Your very first task should be to take steps to physically prevent your dog from escaping You must make your home and garden secure so there is no possibility that he can escape. Your long-term objective is to train your dog so that he will obey your commands. Training your dog need not be a harrowing experience for you or your dog, in fact if done correctly then you both will enjoy the training.

There are two separate commands that you and your pet need to master before you can safely say that you pet will not run away.

The first one is the command “STAY”.The objective is to get you dog to stay in a set position until you give him the command to move. This command can be anything or rather any word you choose. I use the command “Away” but you can use any thing as long as you are consistent. One of the biggest problems with training your dog is that different family members will try to use different commands for the same action. This will just confuse your pet. Make sure all the family use the same word, consistency in command will equal a positive result.

The second command will be “Recall”Again, you must use the same word all the time so that you pet links that word or command to the action you require. I personally use a whistle for my recall command. This simply means than any family member can recall our dog with the blowing of the whistle. The dog recognises this command and there is no possibility that he can get confused with different people saying the recall command differently.

Therefore, once you have trained you pet with these two basic commands you will feel a lot more confident when out walking your pet. No longer dreading letting him off the lead and facing the embarrassment of chasing after you pet because of your lack of control. These simple tips will help.

Pay Attention
One of the first steps that should be taken whenever chew prevention is attempted, close monitoring. Spend a day or two following your dog around the house. Whenever he or she begins to gnaw on something valuable, prevent him or her from doing so for very long. This is a good way to instill in your animal the idea that chewing through valuable items is a big ‘no-no.’

Provide Squishy Toys
If you cannot put the idea into your dog’s brain that chewing through certain items is wrong, use the age old “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” argument. Give your canine some of the inflatable squeeze toys. He or she can gnaw on them for the entire day and no harm will occur. These items are cheap and easy to come by and are proven to cure the chewing problem in most dogs.

Tough Chew Items
If your dog becomes bored or inattentive with the squeeze toys, desperate measures might be in order. A rigid, tough chew toy is a good way to ramp up the severity of your attack on your dog’s chewing problem. Generally, these items are bone shaped and provide your animal with weeks’ worth of something tough to chew on. These tend to be more effective than simple squeeze toys in animals that chew through anything and everything (including parts of your home!). If you cannot cure your dog with a rigid or squeeze toy or close monitoring, seeking a professional might be your best option.

Consult with an Expert
If you have no luck with any other method of chew control, finding a professional who works with animals might be your only recourse. To start, you might simply ask your animal’s veterinarian. If this provides no luck, contacting an animal trainer is the perfect last resort. Generally, these trainers can solve problems nothing else can. This might be a pricy alternative, but it beats a constant stream of replacing shoes and various other household objects.

Animals with chewing problems can provide a myriad of problems for any pet owner. Dogs that are chewers often destroy valuable items or necessities that cost precious money to be replaced. It often takes a lot of energy to help curb this problem in your pet. If you hope it can be cured fairly easily, simply monitoring and teaching your dog that gnawing is a problem can provide results. If this is not the case, chew toys can be your next best bet. Should this be to no avail, the consultation with a professional might be in order. Rest assured, one of these methods should provide you with satisfactory solutions.

When I was holidaying in Melbourne recently, my brother took me to a park near his home where he walks or runs his dog there.

I am impressed that the town council provides plastic bag for the park users to pick up their dog pooh.

In the park near my home, here in Singapore, there used to be plastic bags provided too but that has stopped years ago. Maybe no sponsorship… by the pet shop…?

I buy small plastic bags to collect my dogs pooh but sad to say I still see  dog owners not cleaning after their dogs have poohed….

Some of the injuries that may occur will be things like torn ears which can be caused by fighting other animals, getting caught on fences or wire. Your dog may suffer haematoma of the ear, which is nothing more than a haemorrhage that develops below the skin on your dog’s ear flap. Finally, once in awhile you’ll find that things just simply find their way into your dog’s ears like plant seeds, ticks or pretty much anything small enough to get in.

When it comes to torn ears it is first important to remember that your dog will not actually bleed to death from an infliction such as this. If your dog comes to you with a torn or bit ear, care for it by soaking a cotton cloth in some cold water and holding it firmly over the injury and be sure to cover both sides of the ear. This will help stop the bleeding after only a short number of minutes.

If the injury happens to be quite large, anything over a couple of inches, then you may want to consider taking your dog to a vet to have it surgically repaired. Additionally, if you do take your dog to the vet for care you should try your best to secure your dogs head to prevent them from shaking the ear around and causing more damage.

When it comes to haematomas a dog can incur this by simply shaking their head, occasionally a blood vessel may become ruptured which will allow blood to build up under the skin. You’ll notice this almost immediately because your dog’s ear will begin to swell up as soon as it happens.

Although, it may look like your dog’s ear is going to blow up it’s important to remember that this is something that is generally not serious and in the hands of a veterinarian can be cared for very easily. Your vet will simply use a surgical procedure to relieve the inflamed area safely.

Finally, if your dog gets something in their ear they will often begin to shake their head vigorously which can also cause a haematoma. You will know because he or she will hold their head sideways, will be whimpering a lot and will be showing obvious signs that they are uncomfortable with something.

