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Some Advanced Dog Training Points you should know about COND

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 11:01:25 +0000

By Adam G. Katz

Akeisha wrote to me with some very good questions. I’ve included her letter (and my responses) below:

[Akeisha] Hi its Akeisha again. I do see what you mean if it is on all the time the dog will soon forget it is on and then will behave regardless. Ok, so the dog never wears a buckle collar again? This is what irks me. I want to be able to control the dog regardless of what collar is on not just the pinch or it could be no collar at all and the dog still behaves. What if the owner for some reason takes off the collar then they put the buckle collar on for ID but then forget the pinch collar? Then there is no control.

[Adam] WRONG! The dog gets conditioned. Take off the collar for awhile. Doesn’t matter.

[Akeisha] Do you ever in the training go back to the buckle collar after months of what you recommend with a dog that is happy with doing the commands?

[ Adam: ] Yes, the dog does the command because he is happy and he likes it. But eventually, there will be something that tempts him. This is where conditioning comes in.

Think of it like this: You’ve lived in the same house for 10 years, right? You get up in the middle of the night and you reach for the light switch that is to the LEFT of the door. Pretty soon, you get conditioned to reach out to the LEFT of the door.

One day you travel and stay in a hotel. You wake up in the middle of the night and reach out to the LEFT of the door for the switch… even though you cognitively saw that the switch is on the RIGHT.

In fact, you may wake up for several nights– perhaps even weeks or months– and still reach out to the LEFT, even though the switch is now on the right. Some people will continue reaching to the LEFT for the rest of their lives. Some will begin reaching to the right.

Those people need to be reinforced. Get it?

[Akeisha] Motivational corrections if on the right dog won’t frighten them or make them hate you I know but aren’t there other ways except using the collar that will eventually be established thought training that will allow you to take the collar off and have control?

[ Adam: ] Yeah, this way you can take the collar off and have control, ONCE THE DOG IS CONDITIONED. But eventually you’ll have to go back and reinforce, for most dogs. And definitely if you start expecting to work the dog around new distractions that it’s never been proofed around, such as chickens if the dog has never seen chickens.

Look, I don’t make the rules. The dog is not a robot that you can suddenly say, “He’s done” and expect him to act consistently for the rest of his life. Like any relationship you have with another person, boundaries need to be established and maintained. The dog is like your wife or husband… they will eventually test you.

[Akeisha] Last question, how can the dog not realize the don’t have it on since it feels a lot different than the buckle? Its like my id around my neck at school I have gotten used to it but I do realize when it is off? Just for the record I have no problem with pinches, many members in my 4-H club use them and they work great on the right dog.

[ Adam: ] Because the way you should be using the pinch collar is that the dog (since he has limited reason and logic) does not KNOW that it is the pinch collar that allows you to give him good corrections. But it’s more than the pinch collar. If I put the dog in a number of small yards, with no collar on … and I’m able to chase him down and make him come back to me, if he doesn’t come when I call… then the dog will learn THE UNDERLYING PREMISE that I can make him do it, if he doesn’t. So, the pinch collar and the long line make my job easier, but ultimately, the dog knows (or he thinks at least) that I am a man of my word and when I tell him to do something: If he doesn’t do it, I’m going to make him do it. And his life will be a lot more fun if he does it willingly. So the dog starts to extrapolate this principle to other commands, too.

[Akeisha] Hope I am not being irritating I just like to know why certain trainers value certain methods over others since I love competing in obedience with my dog.

[Adam:] Keep training. -Adam.

Do you want to be able to take your dog anywhere, and KNOW that he’ll listen to you… even if tempted by another dog, a cat, or even a piece of food??? Then check out: “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer: An Insider’s Guide To The Most Jealously Guarded Dog Training Secrets In History!” By Adam G. Katz, Owner of South Bay K-9 Academy. For more information, go to:

http://tinyurl.com/4efaq

About the Author

Author, “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!“ which you can read more about at:

http://tinyurl.com/4efaq

History Of English Bull Terriers

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:35:25 +0000

The English bull terriers came into existence where the bull dog and terrier breeds were crossed. They were originally bred for dog-fighting, but these dogs are lovable companions. The sport of dog-fighting became infamous when bull baiting was prohibited by law in England in 1835. There was need of a smaller breed so that on the arrival of police at the dog fights the dogs could be more easily hidden under one’s coat.

