A Comprehensive Guide to Common Dog Skin Problems: From Itching to Healing

Is your furry friend constantly scratching, licking, or chewing at their skin? You're not alone. Skin problems in dogs are one of the most common reasons for vet visits. From pesky parasites to troublesome allergies, a

Housebreaking Your Puppy: Easy Tips for Quick and Stress-Free Training

Housebreaking Your Puppy

When you bring home your new puppy, some training must start immediately. With just a few easy housebreaking tips, it won't be long before you can have a puppy and clean floors, too.

Understanding Puppy Physiology

To understand how to housebreak a puppy you must understand just a bit about dog physiology. Unlike humans, dogs have a short digestive tract. What goes in must come out – and rather quickly. That is basic information that makes the difference between a quick efficient housebreaking period and a long drawn out battle with your pet.

Why Puppies Need Frequent Potty Breaks

Puppies, like children, do not have the control over elimination that adult dogs usually have.

• Rule of thumb: The smaller the dog, the more frequently they will need to go outside.

• Puppies are very small! What they eat and drink doesn't stay in their body for very long.

Step One: Start with Newspaper Training

For the first few days or a week, place several levels of newspaper at the door that will be used to take your puppy out. Later he will learn where all the doors are, but at first just use one door to take him out to do his "duty".

Step Two: Establish a Feeding and Water Routine

As much as possible, take the puppy out into the yard about 10 minutes after he eats and 5–10 minutes after he drinks. Though dogs should always have water available, if you are there with him during the day it's fine to just give him the water dish every couple of hours rather than keeping it out all the time.

Step Three: Praise the Right Behavior

When you take your pet outside just set him down and ignore him. Don't play with him, just stay there with him. As soon as he eliminates, immediately praise him as a good dog and take him back inside right away.

Step Four: Handle Mistakes Calmly

He will make mistakes. If you see him in the process of a "goof", don't raise your voice at all. Pick him up (even if he's right in the middle of what he's doing) and place him on the layers of newspaper at the door. As you put him down to finish, tell him "good dog". Don't try to rush outside with him as you'll not make it in time and will confuse him.

Housebreaking Your Puppy

Crate Training Your Dog: A Gentle Step-by-Step Guide

Why Crate Training Is Important

Crate training your dog should begin when he is a puppy, or at least when you first get him, and continue throughout your pet’s life. By making his crate kennel as much a part of his secure and familiar environment as possible you allow him to be comfortable and relaxed around it and neither of you will ever have to endure the horrors of an unhappy crated dog!

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Introducing the Crate Early

If you are ever going to have to put your dog in a crate for reasons of travel or housing then the kindest thing to do is to introduce your pet to the idea as early as possible.

The Right Way to Start

That doesn’t mean pushing him in a crate to get him used to the idea! What it means is that you find an appropriately sized crate for your animal, and you put it with him in his room. When you first do this it is a good idea to place a treat inside the crate, put the crate on the floor and leave its door open so your dog can investigate it and enjoy the treat.

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Creating Positive Associations

By taking such a casual approach you don’t even have to instruct your pet to go into the crate or teach him anything at all; you merely buy the crate and place it on the floor of his room and let him get used to it being a part of his landscape. It is a good idea to occasionally put treats in the crate so your pet makes positive associations with it.

Comfort and Rewards

By putting a comfortable cushion and even placing new toys in the crate your dog will understand it as a comfortable place where he will be rewarded and find enjoyment. You might even place the crate next to his bed and discover him sleeping there instead.

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Closing the Crate Door Gradually

Once your dog has become entirely familiar with the carrying crate you can introduce the idea of the door being closed while he is in there.

Small Steps First

The best way to do this is to put some treats inside for him to enjoy then close the door while he eats them. The first few times this should only be done for a few minutes so he experiences no anxiety over the new situation; and remain by the crate throughout so he doesn’t feel any insecurity.

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Making Crate Training Stress-Free

As with all training procedures it is all to do with taking small steps and slowly lengthening them.

Building Confidence

The first time you carry your dog whilst he is inside the case should be only a very short distance, perhaps to your chair where you will place him next to you. Always have the happiness and comfort of your dog foremost in your mind and by the time he is required to use the crate for real, he will be entirely happy with it and it will not seem unusual at all to him.

Crate training your dog should be a gradual affair at a pace which ensures the comfort of you both.

Crate Training Your Dog

Puppy Training Basics: Simple Steps for House Training Success

Puppy training can be both exciting and exhausting; but the time and attention you put in will reward you with a well trained, and house trained, dog who is obedient and a pleasure to live. Training your pup properly is the foundation for a great friendship with your dog. Always remember that puppies are young children; supporting them, showing them kindness and rewards will cause them to be happy confident and loyal companions.

