Controlling Your Dogs Bark

A barking dog is a superb protection and an outstanding burglar alarm, but you need the ability to control the barking. If you do not train your dog to bark only at the appropriate times (fire alarms, noise outside the window and when approached by strangers), your neighbors are likely to resent your best friend, and you because you fail to control your dog.

If you want your dog to be protection for you, teach him the guard command rather than speak, an intruder or someone who is threatening you will not know exactly how much your dog knows about guard and it is an excellent deterrent. This command does not mean that your dog will actually attack someone, but the barking can be a effective prevention for your safety both inside and outside your home.

To teach your dog to guard or speak, tie his lead to a fence or some other immovable item. Stand about 3 feet away and tease him with a toy or food, when he begins to bark, give the reward. Now put the food and toy away and change the treat to verbal praise when he begins to bark. The command guard or speak should be given as soon as the dog barks, the timing is essential here, watching his body language, you can tell when he is ready to bark.

Once he becomes aware of the guard command, give the quiet command when he is barking; give the reward as soon as he is stops barking. If the barking continues, give the “no” command. When he has successfully learned the command, move further away and continue the training, he needs to know and respond to these commands from any distance. After this training is successful, untie him from the fence and continue to train him the commands
guard and quiet.

You and your neighbors will appreciate this training when they have a peaceful night, and they will learn that if he is barking, there is something wrong.



Obinna Heche: Los Angeles- California

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Can I Train A Neurotic Dog

All dogs can be trained, the problem with trainingthem isnt the dog it is the master, if your dog is neurotic, and his main problem in life is likely to be you. Dogs neurosis may start when they are very young, first off he was taken from his family and given to a giant that he didnt know. Imagine living in a world where your best friend can pick you up by the neck and put you anywhere he wants you.

In your world, you cant always sleep on the bed, but are relegated to the floor, which everyone knows isnt as soft as the bed. You may even be asked to spend
hours, even days, out in the cold, rain and snow. Neurosis begins to develop, and as the master of a neurotic dog it is your responsibility to effectively teach him, best of luck.

First you must remember that if a dog is neurotic, it will be difficult to teach him that following your commands, will make his life any better. All he has to do is look around him to realize that he is the only one that is required to learn anything. He has never seen a cat being trained to sit, lie down or stay, but the cat still gets fed on a regular basis, as a matter of fact, his master seems to prefer the cat, this only increases his neurosis.

It is however possible to train a neurotic dog, here is one example of this success. Monty, a 6 month old Labrador is taken home to live with his new family, he loves to chew on books. Rather than punish Monty, his master comes to the conclusion that psychology would work better. He removes the books by putting them on a higher shelf,
as Monty grows, the books get put higher and higher.

Finally, the owner moves his last few books to the top shelf of the closet. At last, Monty stops chewing on books, the training has been successful, however his master has also stopped reading.



Obinna Heche: Los Angeles- California

To find excellent information about Dog Training, Dog Behaviour, Dog Food, Dog Health, Grooming and Dog Care. Everything that concerns Dog Owners and their Dogs.. Visit.. http://dog-obedience-training-zone.eoltt.com

Chloes Basics Of Education Sit, Stay and Lay Down

Chloe is a 2 year old chocolate lab, much loved by her family, and very easy to train, this is because of the amount of love she is given by her family. You see, Chloe, like any other dog, will do anything to please the people she loves. The first lesson Chloe was given was her housebreaking, she was kept outside the first time she came home until she went to the bathroom. http://dog-obedience-training-zone.eoltt.com


This took the efforts of several family members but it showed her where she was allowed to go. When she was finally taken into the house, she was watched closely and whenever she started sniffing around she was taken back outside again. At night she was put in a box next to her owners bed, where she was kept when there was no one available to watch her. She was taken outside just before they went to bed and as soon as they got up in the morning.

When they left home, if they couldnt take her with them, she was again taken outside to go to the bathroom and put in the box, as soon as they returned she was again taken outside.
This took a few days, and there were accidents, but she soon learned that if she went to the door, she could go outside and take care of her business.

