More About Dogs
| Take The Lead Probably one of your first purchases will be a collar and a leash. Every dog needs one, but which one is best? As long as the collar fits properly and the leash is the correct weight for your type of dog the choice is pretty much up to your own personal taste. Your dog, in fact any pet, should wear a collar complete with an id tag listing your name, address and phone number. Making sure the collar fits correctly is important to your dog's comfort and safety. Place two fingers between the collar and your dog's neck. It should be snug, but not tight. Too loose and the collar will slip over Fido's head. Too tight and, well, that could be a disaster we don't care to discuss! There are many types of collars available. Leather, nylon and training or "choke chain" are the most popular. The best choice for overall use will be a buckle type collar that will allow for some growth. The nylon variety will come in a myriad of colors and you can match it to a nylon leash if fashion is important. Just a note of caution about "choke chains". This type of collar should only be used during a training session. They can cause great harm or injury to your dog if worn as their every day collar. Leashes come in the same material and variety as collars and you can even get a retractable leash that can be of great help when walking your dog. Choose a collar and a leash to match your dog. Please, no heavy chain to walk your toy poodle! |
| You lead. I'll follow. |
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| Can I Train My Dog Myself? Yes, you can, but, you can also create a lot of stress for both you and your dog if you are not an experienced trainer. We recommend you get a good training guide if you want to do the training yourself. SitStayFetch, by Daniel Stevens is the absolute best online training guide that we have found. It is available in ebook form, so it can be downloaded and used immediately. It is moderately priced, much less than hiring a professional trainer. If you are bound to tackle the job of training your dog with no guidance, here are a couple things to beware of.
You will have to decide exactly what you want your dog to learn. Patience, patience and more patience will be necessary. If you want a really well behaved dog we can't stress enough the importance of a quality training tool like SitStayFetch. It will pay for itself many times over with the results you and your dog will achieve. |
| Give Your Dog A Bath Let's begin by saying most dogs hate bath time! To avoid your dog becoming panic stricken each time you bring out the tub, here's a few suggestions. Of course, this will all be easier if your dog is still a young puppy, but it will work with older dogs, too. Get him used to the process by rubbing and massaging him all over. Slowly fondle his ears and neck, rub his back and belly and gently pick up each paw and give them a gentle caress. A dog's paws can be quite sensitive, so be careful here. Praise him and tell him what a good dog he is, all the while getting him used to being rubbed all over. Soon enough, he will enjoy the massage as much as you would! You will have to move a bit slower with an older dog that hasn't been used to getting a bath. A puppy will learn to enjoy the process a bit sooner. Some essentials to make the job easier are a tub, a non-slip mat, a small sponge, a plastic jug, of course some warm water and some canine shampoo. Don't use human shampoo as it will cause their skin to dry out and become flaky. Also, if your dog is unruly or a large breed you may to do all this outside! Stand him in the tub on the mat and begin rubbing him while praising him in a calm, soothing voice. Pour a couple jugs of warm water over him until he's good and wet. Mix a little shampoo in some water and massage it in being careful not to get it in his eyes. Wash his belly and feet and then use the sponge to gently clean under his tail. Now pour clean, warm water over him until he is thoroughly rinsed. Dry him with a dry towel and be sure to keep up the praising. You may want to give him a treat or two during the process just to let him know how proud you are of him. If your dog has long hair you can use a hairdryer. Just make sure it is on low heat and keep it far enough away from his fur to prevent burning his fur or skin. Grooming your dog regularly is just one aspect of maintaining overall health and happiness. To be the best and most responsible owner you can be we suggest you take a look at The Ultimate Guide To Dog Health. You can visit their site by clicking the banner below. |
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