Reasons why dogs have separation anxiety?

By Jerry Welsh

Dogs have certainly made a great difference to people's way of life. One of the reasons why dogs are considered as man's best friends is the legendary attachment these animals have for humans. The close bond pet owners have with their dogs is one of the joys of keeping these affectionate and loyal animals. Unlike cats, dogs become too dependent on their owners.

Because these animals form a strong bond with the human family they would not only expect to receive attention but would also demand to be with the master at all times. Because of this, dogs are dubbed as Velcro pets. The pet's strong bond with its owner is not always a good characteristics as it can cause separation anxiety, a condition that can make owners decide to abandon their pets. Separation anxiety causes dogs to be problematic pets because they turn destructive.

Barking, chewing, digging and house soiling comes with the territory of owning a dog. In dogs with separation anxiety disorder, the normal canine behaviors becomes destructive behaviors. When a normally well behaved dog manifests inappropriate behavior like excessive barking, chewing and digging when separated from its owner, it is highly likely that the dog is suffering from separation anxiety. Dogs with severe separation anxiety disorder not only manifest excessive and destructive canine behaviors but also mutilates its body because of panic attacks.

What are the reasons for a dog's separation anxiety disorder? Apart from receiving attention and affection from the family, a dog would also love to be with is human friends always because they are social creatures. Dogs can be the shadow of the master as these pets follow their masters around. Because of the close bond, dogs would want to be with the master always as when the master is not seen the dog would have panic attacks. Dogs are pack animals and they can consider the pet owner as the leader of the pack. Dogs, especially those with weak willed owners would think of themselves as the leader of the pack and consider humans as pack members lower in rank. On both cases, the dog would suffer from separation anxiety and manifest destructive behavior when separated from the master.

Abused and abandoned dogs commonly suffer from separation anxiety. Dogs that start to be destructive as soon as the master leaves home are suffering from separation anxiety disorder. At the sight of the master picking the car keys or taking the coat from the rack will trigger a panic attack and make the dog starts its destructive behavior.

About the Author:

Sarah's Dogs has more information about dog separation anxiety and dog first aid.

Will An Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier Make a Good Pet

By Jerry Welsh

Centuries ago, the British are into the cruel and bloody sports of bull baiting and bear baiting. Bull baiting and bear baiting are favorite sports of both the royalty and the commoners. Agile dogs noted to have vicious temperaments are pitted against animals several times bigger in size. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier from where Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier was developed is one of these fighting dog breeds. Having a fighting dog breed for an ancestor, the Irish Staff also known as Irish Staffie is believed to have the ferocious temperament of its ancestor. Does this mean that the dog would not be a suitable choice for a family companion?

An Irish Staff is a muscular dog that weighs from 55 to 77 lbs and measures about 24 inches at the withers. An impressive strength is one of the admirable qualities of this breed. Potential dog owners would think twice about getting this dog breed for a pet because of the intimidating appearance as well as its dog fighting ancestry. To mold this dog into a outstanding pet, it is necessary for a would-be owner to understand how the dog was developed.

Dogs that will be pitted with bulls and bears were developed from bulldogs and terriers during the early 19th century. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is one of the breeds of fighting dogs that were developed from bulldogs and terriers. After bull and bear baiting was banned in 1835, dog fighting became popular. Dog fighting enthusiasts developed the Staffordshire Bull Terrier into taller but leaner dogs. Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier was born.

The dog has started as a dog fighting breed but these dogs have adapted to the life of a household pet. An Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier would not be an ideal pet for a weak owner that will allow the dog to have its way. This dog is fearless, reckless, hard to housebreak, chews a great deal and has the propensity to jump from great heights.

However, the dog would be an ideal house pet that is tolerant and affectionate of the children if the owner knows how to control the pet. Socialization and obedience training is necessary to mold the dog into an ideal pet. This dog is ideal for an active family as without sufficient opportunities to exercise, the dog would become restless, destructive and hard to manage.

About the Author:

You have now learned some about the wonderful Irish Stafforshire Bull Terrier. Come on over to Sarah's Dogs and learn more about this fabulous breed, its history and origin and more.

Train Your Dog To Be Happy While You Are At Work

By Cling Hillman

Any pet owner will agree that proper dog training techniques are critical to a happy, fun-filled home life. The best way to embark on the process is to thoroughly educate yourself about effective methods that have stood the test of time. By taking these tips to heart, you and your pet will be well on your way to a cooperative, symbiotic relationship.

Properly trained dogs can be taught to regard their crate as a place of safety. When possible always keep the crate in a central location so that the dog learns to understand that it is there and available all the time. He will begin to seek it out when he is tired and even when he is scared and seeking comfort.