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Teaching Toilet Training

Set Up a Puppy Room

The first and most important thing you must teach your new pet is where the ‘toilet’ is. Initially, the best procedure is to set up one room where the animal will sleep eat and play when it is alone; then you must entirely paper every inch of floor space with old newspapers. When you first get a young puppy it is unlikely they will be toilet trained and so it is possible you will have to start from scratch. By papering the whole of the puppy’s environment you ensure it gets used to toileting on newspaper; which is the first step.

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Establishing a Routine

For the first few weeks of owning a new dog his toilet routine will be foremost on your mind. A puppy, having a small bladder, can ‘eliminate’ as much as once every hour and if the pup is going to leave the papered room then you need to know when he last ‘went’. The best procedure is to keep an eye on him and if he is to venture outside his room then ensure you take him back to it after 45 minutes, wait for him to ‘eliminate’ and then he can come out again foir another 45 minutes; this way, your house remains smell-free and pup gets used to the idea of eliminating on paper and always eliminating in a specific location – ie, his room.

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Gradually Reducing Paper

As time passes you will find that your puppy tends to eliminate in one area of his room and you can then begin to remove the paper from the rest of the room. Don’t do it all at once because there will always be ‘accidents’ but by gradually removing paper over time the puppy makes the association between papered floor and toilet as well as a particular location in the room.

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Positive Reinforcement

Lastly, never punish your puppy for his accidents; remember he is a young child and learns best by encouragement and reward. Each time he uses his paper give him some love and praise and this will assist in the house training. Before long you will have a house trained dog and you will have had an enjoyable time puppy training!

Puppy Training Basics

Reward-Based Dog Training: Positive Methods for a Happy, Obedient Pup

Why Reward-Based Training Works

Though dog training methods differ from one professional trainer to another, one theme emerges time after time – reward based dog training works. Depending on the type of training involved, the items used for positive enforcement differ. In guard and search dog training, it is common to give playtime with a favorite ball or chew toy only after the session.

Different Types of Rewards

Food Rewards

For obedience and trick training, very small edible treats such as dried liver bits are given during the training period whenever the dog properly executes the behavior they are being trained for.

Praise and Affection

A few trainers use only the pleasure the dogs takes from human approval, with playtime and romps and with much petting and verbal praise.

Why Negative Reinforcement Fails

Trainers know something that some inexperienced dog owners don't realize – negative enforcement such as scolding, jerking on a lead, or any harsh punishing behavior don't work. In training a dog it is necessary to be firm, calm and kind. If a pet owner loses his temper, raises his voice or his hand to his pet, he is teaching a totally different lesson.

The Dog’s Natural Temperament

The temperament of dogs is such that they want to please. The challenge of teaching them basic obedience, behavior modification, or advanced tricks is to be able to let the dog know what it is you want him to do. He does not have language skills; he does not understand when you point or push at him. Yet he is willing to do almost anything you ask – IF you ask so that he can understand.

Creating Positive Training Experiences

Anything that frightens or threatens your pet during training is detrimental to the results you will achieve. You want an animal that is excited when you get out the training lead or take him to the designated training area. You do not want him to cower in fear because he has been punished on that lead or in that area.

Building a Companion You’re Proud Of

If you are kind, firm and consistent in your dog training methods, you will in time have a canine companion to be proud of.

Reward Based Dog Training

Clicker Dog Training: How to Speed Up Obedience Training with Positive Reinforcement

Clicker Dog Training

Offering your dog praise and encouragement is a powerful training tool; but by adding clicker dog training methods to this tool you can cut your dog training time in half. The ‘clicker’ referred to in the name of this method is a simple sound making device; and could, actually, be a whistle or anything else. The clicking device is preferable just because it is distinctive and instantaneous. The method is as simple as the device, simply stated, you click when your dog does something you wish him to do; then you reward him.

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The Power of the Clicker

The simplicity of this method is a little distracting; in practice, you train your dog in the same way you would without a clicker, so there’s nothing new to learn, exactly. The difference is more clearly observed in the effect. The clicker acts as a punctuation mark, or an ‘event marker’: ie, it’s sound communicates your approval the very instant that an approved behaviour or action takes place and your pet is in no doubt as to what he is doing which has earned your favour.

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Teaching Your Dog the Clicker

Building the Association

So, there is a little time necessary to train your dog to understand the clicker; but once the connection has been made, the training continues at a much faster pace. To teach your dog to respond to the clicker it is necessary to associate, in your pet’s mind, the clicker with approval. So, initial use of the clicker will be followed immediately by food and praise. For example, you tell your dog to sit, he sits, you click and feed him while telling him how good he is in an approving tone of voice.

