Dog Training And Why It's Important

Most dog owners would love to have a well-trained dog, yet many dogs are not trained very well! Firstly, you should understand that it IS very possible to train your dog, if you understand properly how to do so.

If you've already tried and not succeeded as well as you would like, don't worry, this is not your fault. When you get information that is correct enough and complete enough for you to really understand how dog training works, it will work easily and effectively.

If you might be worried that training your dog is too difficult or time-consuming, then please understand that, like many things in life, it's only difficult until you learn how to do it right. Once you have all the right information, and understand how dog training works, it is easy and effective to do in practice.

Dogs are naturally pack animals (since they were originally descended from wolves and wild dogs), and have an instinctive need to understand what the leader of the pack (that's hopefully you, the owner) wants it to do. This is one of the reasons why training your dog is good for both of you.

One the other side of the relationship, when your dog understands what you want, and obeys you when you wish, this makes you happier with your dog, and the dog loves your positive feedback, so again this is better for the both of you.

Another reason is that both you and the dog are happier if you can be sure your dog will behave as you require in social situations. This makes you proud of the dog, the dog proud to get your admiration, and once again, you both win.

Finding and Hiring a Dog Walker

If you work more than 6 hours a day and own a dog, you need a dog walker!

Urban life can be hard for dogs. Many of us keep pets in cramped city apartments and work long hours, resulting in a dogs life which is a far cry from that of a rural or suburban dog who usually has an outside yard to roam during the day -- or if they're really lucky, acres of open land in which to frolic.

Yet there is no reason why a city dog cannot enjoy a fantastic quality of life. Living in the city has its disadvantages but also brings with it levels of stimulation -- sights, sounds and smells -- which suburban or rural dogs never get to experience. City dogs are also also blessed with far more social opportunities, whether they be with other dogs on the street or with a pack of their buddies at the local dog park or dog run.

But many owners work long hours and enjoy active social lives, meaning long periods in which their pets are alone. For a dog, this means hours of inactivity -- especially in a small apartment or studio which has little space to play or run.

For this reason, most urban dog owners hire a dog walker. Having someone take your dog out for exercise and relief at least once a day makes all the difference. It breaks up those long solitary hours and gives your dog a chance to get out into the fresh air, stretch their legs and burn off some of the calories they have ingested for breakfast. For many dogs, their daytime dog walker is their daytime buddy.

But with the profession of dog walking becoming more and more popular, there are increasing numbers of dog walkers to choose from in cities. Dog walking and pet sitting services are springing up everywhere and in most cities dog owners are spoiled for choice. Yet all dog walking services are not the same -- there are differences in quality and type of services provided. Here are some tips for choosing the right dog walker for you:

* Make sure you know exactly what you want before you start looking It's important to be clear about the kind of service you want. A large, established dog walking service is likely to provide peace of mind and more security, but if they're too big you may find their services a little too impersonal -- some guarantee the same walker every day, but some don't. If you want your walker and your dog to build a friendly, trusting relationship, it's worth asking about this. A good dog walking service will assign a regular dog walker to your dog and inform you of any changes in staffing well ahead of time. The downside is that they may be slightly less flexible with scheduling. On the other hand, a local independent dog walker who works alone is almost guaranteed to build a close relationship with your dog and you are likely to build a friendly relationship with them yourself, which brings familiarity and peace of mind. The disadvantage is that lone walkers rarely have anyone to provide a back up should they become sick or take a vacation.

* Establish an ideal schedule, then be prepared to compromise Let's face it, the vast majority of dog owners would prefer their dog to be walked around the middle of the day, which generally means between 11am and 3pm in the dog walking business. This means that midday time slots are in great demand and it's unlikely that you'll find someone who can promise your ideal schedule. Be prepared to compromise with a leeway of around an hour either side of your ideal. Additionally, even when you settle on a time you should be aware that dog walking is a profession the nature of which means it is almost impossible to stick to a schedule 100% accurately every day. Walkers often have to travel between dogs and can be held up by a million and one different situations. Don't be too disappointed if your dog walker arrives a little early or late every day -- most of the time it cannot be helped. Be suspicious of any dog walking service that promises punctuality to the minute -- most of the time they're not being honest with you!

