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Dogs have been “man’s best friend” for thousands of years. Since dogs watch over their owners, it’s only right that dog-loving humans keep their pets safe in return. And now, dogs need our extra attention more than ever. With a little thought, you can easily create a safe home for your precious pups.

As you know, dogs have a keen curiosity. Take a look at your home from your puppy’s perspective and you’ll likely find all sorts of interesting items to check out. You may not realize that dogs first sniff, then mouth things to inspect them. So it’s especially important that you keep the following out of your dog’s reach:

• insect traps
• phone and electric cords
• ashtrays and cigarettes
• open doors and windows
• rubber bands
• housecleaning chemicals
• candles
• Christmas tree ornaments
• uncovered trash cans
• medications
• foodstuffs like: chocolate and grapes
• plastic bags
• batteries
• anti-freeze
• valuable items, like jewelry, photos, and books

Don’t forget the great outdoors when inspecting your dog’s area. Dogs, especially puppies, find plants fun playthings. They love to dig in the dirt or pull branches off shrubs. Because of this, make sure the plants in and around your home aren’t a health risk to your dog. The following common house and garden plants are toxic to dogs:

• English ivy
• dieffenbachia
• mistletoe
• philodendron
• elephant ear
• caladium
• boxwood
• holly berry
• azaleas
• chinaberry trees
• oleander
• wisteria
• hydrangea

Other ways to protect your pup include keeping him or her safely confined to your home. Wandering dogs are more likely to be injured by vehicles or meet up with unkind people.

Make sure your yard is fenced and the fencing is tall enough and strong enough to keep your dog from roaming. Many dogs try to dig out under the fence, so it’s crucial you regularly check for gaps around the fence perimeter. Teach everyone in your family to carefully close doors and keep gates latched.

Additionally, it’s important that your pet wears a collar with an identification tag at all times, in the event he or she gets lost. In fact, most cities require that all dogs wear a collar and tag. This way, it’s more likely your dog will be returned home safely to you. You may also consider microchipping, where a small silicone chip containing your contact information is painlessly inserted under the dog’s skin. Most animal shelters and veterinarians automatically scan lost pets in search of a microchip. However, an identification tag will be useful if your puppy is found by an average citizen.

If you reside in an area prone to natural disasters, keep an emergency pet supply kit handy. Include a week’s worth of food and water, as well as any medication your dog needs. Don’t forget a photo of your pet too, in case you’re separated at any time.

The teaching and training of dog tricks while not a necessary part of a dog’s education, is an achievement that offer dog owners and his friends a great deal of amusement and adds materially to the value of a dog.

Training your dog tricks can be difficult and frustrating if you cannot achieve the results you want. However, unlike house and potty training which are vital education for any dog, I feel that the end-results is not the most significant element in trick training, to me the most important part is that both of you enjoy the training process and have fun along the way.

Listed in this article are 3 interesting dog tricks that you can teach your dog:

Dead Dog
Place a dog on his back or side or in any position you may select, threaten him with your forefinger and say “dead” or any word that you may select to associate with this trick, use both hands to help him stay in that position when you first begin training. Praise him and offer treats if he can stay in position.

With regular practice, he should be able to stay in the position in which you have placed him, it is only a question of practice when you can call to him and say “dead,” and he will lie down and stretch out in the position that you have accustomed him to taking.

Sneezing
With careful and patient training, most dogs can be taught to sneeze. This is accomplished by tickling the nose – with a feather. At first he will snap at it, and under normal circumstances, most dogs will start to sneeze; he will not like the feather very well and in course of time his imagination will foreshadow its effects and he will begin to sneeze as soon as it is pointed in close proximity to his nose. When he sneezes, use a command like “Sneeze”, to associate with this trick. As usual, praise and treat when he gets it right.

By repeating this operation at odd times the dog can be taught to sneeze very creditably when you point your finger at his nose and give him the word “Sneeze,” and finally will do so simply at command.

This trick can be fun and entertaining but not easily achievable especially with dominant dogs. If your dog get irritated and turn aggressive toward you when you tickle his nose, you should stop training immediately.

