Is It Time to Scrap the Table Scraps?

Contributed by Sharda Baker

You love your dog, and you hate to waste food. Now there's a dilemma. What to do with those table scraps when there's still some nice meat on that bone, or the macaroni-and-cheese leftovers aren't enough to make another meal? Fido's one of the family, and certainly would appreciate a taste of what was on the dinner table. So what's the harm in letting doggie, and not the garbage disposal, dispose of the table scraps rather than eat 'traditional' dog food?

Table scraps should not be the main source of dietary intake for your dog but may be fed as small treats here and there. Harmful table scraps like chocolate and bones, however, can cause extensive harm and even death to your pet. Digestive problems do occur when dogs eat table scraps that are too rich or that simply do not agree with their stomachs. Be wary of what table scraps you allow your dog to have and never overdo it.

But, you say, Buster won't eat dog food. Oh really? Then what does Buster eat? You got it, table scraps and anything else it wants. Has the dog really succeeded in training YOU to give it what IT wants? And has its success meant that the dog is paying a physical price for its "victory?" Hard not to overeat when you're getting the "select" goodies isn't it? Remember this, it is NOT up to the DOG to choose what it eats in your house -- it is up to YOU -- the owner.

Table scraps, fed in small amounts, DO have their good points. There is an enormous difference between good quality leftovers and "scraps". The quality leftovers are the pieces of steak (trimmed of fat), roast beef, chicken or turkey. Adding this to your dog's bowl is fine, only when done IN MODERATION. In addition leftover both pasta and rice are good, so long as they are minus the butter or other fatty sauces and are plainly cooked.

Don't overfeed scraps on a continuous basis. Your doing so will expose your pet to a diet loaded with fat and you'll end up with a pet prone to stomach upsets, diarrhea and other potentially serious gastrointestinal disorders such as pancreatitis, which is life threatening. Even if your dog's digestive tract can handle a diet full of table scraps, the chances of him or her gaining weight will increase enormously in proportion to the amount of scraps you're feeding.

Now, there are many people who will claim that table scraps are deadly to your pet and should not be given as snacks. These people are only partially correct. While commercial snacks are formulated for the needs of your pet, there is no harm in allowing your dog some table scraps as long as it is not harmful to the dog and is not in excess. There are human foods that are harmful and deadly to your dog, but most human food is perfectly acceptable for dogs. The trick is research.

You should forget, for example, about serving your dog the leftover macaroni and cheese, even though pasta is OK and the cheese is low-fat. Dogs do not have the needed lactase to break up the lactose the result can be diarrhea.

Turkey, chicken, steak, or any other kind of cooked bones are no-nos, because they can splinter and pierce or obstruct the dog's digestive tract.. Bones can also cut the roof of the mouth.

Leftover stew is OK, as long as you first discard the onions, and if your family loves sushi, Fido will have to pass Raw fish can create a thiamine deficiency in dogs. As a result the dog will suffer from seizures and possibly death.

Easily digestible foods such as cooked rice or chicken and turkey (boneless) will be fine to feed your dog. Even some fruits and vegetables are well received by dogs, though there are some types to avoid such as grapes. Feeding your dog grapes causes severe kidney damage. While some fruits are acceptable to feed your pet, avoid grapes at all times.

Fido, or Buster, or Sport knows all the moves when if comes to finagling you out of those scraps. So don't let mealtime degenerate into a battle of wills. Know what are acceptable table scraps, and feed them in acceptable amounts, but never decide to save money and avoid wasting food by making then the main ingredients in your pet's diet!

About the Author

Sharda Baker has published several dog ebook and audios, including the Internet best selling "Complete Guide to Your Dog's Nutrition".

Visit the link below now for Sharda's Special Free dog food Report.

More information on nutrition for your dog here.

Dog Massage

Contributed by Zoe Gan - Certified Dog Massage Therapist

Massaging your dog has many benefits for your canine friend.

So what are the benefits of dog massage, you ask?

The benefits that your dog gains will depend upon the reason for his massage.

If he has a health problem and a vet has recommended massage as a form of therapy, then the benefits will relate to fixing or at least relieving the health issue.

Often a vet will recommend this therapy when there is a muscle injury, circulation problem, and even arthritis.

Let's take a look at the main benefits of massaging your dog regardless of the reason for your dog undertaking a massage:

Massages improve blood and lymph circulation. Massages can relieve muscle tension. Massages can help a dog to recover quicker from injury. Your dog can de-stress with a massage - just like people can. A massage can help to rebalance energy. Massages can enhance the bond between you and your dog. Massaging a dog can improve the immune system A great benefit of massaging your dog is to increase the effectiveness and strength of the immune system.

Chemicals called cytokines are released during a massage and these help to reduce stress hormones.

Yes, dogs can suffer from stress too! And reducing stress in your dog can lengthen their life and improve their behavior.

Improving stress can also help your dog to fight ailments and illnesses as he ages.

Many people are now hiring a masseuse for their dog's happiness. Just like people, dogs gain pleasure from a massage.

However not all dogs are suited to a massage. Some simply will not lay still for long, whilst others (in particular, older dogs) could lie down all day and be massaged. You will know whether or not your dog could handle a massage.

dog puppies generally will not have the patience for it but, who knows - once he experiences the pleasure of a massage, his whole personality might change!

You don't have to go to a professional dog massage therapist - you can learn dog massage and massage your dog from the comfort of your own home.

You can ask a vet for advice on the best spots and the type of pressure to use, but it is not overly difficult to apply a feel-good massage to your dog.

The benefits of dog massage are clear - your dog will love it and you'll love have a more relaxed, happy dog!

Learn what vets know.

Dog Joint Pain

Contributed by Douglas Anderson

Dog arthritis is a very common problem as they age. However, arthritis can strike at any age, same as in humans, and can even affect dog puppies. My own daughter was diagnosed with arthritis in her ankle at the age of 7.

Recent estimates by vets suggest that around 20% of all the dog dogs in the USA suffer from the condition to some degree. One of the best preventative methods available to stop and treat existing cases of dog arthritis is by using joint supplements for your dog.

Symptoms of arthritis in your dog include:

* Swelling around a joint. * Heat around a joint.

* Tenderness when you palpate a joint.

* Tenderness when flexing a joint.

* Redness of the skin around a sore joint. (You may have to part the dog's hair to see this.)

* Difficulty rising from a resting position.

* A personality change resisting touch.

* Onset of stiffness being worst in the mornings improving as the day progresses.

When your dog has arthritis, you may observe these behavioural changes due to arthritis:

* Your dog is reluctant to walk, climb stairs, jump, or play.

* Your dog exhibits gradual limping or lameness in one or more limbs.

* Your dog holds its breath or stops panting when a painful joint is manipulated. * Your dog reacts suddenly - turns his head, snaps, or yelps in pain when you touch a sore joint.

* Your dog puts less weight on a leg with a sore joint when he's standing still.

* Your dog holds up a leg with a sore joint. * Your dog lags behind on walks.

* Your dog has decreased appetite; pain from arthritis can cause a dog to stop eating.

* Some US dog food companies, such as Hill's and Purina (JM Joint Mobility), make formulas specifically intended for arthritic dogs. Based on the nutritional information these companies publish, both look like excellent choices. Neither is particularly low in calories or does anything special for the teeth, but they have added a lot of the most important joint health supplements directly to the food. If you have your dog's weight and dental health under control and don't want to mess with supplements, these are excellent choices.

When considering joint supplement for your dog, you must first understand what arthritis is and the most effective types of supplements available.

As with humans, arthritis in the joints of a dog is generally caused by a breakdown of the cartilage in a joint. This can be for a number of reasons including a recent accident, or just because of old age. The breakdown of cartilage can often leave parts of the moving bones in a joint exposed to rub against each other and this is what causes the intense pain and inflammation associated with arthritis.

So one of the major factors in the breakdown and regeneration of the cartilage in the joints of a dog is the availability of the substances to regenerate and re-grow the damaged and worn cartilage. The two most important substances that are involved in these processes are glucosamine and chondroitin. You have undoubtedly seen these on the shelves of your local pharmacy as we humans have the identical problems.

Glucosamine is used to manufacture a large amount of the material that makes up the cartilage, and chondroitin can be thought of as the scaffolding within the cartilage. Because of their functions, if they are not present in large enough amounts, then the cartilage will begin to break down a lot more easily, and will not regenerate as quickly.

So the best joint supplements for dog arthritis will contain glucosamine and chondroitin, and appropriate other substances such as Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) or Cetyl Myristoleate which occur naturally around the joints of your dog, acting to control pain and inflammation.

There is some controversy as to whether MSM actually has any effect on arthritis. Some studies show it does, and some studies show it has no effect.

If you prefer a supplement that is all natural, then look for a supplement that contains one or more of these ingredients:

* Apis mellifica: Formulated from honeybees, Apis mellifica relieves burning, stinging pain and fluid retention, and has been used in homeopathy since its discovery as a remedy in 1835, by Rev. Brauns, in Thuringia, Germany.

* Belladonna: Also known as Deadly Nightshade, Belladonna is a herbaceous perennial native to Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia. It is a deadly poison, but has been used in very small quantities by homeopathic experts to treat back pain, swelling and stiffness of the neck, sharp drawing pains and stiffness in joints, trembling legs and swelling of the feet.

* Caulphyllum: Also called Blue Cohosh or Squaw Root, Caulphyllum is a woodland herb that blooms in early April and is usually found on wooded slopes across much of the US and Canada. Native Americans once used it as a childbirth aid and for uterine cramps. It has antispasmodic properties and is useful for treating rheumatic stiffness and pain in the limbs and joints.

* Colchicum autumnale: This autumn-blooming flower is known as Autumn Crocus, Meadow Saffron or Naked Lady, and is used in homeopathy to treat the symptoms of gout as well as the convulsive jerking of hands and feet.

