Sunday, October 12, 2008

Teach your dog to lay down


Now, having your dog learnt the most basic command ever, I believe you would want him to learn more such things. The first to follow is also a basic one, and it is very simple.
It is highly advisable to have your dog lerant how to sit, as we are going to use that for our next job.
Take a dog treat into your hand. Be sure the dog has noticed it, and if it hasn't, try to obtain his attention. He has to be interested, or this isn't going to work too well.
Repeat the''Sit!'' procedure untill the dog is sitting in front of you. Now, place the treat in your arm in front of you, and slowly move it downwards untill it is placed on the ground. Say the word you want to use for this act ( ex. down! lay! etc. ). The dog should lay down naturally, trying to get the treat. However, if he doesn't or if he stands up and tries that way, do not give him anything and repeat the process untill he lays down. You can use a dog leash for this and gently pull him on the ground while doing the above mentioned.

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How to teach your dog to SIT

This is probably the most common dog obedience act ever. Furthermore, there are lots of various ways to teach your dog to sit on command. I will try to explain you the way we learn our dogs, and it prooved to work.
It is very simple : frist, get a treat for your dog. It could be from a pet shop, or even meat, but not in too large quantities. the important thing is that your dog likes and enjoys it.
The second step is to get your dog standing in front of you. That shouldn't be too hard to accomplish. Now, having your dog in front of you, we can start. Gently grab the dog for it's bottom (over the tail), while at the same time pulling it for it's collar. Say ''Sit!'' but once. The dog's natural reaction is to sit. When he does, be sure to reward him with a treat and pet him. Repeat several times a day, and in short time the dog will be sitting with you only saying the word.

If you have any questions, or want further explanation, ask us at ho3xme@hotmail.com

Saturday, October 11, 2008

How to prevent hip dysplasia?

The main option is to get a healthy puppy from parents whoose hip condition is written in the pedigree.
· Food spectre has to be wide and balanced, without too high energy and protein value, balanced natrium, calcium, calium and phosphore ratio. More expensive the food – bigger probability of quality and ingredient balance – lower the risk of hip dysplasia
· Too large amounts of food cause hips be overweighted and bent
· Puppy has to moove around only a limited amount of time, mostly on flat surfaces with no burden. Prior to one year of age it mustn't run with a bike or jump over obstacles. The advisable amount of activity is 1 minute of walk a day for each week of age ( dog is 14 weeks old – it walks no longer than 15 mins a day )
· Puppy must not jump or rise on rear legs. It is highly advisable not to walk on stairs – carry the dog for the first 5 months of age
· Puppy must not walk on smooth and slippery surfaces : falling may cause scretching and weakening of the linking tissue and airness in joints
· Jumping over obstacles or from a height should be prevented untill one year of age
· The puppy should be prevented from playing with an adult dog : it could harm it, so scretching same as on slippery surfaces may occur ; but even more serious injuries may happen which cause later negative consequences in relations to other dogs! While picking up the puppy, the right hand has to support front legs, while the left hand carries it's body weight

More at : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_dysplasia_(canine)

What is hip dysplasia? (canine)

Hip dysplasia is a genetic desease, which starts at an early phase of skeleton development.It is quite often in veterinary medicine. It appears most often at young, fast-growing dogs of larger breeds. The disease is a genetically caused hip anomaly. It affers to a state of hip when the acetabulum and caput femoris are not suitable by size and shape or the connections are loose so they seperate. Following this are more degenerative processes in the joint (cartilage falling-off, bone owergrowth, rough joint surface..).

The term ''dysplasia'' stands for development defects at any joint, but with dogs – mostly elbow and hip.
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(left : normal hips)
(right : hip dysplasia)

Friday, October 10, 2008

How to teach your dog not to urinate in the house?




The basic principle is to take your dog out the house to walki several times a day, at the same time, at the same spot you chose for that. After he does the job, you have to award him some treats (which can be bought at any pet shop), petting and praising him at the same time. Each positive habbit is to be accomplished with the method of rewards, and not by punishment.
While punishing : pulling the leash or shouting the words such as No! Bad dog! Etc. , we have to have in mind the fact that the dog connects his previous negative act with the punishment ONLY if there has been no more then few seconds between them, otherwise the punishment is useless and inefficient.

When to start education?

Puppy education starts at his birth.
Good behaviour is acomplished by dog socialising, introducing the environvent to your dog and spending as much time as possible with it in as many various situations caracteristic for an urban environment.
Larger dogs are advised (in an earlier age) to take the basic programmes of socialisation with an expertised course leader, working alongside with other dogs.
The owner has to work with his dog with help from an expertised person. BASIC DOG TRAINING WITHOUT THE OWNER IS NOT EFFICIENT. The owner working with an experienced person allows the dog to learn obedience with the owner's orders not considering all the circumstances (dogs, cars, people, cats...), the owner at the same time gets knowledge about treating dogs and working with them. If the dog was sent to training without the presence of it's owner, it is going to behave as usual when back home, trying to be superior to it's owner, while he still has no authority and knowledge how to treat the dog properly.


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Basic training classes


Professional "dog trainers" train the dog's guardian on how to train his dog. Although it is also possible to send a dog to a training school, the owner must learn what the dog has learned and how to use and reinforce the techniques. Owners and dogs who attend class together have an opportunity to learn more about each other and how to work together under a trainer's guidance. Training is most effective if everyone who handles the dog takes part in the training to ensure consistent commands, methods, and enforcement. Classes also help socialize a dog to other people and dogs. Training classes are offered by many kennels, pet stores, and independent trainers.
Formal training in classes is not always available until the puppy has completed all its vaccinations around 4 months of age; however, some trainers offer puppy socialization classes in which puppies can enroll immediately after being placed in their permanent homes as long as disease risk is minimal and puppies have received initial vaccinations. In most cases, basic training classes accept only puppies who are at least 3 to 6 months old. It is however recommended to start training as soon as the puppy comes into your home. A better way than groupclasses is "In Home Dog Training", with companies who will have trainers coming to your home, you can start training as early as 8 weeks and set a great start to proper housebreaking procedures and building a good consistent start.
A puppy requires discipline, consistency, and the patience of its owner. Owners should take time to train their puppies and take steps to make their home safe. The puppy training phase is integral in raising a healthy and happy dog and keeping a safe and fun home environment.
Puppies need consistency more than anything else. A stable diet and clear expectations will help the puppy learn what it is expected. Dogs are expressive and may communicate needs by biting, whining, and getting fidgety. The owner's response may contribute to a healthy, obedient puppy. An important principle is that the best way to change a puppy's behavior is to modify one's own conduct. Giving a puppy toys that are similar to household items he likes to chew may facilitate easier puppy training.
An integral puppy training issue is house training. Various methods of housetraining will work although the key is to be consistent. With regularly enforced rules, litter box, crate, or paper training can be successful.

Introduction


Having a dog in an urban area could be a problem, especially if it isn't propperly trained. You could run into a problem on the street, either with other dogs or in extreme cases iven people. That is why it is important to start teaching your dog from his birth, although one step at a time. People who are new to this might have some problems at the beginning, or want to learn their dog something but the basics, such as attack and defense. That why we are here - to help you with any problems you might have and give you any advice in our power. Although having more experience in dog obedience, agility and IPO exams training, we are happy to help you with anything, if able.




Please contact us at ho3xme@hotmail.com for anything you need.