Friday, April 29, 2011

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Friday, April 8, 2011

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

How To Teach Your Chihuahua Good Manners and House Rules

You will be happy to know that you can train your Chihuahua to have good manners and be well-behaved. It will take some time and effort on your part, but it will be worth it. Your dog can learn to be polite around your family and friends. A well-mannered dog can be a wonderful companion. You are your dog's leader. Positive reinforcement or a reward, such as nice praise or a favorite treat can be very helpful when teaching good behavior to your dog. A dog owner should appreciate his dog’s good behavior. A Chihuahua with good manners doesn’t bark uncontrollably at people or other dogs. He doesn’t jump on people or chew up your expensive furniture. Also, good housetraining habits are very important for your dog.

Be consistent when training your dog. Remember to keep your dog's attention and have some fun during training. Reward your dog when he demonstrates the desired behavior that you are teaching him. If your dog does something right, it is helpful if you praise him immediately. Focus on the good behavior that your dog demonstrates, not the bad behavior. If you happens to see your puppy starting to chew on your expensive shoes, try to offer him a safe and appropriate dog toy made for chewing instead of the shoes.

Some behaviors you may want to discourage are the following:

Jumping up on people

Barking too much

Chewing on household or personal items, such as furniture or shoes

I will try to give some helpful tips on how to improve these behaviors.

1. Teaching Your Chihuahua Not To Jump Up When Greeting You, Your Friends or Family Members

You probably really love your dog and you may actually be happy when he jumps up to greet you when you come home. However, this is not always practical for you or for other people that may come over to your house to visit. Many people are a little scared when dogs jump up on them. Your friends and other visitors may wear very nice clothing that they don't want ruined by accident. Sometimes, you may have a few large grocery bags in your arms that you are carrying in from the store, or you may have some expensive clothing on that you happened to wear for work or a special occasion. It is up to you whether you want to routinely allow your dog to jump up when he greets you. If you decide that you don't want your dog to jump up, you will need to teach him not to do this and be consistent about it.

To teach your dog not to jump up, you can carefully help him get back down when he jumps up on you and tell him to sit. Give him nice verbal praise when he obeys you. It is good to be consistent when teaching your dog not to jump up when greeting you.

For example, if you are wearing your old clothes on the weekend and you think it is fine for him to jump up during these times, but not when you are wearing your expensive clothes, he will get confused. The important thing for your dog to understand is that he is definitely allowed to greet you, but instead of jumping up, it will be in a sitting position. If you continue to praise your dog when he obeys, he will probably quickly learn what is expected of him.

2. How To Help Prevent or Control Excessive Barking

It's only natural, dogs bark to communicate with their owners or other animals. It is important for your dog to understand when it is appropriate to bark and when it is good to be quiet. Dogs will bark for several different reasons. It's their way of communicating and expressing themselves. Listed below are some common reasons why dogs bark.

Dogs may bark to try to get your attention. They may start young as puppies with a little crying or whining sound to communicate with their mom and family litter. Puppies or grown dogs may whine when they want something like food, when they are frustrated or scared, or just when they want some attention. It is common for a new puppy to whine at night because they may be lonely or frightened. Sometimes, we may not realize it at first, but we may actually reward the puppy for whining by giving the puppy the attention he wants. It may be helpful not to reward a puppy or grown dog that may be whining just for attention. When your puppy is quiet and relaxed you may wish to reward him with nice praise or a favorite treat. It is important to remember that teaching your puppy good behavior from the start is easier than changing inappropriate behavior later on.

Socializing your puppy is very important. You may want to introduce your puppy to situations that may cause anxiety later on. It is helpful for puppies to learn how to cope with their environment in a healthy and positive way. Positive influence in the early weeks of the puppy's life can be very beneficial.

You can go slow and gradually introduce your puppy to a variety of items and sounds that are routinely around the house so they become a little familiar to them. Some sounds that may be new to your puppy are the following: doorbell ringing, telephone ringing, sounds from an alarm clock, noise from a vacuum cleaner, sound of the television or any music playing.

Your dog may bark because they are so happy about playing Frisbee outside, going for a walk or for nice ride in a car. They may also bark because they are excited when friends come to your house to visit.

Your dog may bark when he hears other dogs in your neighborhood barking.

Your Chihuahua may bark to try to warn you, if he sees an unfamiliar person coming to your home. It is common for dogs to bark at mail carriers.