* Rhus toxicodendron: Also known as Mercury Vine or Poison Vine, Poison Oak and its kissing cousin, Poison Ivy, can be found all over North America in woodland areas. A main constituent of the plant is toxicodendric acid, which a French physician in the late eighteenth century discovered to be useful in the treatment of skin disease, paralysis, and rheumatic complaints. Today Rhus Tox is prized for its anti-inflammatory and antihistamine properties.

* Ruta graveolens: A plant native to Southern Europe, Ruta is also known as Common Rue, which in olden times was thought to ward off plague. In today's homeopathy, it is used to treat joint pain, swelling, stiffness, spasmodic contractions and weakness.

My own research on the Internet for supplements, that are currently being used by experienced vets to treat dog with arthritis, revealed that Pet Bounce 'http://www.pet-training.info/Dogs/Recommends/Pet_Bounce_joint_pain_relief/" is quite popular. This is an all-natural, plant-based homeopathic blend with all the natural ingredients listed above; it is designed to help alleviate the symptoms your dog may be experiencing safely and without side effects.

The company has a free trial offer (USA only). For more information on Pet Bounce, click here 'http://www.pet-training.info/Dogs/Recommends/Pet_Bounce_joint_pain_relief/".

Learn what vets know.

New Dog Video - Too Cute For Words

Major Upgrade of Pet Training Site

New dog training and healthcare information for 105 species of dogs at www.pet-training.info

Lots of advice, at least 12 articles per species, on training, housebreaking, breeding, feeding, nutrition, and more.

Food-Guarding Issues

If you've never seen a dog with serious food-guarding issues, it's difficult to appreciate the potential severity of the problem. Food-guarding issues are not necessarily a reflection on the personality or training level of the dog: it's an instinctive thing, and although dogs with a general aggression problem are naturally more prone to demonstrating the condition, it's also exhibited by otherwise sweet, well-behaved, well-adjusted family dogs. Like an evil djinn, the problem can rear its ugly head only when food (or the food bowl) is present: a real case of Jekyll and Hyde.

A dog with serious food-guarding issues can be a real danger to anyone who should approach her during a meal: it's not a scenario in which you can expect to train your dog to "play nice". Instinct is what's compelling her to act in this undesirable, and even dangerous, way. You need to take steps to turn the behavior around before your relationship with your dog suffers or somebody gets hurt.

There are different degrees of food guarding. In the mildest case, a dog will merely tense up a little or freeze if somebody approaches her while she's trying to eat. She may even continue eating, but her posture will be rigid and stiff: she'll clearly be uncomfortable. Signs that the problem is more severe would include a marked increase in eating speed, a direct, hard stare right at you (often accompanied by a still, tense, "watching" posture), a lifted lip, a snarl, a snap, and finally a real bite. NOTE: A dog exhibiting any of these last three symptoms has a pretty severe case of food-guarding aggression, and may be prepared to inflict actual harm. If this is the case with your dog, hiring a hands-on trainer may be the best answer for you: it'll ensure your safety, and they'll be able to examine your overall relationship with your dog and see if there are other areas contributing to the problem.

A food-guarding dog is a pretty confused one. In her mind, she's got your role mixed up. She fails to recognize that you are the dispenser of food (which should accord you automatic alpha-dog status, ensuring your immunity from any kind of aggression or dominance), and instead is viewing you as a threat: a blackguard who might be going to take away her precious food. Hence, the possessiveness.

The degree of aggression that a food-guarding dog is capable of might be hard to understand, until you consider the fact that food is one of the greatest pleasures of your dog's life. Dogs are scavengers by nature: they're programmed to eat just about anything they can get their jaws around. As well as the instinctiveness of this gluttony, most dogs also simply enjoy the tactile and gustatory sensations that come with a good meal (or an indifferent one .. and sometimes even a bad one). They just ... like to eat. And it's this overwhelming importance that's placed on food that gets some dogs a bit mixed up: their grasp of the situation gets a bit thrown off, and they begin to wonder, miser-like, who might happen upon them and take away their cherished food. The obvious conclusion: you. Or anyone else who comes along at meal-time.

To cure her of this frustrating and antisocial habit, you need to remind her that you're actually the purveyor of that which she holds so dear: to make it clear to her that you're the one in charge of the kitchen, and of all the delightful morsels contained therein.

Dogs can develop food-guarding instincts at any point in their lives: some will have had the problem since puppyhood, but for others the tendency lies dormant until it's awakened by an item of particular juiciness. For most dogs, the deciding factor is meat, in some shape or form - whether it's a marrowbone, a mutton hock, or cast-off scraps from the dinner table. Meat to dogs is like money to humans: it can change them, make them do things they otherwise wouldn't do. So it's not entirely surprising that the intrinsic value of meat-related foodstuffs can give our dogs a new, unpleasantly skewed perspective on the sanctity of the food-bowl.

Because of the possibility of food-guarding becoming an issue in your dog's behavior at any point in her life, prevention is obviously the ideal path to take: whether you get your dog from puppyhood or adopt her as an adult from a shelter, you should make a point of approaching her during mealtime.

Have you ever heard a friend with dogs ask you to "leave her alone when she's eating"? This is a short-term solution at most: it'll prevent anything untoward from happening, provided that all the humans play by the rules and ensure that they don't disturb the dog - but the dog is still the one calling all the shots. And what will happen if the unexpected occurs? What if a toddler charges full-tilt towards the dog and makes a playful grab for her bowl?

In a wolf-pack, the alpha dog is never disturbed when he or she is eating. Not only does she get to eat first, and eat the lion's share of everything; but he or she also eats undisturbed. This is why a dog that's permitted to eat in solitary splendor can actually become more food-aggressive, not less; without anyone to take her down a notch, she begins to assume more authority than she actually has.

To prevent your dog from getting an overinflated sense of her own importance, make sure you disturb her plenty while she's eating. Don't make a point of tiptoeing around whenever the food bowl's out; it'll just accustom her to solitude and silence when she eats (which are things that only the alpha wolf or dog is entitled to).

At the other end of the spectrum, don't make these disturbances a negative experience for her either, or else you may actually create a problem where none previously existed. All you have to do is approach her from time to time while she eats - starting from the very day you bring her into your home - and add something tasty (and small!) to her dish while she's eating, to make the connection in her head that 'humans approaching food bowl = good news'. A spoonful of scrambled egg, a piece of liver treat, a few chunks of cheese - anything that she'll enjoy, and that has a greater "food value" than the kibble she's eating, will work perfectly.

Of course, if it's too late for preventatives and your dog already has a problem, you'll need to adopt a very different approach.

Here's what to do:

- The dog bowl is going to be put away for the next seven to ten days. Over this time, you're going to be feeding your dog by hand - one small handful at a time. Yes, I know this is going to be time-consuming, but the alternative is even worse: a dangerous dog that can't be trusted around food. So feed her by hand for the next week or so. Be sure not to encourage any greedy snapping or grabbing for the food: only allow her to take the food from your hand when she does so gently. Remind her that bite inhibition is necessary to get what she wants!

- Once at least a week has passed and she's eating politely from your hand, you can reintroduce the food bowl, with one slight modification: it has to be empty. And it stays empty until you pass by and drop a small handful of kibble into it for her to eat. When that's been polished off, wait at least a full minute before adding another, small, handful of kibble. Keep doing this until the entire meal's been consumed. This is a very effective way of teaching your dog to actively long for your presence near her food bowl!

- When she's graduated to the next stage, you can start setting down a half-empty food bowl for her. Don't let her lunge at the bowl and start gobbling: holding the bowl out of reach (or placing it on a handy counter), make her sit and wait before you allow her to eat. Don't put the bowl down until she complies. Sit or crouch beside the bowl and continue to add small handfuls of kibble, just as you did in step two, until a full meal's been eaten.

- The fourth, and final, step is to allow her access to a full food bowl. Again, it's very important that you do not allow her to call the shots: she must sit and wait until you release her with an "OK!" before she's permitted to eat. To keep the message clear in your head that you are in charge of the food in this house, practice calling her away from her food a few times a week and rewarding her with a super-tasty treat for her exemplary obedience while she's trying to eat.

If at any time your dog's behavior gets shaky on any of these four steps, backslide until you've reached the stage at which she is 100% reliable. Wait at this stage for at least two or three more days before attempting to progress once more. As with any training, it's essential that a solid foundation is built before moving on to the next level - she must be completely comfortable with each step before trying a new one.

Further Reading

For detailed, in-depth information on canine behavioral problems (both preventing and dealing with them) take a look at Secrets to Dog Training. It's the complete handbook for responsible dog owners, and is packed with valuable advice and step-by-step how-to's for dog training.

More info at Secrets to Dog Training.

Reward your dog with 180 Fantastic Gourmet Dog Food Recipes

How to Wash Your Dog

Even if you've got the most easy-care dog in the world, she'll still need some attention to be paid to her appearance every once in a while -- so it's worth spending a bit of time learning the best techniques for easy, stress-free grooming.

Why Should I Bother Grooming My Dog?

Not so long ago, the average American's approach to canine grooming was somewhat cavalier. Dogs were seen as something that lived in the yard (usually in a dusty, hard-floored kennel), ate whatever was put in their bowls, and existed as a sometime-playmate for the household's children.

Today, we tend to care for our dogs a lot more, and view them more as members of the household than the Thing in the Yard.

Ever since this rise in the estimation of our beloved pooches became widespread, grooming has been increasingly recognized as an important facet of your dog's regular health-care. It ensures that any skin-care problems are minimized (because grooming distributes the natural skin-oils evenly throughout the coat), and assists you in monitoring your dog's overall condition -- if you groom on a regular basis, you can't help but notice the presence of any unusual lumps or bumps.

This preventative action has saved many a canine life. Our dogs can't tell us where it hurts, but taking just a little bit of time every so often to check them over ourselves can save a lot of grief in the long run.

The trick is getting your dog to tolerate (and even enjoy!) the process ..

