Thіѕ wіll hеlр wіth соnѕіѕtеnсу, whісh іѕ іmроrtаnt whеn trаіnіng, bесаuѕе уоur dоg wіll knоw hе hаѕ tо lіѕtеn tо еvеrуоnе аnd nоt јuѕt оnе реrѕоn.

Yоur dоg nееdѕ tо lеаd аn асtіvе lіfеѕtуlе. Dоgѕ аrе еаѕіlу bоrеd. Nоt tо mеntіоn thаt а bоrеd dоg іѕ gоіng tо bе mоrе ѕtubbоrn durіng trаіnіng. A hарру аnd wеll-еxеrсіѕеd dоg іѕ аn еаѕіlу trаіnеd dоg. Bе ѕurе tо gо fоr јоgѕ оr wаlkѕ wіth уоur dоg rеgulаrlу.

It іѕ hореd thаt уоu hаvе fоund ѕоmе guіdаnсе frоm thеѕе ѕuggеѕtіоnѕ. Thrоughоut thе trаіnіng рrосеѕѕ, rеmеmbеr thеѕе guіdеlіnеѕ аnd уоu wіll hаvе сrеаtеd а lоуаl, lіfеlоng bоnd wіth уоur реt. Do you want to know how to perform dog training? Then read up more about how to train your dog now.

Technorati Tags: animal training, dog advice, Dog Training, Pets

It’s hard to think of the Cairn Terrier without mentioning Toto, Dorothy’s dog from The Wizard of Oz. Like Toto, Cairns are feisty, intelligent and loyal little dogs who may be small, but are not lacking in bravery.

A native of Scotland, the Cairn has been with us since at least the 16th century. The name comes from “cairn”, basically a narrow space between too rocks that the dog could squeeze through to get at its quarry. Originally bred to hunt foxes and kill rodents, the Cairn is more commonly seen as a companion dog these days.

These sturdy little terriers are typically 10-13 inches tall and can weigh up to 18 pounds. They are short-legged, with strong hindquarters. The face is fox-like and the ears are erect and pointed. The coat is rough and shaggy, and may be cream, wheaten, red, sandy, gray, or brindle in color.

These dogs make excellent family pets and are an absolute joy to have around. They are playful, friendly and outgoing, and do well with older children and with other dogs. You will, though, have to watch them with younger kids as they do not respond well to rough treatment. And you should also supervise them around non-canine pets, especially rodents.

Training a Cairn is usually easy. They are eager to please and keen to learn, with a special talent for learning tricks. Males tend to be easier to train than females, but both genders respond well to positive training methods. Shouting or any form of punishment will be ineffective, because they are quite sensitive.

Quick, agile and intelligent, the Cairn is a star performer in many canine sports, including agility and flyball. They also perform exceptionally well in advanced obedience trials.

These are robust, healthy dogs, but they do suffer from a number of congenital diseases. Cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, hypothyroidism, and entropion are all known to occur, while the breed is also known to be particularly sensitive to flea bites. Median lifespan for Cairn terrier is between 12 and 15 years.

Grooming a Cairn Terrier is fairly easy. They shed very little and require only a good brush down every other day to keep the coat looking its best. The undercoat tends to be quite sensitive so be careful to brush gently. The dog can be bathed monthly and you should also take care to trim the hair around the eyes.

Because of their small size, Cairns can live most anywhere and do well in an apartment. They are however, highly active dogs requiring daily exercise. This should include a walk plus games, as Cairns love to play and are particularly fond of chasing a ball.

Good dog names can be hard to find. The best advice is to try one of the online dog names, sites. My personal favorite is Puppy Names HQ, a site that has tons of excellent dog names to pick from, including thousands of female dog names.

Technorati Tags: dog breeds, dog names puppy names, dogs

Dogs and are smart, faithful and loving creatures but don’t be duped. Under the hood your loyal pal is really a wolf in dog’s clothing.

Accepting this idea is at the core of understanding how your dog thinks, and why he behaves in the ways that he does.

A Dog’s View of the World

Dogs interact with the world at the level of instinct. Basically, their needs are food, shelter, and the protection of the pack.This means they need a pack leader who they trust and are willing to follow, and this is the role you have to fill.

The next key to understanding dog behavior is to remember that dogs do not understand words. This idea confuses many people because their dogs seem to understand every word the say. But, what you are seeing is merely word-association.

The truth is, that dogs have no capacity for understanding words, they mainly interpret body language. They learn to associate actions with actions, so if you praise your dog when he obeys a command, he understands that when he obeys, you react by being pleased with him.

So when you say, “Good Boy!”, your dog may sit and look at you like he feels really pleased by the compliment, but he’s really responding to your facial expression, the tone of your voice, the pat on the head, and the treat he knows in coming.

How to Think Like a Dog

The most important thing to remember is that dogs respond to body posture and tone of voice, rather than words. By understanding that your dog thinks in images and responds to actions, you will have a much greater influence over him.

Dogs become very tuned into routines. For example, your dog will quickly learn that you come home at a certain time and will look forward to your arrival. If you don’t arrive as expected the dog will begin to become stressed.

This is because the dog forms expectations based on past actions, and learns to expect a particular outcome. If that outcome is not carried through it creates anxiety.

How to Be the Alpha Dog

In the wild, the Alpha Wolf controls all the activities of the pack - when they eat, when they move, who receives affection. These are the same things you control in your dog’s life. By controlling when he receives food, walks, and attention you reduce frustration and anxiety.