Primary Reinforcers

The initial training needs to be done close by so the click can be almost simultaneous with food. The food and praise are known as ‘primary reinforcers’: they are the specific rewards your dog works for and desires and by clicking exactly as they are rewarded, your dog makes a direct association between these events.

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Advancing Training with the Clicker

As time passes and your dog begins to make the association between click and food, the food can be delayed. By doing so it means you can begin to train at distance; always remembering that the click must be made at the exact moment a desired behaviour or action takes place. In this case, the click becomes a ‘secondary enforcer’: is becomes a signal that the actual reward is to come.

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Why Clicker Training Works

Much of the time spent in training can come from the difficulties of communicating effectively and this method cuts down on confused signals – clicker dog training has become extremely popular since it’s effectiveness seems unarguable.

Clicker Dog Training

Shock Collar Dog Training: Uses, Risks & Expert Insights

What Is a Shock Collar in Dog Training?

If a trainer utilises shock collar dog training with their animals it will typically take the form of either an aid to ‘fine tuning’ an already highly trained animal, or it will be an aid to communication with a dog at some distance from the owner, or else it will take the form of a correctional device or inhibitor. The term ‘shock collar’ is not, generally, used by the manufacturers of such products but instead they term them rather less dramatically as ‘e-collars’ or ‘remote training collars’. In any case, they are all the same basic thing but with different features.

Fine-Tuning a Dog’s Behavior with E-Collars

‘Fine tuning’ a dog’s responses and behaviour means improving how a dog does a particular task. It may well already do the task to a good level of proficiency but the trainer requires it done faster or with a quicker response or some other aspect of the action needs to be improved. Using an electric collar for this sort of training usually means that a low level signal is delivered to the animal for the duration of its activity and ceases when the dog has completed the task.

In this way the dog realises that the discomfort finishes with the end of the task and so he enacts the task faster. Another use of it would be to create a faster reaction time by sending a signal either simultaneously with the issuing of an instruction, or else immediately after; thus prompting the dog to move quickly.

Using Shock Collars for Distance Communication

The type and degree of signal varies with device. In most cases the signal should be a low level pulse and in some cases it will be a sound. It is worth insisting that this is meant as a ‘correctional’ device, to assist in training and communication, and not a means of punishment. Punishing an animal is rarely an effective training method.

The other main use for these collars is to communicate with an animal over distance where the more usual methods are not sufficient. This might mean working shepherd dogs or search and tracker animals. Again, there would be a low level signal or sound which the dog has been trained to understand and react to.

Correction vs. Punishment in Dog Training

As with all training aids from the collar and leash to the lion tamer’s whip, how the individual utilises the device is fundamental as to whether it is appropriate or not. Considering the uses it is put to, a device for shock collar dog training should really only be used by the experienced dog trainer, if at all.

Shock Collar Dog Training

Dog Training Equipment Costs: Smart Ways to Save Without Sacrificing Quality

Quality Dog Training Equipment Can Be Expensive

Dogs are not only our favorite family pets – they are also big business. As pet owners, many of us are quite good at justifying all those purchases we make for our canine friends. No matter what it is, we can always label that purchase "dog training equipment."

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The Real Cost of Dog Training Equipment

Training equipment ranges from inexpensive basics to specialized gear that can add up quickly. While some purchases are essential, others can stretch your budget without offering much real training value.

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Retriever and Hunting Dog Gear

Trainers of hunting and retriever dogs use retrieval dummies which may be plastic or made of cloth and stuffed with filling. They come in different sizes but average about 10 inches long and 3 inches in diameter.

Canvas is the traditional material used, but floating plastic dummies are common for training water dogs. These are not expensive items, but they are often accompanied by other purchases such as launchers, which can cost from $100–$500 along with other related equipment.

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Agility Training Equipment: Buy vs. DIY

Dog agility equipment costs add up quickly. To purchase retail equipment for a full training area that includes all competition obstacles, you will spend around $1,800.

If you are moderately handy, however, you can create the same training equipment yourself for about $300 – a major savings without sacrificing your dog’s experience.

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Specialized Training Gear for Working Dogs

For some lessons, a trainer wants only the best. This is especially true when training attack or protection dogs.

• A secure leather muzzle may only cost about $40.

• A professional body protection suit, however, runs about $1,000.

• A lighter scratch suit costs around $300.

• A bite sleeve adds another $100.

The prices can climb quickly when it comes to advanced or specialized training.

