Puppies are like children. They can get into unimaginable difficulties when their environment is not structured.

Here is a basic checklist of environmental hazards:

Puppies can open loose cupboard doors. Buy cupboard door protectors or get out the good old duct tape and make sure that the cupboards that are low either can not be broken into or do not contain hazardous elements!

Puppies can chew light cords. Arrange your home so that light cords, TV cables, computer cords, and so on, are hidden behind heavy immovable furniture or are enclosed behind barriers.

Large Breed puppies can put their front feet onto ALL the counters. Push back items that they can get into, take them off the counters, or be prepared to have your most valuable items (such as your TV remote control) dragged off and chewed!

Clothing articles can be DEADLY. I personally have known several puppies around the age of five to six months that have died from ingesting socks or chewing on scatter rugs…. fabric often balls up and creates an intestinal blockage. By the time the vet discovers it, it is too late. Don’t allow your puppy to drag around socks or old towels, take them away and substitute with a dog toy.

Common houseplants can be poisonous. Make sure you know which ones are, and keep them out of the environment where your puppy will be. You can find the poisonous ones through a quick check on the internet.

Household poisons used for insect or rodent control should be absolutely out of the question in the puppies’ environment. Simply do not apply poisons in areas that your puppy has access to, under any circumstance!

Toys should be dog toys. Left over trucks from the kids’ toy box are NOT GOOD. Items which have small parts which can be chewed off or swallowed are NOT GOOD. Likewise, most bones are NOT GOOD. Vets will tell you of the numbers of surgeries they have performed to remove bone shards from the intestines of dogs. If you must provide bones, the bigger “knucklebone” is a good choice because it will not shred off into sharp shards.

Sticks are the favorite as far as retrieving, but sticks in the mouth of running puppies are dangerous. They can jam that stick into their throat if they run into an immovable object, OR they can take out the eye of another dog or even a child. Use good dog toys for retrieving…and be sure the toys are not too small for the dog’s mouth and can not be swallowed!

Nothing “settles down” a hyperactive puppy like a good exercise session. Do not over do, and be careful that you do not demand too much of your puppy before its young bones are ready….but go on walks, by all means. And make these walks a time to teach your puppy the basics of polite manners…sitting when you come to street corners, not barking at strangers that you meet. So that means these walks must be ON LEASH. (It’s better exercise for you, that way, too!) After the “controlled” walk, a good run in a dog park, off leash, or a good swim in a nearby pond are excellent ways to burn off excess energy. The rule of thumb for walking distance for a pup is “no longer than 20 minutes” before six months of age.

Nothing is as important in the care of a puppy as regular vet checks. Be sure that your puppy is immunized at the right times, fed well, exercised well, and spends the majority of its time in a “puppy-safe” environment….and have fun bringing up your puppy!

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As the pet industry becomes larger, so do the pet owner’s choices in dog food. So, how do you know if the dog food you choose is right for your pet?

If you are like most dog owners, your goal is to keep your pet healthy while satisfying his appetite. But just like no two dogs are the same, there is no such thing as an ideal canine diet. Instead, owners should look take a studied look at their pets. Things such as species, activity level, age, and whether the dog is undergoing any physiological changes such as growth, pregnancy, or nursing should all be considered when deciding upon dog food.

Consider Nutrients
However, there are some basic rules of thumb. First of all, pick a high-quality dog food that is rich in nutrients, including energy, protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and water. Pay particular attention to the protein ratio. Typically, dog food with a 20 to 30 percent protein content is ideal.

To ensure your dog’s health, choose a dog food that is easily digestible. A combination of wet and dry dog food will promote healthy teeth and gums. And while it is difficult to turn down a cute and hungry dog, be wary of overfeeding. Overfeeding can lead to obesity, which can cause a number of health problems in your dog. How do you know if you’ve been overfeeding your dog? Just try to feel his ribs. If you can’t feel them, it’s time to cut back a bit!

If your dog has special health or dietary issues you will want to make sure that the dog food meets your pet’s special needs. Check with your veterinarian if you have questions. Or look online for pet retailers who carry dog food. Many of their sites contain excellent articles and other information that can help you choose the right dog food for your pet.

High-Quality Pet Food Popular with Owners

One of today’s popular trends is an increase in high-quality pet foods. As pets replace children and dogs become a part of the family, people who pamper their pooches tend to do so at mealtime as well. Just about every major brand of dog food is coming out with a high-end line, and there are also many smaller companies devoted to the manufacture of high-end, fresh, and healthy dog food. These meals are not only nutritionally balanced, they are delicious and nice to look at. Some dog foods are incorporating human-grade ingredients such as pasta, rice, vegetables, tuna fish, and peanut butter. Others are all-natural or organic.

Even the packaging on high-end dog food is different. Pouring dry kibble out of the bag just won’t do anymore! Many high-end dog foods are now packaged in see-through deli containers. These are attractive but also functional. Owners of small dogs who can’t eat the entire 10 oz. portion at once can reseal the container to keep the contents fresh.

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When it Comes to Dog Training Tools Look No Further Than Dog Clicker Training
By Henry Smoot

We’ve all wondered which dog training methods and tools work best — both for the dog and for us in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. None of us has hours a day to spend on it. We need something that’s fast, fun for the dog so that it keeps its attention, and in the end, effective.

Two methods have long been considered the norm in the United States: correction-based training and positive training.

Correction-based training is exactly what it sounds like. The trainer verbally and physically “corrects” the dog when unwanted behaviors arise. For instance, say the dog defecates on the kitchen floor. With correction-based training you scold the dog, giving it a firm “no!” and probably put the dog’s nose near the mess to further relay how unacceptable that act was and is. Critics call this “violent” and “abusive” — which may be a tad harsh, but their point is well taken. The trainer is using fear as a training tactic. The dog will come when called upon because it fears the consequences of not coming.

Positive training has long been called “cop out training” by critics because you’re essentially bribing the dog into obeying you. For instance, you let the dog outside to go to the bathroom. It runs to its designated bathroom area to urinate. However, it is only doing this because it knows it will be getting a treat after completion. The dog has not learned that it makes sense to urinate outside, it’s learned that it only has to humor you in certain situations to get a treat.

Clicker training is the process of training the dog using a “conditioned reinforcer”, which indicates to the dog the precise behavior that was correct. By using this technique, you can actually train your dog to think for itself. You can certainly still give treats and heap praise on your dog, but the dog will not depend on it to behave correctly. Dog clicker training has been used to successfully train a wide variety of animals throughout the world and is the method of choice for training service and rescue dogs in the United States. It’s certainly becoming the top dog training tool of the 21st century.

If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of dog clicker training, be sure to check out http://www.TrainingDogProblems.com and scroll down to #3 on the Top 5 list. There you will find the internet’s best website when it comes to dog clicker training!

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