Category: Dog Care Tips

Before you can truly have worry-free fun with your dog outside, you must enroll him in an obedience course, or have trained him yourself. Your dog needs to be trustworthy not only at home but wherever you go.

Here are some great ideas:

What better way is there for you and your canine companion to spend time together and get healthy at the same time, than to go for a walk? Dogs have a natural migration instinct and need to go on daily walks to mentally compensate for this.

Many of the hunting breeds and terriers love to play with a ball. Some dogs are more enthusiastic about this toy than others. While one dog may fetch the ball after you throw it, another may look at you like “you threw it, you get it.” Some dogs would rather have a ball that rattles, but I find that the majority like to indulge in the squeaky ones. Your best bet is to let your dog decide the right toy for him.

Take your dog to a nearby lake, or if your lucky, the beach. Many breeds, such as Labs, love to play in the water. You can incorporate fetching with the water. Throw one of your dog’s favorite toys a short distance in the water so he can rush in to retrieve it. Make sure your toy of choice can easily float.

Learn to groom your dog yourself. Not only will this save you time and money, it is a good bonding experience for the both of you. You will have also gained the satisfaction of knowing that it was you that made it happen. It’s really not that hard to pull off, as long as you have the right tools of course. Invest in a quality dog grooming set. A pair of clippers that cost less than $100 usually won’t cut well and won’t last very long.

One of the best things to do with your dog is to simply do nothing at all! They are at your side at almost every moment of the day, when your home. If you’re watching TV our using the computer, your k9 pal is most likely lying at your feet. If you’re in bed, your dog is usually on the floor beside you. Just each others presence can be enough for the both of you.

With all the everyday things that humans come into contact, such as certain foods and common household products. Many can be toxic to your dog or puppy so be sure to take necessary safety precautions.

Garden and lawn hazards such as more then a few plants, given a nibble or two, can turn your dog’s day upside down. Most just cause an upset stomach, but some can be fatal.  Make sure that if you do choose to have these plants that they are out of the reach of your dog at all times.

Play dough consists of just a few ingredients. Though, two of the three ingredients are perfectly harmless, the third worth mentioning is salt. Dogs may enjoy the play dough’s salty taste, just remember that if too much is consumed, it can cause salt toxicity, which unfortunately, there is no antidote for this reaction. So just be careful and stay observant the next time you catch your pup rummaging through your children’s things.

Splintering bones such as from a chewed chicken bone can be very hazardous to your canine. Pieces of the bone can get stuck causing damage in the dog’s intestines and throat. When a dog is given any type of real bone including cow leg, supervision of course, is always recommended as pieces of the bone can break off. So just stay cautious and be sure to pick up and take away any small pieces so they are no chances they can be ingested. A safe bet is to purchase a
bone specifically intended for a dog to chomp on.

Antifreeze is perhaps the number one hazard to a dog. Less than one tablespoon of anti-freeze could be lethal to a dog 20 pounds and under. Your dog will smell the sweetness and may want to lick it up. This is dangerous for your dog if ingested, so when storing antifreeze, keep it far and well out of reach. Check under your car every now and then to make sure it is not on your drive way, just to be safe.

Chocolate is another common household hazard for your dog. Although it may be one of your favorite thing to eat, it can be very dangerous for your dog. Chocolate contains caffeine which can make your dog very ill. This stimulant can raise the hearts rate, unfortunately to the point of being fatal. The effect it has depends both on the dogs size and the amount of chocolate that the dog has consumed.

Sometimes a dog will have trouble learning a new trick. For example, not all dogs can learn to fetch. Some dogs have more instinct (they are born with it) than others when it comes to carrying things in their mouths.

Beg:

Have your dog sit, facing you. Hold his favorite treat just above his head and tell him, “Say please.” Your dog will probably lift his front feet off the ground to reach the treat. As soon as the feet are lifted, even a little bit, give him the dog treat.

Tip
This is a hard trick for most dogs. Wait a little longer each time before giving the treat, but be careful not to let your dog fall over on his back. You are helping your dog develop his balance. Be kind and only do this a couple of times.

Kiss:

Here’s an easy one: Every time your dog licks your face, say, “Give me a kiss. Good boy! Give me a kiss.” If he isn’t a licker, put a little peanut butter on your cheek and say, “Give me a kiss.” When he licks it off say, “Give me a kiss,” again.

Tip
Tricks like this work because you put words with something your dog does. Pretty soon your dog hears “Give me a kiss,” and thinks about licking your face. Then you give him a hug, rub his ears and say, “Good boy!” Dogs love that.

Roll Over:

Start by having your dog lie down on his belly. You can stand over him or kneel beside him. Using a treat, hold it by his nose, and then move it around and behind him, so that he lies on his side and then rolls over. Tell him what a great dog he is!

Tip
After your dog has figured out what he has to do to get a treat, start throwing the ball two times in a row without giving him the treat. What you are trying to do is give him the treats less and less often so someday he won’t need the treats in the ball to fetch it.

Say Hello:

Start by sitting on a chair. While holding a treat, put your hand between your knees and encourage your dog to get it. As soon as your dog’s chin touches your leg, say “Say Hello!”. Then say “Release” or “OK” and give him the treat after he lifts his head.

