Archives for September, 2009
Have you ever tried to weigh the pros and cons of getting your Great Dane to participate in a show trial? This article may just help you in those concerns! Compare the qualities of your own Dane against the following to get a hint of how much “professional” stuff, or show dog stuff, does it have.
Height and Weight
The height of Great Dane male dogs is usually 30 to 34 inches or around 76 to 86 centimeters. On the other hand, female Great Danes are 28 to 32 inches or 71 to 81 centimeters high. Now, the weight of a Great Dane is around 120 to 200 pounds for males and 100 to 130 pounds for females. If your Great Dane slightly pushes beyond the range provided then it is deemed to be of higher value. The Dane is among the world's tallest breed of dogs. So, in order for them to be acknowledged as of professional caliber, your dog needs to be of outstanding height.
Good Pedigree
Good pedigree is always a leading criteria in verifying if the dog is of fully professional material. Observers need to see that the dog has its mind, longevity, body and health in excellent condition. All the shows dogs are checked and certified as without any inherited or indigenous problem, and have zero disqualifying faults. But aside from having no reason for disqualification, the dog also has to have the breed's traits of a buff sport-loving canine, and positive about human companionship. Lastly, if it is possible that your dog is an ideal in even a handful of the conformation traits (sometimes due perhaps to great dane training), then you have a dog that has the makings of a future Professional Great Dane!
Superior Traits
A Great Dane of show caliber needs to have an excellent disposition, plus outstanding health. Nothing less is to be observed but the blend of balance and proportion. Thus, for example, the onlooker of average knowledge in sizing up champions will nevertheless remark that your dog looks dignified and moves gracefully. Think how much more refinement the dog would exude if it experiences great dane training!
Color Varieties
Professional dogs are classified and grouped according to color varieties. If your dog's color is nowhere near any of the categories, then it cannot be adjudged as worthy of the professional label. A beginner to the in's and out's of even this concern will understandably be confused. For example, the fawn color is a tan color that needs to have a black mask only. Then the mantle color is a black color with white trims in the collar, chest, and leg among other parts of the dog's body. Blue, gray or brindled spots cannot fall under harlequin great danes, just as any Great Dane that is of solid blue, black, white, or tan markings, are considered as disqualifications.
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Sep 29, 2009 | | dog care tips
If you have a puppy or are thinking about getting one it is important to know how to care for your puppy. The result of good puppy care is a healthy, well adjusted and well behaved dog.
1. Feeding
You should get your puppy after it has been weaned, so feeding your pup will be a relatively simple procedure. You should feed him puppy food three times a day until he is 12 weeks old. Make sure you buy food formulated for puppies and you buy food for the correct size breed. Make sure to give him the correct one! Use the manufacturer's guidelines when you work out food portion sizes.
From 12 weeks only feed your pup twice a day. Again, follow manufacturer guidelines for portion sizes. It is a good idea to only leave his bowl on the floor for 15 minutes before taking it away. This will teach him to eat his food at specific times (morning and evening).
Always make sure your puppy has fresh water.
2. Vaccines & Parasites
It is very important to get your puppy the proper vaccinations. Take him to the vet as soon as you bring him home and the vet will tell you what and when your puppy should receive. The first vaccination should be administered at around 6-8 weeks and then regularly (around every 3-4 weeks) until he is 20 weeks old. Thereafter annual boosters will be sufficient.
He should also get treatment for heartworm, intestinal worms and standard flea and tick treatments.
3. Grooming
Grooming your pup is vital. Grooming is not just about cleaning him up or preventing nasty infections. It is the time when pup and owner bond and is crucial for developing the owner-dog relationship.
Grooming differs between different breeds. For instance, long hair breeds will need brushing and untangling their hair regularly. Breeds with large, hanging ears will need their ears cleaned. Breeds with folds of skin on their faces or bodies will need the folds cleaned.
Make sure before choosing the breed of your puppy that you know what kind of grooming the breed requires!