Bringing His Tail
During play, dogs frequently grasp their tails in their mouths. If you haven’t notice, if you take hold of your dog tail while playing with him, he will probably seize your hand, but if you skillfully slip his tail in his mouth he will grab it – Interesting!

These facts suggested the trick of “Bringing his tail.” It is a rather difficult feat to accomplish, but it is possible for any amateur to teach it to his dog providing the dog has a long enough tail and the trainer sufficient patience – Sorry to dog owners with short tails!

Anyway, this trick is very amusing, for when the dog has his tail in his mouth he can only advance crab-fashion or sideways, with a tendency to go around in a circle without making much advance.

The first step in teaching this trick is to praise the dog when he first gets his tail in his mouth, and after he has held it for a few moments bid him to let go and reward him.

Should he give up his hold before you order him to do so, speak sharply to him and begin all over again. When he learns to hold his tail until ordered to relinquish it the first part of the trick has been taught, and you can begin to teach him to bring it to you. To do this, step back a few feet from the dog in the direction he can most easily advance, and call him.

If he releases his hold of his tail to come to you, ignore him and replace the tail in his mouth again, but when he comes without letting go he should be rewarded gradually increase the distance you require him to carry his tail, but this task is so difficult that he should not be asked to go more than ten or twelve feet.

In beginning the trick, when you place his tail in his mouth say “Bring me your tail,” so as to accustom him to the command. In time you will not have to place his tail in his mouth, but merely hold it for him to grasp, and after still further practice he will seize it at the word without your assisting him.

Enjoy training your dog new tricks, and most importantly enjoy the process and have a great deal of fun and laughter!

Raising up is a dog is a hard task. The only consolation that you’ll have when raising up a dog is that it’s not as hard when you raised or will raise up kids.

Dogs may be a little rough around the edges when you start training them. But when they get trained, a small amount of dog burdens will be lifted away from your shoulders. Imagine that you will no longer have to step on dog poop all of a sudden or have your dog occupy your couch.

However to get your dog trained well it will need a little effort form you as well. As the saying goes, “It takes two to tango.” The better you are at training your dog, the better attitude your dog will have. Here are some tips that you can do to make the training effective.

If you live with a family or lots of other people, chances are there will be one person with most of the burden of training the dog. This person might be the one who bought the dog or the person who got forced to train the dog. It is suggestible though to make kids train the dog. This is because kids have a higher pitched voice and are more animated making dogs react more. A child training the dog will also make the dog feel less abused or imposed because of their size.

Having the right attitude when you are training your dog will also be helpful. Don’t think of training the dog as a chore, because if you do you will feel bored. Naturally when you feel bored, you and your dog will not enjoy. Prevent it from happening, because when it does happen you will be spending less time training. Try to enjoy and have fun, that’s what your relationship with the dog should be anyway.

If you are tired or cranky, train at a later time. Relax first, if you train the dog when you are tired, you will only become more irritated when things don’t go right. When the dog is having trouble with something new; try to go back to something the dog has already mastered. This will make the dog feel not so bad.

Don’t give up immediately when things are not going your way. Just think about the dog learning something from a different language. If you are learning how to read a book in Chinese, you’ll also have a hard time right?

If you’re at the point of giving up, just think about the benefits of all things once the dog has been properly trained.

People say a lot of things about Pit Bulls, but you never hear them talk much about the intelligence of this particular breed. Fact is you’ll never hear anything about the intelligence of this animal, unless you are in the company of Pit bull owners. Anyone who has owned one of these fascinating dogs will tell you straight up that the Pit bull is a very smart dog indeed.

Pit Bulls are fairly quick to learn, but they also have a certain stubborn streak which is a direct result of their intelligence. These dogs have a definite will of their own, and they like to get their way, but then again most humans do as well!

This stubborn behavior which shows from time to time tends to make the Pit Bull breed slightly harder to train than other breeds. Some people mistake the dog’s independent will as the dog not being trainable, but nothing could be further from the truth! These highly intelligent dogs can be trained.

The problems in training arise from owners who have no knowledge about the Pit Bull breed. As with any breed, prospective owners should always invest a little of their time into getting to know the particular quirks that all dog breeds have. Owners who get a Pit Bull then whine about the training of them simply did not do their homework. That’s not the dog’s fault, now is it?

