Arthritis Treatment For Dogs
By ArticleTrader
Storm and I were best friends from the day I found him abandoned and covered with ticks. About 6 years ago, however, our playtime became a burden to Storm instead of fun. He developed arthritis. The Read more...
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Dog Breeding: A Mother's Attitude After Giving Birth
By John Edward
A matron's early hormonal changes can upset the dog and her owner. She may periodically appear uneasy and restless, or demonstrate other minor personality changes. Your dog's demonstrated behaviors Read more...
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Small Dogs For People With Allergies
By Luke Donnelley
As a dog owner you can enjoy many benefits, from the entertainment value of having a lively and alert little pet around the home to the companionship of having a loving and reliable dog at your side. Read more...
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Faux Paws: Six Common Mistakes New Dog Owners Make
By Emma Snow
Copyright 2006 Emma Snow
The family around the block got a new Jack Russell puppy. I’ve been jogging my Border Collie mix past their house for over a year now, and we usually see their spaniel mix tied out in the backyard. When I saw the new puppy tied to the tree out front it was the first time I saw the two boys that the dogs belong to. They had longish hair, and washed-out blue eyes. One was school-aged, ten or so, and the other about four. When I came upon them they were playing with a stick, letting the puppy get a hold before pulling it away. The pup growled and yipped cheerfully. All seemed well. Except for one minor detail. The older boy kept yelling, “Shut up, Hope!” over his shoulder at the older dog, who watched with sad eyes, barking desperately from the backyard, where she was tied against the fence.
The puppy saw Harry and me, and dove toward us. We stopped to visit for a few minutes, and I petted the squirmy puppy. I asked the boys about their other in the backyard, but they were more eager to talk about the new addition. The other isn’t well-mannered, they complained. That’s why she has to stay tied up in the back. As I take my leave, I know inside that this puppy is doomed. I wish I could sit down with those boys and have a heart-to-heart about their dogs. But since I can’t, I will instead reach out to cyberspace, to those of you thinking of joining the ranks of owners. To you, who dream of the loyal with his head in your lap at the fireplace, I want to tell you, it’s a great dream. I love those moments with Harry, but there’s a flipside to having a dog. Dogs don’t come perfect out of the package, and raising a dog, whether you bring it home as a puppy or an adult, is much like raising a child. Below I’d like to share five common mistakes new owners make.
Number one, which I most wanted to share with the neighbor boys, is when you bring home a puppy you must decide right away how you want it to act when it grows up. Some behaviors, while darling in puppies, are not so adorable in grown dogs. Snapping, jumping, and chewing on your hand are probably not habits you want to encourage in your puppy. Think twice before you snuggle up with it in bed. Once a puppy develops a habit, it’s going to be 500 times harder to break it. Owners should not constantly fawn over their new pet, or carry it everywhere they go. After the newness wears off, you will grow annoyed if your is constantly whimpering for you to play with him. Believe me, you’ll appreciate it if your has gotten used to spending some time on her own.
Many more mistakes are made in regards to training. Training should begin the second that becomes “yours.” Ideally you will sign up for obedience classes. That way you have a teacher-expert who will know your personally and can give you the best advice. Whether you take classes or check out a training book at the library, you should teach your some basic commands, like sit, stay, come, off, and no. Be careful not to expect too much of your at first. People with unreal expectations usually give up on training their dogs at all. Then they complain that their is ill-mannered! Most important, you must be consistent with the training. That goes for everyone in the household. Make sure that even your five year old understands that Pickles is not allowed to eat ice cream under any circumstances. Training sessions work best if they are short (ten or twenty minutes)
Choosing And Training A Dog Companion
By Allweb
The saying goes that a dog most often takes after its owner and that the owner most often borrows many of their dog’s features. The result is that the owner ends up as looking like the dog and vice Read more...
Separation Anxiety In Dogs: What Exactly Is It?
By Martin Olliver
There was the usually mild-mannered Pit-bull puppy named Savannah who chewed through the bottom of a door and part of the hardwood floor just underneath it. There was Jasper the Corgi who was kept in Read more...
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