In this case it’s important to not pour or stick anything into your dog’s ear. You will cause more harm than good which could result in a serious injury. As with a haematoma to care for your dog’s ear if they get something in it, it is highly advisable to seek the attention of a professional.

Stop, Don’t Look, and Listen
Whenever you come across a dog that appears threatening or begins to growl angrily at you, whatever you do, do not react in a frightened manner. First things first, stop. Collect yourself and broadcast a calm front. Next, make sure that you remain still and avoid looking at the animal in the eyes. Finally, avoid making loud noises that may startle the animal. Speak softly and refrain from any language that strays from the clichéd commands of “sit” or “stay.” If the dog becomes more aggressive, different measures should be taken, but once the dog relaxes, move away slowly.

Refrain from Inciting an Angry Dog
If a dog becomes aggressive to the point that it moves in for an attack, remaining calm and relaxed has failed. Your first step in neutralizing an advancing canine should be to throw something light at it. Do not use something that can inflict a lot of pain (as it will only serve to make it angrier) as you simply want to distract the animal. If this fails, pick up a large object (if possible) and hold it far away from you. Hopefully the dog latches onto the item. Do not let go if this is the case, let him or here chew on this as he or she believes this is a part of you. If it feels it has no effect it is more likely to retreat. Only retaliate as a last resort and remain still and protect your face if the dog gets the best of you.

Use Common Sense
Many angry dogs only become incensed when they feel their, or their owner’s, property is threatened. As a result, you should avoid walking through areas in which you know there is an aggressive dog. You must also avoid walking too closely to a car with an animal housed inside, as an open window can lead to a vicious bite. Staying back from the door of a house that may or may not house an angry dog is also recommended. Basically, dealing with a threatening dog properly comes down to this particular subtitle: use common sense!

Dealing with an angry dog can be a trying, and sometimes impossible, task. Your first instinct should always be to remain calm. If this does not neutralize the dog’s aggression, try distracting it. If this fails, try to trick the dog into thinking it’s attacking you, while it is actually gnawing on an inanimate object. Should this also be to no avail, look over your options. If running can be beneficial, do so. If calling for help is your best bet, do that. But if it comes down to taking an attack, try and remain calm and protect your face.

Your very first task should be to take steps to physically prevent your dog from escaping You must make your home and garden secure so there is no possibility that he can escape. Your long-term objective is to train your dog so that he will obey your commands. Training your dog need not be a harrowing experience for you or your dog, in fact if done correctly then you both will enjoy the training.

There are two separate commands that you and your pet need to master before you can safely say that you pet will not run away.

The first one is the command “STAY”.The objective is to get you dog to stay in a set position until you give him the command to move. This command can be anything or rather any word you choose. I use the command “Away” but you can use any thing as long as you are consistent. One of the biggest problems with training your dog is that different family members will try to use different commands for the same action. This will just confuse your pet. Make sure all the family use the same word, consistency in command will equal a positive result.

The second command will be “Recall”Again, you must use the same word all the time so that you pet links that word or command to the action you require. I personally use a whistle for my recall command. This simply means than any family member can recall our dog with the blowing of the whistle. The dog recognises this command and there is no possibility that he can get confused with different people saying the recall command differently.

Therefore, once you have trained you pet with these two basic commands you will feel a lot more confident when out walking your pet. No longer dreading letting him off the lead and facing the embarrassment of chasing after you pet because of your lack of control. These simple tips will help.

I have just returned from a 16 days’ holiday in Melbourne and visited my siblings who also has a dog each; Maltese mixed and Jack Russel mixed. You can see some of the photos of the dogs at my website dedicated to my own 2 dogs, Jack the Beagle and Ruby the Corgi, at http://beaglecorgi.blogspot.com/

I have also just posted 9 news on dogs so click on the News tab and enjoy reading the stories reported on dogs aorund the world.

I will be posting some videos on dog tricks that I got on Fluffy the Maltese mixed so drop by again in a week or so.

Regards,

 David

You may want to check this children’s picture book, CRASH!, about a little boy learning to care for his new golden retriever puppy.

The author is donating 50% of my royalties to Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary.

You may find more information at http://www.mayrassecretbookcase.blogspot.com/

Regards

David

As a dog’s owner, you can prevent aggressive dog behavior from showing itself and becoming a habit by recognizing it, and dealing with it. To start, you must learn to read the signs.

When a dog becomes aggressive he may exhibit any of these: he becomes jumpy and fidgety, starts barking at the least sound, has his ears pointing forward, raises his hackles, tugs against his leash, or may instead sit very still and not move, while staring hard at the object of his suspicion.

Animal therapists say that there are many different types of aggression behavior in dogs. Two of the most common ones are: aggression towards strangers, and aggression toward family members.

A dog usually becomes aggressive towards strangers because he is not used to them. And because he has not, he cannot relax. This usually happens when a dog hasn’t been trained to be around people or other animals.

