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Basic Training
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Basic Training
Understanding your dogs mind will help you to come up with a better game plan to train your dog. Your dog and every other dog is an individual animal that comes into the world with a specific grouping of genetically inherited, predetermined behaviors. How those behaviors are arranged, their intensity, and how many components of each detremine the dog's temperament, personality, and suitability for the task required. Those behaviors also detremine how the dog perceives the world.
Most people think that calculating the age of dogs in "human years" is quite simple: multiply their age by seven. For example, a 4-year-old dog would actually be 28 years old in human years.
But when you really begin weighing out the arithmetic, this method doesn't add up. Say a 1-year-old dog is the equivalent of a 7-year-old human -- get out of here! How many 7-year-old humans are sexually active and capable of reproducing? Dogs and cats are much more likely to have babies at 1 year old or even at 10 years old, than any person who is 7 or 70.
Correctly Calculate Your Dog's Age!
Aging is much faster during a dog's first two years but varies among breeds. Large breeds, while they mature quicker, tend to live shorter lives. By the time they reach 5 they are considered "senior" dogs. Medium-sized breeds take around seven years to reach the senior stage, while small and toy breeds do not become seniors until around 10.
Many veterinarians agree that a pretty good guess on the age of pets can be made using the following formula. Although still simple, it is much more accurate than the seven-year method.
Assume that a 1-year-old dog is equal to a 12-year-old human and a 2-year-old dog is equal to a 24-year old human. Then add four years for every year after that. (Example: A 4-year-old dog would be 32 in human years.)
Since this method takes into consideration the maturity rate at the beginning of a dog's life and also the slowing of the aging process in his later years, Martha Smith, director of veterinary services at Boston's Animal Rescue League, feels that this is the more accurate calculation formula. Here is a chart, for easy reference:
A dog's average lifespan is around 12 or 13 years, but again, this varies widely by breed. The larger your dog is, the less time it will live. Female dogs tend to live a little longer.
As much as we all would like our dogs to be able to reason, they can not. However, dogs can solve simple problems. To give you a better understanding of your dog, here are three groups of instinctive behaviors.
1. Prey Drive includes; those inherited behaviors associated with hunting, killing, prey, and eating. The Prey drive is activated by motion, sound, and smell. Here is a list of behaviors associated with Prey drive......
Air scenting and tracking, biting and killing, carrying, digging and burying, eating, high-pitched barking, jumping up and pulling down, pouncing, seeing, hearing, and smelling, shaking and object, stalking and chasing, tearng and ripping apart.
2. Pack Drive consists; of behaviors associated with reproduction, being part of a group or pack, and being able to live by the RULES. Dogs, like their distant ancestors the wolves, are social animals. To hunt prey that's mostly larger than themselves, wolves have to live in a pack. To assure order they adhere to a social hierarchy governed by strict rules of behavior. In dogs, this translates into an ability to be part of a human group and means a willingness to work with people as part of a team. Here are some behaviors associated with Pach Drive;
Being able to breed and to be a good parent, demonstrating behaviors associated with social interaction with people, demonstrating reproductive behaviors such as licking, mounting, washing ears, and all courting gestures, exhibiting physical contact with people, and or dogs, playing with people and/or other dogs.
3. Defense Drive; is governed by survial and self-preservation and consists of both fight and flight behaviors. Defense drive is complex because the same stimulus that can make a dog aggresive (fight) can also trigger (flight) behaviors especially in young dogs. Fight behaviors aren't fully developed until about 2 years. You may notice tendencies towards these behaviors at an early age and also life experiences determine their intensity.
Behaviors associated with Defense Drive are "Fight drive";
Disapproving of being petted or groomed, hackling up from the shoulder foward, growling at people or dogs when he feels his space is being violated, guarding food, toys, territory against people and/or dogs, lying in front of doorways or cupboards and refusing to move, putting his head over another dog's shoulder, standing tall, weight forward on front legs, tll high, and staring at other dogs, standing his ground and not moving.