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Affordable Options for Household Pets

For those training canines as household pets, the prices are thankfully not as high. You will typically need:

• A collar (possibly a special training collar)

• A leash and training leads of various lengths

• A harness (depending on your dog’s size and needs)

• Training treats and a ball for fetching

These essentials will keep costs manageable while still providing effective training tools.

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Avoiding Impulse Buys at Pet Stores

It is easy for pet owners to get carried away in a large pet supply store. Spend too much time browsing and you may find yourself buying designer food and water dishes, cute dog beds, stuffed toys, and even doggie raincoats.

These purchases may be fun – but they definitely don’t qualify as dog training equipment.

Dog Training Equipment Costs

Dog Crate Training: How to Create a Positive and Stress-Free Experience for Your Pet

Why Crate Training Matters for Your Dog

It is a good idea to introduce your dog to a kennel crate as early as possible in his life and associate it with positive experiences in order that your dog crate training is a casual affair more about familiarity than anything else. If you are going to require that your pet travel in the crate at any time or be housed in it occasionally, then the more familiar it is, and the more your pet associates it with security and comfort, then the happier you will both be.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Crate Training

One big mistake that less experienced dog owners, and less sensitive people, make is trying to force or otherwise cajole a behaviour out of an animal instead of more natural means. When you consider what is required of a dog to be ‘crate trained’ it is simply that he enter the crate and sit or lie in it; that he not constantly attempt to escape it or run away at the sight of it, and that he doesn’t express his discomfort at the situation by barking or howling or otherwise being unhappy.

All of this behaviour, and these reactions, are due to unfamiliarity and negative associations; all of which are entirely unnecessary with a little preparation and good sense.

The Role of Positive Reinforcement

You should never have to force your dog to do anything; especially enter a kennel crate. If a dog resists going into such a box or displays distress in any way then he is either unfamiliar with it and nervous of what is to come, or else he has previously had bad experiences – pushing him into a crate will be one of those bad experiences which will make him even more reluctant later on!

As with all training activities, positive reinforcement is usually the most fruitful approach to take; especially when introducing new or unfamiliar activities or objects into your animal’s life and surroundings. When your pet does something you wish to encourage, then praise and reward him and he will quickly learn to repeat the behaviour.

How to Make the Crate a Safe and Comfortable Space

If you want your dog to feel happy and relaxed around a new crate kennel, then associate it with positive things such as treats and comfort. A soft blanket, toys, and calm encouragement can make the crate feel like a safe haven rather than a punishment.

Preparing Your Dog for Long-Term Success

Dog crate training isn’t something you do on the day before you need your dog to use it, it is something you prepare him for over time. With patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement, your dog will come to see his crate as a secure and comfortable space.

Dog Crate Training

Electronic Dog Collars: Safe Training or Cruelty to Pets?

What Are Electronic Dog Collars?

Among most dog owners, electronic dog collars are abhorred as a cruel method of dog training. In the hands of a novice, this is too often true. Also known as shock collars, this type of training equipment should be left in the hands of professional trainers.

They have the knowledge of dogs and of the product to use the collar effectively with no harm or stress on the animal. Dog owners most often use this training tool to keep their dog on their property.

Invisible Fence Systems and Their Risks

Called an invisible fence, the collar is part of a system that administers a shock to the dog should he attempt to leave the boundaries of your yard. A wire buried just below the ground triggers a shock to the pet when his collar comes too close to the buried trigger wire.

This containment system was very popular a few years ago but has lost its newness and is not used extensively now. One reason is the realization that a shock can hurt the animal. Another is that an animal in a full adrenaline chase mode may violate the invisible fence without being able to stop in time. Later, in a calmer mood, he may then be afraid to return as he remembers the shock when crossing that area.

The cruelty factor cannot be ignored. The snugness of this collar can be irritating to the dog's neck, especially in a hot climate. For most pet owners, the desire to have a lovely lawn free of fencing has given way to the wish to avoid harm to their dog.

Why Some Pet Owners Avoid Shock Collars

While electronic collars may seem like a convenient solution, many owners have recognized the downsides. Beyond physical discomfort, they can create fear-based behavior and long-term anxiety in pets. For most dog lovers, avoiding harm outweighs the benefit of convenience.

How Professional Trainers Use Electronic Collars Safely

Professional trainers, however, can use this electronic collar effectively. It is especially useful when training a dog to avoid dangerous behaviors such as car chasing or fence jumping. Correcting these actions is critical to keeping a dog safe.

Trainers start with the lowest possible electric shock. Usually, a dog will only twitch his ears if the shock is administered correctly. If a dog barks or howls, the level is set too high. The trainer gives the dog a command just before administering the shock – that step is essential to the training process.