Now leadership is one thing, but what about showing affection to your dog? Good question. Giving affection makes you a strong leader if it is given in the right way and at the right time. Given any other way, it marks you out as a pushover. Your dog will sense that and exploit it.

Affection should always be a reward. Give affection when your dog does something good and he’ll repeat that behavior over and over again.

There’s plenty more about dog training, dog care, dog breed info and other interesting dog information at dogsanddogtraining.com

Technorati Tags: dog obedience training, Dog Training, dog training tips, dogs

Many dog owners pay scant attention to what they feed their dogs. Often, they base their decision solely on price, rather than taking the time to find out what the food actually contains. If they did they’d be shocked to find that these cheap dog food products often contain ingredients that are harmful to their dogs.

Not only that, but cheap dog food may not be the bargain it appears to be (more on this later).For now, here are some tips you can use in selecting a healthy dog food for your dog.

If you want to find out if your usual brand of kibble meets your dog’s nutritional requirements, all you have to do is read the label. Dogs are omnivores so they need meat and vegetables in equal measure. What you’re likely to find in commercial dog foods though is grain based fillers, just what your dog doesn’t need.

But labels are often confusing, so how to you cut through all the baloney to find the information you need? Have a look at the first 5 ingredients on the list and see how many are from meat products. If the majority are, then the food is probably okay for your dog.

It’s not that grains are bad for your dog, just that they are better fed whole. Grains like rice, millet, oats and barley are actually a rich source of fiber, but the grains contained in dry dog food are primarily there as filler, and contain minimal nutritional value.

The other things you should look out for are preservatives and artificial flavors and colorings – a quality dog food will not contain any of these. If preservatives are present, take particular note of what kind are used. Chemical preservatives can cause cancer, so rather go a product that uses natural preservatives, like Vitamin E and C.

If you don’t want the hassle of checking out packaging labels on every bag of kibble you buy, then the safest bet is to buy a premium or super-premium, vet approved, brand. You can rest assured that these brands are formulated to provide the nutritional balance your dog needs.

Now you’ll probably look at the price of these products and wince. They do seem very expensive but as with most things in life, quality costs more. You may recall that at the beginning of the article I suggested that buying cheap was not the way to go. Here’s why that is.

Cheap brands are generally low in nutritional value. You’ll have to feed your dog considerably more to get the same level of nutrition. And with more food comes the threat of obesity, which is behind a whole plethora of canine ailments. Plus the ingredients in the cheap dog food brand are low quality, so your dog will likely develop allergies, skin conditions, and more serious conditions. All of this will require veterinary treatment, and I don’t have to tell you how costly that can be.

Feeding a premium brand means you can feed smaller quantities, so that expensive brand of kibble last longer and also passes quality nutrition to your dog. Your dog will also pass less waste, so there’s less for you to pick up!

Hopefully this article has illustrated why you should always feed your dog the best dog food you can afford. But quite aside from the health benefits, your dog deserves it.

There’s plenty more about best dog food, dog care, information on dogs and other interesting dog information at dogsanddogtraining.com

Technorati Tags: best dog food, dog, dog care dogs, train

Are you considering a Labrador retriever for your family? If so, you must be realistic about the cost of owning a dog before you bring one home. Just as parents are financially responsible for their children, you will be financially responsible for all of the fees that come with owning a dog. Following are the expenses that most commonly arise with a lab in the home.

Purchase or Adoption Expenses are a consideration. If you are planning to purchase a purebred Labrador retriever from a breeder, be prepared to pay a nice fee for the adoption. You can save some money and probably a life by adopting from a shelter, or even from a local rescue group for labs. Shelters and rescues will have pure labs, as well as many mixed breeds that need a good home.

If you have a big budget and want to ensure the pedigree of your dog, then you can go with a breeder or visit a pet store. If you want to save a bit of money, visit a local shelter. Shelter dogs will be more affordable to adopt, but you must study them for behavioral issues or health problems before bringing them into your home. Atlanta Labrador Retriever puppies is a very affordable place to get a puppy. They have AKC puppies from time to time.

Vet Care can be expensive. You will need to book a veterinary appointment for your dog very soon after bringing them home. This goes for adult labs as well as puppies. If you are concerned about being able to afford a spay or neuter and all of the shots required, consider adopting from a local rescue group. Most rescues will have all of their dogs updated on shots, and will often cover the spay or neuter as well. This can take your initial vet expenses down significantly.

If you end up adopting through a shelter, you can find dogs that have already been spayed or neutered. Many shelters will give out a voucher to cover the spay or neuter, and many operate shot clinics that will take those expenses down considerably. Even if you do not adopt from a shelter, you may be able to use these shot clinics to save money.

Training is a very important consideration. Your Labrador retriever will need some training so they blend smoothly into the family. At the very least, you can expect to invest in a good book that describes training techniques. Preferably, you should be prepared to take your new dog in for training at a local store or have a trainer come to your home.

Other expenses need to be considered. You must be prepared to feed your dog, entertain your dog, and keep them comfortable. You might purchase dog food from a store or decide to make it from home. You will need a bed or potentially a crate for the dog, as well as toys that are safe for them to play with. An outdoor dog lot with dog house may be needed as well.

One final consideration is the potential for a health problem in the years to come or an accident that compromises the health of the dog. You do not need to be a millionaire to own a Labrador retrieval, but some forethought should be given to how emergency vet bills could be handled. Many owners opt for pet insurance to make sure these expenses would be covered.

For more information on dog health check out canine bone cancer

Technorati Tags: dog, pet