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3 tips for being prepared for emergencies with your Dog
Have you ever thought about what you need to do should your dog
- or another dog - ever suffer a serious, life-threatening
injury? What if they have a severe allergy to an insect bite or
a bee sting? It's great to know your vet's phone number,...
5 Big Reasons to Crate Train your Dog
Are you frustrated with your dog?
Does he chew everything in sight? Does he leave puddles and
piles everywhere? Is a car ride with your dog synonym of a
nightmare?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, I have a simple
solution...
Boxers Dogs as Pets - Are they right for you?
Pet Boxers, although low-maintenance, require your consistent attention, exercise, human interaction, consistent obedience training and lots of love. You cannot leave them to their own design for too long or they get lonely, bored and into trouble. ...
Dealing with problem puppy behaviors
Dealing with problem puppy behaviors
Everyone who owns a puppy or dog will eventually have to deal with and correct
less than desirable behaviors on the part of their companion animal. There are
a number of behaviors that should be...
Lyme Disease in dogs
It is hard to get an early diagnosis of lyme disease in your own dog. The first sign of lyme disease in humans is a rash, well; animals do not develop this rash. Lyme disease is also not one of the first illnesses that the veterinarian looks for...
My Dog Wouldn't Do That!
What’s the world comin’ to? I know that’s not the typical opening to one of my columns, but this one is different because I’m having a real hard time writing it. I’m in pain. Real physical pain. There are two holes in the back left knee of my...
Pet Owner Are The Majority Population In The U.S.
According to recent statistics, an astounding 65% of all U.S. household have at least one pet, and in many of these homes, their pets are considered part of the family. With so many homes containing pets, it is no wonder that so many laws have been...
Pet Safety
Your home might be "kid-proof" but how does it measure up when it comes to safety for your pet? Do you know all the hazards your pet is exposed to? How about what plants are poisonous and what foods should be avoided? Caring for your pet is more...
Ragdoll Cat History is Stranger Than Fiction
The origins of Ragdoll cats are full of myth and controversy. This cat's history is often contradictory and confusing; some of the Ragdoll story is just not possible. Other parts we know to be factual. First things first: the Ragdoll cat breed...
Why dogs bark
Picture this, you're walking in the park, minding your own
business when suddenly a dog comes up to you and starts barking.
You start to panic because there is no reason for this dog to be
barking at you.
Why is this dog barking?
Dogs...
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Why dogs bark
Picture this, you're walking in the park, minding your own
business when suddenly a dog comes up to you and starts barking.
You start to panic because there is no reason for this dog to be
barking at you.
Why is this dog barking?
Dogs bark because we humans want our dogs to bark. For years our
domestication process and selective breeding has allowed our
dogs to develop their barking abilities. Wolves don't bark, so
through genetic engineering and the selective breeding process,
dogs these days have the ability to retain juvenile
characteristics. This is through the process known as neoteny.
Humans have chosen to retain the infantile traits of wolves like
large heads, flat faces, large eyes and of course the ability to
communicate, barking. Barking was further developed in dogs in
order to scare intruders or to help the master out (i.e. on
farms to assist in gathering the sheep).
Most dogs simply bark to communicate, to get attention, or
simply to show their excitement. Training and lifestyle are
important factors in teaching the dog how to communicate with
its master.
Dogs are extremely social animals. Wolves themselves always
travel in packs are usually never alone. Bringing a dog into
your family is basically like bringing a wolf into a pack. It
becomes a part of the family. Try not to leave it alone
otherwise it will feel as if it was abandoned by the pack. Dogs
are like having a baby in the house. They need love, attention,
and someone to be there to take care of them. Like people they
need a companion to blossom. Meeting your dog's emotional need
for companionship and play will allow the two of you to form a
strong bond together.
Sometimes having a second dog in the house can minimize the
barking and minimize the loneliness. Although this may be
rewarding at some
times, it can also be a pain. Your best bet
would be to maximize training of your dog when it decides to
bark. Sometimes having two dogs may cause havoc because they may
teach each other to bark more. From the example above, dogs who
bark at people are trained in a specific way. Everything boils
down to how the owner trains their dog. If you reward the dog
for barking, then the dog will understand that it's a good thing
to bark. If you don't reward the dog for barking, the dog will
understand that it's a bad thing to bark. If you are training
your dog to become a watchdog, sometimes their barking can be
very selective and discriminating with certain people. Sometimes
they may just bark at anything they see. It is important to
train these dogs by developing their intelligence level and how
they interpret various events.
Dogs who simply bark because of activity or excitement are
relatively hard to eliminate. Most of the time these dogs are
unaware of their barking and in turn becomes a process that is
hard to eliminate. You must turn to a dog trainer who teaches
the dog to debark.
Debarking can be somewhat inhumane because the dog is trained to
let out a low, raspy bark which cannot be heard from more than a
few feet away. If you consider the process of debarking your dog
you must weigh the pros and cons. It can be beneficial in the
sense that your dog will no longer be the irritating dog on the
block who barks at anything he sees but may be a problem if the
dog is in danger. As an owner you would want to know where the
location of your dog was if it was in danger.
About the author:
Cindy Frendo runs her own puppy training and dog training school
from her hometown of Ottawa, Canada. She also runs her own
website at
puppytrainingrevealed.com
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