Helping Hand – Articles for life
Information to improve your life

If you have dogs, I am sure you have already discovered one of their favorite past times, digging. Now, dogs will dig for various reasons, but not all of them are what you might think. Having an understanding of why your dog likes to dig will help you when you are trying to solve how to stop dogs from digging.

Digging for the Fun of It

Most dogs want to dig because it is an activity that will help to occupy their time and prevent them from becoming bored. For us, we play video games, watch our favorite shows on television, go out to enjoy a movie with someone or eat at our favorite restaurant to help us pass the time. Dogs cannot do this, so they will have to go to other measures to keep themselves free from becoming bored, and digging is one that seems to be at the top of that list. Read More

If you’ve had a few dogs in your time then you know that potty training dogs is something that can either be easy or difficult depending on the situation. A dog that has learned not to go to the bathroom wherever they want is certainly a better indoor companion. Luckily, there are few things you can do to make the process go a lot smoother.

Create a Routine

Sometimes, all a dog needs in order to be potty trained is to create a sense of routine for them. For example, if you take three walks a day with the dog, then make sure that they go to the bathroom during the walk. When they go successfully, give them a lot of praise and positive feedback. You may even want to give them a treat.

There are other ways you can create a routine. Let them outside as soon as you wake up, go to bed, before dinner, etc. That way your dog can know what to expect and he won’t panic if he has to go. He’ll simply understand that “bathroom time” is coming up and will hopefully be able to hold it.

Understand Your Dog’s Signals

Your dog will often tell you when he has to use the bathroom. This is one of the essential ideas when it comes to potty training dogs. If you misread one of the signals, the end result could be that they go to the bathroom in the house. At the same time, learn to understand when he has to go so you can let your dog outside.

What if Your Dog Doesn’t Listen?

During the process of potty training, dogs may not get it right the first time.; This means that they may end up going to the bathroom when you don’t want them to, leaving you with a mess inside the house to clean up. So, should you scold them? A lot of people say no. Just clean up the mess and don’t say anything either way. You may want to consult a behavior specialist to see when scolding is acceptable. The goal is to train them as quickly as possible. Potty training dogs is a delicate thing and you don’t want to do anything to make the process last longer than you need to.

Most dog owners have the same fear – that their dog will be “one of those” dogs that bites. There are some exceptions to this, of course, as is the case with law enforcement and home security dogs. For the most part, however, most people would be horrified to learn that their dog has a biting problem. If this is the case, there needs to be some way to stop dog biting.

Also, dogs bite more than just humans. They are constantly biting the furniture, shoes, slippers, and other items around the house. So, more as at stake than personal safety. Preserving personal property is another major motivator to stop your dog from biting.

Provide the Dog with Chew Toys

One of the first strategies to help stop dog biting is to provide them with toys that are meant to be chewed. Sometimes, dogs bit the furniture and other household items because they simply need something to bite. It’s an instinct. If you notice that your dog is starting to nip at things, give her a new rawhide bone to chomp on or her favorite chew toy. This may help save your furniture!

Teach Obedience

When you first get a dog, they not only need to be house trained but they need to be obedience trained as well. In some instances, the dog may not respond to your attempts to train them to stop biting. If this is the case, then you should really enlist the help of an expert. If the problem is really bad, you’ll want to find a dog trainer who specializes in helping dog owners stop dog biting in their pets.

Learn to Reprimand

As you are training the dog not to bite, you will notice that they will probably bite things anyway, at least at first. One great skill is to learn how to scold the dog in an effective way. Now, dogs don’t necessary respond to being yelled at and you should NEVER physically harm your pet. This means that when you reprimand, you need to do it in a nice way. Ask a dog trainer for pointers.

If you are having trouble on how to stop dog biting then you may need to enroll you and your dog into obedience school. A good trainer will help you figure out a way to get your dog to stop biting everything.

Barking is a normal part of a dog’s character, because it is their voice. This is how they speak to us to let us know if something is good or bad, right or wrong. This is their language, barking, but there are times when the barking is not appropriate and can get on your nerves. Dealing with barking problems does not have to be a strenuous one, as long as you know you are the one who can teach them different.

You are the Boss

You are the one with the final word, and your dog is the one that needs to follow after what you say to him or her. But, you must enforce this by demonstrating you are the boss and take charge by not allowing your dog to rule over you with his or her actions and behavior.

One of the ways you can cope when dealing with barking problems is by immediately bringing correction to your dog when he or she begins to bark. If someone knocks on your door, the normal reaction for your dog would be to bark. Again, this is his or her voice for you, but your dog needs to be aware that the excessive barking is not allowed.

