Know How To Choose Your Basic Dog Supplies – 4 Important Tips

These days, there are many offline and online stores that sell various types of dog supplies. Many stores also offer them at discounted rates. However, what is important to realize is that you may not require all of the discounted dog supplies that is being sold by the supplier. You should purchase only basic stuff and later on you can think of purchasing additional dog supplies. There are certain basic dog supplies that you need to provide for your dog. They are as follows.

1) A weighted food and water bowl:

Pay attention at the type of bowl that you purchase for your dog. The bowl should be tough enough to withstand your dog's strength and energy level. The size of the bowl should be rounded so that the dog finds it easy to eat rather than using rectangle bowls. Also, you should use dog bowls that are made of stainless steel so that it becomes easy to clean, last longer and hard to break. Plastic dog bowls should not be used as it can be easily broken and above all, due to the scratches etc, the bowl can be easily invaded by bacteria.

2) Collar:

Dog collars are available in various colors and styles. You can attach an ID tag at the dog collar so that in case the dog gets lost at a new place, he can be located easily. There are various types of dog collars such as dog training collar which is quite popular, leather dog collar, nylon dog collar or even electric dog collar. When you purchase a dog collar, ensure that you can stick at least two fingers between the dog's skin and the collar. Some breeds grow faster and you wouldn't like to replace the collar frequently. Hence, make sure that the collar that you purchase for your dog has plenty of room for growth.

3) Dog bed:

You should purchase a suitable bed for your dog to get rest. If you have an outdoor pet, provide a top quality dog house and also a type of bedding. Ensure that you purchase a washable type of bedding and it should be a bit tough so that the dog is unable to chew it. If you are going to keep your dog indoors, then in that case a dog bed and a blanket is required.

4) Dog Toys:

Dog Toys can be good for your dog in order to have exercises. Through specially made toys, you can play with your dog and build a stronger bond between you and your dog. Otherwise they will try to chew things that are around the house. Through toys, you can keep the dog busy. However, ensure that the materials of the toys are safe for dogs. Otherwise they might end up chewing or swallowing the toys.
Your dog pet supplies can be purchased from online stores. With online purchase you don't have to worry about the traffic jam. You can make your dog supplies purchases from the comfort of your home. However, if you purchase from offline stores, you get the opportunity to bring your dog inside the pet store and you can be ensured that the dog pet supplies that you purchase is of the right size and comfort.

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Posted under Dogs

This post was written by James Keyes on June 9, 2010

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Some Fundamentals Of Effective Puppy Training

Training a puppy requires an extra level of patience and diligence. Puppies, by nature, are playful and slightly unruly. Controlling their activity and focusing their attention is often challenging, especially if you're trying to do so in an environment that offers distractions. The benefit is that investing the time and effort to train your pup helps him learn how to be a better companion to you and your family.

There are a few ground rules to follow when training puppies - and even adult canines. In this article, we'll explore four of the most important.

Consistency Is The Top Priority

Dogs learn by repetition. But in order to learn effectively, the repetition must be consistent. For example, suppose you're teaching your puppy to heel. If you say, "heel" and your spouse says, "down," there is a chance your canine will become confused. He may eventually learn to heel on command, but the process of learning is slowed. It may even prevent him from committing the command to memory. Be consistent. If a family member or friend participates, ask them to do the same.

This is also important when rewarding successful behavior. Only provide a treat as a reward if your puppy fully satisfies your command. For example, if you call for him to come, but he only comes halfway, withhold the treat until he fully complies. Otherwise, he will soon learn that coming halfway is sufficient.

Limit The Duration Of The Sessions

Puppies have short attention spans. For this reason, you'll find that shorter sessions are more effective for holding their attention and producing positive results. A lot of owners push forward with longer periods despite their pups becoming bored. This rarely has a positive effect. The pup becomes less attentive while his owner become increasingly frustrated.

For the best results, keep sessions under fifteen minutes (this is also a good rule when training adult dogs). Doing so helps guarantee your puppy will stay focused.

Always Remain Calm

This is an often overlooked, but critical part of effective puppy training. Always remain calm, regardless of whether your pup successfully responds to your commands. Owners often become frustrated with their puppies during training sessions, and react in anger. Even if they manage to avoid yelling, the pup senses tension. This shatters his focus and makes it even less likely he'll behave as desired.

The calmer you remain, the more control you'll have over the training sessions. If you feel frustrated, give your puppy a final easy command and reward him when he satisfies it successfully. Then, end the session.

Never Punish

Most professional dog trainers are in agreement: positive reinforcement is far more effective than negative reinforcement. In other words, your puppy will commit your commands to memory more effectively if he has been rewarded for complying with them in the past. By contrast, if he has been punished for failing to comply, he is unlikely to commit the command to memory. He will have learned nothing from being punished except to fear you.

Canines, whether puppies or adults, do not use logic in the same manner people do. For example, suppose your pup digs a hole in your garden and you stumble upon it hours later. If you punish him, he is unlikely to make the connection between the hole he dug and your reaction. This is the reason trainers strongly recommend rewarding behaviors immediately. If you wait, even for a few minutes, your pup won't understand why you're rewarding him (though he'll happily accept the treat).

Most owners are well-intentioned about training their puppies. Unfortunately, many lack the patience or time to do it properly. If you intend to train your pup on your own, use the four ground rules above to improve your chances of success.

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Posted under Puppy

This post was written by Tammy Fasion on June 6, 2010

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