Bark Collars: Do They Really Work?

Some pet owners also use training collars to stop dogs from barking incessantly. Although not harmful for a short term, dogs usually bark for a reason – though we may not always understand it.

These bark collars can be set not to activate for 30 seconds, allowing for the occasional normal bark. However, if your dog is barking for an extended period, it may signal a problem with the dog’s health or environment. If your dog barks only occasionally, he is simply being a dog and no discipline is needed.

Final Thoughts: Safe Training vs. Potential Harm

In short, electronic dog collars are useful tools of the trade for some professional dog trainers and, when used properly, are not damaging to pets. But in the hands of an inexperienced owner, they can easily become tools of cruelty.

Electronic Dog Collars

The 2 Best Tips for Training Your Dog

Always Remember: You Are Teaching All the Time

The best dog training tip I ever received is to remember that whatever you do when you are with your dog – you are always teaching him something. The best tip I can give is to praise your dog when he behaves well. A dog’s learning doesn’t start just because you decide to teach him something; a dog’s education will happen anyway.

A disobedient dog may be untrained – but actually he was trained: he was taught to please himself! By ignoring or mistreating or being lazy about your pet’s education you are teaching him bad traits. By not praising his achievements you give him no guidance as to what is required of him.

Why Training Is More Than Commands

Training is perhaps too limited a word for what it takes to produce a well-behaved dog. The idea of training tends to bring to mind thoughts of military and police dogs, blind dogs and working animals. Many people mistakenly believe that since theirs is a domestic pet, there is no need to train them and that, somehow, by inhabiting the same space, their animal will learn how to behave properly.

This is a mistaken idea for many reasons. One main reason is that dogs are not humans and cannot be expected to understand unless they are taught. I have met many mature dogs who didn’t even respond when their own name was called: a dog needs to be taught his name!

Training Means Teaching Everyday Behavior

So, when we talk about dog training, what is really meant is teaching your pet; helping your animal to learn good behaviour. This means teaching him his name, house training him, teaching him not to bark at every opportunity, training him not to jump up or bite, letting him know when and how to sit when told, teaching him how to behave when walking, and many other simple day-to-day lessons which will make both your lives happier and more hassle free.

Breed Differences and Training Approaches

Depending upon the breed of dog you are training there are a number of approaches you can take. Each dog breed has different innate behaviours and tendencies which respond to different types of training. The breed of spaniels is very energetic and highly intelligent, requiring much patience and stamina from the owner; whereas a lap dog might require different measures.

Praise: The Ultimate Training Tool

But the one tip that will work for all dog training is reward for good or ‘right’ behaviour. By praising your dog when he behaves correctly, you encourage him to repeat the behaviour. Praise is a highly underrated training aid; always ensure that when your dog obeys you or learns something new, you show him approval.

To start with, he will repeat the behaviour to win approval, but by repeating over time he becomes trained and conditioned to act that way without the thought of praise.

2 Best Tips for Training Your Dog

Buying Dog Training Equipment: Best Tips Before You Shop

Every day there seems to be more and more products on the market targeting dog owners, and the more specialised area of dog training equipment is no different. But rather than going out and stocking up with the latest dog training aids, gadgets and supplies, you would be better off if you sat down first and considered your goals and needs. First of all, consider the kind of dog you are going to train, what you want to teach him, and how you will do that. Then you will be prepared to buy dog training equipment.

The breed of dog you have will make a difference to the way in which you train him. Before you buy or do anything further, go online or find a good bookshop and look for a good book by a reputable trainer or breeder who has experience training the breed of dog you own. From such a book you will discover the most effective methods and what, if any, equipment you will require in order to do the training. 

Different people have different expectations of their dogs. Some get a dog as a family pet, some want a good guard dog, some need a hunter or tracker; the range of activities required by dogs is as varied as the breeds of dog. Even within these areas of activity, different people have different expectations. One person’s well trained dog is another person’s untrained mutt! 

Before you set out to train your animal or buy training aids, decide what it is you want from your animal and how you are going to teach him; then decide the best way of doing this and look into any equipment that might be necessary. 

 Since dogs were first domesticated, thousands of years ago, the main requirement for training was a length of rope or twine and some tasty rewards. Now we have many training aids available to make the job easier, such as electronic collars and clickers, but all of these require a certain amount of expertise which you will have to learn; before attempting to use them to teach your dog. The main equipment you will need is a good book on training, and today’s equivalent of a rope, ie, a collar and lead. And, perhaps, some tasty snacks for you both!

Buying Dog Training Equipment