* Dog walking in packs or individually? This is where opinion is split firmly down the middle! It's a common sight in urban centers like New York City to see pack walkers with up to twelve dogs at a time -- but is this really what you want for your dog? The advantage to this kind of service is primarily price -- pack walk rates are sometimes half the price of individual or small group walks and sometimes last longer. On the negative side, your dog will not receive anywhere near the same level of attention it would in a smaller group or alone -- and often much of the walk is spent sitting tied up in large groups on the sidewalk as the dog walker takes a dog upstairs to its apartment. There is no doubt that there is a strong social aspect to such walks which many dogs enjoy, but for the most part the majority of dog owners prefer their dogs to be walked in smaller packs or alone. Many people also worry about dogs fighting in large packs and while this is rare, it does sometimes happen. An individual, private walk brings with it the walkers undivided attention, but you should also consider that most dogs appreciate some kind of socialization -- so consider choosing a service which walks pairs or small groups of no more than three. Many dog walkers will tell you that dogs who have behavioral "issues" on the street with their owners benefit greatly from being walked with another dog, whose presence often acts to "center" the other dog and induce a good level of focus and attention. However, there is no avoiding the fact that some dogs just will not abide the company of other dogs no matter what! At the end of the day you know your own dog better than anyone and the decision is entirely yours to make.

* Conduct interviews in person Choosing a dog walker is an important decision to make, not least because you're entrusting the welfare of your precious pet to a stranger but also because the service entails allowing someone access to your apartment on a daily basis. For this reason, you should always look into a number of services and insist on meeting first the business owner, then should you decide to go ahead and use the service, the walker who will be assigned to your dog. A good service will allow you to meet the walker at no cost to yourself. Never feel pressured into agreeing to a schedule over the telephone -- you'll feel much better when you know who you're dealing with personally. All good dog walking services appreciate that you're looking around and shopping for a service and will be happy to submit their pitch to compete with others. Don't be surprised or feel offended if the business owner will not give you full contact details of the walker however -- they're not trying to put one over on you. It's standard practice in the business to insist that the client conduct all communication (schedule changes, updates etc) through the business owner themselves. This ensures that the owner is kept "in the loop" and is always aware of what's going on. If you do have the walkers contact details however, it is always good practice to notify the owner of all communication between you to prevent misunderstandings or confusion later.

* Have questions prepared in advance Before you conduct an interview, make sure you have everything you're going to ask written down and prepared beforehand. Ask as many questions as you need to feel comfortable. Don't be afraid to bombard the business owner or walker with requests for information regarding the nature of their service, their philosophy, their practices, their policy and their history. A good dog walking service will also ask you questions about exactly what you want, your likes and dislikes -- and most of all, your dog. Make sure they ask you about your dogs nature and about health issues which may be relevant. If they take notes, that's a good thing! A good dog walking service will keep information about your dog on file, including medical history, favorite treats, command words, things to watch out for, vets information etc. If they don't seem interested in any of this information then it's probably a good idea to choose another service. Be sure to get everything out in the open regarding prices and fees. Make certain you're both on the same page regarding rates and frequency of payment, about any hidden or supplementary fees (many dog walking services have a surcharge for early morning, evening and weekend walks), about their range of availability (do they cover evenings or weekends?) and about their policy regarding cancellations (most services request that you give 24 hours notice to avoid being charged). The last thing you want is to spoil a good relationship with a reliable dog walking service due to a misunderstanding later which should have been cleared up at the beginning.

Understanding Panic Attack In Dogs

Panic attack in dogs comes on suddenly and can be triggered by booming noises such as the sharp sound of gun shots, fireworks or even rumbling thunder. The fight or flight instinct kicks in big-time, but since fighting an invisible entity is not possible, some dogs will panic and blindly run for survival. For dogs who are protected within a fenced yard or confined inside a building, there is nowhere for them to go. So they turn all of that "flight" energy into outward detrimental behavior or they internalize it, causing severe shaking, whining, panting, and raised heart rate.

No one really understands why some dogs experience these panic attacks and others show no signs of anxiety during the same circumstances. In a home of two or more dogs, one may sleep right through a powerful thunderstorm, while another dog has a panic attack and seems to be totally lost within its fear.

If you have adopted a rescued dog, its previous history may be unattainable. It could have included some type of incident that caused a deathly fear of certain situations or abrasive sounds. If only they could tell us. On second thought, I'm not sure I would want to know. Anyway, you may never know the reason behind the panic, but it's really not as important as helping your dog learn to relax rather than react.

I honestly believe that a panic attack in dogs is much the same as it is in people. I don't believe we really understand why a number of people suffer from panic attacks and yet others don't. Fortunately for us, humans are able to seek out guidance to help us conquer our anxieties.

Dogs don't have any methods or dealing with an anxiety or panic attack. They have no means of working through it or of understanding how to overcome this panic they are experiencing.

That is where we, as their caretakers, must intervene and find methods to help overcome this panic attack in dogs.

To begin with, I have to emphasize the necessity of not chastising your dog for running away or destroying something during a panic attack. Your dog is reacting to something he doesn't understand. By punishing him you will be adding to the already high level of anxiety your dog is experiencing, possibly escalating any further episodes.

I do believe that a dog who has undergone some obedience dog training will have an advantage over an untrained dog in that your trained dog may be able to be distracted from its fear somewhat by obedience commands. This is not always the case with extreme anxiety, because it does seem to dominate any previous training, but with mild cases of panic attack, distraction with obedience work may help.

