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Stop Dog Growling
If you are a dog owner, no doubt you love your pet dearly, but perhaps you have some behavioral problems with him or her. One of the most common problems with dogs is growling — or, rather, the fact that you want to stop dog growling.
What is dog growling, and how do you stop dog growling?
Keep in mind that first and foremost, growling is a means of communication for your dog. So, you don’t want to take away his or her ability to growl altogether; you just want to control it when it is behaviorally inappropriate.
Most common situations where dog growling occurs
Dog growling occurs most often when your dog feels threatened. For example, maybe you have young children in the family and they move very quickly and in ways that the dog can’t anticipate, so that he or she feels threatened.
Or, perhaps you’re taking your dog for a walk and your dog comes upon an unfamiliar dog that is larger than him but in no way menacing; the other dog is simply strange to him or her. That’s another situation where your dog may growl.
Stopping inappropriate growling behavior
Again, remember that there are going to be certain situations where it is very appropriate for your dog to growl. So when you stop dog growling behavior, you’re not going to want stop it altogether; you are simply going to want to control it to the point where it doesn’t happen in what should be innocuous situations.
Respect goes both ways
If you have very small children and the dog feels legitimately threatened because he or she may be injured (unintentionally) by the child, that is a time when it may very well be appropriate for the dog to growl. Growling is a means to warn the child that he or she is being too rough, and this should be respected, such that the child backs off and leaves the dog alone. If you stop the dog from growling, he or she may resort to other more injurious responses to the rough behavior, like biting, to warn your child to stay away when he or she is being too rough. Of course, you don’t want that.
In this case, you need to instruct your child to move away from the dog when he or she begins to growl, so that the dog can feel safe once again.
When growling occurs in innocuous situations
If a dog begins to growl simply as a matter of course in safe situations (like when a calm person approaches him or her, or when a doorbell rings, or when your child is being perfectly appropriate and calm), this is something that does need to be controlled. The dog must know that while growling will be respected in times of unsafe or dangerous circumstances, growling “just because” will not be.
First, of course, you should take your dog in for a complete physical if he or she does not normally exhibit this type of behavior. It could be that there are hormonal imbalances, allergies, health problems, aging difficulties, etc., that put him in pain or discomfort and that have nothing to do with the so-called growling “triggers.” Take care of the medical problems, and you should see that the growling problem will go away by itself.
If nothing is found physically wrong with your dog, then it’s time to address the inappropriate growling behavior itself.
Remember that you are the “alpha” dog
Reestablish yourself as the “alpha” dog in your “pack.” It may very well be that you’ve let your dog get aggressive and take the lead; however, dogs are happiest when YOU are the “alpha” dog, such that you’re the leader and they follow. So if things have gotten out of control and your dog has become the “alpha” dog, you need to take control back.
In that case, you’ll need to practice some obedience tricks to get your dog to stop growling inappropriately.
When you first witness inappropriate growling behavior (where the dog isn’t really being threatened by anything), give a gentle but sharp tug on the dog’s collar and firmly reprimand him with a loud “no!” It’s perfectly okay to “shame” the dog a little bit, because dogs want to please you and of course you want that. Shame is an unwanted consequence for the dog, so if you shame him a little bit, he’s less likely to repeat that behavior. However, never, ever hit your dog as a form of punishment.
Consistency is key
Finally, as you work with your dog to stop inappropriate growling, remember that it’s really important that you reinforce to your dog that his growling is inappropriate EVERY time it is, or you won’t be able to stop dog growling. If you do, though, you should see inappropriate growling stop and then disappear altogether, in a relatively short amount of time.
Litter Train Dog Techniques
If you’ve got a small dog and you want to be able to litter train him so that you can avoid having to walk him on most days, litter train dog techniques are quite easy.
Litter train dog techniques can be very beneficial to your larger dog as well, especially if he or she is older, has difficulty walking, or must “hold it” for long periods of time during the day when you’re gone, otherwise. Having your dog “hold it” for long periods of time can lead to extreme discomfort, and even health problems that are life threatening.
Most dogs are very, very amenable to training, and will take direction very easily. Use these tips to litter train dog, so that you’re sure your beloved pet is comfortable and safe during the day, while you’re away.