As the owner of a Pit Bull, you should understand that his stubbornness comes from his intelligence, and that you shouldn’t take it personally. Just because he doesn’t want to do what you want him to do at a specific time doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you. If you can simply treat it for what it truly is, stubbornness, then you’ll both make out just fine.

Always meet their hard headed ways with patience and understanding. Certainly don’t give up on their training, just be a little more stubborn than they are!

You may want to consider using a type of training called play training. This type of training appeals to Pit Bulls because they absolutely love to play. When a training task is presented as a fun game, the task will appeal to the dog’s inner desire for play. With this technique, you can outwit the stubbornness you may have encountered with any other type of training.

When purchasing toys for your Pit Bull, keep in mind those strong jaws this breed is famous for. You’ll want to purchase toys that are geared to survive for the long haul. Be sure to get toys which will not break apart easily and injure your Pit Bull. Above all, enjoy your new found friend!

Brian Kilcommons relates a terrible story about a beautiful golden retriever dog who was usually very gentle and kind with children. It’s owners had a girl aged 3 1/2, and they normally got along very well. Then one day the little girl grabbed the dog’s ear. It snarled and bit her face. She needed 47 stitches in her face, and they put the dog down. The parents had the dog euthanized without bothering to find out what had caused this sudden change in their dog’s behaviour. The vet, however, did an autopsy, and found our that this dog was suffering not one but two severe ear infections that were incredibly painful.

Ear infections usually start out mild, and in the outer ear. This dog’s health was effectively neglected by it’s owners. And when their toddler grabbed the infected ear, the dog, already in constant pain anyway, reacted out of instinct. By not taking the time to properly care for their pet, these owners were in fact responsible for what happened to their child. And then blamed the dog. And probably out of ignorance or anger, or both, they had it killed. Their emotional response to what happened to their child as a result of their own neglect aside, I find this absolutely reprehensible. And the tragedy that happened to their dog when they chose to kill it instead of investigating further, as well as their child, was totally avoidable.

Unlike these owners, show your dog the same level of care and love you’d show your children. Become aware of the signs of ear infections, what causes them, and how to avoid them, taking dogs to get treatment when it seems like they have one.

Ear infections can be caused by any number of things. Wet ears not dried after swimming or bathing, a build up of ear wax, grass seeds and fox tails, untreated ear mites, using cotton tips to clean ears (which pushes things further into the ear), and growths in the ear canal, can all lead to ear infections. If your dog is scratching at his ears, rubbing them, holding his head to one side, or down, shaking his head, or if they look bloody or waxy or swollen, they should be checked out. And if he cries when his ears are touched, this is another sign of a potential ear infection.

When untreated ear infections progress deeper into the ear, the pain the dog is in increases sharply. The dog may hold his head as still as possible, and to one side. And opening his mouth, or touching his head, will cause him pain. Dogs can also become dizzy, with poor balance and coordination, when the infection progresses to the inner ear. Dogs may walk around in circles, and vomit.

Ear infections are also related to skin allergies, especially food hypersensitivity dermatitis and canine atopy. Dogs with these conditions often develop inflamed ears. The dog’s ears become very itchy, which creates an ‘itch-scratch-itch’ cycle that in turn  creates scabs around the ear, hair loss, crustiness, and raw skin. The ear canals become filled with a brown wax.

Some dogs are also allergic to some ear medications. A common one is an antibiotic called neomycin, but can be any ear treatment products including cortisone, nystatin, chloramphenicol, thiabendazole, gentamicin, miconazole, and clortrimazole.

One thing of concern in dogs that are professionally groomed is the practice of plucking the hairs out of the dog’s ear. The serum which then comes out of their pores is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria, which is a common cause of ear infection. Vets generally don’t recommend you allow your dog’s ears to be plucked unless their is a good medical reason to do so. An example of a good medical reason is if there is a large mat of hair that is blocking air flow.