The First Step in the Grooming Process

Something that many owners lack experience in is how to wash their dogs. Dry-grooming (brushing and 'buffing' the coat) seems to present little problem for most people; the rot tends to set in when water is introduced to the mix.

Most dogs have a strong dislike of being bathed, and in many cases will become utterly panic-stricken when the tub comes out.

This article is going to deal with the basics of how to wash your dog in a way that'll keep both of you relaxed and happy.

Preparing Your Dog for Grooming

First of all, the absolute most important thing you can do is to accustom your dog to the grooming process. Now, starting this in puppyhood is the ideal way to handle the situation, but of course not all of us have this luxury; if you've got an adult dog, you'll probably need to move a little slower, but you should still start getting her used to being touched and handled all over as soon as you can.

As your puppy or dog gets used to the sensation of being rubbed and handled, she'll slowly come to enjoy it. Dogs are social creatures by instinct, and physical affection and contact is a big part of their lives -- it shouldn't take long before she begins to trust you, and allows herself to get some pleasure out of your touch.

All you have to do is start rubbing her slowly all over. Fondle her ears, touch her cheeks and neck, rub her back and belly, pick up her paws and -- if she'll let you -- give each one a gentle squeeze (treating and praising her whenever she lets you do this, since paw touching is generally a pretty big deal for most dogs). If she has a tail, rub it between your fingers; get her to roll over on her back so you can rub and stroke her belly and hocks.

This might not seem like such a big deal, but it's actually a really important part of the grooming process: the more your dog enjoys it, the less stressful the whole event will be for both of you, and so the more often you're likely to groom her -- which increases the health benefits for her.

How to Wash Your Dog

Bathing always comes before dry-grooming, since it makes brushing and trimming a lot easier as well as a lot more effective (there's not much point in brushing a tangled, dirty coat!)

You will need some basic tools: a tub, a non-slip mat, a plastic jug, some warm water, a small sponge, and some canine shampoo (not human shampoo: the pH is all wrong for dogs, and will give her dry and flaky skin.)

Stand her in the tub, on the non-slip mat. If she's a large or unruly dog, you may want to wash her outside to minimize mess -- either that, or you can restrain her by tying one end of a light nylon leash to her collar, and the other end to the faucet.

Pour jugs of warm water all over her until she's good and wet. This breaks down the grease in her fur, and ensures a thorough shampooing.

Mix a little shampoo with another jug of warm water, and rub it thoroughly into your dog's fur. Start off with her back and rub it into a good lather (but don't be too harsh!)

Now you can move on to her head and face. Be very careful here -- dogs' eyes are sensitive too, and if you get any water in her ears, she'll probably get an ear infection. (You can plug her ears with a small twist of cotton wool to help stop this from happening, if you like.)

Remember to clean under her tail before you wash her off -- dip the sponge into the shampoo mixture to do this properly.

Now it's time to rinse: using the jug and some clean, warm, shampoo-free water, carefully tip it all over her and use your fingers to help disperse the lather from her coat. Rinse her off thoroughly at least twice, since any residue that remains will irritate her skin.

Now you'll need to dry her off: if she's got short fur, you can use a towel (an old one will do just fine, although big dogs generally need two); for dogs with longer fur, give her a gentle toweling-off first, and then use a hair dryer to get rid of the last dampness. Be certain that it's set on low heat, and hold it far away from your dog's fur to prevent burning either the skin or the fur.

Keep Yourself Calm

Remember that most dogs have an inherent dislike of being bathed, which can cause anxiety and even outright panic.

Your dog takes a lot of her emotional cues from you, so make sure you act like a good role model for the occasion. Reassure your dog frequently, keeping your voice well-modulated, low, and even; keep your movements slow and deliberate; praise her lavishly for good behavior, and give her a couple of treats throughout the process to make it more enjoyable for her.

The more she enjoys the process, the easier it'll be for you!

For More Information

Grooming your dog is just one tiny aspect of maintaining overall health and happiness. For a complete, encyclopedic survival guide to all aspects of dog health, from preventative care to choosing a vet to doggie First Aid (even the canine Heimlich maneuver!), you should take a look at The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health.

A survival guide for knowledgeable, effective, and life-saving dog care, this manual keeps your dog's health and wellbeing firmly within your control -- which is exactly where you want it to be.

To be the best and most responsible owner you can be, take a look at The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health.

Learn what vets know.

Jumping on the Furniture

Deciding whether or not your dog is permitted access to the furniture is a pretty big deal. If you have a big dog, it's an even bigger deal.

Furniture access is a matter of some importance for two reasons: firstly, because it's mighty inconvenient to have to fight for space on your own couch; and secondly, because it strongly relates to the matter of dominance, which is of the utmost importance as far as a harmonious dog/owner relationship goes.

Your dog knows that the furniture -- in particular, your bed -- is your turf. If he's allowed up onto your personal, private territory as a matter of course and whenever he feels like it, that's conceding a pretty big point to him; especially since it's rarely a two-way issue (when was the last time you invaded your dog's own turf and snuggled down for a nap in his bed?).

It's best to be aware of these things before making a final decision on furniture access for your dog. If you do decide to allow him unimpeded access, you'll need to make sure that you're extra-stringent with the other facets of alpha-dominance to prevent him from getting an over-inflated sense of self-importance.

Generally speaking, it's a good idea to forbid your dog access to the furniture outright, until he's at least five or six months old.

When a puppy's growing up, he's forming the basis of his conceptions as to what constitutes appropriate behavior, and he's figuring out his own ranking in the social hierarchy of the household. If he's allowed to leap onto beds, couches, and armchairs (the three most-prized pieces of furniture in the house for any dog) at will and from day one, he'll have a skewed view of his own ranking.

He won't see it as the privilege that it is: he'll see it as his God-given right, and something to be taken for granted. This does a lot towards equalizing your dog's rank with your own, which -- as far as your role as the owner goes -- is decidedly not a good thing. To maintain a good relationship with your dog, not only do you need to be the boss, but he needs to know that you are.

To prevent attitude problems from developing in adolescence, it's generally best to keep your puppy as humble as possible -- which means that he needs to appreciate being allowed up 'on your level'.

Rule number one, as far as this issue goes, is consistency. You must be consistent! Once you've made your decision as to whether or not he's to be allowed up on the furniture, you will have to stick with that decision, or else -- whatever that decision was -- you won't have a hope of enforcing it.

So, if he's to be allowed up on the couch but not the bed, for example, he must never be allowed up on that bed -- not even for a moment. If you decide not to allow him up on any furniture at all, you must ensure that nobody counteracts your decision and invites him up there.

Changing the rules according to human whims and impulses isn't fair on your dog. It'll just confuse him. He can't tell the difference between an expensive new couch and a grubby old one, or between clean paws and muddy paws. This can have a detrimental effect upon your own peace of mind (not to mention your dry-cleaning bill), and if you take that frustration out on your dog, it's confusing and upsetting for him.

This is why, if you're going to allow him any access at all, it's a fantastic idea to impose limits: to teach him that he can't just leap up as and when he chooses, but that he must wait for an invitation.

Inviting your dog to join you on the couch is pretty easy. All you have to do is pat the seat next to you, and -- in a cheery, friendly tone -- say, "Up you get!". Most dogs need little more encouragement than this, and will be up like a shot before the second syllable's even passed your lips.

You'll also need to enforce the "off" command -- this allows you to relax in the knowledge that, when you want some leg room, it's there for the taking; and also reminds your dog, in no uncertain terms, that his furniture access is not a right -- it's a privilege!

As is to be expected, most dogs are less enthusiastic about obeying the "off" than they are the "up you get" command: on occasion, you may be required to resort to physical force to maintain obedience. Don't worry, it's not inhumane in the slightest, merely highly effective.

Here's what you do:

- First of all, supply him with an attractive alternative. Being asked to get off a comfortable couch to lie on the unadorned floor is hardly something he's going to respond to with enthusiastic obedience: set him up for success, not failure, by giving him a comfy dog bed. You can make one yourself, out of towels and pillows, or you can purchase ready-made dog beds in a variety of sizes and materials from the pet store.

- When it's time for him to disembark, point to the dog bed and say, "Off" in a calm, authoritative voice. No need to raise your voice or shout: use a no-nonsense, but pleasant, tone.

- If there's no immediate response, do not repeat yourself. Keep your arm pointing at the bed, and maintain eye contact. If you have a perceptive dog, often it's enough to simply intensify your expression (raising your eyebrows or tightening your mouth).

- Wait for 30 seconds (which will feel like an eternity!).

- If there's no response after 30 seconds, you can resort to a physical enforcement of your request.

The Humane Physical Enforcement

Some owners drag their dogs off by the collar, which is effective in the short-term (provided your dog is of a size that you can physically handle). However, it's not recommended - simply because, as a technique, it allows your dog to demonstrate his refusal to obey you.

He can still dig in his paws and strain against your opposing force, which is both downright disrespectful and counteractive to all the alpha-dominant behavioral training in the world.

It's much more effective to think smart: make him get off under his own steam, simply by making the couch (or chair, or bed) uncomfortable for him.

To do this, slide your hand, palm-down, under his rear. Slowly slide your arm forwards, using it as a lever to gently and slowly pry him off the couch. It raises his bottom in the air by degrees, which is increasingly uncomfortable for him -- enough to make him leap off the couch of his own volition.

This is both more effective, and physically a lot less demanding, than dragging a reluctant dog off by his collar: by making him want to get off when you ask him to, you're strongly enforcing your obedience requirements, which is great for your role as an authority figure.

Further Reading

For more information on canine psychology and behavioral problems, check out Secrets to Dog Training. It's an absolute goldmine of valuable information and advice for the responsible dog-owner, and covers just about every topic you could ever need to raise a happy, healthy, well-adjusted dog -- everything from obedience work to correcting problematic behaviors to dog-whispering to teaching 'tricks' is covered in full detail.