The solution? Get your dog used to socializing. Expose him to new people, new situations, and new animals. If your dog is used to socializing he will soon learn that new experiences are not necessarily scary, and thus relax. This is important, especially when the dog is young. Take him to a puppy school, go walking in the neighborhood with him. Go to a dog-friendly mall. Take him for a car ride!

Sometimes a dog may exhibit aggressive dog behavior towards his own family members, for several reasons. One is, he is trying to defend something he thinks he owns, from you. This is called resource guarding, and usually happens with food or toys. Or, maybe he is not comfortable with the way he’s being treated in your household. He may even have had bad handling experience, such as being hurt while his nails were being cut. Bathing is another thing some dogs hate.

Try to see it from his point of view. Dogs are pack animals, and in a pack there is always the issue of hierarchy and dominance. Just as a dog would rank himself in a pack, he ranks himself with you and the members of the family. If a dog thinks he ranks high enough among you, or even higher than all of you, he will not hesitate to be dominant.

So how do we deal with this? Put him in his place by teaching him to be obedient. Reprimand him for bad dog behavior, and then reward him when he has done good. Eventually he will realize who is boss, and that it pays to follow you. Give him obedience training frequently and make it a pleasant experience for him by giving him praise and goodies. Before long he will learn who is the real authority and that dog aggression will be tamed.

If you want to learn more about how to handle aggressive and dominant dog behavior, read the book SitStayFetch. This guide deals with all the aspects of dog ownership, including dog aggression. Get a copy now. Click here for free dog training lessons.

In nature, aggression comes in handy and is in fact necessary.
Descending from wolves, dogs needed to defend themselves against other
animals, had to hunt and protect resources and of course find a mate.
Lets face it-dogs are well adapted to do some serious physical harm-
take a look at your dog’s teeth! Some of a dog’s aggressive nature has
been minimized through selective breeding but you can’t change the fact
that dogs are hunters and had to be aggressive to survive.

The easiest way way to stop aggressive behavior in dogs is to not let
it form in the first place. Count yourself lucky if you are reading
this while your furry friend is still a puppy because really all you
have to do is what I call diverse socialization. Let your puppy see and
play with a wide variety of people: babies and toddlers, old people,
young boys and girls, men with beards, other animals and even the
mailman.(Don’t laugh-according to the US Postal Service every year
2,851 mail carriers get bitten by dogs)

Your dog depends on you to broaden his social horizons. If you give him
many positive socialization experiences with a wide variety of people
and animals he will feel more relaxed when he encounters a stranger or
unfamiliar situation. He has learned that new people and situations are
fun and interesting, not scary. He has to learn this through experience
and the earlier you start him on this “socialization training” the
better. It is not enough to put your adult dog in a room full of
strange people and tell him to “Relax, settle down Rufus, it’s
alright”. He has to learn this himself. If you don’t have time to do
this yourself there are “puppy preschools” that encourage socialization
with other dogs and their owners. The environment is safe and
controlled and your dog will get exposure to wide variety of different,
friendly faces and other dogs. This way he will learn that he doesn’t
need to fear new faces.

It is best to continue with a dog’s socialization as an ongoing
lifetime effort. If he looks like he is being overwhelmed just back off
the training a little bit until he can build up his tolerance.
Aggression Towards Your Family Members

In some situations an adult dog will show aggression to someone in your
own family. This type of aggression is usually a behavior that dogs
exhibit when they are trying to guard a resource from what they
perceive as a threat. He may be guarding his food, or his territory
from a perceived threat-you or another family member. Some dogs will
growl if you approach them while they are eating or may give you a
“staredown” if you try to take anything away from them such as a toy.
This behavior is commonplace and it relates to the social behavior of
dogs. Dogs are pack animals and live in a structured, hierarchal
society. Each individual in their society has a certain status or rank.
The highest ranking dog, the alpha, is the leader of the pack and gets
his choice of food and mates. Each dog knows his rank, or dominance in
relation to every other dog. So he would know which dog he can easily
push away, which ones he can muscle in on, and which ones he must back
away from in a confrontation.

Your dog also lives in a pack-your family. Your dog already has
everyone ranked in the family in his social schema. The problem that
can occur here is that if he thinks that he has a higher rank than you
or another family member he may act aggressively. This aggressive or
dominant type behavior is the “right” of a higher ranking animal. Only
a higher status or dominant dog would act aggressively this way.
In other words, if your dog understood that he was not the alpha dog in
this situation he would never aggressively try to prevent you from
taking his food or toy. A lower staus or ranking dog would simply go
along with what the higher ranking dog (you or your family) does
without a fight.

The best way to stop this is with some obedience training which will
make him understand that you and your family are the leader of the pack
and not him. Don’t take this to mean you have to beat your dog if he
disobeys-this can lead to fear biting and other problems. It’s better
if you spend a couple of short sessions a day-say 10-15 minutes and
reward him with praise and food treats for following your commands and
putting him in isolation when he disobeys. Your dog wants to be an
accepted part of the pack.

Some dogs, especially dogs that have been abused and abandoned in
shelters may be especially aggressive and fearful. He may be too much
to handle for you. If you have the heart there are professional dog
trainers that can help train very aggressive dogs.