Teaching her to sit was her second lesson, her owner would sit on the floor and play with her, teaching her to sit was a combination of holding her toy up above her head, at this point she would sit down to keep the toy in her site. She would also tell her to sit
while gently pushing on her hind quarters, when she was successful, she was praised and loved on, she learned this one very quickly too. http://sitstayfetch.eoltt.com

Her third lesson was to lie down, again on the floor with Chloe, her owner would tell her to sit, when she was in the sitting position, she would then tell her to lie down and gently pull her front legs out and push her front end down. What this family now has is a very well trained dog, which everyone enjoys having around.




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Kidney Failure In Dogs

Kidney failure (also known as chronic renal failure) is often a disease of the older dog or cat. The disease can be a symptom of aging or can be caused by a defect in the kidneys that caused the animal to have failure at a younger age. Chronic nephritis, a long-standing infection of the kidney, can cause damage over the course of time to result in kidney failure. Infections, like urinary tract infections, or fungal infections can also cause kidney failure as can trauma to the kidney area (from being hit by a car) or cancer, among other illnesses. Toxins and poisons, like anti-freeze, can also cause kidney failure. Even some medications meant to help a pets health might cause kidney failure.

Signs of Kidney Failure

One of the clearest, most obvious signs of kidney failure is increased thirst. This sign is followed by the next most obvious sign of kidney failure—increased urination. The kidneys are unable to retain the right amount of water, so the dog keeps urinating his fluid out, but is thirstier because his body is losing the water he needs. Other signs may include vomiting, fever, and loss of appetite, among others.

Treatment for Kidney Failure

The veterinarian will diagnose your dog or cat with kidney failure following urinalysis and blood tests. From those tests, he or she can determine how well the kidneys are functioning. Depending on the cause, the pet may require medication. Because of the nature of kidney failure, the kidneys will not get better.

The goal of treatment is to keep the pet comfortable and help his body cope with the reduced kidney capacity as long as possible. Treatment may include diet changes to help reduce the load on the kidneys. Specialty diet formulas are made specifically for pets with kidney failure, and those diets may have reduced protein. Canned food is often recommended over dry food to increase more fluid intake.

Because some pets lose their appetite with kidney failure, making the food more appetizing might be encouraged, such as warming the food. Other treatment may include fluid therapy where the animal is hydrated by injecting fluid under the skin. Vitamins, electrolytes, minerals or fatty acid supplements may be recommended to make up for all those necessary nutrients that are being lost.

Other, more aggressive treatments are available to pet owners including kidney transplant or dialysis. However, such treatments are often unaffordable for most pet owners. Depending on the cause and treatment, some pets can live for months, even years, with kidney failure.
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Obinna Heche: Los Angeles- California

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Urinary Incontinence: Natural Treatment Options for Dogs and Cats

When a companion begins to drip or leak urine, it can cause great concern for the animal’s guardian. Incontinence causes the animal great distress as well. They do not wish to urinate in the house or on their bed, yet cannot control their own bodily functions properly. Urinary incontinence is the involuntary passing or leakage of urine and occurs in 20% of dogs at some point in their lifetime. Cats are less often affected. Treatment for incontinence is typically fairly simple and effective, so don’t panic if your companion begins to drip. (Marking & spraying, frequent urination, and submissive urination are not considered urinary incontinence and are not encompassed in this article).

Most cases of incontinence are due to:

Weak bladder sphincter
Infection in the urinary tract (usually bladder infection)
Bladder stones
Excessive consumption of water
Congenital structural defect
Spinal cord damage or disease

A weak bladder sphincter is the most common cause of incontinence. Spayed females are most susceptible to a weakened bladder sphincter due to low estrogen levels along with other factors and can be affected at any age after spaying. Male dogs can develop weakened sphincters as well, typically older male dogs. Obesity can contribute to a weak bladder sphincter and this should why you have to keep your companion fit. Female dogs with this type of incontinence will commonly respond to hormone treatment.

Natural supplements that include soy isoflavones or other herbs which provide phytoestrogens such as
Only Natural Pet Bladder Control or in combination with glandular extracts such as Genesis Resources Canine Incontinence Formula may be useful in treating this type of incontinence. HomeoPet Leaks No More is a combination homeopathic remedy that has shown good success in treating incontinence due to a weak bladder sphincter. In some cases a change to a raw or grain-free diet has been shown to cure this type of incontinence. A combination of diet and supplements can often solve the issue quickly.

