Tag-Archive for » florida dog obedience «

The Best Halloween Dog Tips

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
06
Oct 2010

Taking your dog trick or treating is so much fun, and seeing your dog dressed up in a Halloween costume brings joy to those around you.  Kids and adults love it!  But there are a few things to keep in mind when taking your dog out trick or treating.  Here are the top tips to remember this Halloween.

Choosing a Dog Costume

Dog costumes are readily available in big brand stores, such as Wal-Mart and Target.  Find something within your budget.  Find one that is easy to put on your dog.  They come in many different sizes and styles, so it might be wise to have your dog with you at the time of the purchase.

Types of Dog Costumes

There are many different dog costumes to choose from.  Some of the most popular ones are the angel and devil costumes.  But I have seen a taco costume for little dogs, super hero costumes for larger, and cat costumes for those in-between.  There is really no limit to your imagination when it comes to dog costumes.

Taking Your Dog Trick or Treating

Before taking your dog around the neighborhood, there are a few things to do.  One is be sure your leash is secure and the ID tag information is updated.  Also, keep a flashlight with fresh batteries ready.  Some dogs get scared from the new sights and sounds of Halloween.  Minimize the fright factor by using your flashlight when needed.

Also, be respectful to the neighbors.  Not everyone is comfortable with pets.  Thus, bring someone with you to ring the doorbell and let your neighbors know there is a pet present.  This eliminates any negative reactions from homeowners.

To find out more information about how to dress up your dog for Halloween, talk to a Florida dog training expert or a k9 obedience instructor today!

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The Benefits of Dog Training

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
01
Oct 2010

There are many benefits to dog training.  It teaches your dog to socialize with other animals and people. It turns what could have been sketchy interactions into pleasant ones.  It rids unnecessary barking from the living space equation.  It produces a peaceful, confident, loving home for everyone, including your pets.  The entire household becomes a breeding ground for positive development.  Here are some ways to help your dog through positive reinforcement training.

Dog Training Puts a Stop to Hyperactivity

After a long day at work, coming home and seeing your dog is one of the best moments of your day.  But be careful how you enter the house.  You may be encouraging negative behavior.  For instance, if you enter with a high-pitched voice, and you are acting extremely excited, then your dog reacts with the same level of excitement.  It makes your dog bark, jump, and act in a hyperactive manner.  This may not be a problem for you, but houseguests may not welcome it.  Dog training teaches your dog to remain calm and expends energy during training sessions.

Dog Training Teaches Not to Beg

No dinner guests wishes to deal with such unacceptable behavior.  Dog training can help eliminate this negative behavior from occurring.  It teaches your dog to eat only from the doggie bowl and not at the table.  Of course, you have to stop feeding your dog from your own plate.  It only makes the situation worse.
To find out more information about dog training, talk to a Florida dog training or a k9 obedience instructor today!

Category: Florida Dog Obedience Training, Florida Dog Training  Tags: , ,  2 Comments

How to Take Care of Your Dog’s Ears

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
29
Sep 2010

Your dog looks sharp.  The coat is trim, nails short, fur shiny, but what about your dog’s ears?  You need to take care of your pet’s ears on a regular basis.  Here are some tips on what how to take care of this sensitive area.

Ask the Vet to Show You How to Properly Clean Your Dog’s Ears

The shape of a dog’s ears encourages parasites, yeast and bacteria to hide and grow within.  The ears become clogged and full of harmful substances leading to infections and ear damage.   Thus, you need to clean your dog’s ears properly.  One way to do this is with a cotton ball dipped in mineral oil, hydrogen peroxide or a product specifically designed to clean a dog’s ears.  The first time you handle this task, ask the veterinarian to guide you through the process.  The ear is very delicate and it is a bit tricky for first timers.  You do not want to cause any further damage to the ears.

What to Do with a Dog’s Ears During Water Sports and Baths

When you bathe your dog, put cotton in your dog’s ears to avoid any water from getting stuck inside.  The water causes infection and irritation.  It is worse than having swimmer’s ears as a human, so you need to take additional care.  If your dog is prone to ear infections due to swimming and water sport activities, then put a tiny drop of ear drying solution.  It helps significantly.

To find out more about how to take care of your dog’s ears properly, talk to a Florida dog obedience or a Florida dog training instructor today.

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What to Do if Dogs Don’t Get Along – Part 2

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
24
Sep 2010

In our prior post, we discussed two ways to workout out the tension between dogs living under the same roof.  We provided two essential tips in taking control in a positive manner ensuring the dogs start bickering causing stress for the entire household.  In this post, we shall provide you with a few more tips that will help decrease if not stop aggressive behavior between your loving pets.

