First Coast Pet

Posts Tagged ‘dog behaviour’

It is probably true that you want your dog to be healthy and happy.The main influences on your dog's health and well being are a nutritious diet and getting enough exercise.  This could also affect the way your dog behaves and could be a cause or a cure for problem dog behavior.

There is no reason to believe that certain foods do not affect dogs in the same way that some foods affect humans.  Some humans are sensitive or even allergic to certain foods and food additives.  This sensitivity causes a variety of reactions, one being hyperactivity in children.  It is a possibility that if you have dog problem behavior, and training does not seem to be working, that your dog could be sensitive to something that it is eating.What happened the last time that you ate something that didn't agree with you.Did you feel really happy and ready to play?What if there was no other choice but for you to eat it?Dogs don't have the option to change their food, they must eat what their owners feed them.

Ingredients in a large number of the commercial dog foods available today are primarily carbohydrates, fillers and additives.  The high carbohydrate concentration alone can cause wild swings in blood sugar levels and can in turn, cause dog behavior problems.  Dogs evolved from primitive wolves, however, they are not exclusively carnivores.The prey of wild wolves eat plants and the wolves will eat the stomach contents of the prey.  You have also most likely seen your dog eating grass.If it was choosing its own food, your dog would choose to eat food that it could easily digest.Because of this, veterinarians often prescribe a lamb and rice diet for dogs with certain health problems.

A high quality, protein based food that also contains the essential nutrients that an animal would derive from plants, roots and berries should be chosen to ensure that you dog gets proper nutrition.It might be hard to find a product that has these ingredients in today's market place, but they do exist and you should be able to find one with some research.To help your dog to be healthier and possibly even improve its behavior, proper nutrition is essential.

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There can be nothing more annoying that the constant bark of a dog. Particularly if the dog belongs to you and your neighbors are beginning to compain. There are many reasons why your dog’s behavior has changed from being a placid dog to a dog that cannot stop barking. Here are a few ways you can prevent them from occuring.

Working Dogs

Working or hunting dogs behavior change when they get bored and have nothing to do. This boredom can lead to barking, barking and more barking. This type of dog loves to run and be active but since many dog owners live in cities one of the simplest solutions is to ensure that the dog is kept motivated. Regular walks are a must, and extra periods of play give your dog something to look forward to. Play has the same effect on dogs as it has on people – physical exercise puts us in a better mood, loosens up our muscles and joints and helps everyone sleep better at night. One way to deal with your dogs boredom is to provide your dog with toys that he can play with while you’re occupied.

Aging Dogs

Many aging dogs behavior change especially if they suffer from arthritis pain, they can feel achy and stiff in cold weather, or may just get less understanding and more crotchety as the years get on. Being upset could cause a dog to begin to bark at things that did not bother them before. If your older dog has started to bark lot, start by checking out his physical surroundings and any obvious changes in his health. If you cannot see anything different, take him to the vet for a check-up and talk to your vet about possible physiological changes that may be causing your dog’s new behavior. As an older dog’s hearing starts to go, he may bark at things that are not really there. In your dogs mind it is better to be onguard than be caught asleep on the job. Also anther thing to note in older dogs is that sudden and/or prolonged barking may signify a change in your dog’s mental state—old dogs sometimes suffer from confusion and even dementia just as people may—and there are drugs to help with these problems of aging.

Territorial barking

Normally a dog tends to bark when they are trying to protect their territory from intruders and other animals. This can be a good thing as it can discourage possible housebreakers and mischief-makers. The trouble begins when the dog continues to bark after the threat is gone (or when the threat isn’t real). Some territorial barking may be taken care of by changing physical cues that set your dog off. If your dog barks at the kids on their way to school every morning, moving him to the back yard may be all that’s necessary to solve the problem. If your dog barks like a maniac when the mail arrives, shutting him in the kitchen beforehand might do the trick.

If you find that none of these things work then looking at a barking collar may provide the solution for you. Barking collars come in a variety of styles such as the citronella based which work when your dog barks; a burst of all-natural citrus spray is emitted, which dogs find bothersome to their highly developed sense of smell. While not harmful, it is a sufficient deterrent to excessive barking. Then there is also the barking control system collar. This works as soon as your dog barks, a harmless static correction is sent to address the behavior. It is a sufficient prevention to unnecessary barking.

Your dogs behavior does not need to be a nuisance you just need to find the cause of the problem and apply the correct method in correcting it.

Dog walking, a effortless, yet useful work out for both woman and dog. Today, one of the cheapest exercises offered. It can take place anywhere and at anytime regardless of the weather. In London dog walking is common.
It is very important for the dogs as they have directly descended from wolves. So whether a Newfoundland or a Maltese, they still keep many of the wolf’s characteristics. One of these is their stamina to travel many miles. There are manifestly some exceptions with some of the special breeds, that have changed a lot through man’s selective breeding. Many have the power and strength to journey over ten miles or more.
It is a sad fact in today’s world, many people can’t find sufficient time for dog. So whether it is dog walking on a leash or free, dog walking is needed by the dog. The outcome of insufficient dog walking is a aggravated animal that is often destructive, either though barking, ripping things up, disobeying and digging the garden up.
Increasingly persons are needing to use professional dog walkers to guarantee their dog gets the dog walking that he needs. Using these professional dog walkers can also give some communal mixing for a lone dog to walk with other dogs and behavioural benefits through better control. It is also a alteration to the dogs outlook which is also helpful.
The benefits for man, outside of the happiness of having a well behaved and healthy dog, includes his own health and some social benefits.
Sixty minutes of dog walking (you as well) will burn between 200 and 300 calories, depending on your mass, clearley improving your wellness! The heavier you are, the more calories you burn. Walking does not strain your legs and ankles, unlike jogging, which can injure your joints and bones.
On the communal front, dog walking gives  a great   opportunity to meet people in your locality. These persons may have dogs, giving you a little in common to chat about. As you are doing this in your locality you must be socially aware, removing your dogs mess, respect the local laws and rules. Whilst you need to control your dog so it does not irritate others, it is also an occasion to practise some simple dog control.
So that dog walking is not too tiring for you, you need to stop your dog pulling his leash. Likewise, if others take your dog walking, ensure they do it in a comparable way to you. Both of you go and enjoy the walk!