The “D” Word

We discipline and train our dogs the same as we do our children. Dealing with barking problems can be managed sooner than you might think, but you will have to stick with it.

Dogs are so incredibly smart and can understand what you are telling them by your actions. One of the amazing parts of a dog is the ability for him or her to snap out of the realm he or she is in by a reaction given.

When you are dealing with barking problems, if you would take instant action with an authorative and firm tone, you would see the way the dog will react to what you are saying. By continually shushing your dog when there is unnecessary barking, he or she will come to the terms that this is not allowed.

Barking is the dog’s voice, but he or she will have to learn through you when enough is enough. Dealing with barking problems can be less stressful if done with a loving, yet firm hand. If you take action and do not ignore the situation, you will have a happy you and a happy dog.

House training dogs is something that everyone who is a dog owner has to deal with at some point. In some instances it is much easier than others to make sure that the dog is able to exist in the house without tearing it apart. Fortunately, even the tougher dogs to train end up learning how to do it – it just may take longer. This article will focus on some of the challenges you may face and how to overcome them.

What is your dog’s personality?

In some cases, the dog may urinate in certain places in the house as a sign of respect to you. It’s their way of telling you that they submit. The urine that comes out during these moments is usually just a little bit. It and often happens when you are reprimanding them for something. This type of urinating is not done in secret – it’s always done in front of you. If you notice this behavior, consult your veterinarian to see what you should do about it.

Does your dog have any physical ailments?

If you are having trouble house training dogs, they may have something wrong with them. For example, if the dog keeps urinating all over the house without waiting to go outside, consider that it may have a urinary tract infection or other problem that may be making it physically impossible to wait for you. So if you’re dog doesn’t seem to “get it” take her to the vet to rule out the possibility of an infection.

Should you take the dog to obedience school?

If you are really having trouble housetraining your pet, you may need to take them to obedience school – especially if all else fails. House training dogs can be frustrating, especially if they don’t seem to understand what they need to do. Obedience school can help control the dog’s personality and will also enhance the communication between you and your pet.

What is the best way?

House training dogs doesn’t need to be a challenge. The dog will usually learn how to do it based on positive feedback. When your dog goes to the bathroom outside make sure you praise him. If you are having a lot of trouble with housebreaking, you can start to give the dog a treat after she goes outside. Always scold the dog if they go in the house unless they are doing it because they have an infection.

If you have a dog, you may be looking for ideas on how to make homemade dog food. Why would you want to do this? The answer is simple – to control the ingredients that go into your dog food. When you buy their food from the store, you may not have a clean idea of what is in it.

The Basic Formula for Homemade Dog Food

There is a simple formula for how to make homemade dog food. Most of them include some proportion of ingredients that includes meat, starch, and vegetable. However, the ingredients and proportions will vary slightly based on various factors including the size of the dog, the breed, and the dog’s age.

Things to Consider Before You Switch

Before you make the switch from store bought dog food to homemade, you may want to consult your vet. This is because when you learn how to make homemade dog food you will want to make sure that your dog has the best formula imaginable and that the food you decide to make will not harm your dog. For example, if your dog has health problems you may need to feed him a special diet.

A Basic Recipe for Homemade Dog Food

As mentioned above, there is a basic formula for creating your own dog food. First, you’ll want to make sure that you cook any meat that you serve. You will also want to steam any vegetables that you include in the formula. A popular starch to put in the dog food is rice – you’ll also want to steam that.

Here is a basic recipe that goes into more detail. Feel free to make substitutions. For example, the recipe calls for lean ground beef but you could easily use ground turkey or chicken. You can use any vegetables that you want – try to stick with those that your dog seems to favor.

Homemade Dog Food Basic Recipe

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 cups mixed, frozen vegetables
• 4 cups brown rice

Sautee ground beef with one tablespoon olive oil, breaking apart large pieces of meat as it cooks. When cooked through, add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add mixed vegetables and brown rice to the pot, cover it, and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed. This should take around thirty minutes.

If you have a dog, you probably often wish there was a magic formula for how to stop dog barking. It can get embarrassing – especially if the neighbors start to complain about the noise your dog is making. Plus, some people are frightened of dogs and if you frequently go out in public with your canine, the dog barking may scare some people and therefore frustrate you.

So how do you stop dog barking noises when the time comes? There are a variety of ways to go about doing it. All they need to do is be trained in a certain way to not bark.

Figure out Why Your Dog Barks

The very first step on how to stop dog barking is to figure out why your dog is doing it in the first place. Are they upset about something? Do they only do it when they see other dogs? Once you figure out the cause, you can come up with a suitable plan to help rid your dog of this habit.