Reward your dog with 180 Fantastic Gourmet Dog Food Recipes

Leash Problems

Exercise is a major part of our dogs' lives. Cesar Millan, the "Dog Whisperer", tells us that to maintain a healthy relationship with our beloved pooches, that relationship should consist of 50% physical exercise, 25% discipline, and 25% affection. That's a lot of exercise!

In order for us to be able to enjoy exercising our dogs as much as they need, it's important for them to behave well both on the lead. Unfortunately, there are many dogs out there who are afraid of the leash itself -- resulting in neurotic, fearful, submissive behavior whenever the lead comes out.

In this article, we'll take a look at the most effective way to deal with fear of the leash.

Fear of the Leash

The majority of the time, the sight of the leash is enough to bring on a fit of joy -- the dog knows that leash means walk, and reacts accordingly.

For some dogs, though, the leash connotes fear and submissiveness more than anything else. Perhaps the leash was used in a negative way with a previous owner -- as a tool for dragging the dog around. Perhaps it was used to confine the dog for long hours at a time. In some extreme cases, dogs have even been whipped with the leash as punishment. Or perhaps your dog is just very highly strung, and is prone to developing phobias seemingly arbitrarily.

Although fear of the leash can have a severely negative impact on your walks with your dog, the good news is that it's easy to cure. You just need some patience and some basic equipment.

What you'll need

- A leash, made of webbing or leather. Approximately 5 feet (1.25 meters) is a good length, as it enables control without risk of the dog getting tangled in the leash when out walking. Chain-link leashes aren't recommended, as they're hard on the hands -- and also can flick the dog in the face, which isn't something you'd want to inflict on any dog, let alone one that's suffering from fear of the leash!

- A good-quality collar, again made of leather or nylon webbing. If you're using one with a snap-lock, make sure it's safety-approved and won't come undone under pressure. Slip-chain collars (also known as 'choke-chains' or 'check-chains') should never be used on an unattended dog, as they're a training tool, not a real collar.

- A little bit of time, and a little bit of patience.

What to Do

- Your aim here is to accustom your dog to the lead a little bit at a time, keeping him well within his comfort zone at each step of the way. Because he's already got a fear of the leash, some discomfort in its presence is to be expected, but watch out for signs of extreme fear: hyperventilating, drooling, submissive urination, rolling eyes (often showing the whites).

So step one: remember to take baby steps at all times!

- If he's really afraid of the leash, you'll need to accustom him to it very slowly indeed. Practice leaving it out in full view, preferably in 'fun' places: next to his food bowl, in preferred play areas, near his bed.

- Once he's stopped reacting to the sight of it, introduce the leash to him in a more active manner. You can do this by wrapping it around your hand as you pet and groom him. Hold the leash in your hand as you prepare his food; sit by him and stroke him, with the leash wrapped around your hand, as he eats. Keep this up until he's stopped showing any signs of discomfort -- it may take some time, but remember that you're aiming to accustom him comfortably to the leash. Any rushing is counterproductive.

- When he's not showing any signs of nervousness with this level of progress, you can start attaching the leash to his collar. Put him in a sit-stay, using a firm, calm voice, and clip the leash on. Don't make a big deal out of it: your dog will take his emotional and psychological cues from your behavior. If you act as though it's not a big deal, he'll follow your lead.

- Once the leash is on, give him some time to get used to the sensation of something hanging off his neck. He may get a little panicky at this stage, and start pawing at his neck and trying to rub the leash off along the ground. If he's showing signs of nervousness, distract him with a game: a short game of tug-o'-war (providing he knows to drop the toy when you've had enough) is a good idea; if he can run without getting tangled in the leash, play a short game of fetch; or, if the two of you are outside in a safely enclosed area, you can go for a short walk. Don't attempt to touch the leash at this stage, just let him walk around freely.

- Take the leash off after five minutes or so, and praise him lavishly for being such a good boy. Give him a couple of small, tasty treats, and lots of petting.

- Repeat these last three steps several more times before progressing to the next level: you want to give him plenty of opportunities to get used to the sensation of the leash itself before you start using it to control his walking. The more positive associations he forms with the leash (which he will do through the games, walks, and treats while wearing it), the better for his progress.

- Next, it's time for a short obedience-training session while he's wearing the leash. Five minutes is plenty: practice a sit-stay and the recall command ("come") while he's wearing the leash. This will reinforce your authority and leadership, and remind him that he's still expected to obey you while wearing the leash.

- When he's readily obeying your commands with the leash on, you can take him for a short walk while he's wearing it. If he's jumpy, do not reinforce his nervousness by rewarding him with attention. Simply ignore him and carry on walking. Remember, he takes his cues from you, so keep calm and wait for it to pass.

- If, at any point, you feel that he's simply too nervous to proceed (for example, if he's still panicking after three or four minutes of walking on the leash), go back to the level at which he was last 100% comfortable. Wait a few days at this stage before attempting to proceed.

Things to Remember

- Remember to be patient! Don't attempt to rush your dog's progress: using force is counterproductive to your end goal. You're teaching him to relax and be calm around the leash -- if you get stressed or frustrated with his lack of progress, he'll be able to tell, and his anxiety levels will increase, not decrease.

- Remember not to indulge his nervousness or coddle him if he plays up or gets nervous. If you react to his crying and trembling with petting and cooing, you are telling him that it's OK to feel like that. If he's nervous, either ignore it and carry on, or distract him with a game or short walk. If he's still panic-stricken after three or four minutes, revert to the previous step and give it more time.

- This should go without saying, but never correct or punish him for skittishness or nervous behavior -- again, it's counterproductive in the extreme.

For Further Information

For more information on a variety of leash-related problems, as well as a detailed look at the whole spectrum of common canine behavioral problems, you may want to check out Secrets to Dog Training. It's a comprehensive training compendium for the responsible owner, and covers just about every topic you could ever need for building and maintaining a happy, healthy relationship with your dog.

Information on housetraining your puppy: http://www.pet-training.info/Dogs/Recommends/Potty_Professor

Introducing the Family Dog to the New Baby

After welcoming a baby in to the world you are probably concerned about how your dog is going to react to him or her. Many people surrender their pets to shelters because of exhibited jealousy from their dog after a new baby's arrival and fear of the infant being harmed by the animal. Yet many families have been successful in introducing their dogs to the new baby. Introducing your dog to you baby is a process that needs time and the utmost of care to ensure a happy and safe welcoming process! The steps to ensuring your dog acts appropriately around the baby when he or she is finally taken back to your home are twofold usually -- preparing your dog for the infants arrival and introducing your dog to your infant.

Preparing your dog:

Preparing your dog for the baby's arrival in advance is one of the best ways to help avoid friction and jealousy between your baby and your dog. Your dog is used to your attention and pampering, some jealousy will naturally surface when your new baby becomes the center of attention. Taking some precautions, a few minutes of quality time and some extra treats can go a long way! Be sure to:

� Take your dog to your local Veterinarian for a complete checkup a few months before the baby arrives.

� Worms and parasites can be harmful to your baby so be sure to worm your dog before the baby arrives and at the normal intervals to keep on top of this problem. If your dog is not spayed or neutered, this is also the time to get it done.

� Encourage friends with infants to visit your home to accustom your pet to babies. Supervise all pet and infant interactions.

� Allow your dog to explore the baby's sleeping, diaper changing areas, and related items such as baby powder, lotions, and diapers to become familiar with the new smells and objects. Apply baby lotion or powder to your hands, for example, and allow your dog to sniff the new smell. Dogs rely on their sense of smell, so familiarity with the new baby smells will help him or her recognize the baby as a part of the family. If possible, allow your dog to smell clothing that your baby has used before you bring the baby home.

� Accustom your pet to baby-related noises months before the baby is expected. For example, play recordings of a baby crying (there are CDs out now for this exact training purpose -- (see www.soundtherapy4pets.com/ for CDs with baby noises), turn on the mechanical infant swing, and use the rocking chair. Make these positive experiences for your pet by offering a treat or playtime.

� Do not allow your dog to sleep on the baby's furniture or play with the baby's toys. Your dog should know that the furniture is not for him or her and should treat it as such. Provide toys for the dog that do not resemble baby toys. A dog may take the toy from the baby's hand and unintentionally injure the infant.

� If the baby's room will be off-limits to your pet, install a sturdy barrier such as a removable gate (available at pet or baby supply stores) or, for jumpers, even a screen door. Because these barriers still allow your dog to see and hear what's happening in the room, your dog will feel less isolated from the family and more comfortable with the new baby noises.

� Use a baby doll to help your pet get used to the real thing. Carry around a swaddled baby doll, take the doll in the stroller when you walk your dog, and use the doll to get your pet used to routine baby activities, such as bathing and diaper changing.

� Finally and very importantly, be sure that your dog knows that you and your family are alpha over him or her -- this is crucial to ensure you can reprimand your dog should any jealous signs show when the baby is brought home.

Introducing your dog to your infant:

The actual introduction of your dog to your newborn baby is of utmost importance and the first few meetings can often dictate how your dog responds to your baby in an ongoing basis. For this reason, it is crucial to undertake the introduction process slowly and properly. Tips for the first meeting include:

� When the baby comes home, another person should hold the baby while you greet your dog. Your dog has missed you and it is important to pay attention to him or her when you first get home.

� Greet your dog happily and bring him or her a new toy as a gift to associate the baby with something positive. After your dog's excitement about your homecoming has dissipated you should start introducing your baby to the dog.

� If you are unsure of you dog's behavior, leash or restrain him or her during the introduction. Talk to your dog, pet and encourage him or her to get a good look and sniff the baby's hands and feet. Do not force a reluctant dog by pushing the infant in front of the pet. Allow the pet to explore the new smells at their own pace. Never leave your baby unsupervised with your pet. An infant is incapable of pushing the animal away and your dog may inadvertently smother the child. The actions of a baby may scare your dog and cause it to bite in self-defense. If your dog reacts aggressively, put him or her in another room until it is calm and try the introduction again.

