How To Eliminate Unnecessary Barking
Barking is a perfectly natural, normal behavior in dogs- it is how they communicate. Of course, that’s not a good enough explanation for neighbors or relatives of a yappy dog. There are many reasons a dog will bark unnecessarily. Loneliness and boredom are two of the top reasons. Dogs who bark due to boredom are not sure how to behave when they are alone. They are used to being lavished with attention and when it is not provided, they bark because they are upset and unsure of what to do. Some dogs bark just to get your attention. Your dog learns that if he barks and you give in, that barking gets results. Other dogs are territorial and bark to alert you when they see strangers or other animals outside. Some breeds naturally bark more than others. The list goes on and on. You would never want to eliminate barking completely, but your dog can be trained to control unnecessary barking, which will help your dog’s ability to communicate and bark at the proper time if a problem arises. Training your dog to curb unnecessary barking requires you to stay calm and takes lots of patience, but with time, it can be done.
Before you begin bark training, you want to try to find the source of your dog’s barking. Is he hungry? Thirsty? Does he need to go outside? Your dog might just be trying to tell you something simple. If he is barking at people or animals outside, close the blinds or shades to remove his motivation. If your dog does not get enough exercise he will be more prone to behaving badly, therefore barking more. When you leave, give your dog something to do to avoid boredom, such as a Kong dog toy stuffed with treats or plenty of chew toys. If your dog is occupied, he will not think about barking. Make sure your dog gets plenty of brisk exercise every day. There are quite a few methods of teaching a dog not to bark. Some, such as spanking and shock collars are inhumane and ineffective and should not be used. You can purchase a citronella no-bark collar. This method is effective and not cruel. If your dog barks, the collar sprays a small amount of citronella which dogs find very annoying. He will learn not to bark to avoid the spray. Another way to stop barking is to use positive reinforcement to teach your dog to bark on command and this will in turn help him to learn to be quieted on command. You could find something to make a loud noise when your dog is barking, such as a can full of pennies, to get his attention. Every time your dog barks, shake the can and eventually he will learn to stop barking to avoid the noise. Using a clicker to train your dog is effective as well. When your dog is good, always praise him and give him dog treats as a reward.
How to Safely Dye Your Dog’s Hair
One of the latest trends in dog fashion, as well as one of the most controversial, is coloring your dog’s hair. Many people are extremely offended by this practice because they think that it is harmful to dogs, but that is not true. Human hair dye is very harmful to dogs and should never be used, but there are many other options that are safe and harmless to dogs.
Safe options you can find in your kitchen are food coloring and Kool-Aid. You can mix these with water and either spray them on with a spray bottle, sponge on, or fill the bathtub or sink with the colored water and pour over your dog. These are not very long lasting and usually wash out after the first or second wash. This would be a good option for a one time event, such as Halloween or St. Patrick’s Day.
Vegetable based dyes made for humans like Manic Panic come in a variety of colors and are pet friendly. However, for best results, I would suggest using hair dye made specifically for dogs. They are completely non toxic and will not harm your dog in any way and most are CFTA certified.
Before you dye your dog’s hair, brush out the coat to remove any tangles or mats. Test the dye on a small patch before proceeding, to ensure that your dog will not have an allergic reaction. Shampoo your pet and then apply the dye to wet fur and leave on for 15 minutes. Do not get the dye in your dog’s eyes and avoid dying areas too close to eyes. If the color is not dark or bright enough, leave it on for more time to increase color intensity. Rinse thoroughly and dry your dog’s coat. You can use a hair dryer on a low setting to quickly dry the hair and set the color. If you are coloring limited areas such as just the ears or tail, you can apply the dye directly to dry fur. Make sure that you wear protective gloves to prevent staining of your skin. This dye should last between 4 to 6 washes, though results will vary with the type of coat and the breed.
Simple Tricks To Teach Your Dog
There is nothing more frustrating than a dog who just won’t listen to you. Rather than get angry when he chews up your couch or runs wild, why not try obedience training? Though this will not solve all of your behavior problems, it is a great first step to opening communication with your dog. He is not listening to you because he has no clue what you want him to do! Training allows you to successfully communicate your commands in a way that your dog will understand and comply with. Some people may think that training is difficult and best left to professionals who get paid a lot of money, but that is not true. The most basic and necessary commands are really quite simple and you can teach them in only 5-10 minutes a few times a week!