4. Exercise & Training
You HAVE to exercise your puppy daily. He needs it to develop strong muscles, bones and internal organs. Just don't overdo it. A good rule of thumb is to use your puppy's age in weeks to calculate the maximum amount of minutes in an exercise session. So if your puppy is 20 weeks old, don't exercise him for more than 20 minutes at a time.
Keep this up until he is one year old, after which time you can exercise him as much as you want. He will always want more!
Training your puppy from an early age is crucial as well. It will be a lot easier to train your pup when he is young. You do not want a large adult dog doing what it wants and not listening to you! Training can involve basic things like house training, or basic commands like sit, stay, down, etc.
If you are unsure about anything regarding your puppy, always ask a vet. They are your best source for puppy advice and health information and will be happy to help.
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Sep 29, 2009 | | dog care tips
That dogs will bark (sometimes to undesirable levels) is a given to every dog owners. However, barking can also reach totally unacceptable levels. Toy poodles are prone to this negative behavior, and can pack some heady noise despite their cute size. Here, we will examine how to reduce your poodle's barking through techniques involving games, commands, poodle training and your own reactions.
Through Play. A way to put an end to the dog's barking is to involve your dog in a different activity. Just as humans get fidgety when bored, dogs behave no less. Providing engaging work can help bring down barking and give your pet stimulation and the chance for a change of atmosphere. Whether it is a walk or a game, there are ways to divert your dog's attention.
Through Commands. Teaching your dog commands is also another way for your dog to stop barking. There is no problem if the dog barks to announce the arrival of visitors, but the bark is not needed anymore and need to have stopped when somebody gets the door. One way to teach the dog to quit barking on command is to tell the dog to be quiet, or to hush, and to pair this command with a treat or reward. However, the specific pairing may make the command work only in certain situations, but this is already a start.
Through The Disinterest Approach. Dogs have plenty of reasons for barking. Some of these reasons are plain and have easy solutions. Other dogs bark because they are hungry for attention; in fact, if the dog gets pampering every time it barks, then they will use this behavior to get what they want. In such cases, the best way to discourage this bad manner is to pretend disinterest. If your poodle is not fussed over and spoiled when he barks, then he will not bark anymore to get attention. Soon after, you can open up to the dog's entreaties and follow up with a praise or treat if his silence lasts for thirty seconds or so. Indeed, the poodle is smart enough to figure out that his silence gets rewarded!
No dog will want to be blind to the appreciation of peace and joy at home. But it is possible to achieve this by way of activities like toy poodle training in terms of obedience.
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Sep 29, 2009 | | dog care tips
Miniature poodles are a smart and talented dog breed, very cheerful and highly trainable when it comes to absorbing basic and advanced tricks. This speed at learning has made poodles a favorite in countless circus acts over the centuries. Poodles essentially love to learn and to please; take advantage of this to keep the dog away from boredom and lethargy, and to strengthen its bond with you as owner. Teaching your dog is like hitting two birds with one stone: teaching tricks also encourages obedience and good behavior. However, in poodle training, scolding and punishment are still important no-nos. The best way to work with these dogs are through positive reinforcement using treats and praise, which makes it fun for you and your pet. Reciprocate your poodles' efforts to please you by acting excited and vocally praising your dog when it accomplishes your command.
When you train your poodle, pick a quiet area with the least distractions, and with enough room to accommodate your tricks. Always be patience, and also keep the training brief enough so that the dog's interest and morale is kept high, but long so that the dog learns how to do the trick properly. Three or four fifteen minute sessions everyday is already enough for most poodles, but keep in mind that each dog has individual quirks, so the relative lengths of training sessions will vary. The important thing that aids in the dog's mastery is proper and timely (but not boring) repetition.
Before giving your dog advanced or hard poodle training, your dog will need to have been taught easier ones first, such as shake hands, shake a paw, speak, quiet, fetch, and the like.