� After the initial greeting, you can bring your pet with you to sit next to the baby; reward your pet with treats for appropriate behavior. Remember, you want your pet to view associating with the baby as a positive experience. Again, to prevent anxiety or injury, never force your pet to get near the baby, and always supervise any interaction.

� Life will no doubt be hectic caring for your new baby, but try to maintain regular routines as much as possible to help your pet adjust. And be sure to spend one-on-one quality time with your pet each day � it may help relax you, too. With proper training, supervision, and adjustments, you, your new baby, and your pet should be able to live together safely and happily as one (now larger) family.

For more information on dog training techniques and how to deal with problem dog behavior (like accustoming your dog to children), check out Secrets to Dog Training. It's the complete manual for dog ownership and is designed to fast-track your dog's learning.

More information on training your dog here.

Fear Biting

A fear-bite is a bite that occurs out of sheer panic. It's not to be confused with dominance-aggression, which is a sign of deep-set personality problems; a fear-biter isn't necessarily a 'fierce' dog. He's just scared.

Why does fear-biting happen?

A fear-biter bites because it's his only way of expressing his extreme fear or panic, and his only way of telling his owner that he can't handle the situation.

Almost all cases of fear-biting are actually caused by well-meaning, but ill-advised, humans: they see what's clearly a scared dog, and -- intending to either comfort the dog or to show him that there's 'nothing to be afraid of' -- they approach too close, and push an already-anxious dog over the edge.

Dogs can't ask us to please leave them alone. They can't tell us that something's bothering them, or that they need some space: all they can do is sign the message to us through their body-language.

It's easy to tell when a dog's feeling scared or panicky once you know what to look for. Fear-biting never just happens 'out of the blue': it only occurs when people ignore the signs.

Fear-biting: the warning signs

Fear-biters are submissive dogs. When faced with a new situation or unfamiliar people, they do not react with the customary effortless confidence of a well-socialized, well-adjusted dog: instead, they become nervy and on edge.

A scared dog, when faced with the unfamiliar, will assume a distinctively submissive posture, and will display several marked behaviors. The more common of these are listed below.

Posture

- Tail tucked (or, if docked, the back legs will crouch down and the haunches will 'tuck') - Hunched, lowered back - Ears flat against the head - Elbows bent in a slight crouch

Behaviors

- Excessive panting (hyperventilating) - Yawning (an attempt to reduce tension) - Avoidance of eye contact - In extreme cases, a dog may also urinate or defecate out of fear

What makes some dogs into fear-biters?

All dogs undergo what's called a fear-imprint stage when they're about eight weeks old, and another one at about fourteen weeks. During this period of a dog's formative puppyhood, he's significantly more prone to 'spookiness': being excessively startled by new experiences and situations. If a dog has a scare during this time which isn't properly dealt with by the owner (ie, after receiving a scare, he isn't then taught not to be frightened of that thing), he may develop a life-long phobia towards that object.

For example, if he's been frightened by a repairman arriving at the door unexpectedly, and isn't then acclimatized to that person, he may develop a long-standing phobia of men who resemble that repairman (men with beards, men in overalls, men holding toolboxes, etc).

Some dogs are also just highly-strung and more prone to anxiety because of their breeding. Certain breeds -- typically, the more intelligent ones, and the ones emotionally dependent on close, regular interaction with humans -- have proven themselves more likely to develop phobias and excessive shyness than other, more emotionally stable breeds. A few of these 'anxious' breeds include Weimaraners, Great Danes, and Border Collies.

A history of trauma or abuse is another major cause of fear-biting: many abandoned or abused dogs develop anxiety problems, which, without proper treatment, may progress into fear-biting.

The difference between shyness and fear-biting

It's quite natural for some dogs to exhibit signs of shyness towards unfamiliar situations. It doesn't mean that that dog is a 'difficult dog', or that he will grow up to be a fear-biter -- some shyness is to be expected in almost all dogs at one point or another.

Shyness only becomes a problem when it begins to interfere with the course of daily life: when a dog can no longer be trusted around strangers, for example, or if his behavior is endangering his own safety (scared dogs often bolt, sometimes across busy roads), or when your own life becomes significantly restricted by your dog's fear.

How to cope with fear-biting

First of all, make sure your own attitude to the problem is realistic. While the behavior of a fearful dog can often be significantly ameliorated by careful training and acclimatization, on other occasions -- and sometimes, despite your best efforts -- a dog will remain fearful to the end of his days.

You cannot force your dog to overcome his fear. Treatment requires patience, persistence, and consistency: rough treatment (anger, frustration, shouting, a take-no-prisoners approach) usually worsens the problem, because it increases the dog's anxiety levels instead of decreasing them.

You cannot train a scared dog not to bite: he's responding to a powerful blend of instinct and sheer panic. No training in the world can counteract these two things -- as motivators, they're just too strong.

What you can do is, firstly, build up your dog's confidence, to reduce his overall anxiety and tension levels; and, secondly, pay close attention the cause of his fear, and work to desensitize him to it.

Building up his confidence

Obedience training is a great vehicle for doling out praise and rewards: simply dispensing treats at random won't do any good, since the issue here is drawing attention to achievement and good behavior (your dog can tell the difference between an earned and an un-earned reward!).

Start small, with basic obedience classes, and practice the commands for five to ten minutes every day.

Remember to set him up for success: start off with the easy commands, and make sure he's thoroughly comfortable with them before progressing to the next level. Always treat and praise liberally for good behavior.

Desensitizing him to the fear-object

Desensitizing your dog is all about slowly accustoming him to whatever it is that's eliciting the fear response, at a pace that's comfortable for him.

The emphasis is on maintaining comfort levels: your aim here is to keep your dog happy and serene (as much as possible), so that he learns through direct experience that the cause of the fear isn't actually scary after all.

So if he's afraid of, say, the vacuum cleaner, start integrating it into daily life. Remember to move slowly and not to push him too far, too fast: start by simply leaving it out in a prominent position, where he'll have lots of incidental contact with it (for example, in the middle of the lounge carpet). Allow him plenty of opportunity to sniff it and walk around it, Play with him near it; feed him near it. Integrate the object or the situation (whether it's the garbage truck, strangers approaching the door, small children, driving in the car) into normal, everyday life as much as possible.

Counterconditioning

Once he's become desensitized enough to the fear-object that he's reasonably calm around it (so, he might be exhibiting signs of fear, but isn't panic-stricken to the point of wetting himself or hiding), you can start counterconditioning: teaching him to associate good things with the fear-object. You can do this by dispensing treats liberally, and doling out lavish praise for any improvements in his fear-levels.

Do's and Don'ts

Do:

Cue your dog. He takes his emotional and psychological cues from you, so make sure you're a good role model. Adopt a straightforward, no-nonsense attitude, and stick to it. When he's frightened, talk to him in a relaxed, don't-be-silly manner, keeping your tone matter of fact and direct.

Socialize him frequently and thoroughly. Even though the most critical socialization period is from eight to sixteen weeks, it should still be an ongoing process throughout your dog's life. The more opportunity he has to accustom himself to the ways of the world, the easier it will be for him to see that, really, there's not much to be scared of.

Be patient and move slowly. Don't try to rush your dog, or force him to confront objects, people, or situations that he's scared of -- you're trying to countercondition his learned fear-reflex, and you're not going to do that by teaching him to associate feelings of anxiety with the fear-object.

Pay attention to his body language at all times. Some whining and trembling are OK, but if he's wetting himself, hyperventilating, and showing the whites of his eyes, he probably needs some space. Even though a fear-bite isn't inflicted out of a direct desire to cause harm, it's still a bite, so give him what he needs!

Don't:

Crowd him. Scared dogs need space, more than anything else -- you won't make things easier for him by entering his 'personal bubble'. If he's really scared, back off, and wait for him to approach you.

If he's hiding, or strenuously resisting your direction, pay attention to what he's trying to tell you: that he's not comfortable enough to proceed yet. Forcing him outside his comfort zone is when bites happen.

Don't coddle him or reward his fearful behavior with special attention. It's great to praise, pet, and cuddle him for good behavior, increased calmness, and being brave enough to approach/sniff/explore the object of fear -- it's not good to reward him for fearful behavior. Save the special attention for when he deserves it: remember to reward the behavior you wish to see repeated; ignore the behavior you don't.

For further information

For more information on problem behavior in dogs, check out Secrets to Dog Training. It's a comprehensive training manual for dog-owners, and covers just about everything you could ever want to know about raising a happy, healthy, well-adjusted dog: from canine psychology to dog whispering to preventing and handling problem behaviors to obedience training, Secrets to Dog Training has it all covered.

Learn what vets know.

Is Your Dog Filling Up on Fillers?

Contributed by Sharda Baker

You can never underestimate the importance of understanding the AAFCO pet nutrition standards and of knowing how to read dog food labeling when choosing a commercial diet for your pet. The AAFCO will give its approval to both low and high quality ingredients, and unless you know exactly what's in the commercial pet food your dog is getting, you might think everything is just fine.

But there have been problems with many of the lower quality dog foods and the ingredients that are used that have been brought to light recently. Speaking of problems with dog food will of course trigger the memory of the most recent devastating loss of canine and feline lives due to contaminated food.

Various dog food recall reports indicated the numbers of affected cats and dogs hit the 39,000 mark across the country. Animals became extremely sick or died due to the contamination of commercial pet foods with an industrial chemical -- melamine, used to make plastics and fertilizers. This chemical was found in more than 100 brands of pet food that were recalled in Canada and the USA starting in mid-March.

The major culprit was identified as rice protein concentrate (otherwise called rice gluten), NOT brown rice. Then, concerns were raised about reports of acetaminophen (Tylenol) being found in dog and cat food, followed by salmonella poisoning in others.