Dogs Bark for Attention

One of the main reasons why your dog barks, however, is to get attention. They may be bored and want someone to pay attention to them or play with them. Or, they simply could be craving your company. If your dog is barking for this reason they need to understand that simply barking won’t solve their problems.

In other words, try not to give them the attention they crave. The best way to deal with this is to simply ignore them. Don’t talk to them, yell at them, or pay attention to them in any way. If they are going to learn how to stop barking then you should just ignore them. Hopefully, they’ll learn.

What if they don’t stop?

Let’s say you ignore your dog but she still barks constantly. There are a few possible reasons for this. The first is that they are barking because they are warning you about something. The second is that there could be something physically wrong with them. The third is that they simply don’t care that you are ignoring them.

In any of these cases you should contact your vet to come up with a suitable course of action. If you want them to learn how to stop barking, you may need to bring in an outsider such as an obedience trainer to help them learn.

Crate training puppies is one of those things that can be beneficial to both you and your dog over the long run. People will often put their puppies in a crate when they go to work or go out to run errands. Puppies sometimes can’t be left at home by themselves otherwise they’ll get into things such as the trash or start chewing on your shoes. Anyone who has left a puppy knows all to well how possible this is! Keep in mind, however, that some dogs should not be put into crates. When in doubt, ask your veterinarian.

Benefits of Crate Training

As mentioned above there are a lot of benefits to crate training puppies. The first is that it gives you the peace of mind that they aren’t getting into things they shouldn’t – such as your bills, the trash, or your shoes. It also makes it easier to help them become potty trained because they will be used to a set schedule. Crate training also cuts down on the anxiety they may experience when you need to leave to go somewhere.

Purchasing a Suitable Crate

When crate training puppies it is very important to find a crate that is large enough for your dog. You want them to have adequate room so that they can be comfortable while you are gone. If they don’t have enough room, crate training can actually cause anxiety. This means that your attempts to help fix the dog’s anxiety will be for nothing because the small crate will cause stress on its own. If you need help figuring out the size, consult with your vet or other animal expert to see what they recommend.

Basic Method for Crate Training

So once you have the proper crate purchased, it’s time to put it to use. The most important thing is to make the crate seem like a reward, not a bad thing. Put treats, toys, comfortable blankets and pillows, etc inside to get them interested in being in there. Change the nature of the treats and the toys so that their attention will always be on the crate. Also, it is a good idea to practice putting them in the crate when you are home so they won’t associate it with the anxiety of you being gone.

As you can see, crate training puppies can be pretty straightforward. If you are having trouble you may want to enlist help and find a trainer to guide you through the process.

A new puppy brings such feelings of joy and laughter into your life. As you watch this adorable and tiny animal run around, romp and play, the puppy seems to have a special way of taking your mind off your troubles, because they are just so cute. Even with the exceptional amount of cuteness, there is one responsibility you know will not be an easy one, housebreaking your puppy.

Scheduling a Routine

Now, housebreaking your puppy is going to take quite a bit of work, because he or she is a baby and will need all the attention you can give and more. Your new puppy will definitely place a high demand on your time, and you will need to stick with it. Be diligent to stay on a schedule.

Staying on schedule for the puppy is very important and will help to train him or her with a submissive attitude while learning respect for you. If you get off the schedule for one reason or the other, all you have to do is to get back on it.

Time and Place

When your little pup wakes up, after eating and in-between he or she will need to go outside to use the bathroom. Pick a place to begin the training, preferably outside. One of the specific areas you could choose is a section in your garden where he or she can use it every day and night; or the puppy could use a particular part of the backyard where there is no activity. Just make sure you take the puppy outside, so he or she can use the bathroom in the designated area and not inside on your living room floor.

The most important thing to remember is to take the puppy outside as soon as he yawns and awakens from his or her sleep time. When the puppy eats, you should give him just a tiny amount of time before taking him or her outside to the specified spot. Housebreaking your puppy doesn’t have to be all work, so reward yourself and your puppy.

Praise Does a Dog Good

Nothing is perfect. When housebreaking your puppy, the puppy is going to make some booboo’s, so it is up to you to offer your pup some rewards, as you offer him or her some praise to help boost the stamina, character and overall willingness to cooperate with you through obedience and respect. So, praise the little guy or gal, and the pup will become even more submissive to you.

Housebreaking your puppy will most definitely take up a lot of your time, effort and at many times, energy. However, you will not labor in this for nothing, and all your work will be paid off, because the puppy will be housebroken and ready to enjoy his or her adult years with you.