When it comes to the very best that poodle trainers can achieve, nothing can possibly exceed the effort of a four-time Guinness World Record holder dog named Chanda Leah. If there is already a dog born to ride a skateboard, play a piano, and spell, and memorize more than four hundred other tricks, Chanda Leah is the one. But if you first want to start small, try to train the dog in hoop jumping, or jump rope. Teach your miniature poodle to jump through a hoop by using a toy hoola-hoop and dog treats. With your pet sitting, hold the hoop on the floor in front of him. Hold a treat on the other side, making your pet walk through the hoop to get it and saying 'jump hoop' as he goes through. Through a careful formula of training, praise, rewards, and patience, your dog will soon be a master of hoop jumping and all the tricks you will teach it.
Technorati Tags: miniature poodle, poodle training, poodles, standard poodle, toy poodle
Sep 29, 2009 | | dog care tips
Ready for action in the suburbs or country at any moment, the Jack Russell Terrier is a sunny canine with a magnetic personality. But keeping the breed under control can be quite a challenge, and proper owner education and Jack Russell training will greatly help.
These dogs are known for being amiable, brainy and playful pets. But potential dog owners need to remember that a neglected or poorly trained jack russell develop bad habits and manners as it grows, and it shows in behavior like nipping, chewing, biting, soiling rugs and carpets, and digging. Hence, the critical reason behind Jack Russell training.
There will be more chances of easily-absorbed training if you acquire your jack russell at its seventh week up to the sixth month of age. The reason for this is so that the dog can start being socialized at a young age. Young puppies will not mind being held, but you will notice that the jack russell is not a lap dog.
A jack russell will definitely do fine if taught a variety of positive reinforcement strategies, but a housetraining must never be missing. It will be critical since the dog will be taught to respect and stick to an established routine. Jack russells, by the way, cannot be let off the leash during walks since their hunter instinct may kick in when they spot a particularly interesting animal.
Jack russells are very hyper dogs that need to have outlets for all their unreleased energy through running, playing, and digging. It will help a lot to have a big back yard where the dog can run around. At the same time, owning this dog will also call for some extra-secure fencing considering the jack russell's renowned escapist antics.
Jack russells are small dogs that have stout personalities that threaten to burst through their frame. So any sensible Jack Russell Terrier training will exert effort to show the dog who is in authority. Sometimes a no command may need to be accompanied by a firm but not a painful hold on the dog's muzzle whenever it misbehaves. In any case, a jack russell must not be made to suffer pain, since it may learn to retaliate through small nips or bites.
Being very reliant on their master-owner, jack russells can also fall prey to separation anxiety. Many jack russell owners come home to a big mess created by their agitated dogs. But the dog will need to be taught soon in one way or another how to feel safe and welcome in a lonely home.
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Sep 29, 2009 | | dog care tips
When it comes to Remote Dog Training Collars, there’s a lot to know. Learning about them includes what brands and types there are in the market, which ones are more appropriate to your dog's breed, how they are used to enforce discipline, and the colors and design they come in.
Understand what a Remote Dog Training Collar Is
They are basically a type of shock collar. Once you get your dog to wear the collar, you use a remote control to discipline your dog during training. Unlike leashes, these collars can be used from a distance while you give more freedom of movement to your dog.
Reasons to Use a Remote Dog Training Collar
The first benefits of using a remote training collar are obedience and good behavior. These collars also help to reduce aggression and unruly dog behavior. But caution should be used when using these kinds of products because although pretty harmless when used correctly, the tool could be misused and hurt your dog badly.
A lot of people have substituted leashes for Remote Dog Training Collars when they take their dog to the park, giving them more freedom. Some people make their dogs wear the collar permanently, while others only make their pets wear it for training or when guests come.
How to Get One
You may be able to find a remote dog training collar at any place that sells pet supplies but your best bet is to give yourself the biggest selection and to shop online at least for an idea of what style, color and model you want. This way you know exactly what to look for at your local shops. Shopping online might save you money too, as there are usually more options online when it comes to these kinds of products compared to local brick and mortar stores.