The second chemical also found with the melamine was cyanuric acid - deadly when combined. Both were found in the cat and dog food recall in March 2007. Cyanuric acid is commonly used to slow the breakdown of chlorine in swimming pools and hot tubs. It has NO place in pet food!

It was speculated then (and some still hold the same opinion now) that those two chemicals were in dog food because it was a sneaky and unethical way to increase the reported nitrogen content. But the rice gluten contaminate with the melamine was simply what is known as a "filler>"

The dog food recall of those contaminated pet foods has done nothing to stop the use of fillers in lower grade commercial dog foods. Many pet food manufacturers keep their costs down by loading then with bulk which has absolutely no nutritional value. Your pet's food could one or more of a number of fillers, including:

* Cereal by-products * Cottonseed hulls * Citrus pulp * Peanut hulls * Weeds * Straw * Corn and corncobs * Feathers * Soy

These fillers are unfortunately used in the place of quality fiber, and can irritate the walls of your pet's intestines. Yet as food prices continue to rise, the use of fillers will undoubtedly continue so that dog food manufacturers can keep their costs down.

Even the meat meals which you might think are protein sources in your pet's food, if they are not of good enough quality, are nothing more than fillers. All the plant materials used as fillers carry a risk of toxic herbicide and pesticide contamination, and soy is one of the top cited allergens by veterinarians, which causes severe allergic reactions. Reactions can include coughing, sneezing, runny nose, hives, diarrhea, facial swelling, shortness of breath, swollen tongue, difficulty swallowing, fainting, and anaphylactic shock.

Higher end brands of dog food, are products both devoid of any byproducts, and containing the healthiest choice of carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and other nutrients.

These nutrients are best when provided with a recognizable name and not some chemical number. Avoid obscure listings like potato product, rice or peanut hulls, and grape pomace. Look for something more recognizable than words that give you only a vague notion of what you are feeding your dog.

Diligence is required in avoiding these foods as many of them are masked with euphemisms and phrases such as "Moist, chewy" or "contains vegetables," among many more.

Pet food manufacturers pay people good salaries to come up with the words which will entice you to buy their products. You need to know how to read the ingredients behind the descriptions, and decide if they really belong in the dish of your best pal. Don't let your dog fill up on fillers!

About the Author:

Sharda Baker has published several dog ebook and audios, including the Internet best selling "Complete Guide to Your Dog's Nutrition"

Visit the link below now for Sharda's Special Free dog food Report.

More information on nutrition for your dog here.

Dogs and Lifestyle

For some, these two notions might seem too far apart to present any similarities. But still, more than we know, dogs as object of our love or repulsion, affect our lifestyle.

Each and every one of us has gone through at least one experience that included a dog. Whether sad or fortunate, these experiences exist and cannot be ignored. As every other marking moment, emotions triggered by a dog at some point influence our ways from that moment on.

Just for fun, I want to show you what I mean by giving a rather unknown example to prove my point.

Let's say you are over 30 and tried already every diet in the world to loose a few pounds. And naturally, nothing worked. Well, one evening, rainy evening of course, you come across a little fluffy puppy abandoned just next to the garbage can in front of your house. You don't necessarily like dogs, but this one seems different and so alone, maybe even a little sick, that you feel pity for him and take him in...just for the night. And then you keep him another night, and another one till he officially becomes your pet - you can't deny it anymore. You walk him every day at fixed hours and, although you forgot all about your weight problem being too busy living with your little pet, you amazingly reached undreamed results in that particular problem. Surprised?

You shouldn't be, it's known (by some at least) that regular daily 10 - 15 minutes walks are the best diet of all. Try them on your own and you might get bored and give up. But with a dog, the walks are a must, they have to be done, you can't miss any of them.

So, the little innocent dog not only made you a better person since you let him into your house (and heart), but also solved the problem you had that all your determination and lost money on diet products couldn't solve.

If I wasn't convincing enough, just try it. Get a dog. And miraculously you will be a different person.

Information on housetraining your puppy: http://www.pet-training.info/Dogs/Recommends/Potty_Professor

How Much Time Can Dogs Stay Alone?

If you are going to leave your dog alone for a long period of time, then don't be surprised with the behavior issues he might develop. Being alone, he deals with two big problems. The first one is the physical and emotional discomfort, because he sees he is free and he doesn't know what he is allowed to do and what he isn't. Sometimes stress is added because he is afraid of doing something that can get him punished. The second problem comes out of the need of a dog to be permanently around people or other dogs.

If it is a small dog, he should be familiarized to his environment. If a little dog is to be left alone the entire day, then make sure he has enough water and that a big part of the room he is left in will be covered in papers. A small dog needs to satisfy his physiological needs every three hours. Do not under any circumstances leave the dog locked in the doggy house without giving him access to water. You should let him stay in a small room, for example the kitchen.

A good idea might be coming home during your lunch break or hiring someone to walk your dog. This way, he gets a chance to meet other people and dogs and this helps you prevent a home disaster.

Experts recommend that we spend a few hours a day with our dog and to introduce him to as many friends and neighbors as we can until he turns 7-12 weeks old, because at this age, the puppy has the capacity to understand some situations.

If you have an adult dog, that needs to be fed only once a day, it is simpler. The dog will eat at night or in the evening when you get home. You will walk him in the morning and when you get back from work. But try not to be out of the house more that 8 hours because he has a schedule, he knows exactly when he is given food and when he will be walked. If you don't follow the same schedule most days, the dog will be stressed and the house a mess.

Never leave the dog alone when you are planning to go on a trip or on a vacation. If possible, take him with you or if not, hire someone or ask some friends to take care of him.

It is important to make it up to your dog. If you have to leave him alone a lot during work days, try and spend more time with him on weekends and holidays. Behavior issues can be easily corrected if you just play more with the dog.

One of the best books on dog training.

Store Bought or Home Made Dog Food?

Contributed by Sharda Baker

The massive pet food recall of 2007 had millions of dog owners terrified that they had unwittingly been poisoning their beloved pets. If you and your dog survived that frightening time, you have undoubtedly been more careful in your choice of dog foods ever since. But how is the average dog owner to know what's really going into doggie's dish? One way to know for sure is to make your pet's food at home, but that can be very time-consuming. The other option is to know which commercial food is the the best nutrition/" TARGET="_blank">dog food, that is both safe and nutritious.

The question of what to feed your dog is a sensitive one as there are many different camps advocating many different ideas, facts, and theories. For many owners, the question is solved by finances. To put is simply, if the owner can afford the nutrition/" TARGET="_blank">dog food then that type and brand is going to go into the food bowl. While this approach may seem sensible, especially when the monthly budget is taken into consideration, it may not be best. Why feed the dog sub-par ingredients and face vet bills later on that may have been avoided in the first place by choosing the right food?

The dog foods found on most grocery store shelves, the generic or store brand ones, are not usually considered among the best foods for your pet. More often than not, these brands are full of ingredients that are lower in quality and inexpensive. While these brands provide a cheaper alternative to the other brands, they are generally not recommended. A quick glance at the ingredients can provide an example of lower quality food.

Generic meat ingredients without a specific species named is not a good thing to feed a dog. Avoid phrases such as "meat byproducts" or "meat and bone meal". Look for brands that can list the animal that they use as an ingredient, like "chicken meal" or "beef". Also, avoid any brands that list corn as their main ingredient. You are feeding a dog, after all, and not a pig or a cow.

But, you say, Fido is delighted with the store brand food, which retails for half of what the brand names do? That's because Fido's been tricked. Chemicals have been added to that food, creating a pleasing color and aroma which Fido finds irresistible and which hides the fact that the food is not one of the best dog foods. These chemicals are easy enough to spot if you know what to look for. Coloring agents, drying agents, and texturizers are just some of the tell-tale ingredients that should cause you to sit up and take notice.

There are, of course, premium commercial dog foods which provide the highest grade ingredients free of harmful additives, and in another newsletter we'll explore how to find them. But they will cost a premium price, and if you are a hands-on dog owner, you might be more interested in preparing your pet's meals yourself.

This option of making pet food at home has become more and more popular over the past few years as it allows owners to choose directly what is going into their dog's bowl. Feeding doggie homemade food, however, does not mean allowing him or her to dine on the family's leftovers. It means researching the proper balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats for your dog, and finding the foods which will provide them in an easily digestible form. One of the best known homemade diets for the canine set is the BARF diet.

And now--what does BARF stand for? Seems you can say it stands for a couple of things, but the most often cited explanation is Bones And Raw Food. The other one floating around on the Internet is Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, which is attributed to Dr. Ian Billinghurst, one of the original Barfers.

The BARF Diet is suitable for many dogs but it takes time and dedication on the owner's part. While there are noticeable differences between the BARF diet and a diet based on commercial dog foods, the purpose of both diets is to provide the dog with the best nutrients possible.

BARF is about feeding a biologically appropriate diet for a dog that is made up of raw whole foods like those eaten by their ancestors. This would include muscle meat, bone, fat, organ meat and vegetable materials and any other foods that mimic what the wild ancestors ate.

The BARF diet, however, is not always the best method of feeding your dog and it takes a great amount of time to prepare and research the foods. Conversely, commercial brand dog foods have undergone several tests to insure that they are compatible with the dietary needs of the dog. Basically, a dog will receive just about the same benefits of the BARF diet if he remains on a commercial diet and may even receive more nutrients that way.

The important thing you, as a dog owner, should know is that commercial nutrition/" TARGET="_blank">dog food is not all the same. You can learn much more about what is in each can, pouch, or bag of nutrition/" TARGET="_blank">dog food by becoming educated in label reading, and the AAFCO standards. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide what's the best nutrition/" TARGET="_blank">dog food for your dog.

About the Author

Sharda Baker has published several dog ebooks and audios, including the Internet best selling "Complete Guide to Your Dog's Nutrition.