Behaviors demonstrated with Defense Drive is "Flight drive";
Demonstrating a general lack of confidence, disliking being touched by strangers, flattening of the body with the tail tucked when greeted by people or other dogs, hackling that goes up the full length of the body, hiding or running away from a new situation, urinating when being greeted by a stranger or owner.
Remember that dogs are trained to respond to commands. Like come, sit, down, stay, etc. "NO" is NOT a command nor an exercise, that they will repsond to. Do not YELL at your dog ....... he is not deaf. Body language is also very important. A smile makes a difference.
The way to get your dog to do what you want him to do is to redirect his actions from prey drive to pack drive....etc.
Some Do's & Don't's
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Do get into a habit of using 1 command. If your dog does not respond to a command then reinforce it.
Don't nag your dog by repeating commands as this only teaches him to ignore you.
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Do be consistant in your actions and expectations.
Don't confuse your dog with unrealistic expectations.
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Do socialize your dog with people and other dogs.
Don't isolate your dog. (Send him to Doggie Day Kamp)
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Do become your dog's pack leader.
Don't expect your dog to obey if you are not his leader.
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Do make learning fun for your dog.
Don't get too serious in your training.
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Do provide an outlet for your dog's energies.
Don't try to surpress behaviors that need an outlet.
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Do reward the behaviors that you want.
Don't reward undesirable behaviors.
Last..... Do get outside help when you get stuck.
Don't blame the dog.....you're his teacher!
Pet First Aid Awareness
It is important to have a pet first aid kit. Having a well-stocked pet first aid kit can be a key factor in your pet's well-being during an emergency. It will serve to help you you prevent further injury, lessen the chance of infection, and even save your pet's life.
You can either purchase a commercial pet first aid kit or put one together yourself. In my pet first aid classes I recommend putting one's own kit together. This way you'll know what's in it and items can be tailored to your pet. I've heard from many pet owners who have bought a pet first aid kit and didn't look through it because they just assumed it had what they would need in an emergency. That may or may not be true, but when you're in the middle of an emergency you don't want to find out you assumed wrong.
At the very least a pet first aid kit should contain the following: sterile gauze pads, gauze rolls, first aid tape, scissors, 3% hydrogen peroxide, antibacterial ointment, antiseptic wipes, eye dropper, muzzle, leash, digital thermometer, antihistamine (Benadryl or generic), and a blanket or stretcher. It should also include the address and phone number for your veterinarian as well as the nearest animal emergency center. And, be sure to have the phone number for the Animal Poison Control Center: 888-426-4435.
If you would rather buy a pet first aid kit, be sure to familiarize yourself with the contents. Take all of the items out and make sure you know what they are, how to use them, and if they're appropriate for your pet (for example, if a muzzle's included make sure it's the right size and that you know how to put it on your dog.)
Signs of cancer
According to PetCancerAwareness.org eighty percent of pet parents know little or nothing about pet cancer.
Yet canine and feline cancer is the #1 health problem for pets, and, just like in humans, cancer can occur in any part of a dog’s body. An estimated 40% of dogs die of cancer (source Veterinary Cancer Society).
The website also offers a “Tell Your Story” webpage, similar to the Rainbow Bridge, where you can post a photo of your pet and write about their cancer story. You can read the story of “Blue” the inspiration behind the founding of The Blue Buffalo Foundation for Cancer Research, which maintains the website.
The Veterinary Cancer Society** notes the following warning signs:
Abnormal swelling that persists
Sores that do not heal
Loss of weight
Loss of appetite
Bleeding or discharge from any body opening
Offensive odor
Difficulty eating or swallowing
Hesitation to exercise or loss of stamina
Persistent lameness or stiffness
Difficulty breathing, urinating or defecating
If your pet has any of these early warning signs, visit your veterinarian as soon as possible for a complete examination.
The Vet Cancer Registry has a helpful list of organizations and veterinaries specializing in animal cancer.
The American Veterinary Medical Association offers a brochure “What Your Should Know about Cancer in Animals.”
More information on cancer in dogs and cats, along with helpful photographs, can be found at this link.
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*The AVMA states “Spaying your female pet between 6 and 12 months of age will greatly reduce the risk of breast cancer.”