Stop Toy Hostility

Dogs fight over toys, so you have to take more of an active role in handling this situation.  Do not leave toys lying around the house.  This only encourages negative behavior. Instead, start training the dogs separately.  Focus on the “drop it” command.  Use treats as a reward for dropping the toy.  This will make your dog drop the toy in exchange for a delicious treat.  Then, once the dogs have mastered this scenario solo, bring the two dogs together in the same room.  And practice the same technique with both dogs together.  This teaches the dogs to release a toy when you say, “Drop it,” preventing any aggression over toys from escalating further.

Prevent Fighting Behavior over Food

If you have aggressive dogs, then the toy may not be the only issue your dogs fight over.  Food could be a catalyst for many fights between dogs, and you need to stop this before it gets worse.  One way is to construct the dogs to “sit” before placing food on the ground.  With repetition, the dogs will calmly sit before receiving food.  Eventually, this will become an instant reaction to bringing the food before them.  Just remember in initial training phase, you will have to train the dogs separately.

To find out more about Florida dog training, talk to one of our experts today.  Enroll in a k9 obedience class and learn tips on how to generate positive behavior.  It will eliminate stress and tension felt by the entire household.

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Dog Exercise Tips #1

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
20
Aug 2010

Do Not Over Exercise Your Dog

There are different dogs that need various amounts of exercise.  But one problem, believe it or not, is over exercising your puppies and certain breeds.  You need to be careful when deciding to take your dog on your next run.  Here are some tips to remember ensuring your pet stays healthy without overdoing it.

Exhaustion Causes Dog Injuries

It is possible for your dog to be harmed during over exercise.  For when you exercise your dog, the dog’s body automatically becomes heated.  The danger occurs when the heat-stress becomes too much.  Your dog could become over-heated internally.  It happens.  When this occurs, it could cause internal organ damage.  It is fatal to your dog.  So if it is warm outside, hold back a bit on the outdoor running.  And always keep plenty of water ensuring your dog stays hydrated.

Start Canine Exercise Slowly

If your dog is starting a new exercise routine, start gradually.   Go a little bit further with each walk, but do not go all out at once.  This could cause hip issues with your dog.  And dogs tend not to show the injuries for they believe if they stop, the fun interaction will come to halt.  Thus, dogs tend to continue even if in pain.  Therefore, take it easy.  Pay attention to how your dog acts and moves.  And do not do too much.

For more information about how much exercise is appropriate, talk to a Florida dog training or k9 obedience professional today.

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How to Help a Fearful Dog

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
13
Aug 2010

Some dogs are fearful of certain spaces.  It may be associated with something negative that occurred to your dog in the past.  Alternatively, be aware that some dogs do act afraid for no apparent reason at all.  No matter what the scenario is with your pet, as a responsible pet owner you need to be mindful of this and help your dog overcome the problem.  Here are some tips on how to do this.

Do Not Punish

When dogs are truly fearful it is sometimes exhibited in aggression.  For the stress is too much for a dog to handle the situation.  But the important thing to remember is do not punish your dog for acting in such a manner.

Stay Calm

If your dog becomes scared, but it is a necessity to visit the area of fear, like the veterinarian’s office, then remain steady and calm.  Do not make any quick movements.  Keep your voice in a relaxed state.  The next step is to desensitize your dog to the area.

Use Positive Reinforcement

Desensitization takes patience on your part.  So be prepared to do this slowly.  First, take your dog to the feared area.  Then show your dog that this place conjures up positive interaction via using treats and your dog’s favorite toy.  Play with your dog in this space.  Your dog might take a while to inch towards where you are located, but once your dog associates the positive interaction with this space, then the dog will no longer be afraid of the locale.

For more information on how to handle this situation properly and with care, talk to a Florida dog obedience or Florida dog training professional today.

Category: Florida Dog Obedience Training, Florida Dog Training  Tags: , , ,  One Comment

Essential Dog Grooming Needs

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
11
Aug 2010

Adding a dog into your home is a joyous occasion.  But there are essentials needed to maintain your canine’s health besides Florida puppy kindergarten and Florida dog obedience classes.  Here is a brief overview of these items.

The Fur Needs Attention

Research the type of care your dog’s coat needs for each breed is slightly different.  However, there are basic tools you need across the board.  For instance, normally a brush or comb is suitable to eliminate knots and keep your pet’s coat polished and untwisted.  In addition, look at a shampoo and conditioner for your dog’s fur and skin.  Find one that is adequate for your dog’s breed.

Pest Prevention

Another aspect of keeping your dog healthy is to provide the right flea and tick prevention measures.  There are sprays, powders, shampoos, and medications that help keep these unwanted pests away.  But if a problem does arise, take your dog to the veterinarian.