Generally, dogs learn by association, relating actions with rewards. Be sure to keep distractions to a minimum when you begin the training, then change locations for the training over time as the dog becomes better at responding to your commands. Give your dog time - remember they are not human. You will be amazed at what they can be trained to do.

Train you small furry friend to get along with other dogs! Small dogs need socializing too! Many small dog owners forget that their dogs need exercise and social time just like large dogs. Small breed puppies should be socialized early, so they become comfortable with many sizes and temperaments of dogs. Furthermore, they should become comfortable with walking outdoors at an early age.

One tip to keep in mind when training your dog is to be firm with orders and do not overuse your commands. This is important because if you over-saturate your commands, your dog will not be as responsive. Only give your dog orders when you are looking for a response.

Try to command dogs with one word or a small phrase rather than a lengthy phrase. Smaller commands are easier to remember and recognize from other people, whereas longer phrases can be confusing to a dog. Make sure everyone uses the same phrase to command a dog to avoid confusion.

The basics of training your dog involve rationing food and physically showing the dog what to do. By rationing the food your dog gets throughout the day, you can use treats during training more effectively. By physically moving the dog you can "force" the dog to understand what you intend the dog to do, in response to a certain command.

Plan training activities with your dog during a time when interruptions are minimized. Training goes much faster when both you and your pet can focus on the training activities without being distracted by other activities or disturbances. A focused 15 minute session is more effective than several sessions which are interrupted by distractions.

If you want to tackle dog training head on, the best way to go is through the best learning possible. Get the research that you need to learn the strategies that are highly effective even for professionals. You should begin with the tips in this article and get smarter about teaching your dog better.

About the Author:

It's wise to train your own pet though still a puppy. While still a puppy, the dog will learn very easily. To get more details, go to: How To Train Your Puppy

Dog First Aid - Impalement

By Jerry Welsh

Bleeding wounds, various nicks and cuts, fractures...these are only some of the common injuries dogs have but impalement injuries is not really a common injury of dogs. Dogs though can sustain impalement injuries because these are very active and playful animals. Dogs get into different scrapes and sustain different kinds of injuries. Ingestion of poisonous substances, bloat or a blockage caused by the ingestion of a foreign object are injuries that would make a dog owner take a few minutes to recognize the true condition of the pet. An impalement injury will be easily noticed so that the dog owner will not wonder what accident happened to the pet.

An impalement injury can happen if the dog has fallen from heights and got impaled by a tree branch or speared by a fence. Dogs always got something in their mouth and a stick can get stuck in the dog's mouth. Dogs have the inclination to roam and one that has trespassed and destroyed other people's property can be meet a sad fate from the arrow of an irate person.

The impalement injury can be so serious to cause the death of the dog. Dogs are hardy animals and some minor impalement injuries would not really have serious effects on the pet. Professional medical attention will be necessary for serious and not so serious impalement injuries. A dog owner may think that a professional medical care is no longer necessary especially if the foreign object that has impaled the dog was not embedded too deep. An impalement injury that appears minor can have a more serious effect on the dog. A vital organ may have been affected by the object that has impaled the dog. Internal bleeding is another possible outcome of an impalement injury.

Professional medical attention must be given to the dog but before transporting the pet to a medical facility, first aid treatments must be administered to save the pet from a lot of pain.

Dogs in pain can turn aggressive and an impalement injury would certainly cause the dog immense pain. Use a muzzle to prevent the dog from snapping. The object that has speared the dog must not be removed. A dog owner's most important role is to calm the pet as unnecessary movements can jar the foreign object and cause more damage. Immobilizing the pet and the foreign object will prevent the pet's condition from getting worse . The impaled dog though can be removed from a stationary object like the steel bar on a fence. The removal of the object must be done gently and bleeding must be controlled while the pet is rushed to the hospital.

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Sarah's Dogs provides more information on impalement.

How to stop your neighbor's dog from barking

By Jerry Welsh

Barking is a natural behavior of dogs and guarding dogs and hounds are specifically trained to bark. An excessively barking dog would get on the nerves of people even those considered to be dog lovers. Among the not so pleasant behaviors of dogs, excessive barking is the one that concerns most dog owners. A dog owner may be tolerant of the noise made by the pet but other people would certainly go nuts. What can you do with the incessant barking of the neighbor's dog that drives you crazy?

Dealing with the maddening noise created by the neighbor's dog is not easy primarily because the dog is not yours. Shooting or hurting the dog is not an option unless you are prepared to be slapped with a legal suit. Something has to be done as you also have the right to have a decent night's sleep. Dealing with this concern is not unlike treading on glass as you naturally would not want to antagonize a person that will be your neighbor possibly for the rest of your life.

