How Do I Get My Dog to Listen?

By Chad Thompson

Pack Leaders Control Every Situation. Are you in Control?

There is no situation in which your dog should find himself where he is unclear about what to do. Clear signals should come from you in every interaction you have with your dog. You may think that you are in charge all of the time. Unfortunately, this is probably not the case. Have you ever:

• Fed your dog before feeding yourself?

• Walked in from work and pet your dog before changing your clothes?

• Pet your dog simply because he approached you and nudged his head near your hand?

• Comforted your dog while he was barking?

• Comforted your dog while he was fearful?

• Given your dog affection, treats or food without a command?

The list is of possible missteps is endless. If any of the above situations have occurred, and they probably have, which is why you are reading this book, then you are not in charge all of the time. During these times, your dog questioned whether you were the leader. And you failed by making him the center of attention and taking care of his needs before yours. In the human world, we are taught to take care of our children and family before ourselves. However, in the dog world, the pack leader takes care of himself first. This is not a selfish act; actually, it is a selfless act. The pack leader is making sure the pack survives by making sure the strongest, fastest, most skillful member survives and reproduces, thereby ensuring that the pack will also flourish.

Human to Dog Affection

Petting your dog has been proven to relieve human symptoms of stress, anxiety and worry and to lift the spirits of the ill. That is why we see service and therapy dogs in hospitals across the world. Petting is very effective in helping us deal with the stress of our lives. Unfortunately, this has led to many dogs believing that they are the center of attention, the pack leader and the one calling the shots.

When your dog comes up to you and nudges you for a scratch, you may think it is cute. It may make you happy and create awe in the power of Mother Nature because your dog is actually communicating with you. You are right, your dog is communicating with you. However, the translation may not be what you expect.

You hear: Hi. You look sad. Let me put my head on your lap so you know I am here for you.

When your dog is actually communicating: Hey! Pet me now! I am in charge because I sense that you are in a weak state. Do as I say!

This may not be what you want to believe but it is true. Do not be discouraged; there is good news. You can still pet your dog whenever you wish. The trick is to give him a command first. A simple Sit command will work. It just shows him that he does not get something for nothing. And why should he, do you?! He will learn that if he listens, then he get what he wants. That is a powerful proposition.

Dog Behavior - Stealing Food From the Table

By Jack Richardson

If you have ever left food sitting on the table and had to leave for a while, then you may have caught your dog stealing food. Hitting your dog will only increase the problem. Instead, a stern "No!" may go a long way. You should then plan on future training so that this problem can be remedied.

Training an animal to leave food alone when it is not theirs will begin by the way that you feed your animal. Do you give your dog table scraps? Do you get the "big brown eyes" routine with him sitting right next to you while you are eating? Is the stare accompanied by a whine or bark? By giving in to these temptations, you will be encouraging this behavior from him.

Dogs should be taught that human food is not theirs and should be left alone. Animals are instinctively curious and your dog will be very interested in what you are doing. Bigger dogs have the advantage because they can see the table and will know that there is something tasty just a few feet away. Littler dogs have a disadvantage since they might have to prop themselves up on their hind legs or jump on a chair or other object in order to reach what they are after. Worst case scenario is dogs that dig through the trash in search of human food. House dogs have no excuse to dig through the trash. This kind of behavior has probably been caused by owners giving dogs a treat from the table.

When dealing with dogs that beg from the table, immediate training is in order. The best method is to catch him in the act. Reprimanding him at the moment of disobedience is crucial for the learning process to fulfill itself. If you belatedly punish your dog, he will not know what it was that he did wrong. Dogs know that food stealing is wrong and if you can catch him, he can be persuaded to not repeat the mistake. There are also many training courses and products online that can help with the procedure.

Jake Richardson is a review specialist at 9Reviews.com. For more information on dog obedience training reviews including Sit Stay Fetch, please visit 9Reviews.com's Dog Obedience Training section.

Vaccinations Can Save Your Dog's Life

By Jasmine Tupniak

It is just as important for you to have your dog vaccinated as it is to have your child vaccinated. Vaccines are designed to minimize the risks of your puppy contracting an illness that can kill him or her. Or even pose a threat to your family members.