As the dog fights usually remained longer than bulldog fights this dog breed had to be more energetic and light. The older type of bulldog was crossed with different terriers including Manchester terrier for the creation of a new type of fighting dog.

By crossing a bulldogs and terriers many mental and physical features like alertness in terrier, cohesiveness and high threshold of pain of the bulldog amalgamated in one breed.

It obtained the ability of a canine gladiator which would fight to the death to please his master. It got the head which is more closely resembled to that of the early bulldog and it was much leggier compared to bull terrier.

For obtaining symmetrical body, longer head and to get rid of the bowed legs, James Hincks of Birmingham, England, in 1850, first standardized the breed by selectively breeding the old type bull terrier with other breeds, including the white english terriers. This resulted in an all white bull terrier with a cleaner outline and tight shoulders.

In order to distinguish English bull terriers from the bulldogs and terriers which looks same as the Staffordshire bull terrier today, James Hinks only bred white dogs. The English bull terriers breed was firstly named as Hinks Breed and also referred to as The White Cavalier because it was bred to protect himself and his family.

It is a conclusion based on guesswork that other breeds were further crossed along the generations giving bull terrier an egg-shaped head.

Infusion of Dalmatian blood to give the breed a more refined look, stronger and longer legs were confirmed by many sources. The Spanish pointer, The Greyhound, Foxhound and Whippet were crossed along the same lines. Crossing of Borzoi and Collie may also have been occurred into the gene pool for more refinement of the head.

Until 1895, the ears of the bull terrier were cut as closely as possible to make sure that during the fight they would not be harmed by the dog’s opponent. After that cropping was prohibited by law. As it was outlawed bull terrier breeders now sought to breed exemplars whose ear were in good proportion with the rest of their body. The breed suffered a setback when breeders tried to get the required shaped ear without losing other qualities.

The first English Bull Terrier was named as Lord Gladiator and was born in 1917. It was the first dog of the breed that we now know as the English bull terriers.

Some experts suggested introducing colors other than white because there were some problems associated with the white color. Ted Lyon was the man who is known for the development and acceptance of colored bull terriers in the ring, whose favorite color was brindle.

In 1887, the first English bull terriers club was created in England. The bull terrier club published the bull terrier standard in 1888. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1895. Two different sizes, the standard bull terrier and the miniature bull terriers were recognized by AKC in 1992.

English bull terriers are more athletic and more playful today. Their energy make them good companions. They need steadfast handling and regular training.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
Chris Meistre

You brought your puppy home

admin — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:51:20 +0000

It’s your first night with your brand new puppy and you are both very excited. The puppy is frightened and so are you. It’s perfectly normal that you both want to stay close to each other in tough times and the first night is one such occasion. Your puppy is separated from his mother, and you got yourself a baby. However, don’t let your emotions take control over you.

Puppy’s place is not in your bed. At least not at night when you sleep in it. There’s no problem if your puppy (and later an adult dog) sleeps in your bed during the day, but it’s important to keep him away at night. The reason behind this is quite simple—canines have a hierarchy. Wolves from the bottom of hierarchy piramide don’t sleep together with the chief wolf. In your family you are the chief. Your puppy is not. In fact all members of your family should be at some point chiefs to your puppy. This is very important to understand for better living later when dog becomes more stubborn and self-conscious.

Now that you know what you should’t do, let’s see how to survive through the first night. If your breeder gave you a rag from under puppy’s mother, it will be of tremendous help. If not, then prepare a few old unwashed shirts or any part of your clothes which has your smell. It will help the puppy feels safe and cosy, and give him a sense of being near you. Also it’s advisable to give him plenty of old rags so the puppy can dig and make his place more comfortable.