Sedatives are one option for calming a panic attack in dogs. This is not a method I would recommend because it doesn't solve the problem. It will only temporarily mask the situation. Your dog will be listless and debilitated for a few hours and each dog may react a little differently to each sedative.

Some sedatives will slow down your dog's reactions yet not calm the panic within. He will still experience the distress caused by the noise or other stimulant without being able to do anything about it. If you have tried other options that have failed and decide to use a sedative, please do some research on the side effects of the specific sedative you will be using.

The ultimate goal is to help your dog defeat its terror and get through a nerve wracking event without the anxiety that has plagued him in the past.

Another tool for helping overcome a panic attack in dogs is the anxiety wrap. You can find this as the Original Anxiety Wrap and the Thundershirt. The anxiety wrap is a snugly fitting shirt that exerts deep touch pressure on pressure points to soothe a dog during stress. It is similar to the swaddling of an infant to help it feel secure. This does not work for every dog or every stressful situation, but it may help many dogs. Some are helped immediately, others might take several times of using the anxiety wrap to slowly lessen the extreme panic they have experienced so many times.

One other option for helping your dog to get over its extreme fear is by gradually exposing it to the very thing that terrifies it, such as rolling thunder. You would begin with a tape recording of thunder. Play it at a very low level, offering your dog treats, to play ball, to dance around and have fun. Your dog will learn to associate fun things with the noise it has previously deemed terrifying. Increase the stimulation gradually, but not until your dog has accepted each level with no signs of anxiety.

There are a number of options to work through a panic attack in dogs. There really is no reason to simply watch your dog deal with the terror it feels. It may take some research, seeking advice from trainers and an abundance of patience, but it will be worth it on that day when you are in the middle of a thunderstorm and your dog is lying peacefully on its bed.

About the Author

Karleen Lindsey has worked with dogs for many years. In her work fostering rescue dogs and in her grooming career, she has observed many behavior issues. She works extensively to help each dog break through the barriers of fear and anti-social behavior, with patience being the primary key to success. To learn more, visit her site at http://www.anxietywrapreviews.com.

A Good Night's Sleep: A Guide to Dog Beds

Beds are one of the most important pieces of furniture you can own. Their comfort level allows you to get a good night's sleep and wake up to be productive and energetic the following day. The same goes for your dog. While many people don't realize it, your dog can develop health problems or have trouble sleeping if not given the proper bedding. There are several factors you must consider when looking at dog beds, different types to choose from, and different methods of purchasing them.

Size Does Matter

One vital factor you must consider when selecting a bed for your dog is your dog's size. If the bed is too small for your dog, this could create a problem. Your dog might wind up lying partially on his bedding and partially on the hard floor. Just as you wouldn't want to lie halfway off your bed, your dog wouldn't want to either. This can create soreness the next day, and over a longer period of time, can lead to bone and joint problems that your pup just shouldn't have to endure. If you have a medium, large of extra large breed, you will need to make sure that you find an appropriate sized bed that is large enough for your dog to lie on and move around a little bit. One other factor you must consider for a smaller dog is giving them too much space. If a smaller dog has a bed that is kept in a kennel, the dog may be tempted to urinate on the bed if it is too big. Sometimes if dogs are given too much space in their kennel, and if the bed is much bigger than the portion they are actually lying on, the dog will use part of the bed as a restroom. While this isn't common, it does happen from time to time.

Special Needs

Besides size, another important thing to consider are the specific needs that your dog has. If you have a puppy or an extremely healthy younger dog, most any well-padded bed will do just fine. Some older dogs, or dogs that have developed bone of joint problems, may need a little extra care from their bed. Make sure that if your dog has any sort of bone or joint problems, or has exhibited any signs of them, you take him to the veterinarian to get everything checked out. In some instances, a vet might recommend an orthopedic dog bed. These are available in all shapes and sizes and are soft and moldable for the best possible comfort your dog could imagine. Even if your pet doesn't necessarily need an orthopedic bed right now, it is always a good option to prevent future health problems.

Where To Go

If you are looking to treat your dog to a new bed, the first thing to do is to check with your regular veterinarian for his or her recommendation. Your personal vet knows your dog better than anyone and will be able to make sure that you get the best possible product for your pet. Once you have obtained a recommendation, you have a couple of options. You can call or tour local pet stores in search of the bed that your vet prefers, or you can search online. Finding the bed at a local store ensures that you can get the bed sooner, but internet searches often yield better financial results. There are tons of web sites out there for pet lovers that offer great marked-down prices with reasonable shipping. Really, it's just a matter of personal preference. Whichever way you decide to go, just make sure you get the best model of bed for your dog. After all, his sweet dreams depend on it!