Talk to the neighbor about their noisy dog but be sure you are not in the attack mode. You can air your complaints but be sure to keep the neighbor as a friend and not an enemy. Talking in a high handed manner will antagonize and make the neighbor defensive. Take not of the date and time of your visit as well as times when the dog has become a nuisance. These notes will be important documents if you decide to file a legal case.

If you have the money to spend and you want to avoid an altercation with the neighbor, you can go hi-tech and solve the concern by using an ultra sonic devices. More often than not, dogs that bark excessively are kept outdoors. An ultra sonic barking device can be set up in your own yard and every time the dog barks it will send out a shrill piercing sound that can only be heard by dogs and not by people. The squealing sound would be irritating to the dog thus it would altogether stop barking

You still have another option if technology fails and if your neighbor ignored your complaint. Just as the neighbor has a legal right to own a dog, you also have a right to a good night's sleep and a peaceful surroundings. You can go to the police and explain the problem or you can pay the local animal control a visit.

About the Author:

How do you stop your neighbor's dog from barking? More information on this and dog first aid can be found at Sarah's Dogs.

How To Choose A Dog Training Expert

By Marion Peters

Dog training is an unregulated industry and unfortunately for many dog lovers out there anyone can advertise and claim that they are dog trainers and get a lot of money from you. The people who do this have not gone through any sort of training, licensing or certification of any kind. You need to perform a thorough background check of anyone you are considering to let train your pet so that it is well taken care of.

There are many individuals who consider being a trainer as a blanket cover for many professions that deal with dogs but this does not mean an individual knows anything about dog training or behavior. Even if the person happens to have a few dogs, that does not make them qualified to call themselves trainers. Picking the right person to train your dog will make all the difference in the world.

There are people who have veterinary specialist training and others who have other forms of certificates in to train dogs but the rest are just amateurs who are not fit to take care of peoples pets. With there being no regulations in place, people have taken advantage of this. However there are people who are qualified out there.

The first option you have is to find someone who is a certified pet dog trainer (CPDT). To be awarded with this certificate the person needs to have passed an examination and surpassed certain minimum requirements. The examination incorporates instructors skills, theory studies, husbandry and the proper use of the practice tools. The CPDT is also a continuing program with individuals required to sit for the exam every five years.

Search for people who have the certified applied animal behaviorist or CAAB qualifications. These people usually undergo extensive education, certain ethics and are required to meet a minimum cut off of experience in dealing with dogs. This will ensure that you are leaving your pet in capable hands.

You may also want to seek the services of a qualified veterinary specialist to train your dog. The specialists go through approved residency practice and other training on animal behavior for their skills. For the dog to be properly trained you need someone who understands the animals behavior and how to deal with it.

In your search you may have spotted many advertisements that claim to offer dog training services but some of them may have been put up by people who have no clue. There are those that are bold enough to say they have been trained yet they have not. You can confirm all these allegations on the net.

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Click here for more info on Dog Training Massachusetts

What should you do if you hit a dog with your car

By Jerry Welsh

Dog owners should be responsible enough not to let their pets wander as being curious animals that are predisposed to chasing motorists, the pet can be hit by a car. What would you do if you hit a dog with your car? Would you pull over and stop or would drive on thinking that it is JUST a dog anyway? Stopping would mean assuming the veterinary bills for the treatment of the injured dog.

Because of the loving and loyal nature, dogs are considered by owners as members of the family. Think how the loving owners will react if the dog died. The dog may be a car chaser or a stray and the accident was really not your fault but not stopping to help the dog can result to one dog lost to dog heaven. The injured dog could have survived if you only cared to stop and help.

No one would want to injure and be the cause of death of animals. Conscience and law dictates that you have to stop if you hit someone's pet with your car. Driving on can get you slapped with a cruelty to animals charge. Pull over and carefully move the dog to the side of the road so as not to create road hazard to other motorists and more importantly to prevent the already injured dog from being run over by oncoming cars.

Dogs that are in pain or in shock can turn aggressive and bite. Prevent the dog from snapping by muzzling the dog with a scarf, a tie or a belt or by covering the head with a blanket or a jacket. If the dog is small it can be easily lifted to the side of the road. Moving large dogs would be easier if a blanket or a jacket will be used as a stretcher.

Possible injuries to the dog would range from minor bruises, broken bones to internal injuries that can result to the death of the dog. Dogs that have minor bruises can have serious internal injuries that would need immediate treatment. Call 911. The authorities will come out to help. The owners of the dog must be notified thus it would be necessary to examine the dog for any identification tags. Pet owners should not allow their dogs to wander but as you have injured the dog it will still be your responsibility to pay for the medical bills.

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What to do if you hit a dog with your car? This question and more are answered at Sarah's Dogs.