Archive for April 14th, 2010
Dog etiquette on crowded city streets – make sure he’s close to you on his dog leash!
If you live in the city, you know the challenges that you face everyday when you take your dog out for a walk. The sidewalks are crowded, there lots of traffic, joggers, walkers, construction scaffolding and double wide strollers that create quite the obstacle course for you and your pet. Most cities have some form of dog leash, license and pick up after your dog laws. Make sure you know the rules and abide by them. The well trained dog needs to respond to a minimum of four basic commands: sit-stay, heel, leave it alone and come. When you’re waiting for a traffic light and you give the command, sit-stay, your dog is out of harms way. Even though your dog likes to walk on a nice loose leash, in the city, you must use the “heel” position and keep him close to you until you reach a park or open area. Use the command “leave it” when your dog is about to pick up something inappropriate like chicken bones or other garbage. Should your dog break is collar or slip his leash, the command “come” could save his life. Remember that dogs can be frightened by sudden loud noise and there are lots of them in any city. Be aware that such situations may demand quick and complete control on your part to prevent your dog for jumping or biting. Keep these tips in mind and make sure that your dog knows and obeys these commands and you should not have any trouble with your city dog.
The Basics of Crate Training
If you’re interested in crate training your dog, there are several benefits that your dog can derive from this endeavor. But there are things to keep in mind with this training. For one, crates are not meant to be permanent indoor houses for your dog. As such, your dog isn’t meant to be cooped up in his crate for long periods of time. And spending time in the crate should certainly never be used as a punishment. If your dog has done something wrong, don’t ever send him to his crate. He will only learn to associate the crate with punishment.
With dog crates, you also want to make sure you indulge in a crate that’s big enough to accommodate the dog, his water dish, his food, and even some of his preferred toys. You can make the crate more comfortable and accommodating by adding a couple of dog crate pads as well. Also keep an eye open for potential health problems in your dog. If your dog is feeling nauseous, for example, don’t confine him in his crate. This can only lead to a seriously compounded problem.