Pet Goddess

More around the house rules

8.     A simple obedience command such as “Sit” should be given before any pleasurable interaction with the dog. (i.e. play session, petting, feeding or a walk etc…)
The children should give the dogs commands at least once a day and reward with a treat when the command is followed.
A simple “Sit” will do. No treat should be awarded if the dog does not follow the command.  Show your dog he does not get anything for free.
His food, water, treats, even praise/love have to be earned by doing something. Even something as little as sit, come, or making him wait for the treat while you hold it in front of him should be expected, then praised and rewarded. Make sure the dog takes the treat from your hands gently. Do not tolerate a mouthy or nippy dog.

9.     You should not lay on the floor to watch TV when the dog is around, and no one should ever roll around the floor playing with the dogs. A human should never put himself in an equal or lesser height position than the dog. And showing your belly would be considered being subissive to your dog.

Posted June 30, 2008 Comments(0)

Around the house rules

5.    Humans must not let the dog go through any doorways first, or up or down the stairs first. Dogs must always go through the doorways or up and down stairs AFTER the humans, as the leader of the pack always goes first.

If the dog does not stay behind the humans, the dog must be told to “stay” and given the command to “come” after all humans have passed through. (You should know the basic list of important commands all dogs should know, such as sit, stay, come and so on. These commands are vital in the communication between you and your dog and should always be taught.)

6. When you have left the house or the room, even for a minute and come back in the room, ignore the dog for a few minutes.

7.NEVER make a huge fuss over the dog when you first come in, or give in to attention grabbing behavior. Go about your routine of getting settled in the house first, then give quality time and attention to the dog when you are both more relaxed.

Posted June 29, 2008 Comments(0)

Other essential dog feeding time rules to help you stay top dog in your household:

2.     All humans must eat BEFORE the dogs, as the leader always eats first.  When you give your dog its food, eat a small snack first while he is watching, and if possible, lay the snack near the dog’s food so that he thinks you are eating out of his bowl (the leader always eats first).

3.     NO table scraps should be fed to the dogs during a meal.

4. Feedings must be at a scheduled time. (no self feeding dog food dispensers should be used, as this allows the dog to choose when he eats, and makes him think that he is the alpha.)

Posted June 28, 2008 Comments(0)

Feeding Time Rules

1.    When you put his food dish down, he must wait until you give the “OK” to eat it. Place his food on the ground and tell him to wait. Pronounce the word clearly, and it can be accompanied by a hand gesture, like a traffic crossing guard might use.

If he darts at the food, block him with your body. You can point at him and tell him, “No, Wait.” However do not speak much. Dogs are, for the most part, silent communicators. They feel one another’s energy and your dog can feel yours. Your dog can read your emotions.
So stand tall and think “Big” and stay confident. Do not be nervous around your dog, as it will will sense this and assume you are weak and need to be protected.

It is this weakness that triggers a dog to try and take over (for the good of the pack, because the pack needs a strong leader).

Give the dog a command before giving them their food. If a dog does not follow the command (i.e. to sit), he does not eat.

Try again in about 20 minutes. Repeat this until the dog listens to the command.

When your dog calms down and waits patiently, (ears set back, head lowered even slightly, laying down is good if he is relaxed with his ears back, no signs of growling or aggression on his face), invite him to eat his food.

The people in the family the dog growls at should feed the dog the majority of the time.

Posted June 27, 2008 Comments(0)

Sometimes, a dog might not be showing signs of aggression, but instead the dog the signs of separation anxiety, such as pining, whining, or destructive behaviors when you leave the house.

A dog who questions his place in the household pack can sometimes cause him to suddenly strat tearing up doors and furniture. The dog is confused, and taking his anxiety out on your house. Chewing is like dog smoking-a potentially unhealthy but stress relieving activity that calms them down.

But it can be dangerous if they ingest something which sticks in their gut. And it can be annoying for you to come home to find one of each of every single one of your pairs of shoes destroyed (it happens!)