Puppies and newborn children are very similar in some ways. They both get their immunity from the mothers milk. However, they both require additional help to make sure they are continuously protected from germs and diseases. For a puppy, he or she should have its first shots by the time it is 8 weeks old. A booster shot or second shot should be given around 4 weeks after the puppy receives its first set of shots.

The rabies vaccine is an extremely vital shot for your dog to have. Rabies is a disease that will kill your dog if he or she contracts it. Typically, a dog contracts rabies from the saliva of another animal that has rabies. Typically this can be done from a fight with a fox, chasing a squirrel or a raccoon to name just a mere few animals that can give your dog rabies.

Your puppy can have a rabies vaccine as early as 16 weeks old. However, another follow up booster shot needs to be given a year after the original shot. This is the best way to protect yourself, your family and your dog from contracting this fatal disease.

It is common in puppies and in dogs to have some side effects as a result of being injected with the immunizations. It is wise for you to watch your dog closely and monitor his or her behavior after a trip to the veterinarians office. Watch for signs of being lethargic, disoriented, vomiting, trembling and swelling of the face. If you notice any of these symptoms immediately contact your vet.

You should also take into consideration the age of the dog going for vaccines. If the dog is only 8 weeks old, you will need to pay much closer attention to the way he or she is acting after the immunizations. Trembling is most common in young puppies after immunizations.

Different shots are best to be given to puppies at certain ages. Speak with your vet about the appropriate age your dog should be when he or she gets specific immunizations. Generally, a puppy will have its first set of shots around 8 weeks old. The final set of puppy immunizations should be given around 16 weeks of age.

The rabies vaccination should be given every year for the safety of your dog and yourself. It is important that you keep each scheduled appointment for your dogs shots. It is quite simple to put them off and say you are going to reschedule, but more often than not, you might forget to make the appointment.

Rid Your Dog of Fleas

By Jasmine Tupniak

Many pet owners complain that their animal has fleas and now the fleas are making themselves comfortable in the house. Sometimes you might think that it is going to be impossible to rid your pet and your home of these little biting pain in the butts. Well, there are a few ways you can get rid of these pests from your dog and from your home.

To do this in a natural way, you should vacuum your house. This includes the mattresses, couches, upholstered furniture as well as the carpets. After you have completely and thoroughly vacuumed your home place the vacuum bag in a zip lock bag and throw it in the trash outside. Continue to do this on a regular basis. Depending on the severity of the fleas you might want to do it more frequently.

The area that your dog spend the most time in needs to be cleaned very well. You should use warm soapy water at least once a week to minimize the number of fleas that can breed in that area. This should include any blankets or pillows your dog might use.

Invest in a mild shampoo with flea repellent for your dog. You should bathe him on average once a week. Be sure that you rinse the shampoo off of your dog good. If you do not, you can cause your dog to get hot spots or just very itchy. This will only make you think the fleas are bothering your dog, when in reality you caused the problem.

You can purchase cedar oil to spray on your dogs sleeping area, pillows and blankets. The cedar scent is believed to keep not only fleas away but also other insects. You can also buy shampoo that has a cedar scent to it and alternate between the flea repellent shampoo and the cedar repellent shampoo.

Once you get the problem under control, you should cut down the number of baths that you give to him. Drying out your dogs skin is just putting up a sign for the fleas and inviting them back. Add Linatone oil to the food. This will help keep the dogs skin well moisturized.

You can also add some ingredients to the food to assist in keeping fleas off of your dog. The ingredients are believed to give your dog a scent that is no longer found appealing to the fleas. Brewer's yeast and garlic, they can be found in powder or in pill form. You can sprinkle it on the top of your dogs food or mix it into the dish of food.

There are also medications that you can put on your dog to assist in flea control. However, before you try any method for treating fleas, you should talk to your vet. You vet can give you several different options to use for successfully treating your home and pet for fleas.

Advice on How to Deal With Golden Retriever Problem Behaviors

By Carol Matthews

Golden Retrievers are fantastic dogs and make wonderful pets but there are a few things that you want to take into consideration before you decide to go ahead with this breed. Golden Retriever problem behaviors for instance can get to be quite serious and so rather than getting in over your head accidentally you should make yourself more aware of these different problem behaviors and on how you can best fix them.