Conclusions:
Find out what a remote dog training collar is, and what it’s used for. Next, see which one would adapt better to your dog's breed and needs. Find out why shopping online for one is your best bet!.
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Sep 29, 2009 | | dog care tips
The weimaraner is a sporting and gun dog that originated from Germany. It instantly draws fans and admirers through either its elegant form and profile, or through its hunting abilities. Its refined bearing enables it to be a formidable entry in dog shows. If you think your weim is competitive enough to join a dog show (and most especially if it has underwent weimaraner training), check and ensure that it is in line with breed standards.
The height and weight of your potential show dog is one of the main considerations in checking your dog for breed conformity. The height up to the top of the shoulders need to be around twenty three to twenty seven inches. As regards weight, a weim needs to be between fifty five to seventy five pounds.
After height and weight comes weimaraner coat color. The only colors allowed on the short and sleek coat are silver gray or mouse. White markings on the chest are acceptable, but larger marks, or marks on other parts are considered not eligible. Lighter shades of gray on the dog's head and ears are fine. Other coat types exist, such as the long-haired Weimaraner and the Blue Weimaraner, but unfortunately do not have recognition. Supporters and fans of the long-haired and blue Weimaraners are working hard to get their dogs acknowledged, with little success to show so far.
Keep in mind that while your weimaraner need to have the expected standard features, there are other details upon which judges will rate them. The weims need to have proud heads that are epitomes of courage and aristocracy. Muzzles and skulls are of the same length. There is a moderate stop from muzzle to skull. Correct eye colors are blue-gray, light amber, and gray. The huge flappy ears are folded over and set high on the head. The nose color is gray. If you are considering docking the tail, then the ideal tail length is around six inches.
Lastly, your weimaraner's exterior behavior should show the dog's stamina, speed, grace and other fine points. Imagine also the impact of weimaraner training on your dog!Your dog's personality and character also need to be active players when it comes to increasing its chances of winning, since it is in this area that winning dogs differ from others. In the end, it is also how well your weim bears itself on stage.
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Sep 29, 2009 | | dog care tips
If you have children at home, instead of buying them toys that they will only outgrow, you can instead teach them good values in caring for pets. To make sure that they will enjoy the process, you can give them animals that are easy to handle. For this purpose, you can choose to give your kids pet birds. But you also have to be careful about the species that you should give to your kids. To start with, you can bring them along with you at the pet store where you will buy the birds. Let them choose based on appearance and guide them by telling the pros and cons of such choice.
Kids are usually fascinated with pets. Your role here is to make sure that they become good providers and friends to their birds. This learning process will only be successful if you will serve as a good leader. You must teach them good values regarding the process. You may also choose to reward them for the good deeds that they will be able to share with their pets. You should also help them in choosing accessories for their birds. About the value of money also you can teach them. You can give them certain amount that they can allot for the expenses that they have to spend on their pets.
To help your kids more about the deciding phase, here are some types of birds that you may want to suggest to them. These are easy to handle and they will surely learn a lot from them. And they will also be able to share vital lessons to these birds.
1. Budgies or Parakeets. Kids like such types because they are colorful and pretty. They can be touched and can tolerate the petting that your kids may subject them to. They are small and easy to carry around even by your small tots. They are gentle in nature and develop good bonding with their masters. Your kids will surely be delighted to have them around as companion. These are sweet in nature and they will easily oblige to your child's requests, making the relationship harmonious between the bird and your child.
2. Finches. Very less interaction is required by these kinds. This attitude is perfect for kids who tend to engage themselves in so many things and activities. These birds will not mind even if their owners spend little time with them. Young kids will surely enjoy the soothing music that these birds can create. They can emulate chatter and soft chirps that will sound like beautiful noise to your kids' ears. You can opt to get more than one finch so that they will have companions even if your kids don't have much time to allot with their pets. But these types should not be taken out of their cages. That is a vital factor that you must teach your kids from the very beginning.