It’s not impossible to litter train older dogs
Despite the adage, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” you certainly can. While it’s certainly easiest to train puppies in litter box training, older dogs will absolutely take to it as well. Choose a litter box that is plenty big enough for your dog to use, and then choose a place that’s out of the way enough so that he or she has some privacy. If necessary, you can place the litter box in a crate; you have to make sure the dog has enough room to turn around in addition to the litter box space, though.
Choosing the right litter box
The litter box has to be large enough for your dog to use, and it has to be comfortable for him or her to get into. So if you’ve got an older dog with arthritic hips, for example, choose one with low sides that’s easy to get into; you can use paper as the absorbent material, which will be very useful in this situation.
Manufacturers these days have also come up with creative ways to make “doggie litter boxes” much more familiar to your dog, such that you can buy “fake Astroturf” litter boxes, and so on. The most important aspect of your choice, however, is that the box is both large enough for your dog to use comfortably, and easy for him or her to get into.
Where to put the litter box
Dogs don’t want to “live” in the same space they’ve eliminated or gone to the bathroom in, so make sure the litter box is relatively far away from where your dog eats and sleeps. Then, the best way to litter train a dog is to lead him to the litter box immediately after eating or drinking. Encourage him or her to “go” in the litter box; at first, this may be difficult, since your dog may think it’s actually a bad thing to “go” inside the house rather than outside he’s used to the latter, but praise him amply after every successful trip to the litter box, and soon, he will catch on.
Of course, if you’ve got a puppy and this is all brand-new to him or her, it’s going to be no more difficult to litter train dog in this way than it would normally be to housebreak your puppy so that he or she would “go” outside. Simply take your puppy to the litter box after he or she has eaten or drunk something, and praise profusely, rewarding with treats as well, when he or she uses the litter box correctly.
Either way, whether you got an older dog to teach litter box techniques to, or you’re newly training a puppy to use a litter box, remember that consistency, praise reward and patience are your keys to success. Litter train dog techniques are not difficult; they just require patience and love. Soon, your dog will be completely used to the litter box so that you should have no more worries about “accidents.”
Training An Adult Dog
You have probably heard you cannot teach an old dog new tricks. Well, this is not exactly accurate you can have success training adult dog but it will not be without challenges.
You may have to exercise more patience with an adult dog in fact than a puppy, but with diligence and attention you most assuredly can teach your old dog a thing or two.
Age
The first consideration when training adult dog is exactly how old is the pet? Puppies are fairly outgoing, adolescents are more leery and an older adult dog can be pretty set in their ways. The age of the dog you are trying to train will affect which training methods will work the best.
Adolescent
A dog can be technically grown but still be in adolescence, this age dog will many times appear hyperactive and curious while at the same time being leery of new people, sounds and objects.
Training adult dog in adolescence will require time and patience to train. You will want to introduce people, noises and new places to the dog slowly and calmly, and your training methods will need to be similar. This is the type of dog you will want to be gentle but firm with once you have established trust.
Adult or Unsure
If you have adopted a new dog from a rescue or pound there is a good chance you will be unsure of their age. Many people prefer an older dog to a puppy because generally house training and chewing issues are already dealt with.
You should be aware that adopting an adult dog like this means you are adopting baggage from the dogs previous owners. Go slowly at first until you determine a bit more about the animal.
Choose a Training Method
There are many options for training adult dog and you may need to try a couple before you find the perfect fit for you and your dog.
Clicker training, lure, rewards, and all or none rewards are all viable options. The latter of the three is one of the most effective tools for training an adult dog, however lure and reward is probably the most practiced.
When you use the lure and reward method you will first request the behavior, such as sit. You will then lure the dog into the correct position on the floor, as you raise a treat in front of him the nose generally comes up and the rump goes down, giving you the desired behavior, which you promptly reward. It may take a bit of practice but before you know it your dog will be performing like a champion.
Bottom Line
When you are training adult dog you must exercise patience above all else. Physical punishment or harsh screaming will never garner the results you are looking for.
Establish a firm but loving relationship with your pet and you will find that training adult dog becomes much easier and rewarding for both you and the animal. Sometimes a previous owner will have inadvertently “trained” a dog to have some bad behaviors.
When you are talking about an older animal this will take some time to overcome. Nevertheless if you persist and are consistent with your requests and rewards you will achieve your training goals.
