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Active Compassion in Times of Crisis: How Your Dog Can Help
We all watched the recent tragedy of hurricane Katrina, most of us from the comfort of our living rooms. The devastation of so many lost homes and shattered lives was heart wrenching. But the part that made me hug my dog tight was watching the agony...
Canine Diabetes - Diets Are Important
When a dog has canine diabetes, it is important to regulate their food intake. Not only do you need to watch how much sugar they are consuming, you also need to monitor the amount of food they get, plus how often they are fed. It is usually...
Do Your Understand Your Pet Bunny Rabbit's Personality?
When you mention the word "rabbit" many people think of Bugs
Bunny. In reality, rabbits are very different from their cartoon
counterparts. Rabbits may be cute, fuzzy, and adorable, but that
does not mean they enjoy cuddling up to humans or being...
House training your dog the right way
House training your dog properly is one of the most important aspects of dog ownership. More dogs are surrendered to animal shelters for elimination problems than for any other reason, so proper house training can literally be a lifesaver.
The...
"Make Your Home Cat-Safe - How To Keep Your Cat Happy and Healthy"
* Lock things up that could cause harm * Keep the washer/dryer door closed at all times * Honk the car horn before starting it up * Use fire carefully * Keep all upstairs windows closed or screened * Store string away tidily * Keep floors...
PET THERAPY GIVEN MAJOR BOOST
Americans spent over $32 billion on their pets last year - and $25 billion on their children. This may come as a bit of a shock, however, we are becoming more and more aware of the emotional and physical rewards of owning a pet - or especially a...
Pets as Fashion Accessories?
The rich and famous are known for starting all types of trends
and one of the latest is using pets for fashion accessories.
Famous for nothing Paris Hilton and pop starlet Britney Spears
are just a few of the individuals in the limelight...
Shih Tzu - Train Your Shih Tzu Using Rewards And Positive Reinforcement
Training shih tzu and all dog breeds using positive
reinforcement and reward training has long been recognized as
both highly effective for the owner and a positive experience
for the dog. Positive reinforcement training is so important
that it...
Shih Tzu - Training The Shy Or Fearful Shih Tzu
With shih tzu as with people, some shih tzu and shih tzu puppies
are naturally more bold and daring than others. When you watch a
group of shih tzu puppies play, it will quickly become apparent
which ones are bold and which ones are shy. Some of...
Top 10 Benefits of Natural and Holistic Pet Care
There are a number of reasons for choosing natural pet foods, treats and supplies. First, use of natural products is consistent with a holistic view. A holistic approach considers all factors regarding your pet's health, not just individual...
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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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