3. Cockatiels. These types are ideal for young and even older kids. But the owners must be able to spend quality time with them for the birds to be happy all the time. Your children will be delighted with the attitude of these birds. They will certainly like tobe with them after a hard day at school. They can teach these kinds to talk, making it such a delight for your child especially when they have become successful in the project.
They can also teach them to whistle their favorite tunes. These birds can also learn simple tricks if your child spends enough time and attention to teach their pet birds.
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Sep 29, 2009 | | bird care tips
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a little dog with a perpetual twinkle in its eye, brimming with intelligence and affection. This small dog is ideal for a house of older children who will be sensible enough to give allowances for a dog of such a size. Like most dogs, the spaniel cannot also dispense with his daily exercises. But a couple of walks and a few turns around the yard will be enough for this brilliant lap dog.
Centuries ago, the cavs were known as lap dogs, and rather common around women of the royalty who wanted companion dogs. Like many other dogs, cavs still enjoy very much being the center of attention. Making correct steps in the basic King Charles Spaniel Training of your dog can lead to the cav growing up to be an obedient and highly trainable animal. The dog's nature makes it ideal for show trials, and in the UK most especially, where the breed has a strong following and cavs for show are common.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has an amiable personality that makes it get on well with other dogs and people. This dog is capable of gaining weight at an alarming rate, so give tidbits only as rare treats when the dog does good, and ensure that the dog is on a sensible diet. If you are able to help the dog's weight stay at a reasonable level, then it is easy to see that the dog is ready for games, especially chase.
Cavs possess an intelligence that make them quick in Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Training, and quick to respond to whatever their owners consistently teach them. Their adult size today are far from proving that they trace their roots to old hunting dogs, yet cavs are very fond of the outdoors; still, these dogs are quite satisfied with a forty-minute exercise daily. These dogs thrive on being with human companions, so it is a big and serious mistake to leave them alone all day. In general, Cavalier King Charles obeys since it is eager to please.
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Sep 29, 2009 | | dog care tips
While Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are undoubtedly handsome-looking pets, they also impress with their eagerness to please, which is an important ingredient in training. Past experience with other dog breeds will remind you that the spaniel also needs lessons on good manners and house breaking.
The best time to train a spaniel puppy is ideally the moment he first enters your home. Even if the dog is still young and small, he will have obvious ways and means to let you know if he wants to pee or poo. Keep an eye on him, learn his signals, and soon you will know for example, that a puppy circling the floor while sniffing, or whimpering and going to another room, are both signs that a puppy wants to eliminate.
Studying each other's actions is good for your dog and for yourself. Your puppy will grow up mature and secure with the help of the confidence-building praises and petting that you shower on him. This will lead the dog to try to stick to the situations and actions that lead to your giving him praises and rewards. Meanwhile, you will on longer have to clean up accidents all over your home. At the start, things will of course take time before resembling how you picture things to be. But soon the dog will behave accordingly through patience. After all, all King Charles Spaniel Training work out this way.
When you already figure out how the dog indicates that it wants to go, always take action and respond to his asking for assistance/ permission. So bring your dog outside to the garden, or take his lead, bring him outside, and stay by his side until he is through urinating and emptying his bowels.
How do you know if you are expecting way too much in Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Training? For example, a dog twelve-weeks old cannot be expected to accomplish much. So keep your puppy limited to a specific area using baby gates, and help him to eliminate on a piece of paper nearby. When the dog looks like it will eliminate in the next few seconds, place him on the newspaper, and praise him if he eliminates successfully. Always keep things neat, and never scold.
Somewhere between the third and sixth month, your puppy will have more control over his bladder and bowel. Continue keeping an eye on him, and you will be able to figure out more accurately when the dog needs to go out: aside from last thing at night amd first thing in the morning, but also after the dog eats. When the dog reaches his sixth month, he will have more control over himself and can already be brought to other unfamiliar locations without eliminating or relieving himself.
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Sep 29, 2009 | | dog care tips