A urinary tract infection (UTI) or bladder stones should be suspected when additional symptoms are present such as frequent urination, painful urination, straining to urinate or blood in the urine. If any of these symptoms are present then a urinalysis and urine culture needs to be performed for proper diagnosis. Urinary tract infections are a common cause of incontinence in young adult female dogs and geriatric cats. Clearing the infection is the first order of treatment.

A mild infection may respond to anti-microbial herbs. Natures Herbs for Pets Urinary Relief formula contains Chinese herbs that may be helpful. Animals Apawthecary Tinkle Tonic is also useful in helping to heal an irritated bladder and urinary tract. A more severe infection should be treated with antibiotics, along with probiotics to help restore the healthy bacteria needed in the digestive tract. Give the probiotics 2 hours apart from the antibiotics for best results.

The cause of the UTI should be questioned and addressed as well. Diet is the first place to look and is easily addressed. Many animals with incontinence issues from a variety of causes improve greatly or are cured through changing to a raw, grain free diet. At the very least a grain-free and/or hypoallergenic diet is worth trying for several weeks to see how the animal responds.

Blockage of the urethra from a stone (or tumor) can cause incontinence when the animal cannot empty their bladder completely. The bladder may get so full that the pressure of urine in the bladder actually forces some urine to leak around the blockage. Blood may be seen in the urine that does pass and the enlarged bladder can be felt on examination. Total blockage of urine flow is a veterinary emergency and pets should be taken in as soon as possible.

For smaller stones, a diet change may be all that is needed, raw and grain free is best. Additional vitamin C can also be helpful. Larger stones may require surgery. There are Chinese herbal formulas that can be effective in dissolving urinary crystals and stones, but these are best prescribed by a holistic veterinarian. Please see the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association’s Referral Directory for a list of practitioners.

For treatment of chronic urinary tract infections, stones or other chronic urinary issues, please see the article Treating Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease – which is written with cats in mind but also applies to dogs. Older pets can also develop senility and simply be unaware that they are dribbling urine. Health Concerns Astra Essence is an excellent tonic for geriatric animals needing a boost in cognitive and immune health. Rejuvination Tonic by Natures Herbs for Pets is another Chinese herbal combination for older companions. And, once again, a diet change can be very helpful for these animals.

Older animals are also more prone to some of the health problems that can lead to urinary incontinence as a secondary issue due to excessive water intake. These include diabetes, Cushing’s disease, hyperthyroidism (in cats), and kidney disease. These and other related problems can usually be ruled out by a blood panel and urine culture.

Ectopic ureter(s) are a fairly uncommon physical abnormality that puppies may be born with. The ureters carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. Ectopic ureters by-pass the bladder and connect to an abnormal location such as the urethra or vagina causing the puppy to drip urine. Another less common cause of incontinence in female dogs is called vulvovaginal stenosis. It is a condition in which the vagina at the level where the urethra ends is narrowed. Occasionally when the pet urinates, some urine will get trapped in the vagina in front of this narrowed area. Then when they rise after lying down the urine pours out.

Dogs with spinal cord disease or damage are also susceptible to urinary incontinence. Chiropractic care and/or acupuncture may be very helpful in these cases. Both chiropractic care and acupuncture can contribute to the resolution of other causes of incontinence as well. It is quite useful to try a variety of treatments or combination of treatments when dealing with urinary incontinence. Even if conventional pharmaceutical treatment becomes necessary, drug dosages may be reduced by combining conventional treatment with natural or alternative treatments. Once you have ruled out physical issues and have an idea of what may be contributing to your companion’s incontinence, natural treatments can help solve the problem.

A grain-free diet is a good place to begin. Raw would be ideal, dehydrated or freeze dried is second choice, and a combination of grain-free kibble and canned would be third choice for dogs, canned only for cats. Add appropriate supplement(s). Homeopathic remedies can be combined with herbal and nutraceutical supplements if need be. Consult a holistic veterinarian regarding chiropractic care or acupuncture to determine if these treatments can help your companions.

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