Thursday, February 20, 2014
The Top 7 Reasons to Crate Train Your Dog
Quite often I hear people say that they don't want to use a crate
because they feel that it might be cruel. I must say that there are
situations where that crate could be a cruel thing to do to your dog.
However if done properly it's the most wonderful thing your dog will
ever get from you. Let me give you some reasons why using a crate will
be good for you and for your dog.
The Greatest Gift You Can Give Your Dog When I have people tell me that they think it might be cruel I tell them that they're absolutely wrong because a crate can be the greatest gift you can give your dog. It provides that special place where they can go when they want to get away from everything else. You know what I mean, the kids are being noisy and the TVs up to loud for your dog, the crate is a place where it can go to get away from it all. Den Animals In case you've forgotten dogs are den animals and the crate becomes your dog's den. Now that may not be the case if you choose the wrong type of crate. I'm talking about the plastic airline type crate, it is the best. On the other hand the wire cages that some people use don't resemble a den at all. In fact if you are sitting inside of one you would say that you felt like you were in jail with all the bars. A good crate is darker and more confined that's the benefit of the plastic type carrier. Like Tight Places If you ever noticed most dogs like to get in tight places. You know what I mean under the couch or between that big chair and the wall. They like a place that makes them feel like they're in a den. So when selecting a crate make sure that it's the right size. The crate should be big enough for your dog to stand up and turn around and lay down. It should not be big enough for him to invite his friends over for a party. Becomes Their Special Place to Go The crate becomes your dog special place to go when everything is hectic and noisy. Heck in fact I bet  you have a place to go in that kind of situation as well. The crate becomes that special place for your dogGreat for Traveling Crates are great for traveling and they keep your dog safe in the car. In fact if you take your dog on trips with you you'll find that a lot of hotels will even allow your dog in the hotel as long as you use a crate.Safe Place to Keep Your Dog When You Are Gone Having a crate for your dog is a safe place to keep your young dog when you're gone. With your dog in the crate your furniture is safe from his destruction and he's not able to swallow anything that he could choke on. Of course as he matures you probably won't need to use a crate anymore because he's gotten past that destructive stage without developing that habit. Housetraining Last but not least the crate is the perfect way to house train your dog .
The thing that makes it so effective is that your dog learns not to do
his business in his crate because that is where he sleeps and you can
house train your dog in no time flat using this method.As you can see there are many good reasons to use a crate so stop thinking of it as a cruel place to keep your dog, instead think of it as the greatest gift you can give your new best friend.
Wayne Booth is owner of Canine Behavior Specialists, http://www.CanineBehaviorSpecialists.com in Nashville, TN where he helps people train their dogs and solve behavior problems.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wayne_Booth
We now also offer training and solve behavior problems online at http://www.TrainMyDogOnline.com. |
Friday, February 7, 2014
How Your Dog Might Display Signs of Separation Anxiety
We all love our dogs, am I right? They are our best friends and
love us back unconditionally. Always pleased to see us, always there for
us. The bond between owner and animal is strong. Look after your dog
and they will repay you many times over with that unconditional love.
Though have you stopped to consider what happens when you have to leave
your dog - even for short periods - and how they handle it?
Some cope with being without their owners and being alone better than others. For those which do not cope so well the condition is known as dog separation anxiety. Somewhat self explanatory as the animal becomes anxious without the owner's presence and displays that in different ways some of which can be destructive such as chewing furniture or fouling in the house.
But just how do you spot the signs of separation anxiety in your dog and what can you do about it? The dog's personality is a good indicator. Their daily routine is usually tied in with your own day. Feeding time, walkies, bed time etc. You of course will get to know quickly how your dog usually behaves and how they cope when you nip to the shops and don't take them, when you perhaps go for a meal with friends and are out for a couple of hours and similar.
If they usually are OK with this and it's no big deal to the dog - perhaps he sleeps - then that's fine. If on the other hand that behaviour starts to change and he might start showing signs of distress as you leave, bark excessively, has taken pieces out of your nice suite or even perhaps even left an unpleasant present for you on the carpet when you come home then these (individually or collectively) could be signs of separation anxiety and need your attention.
If you have had your dog since puppyhood and trained them well then it is likely that you will have taken account of potential separation anxiety issues as part of the dog's training from being a puppy and therefore taken steps to (as far as you can) train out separation anxiety issues.
On the other hand, if you have acquired an older dog - for example from a rescue centre - or perhaps moved home and the dog has to get used to a totally new environment this could cause separation anxiety to manifest as the stress of the new home and settling in to it affects the dog in such a way that they cannot bear to be out of sight of their owner.
Be alert for this possibility and take action if any of the signs of separation anxiety mentioned above begin to appear now you know what to look out for.
Treating dog separation anxiety can involved trial, error and patience as what works for one dog might not work for another. The basic principle is one of making the dog feel "safe" when alone for short periods knowing that you will be back.
Some methods to use include not making a fuss of your dog when you do have to go out and no fuss after returning until they have calmed down. Also to leave some of their favourite toys with them for entertainment and help stave off boredom which could lead to chewing. An occupied dog is less likely to look for something fun to do out of sheer boredom.
Some cope with being without their owners and being alone better than others. For those which do not cope so well the condition is known as dog separation anxiety. Somewhat self explanatory as the animal becomes anxious without the owner's presence and displays that in different ways some of which can be destructive such as chewing furniture or fouling in the house.
But just how do you spot the signs of separation anxiety in your dog and what can you do about it? The dog's personality is a good indicator. Their daily routine is usually tied in with your own day. Feeding time, walkies, bed time etc. You of course will get to know quickly how your dog usually behaves and how they cope when you nip to the shops and don't take them, when you perhaps go for a meal with friends and are out for a couple of hours and similar.
If they usually are OK with this and it's no big deal to the dog - perhaps he sleeps - then that's fine. If on the other hand that behaviour starts to change and he might start showing signs of distress as you leave, bark excessively, has taken pieces out of your nice suite or even perhaps even left an unpleasant present for you on the carpet when you come home then these (individually or collectively) could be signs of separation anxiety and need your attention.
If you have had your dog since puppyhood and trained them well then it is likely that you will have taken account of potential separation anxiety issues as part of the dog's training from being a puppy and therefore taken steps to (as far as you can) train out separation anxiety issues.
On the other hand, if you have acquired an older dog - for example from a rescue centre - or perhaps moved home and the dog has to get used to a totally new environment this could cause separation anxiety to manifest as the stress of the new home and settling in to it affects the dog in such a way that they cannot bear to be out of sight of their owner.
Be alert for this possibility and take action if any of the signs of separation anxiety mentioned above begin to appear now you know what to look out for.
Treating dog separation anxiety can involved trial, error and patience as what works for one dog might not work for another. The basic principle is one of making the dog feel "safe" when alone for short periods knowing that you will be back.
Some methods to use include not making a fuss of your dog when you do have to go out and no fuss after returning until they have calmed down. Also to leave some of their favourite toys with them for entertainment and help stave off boredom which could lead to chewing. An occupied dog is less likely to look for something fun to do out of sheer boredom.
I hope you found this helpful and now have an overview of how to
spot the signs of separation anxiety in your dog. For more information
and tips on the condition and other techniques you can use please click here. You may also like three free dog health related ebooks (one of them is all about dog separation anxiety). Please click here for your free ebooks.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Machin
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)