Do Not Forget to Clean the Ears

Dog’s ears are one of the most common areas on a dog that becomes infected.  And this is something you need to avoid at all costs.  The best way to do this is to include cleaning the dog’s ears as part of regular bath time.  Furthermore, there are ear wipes, drops and other ear dog products that would be good to keep on-hand if need-be.

To find out more about what you need to take care of your canine properly, talk to a Florida dog obedience instructor today.

Category: Florida Dog Training  Tags: , , ,  One Comment

A Basic Overview of Dog Arthritis

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
04
Aug 2010

Your pet is susceptible to the same diseases as humans.  Your dog is capable of developing and suffering from arthritis.  It is a debilitating disease if not addressed properly.  And by no means is this information a substitute for having your pup examined by a veterinarian.   This is just basic information on dog arthritis.

Many different breads develop degenerative joint disease causing major discomfort and issues in their movement.  The hip is the most common joint attacked by the disease.   It is a problem for it slows down dog activity, and causes pain with mobility.  But there are treatments to control the pain and reduce the damaging process caused by the disease.

One treatment available is to prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.  It is what humans take too for the same medical issue.  Aspirin falls into this category of drugs and is the most popular aid relieving the symptoms.  However, it does cause gastrointestinal side effects.  Other drugs available may be more potent than Aspirin with less problems on the digestive system.  You need to ask your veterinarian what options are available to you today.

But there is something you can do now to prevent this disease from occurring.  You need to keep your dog on a proper exercise regimen and diet.  Your dog needs to maintain positive reinforcement activity.  And if the disease does strike have your canine engage in low or no impact exercise such as swimming and/or walking.  Every little bit helps.

To find out more about the proper way to exercise your pup without injury, talk to a Florida dog obedience and a k9 obedience instructor today.

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What to Expect with a German Shepherd Puppy

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
16
Jul 2010

A German shepherd is a great dog!  They are loyal, strong, protective and reliable working dogs.  But before bringing home your German shepherd puppy, it is a positive idea to gather as much information ensuring you are knowledgeable about your new addition.  Here are some basic background facts about this breed.

Senses are Keen

These dogs have sharp senses, and there are ways to enhance their development.  For instance, these dogs have a strong sense of smell.  So when you take your dog for runs allow your dog to roam around and sniff the environment.  It is a joy for your dog to embark in this experience.  Therefore, encourage it.  It is what your dog naturally likes to do.

In addition, these dogs are very intelligent, which makes training easy.  And Florida dog obedience training courses assist in showing you how you to contribute towards your dog’s progress through training.  For example, if you play fetch with your dog, it provides the dog with a skill that improves obedience.  For when your dog plays with you, he/she has to be obedient to you through positive reinforcement.  This carries all the way through your dog’s life making certain that your dog is well behaved, as he/she gets older.

To find out more information about German shepherd breeds, talk to a k9 obedience instructor or enroll in a puppy class today.

Category: Florida Dog Obedience Training, Florida Dog Training, Florida Puppy Training, Puppy Classes, Puppy Kindergarten, Puppy Preschool, k9 obedience  Tags: , , , ,  Leave a Comment

How to Train Herding Dogs

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
14
Jul 2010

There are certain breed dogs that need to herd animals.  It is part of their make-up.  They are happy when they are herding providing a sense of fulfillment.  But how do you train a dog to herd?  What do you need to know?  Here is a basic breakdown of what you need to know about herd training.

Use Other Herding Dogs as Examples

If you know other dogs that already herd, then it is a good idea to pair up your dog with adult herding dogs.  However, know the herding dogs’ traits.  Reason being is if there are negative traits you do not wish your dog to pick-up then ditch this idea immediately.  Pick only herding dogs you want your dog to emulate.  Your dog retains the negative and positive habits, so be selective in your choosing.

Train One Dog at a Time

You may have an experienced dog with yours showing the ropes, but you do not want to train more than one dog at once.  It could become confusing for your dog to translate the praise when this occurs being unsure who the positive reinforcement is directed at.

Correct Your Dog along the Way

During training, your dog will make mistakes.  It is natural.  But you also do not want your dog to start developing bad habits.  Thus, the best thing to do is to repeat the same tasks until they are completed correctly before moving on.  It may seem mundane, but it is necessary ensuring your dog and the herd is safe in the future.

To find out more information about herd training dos and don’ts, talk to a Florida dog obedience training professional or a k9 obedience instructor today.

Category: Florida Dog Obedience Training, Florida Dog Training, Puppy Classes, k9 obedience  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment
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