I moved into a new house about 14 days ago.

The funny thing about this house is that–when you walk into the master bathroom, the light switch is on the left side, opposite of where the sink is.

Well, practically every other house I’ve ever lived in has always had the light switch on the right side–or at least on the same side as the sink.

And I’ll be a monkey’s uncle if EVERY SINGLE TIME I’ve walked into that bathroom, my hand doesn’t instinctively reach to the right to turn the light switch on. Even after 14 days, my prior conditioning has been so engrained that when I consciously try to remember which side the light switch is on… my hand still shoot out to the right, instead of the left.

This is the exact same type of conditioning we aim for when training our dogs. And this is why I advise that— even after your dog understands a command–you continue to say, “come” and then give a tug on the line… up to a year after the initial training session.

I want your dog to be so conditioned to respond to commands that it becomes an automatic response–just like turning to the right instead of the left, to turn on the bathroom light.

As I’ve already touched on this concept a few years ago in my book, which you can read more about at Dogproblems.com … I just had to share this experience with you, because it was so comical to the extent to which we animals (yes, we’re animals too!) can develop conditioned responses.

Just like our dogs.
About the Author

Adam G. Katz is the author of the book, “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer: An Insider’s Guide To The Most Jealously Guarded Dog Training Secrets In History.” Get a free copy of his report “Games To Play With Your Dog” when you sign up for his free weekly dog training tips e-zine at: http://www.dogproblems.com

Obedient dogs make the best companions. Time spent training your dog will reward you with a pet that is deeply bonded to you, respects you and is a joy to have around. Training your dog doesn’t mean extinguishing her unique personality, it is simply a means of setting boundaries-something that makes dogs feel secure.

You have lots of option as to how you go about training your dog. Libraries, bookstores and pet stores offer plenty of “how-to” training books. You can also find a lot of great information by surfing the Internet. If you prefer to have a professional by your side every step of the way, enroll in a basic obedience class. Major pet supply chains, humane societies and dog clubs usually offer classes. These classes are an excellent way to socialize your dog and educate yourself. If your schedule doesn’t allow you to participate in a class, check your community phone book for personal dog trainers. Most will come to your home on a regular basis, and provide in-depth training custom-tailored to your needs.

About the Author

This article courtesy of http://www.dog-training-questions.com

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/

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/

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/