The one time I ever left my dog alone for a whole day when she wasn’t 100% herself, she open the flap of my desk, went through my papers, found the envelope with my rent money, and chewed through it! Luckily, I was able to salvage most of it at the bank with the exception of one twenty pound note. Now there is a dog with expensive tastes!

A dog who knows his place in his human pack is a happy dog. A dog who does not is a confused dog and can exhibit many unwanted behaviors because of it.

So make sure you try to establish a routine you can both live with, and stick to. A dog that knows what to expect is also a happy dog.

Posted June 26, 2008 Comments(0)

Establishing and Keeping Alpha Position in your household, or
How to let your dog know YOU are the boss

Being Top Dog is not just important in the corporate world. It is also crucial in having a happy and healthy dog, one who is well socialized and adapted.

A dog who is thinks it is alpha will manifest many behaviors that are not only annoying to others outside your family circle, but can be dangerous to him too.

In this acticle is a list of rules every dog owner should follow to ensure your dog knows his place in your human pack.

If your dog guards his food, or growls at humans in the family, or has issues with the other pets in the house, these rules should be strictly followed.

Dogs need to have a clear place in their pack. A dog lacking in this clear order is an unhappy dog, and an unhappy dog is often an unruly one who is a burden to its owners and everyone he meets.

Posted June 25, 2008 Comments(0)

Irish Terrier Facts

* AKA: Irish Red Terrier
* Size: Medium
* Easy to train: Medium, can be willful
* Grooming: Medium
* Shedding: Low, needs to be ’stripped’ every so often to remove dead hair, generally a hypoallergenic dog for people who are allergic
* Exercise needed: Walk and a run daily, but can live in any conditions from studio to mansion.
* Energy level: Medium, to low as it ages and matures, a very emotionally sensitive and perceptive dog who will adapt to your lifestyle, rather than the other way around!
* Protection: High, very protective, so might bark if not assured that you are the alpha.
* Good with children: Yes, with gentle, older children, very protective of younger ones and babies
* Health clearances: CERF
Always handle head and ears, and tail to stop instinctive reaction to chase and kill vermin

Posted June 24, 2008 Comments(0)

Irish Terrier Health Problems and Life Expectancy

The Irish Terrier is generally a hardy and healthy breed, and there are not many health issues that are linked specifically to this breed. Amongst the health problems to look out for are allergies, skin problems, eye problems, and urinary stones.
The life expectancy of the Irish Terrier is around 13-16 years. The parents of the Irish Terrier puppy should have CERF certificates.

Never give your dog all their shots on the same day, as it has been known to kill dogs with allergic sensitivities.  Beware of fleas and ticks for the same reason.

Our 4 year old Irish terrier died of its shots-they triggered such an autoimmune reaction in the body that she started to destroy her own red blood cells, and went into a complete state of collapse where she could barely walk, and died 6 weeks later.

So NEVER let your vet give the shots on the same day, and NEVER give shots to a dog if you think it’s under the weather. Don’t ever let your vet say, “Oh, as long as you’re here, I might as well give you its shots so you don’t have to come back.”

We lost our dog that way, AND, a year later, our 4 year old cat that way too, except the cat only lived 6 days, not 6 weeks, also destroying its own red blood cells, and finally its own cells, to the point that it actually started to DISSOLVE in front of us because it had so little albumin in its cells (which helps hold them together).

Irish Terrier History

The Irish Terrier was developed in Ireland, and has enjoyed a versatile past making him something of a Jack of All Trades. These dogs have been used as farm dogs, hunters of small game, for vermin control, and during WW1 their intelligence and courage made them the ideal choice for messenger dogs in the trenches-about 20,000 of them were killed, however, hence the decline in the breed being so common. The breed was registered with the AKC in 1885.

