Stop Barking! Simple Things to Try

Written by John G. Kelley
courtesy ArticlesBase.com

Communication with your dog is a constant process and they are always watching and interpreting.

Your Communication.
Your attitude and body language is very important. I did my college dissertation on Non Verbal Communication which is reputed to be 75%+ of human communication. It's the belief of many that dogs 'read' that language really well and react accordingly.

What you say and how you say it must be consistent. Your posture and tone must confident and direct. If you don't believe you are in charge why will your dog?

Hesitant tones will not work and sends your dog a mixed message...in the absence of direction they will keep barking. And even worse your command authority diminishes. You have to be the boss.

Training Dogs is a Family Effort
Training a dog is really a case of Train the Trainer. You, the owner (or owners), have to be trained. A key point to keep in mind is consistency...if there are 4 family members, they are all trainers and you should all handle your dogs training the same way every time. Confused humans will lead to a confused and still barking dog. Agree on your commands - have one set only. Put this list on the 'fridge or on the bathroom mirror until everyone is on the same page. See what I mean by training? :)

Reinforcement
Psychology has shown us that a behavior that is NOT reinforced either positively or negatively will go away. But what does that mean?

Well if your dog barks and you yell at him to shut up, you are reinforcing the barking. Even though yelling seems negative to you, your dog is getting your attention, which is reinforcing in itself. He may even think you're barking, which helps sustain his barking.

If you attempt to calm him with petting or treats. This again reinforces the barking, because your dog learns that when he barks, he gets treats and or love.

I can see the penny dropping...yes! That is exactly why he barks despite all the love and treats you gave him!

So a change in mindset is needed. Try this.
Ignore his barking totally. Sometimes this works really well as the dog gets the message quickly. It's a tough one as you have to not respond no matter how long they bark.

An added level is to not only ignore the behavior but to also leave the room. So he gets no response and he gets left alone. Neither of which your dog wants. Absolutely no reinforcement. It can be very effective but consistency is key.

However a puzzling issue for some owners is that a bored or lonely dog will often bark for company and attention. You have to work out which it is. You can easily find out by taking him for a walk or playing with him. However wait until he has stopped barking before doing it or he will link the two.

Distractions
This is a combination of commands and distraction. If you create another noise such as clapping your hands it can be enough to startle and stop the barking - as you do that say 'Quiet' once he stops, pet and treat him. You must use the command otherwise you'll spend the rest of your life clapping.

Water is the more drastic distraction method. Some people use a squirt bottle or water pistol. The dog will likely stop barking as it tries to work out what just happened. Again say 'Quiet' and pet and treat him when he obeys.

Never aim at the face, aim for your dog's body. Dogs like humans are very sensitive about their face and if they feel threatened there, it may result in other negative behavior such as growling if they are approached.

Are you really feeding your dog "organic"?

Written by Andrew Kasch
courtesy ArticleBase.com

All of us are concerned about our animals and we want to make sure that we are taking care of their health in the best way that we possibly can. This not only includes making sure that they have a warm place to sleep and an area to play but it also includes their health care. Dogs are unable to care for themselves in this way and it is our responsibility as a pet owner to make sure that they are healthy whenever we possibly can. One of the ways that we can do this is by feeding them properly.

Many of us realize that the dog food companies are not necessarily looking out for the best welfare of our dog. Just like any other corporation, they are more interested in making a profit and keeping their stockholders happy than they are with the general health of your dog. For that reason, you really need to be able to read between the lines whenever it comes to choosing the type of dog food that you're going to be feeding your pet. Why is this the case?

One of the main reasons why this is the case is because that there are very few dog foods on the market which can truly be considered organic. Yes, some of them may be stamped with the words organic but did you realize that a dog food company can call its food organic as long as nothing has been added to the food once it reaches the factory? The product that goes into the dog food can be absolutely full of chemicals and hormones and this is considered to be perfectly acceptable. Of course, it is not something that is acceptable to us as a dog owner.

There are a few dog foods that are on the market which are truly organic but even these may not necessarily be exactly what your dog needs. The reason why I say this is because the main ingredients in many of these dog foods is a vegetable, such as corn. When was the last time that you saw a wild dog chewing on a corn cob? Dogs are meat eaters and that is what their system was made to assimilate. If you are going to feed your dog a commercial dog food, make sure that the main ingredient in that food is an animal product. Some of the best choices that you can have are either lamb or even chicken.

There are also a lot of people who choose to feed their dog raw food. There is a lot of information that is available on this and you might be surprised to find out that dogs actually thrive whenever you feed them raw meat on a regular basis. Take a look at some of the information for yourself, you would probably be surprised to find out exactly what people are feeding their dogs and how well their dogs are reacting to it.

Canine Ear Infection: An Overview

Written by Christian Stan
courtesy ArticleBase.com

Ear infection, no matter how mild, requires a veterinarian's attention. While some infections can possibly heal on its own, the vet should always be consulted so that the right treatment therapy is provided to your pets. The cure of dog ear infection should start the moment it is diagnosed. Otherwise, the condition may worsen. Ear infection is one health concern that all dog owners should be well-informed about because of its high number of noted cases.

There are different types of dog ear infection– the outer, middle, and inner ear infections. The primary symptoms of this disease are foul-smelling wax discharges, swelling, redness, pain, and inflammation. Oftentimes, the cases of inner and middle ear infections are a lot harder to treat than that of outer ear infections.

If your dog is suffering from this health concern, you will find it shaking or cocking its head frequently and at an unusual angle. It may also rub its ear incessantly because of irritation. In worse cases, dogs would develop balance problems and hearing impairment due to the disease.

There are different reasons why ear infection in dogs develops. Sometimes, it is due to bacterial and yeasts finding its way in the dog's ears. Mites may cause this disease as well. So if your dog has some parasites, be sure that you do what it takes to eliminate them from your pet's body. Allergies, underlying diseases, and foreign objects may trigger the problem as well.

If your dog is suffering from ear infection, anti-bacterial medications and ear drops are usually the foremost cures. However, it is strongly advised that you don't just buy over-the-counter medications as they may not necessarily help your pets. Instead, talk to the vet, ask for a prescription, and follow his advice.

For milder cases of ear infection, there are home remedies that you can use to help alleviate the discomfort that your dog goes through. Sometimes, it is necessary to provide your dog with both the medicines prescribed by the vet and the remedies found around the house to achieve fast relief from ear infections.

But more than treatment, dog owners should be more concerned on how to prevent ear infections. Regular grooming and proper hygiene can help a lot. For as long as you know how to take care of your pets properly, infections and all types of diseases shouldn't be a concern for you.

If left untreated, ear infection could pave the way to a host of complex health concerns for your dog. Aside from deafness, your dog can develop tumors and diseases that are hard to treat. The bottom line is that simple ear infection can develop into diseases with complications are next to impossible to reverse. And these diseases shouldn't have occurred in your beloved pets, if you were only there to give them the necessary medical attention.

So the next time you see your pets irritable, scratching its ears often, and has abnormally high ear wax excretion, better be ready for an appointment with the vet. Keeping your dog's health problems at minimum could help both of you greatly in the long run.

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