Dog Zone Guru

There are few things more inconvenient and unsettling than finding out that your prized pet is harboring parasites. Fleas feast on the blood of their host, jumping from one life source to another and even becoming an itchy, scratchy nuisance to humans. Ticks are less mobile, but they often carry disease. Dealing with them can be tricky and precarious, and it’s not easy to get your dog to sit still while extracting a tick from his flank.

In the unfortunate event that your dog experiences a flea infestation, it’s time to dig out the flea and tick shampoo. Warm up a bath for the pooch and coax him into the water. Rubbing the shampoo into the fur without gloves allows for more control and precision. Be sure to cover every part of the body save the eyes with a thick lather. Finish by rinsing the animal clean and draining the water while he’s still in the tub. Then dry him off to the best of your ability. The water that gets shaken all over the house momentarily should be minimized that way.

The first thing to remember with dog obedience training is that positive reinforcement is the basis of any successful program. When the dog performs a trick or does as he is told, you should reward that behavior immediately with a treat or a pet. Bear in mind that most dogs are exceedingly food-driven; try to figure out which tasty treats your canine craves, and use them as an incentive.

Over time, the impulse to follow commands will become hard-wired into the dog’s mind. You won’t always have to reward the dog with food, nor will he continue to expect it after a while. Still, it’s important not to skimp on affection when your dog demonstrates good behavior. Just be sure to provide the reward almost instantaneously. Dogs don’t possess the same level of understanding about cause and effect that humans do.

Making a personalized blend of chow for your prized puppy can be a rewarding experience, and it’s always nice to spend some extra time in the kitchen whipping up a new concoction. Before you try your hand at creating some gourmet kibble, make a checklist of your dog’s nutritional requirements. Youthful, active and pregnant dogs can benefit from a much different diet than a non-working adult dog.

You can cross chocolate, onions, grapes and garlic off your ingredient list immediately, as these foods have been shown to cause health problems – digestive and otherwise – in dogs. Take a peek at a bag of store-bought food for tips on ingredients. Generally speaking, dog foods are rich in protein, so they should contain some combination of beef, lamb and chicken. Rice and eggs also provide a good base from which to get creative with homemade dog food recipes.

Nobody said training a dog would be easy, and professional trainers make their living by banking on the idea that most owners lack the necessary patience. Still, by sticking to your guns and sending your dog a consistent message about what’s right and what’s wrong, you can teach him to mind his canine manners. Dogs respond best to positive reinforcement, which can be attained by distributing dog training treats when deserved.

Only provide positive reinforcement immediately after your dog performs the desired command. Otherwise he could misinterpret the reason for receiving a treat. Don’t send mixed signals to the dog, either. If he’s being bad, you should ignore him for a specified period of time rather than showing affection through petting. In time, he’ll learn which behaviors are acceptable and which won’t be tolerated.

When they are just puppies, dogs almost always receive tons of attention from their owners. Chalk it up to cuteness combined with the thrill of the new. In an ideal world, we would maintain that close connection with our dogs well into adulthood. Unfortunately, our work and social lives often get in the way. When the dog becomes an afterthought, he becomes less obedient and more likely to act out.

If you’re looking to reconnect with your dog and teach him valuable skills at the same time, consider pursuing dog agility training. You’ll need to practice and refine your communication skills with the dog before signing up for competitions. Events range from the rather simple – running through tunnels – to the incredibly difficult – teeter and pole weave.

Over the last few years, there have been many new types of dog food to have emerged in the marketplace. Many of these companies have successfully created a niche market, be it non-alcoholic beer for dogs or non processed food.

Many dog owners have gone a step further and feed their dogs a homemade diet. These diets generally consist of some form of cooked meat or raw meat, ground bone, pureed vegetables, and multivitamin supplements.

Your dog has just returned home after a long day of roaming the neighborhood; hey, everybody gets hungry eventually. Unfortunately, it seems there’s already a few unwelcome guests dining on your dog. Although the problem could be attributed to allergies, it’s more likely that he has a flea problem. And that means you might have a flea problem of your own if the issue goes untreated.

Try giving your dog a bath and using a topical flea medication. Getting rid of fleas can be tricky, so you might also want to outfit the dog with a flea collar. The process doesn’t end there – you’ve got to limit the chance that the pests have made themselves comfortable in your home. Wash any clothes, towels, upholstery and sheets that the dog has touched with warm, soapy water.