Stop My Barking Dog! How To Stop Your Dogs Barking
Is the phrase stop my barking dog! one that you often think to yourself? Do you often find yourself wondering why your dog is barking and why he simply won’t stop?
The truth of the matter is that your dog definitely has reasons for barking and if this is a problem that you are running into, there are definitely things that you can do to solve it.
Take some time and consider what your options are when you are thinking about how to calm the racket and to get a little more peace and quiet.
In the first place, think about how old your dog is. If your dog is a puppy and you are leaving him alone for extended periods of time, you will find that there is a good chance that he is barking from loneliness.
Keeping in mind that dogs are pack animals, young dogs will especially get stressed and lonely if they need to be kept on their own. They need to socialize and they do need to be occupied.
A young puppy who barks a great deal does not know any better, and the solution is often going to involve getting him some more company and helping him feel more comfortable in your home.
If you are dealing with an older dog that is barking, you will find that your refrain of stop my barking dog! is one that might be a little surprised.
Has your dog simply started barking out of nowhere?
If you have an older dog that has always had good manners, you might be a little surprised. The truth of the matter is that some dogs do develop behavioral issues as they get older and those do need to be addressed. One thing that you need to consider is what has changed.
Have you moved or have you changed your schedule?
There are many different things that can stress your dog out, and figuring out what is going on can help.
Remember that when you are exclaiming stop my barking dog, that one thing that might be a factor is energy. Barking is like any other activity in that it uses up energy, and if your dog has too much energy, this might be something that contributes.
Is your dog’s breed one that requires a lot of exercise?
If it is, make sure that you are taking him out daily. If he is bored and has too much energy, finding someone to exercise him during the day while you are work is ideal.
The refrain of stop my barking dog is one that many people are familiar with, but they are often not aware that it is one that they can change. Your dog is not barking to aggravate you, and you will find that there are plenty of ways to get them to stop.
Figure out the cause, and after that, finding a solution will likely be quite simple. Just have patience and in short order, this will cease to be a problem.
How To Stop Puppies From Digging Stop Puppy Digging Tips
Not only can your puppy’s digging leave unsightly holes in your yard or garden but these holes can also be dangerous, resulting in a serious fall causing sprains and even broken bones.
In order to stop your puppy from digging you need to first look at where he is digging and why.
Why Puppies Dig
Dogs and puppies dig for basically 4 reasons. They either are seeking shelter, seeking attention, are bored or they simply like to dig.
In order to stop your puppy from digging you need to know why he is digging. Look at where and when he usually does most of his digging.
If your puppy is kept in a fenced in play yard when he is outside with you and is doing a lot of digging in his play yard, check where he is digging and what his actions are. If your puppy is digging in a corner or even the center of the play yard and then laying in the hole he has dug, chances are he is seeking shelter either from the elements or from something that is making him nervous or frightened.
Make sure your puppy has adequate shelter. Something that will protect him from both heat and cold as well as rain and snow. Make sure he has plenty of cold water to drink so he does not get overheated. If his shelter is fine, then check the area around his pen. Are there loud noises or a lot of unfamiliar traffic that could be making him nervous. If so, you may have to move the play yard to a more secure area to stop the puppy from digging.
If shelter does not seem to be the problem then stop to consider if you are spending enough time playing with your puppy. Puppies need a great deal of exercise and mental stimulation. They also need a lot of attention. Playing with him for 30 minutes or so a couple of times a day by throwing a ball or stick for him to chase will meet both his need for attention and exercise. Meeting these two needs may stop your puppy from digging or at least cut down on how often he digs.
Sometimes, puppies dig simply because they are bored and need more mental stimulation. Making sure they have plenty of toys in the yard to play with can help to stimulate them mentally. Treat puzzles that make them work to figure out how to get a treat they want can keep them busy for long periods of time and stop the puppy from digging, by providing them with something more interesting to do.
Whenever you catch your puppy in the act of digging, reprimand them with a sharp “No” and give them a toy to play with. Soon they should get the message that digging is not acceptable.
Providing your puppy with a safe shelter, plenty of attention, exercise and mental stimulation as well as discouraging him from digging whenever you catch him, should in the end stop your puppy from digging. Just keep in mind it will take some time and a lot of effort on your part but will be worth it in the end.
House Training an Older Dog
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