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Dog Food Allergies Don't Blame That Itching on Fleas

Contributed by Sharda Baker

As a devoted dog owner, you're probably on the lookout for even the smallest sign that your pet's life is not as comfortable as you can possibly make it. So when doggie starts scratching at his belly or biting at his back, you may immediately take him or her to the vet for a flea dip. You'll also and use flea bombs all over the house in and attempt to have a flea-free environment for doggie's return.

But what if you've done all of that, and within fifteen minutes of returning home, the scratching and biting resume?

If your dog shows signs of allergies, but you are quite certain it is not from inhalants in the environment, fleas in his coat or other health problems, your dog could suffer from food allergies.

If, for example, your dog has been eating one particular food or a favorite treat for several months or even years, he or she might have developed an allergy to one of the ingredients in that food.

Your dog can go for months or even years eating the same food with no problem, but over time his or her immune system will be accumulating enough antibodies to finally result in an allergic reaction. If your dog has a bad reaction to a food the first time he or she eats it, this is a food intolerance caused by a toxin in the food (and there are, unfortunately, more of them than you'd like to think) but it's not an allergic reaction.

While it's natural to think that if your dog has a food allergy, he or she will exhibit indigestion like nausea or diarrhea, almost all canine food allergies cause severely itching skin, and dogs with food allergies very often chew incessantly at their legs and paws. If your dog has intestinal distress after a meal, you are almost certainly looking at food intolerance and not an allergy.

The difficulty in diagnosing food allergies in dogs is that most dogs who are allergic will suffer from more than one allergy at a time. So even if you were to attempt to diagnose your dog's food allergy by changing his or her diet, and your dog began experiencing the itching skin of a flea allergy, you might mistakenly think the change of diet was ineffective in treating the food allergy.

Finding the Source of the Allergy

The only way to determine the change in diet has been effective is to eliminate all other possible causes for your dog's symptoms, and put your pet on what is known as an "elimination trial " diet. You will feed your dog a diet which consists of a single protein and a single carbohydrate which you have never fed before, and water, for between two and three months. Because a food allergy takes months or years to develop, your dog will not be allergic to the new foods and should not become allergic to them in that amount of time.

Your vet may either recommend a commercial food which will suit the purposes of your elimination trial diet, or may suggest that you prepare your dog's food at home. While your dog is on the elimination diet, you'll have to be disciplined enough to avoid feeding treats or table scraps, and take away the chew toys. If there are other dogs around, keep your pet away from their droppings. Some dogs will nibble on other dogs' waste, and even that will be enough to invalidate your elimination trial diet.

If your dog's symptoms are seriously improved after two or three months on the elimination trial diet, you'll know that a food allergy was causing them. If they haven't improved, or have worsened, you'll have to look elsewhere for their cause, but you can let your pet return to the old way of eating

One precaution: if you decide to make your dog's elimination trial diet yourself, it won't be fortified with the essential vitamins, trace minerals, and fatty acids necessary to maintain your pet's health. So you'll have to get supplements and add them to the food before feeding your pet.

Nothing is as unpleasant to you, a loving dog wonder as watching your cherished companion suffer needlessly. If your dog is constantly biting and itching, and you are reasonable certain that fleas are not responsible, talk to your vet about what you can do to determine if a food allergy is the culprit!

About the Author:

Sharda Baker has published several dog ebook and audios, including the Internet best selling "Complete Guide to Your Dog's Nutrition

Learn what vets know.

Disobedience

There's a difference between disobedience and incomprehension. If your dog isn't obeying a command because he doesn't understand what it is you want him to do, that's not a behavioral problem at all; it simply means that you need to spend some more time together in training.

True disobedience occurs when your dog deliberately does not obey a request or command, although he has full knowledge of what it is that you're asking him to do (and you know this because he's performed it reliably on several occasions beforehand).

Although this may seem like a relatively minor inconvenience, it's actually a pretty serious thing -- not only can it be dangerous for your dog (for example, if he's heading towards a busy road and ignores your 'come' command), but it's also detrimental to your relationship with your dog.

Disobedience is rooted in disrespect. When your dog deliberately does not obey you, he's saying, "I don't respect your authority enough to do what you want me to do".

If you allow him to get away with this, you are allowing him to form the habit of passive-aggression. This is not something that can just be left to "fix itself" -- the problem will worsen, not get better, if you leave it.

It's very important that your dog recognizes that you outrank him in the social hierarchy of the household. The concept of alpha status is one that you need to be familiar with in order to maintain a healthy, functional relationship with your dog.

It may sound cruel from a human perspective, but your dog is happier when he knows that someone else is in charge of making all the decisions -- including his day-to-day behavior and obedience levels.

It is not possible to have a good owner/dog relationship if he does not understand that you are the clear-cut authority figure: he must know that he's beneath you in the chain of command.

Your first step in dealing with generalized disobedience is to reestablish your dominance. Here are some tips on doing so: - When leaving the house and the car, you must always leave before your dog. This is unmistakable alpha behavior: to a dog, only the alpha leaves first. If you allow him to exit the house or the car ahead of you, you are saying to him, "You're stronger than me; you should go first because you're the decision-maker". Inside doors aren't so important, but every time you leave the house or the car to go outside, you must make him wait for you to go first, until you release him from the 'wait' with a release-word.

- Make him wait for his food. Your family and you must always eat before him -- if it means he has to wait an extra half hour or so for his meal, it won't hurt him any. When you put his food down for him, make him sit and wait until you release him to eat. Keep his feeding schedule varied, so he's always aware that you're in charge of his food -- don't allow him to form expectations of when he should be fed.

- Don't allow him free, uninhibited access to the whole house. The house is your den: you're allowing him to be inside. Remind him that you're allowing him into your den -- it's a privilege for him to be there, not a right - by sometimes allowing him inside, and sometimes sending him outside for half an hour or so. Keep certain areas of the house strictly for your own, as well (such as your bed, certain pieces of furniture, or some rooms).

- Never allow your dog to initiate play. If he's nudging you for attention or to start a game, you may think that it's cute and affectionate; but what he's really saying is, "I'm the boss and I'm telling you to play with me right now." If he starts bothering you for attention, ignore him for a few moments: get up and do something else. Wait until he's given up before initiating the play yourself. Playtime is a fantastic way to bond with your dog, but it should be done on your terms, not his.

- When you arrive home, don't rush straight over to him and shower him in affection. That is not alpha behavior at all -- an alpha dog, upon arriving home, doesn't go over to the other dogs and throw himself at them, saying, "Here I am! I missed you guys! Let's have a cuddle!" -- he ignores everyone else, relaxes for a short while, maybe has something to eat, and only interacts with them when he's good and ready. Even though you're probably good and ready to interact with your dog as soon as you get home, it will make more sense to him -- and underscore your authority -- if you ignore him for just three to five minutes upon arriving home.

Another fantastic way of counteracting disobedience is to start -- and maintain -- a basic obedience training plan. You don't have to do anything fancy or super-demanding; just ten minutes a day of learning and enforcing commands. This can drop to five minutes a day once your dog is completely reliable with the commands.

Here are some tips for a good training program:

- Never give a command that you cannot reinforce immediately if he chooses to disobey you. Every time your dog takes the opportunity to ignore your command, he's learning that it's both easier and a lot more fun to ignore you. For example, if you call across the park for him to 'come' as he's playing with some other dogs, the choices are clear-cut to him: he could cut his play-time short and come to you, or he could ignore you -- which is easy, since you're so far away -- and continue to have fun. Until your dog is completely reliable with commands, he should be on a long line or retractable lead so that you can enforce them if necessary.

- Remember to use your voice to the best effect. Praise should be in a light, cheery, happy tone of voice; if possible, smile at the same time. It makes a difference to your tone of voice, and most dogs will study your face to make sense of your expressions, too. Corrections should be uttered in a stern, brook-no-nonsense tone: you don't need to shout, but your voice should be low and authoritative.

- When you're verbally interrupting your dog, it's more effective to shout, "OI!" or "Ah-ah-ah!" rather than saying, "No". The sounds are more clear-cut, and you'll get a better response.

- Do not repeat a command. Remember, you should be training on a leash or a long line: if he ignores you, he gets a short, sharp tug (some call it a 'flick') on the lead to remind him that you're present, and you're in charge. Repeating yourself teaches him to wait for the command to be repeated at least once before he obeys you.

- Five to fifteen minutes per day is an adequate amount of time for training. Any more than this in one sitting, and your dog's concentration will likely lapse: fifteen minutes of intense training, where your dog is concentrating hard on what you want, is enough to send even the most energetic dogs to their beds for a snooze afterwards.

- You can move on to more advanced training and 'tricks' if you feel like it, once your dog's got the basics completely sussed; but it's not something that you should feel like you have to do.

- Another great option is formal obedience training classes. They're a great way of socializing your dog (he gets to interact with other dogs, and those dogs' owners), and also teaches him to concentrate on what you want despite the manifold distractions taking place around him. It's also very helpful to have face-to-face contact with a trained professional: they can pick up on any mistakes you might be making, and give you advice for tightening up your training techniques.

For more information

For further information on typical doggie behavior, including a fantastic resource for training how-to's and loads of detailed information on preventing and dealing with problem behaviors, check out SitStayFetch. Written by a professional dog-trainer, it's an absorbing guide that deals with all the subjects a responsible dog-owner could ever want to know about - well worth a look.

To visit the SitStayFetch website, just click on the link below: *http://www.kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/?aff=cognos&type=nohop

Reward your dog with 180 Fantastic Gourmet Dog Food Recipes

Recognizing, preventing, and handling dog aggression

A dog is an instinctively aggressive creature. In the wild, aggression came in very handy: dogs needed aggression to hunt, to defend themselves from other creatures, and to defend resources such as food, a place to sleep, and a mate. Selective breeding over the centuries has minimized and refined this trait significantly, but there's just no getting around it: dogs are physically capable of inflicting serious harm (just look at those teeth!) because that's how they've survived and evolved. And Mother Nature is pretty wily -- it's hard to counteract the power of instinct!

