March 2009

Training your dog can be a fun and rewarding experience. Not only do they get to learn a slew of exciting new tricks, you get the satisfaction of seeing your dog’s natural intelligence and athleticism in action.

From the most fundamental sit command to chasing down a Frisbee or rolling over, you are going to need a few training supplies to get you started.

There are a number of supplies every dog owner should have on hand when they start training their dogs. Here are a few examples to get you started:

Bitter Training Aids – If your dog has problems with chewing, licking, or biting things that shouldn’t be in their mouth, a good option is to use a spray that makes those things taste bitter. It is completely safe and most dogs will give up after a couple bites of something even they can tell tastes awful.

Special Leashes – Some dogs might need special leashes, chain collars, chokers, or leads as you teach them how to walk on a leash. Don’t get anything that could be too tight or dangerous for your dog, but for larger puppies or dogs you might be training, plan accordingly.

Harnesses and Muzzles – If your dog is particularly strong, has a thick neck and likes to escape or has issues with snapping at other dogs or people while on a leash, a harness or muzzle might be necessary while training.

Clickers and Whistles – To train your dog in basic commands, one of the most popular methods is to use as clicker or whistle as a trigger. These simple tools, of pretty much any brand are cheap and work wonders for teaching your dog how to associate the noise with a positive reward. Clicker training works great when training your puppy.

Treats – In conjunction with the clicker or whistle, treats help you reward your dog for a job well done. When they start to associate an action with a positive behavior, you can replace the treat with your praise and eventually they will simply do it to please you.

Other Fun Stuff – Your dog might be perfect for agility runs, or for learning to catch Frisbees. If so, pick up poles, jumps or small toys that you can train them with. Especially for herding dogs and retrievers this kind of training is a great way to get them the exercise they are probably not getting around the house while working their minds.

Proper training starts with knowing how your dog needs to be trained. Some dogs are eager to learn but too excited. These dogs need to be calmed so they can give you their complete attention. Focus on sit and stay, heeling, and generally providing focus. Puppies can often have a hard time with this, so don’t become impatient if your dog has trouble focusing on you during training.

When you properly use your training supplies in a way that allows your dog the opportunity to learn and showcase what they have learned while also working their brain and being fair to their intellect, both you and your pet can have fun. Pick up the right supplies, use them carefully and effectively, and who knows, your dog could be doing tricks in no time.

Other than dog training supplies you will most likely need some quality dog grooming supplies to help keep your dog in optimal health and physical condition.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

If you surf through free websites advertising dog sales you will realize that there are many dog owners who place advertisements to sell their puppies. These advertisements are normally placed by professional dog breeders who are backed by a sound reputation. They are also very passionate about the dog breeding profession. But some dog owners who place advertisements for the sale of the puppies are inexperienced and unaware of the requirements necessary for dog breeding.

If dog breeding is not your primary occupation but if you still intend to breed your dog to make some profit and a new puppy to your pet family you should necessarily go through the following measures before you go in for dog breeding.

Some people who make their living out of dog breeding know that they are supposed to give ample of time, attention and caring so that the puppies are strong and healthy. Some people even purchase dog pajamas, because they love them so much. You may have to spend a lot of time for this everyday. So go for it only when you are sure that you have enough time and perseverance for it.

You will have to spend a lot of time in advertising and handling inquiries on the phone from interested buyers. Many people who are interested in buying a pup may ask you many questions related to petting a dog so you will have to do your homework well. You will also need to have enough time and patience to answer their queries.

Many people who call you may even want to see the puppies but there is absolutely no guarantee that these prospective buyers will buy a puppy from you. If you have the capacity to emotionally and financially deal with such people only then should you consider dog breeding as a likely profession. Some people who are new to this business may not have the traits necessary to handle such customers.

As a dog breeder you will have to collect all the information pertaining to dog breeding and genetics. You should have adequate knowledge about genetic diseases and the preventative measures that you can use to combat them. You will need to purchase many different dog supplies online for your dog. If you travel you will need a airline approved dog crates.

You should know how to take care of the complications that may arise during the whelping phase. Many dog breeders think that dog breeding is all about putting a male and female dog together to mate. But this couldn’t be further away from the truth. If you want to get into the business of dog breeding it is necessary that you have adequate knowledge about the various health problems and the remedies to solve them. You should also know what nutritional requirements of the mother in her pre and post pregnancy phase.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!