Pet Goddess

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)

(continued from Part 1)

The Fun Begins
So, now that I have got the serious considerations or puppy training out of the way, I want to put your puppy training in a more entertaining light. The time you train your puppy, feed it, walk it, is a wonderful bonding experience which you will remember for the rest of your life. You will be able to have all sorts of fun with your puppy, so long as you stay consistent.

You will develop a wonderful bond and with your pet, and it will come to trust you. Most puppies are very eager to please and quick to learn, and are energetic, lively and fun. So long as you keep your ‘play dates’ and training sessions structured and safe, they will learn quickly and enjoy learning what you have to teach. They will definitely love being praised, petted, and given rewards.

With dog training, making everything a structured lesson to show your puppy his new world (like the Puppy Rule of 12) helps the to gain confidence and self-esteem. It will also stop him from being bored.

One reason for so many different kinds of behavior problems is because the puppy is bored or lonely, with nobody to play with. It might feel it is not getting enough attention, or having separation anxiety, which is why spending time with your dog is so very important. If they are experiencing any of the above feelings, they can destroy property, go to the toilet in inappropriate places, bark, or show signs of serious distress and upset.

Let your dog know how very proud of him you are any time that he does something worth rewarding, even if it is just something small. The more you praise them, the more likely they will be to continue their good behavior for you.

Have fun with your puppy every day. Try throwing a ball for him to fetch, but make sure that he does give it back, to show that you are the alpha in control. Each time that he brings it back to you and lets you have it, really praise him, or reward him with a treat. I usually keep dry food in a small tin that rattles, and so if he hears the rattling noise he will try to win a treat. This training aid can help you quickly turn your lessons into an enjoyable and non-stressful game for you to play with one another, and is really a fun way for you and your dog to pass some time and help burn up some of his energy to help him sleeps soundly throughout the night.

You and your dog will be much happier thanks to you giving him the attention that he requires, and applying dog training techniques on him every single chance that you do get with him. Keep it fun, but be firm, and he will be even more eager to learn and please. Then he will grow into a well-adjusted, confident dog that everyone will enjoy spending time with.

Posted December 15, 2007 Comments(0)

All the material you may have read by now about puppy training may make it sound like an almost impossible feat. But it really does not have to be a difficult task if you practice common sense and patience. In fact, it can be very enjoyable, if it is done properly and consistently.

It is very important for any new puppy or dog owner to understand that dog training is not going to happen overnight. It will happen it by bit, day by day, if you are consistent.

Patience is an absolute must. With the right amount of knowledge and a really good attitude, your dog could eventually be the best trained dog in your neighborhood, one that people will love to see and spend time with.

Everyone that owns a dog really does want their dog to be a well behaved one they can be proud of. It is also for his safety and that of the general public and other dogs that your puppy be trained to listen and obey your commands.

Speaking from personal experience, there is nothing more heartbreaking that seeing an injured or even dead puppy, killed in the street, because the dog was so badly trained that it acted uncontrollably even on a leash. It yanked away from its owner and out in front of a car going past, and died before it could get to a vet.

That happened to one of my neighbors’ dogs. It was a black labrador puppy they had got from a shelter and had not trained carefully. They also used way too long a leash, one of those ten foot ones. (I would also avoid the thin, roll-up washing line type of leashes as well, especially with large dogs). Your dog should always be trained to walk to heel, not only close to you, but also a bit BEHIND you.

This is essential, because dogs are pack animals, and they need to have respect for the head of the pack, the ‘alpha’ dog. If the are allowed to walk ahead, pull or tug, they are more likely to think THEY are in charge, and will not only not obey your commands, they might even turn aggressive.

The same is true of allowing them to sleep on your bed. It may seem as if you are letting the puppy become a valued member of the family, but a crate is far better for a young dog, giving him his own ‘den’ of safety and making sure that you have a place to put him when you go out for short periods so you won’t have to worry about him getting up to mischief when you are away.

If you show any uncertainty or fail to take charge in what your puppy or young dog feels to be a challenging situation, such as another dog coming by, they will try to assume the alpha role and protect YOU. That is where inappropriate barking, growling or tugging can not only make people think your dog is dangerous, but put it in a dangerous situation if the other dog he is confronting is equally out of control.

(see Dog Training Made Fun Part 2 also)

Posted December 14, 2007 Comments(0)

Many people complain they have a ‘bad’ dog, but the truth of the matter is, there are usually only bad OWNERS.