If you have a small puppy, the first thing you should teach him is his name. Once he knows his name, he will know that when he hears it he needs to pay attention to you. To teach this, you will need treats, a leash, and a collar. Put on his leash and dog collar and call his name in a happy and interesting voice. Puppies love to hear the sound of your voice and will naturally look at you when you speak. When he looks towards you, give him a dog treat and praise him. Repeat this a few times every day until he consistently looks towards you every time you call his name. Only use his name once and if he doesn’t respond, give a very gentle tug on his leash so that he will look at you, and then treat and praise.
Once your dog knows his name, the next step is to get him to come to you when called. This command is very important as it could some day save your dog from a life threatening situation. Once again, you will need your dog to be on his leash. While he is not paying attention to you, say his name followed by “come” in an excited tone and tap your legs or move backwards to get his attention. As soon as your dog comes to you, praise him lavishly. If he does not come, tug on the leash lightly to encourage him. Always keep your voice upbeat, making him think that coming to you is the most exciting thing in the world. Repeat this 5 or 6 times a few times a week, and gradually move to getting him to come to you with no leash on. With this trick, it’s better to use treats either sparingly or not at all. If you call your dog in an emergency situation and he sees that you have no treats, he may not come to you.
The sit command is perhaps the easiest one to teach, because dogs sit naturally. Also, once your dog knows to sit on command, it sets the ground work for other commands like “stay” and “down”. All you will need for this trick are treats. Get your dog’s attention and show him that you have a treat in your hand. Hold the dog treat just above your dog’s nose. Don’t hold it too high or he might just try to jump and get it. Say your dog’s name followed by the word “sit” in a firm tone. Move the treat back towards your dog’s ears. He will naturally look up to try to see the treat and this will make him sit down. As soon as his back end lands on the ground say “good sit” in an upbeat tone and give your dog a treat and lots of praise. Repeat this 5 or 6 times a few times a week. If your dog doesn’t sit, try to avoid pushing him into a sitting position or at least do it lightly. His hips can be damaged by too much force. You could try observing your dog and praise him whenever he naturally sits down, saying “good sit”.
Teaching your dog to lay down on command is almost as simple as “sit”. It’s a great way to get your dog to calm down when he is over excited or for when he has to remain in the stay command for a long period. You will need treats for this trick too. Get your dog’s attention and show him that you have a treat in your hand. Hold it in front of his nose. Say his name followed by the word “down” spoken clearly and firmly then slowly move the treat towards the ground. He will follow the treat down and as soon as he is lying, say “good down” in an upbeat tone, followed by treats and praise. Repeat 5 or 6 times a few times a week. If your dog doesn’t lay down on his own, resist pushing him down. Wait until he naturally lies down and then say “down” then praise and treat him.
The stay command is as important as coming when called- it can protect him from dangerous situations. It can also keep him still and calm when you take him in public, do housework, or have guests. A successful “stay” occurs when your dog doesn’t move at all from the original position. You will need his collar, leash, and treats for this trick too. With the leash on, tell your dog to sit. Give treats and praise once your dog sits, but keep them in the sitting position. Say your dog’s name followed by the word “stay” and hold your hand up, palm out (as if to motion stop) for 1-2 seconds. Say “good stay” in an upbeat tone and give your dog a treat. Release your dog from this command by saying “okay” and then encourage him to move. Instruct your dog to sit again and give the “stay” command again, but wait 2-3 seconds. If he stays, say “good stay” and give him a treat. If he moves, start over at 1-2 seconds again. Over time, gradually increase the time and once your dog has the concept of stay, increase the distance. Eventually you will be able to give the command and leave the room. Then you can try it with your dog lying down or with distractions.
These tricks aren’t really cute or fun, but they are a huge step towards teaching your dog to behave, and they are the cornerstone to more complicated tricks. Once your dog has these mastered, the others should be just as simple!