Be sure the puppy has performed everything outside, before retiring to bed. Also make sure he’s not hungry. But don’ feed the puppy once you place him in his bed. This will just awake him and you don’ want a chierful puppy at 3AM. Generally, a good practice is to play a lot with a puppy during the day, so he becomes really tired in the evening.

If there is trouble for your puppy to fall on sleep and he wants to climb into your bed, place his bedding near your bed. To calm him down, just speak to him gently, but don’t touch him. Let him know you are near, but don’t get him used to the physical contact. In the morning, get up early and go outside, so he doesn’t make a mess in your bedroom.

Original source: http://www.themostbeautifuluglydogs.com/

Hair Conditioning

admin — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:35:30 +0000

People often ask us about dogs hair. We received an e-mail from Mrs P. Scott from South Africa, who’d like to prepare her bitch for dog shows, but she said her bitch is not as white as she could be. If anyone has some idea or practical advice on this subject, please let us know.

All of the Grich bullies are fed by “Eukanuba”. We feel it has the best combination of essential nutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals).

We never (well… almost never) bath our dogs, because bath is not friendly to skin’s and hair’s ph-balance. Also, animal’s hair should be a little bit “oiled” with it’s natural grease. That way, the skin is always protected against various athmosphere conditions – sun, wind, rain, heat, cold, etc.

When we come from the outside, we use a clean towel (it’s acctualy THEIRS clean towel) and firmly rub dirt and mud out of paws, but we wait untill it’s dry. Dogs are also sleeping in an old sofa (now it’s doggy’s bed) under our old blankets. We believe that these blankets “polish” their hair, while the dog is making a room under it…

Try to disallow your dog to sleep on a concrete (or any other hard surfaces), as this damages hair very much and then dirt is attached to lower layers of hair or even directly to skin, and this might be difficult to clean only by rubbing with a towel…

For a hair regeneration we highly recommend “Biotine” (the H-vitamine) twice a year.

Original source: http://www.themostbeautifuluglydogs.com/

Strong and Muscular Hindquarters

admin — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:59:15 +0000

Before you start any routine with your young dog, please consult someone more experienced about your dog’s constitution.

If a dog is too young, inappropriate workout could harm his bones and joints. The most suitable person you should talk to is the most probably the breeder of your dog.

The best exercises for the hind legs development are high-intensity, short-duration excercises. The most common excercies fot the hindquarters are sprints and high jumps.

We noticed the best muscle growth after playing with a stick – jumping after it or chasing it in short distances. We found it that training session should not last more than 10-15 minutes and it should start right after the short walk, while the dog’s muscles are warm.

Some owners think it’s too short activity for her (usually hyper-)active pet, but you should take in consideration that if a dog is too tired, the animal could be injured. I know some of the bull terriers finished up in the surgery for that. Of course this happens very rare, but still – be cautious…

All your efforts about tuning your power-pack is futile if not powered with an adequate energy source. Find suitable product, both with a good taste and with quality.

We prefer dehydrated food with chicken basis. Chicken meat should not exceed 29% of the total ingredients – some Bull Terriers have strong allergenic reaction to large doses of proteins.

When choosing dog food, the criteria should be how good, not how many. Food quality is very easily tested by smelling from the bag. If it stinks, reconsider some other brands…

Every six months (when a dog’s hair is changed) in a period of about 2 to 4 weeks, feed your dog with an extra biotine, A, C and D3 vitamins, calcium and phosphorus.

Few more tips:

You should excersize your dog either early in the morning or later afternoon. Avoid midday hot sun
At least 2 hours prior training session, your dog shouldn’t eat.
Don’t let him drink cold water right after the workout, let him take a rest for a moment (old wisdom of our parents).
Beware of an injuries (especially your fingers).
Don’t drink and drive.

Original source: http://www.themostbeautifuluglydogs.com/