If the mats of hair are in the ear canal, they should be removed by a vet only. If they’re not, first soak the hair in a coat conditioner for a few minutes to soften it. Then, with your fingers, separate as much of the mat as possible. You may be able to untangle the rest of the mat with a comb, but more likely you’ll need scissors or a mat splitter. Be very careful if you’re using scissors. Using a comb, position it under the mat to protect the skin. Hold the scissors at right angles to the comb, and cut into the matted fur in narrow strips. Very gently, tease the mat out, and then comb out any snarls that are left. Regular grooming, with the right tools, will avoid mats forming in the first place.

Always check your dog’s ears after he’s been playing in long grasses. If you think there is a foxtail in his ear, take him to the vet’s and don’t try and get it out yourself. Fox tails can really damage the ear. If when you press gently on the ear canal he cries out in pain, there’s a good chance there’s a fox tail in there.

References:
1. Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson, Good Owners, Great Dogs
2. Richard Pitcairn, Natural Health for Dogs and Cats
3. James Griffin and Liisa Carlson, Dog Owners Home Veterinary Handbook

Have you ever seen a well trained dog and thought, “I wish my dog could do tricks like that”?

It is probably the dream of most dog owners to be able to teach their pet to do some of the tricks they see other dogs doing, but there is one thing they must remember above all others before starting down the path of teaching tricks. The dog must have at least some basic obedience. There is not much chance of teaching it to do tricks if it is a badly behaved dog in the first place.

The basic commands such as sit, down, heel etc, should be known by your dog before trick training starts, as this will make life so much easier later on. Once these have been mastered you can begin to build on them and your dog will soon be amazing your friends with the following three simple tricks.

Begging

To start teaching this trick it is best to have your dog sit in a corner of the room with his back to the wall and you standing in front of him. The walls will support your dog and give him the confidence that he won’t fall over if he raises his front legs off the floor.

Take some small pieces of food and hold it above your dog whilst enticing him to reach up for it. Each time he takes the food, praise him and repeat the procedure slowly encouraging him to reach higher each time.

Whilst encouraging the dog to reach up for the food, you must make sure that he is keeping his haunches on the ground. This is achieved by moving the food back over his head slightly making the dog shift his weight back over his haunches and teaching him to keep his balance.

Once the begging trick has bee mastered in the corner of the room you can gradually begin to move away from the wall and practise the trick where the dog has no back support. You must expect at this stage that the dog will seem to go backwards in his learning, but this is to be expected until he can perfect it just using his own body weight.

Shaking hands

There are two parts of this trick for your dog to learn. A verbal part and a non-verbal part which both work together to give the dog a cue that you want him to perform the trick.

Firstly the dog should start off in a sitting position. Give him a single word verbal command such as ‘shake’, whilst at the same time reaching out with your right hand until it is just a few inches from your dogs’ right leg. Your outstretched hand is the non-verbal cue.

Initially your dog will probably just sit motionless unsure of what to do, so with your left hand, gently push or prod his right leg forwards until it rests in your right hand. When he has done this, praise him so that he knows he has done what you wanted him to do.

Practice this trick several times; praising after each successful result and gradually reducing the amount of left hand prompting until only the verbal and non-verbal cues are all that are needed.

Shaking the head: ‘No’

Before you can begin to teach this trick to your dog, you will need to find something which will make him shake his head naturally. Some things which may help are blowing gently on the ear, tickling the ear with a feather or even lightly attaching a paperclip to the ear – remembering that you should not cause the dog any pain.

Once you have found the method which makes him shake his head you will then have to decide on which verbal and non-verbal cue you want to use. A single word such as ‘head’ along with shrugging of your shoulders is just one idea.

Again your dog should start in a sitting position when first teaching him this trick. As in the shaking hands trick, use both cues together, along with the prod (tickling his ear, etc) in an effort to stimulate your dog to shake his head. Once he does, reward him, even if it is just a small movement.

This trick is best learned in short sessions with momentary breaks in between, so don’t try to repeat the exercise more that five times in one session or the dog will become confused and not learn.

Gradually reduce the amount of prodding so that all that are needed are the verbal and non-verbal cues. Once your dog has mastered the trick, he can be progressed to learn it in standing position and laying positions as well.

The main thing with training dogs to perform tricks is for the owner to learn that patience is a virtue and that the dog will learn in his own time. Do not scold the dog if he does not seem to be learning, it is always better to be patient and encourage him more.