One of the most common behavioral problems that Golden Retrievers tend to develop is separation anxiety. They are loving dogs and become incredibly close to their owners, and so when they are away from them they often become lonely and although they do not lash out as other breeds of dog do they will become forlorn and somber. Separation anxiety is relatively easy to diagnose, and most owners realize there is a problem when their dog begins acting different than usual.

Separation anxiety may be one of the most common Golden Retriever problem behaviors, but there are things that you can do to help deal with this behavioral problem. First, if you are the type of owner who likes to lavish your dog with extra attention right before leaving, then know that you are making a giant mistake by doing this. Although you may be trying to help and make up for the time that you are going to be missing while you are gone, what you are doing is drawing even more attention to the fact that you are leaving and this affects the dog more significantly.

Instead you want to provide them with a distraction of some sort and use this to draw the dog's attention away from you as you are headed out. If you are going to be gone for an extended period of time and feel the need to connect with your dog before heading out then the best idea is to find ways to do so earlier in the day rather than at the last minute. They may even be sleeping when you leave and not even notice that you are gone until you return.

Separation is definitely the most common but only one of many Golden Retriever problem behaviors. Although it can be frustrating it is important to realize that there are things that can be done and solutions that can be used in order to help with this problem. One of the best things that any owner can do to help their dog with this sort of problem is take them to a dog training class or course. There are even some professional dog trainers who will be willing to come directly into your home and this will be advantageous to you because then you will be able to learn what skills they are implementing and use them yourself once the trainer has left.

It is imperative that you have patience and realize that your dog is not meaning to behave poorly and so rather than lash out at them you need to work together with them and find a happy medium. With a little time and some proper training you can get them acting like the pet that you always dreamed and their problem behaviors will disappear.

A dog-lover and professional breeder, Carol Matthews has extensive experience in raising and caring for the dogs. Golden Retriever is the perfect combination of action with beauty. It is widely accepted for its intelligence, obedience, golden shade and liveliness. This article offers all the basic the Golden Retriever information including its history.

Advice on How to Deal With Golden Retriever Problem Behaviors

By Carol Matthews

Golden Retrievers are fantastic dogs and make wonderful pets but there are a few things that you want to take into consideration before you decide to go ahead with this breed. Golden Retriever problem behaviors for instance can get to be quite serious and so rather than getting in over your head accidentally you should make yourself more aware of these different problem behaviors and on how you can best fix them.

One of the most common behavioral problems that Golden Retrievers tend to develop is separation anxiety. They are loving dogs and become incredibly close to their owners, and so when they are away from them they often become lonely and although they do not lash out as other breeds of dog do they will become forlorn and somber. Separation anxiety is relatively easy to diagnose, and most owners realize there is a problem when their dog begins acting different than usual.

Separation anxiety may be one of the most common Golden Retriever problem behaviors, but there are things that you can do to help deal with this behavioral problem. First, if you are the type of owner who likes to lavish your dog with extra attention right before leaving, then know that you are making a giant mistake by doing this. Although you may be trying to help and make up for the time that you are going to be missing while you are gone, what you are doing is drawing even more attention to the fact that you are leaving and this affects the dog more significantly.

Instead you want to provide them with a distraction of some sort and use this to draw the dog's attention away from you as you are headed out. If you are going to be gone for an extended period of time and feel the need to connect with your dog before heading out then the best idea is to find ways to do so earlier in the day rather than at the last minute. They may even be sleeping when you leave and not even notice that you are gone until you return.

Separation is definitely the most common but only one of many Golden Retriever problem behaviors. Although it can be frustrating it is important to realize that there are things that can be done and solutions that can be used in order to help with this problem. One of the best things that any owner can do to help their dog with this sort of problem is take them to a dog training class or course. There are even some professional dog trainers who will be willing to come directly into your home and this will be advantageous to you because then you will be able to learn what skills they are implementing and use them yourself once the trainer has left.

It is imperative that you have patience and realize that your dog is not meaning to behave poorly and so rather than lash out at them you need to work together with them and find a happy medium. With a little time and some proper training you can get them acting like the pet that you always dreamed and their problem behaviors will disappear.