Another common reason why dogs bark is because they are bored. It is important to routinely provide enough appropriate exercise and attention for your dog every day.

You may need to understand that chances are you are probably the most important person in your dog's life. When a dog that is routinely used to constant human companionship and attention is left alone, the dog can experience some separation anxiety. Your dog may not understand why he cannot go with you and he may worry about whether or not you will be coming back home to be with him. Your dog may bark or howl when he is experiencing separation anxiety.

Some ideas that may possibly help minor separation anxiety include the following:

Don't be very dramatic when you are leaving or returning to your home. When you return back home you can calmly pet your Chihuahua and reassure him.

When you have to leave your dog in the house, you can give him a piece of clothing that has your scent.

You can make a reassuring habit of using a certain word that you routinely use every time you leave that tells your dog you will be coming back home.

Possibly, if the dog could hear the sound of a radio or television, it may be calming and relaxing.

Sometimes, having safe and appropriate dog toys available for your dog will be a little distraction and help to keep them busy.

Next, I will mention ideas to help dogs that may have a habit of chewing furniture or some of your personal items.

3. Why Dogs Chew and Some Helpful Tips About Chewing

There are some basic reasons that dogs chew. Puppies may check out some of the new things in their environment by putting objects in their mouths. Puppies may also chew to relieve pressure of their new little teeth erupting through their gums. They may teethe for about 6 months, which usually causes some discomfort. Chewing can make their sore gums feel better.

Some dogs chew because they are bored. It may be helpful to give your dog enough daily attention. Safely taking him with you when you do errands, if possible, may give him a change of scenery and some variety.

Dogs chew to relieve stress. Maybe, your Chihuahua is experiencing separation anxiety. Dogs that don't get enough exercise use up some energy by chewing. Another reason why dogs may chew is because as a puppy, they were not taught what to chew and what not to chew. For example, chewing can be done on a safe bone or safe chew toy.

A Few Helpful Tips About Chewing

You can make a good habit of keeping clothing, shoes, books, trash, and children's toys out of your dog's reach.

You may decide to use a safe place that's dog-proof in your home and provide fresh water and safe and appropriate dog toys.

It is helpful for your Chihuahua to have enough attention and exercise each day. When you are deciding on the amount of exercise, keep in mind his age and health.

If you happen to see your dog chewing on something he shouldn't, you can offer him a safe chew toy instead. You may also wish to offer your dog a treat in exchange for the item in his mouth.

Your dog will need time to learn the rules about chewing and remember to take precautions, and keep things out of his reach that you don't want him to get. Training your dog to learn good behavior is so important for your dog or puppy. Effective communication is necessary to teach your dog what you want him to do or not to do. Hopefully, it will be a positive experience if you teach your dog not to jump up on you or your friends, and not to chew the furniture.

A dog may be more calm and relaxed when he knows what is expected of him. Always remember the following factors are very important when training a dog: attention, consistency, repetition, patience, love, rewards and understanding.

It is also important to routinely spend quality time with your dog. You will want your dog to trust and respect you and feel secure. A dog should feel that his new home is a safe and dependable place. Dogs enjoy spending time with their families. A dog usually appreciates an owner who will love, lead and protect them.

A few ideas for spending quality time with your dog include the following:

You can enjoy walks together.

You may wish to take your dog on errands with you, if possible.

You may want to let him sit with you while you watch television or talk with friends on the phone.

You can provide a special place for your dog to sleep, like a nice dog bed.

Maybe, you can get into the daily habit of brushing his coat, while he sits nice for you.

Dogs usually respond well to a daily routine schedule. A good schedule may help him stay relaxed and confident. Your dog can understand your house rules.

Hopefully, some of these things may help you develop a nice relationship with your Chihuahua. Reward your dog when he has done something right. You may want to reward him with lots of positive praise, a big hug, a favorite treat or some nice play time.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The Responsibilities of Caring For a Puppy

By Jeff Van Dalsum

Caring for puppies is not something that should be taken lightly. A large percentage of puppies are later abandoned due to the fact that the owner was not fully prepared to care for another life. Typically, the owner later realizes that he doesn't have enough time, energy, or money to make the commitment.

To comprehend this immense responsibility, think of it as adding a new baby to your family. He will require constant attention, supervision, care, and love. It's a lot of hard work at first, but the results are very rewarding.