Tip
Only give your dog the treat after you have released him. Increase the time his chin is touching your leg, so eventually your dog will keep it there while you pet him. Then release him and reward him. Your dog will soon charm your friends with this trick!

Go Back:

This is an easy one! Stand facing your dog and as you walk toward him, say “Go Back”. He will want to get out of the way and will automatically walk backwards!

Tip
If your dog doesn’t walk back in a straight line, practice up against a wall or in a narrow hallway. After your dog is walking backward with you, try walking toward him only a step or two. Eventually, you will be able to stand still and say “Go Back”.

Take a Bow:

When you see your dog take a big stretch, with his head down low, say, “Take a bow.” Every time he wakes up and stretches, say, “Take a bow.” Someday you will say, “Take a bow.” and your dog will take a big stretch, but it will look like he is bowing. As soon as he is finished, give him the treat.

Tip
Dog tricks like this work because you put words with something your dog does. It may take some dogs longer than others to figure this one out. Some dogs learn it in a week and some take years…yes, years! But one day you will say, “Take a bow,” and maybe, just maybe, your dog will take a bow.

Lay Down:

With your dog in a stand position, take a treat and hold it near the floor, under his nose. As your dog reaches down to get it (he may try to lie down), slip your hand under his belly to hold his rear end up. Hold him in that position and say, “Take a bow.” Keep the treat right by his nose, but don’t feed him. Stay there for just a second, release him, and then feed the treat.

Tip:
If you feed your dog the treat while he is in the bowing position, in the future he won’t bow until he sees the treat in your hand. If he learns that the treat comes later, he’ll be willing to perform for you without it right there all the time.

Tricks help your dog to learn. If your dog can learn tricks, then it can learn obedience and good manners. Go ahead…have some fun and teach your dog a new trick!

The best way to teach your dog a trick, is to make it fun. Use praise and small treats to reward your dog.
Practice new tricks only a few minutes at a time. You never want your dog to get bored when learning new things.

Shake Hands
Start by having your dog sit. Say, “Shake hands,” and take his paw with your hand. Hold his paw and say, “Good dog!” Let go of his paw. Do this a few times every day.
TIP:
After a while, say, “Shake hands,” but don’t take his paw. See if he raises his paw by himself. If not, keep showing him what to do by saying, “Shake hands,” and taking his paw with your hand. Your dog is not slow; he is just learning!

Turn Around or Turn Left
Start by having your dog stand up facing you. Let your dog see a treat in your hand. Stand still and say, “Turn around”. Lead the dog’s nose around to the left (clockwise) with the treat so he walks in a circle. When he comes back to where he’s facing you again, say, “Good dog!” and give him the treat.
TIP:
After some practice, hold the treat in front of you so your dog can see it and say, “Turn around,” but don’t lead his nose. See if he is ready to turn around by himself and get the treat. Pretty soon, he will turn around faster than you can say ‘Lassie!”
If you choose to use the words, “Turn Left”, use them all the time. Don’t use “Turn around” sometimes, and “Turn Left” other times. Be consistent.

Twirl or Turn Right
“Twirl” is the same trick as “Turn Around” (see above), but this time your dog turns to the right (counterclockwise), instead of to the left.
Start by having your dog stand up facing you. Stand still and say, “Twirl”. Lead the dog’s nose around to the right with the treat so he walks in a circle. When he comes back to where he’s facing you again, say, “Good dog!” and give him the treat.
If you choose to use the words, “Turn Right”, use them all the time. Don’t use “Twirl” sometimes, and “Turn Right” other times. Be consistent.

TIP:
After your dog has learned “Turn Around” (or Turn Left) and “Twirl” (or Turn Right), you can put them together and have your dog look really smart. First have your dog “Turn Around” (turn to the left), and then say “Twirl” (turn to the right). Be careful, though, don’t get your dog dizzy!
Be sure to teach Turn Around and Twirl separately. Wait until your dog has learned the first one very well.

Crawl
Start by having your dog lie down. Hold a treat just in front of his nose and say, “Crawl.” If he starts to stand up, say, “No, down…crawl.” Pull the treat away, keeping it low, near the ground and say, “Craaawl.” When your dog moves even an inch or two without standing up, praise him and say, “Good dog! Craaawl.”

TIP:
Your dog must know ‘Down’ ‘ before he can learn this trick.

Speak
Choose a game that your dog loves to play, like catch with a ball, or hide and seek with a toy. Then get him excited by saying, “Let’s play! Want to play?” and show him the ball or toy. Jump and act silly so he barks and then say, “Good dog, speak!” Then play the game as his reward for learning “Speak”.

TIP:
You can’t make a dog bark, but you can get him happy and excited so he wants to bark. After a while, your dog will bark when you say, “Speak.”
Caution! If you have a dog that already causes trouble because of his barking, you might not want to encourage this behavior. If you decide it’s ok to teach it, be sure to teach “Quiet”, too.