If they got the dog as a puppy, then the reason why their dog is badly behaved is because they did not take the time to train it properly. In truth, they were probably never trained themselves in how to raise a happy and well-adjusted dog which will not be a nuisance to everyone.

If the no proper puppy training takes place, it is not the dog’s fault that they don’t have good manners, and do not obey basic commands. It is the owner’s responsibility to take care of this and to teach their dog what is expected of them, both for the dog’s safety, and for that of humans.

There is plenty of information on the internet, most of it free, on the topic of dog training, what works and what doesn’t. Some of the information may contradict each other, but there are basic things you should expect of your puppy as soon as you get it.

The most obvious one would be toilet training, and obeying commands like stay and stop. If you follow the dog training information and guidelines you find in books and on the internet, no matter what kind of puppy or dog you own, it can definitely turn out to be one a pleasure to own.

You will be more than happy with the results for your puppy training, and everyone in the family will be able to enjoy your puppy: family, friends, and visitors to your house. You will be stress-free, and not have to worry about your dog being aggressive, or acting in an unpredictable way which might cause ham to himself and/or others.

It is really important that you learn how to get your dog to listen to your commands as soon as you get your puppy. Your tone should match what you ar trying to get the dog to do.

Start out with something small, and when they obey, praise them. Puppies are always eager to please and it will raise their confidence and give them emotional maturity and self-esteem. they will be eager to do it again, or learn more.

They may not be perfect all day every day, but reward their best efforts and don’t punish the harshly if they do anything you consider to be bad.
Successful puppy training takes time and patience, in the same way that raising a well-adjusted child does not happen overnight.

Above all, your dog training time, when you are with your dog one on one, getting to know your puppy, and figuring out what makes it tick, is a great bonding time for your both to enjoy. Puppies are very adaptable and you should see it respond and bond fairly quickly with you. The more time you spend with your new puppy, the more it will adjust to your way of doing things.

When not left alone, and kept occupied with challenging and interesting tasks, your puppy will be less likely to do the many annoying or destructive things which a bored puppy will do. These include chewing, destroying property or furniture, going to the toilet in inappropriate places, barking, and acting aggressive or hyperactive.

Whatever you do throughout the dog training process, never, under any circumstances use physical punishment, no matter how frustrated and irritated you might become at times. The tone of your voice should say it all when it comes to getting your dog to listen to your commands. You will learn better which tone to use for each task you are want them to perform.

Once you have completed just the basic dog training commands with your dog, you and everyone else around will definitely notice an enormous difference in them and will be very, very pleased to have such a pleasant pet to share their life with.

you will also set a great example for other people. Just think about it: if you see a loud, barking, uncontrollable dog on the street, you are certainly not going to think, “I wish I had a dog like that.”

Puppy training is time consuming, but you will get what you put into your puppy, out of your puppy multiple times over, because they offer unconditional love and are so eager to please. They are pack animals, and want to be part of a safe, secure, supportive pack. You must be the ‘alpha’ dog, the one in charge, who will keep them safe and secure.

If they think you are not up to the task, they will take to domineering and even aggressive behavior, not only in the house, but out on the street. So act as though you are in charge, even when you might be unsure of yourself in certain situations. Your puppy will take its cue from you.

If you encounter a large, aggressive dog on the street, for example, be safe and sensible, but do not act intimidated or scared. Walk straight on by at a safe distance, and your puppy will do the same (of course, you have to be sure that you do not take them out walking in public until they have had all their puppy shots. See our article on innoculations for more details).

Rewarding your dog is very important during the training process, so any time that they do listen to something that you are trying to say to them, make sure that you do give them praise, attention, and a treat.

We tend to avoid packaged treats due to the preservatives and wheat flour, which many dogs are allergic to. So to reward, or ‘bait’ the dog as they do in dog shows to get its attention, we like to use their own dry food. the act of hand feeding causes the bond to deepen. The association of a trick with a treat is also one they will catch on to quickly.

Even better, you can offer your dog a ‘bribe’ too without waving the treat in its face by carrying it in a small metal tin that rattles, such as an empty candy tin, filled with dry dog food. Just shake the tin before each command, and they will often come, sit, stay, give paw, and so on.

Again, this will take time and patience, but the noise of the tin helps them become conditioned to what is expected of them, and with persistence, they should be obeying your every command in no time.

Posted December 4, 2007 Comments(0)