To fully understand what it means to care for a puppy, there are several aspects that you will be responsible for and that you should understand before you make the commitment.

Health
Caring for a puppy means constantly monitoring his health. One of the first things you should do as a new puppy owner is to select a veterinarian and schedule an appointment. Your new puppy will need certain vaccinations to prevent common diseases. Worms and fleas can also be a problem for puppies so make sure to discuss this with your vet. Always be on the lookout out for signs that could indicate that your dog is sick. Ideally, a perfectly healthy puppy should have smooth skin, a clean coat, and bright eyes.

Sleep/Rest
Caring for a puppy also involves preparing a safe and cozy sleeping place. Choose which room he will sleep in ahead of time. If you decide to let him stay in your room, you should know that there could be howling, whimpering, and barking as the puppy deals with separation anxiety the first few nights. A good way to ease this transition is to bring his bedding to the breeder or shelter (wherever you receive him) a few days before taking him home to give the puppy a familiar object in your house.

Feeding
You will also be responsible for feeding your puppy each and every meal. If you have other pets, you should be sure that each one has his own set of bowls for water and food. Sharing bowls tends to lead towards territorial conflicts and bullying as each pet tries to assert their dominance over one another.

Also, the quantity of the food that you give him varies over time. Puppies eat much more frequently than older dogs and also have extremely different nutritional requirements. Therefore, it's important to select the right type of dog food for each stage in his life. As a general rule of thumb puppies 6 to 8 weeks old eat four times a day, 12 to 20 weeks old eat three times a day, and 20 weeks and older eat only twice a day.

Play/Exercise
Another aspect of caring for puppies that is very important not to overlook is play time and exercise. Make sure to establish a safe place where your puppy will be allowed to be himself. This may be indoors or outside, but either way the area should be a controlled environment for the first few months of your puppy's life. Play with your puppy regularly to promote socialization and healthy development.

Also, make sure to buy appropriately sized toys for your puppy. If he is small, he should have smaller toys. For larger breeds, small toys can be a choking hazard. Most toys such as bones, ropes, stuffed animals, and balls come in all different shapes and sizes.

Potty Training
Potty training can be one of the most frustrating parts of owning a new puppy, but it's very important to get right. When and where to potty are the things that your puppy has to learn, and it may take some time. If you're at work during the day, you should seriously consider crate training.

Grooming/Cleaning
Proper upkeep, such as grooming and cleaning, are an essential part of puppy care. Not only will it encourage healthy development, but it will also remove unpleasant odors. Most puppies love to be brushed so don't be afraid to give it a try. It will remove dead hair and keep his coat beautiful. Also, don't forget about brushing his teeth and gums regularly.

Now that you understand what it takes to properly care for a puppy, you might be feeling slightly overwhelmed, but you shouldn't. Caring for a puppy is only difficult at first. The adjustment is the hardest part. Once you establish routines and good habits, the only thing left to do is enjoy the company and make memories together. The most important thing is to prepare your life for a puppy ahead of time to reduce the time it takes to adjust to your new family member.

Perfect Puppy Care is a website dedicated and developed by puppy care enthusiasts who have taken it as their goal to help you raise a happy, healthy, and well-behaved puppy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Van_Dalsum

A Safe and Comfortable Dog Bed for Your Chihuahua

Your loyal dog would more than likely appreciate and welcome a very comfortable and cozy dog bed. Usually dog owners select a good dog bed, along with a new collar, leash, healthy dog food and water dishes for their new puppy. You may want to consider your dog's personality, lifestyle and age when selecting a style to match your dog's needs. Your Chihuahua may be so happy to have his own special sleeping space, so he can routinely get a good night's sleep. You may wish to read Why Every Dog Needs a Bed: "Dog beds provide both physical and emotional comfort. HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT ONE".

Dog beds can also be very beneficial for dog owners. Once your dog gets accustomed to using his own bed, he might not be so likely to jump up on your bed or couch at night. This may possibly help to prevent injuries by keeping your dog from jumping up and down on your furniture. Having a dog bed located in one specific area in your home may also help in controlling the spread of dog hair and dander.

Some dog owners may choose to have a couple of dog beds for their pets. People sometimes put a comfortable dog bed in their home office area, the living room, the family room, or in the finished basement, where the family may watch TV. Their pet can relax and enjoy their company while they are working on their computer, talking on the phone or enjoying a movie. Your Chihuahua can use his comfortable bed just to relax when he is tired out or to get some quiet time, if the household is extra busy and chaotic at times. You may want to read the following article: Dogs & Dog Beds.

