Training

You have undoubtedly experienced frustration with your best buddy, from time to time. And, even though you know it’s not always your dog’s fault, blame is easy to cast when your emotion runs high. Behavioural problem with our canine companions is considered to be a common trouble faced by almost every dog owner. The dog’s mind... All dogs have evolved from wolves. The dog’s mind is filled with the…

Do you have a problem with your dog chasing joggers, cyclists or cars? Well, here’s a solution: teach him to report back to you. Often, pet parents have a problem with their dogs chasing joggers, cyclists or cars. They can prevent it by teaching their dogs to report back. This task will require the commitment of at least two people for a start and consistency. Take your dog and the person who…

Don’t blame your dog if he is not behaving right…his behaviour problems can stem from the environment he has been reared in, his socialisation and may be even because of your behaviour with him. Observe and act... Dog behaviour is as complicated, or more, as human behaviour. Though they lack the ability to talk, they manage to convey a lot through the display of various kinds of behaviour. As a…

If you are not fulfilling the breed specific needs of your dog, you are creating a rift and he may not have a balanced life. In order to build a bond between you and your dog, it is very important to really understand what the dog needs and how their psychology works. If you’re not giving your dog what he requires, he will let you know by barking, chewing your shoes, jumping on your guests,…

A dog’s behaviour is influenced by the games he plays as a puppy. A game is a structured activity, undertaken for enjoyment and also used as an educational tool. Games are played with toys, which are important to develop character, skills, creativity, security and social acceptability. Here are more on different types of toys available. Most dogs have lots of toys. Unfortunately, unless used…

An holistic approach is to look at the underlying cause of a behaviour or training problem by looking at the whole-istic health issues of the dog, physically and mentally. In the last issue, we discussed diet, health, bodywork, relationships and communication. Here are a few more factors that affect the dog on a daily basis. Exercise – too much, not enough Too much or too little exercise can…

Since Shih Tzus are dense coated, long-haired breeds, they need to be regularly and thoroughly groomed. If they are not brushed daily, their hair gets matted and fused, and tugging and combing only gives more pain than relief. Here’s how to home groom your Shih Tzu. Obedience training is a must for each pet. Training is all about setting up a daily routine for your pet and teaching her certain…

An holistic approach is to look at the underlying cause of a behaviour or training problem by looking at the whole-istic health issues of the dog, physically and mentally. Here are a few factors that affect the dog on a daily basis. Well-balanced diet: a must The canine therapist should have a recognised qualification in canine or animal nutrition when looking at a holistic approach to…

You may hear many dog owners starting sentences of complaints as: “My dog does not know how to behave” or “My dog is a spoilt dog”. But when you ask them if they ‘helped’ the dog to learn or not, they look at you with questioning eyes. They expect the dog to think and act with a ‘human brain’. If you just bring the puppy to your home and let him decide how to behave, he starts behaving proper to…

Exercise for your pooch will vary according to his age, breed and health. But it must be fun for him and you as well. Taking your pet out for a good outing, where he can play in a good open ground or swim in a swimming pool, is a very good way of mixing fun with exercise. Taking him to a beach is also a good option, where he can play with Frisbees, balls and also run and swim at the same time.…

At around six months old, most dogs reach an awkward adolescent stage (although with some dogs this can occur right up to their second year). Everything you taught your dog seems to be forgotten: he won't come when you call or even think of obeying the commands "sit" or "down". Here's how to tackle it. The psyche… During this time, the young dog is attempting to assert his rank, just to see…

Our pooches have loved and inspired us in many different ways – they offer companionship to the lonesome, comfort to the sick, hope to the disabled, besides giving love to all the lives they touch in their course of life. Their loyalty, unconditional love and companionship inspire a to be a good human being. While there doesn’t need to be a specific day to show love and pay tribute to our pooches,…

Dogs being dogs express themselves by barking, just as we do by talking. As pet parents we need to understand this need and encourage it at times. However, it becomes a problem when the barking is ceaseless (or that’s how it may seem at times!). This is where we need to step in as pet parents and take responsibility to nip the problem in the bud. Each dog has his own reasons to bark and…

There are ways to prevent children from being bitten by dogs. This article gives advice on training children, adults and dogs to approach each other and communicate effectively. We tend to forget that dogs do not communicate in the same way as humans. For example, humans make eye contact when communicating and make contact through an open handshake. Both of these behaviours may be seen as a…

It is extremely important to socialise and train the puppy in his early days to ensure a happy and balanced relationship between him and his pet parents. Period of socialisation... Socialisation is a lengthy learning phase during which the puppy acquires all the behaviours needed for life in the pack. This stage begins at the age of six weeks and ends arbitrarily around the age of four months.…

Perhaps two of the most annoying habits of our pooches are digging in the garden and begging for food. Here’s how to handle these behaviours. Digging…a chore! Many of us would have tripped in our dog’s latest backyard excavation, or had our carefully tended vegetable gardens destroyed. All this is due to the digging behaviour of dogs that is sometimes annoying and destructive. There are a number…

Many a time you would have noticed that when you take your dog out for a walk, he is friendly with certain dogs - but with certain dogs he pulls the leash, barks and gets angry. Why? Well, this is more related to the canine psychology, let’s see how. Ask many dog parents and you will find that your dog is not the only one who lunges and barks at many dogs he passes on the street. Correcting the…

Have you ever seen your pet getting extremely happy when you take him out for a training session? Well, some pets do… This was the experience of all the participants of the Agility Course in Mumbai. It’s a pleasure to team up with your pet and teach him to jump hurdles, scale ramps, burst through tunnels and do much more exciting things. The course started with obedience training which included…

Can you understand your pooch’s emotions by merely looking at him? If yes, you may call it love, when you know exactly how your K9 is feeling. In fact, it is the body language of your dog which communicates how he is feeling. Here are a few signals, which can help you gauge his feelings.   Understanding your pooch’s body language not only helps you ascertain his mood but also understand…

Sometimes your pooch behaves in a bizarre way that leave you completely baffled. Here’s why ... Why do puppies chew up socks, old shoes, and purses? Puppies like to explore new tastes besides when they have teething problems, they like to chew on things specially socks to relieve their pain and discomfort which is synonymous with teething. Puppies also chew due to separation anxiety.…