But that doesn't mean that we, as dog lovers and owners, are entirely helpless when it comes to handling our dogs. There's a lot that we can do to prevent aggression from rearing its ugly head in the first place -- and even if prevention hasn't been possible (for whatever reason), there are still steps that we can take to recognize and deal with it efficiently.

Different types of aggression

There are several different types of canine aggression. The two most common ones are:

- Aggression towards strangers

- Aggression towards family members

You may be wondering why we're bothering categorizing this stuff: after all, aggression is aggression, and we want to turf it out NOW, not waste time with the details -- right?

Well ... not quite. These two different types of aggression stem from very different causes, and require different types of treatment.

Aggression towards strangers

What is it?

It's pretty easy to tell when a dog's nervy around strange people. He's jumpy and on the alert: either he can't sit still and is constantly fidgeting, leaping at the smallest sound, and pacing around barking and whining; or he's veerrrry still indeed, sitting rock-steady in one place, staring hard at the object of his suspicions (a visitor, the mailman, someone approaching him on the street while he's tied up outside a store.)

Why does it happen?

There's one major reason why a dog doesn't like strange people: he's never had the chance to get used to them. Remember, your dog relies 100% on you to broaden his horizons for him: without being taken on lots of outings to see the world and realize for himself, through consistent and positive experiences, that the unknown doesn't necessarily equal bad news for him, how can he realistically be expected to relax in an unfamiliar situation?

What can I do about it?

The process of accustoming your dog to the world and all the strange people (and animals) that it contains is called socialization. This is an incredibly important aspect of your dog's upbringing: in fact, it's pretty hard to overemphasize just how important it is. Socializing your dog means exposing him from a young age (generally speaking, as soon as he's had his vaccinations) to a wide variety of new experiences, new people, and new animals.

How does socialization prevent stranger aggression?

When you socialize your dog, you're getting him to learn through experience that new sights and sounds are fun, not scary.

It's not enough to expose an adult dog to a crowd of unfamiliar people and tell him to "Settle down, Roxy, it's OK" -- he has to learn that it's OK for himself. And he needs to do it from puppyhood for the lesson to sink in.

The more types of people and animals he meets (babies, toddlers, teenagers, old people, men, women, people wearing uniforms, people wearing motorcycle helmets, people carrying umbrellas, etc) in a fun and relaxed context, the more at ease and happy -- and safe around strangers - he'll be in general.

How can I socialize my dog so that he doesn't develop a fear of strangers?

Socializing your dog is pretty easy to do -- it's more of a general effort than a specific training regimen.

First of all, you should take him to puppy preschool. This is a generic term for a series of easy group-training classes for puppies (often performed at the vet clinic, which has the additional benefit of teaching your dog positive associations with the vet!).

In a puppy preschool class, about ten or so puppy owners get together with a qualified trainer (often there'll be at least two trainers present -- the more there are, the better, since it means you get more one-on-one time with a professional) and start teaching their puppies the basic obedience commands: sit, stay, and so on.

Even though the obedience work is very helpful and is a great way to start your puppy on the road to being a trustworthy adult dog, really the best part of puppy preschool is the play sessions: several times throughout the class, the puppies are encouraged to run around off-leash and play amongst themselves.

This is an ideal environment for them to learn good social skills: there's a whole bunch of unfamiliar dogs present (which teaches them how to interact with strange dogs), there's a whole bunch of unfamiliar people present (which teaches them that new faces are nothing to be afraid of), and the environment is safe and controlled (there's at least one certified trainer present to make sure that things don't get out of hand).

Socialization doesn't just stop with puppy preschool, though. It's an ongoing effort throughout the life of your puppy and dog: he needs to be taken to a whole bunch of new places and environments.

Remember not to overwhelm him: start off slow, and build up his tolerance gradually.

Aggression towards family members

There are two common reasons why a dog is aggressive towards members of his own human family:

- He's trying to defend something he thinks of as his from a perceived threat (you).

This is known as resource guarding, and though it may sound innocuous, there's actually a lot more going on here than your dog simply trying to keep his kibble to himself.

- He's not comfortable with the treatment/handling he's getting from you or other members of the family.

What's resource guarding?

Resource guarding is pretty common among dogs. The term refers to overly-possessive behavior on behalf of your dog: for instance, snarling at you if you approach him when he's eating, or giving you "the eye" (a flinty-eyed, direct stare) if you reach your hand out to take a toy away from him.

All dogs can be possessive from time to time -- it's in their natures. Sometimes they're possessive over things with no conceivable value: inedible trash, balled up pieces of paper or tissue, old socks. More frequently, however, resource-guarding becomes an issue over items with a very real and understandable value: food and toys.

Why does it happen?

It all boils down to the issue of dominance. Let me take a moment to explain this concept: dogs are pack animals. This means that they're used to a very structured environment: in a dog-pack, each individual animal is ranked in a hierarchy of position and power (or "dominance") in relation to every other animal. Each animal is aware of the rank of every other animal, which means he knows specifically how to act in any given situation (whether to back down, whether to push the issue, whether to muscle in or not on somebody else's turf, etc etc).

To your dog, the family environment is no different to the dog-pack environment. Your dog has ranked each member of the family, and has his own perception of where he ranks in that environment as well.

This is where it gets interesting: if your dog perceives himself as higher up on the social totem-pole than other family members, he's going to get cheeky. If he's really got an overinflated sense of his own importance, he'll start to act aggressively.

Why? Because dominance and aggression are the exclusive rights of a superior-ranked animal. No underdog would ever show aggression or act dominantly to a higher-ranked animal (the consequences would be dire, and he knows it!)

Resource guarding is a classic example of dominant behavior: only a higher-ranked dog (a "dominant" dog) would act aggressively in defence of resources.

To put it plainly: if it was clear to your dog that he is not, in fact, the leader of the family, he'd never even dream of trying to prevent you from taking his food or toys -- because a lower-ranking dog (him) will always go along with what the higher-ranking dogs (you and your family) say.

So what can I do about it? The best treatment for dominant, aggressive behavior is consistent, frequent obedience work, which will underline your authority over your dog. Just two fifteen-minute sessions a day will make it perfectly clear to your dog that you're the boss, and that it pays to do what you say.

You can make this fact clear to him by rewarding him (with treats and lavish praise) for obeying a command, and isolating him (putting him in "time-out", either outside the house or in a room by himself) for misbehaviour.

- If you're not entirely confident doing this yourself, you may wish to consider enlisting the assistance of a qualified dog-trainer.

- Brush up on your understanding of canine psychology and communication, so that you understand what he's trying to say -- this will help you to nip any dominant behaviors in the bud, and to communicate your own authority more effectively

- Train regularly: keep obedience sessions short and productive (no more than fifteen minutes -- maybe two or three of these per day).

Why doesn't my dog like to be handled?

All dogs have different handling thresholds. Some dogs like lots of cuddles, and are perfectly content to be hugged, kissed, and have arms slung over their shoulders (this is the ultimate "I'm the boss" gesture to a dog, which is why a lot of them won't tolerate it.) Others -- usually the ones not accustomed to a great deal of physical contact from a very young age -- aren't comfortable with too much full-body contact and will get nervy and agitated if someone persists in trying to hug them.

Another common cause of handling-induced aggression is a bad grooming experience: nail-clipping and bathing are the two common culprits.

When you clip a dog's nails, it's very easy to "quick" him -- that is, cut the blood vessel that runs inside the nail. This is extremely painful to a dog, and is a sure-fire way to cause a long-lasting aversion to those clippers.

Being washed is something that a great many dogs have difficulty dealing with -- a lot of owners, when confronted with a wild-eyed, half-washed, upset dog, feel that in order to complete the wash they have to forcibly restrain him. This only adds to the dog's sense of panic, and reinforces his impression of a wash as something to be avoided at all costs -- if necessary, to defend himself from it with a display of teeth and hackles.

Can I "retrain" him to enjoy being handled and groomed?

In a word: yes. It's a lot easier if you start from a young age -- handle your puppy a lot, get him used to being touched and rubbed all over. Young dogs generally enjoy being handled -- it's only older ones who haven't had a lot of physical contact throughout their lives that sometimes find physical affection difficult to accept.

Practice picking up his paws and touching them with the clipper; practice taking him into the bath (or outside, under the faucet -- whatever works for you, but warm water is much more pleasant for a dog than a freezing spray of ice-water!), and augment the process throughout with lots of praise and the occasional small treat.

For an older dog that may already have had several unpleasant handling/grooming experiences, things are a little more difficult. You need to undo the damage already caused by those bad experiences, which you can do by taking things very slowly -- with an emphasis on keeping your dog calm.

The instant he starts to show signs of stress, stop immediately and let him relax. Try to make the whole thing into a game: give him lots of praise, pats, and treats.

Take things slowly. Don't push it too far: if you get nervous, stop.

Dogs show aggression for a reason: they're warning you to back off, or else! If your dog just can't seem to accept being groomed, no matter how much practice you put in, it's best to hand the job over to the professionals.

Your vet will clip his nails for you (make sure you tell him first that he gets aggressive when the clippers come out, so your vet can take the necessary precautions!). As far as washing and brushing goes, the dog-grooming business is a flourishing industry: for a small fee, you can get your dog washed, clipped, brushed, and whatever else you require by experienced professionals (again, make sure you tell them about your dog's reaction to the experience first!)

For more information on handling aggressive and dominant behaviors, as well as a great deal of detailed information on a host of other common dog behavior problems, check out Secrets to Dog Training.

It's a complete owner's guide to owning, rearing, and training your dog, and it deals with all aspects of dog ownership.

To get the inside word on preventing and dealing with problem behaviors like aggression and dominance in your dog, Secrets to Dog Training is well worth a look.

You can visit the Secrets to Dog Training site by clicking on the link below: *http://www.kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining

Learn what vets know.