A dog-lover and professional breeder, Carol Matthews has extensive experience in raising and caring for the dogs. Golden Retriever is the perfect combination of action with beauty. It is widely accepted for its intelligence, obedience, golden shade and liveliness. This article offers all the basic the Golden Retriever information including its history.

Dog Toys- Does Your Labrador Retriever Need Them?

by: Richard Cussons

Your Labrador Retriever will surely enjoy having various dog toys around. But do not think that toys are just for fun and amusement purposes only. To a dog, there are other important reasons for having toys.

Dog toys are important in the mental and emotional development of your dog. Give your Labrador Retriever problem solving toys or motivational and interactive toys. This type of toys stimulate and keep his mind working. Maybe you want to give him a "find a treat" ball. As the name implies, this ball is filled with treats. But this has to be rolled over correctly in order for the treat to fall out. Dog toys that can be thrown can serve as training tools to stimulate their natural hunting instincts. Train your dog to bring it back when you command him to do so. Simple challenges that will surely keep your dog interested.

Rubber chews and bones are also fun and beneficial to your dog. These toys help your dog improve their dental health. Your dog can chew for hours because these toys are durable, specifically made to withstand the demands of your dog. With rubber chews, there will also be less chewing problems on furniture and household items. There will be less possibility of missing socks and discovering them under the bed, already damaged.

However, you just can't pick any toy found in your local pet store and take it to the counter. There are lots of factors that must be considered before buying. The most important is his safety. It should be non-toxic and durable. Toys that easily torn into pieces may cause trauma to your dog and pose great risk in injuring the gums, getting stuck on his teeth or worst swallowing and choking. Then think about your dog's size. His toys should be appropriate for his size, not too small for him to swallow and choke him and not too large so as to hinder him from taking it from one place to another. Aside from being durable, dog toys should be easy to clean.

There are many dog toys available in various pet supply stores. The web is also offering wide selection of dog toys for you to choose from. All you have to do is key in the keywords, then presto. The long list of various toys is right in front of you. The choice is yours whether you want to go personally and get one from your local pet supply store or have it delivered in your door step. Either way, just always remember to think about your dog before purchasing. Think about the breed, the size and what type of toy your dog finds interesting.

The Bloody Nose Of Your Labrador Retriever

by: Richard Cussons

It is alarming as well as messy in the home when you see blood dripping from the nostrils of your Labrador Retriever. Immediate attention should be given to address this problem but you should identify first the causes. Nose bleeding in Labrador Retriever is caused by various reasons, some are merely caused by your pet's environment such as pollution from smoking, poor air quality or excessive exposure to too much heat. The most common cause is an infection or something is lodged in your dog's nose. However, not all causes are as mild as stated earlier. Many cases of canine nose bleeding are signs of another disorder, most are very serious diseases. Breeds like Labrador Retriever and Basset Hounds are at increased risk of canine nose tumor.

Before you actually see blood dripping from your dog's nostril, there are already signs associated with canine nose bleeding. Your dog will initially sneeze or you will discover discharge from the nose. Sometimes the discharge may contain blood. Your dog may also show difficulty breathing indicating that there is a foreign object lodged in the nasal passage. He will even try to rub his muzzle against a hard surface. If blood is coming from only one nostril or if there is discharge, the presence of diseases such as distemper, bacterial rhinitis, infected sinuses, kennel cough and canine nose tumor exist.

The inside of a dog's nose is sensitive and is easily damaged. If you are sure that there is something lodged in your dog's nostril, you should not try to remove it. The object may be too far back and must be sedated or anesthetized in order to remove it.

Keeping your pet calm as is important to control bleeding. Excitement or nervousness will increase blood pressure and will eventually increase the bleeding. You should keep yourself calm too. Dogs are often affected with their owner's emotions. If you show you are nervous, he will get nervous too. Try to be calm and apply an ice pack into the bridge of your dog's nose. Small blood vessels will constrict to cold thus reduce bleeding.

If the stated tips are ineffective in controlling the bleeding and difficulty breathing is present, visit your vet immediately for specific tests to diagnose the cause of the problem.

A Labrador Retriever is an ideal working dog. Though not scent dogs, they still use their sense of smell to detect drugs, bombs and the likes. They are used by police, rescue teams and other official bodies. This simply means that, every part of a Labrador Retriever is important in performing work expected of him.