Posted June 23, 2008 Comments(0)

Irish Terrier Appearance

The Irish Terrier has a distinctive appearance, with a long and slightly rectangular muzzle. He is a medium sized dog, with a sturdy build and an inquisitive expression.

The weight of the Irish Terrier is around 25-27 pounds, and reaches around 18-20 inches in height. The coat of these dogs has a wiry, mildly harsh texture, and the coloring of the Irish Terrier is red (various shades) or wheaten. His ears are small and folded, falling forward from near the top of the head, adding to his alert and curious expression.

He is a strong, sturdy dog, with a full row of teeth. They kill their vermin prey by throwing them over their shoulders to snap their necks.

Irish Terrier Grooming

The grooming requirements for the Irish Terrier are moderate, and you will need to ensure that his coat is brushed and combed on a weekly basis to keep it in good condition. It tends to be very short and straight.

Pet Irish Terriers may need to be clipped every few months, and show dogs will need to have the dead coat stripped several times a year. You can tell if it is dead because it turns white.

Also, check the teeth and ears of the Irish Terrier regularly for cleanliness and to reduce the chances of infection and health problems. With proper grooming, this breed is a low shedder, which means that he could prove ideal for those with allergies.

Again, keep an eye on the teeth if they are teething as a puppy, since they will get a strong full set almost like human teeth, with the long incisors.  You do not want them to ever nip or chew on any human parts.  Always give them plenty of sturdy, dog proof toys-they will shred stuffed animals, but hard rubber and rope pulls are very good. We used homeopathic baby tooth gel when they were teething to help ease the pain of them breaking through the gums.

Posted June 22, 2008 Comments(0)

It is important to ensure that your Irish Terrier is socialized from an early age in order to promote a more stable temperament. He can be very stubborn and over-confident, which can make training difficult and makes him better suited to those with some experience of dog ownership, and who are willing to be firm with them from the moment they are puppies.

Otherwise, they will think they are the alpha. They are also known as the daredevil of the dog world. They will literally try anything once. Males have a tendency to wander off. Bitches are exceptionally loyal, though if they ever have a litter, they will become overwhelming devoted mothers.

My female needed little or no training, toilet or otherwise. She obeyed every command, and was the most devoted and loving animal you could hope for, not just for me, but the whole family, friends, and other pets.

We took my male for proper obedience training, and he was a fantastic dog after that, wonderful with everyone he met, and in every situation. We had got him as a three month old when he had just been living in a shed on someone’s farm, and toilet training for the male is not all that easy. He had not been socialized, and children we something to be herded. After his training, he was great with all 13 of our nieces and nephews.

Our female we got at 5 weeks, and apart from her slight timidity at first (she used to hide in the pocket of my sweater when she got scared) she was easy to train, with no issues. My niece actually hauled off and punched her right in the nose one time, and all she did was whimper and hide behind me.

They are very very sensitive to human moods, and always game for adventure. Just be certain you are willing to take them with you everywhere, for they are a true pack animal and hate to be left behind.

They are also very intelligent, for the most part, and fast learners, so they will really enjoy being trained. Always make sure you reward them.

Since they are vermin hunters, they tend to get attracted to movement, and will be ‘head shy’ unless you make a point of handling their head all the time. Our girl was also ‘butt shy’ from her tail having been docked. To the day she died, she was TERRIFIED of the sound of metal scissors opening and closing!

So if you want to have an easier time at the vet’s, make sure you always handle ears, muzzle, beard, and their tush and tail.

Irish terriers have an awesomely lovely set of teeth, but they can be a bit hard if they are not trained to be gentle.  Try to make a habit of brushing their teeth from an early age as well, and that will ensure they won’t be inclined to nip or bite. Handling the head will stop any lightning speed reactions of the chase that the breed would tend to if not trained.

They love to run and chase, so a good game of fetch in a large field is their idea of dog heaven. Always reward them when they give it back.

Posted June 21, 2008 Comments(0)