Friday, September 26, 2008

Does Your Dog Stray Or Chase Cars? By Craig McPherson Platinum Quality Author

Stray dogs are a problem in every community, some people even let their dogs out at night to roam free which can also be a problem to other people as well as a problem to the dog. Dogs can be hit by cars, pick up baits or become involved in a dogfight. So it is a good idea to keep your dog inside at night for his welfare.

You need to exercise your dog during the day like before and after work. If you have got inadequate fencing then maybe you need to look at alternative ways of keeping your dog on your property. This may be a running line or an invisible electric fence. Kenneling the dog is also a cheap alternative to keeping your dog at home, but make sure they receive loads of exercise and shelter.

There are a lot of problems today with dog attacks from dogs being loose and if we abuse the laws, they will become very strict and our freedom will be reduced when it comes to owning a dog. Stray dogs will also contribute to the amounts of animals been killed like sheep and other livestock in the country. Also, stray's can cause a problem with the over population of dogs.

Nobody likes to have other dogs urinating or defecating on their lawn so keeping your dog under control on your property is good for the whole community.

Summary:

If you have a dog that escapes then fix the fence, if you have a problem with stray dogs then call the council, it is the easiest way to deal with these problems.

CAR CHASING

Your dog should not be free to run after cars in the first place! If the dog is being allowed to roam that should be stopped. A dog, which is allowed to chase cars, is a danger to itself as it may get killed, and is a danger to the drivers of the vehicles, as people may injure or kill themselves trying to avoid an accident.

This condition is the same as the Postman Syndrome, which is explained in detail on how dogs acquire aggression towards people and objects in the aggression section of my website.

Therefore do not allow your dog to get out. If your dog keeps escaping you need to fix the fence. If you have no fence you need to acquire a means of restraining your dog.

Tethering your dog up all day is only a good temporary arrangement, but it will result in behavioral problems if the dog is not exercised. The dog will need to be kept on a run, have an adequate water supply (which cannot be tipped over) and shelter will need to be provided.

If you cannot afford to fence your home to keep the dog in, it may be a cheaper alternative to build a proper dog enclosure (kennel) or purchase an electric dog containment system like the one advertised on this disk.

In dog training and behavioral problems the dog only does what it thinks is natural, it is up to the owner of the dog to take responsibility for the dog and by law the owner is responsible for the dogs actions, no matter who is in control of the dog at the time.

Canine Urinary Incontinence - Sure Fire Tips For Helping Your Dog Overcome Incontinence

Dogs who have canine urinary incontinence dribble or wet themselves for no apparent reason. Although this can be inconvenient for you, it is a warning sign: take your pet to the vet. In this article, you'll learn the difference between incontinence and intentional wetting (which is what many pet owners initially assume) and how you can help your dog.

First, you need to separate incontinence from voluntary wetting. Urinary problems in dogs can be intentional, but obviously, those that are health-related are not. Voluntary wetting includes submissive urination-the dog pees to show submission-marking territory and improper or incomplete house training. Involuntary wetting is always health-related and can be the result of incontinence, trauma to the nervous system or age-related decline.

To determine whether your pet's behavior is voluntary or not, simply observe your dog. For instance, a dog who marks his territory by peeing on the couch is doing so intentionally, while a dog who wets herself while sleeping in her doggie bed is not. The first dog should be reprimanded, the second one should not. Instead, take your dog to the vet for testing and a conclusive diagnosis.

What Causes Canine Urinary Incontinence

The most common cause of incontinence is a bladder infection. Bladder infections create an overwhelming desire to urinate. The dog cannot help herself.

Other causes include a weak sphincter muscle, nerve damage to the brain or spinal cord and drinking too much water. No matter what you think the cause may be, confirm it by taking your pet to the vet. Prolonged urinary incontinence can lead to scars, ulcers and other more serious problems.

Since bladder infections are treatable without surgery, this is what we will focus on.

While urinary problems in dogs can be treated with antibiotics, be aware that drugs can have serious side effects. You may think your dog is getting better when the side-effects are actually making her worse. Also, since antibiotics suppress symptoms, rather than heal the cause, you might want to consider alternatives.

When my dog, Kira, was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and I witnessed how much pain she was in and how humiliating it was for her to wet herself, I asked my vet about alternatives that would heal the symptoms without side effects.

As luck would have it, my vet was studying homeopathy and recommended the following herbs for bladder health:

  • Berberis vulgaris - restores health and function to the bladder
  • Arctostaphylos uva ursi - regulates pH levels
  • Staphsagris - a tonic that soothes and creates a healthy environment in the bladder

The vet told me that these ingredients work like natural antibiotics to keep the bladder infection free and heal inflammation. Since bladder problems in dogs are common, especially in females, I decided then and there that once Kira was well, I would continue to use them for prevention. Happily, she hasn't had a bladder infection since.

It's essential to remember that canine urinary incontinence is involuntary. Since your dog can't stop the urine flow or dribbling, she is not at fault. Rather than getting irritated, tend your furry friend with loving care and take her to a vet. Once your pet is well, focus on prevention.

Laura Ramirez is the author of the award-winning parenting book, Keepers of the Children: Native American Wisdom and Parenting. She is the publisher of Family Matters Parenting Magazine and has been a pet lover all her life.

Dog Obedience Training - Start When They Are Puppies Or it Might Be Too Late

A dog is a great source of fun and merriment in any residence. The moment it arrives in any house a surge of emotions begin. But being the owner of the dog you shall have to be more careful from the same time. This includes a good training, which should be comprehensive that will groom the dog and also make it a part and parcel of your life. But beware of the fact that the training is not simple and you must be cautious.

What type of training should you impart? It is nothing but the best form of dog obedience training. However dog obedience training is not unique and there are several forms of this. Therefore you can select the best one according to your prudence but that should be done only after you go through its essential conditions. Never forget that both attitude and behaviour of the dog depends upon its breed. As a result each step you take should be methodical. For instance there are many dogs who due to genetic influences are always leaders. There are also many who always happen to be mere followers. This indicates that the dog obedience training in each of these cases should be entirely different.

The most popular method that is applied till is the treat method. This is beneficial and if applied correctly can form the basis of a prolific coordination between you two. What is the real meaning of this method? The method, in general, utilizes a treat to teach the dog. This helps it to follow up on the different forms of commands. You must remember that while applying these commands should be easiest. They should be very simple and also without a single ambiguity. To the experts the best command at the beginning is to sit. According to their considerations, if the dog becomes able to comprehend this and act accordingly, the following commands will be quite easy for it to follow.

Each and every command, as already said, should be unambiguous. If a dog fails to receive indistinct commands, may get confused. But the matter will not end here! This will diminish its vigor to follow the other commands and it will become feckless. To get rid of this try to make commands clear and decisive. This means that there should be one word commands.

There is a need to make a treat ready from the moment you start the commands and commence by means of squatting the dog. May owners do follow a good method. They are found to demonstrate the command physically to the dogs. This act and its several repetitions form a good affinity between the owner and the dog. Well, while giving the command to sit, you can use your two fingers to pull down the dog's butt. If the dog sits, you should give it the treat.

This is the first step. You must practice this daily to be followed by other commands. The training ought to start when they are puppies. It's the best time.

Rikard_Ingvarsson