It has been proven that owning a pet will lower blood pressure, get rid of feelings of depression and loneliness, as well as help with reducing stress. There is nothing out there that can top the love and companionship of having a dog. However, there are some dog behavior problems that can develop, and make things a little harder than need be - from wetting the floor, chewing your stuff up, and even barking all night.

If your dog is exhibiting these types of dog behavior problems, it may be acting out due to boredom, pent-up aggression or because of lack of training. With proper lifestyle adjustments and diligent training, you'll be on your way to having a happy, well-behaved pet.

Spaying or neutering your pet is a very common way to not only helping your dog to live longer, and being healthier, but it will take a lot of the aggression on of it, and this will create a lot less dog behavior problems.

Have a workout routine. Provide your canine companion with regularly scheduled walks twice a day. This will help your dog avoid boredom, which can lead to destructive behavior.

Start training your dog. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, training your dog will teach you how to control your dog's behavior problems both safely and humanely.

A big thing, that most people forget is being patient with your dog. Teaching your best friend to be a better dog will take determination on your part, its very much worth it though. After all, as your best friend, it will very much appreciate the bonding process during all your time together.

Posted under Dogs

Let's talk crates and dogs. But before we do, let's clarify that the kinds of crates we'll be discussing aren't what some of you may be visualizing. These aren't wooden freight delivery crates full of mysterious artifacts from an Egyptian temple. Crating dogs is a general term for keeping your dog in a cage (called a crate) for the purposes of potty training and to provide it with a secure "home" it can call its own.

When my family first came over to visit our new puppy many years back, they were shocked to see we had a crate setup in the corner of our living room. Never, in their wildest imagination, would they have thought that two people so devoted to animal welfare would employ such a device. It seemed cruel to them, and completely at odds with our personalities. What they didn't realize is that crate training is an efficient and harmless way to potty train a young dog and, in later years, provides it with a place it can consider its own.

The problem with crates is that, outwardly, they don't appear particularly kind. What isn't commonly known is that a crate can actually become a dog's sanctuary. Like the wolves from which they sprang, a dog likes a den and, in essence, that's what a dog's crate becomes once he is accustomed to it.

Eventually, if used correctly, your pup will learn to love his crate! My dog, who now happens to be ten years old, still goes into her crate to nap or escape from things like thunderstorms. I leave the door of the crate open and she is free to come and go as she wishes. You see, her crate has become her sanctuary. It is her special place to rest or take a break from the other animals of the house when she is not in the mood to play.

While we're certainly pleased our pup has a sanctuary she can call her own, the real point behind crates is to benefit the owner. Not only do they provide us a safe and secure place to keep our pets when strangers such as repair men come to visit, they can be a perfect way to potty train your pooch.

It can't be stressed enough, however, that you must use your crate properly or you will completely defeat its purpose and risk emotional damage to your dog. First and foremost, don't leave your puppy in its crate for longer than five hours and only that if it's unavoidable (because of your job, for example). While the premise behind the crate is to play on your dog's instinct not to eliminate where it sleeps, even the strongest instinct can't win out against a young dog's bladder.

Never use your crate as a means of punishment. You want your puppy to view his crate as a sanctuary. He should see it as a warm and cozy place to rest, not as a place he is sent to when he is bad. Crates are ideal when an over excited pup needs a break or when circumstances require your dog be locked away to be safe such as when a door must be left propped open to move furniture.

Choosing a crate for your dog is less about style than it is about size. You're shooting for something large enough to allow your dog to sleep comfortably and turn around in. But bigger isn't better. Too large of a crate will defeat potty training purposes and your dog may eliminate in one corner while sleeping in another. If you purchase a larger crate because your dog is still growing, use a divider to make it small enough to accommodate your dog and your potty-training objective.

Our dog's crate is the standard metal "wire" cage. This model breaks down easily for relocation or storage, allows for good airflow and let's the dog view the world around it. To enhance the den simulation, we toss a blanket over it (leaving the door exposed) at night. For those of you with puppies, the removable tray in the bottom is great for easy cleanup. Your puppy will almost inevitably have an accident or two at first and this feature is a real time saver.

Whichever style or model crate you opt for, I think you'll find they can be wonderful potty training tools for puppies and a much loved napping spot in your dog's adolescent and adult years. If you still can't stomach the idea of crating, you may want to opt for a puppy play pen. Just realize that, while you'll still have the comfort of keeping your dog safely confined when circumstances warrant, you'll be giving up on the potty training benefits a crate affords.

Posted under Dogs

The day you bring your brand new puppy into your home for the first time is a joyous one; but it can also cause a lot of stress, especially if this is the first time that you?ve had a dog. You?ll need to learn many things in order to be a good caretaker of your new dog.

The first step is to make your puppy feel safe and loved in its new home. Speak gently to your dog ad whatever you do, don?t yell at them if they do something which is out of line. Yelling at your puppy can cause them to become afraid of you; this is something which can be difficult, if not impossible to remedy. It?s better to take your new puppy for training as soon as you can after bringing your new family member home.

But there are other reasons that you would want to have your dog trained and it in reality it is not just your dog that needs training! You as the dog owner will also need training so that you know what the right way is and what the wrong way to handle a dog is.

The need for training your new puppy will be immediately obvious once you bring them inside. Puppies have a lot of energy and they are prone to bolting around the house, knocking things over, chewing on everything and even peeing on the floor!

Learning the right commands to use and the right tone of voice to use them in is a big part of dog training classes. Learning these all important elements of dog training and getting lots of practice can help you to prevent (almost) all damage that your energetic new puppy may cause.

You?ll need to walk your dog once or twice every day. You?ll need to teach your dog to walk without having to tug on their leash; your dog will need to learn to take direction in order to accomplish this.

There can be very serious consequences to being unable to control your dog while going for a walk ? and a leash is necessary at all times, no matter how well behaved your dog may seem. Your dog will naturally want to chase squirrels and other small animals ? even into the middle of the street!

Traffic accidents are one of the major killers of especially dogs and often times it are because the owner can't control the dog with words and commands. That is why the training part is so vitally important in order to keep your dog from harm.

Posted under Dogs