Hopefully, a good dog bed can offer some cushioning support for your dog's joints and bones. An appropriate dog bed can help to provide warmth and protect him from a cold, uncomfortable floor. It can also give him a feeling of security.

There are a few important things to think about when selecting the right bed for your own dog. First, you will want to make sure the bed is big enough for your dog. The dog bed should be large enough in size to comfortably support him when his body is stretched out and relaxed at night for sleep.

It is a great idea to take into consideration your dog's unique sleeping habits. You can observe your dog where and how he sleeps to check for special sleeping patterns. Does your dog like to curl up on a chair or sofa with a blanket or does he really like to stretch out? Some dogs like to even sleep on your bed with their head right on a soft pillow. With the help of some of these clues, you will want to determine exactly what kind of bed would be best suited for your dog.

There are so many varieties of good quality dog beds to select at the pet store or while shopping for dog supplies online. There are roomy, square or round lounging dog beds that are nice and soft. Another style is a nestling type bed, which has supportive sides for your dog to rest his head. There are also bolster beds, which may be good for dogs who love to sleep with their head resting on an armrest of a chair or a pillow.

The veterinarian may recommend certain types of supportive orthopedic dog beds for older or arthritic dogs. They are often made of foam and/or box spring construction. The traditional or classic dog beds may come with machine-washable covers. Another style would be the mats or pads, which are usually made of foam construction. There are also travel dog beds for families on the go.

A good dog owner will want to make sure their dog's bed is safe and made very well. The construction of dog beds may consist mainly of foam, polyfil, or box spring support, or a combination of all three. Hopefully, your dog will benefit from the support for their bones and joints, comfort and warmth, and also a nice feeling of security.

Don't forget about the outdoor dog that sleeps in a doghouse. You may wish to get an outdoor-safe bed for an outdoor dog. It is so important to protect your outside dog. They make dog beds that are tough and water-resistant.

Where you place your dog's bed in your home is also an important factor. You may want to have the dog's bed in a quiet, safe place in the house. A peaceful and comfortable corner or section of the room may be nice. You probably will want to pick a special sleeping area for the dog where there is not much noise that would disturb him. The Chihuahua may feel a little more confident and secure if he can still see the people in the house from his sleeping area. Just knowing that you are there may help him to stay relaxed and calm.

Most puppies in a new home environment may feel somewhat anxious and have a difficult time at first trying to quiet themselves down to sleep for the night. I will offer some helpful tips on how to help a new puppy sleep through the night. A new puppy may whine to get your attention. Everything may seem so new to your puppy in the beginning until he gets a little used to his new home. He may miss his mom and family litter in the beginning.

The puppy may enjoy having a favorite, safe dog toy or dog blanket with him for a feeling of familiarity and security. Dogs sometimes instinctively circle around their sleeping place where they are going to sleep. If you want the Chihuahua puppy in his bed at a certain time, you can begin a daily routine schedule and try to have him go to bed around the same time every night, so he gets used to this habit. But, if the puppy leaves his dog bed, you can nicely put him back in his bed, so he gets the idea and learns to get comfortable in his special sleeping space.

When the puppy gets accustomed to where his bed is, you may tell him to go into his own dog bed when you want him to go to sleep at night. Dogs like to know what is expected of them. Hopefully, he will soon learn a nice bedtime routine.

So the puppy can sleep good at night you may want to allow for adequate and appropriate exercise for the puppy throughout the day. You can plan a routine schedule for meal times for the puppy. Dogs usually respond well to a nice schedule. It may be helpful to get into the habit of some calm, quiet time before the actual bedtime. The Chihuahua puppy may need to go outside to eliminate immediately before bedtime. Providing background sounds, such as a very soft background sound of a TV or radio may calm the puppy down and relax him at night.

A puppy may need to eliminate in the middle of the night. If the puppy needs to go out during the night, he may whine, pace or bark. You can take him outside in a safe manner to eliminate and bring him right back to his sleep area to go back to sleep. He should learn to understand that it is time for sleep and not time to play during the night. The Chihuahua puppy will learn that his owner is a good leader and he will feel loved and protected. Hopefully, with a few helpful ideas you and your puppy will get sufficient sleep every night and be happy!