Take a Nap
Have your dog lie down on his tummy. As you gently roll him over on his side, say, “Take a nap.” While he is lying on his side, keeping his head on the floor, say, “Take a nap.” Don’t give him a treat. Encourage him to stay there for a couple of seconds. Then say, “Ok” or “Wake up!”, let him stand up, and give him his reward.

TIP:
You can use the treat to lure your dog into a lying down position. Don’t give your a dog a reward while he is lying down. Give him a treat after he has completed the trick.

Fetch is a game we take for granted. Yet fetch is the most perfect of all dog games. It’s easy to learn. It’s easy to do. Fetch is great exercise for your dog (even exercise for you, if you walk or jog to a park to play). Most important, fetch is all about give and take (quite literally); you and your pup are working in tandem.

You know the drill: You throw the ball, your dog brings it back. You throw the ball, your dog brings it back. You throw the ball… But what do you do when your dog seems completely unfamiliar with the game of fetch, when all those other dogs seem to know instinctively how to play?

Although some breeds do have a natural instinct to play fetch—especially retrievers bred through the ages to fetch things, and herding dogs who have a sharp eye for objects wandering away from the flock—not every dog comes pre-programmed with this behavior. Why, some dogs seem to be thinking, would you throw something across the yard just so I have to run all the way over there and get it? And if I do, will you promise not to do that again?

But playing fetch can be fun for you and training your dog. It’s also a great way for dogs to get their important daily dose of exercise.

 

Assess your dog’s Fetch I.Q.

Find a toy he really likes. Wave it in front of his face to get his interest. Toss it a few feet away and say, “Fetch!”  What does he do?

 

If he runs to the toy, picks it up, and brings it back, congratulations. Your dog knows how to fetch. Go play!

If your dog doesn’t seem to have any fetch instinct, the first step is to teach him that he’ll be rewarded for paying attention to the object you want him to fetch. (For this guide, we’ll say you’re teaching him with a ball. It may be another toy or a retrieving dummy.) Stock up on your dog’s favorite treats. Hold the ball out to your dog. If he sniffs it, praise him and give him a treat. Repeat this several times. Then, put the ball on the floor and say “Fetch.”  If your dog sniffs it or picks it up, praise him and give him a treat. Keep practicing until he understands that he has to sniff or pick up the ball to get the treat.

Now it’s time to teach your dog to pick up the ball. Wave the ball around in the air to make it more enticing. As soon as he takes it in his mouth, praise him. If he won’t take the ball, try smearing it with a little peanut butter or meat paste. When he reliably takes the ball in his mouth.

 

Now, you need to motivate your dog to give back the ball. Get your dog to take the ball. Praise him, then offer a treat. He’ll have to drop the ball to get the treat, so be sure you are there to take it. Praise him. Practice this a few times. When he reliably takes the toy then drops it for the treat.
If your dog isn’t very interested in treats, you can also use two balls and entice him to drop one ball for the other.

 

Now you are ready to try a small-scale fetch. Show your dog the ball. Toss the ball a few feet away from you and say “Fetch!” If he doesn’t go to the ball, try throwing it closer, or handing it to him again. When he does go to the ball, call him back to you, treat in hand, and trade treat for toy. Repeat, throwing the ball a little bit farther each time. Before you know it, you and your dog are playing fetch…just like all those other dogs!

Every dog is different, motivated by different things and tempted by different variations of the game, but for many dogs, there will be a point during this dog training exercise when they suddenly understand what playing fetch is all about. At this point, the game is its own reward and you can save the treats for teaching your dog the rules for the next fun game.

What are the benefits?

When you acquire a new puppy, what you do, or don’t do, can make a huge difference in the way the puppy turns out. Confident and happy adult dogs don’t just happen but are the product of good decisions and correct treatment from birth. When pups are young, they learn so much and what is learned has a lasting impact. Though the pup has a fairly short attention span, what things he learns are learned permanently and resistant to change. They learn to be submissive to your leadership and begin to learn what behaviors are acceptable.

What to do?

The puppy is dependent upon the correct environment and influences for its development. If the pup cries outside the bedroom for attention at night, whether in a crate or not, give it some attention, as you would a small child. Don’t ignore its cries. The pup is just upset from the separation of the door. You don’t have to pick it up or pet it, just let it know you are there for it and everything’s okay. The less attention you give a pup growing up the needier it becomes when mature the more attention you can give a pup as it is growing up, the more independent it will become.

You must help the puppy to make the transition into the human environment. To become acceptable companions, they need to interact with you, your family, and other people and dogs. Try to expose your puppy to a variety of new environments and situations.

Deny benefits such as a treat as a consequence for any deliberate misbehavior. What he does now is what he will likely do later. So, don’t allow your puppy to do things which will be unacceptable when he becomes a dog.

What not to do?

Physical punishment teaches a dog nothing, except how to avoid the punishment. It is far more effective, to teach the pup what to do rather than punish it for something it has done. Yelling and making constant threats about it is not an effective way of going about an issue.

Some dog owners believe that puppies outgrow their problems. The truth is, they actually grow into them. Little problems grow up to be big bad habits if they are not addressed. And then of course, the problems are much more difficult to resolve.