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Showing posts with label trained dogs for sale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trained dogs for sale. Show all posts
Monday, October 17, 2011
Teaching Child and Dog Safety
According to the Humane Society of the United States, 4.7 million people are bitten by a dog each year. 80% of those bites are by dogs the people know. It is also estimated that half of the reported bites are on children under the age of 13. Children under the age of 5 are most likely to be bitten, and again, most of these bites come from a dog that the child knows, such as the family dog or that of a relative, neighbor or friend.
Children seem to be more likely to be bitten by dogs than adults. But why is this? For one, a child has a tendency to make more sudden movements than an adult, and quick movements can sometimes stimulate a dog’s prey drive (the instinct within a dog to give chase). Also, children speak in higher pitched voices, and often are louder than adults. This can sometimes startle a dog, making him likely to bite. Children also can frustrate a dog by rough play and teasing, or they can inadvertently inflict pain with the pull of a tail or a poke in the eye. Finally, smaller children are closer to a dog’s eye level, making it easier for a dog to feel threatened by eye-to-eye contact, which can result in the child being bitten in the face.
How then can we keep our children safe around dogs? It is important that parents and teachers instruct children on how to approach and handle a dog. Here are some child and dog safety tips from a professional dog trainer:
1. Never approach a dog you do not know. The dog may look friendly, when in fact, it may not be. People think that a wagging tail means the dog is friendly. This is not always the case. Many people have been bitten by dogs that were wagging their tail, so stay away from dogs you do not know.
2. Always ask the dog’s owner for permission before you pet the dog. This even applies to dog’s you know. You never know when a dog, feeling startled or cornered, may attack. Even friendly dogs are candidates to bite.
3. Do not invade the dog’s space. Allow the dog to come up to you and sniff the top of your closed fist (palm down). If the dog doesn’t want to come and greet you, respect that and leave it alone. Don’t approach a dog from behind or straight on. Approach the dog from the side, and remember to not make any sudden moves.
4. Never get in a dog’s face. While this tip is similar to tip #3, it warrants its own paragraph. Getting into a dogs face is very dangerous, as the dog can take this as a challenge and bite. And remember to never stare down a dog. This can also be taken as a challenge, which can provoke the dog’s fight drive. Instead, make eye contact with the dog, and then look away. When you take your eyes off the dog you are signaling to the dog that you are not a threat to them.
5. Never tease a dog. You don’t like to be teased, neither do dogs.
6. Do not approach a dog that has been tied up or left at the end of a chain. Again, any dog that feels threatened could potentially attack.
7. Tell an adult immediately if you see a dog that is loose in your neighborhood.
8. Never touch a dog while it is eating. The dog could feel that you are a threat to take away its food, so stay back and let him finish. This includes dog bones and even toys, if the dog has a strong toy drive.
Children seem to be more likely to be bitten by dogs than adults. But why is this? For one, a child has a tendency to make more sudden movements than an adult, and quick movements can sometimes stimulate a dog’s prey drive (the instinct within a dog to give chase). Also, children speak in higher pitched voices, and often are louder than adults. This can sometimes startle a dog, making him likely to bite. Children also can frustrate a dog by rough play and teasing, or they can inadvertently inflict pain with the pull of a tail or a poke in the eye. Finally, smaller children are closer to a dog’s eye level, making it easier for a dog to feel threatened by eye-to-eye contact, which can result in the child being bitten in the face.
How then can we keep our children safe around dogs? It is important that parents and teachers instruct children on how to approach and handle a dog. Here are some child and dog safety tips from a professional dog trainer:
1. Never approach a dog you do not know. The dog may look friendly, when in fact, it may not be. People think that a wagging tail means the dog is friendly. This is not always the case. Many people have been bitten by dogs that were wagging their tail, so stay away from dogs you do not know.
2. Always ask the dog’s owner for permission before you pet the dog. This even applies to dog’s you know. You never know when a dog, feeling startled or cornered, may attack. Even friendly dogs are candidates to bite.
3. Do not invade the dog’s space. Allow the dog to come up to you and sniff the top of your closed fist (palm down). If the dog doesn’t want to come and greet you, respect that and leave it alone. Don’t approach a dog from behind or straight on. Approach the dog from the side, and remember to not make any sudden moves.
4. Never get in a dog’s face. While this tip is similar to tip #3, it warrants its own paragraph. Getting into a dogs face is very dangerous, as the dog can take this as a challenge and bite. And remember to never stare down a dog. This can also be taken as a challenge, which can provoke the dog’s fight drive. Instead, make eye contact with the dog, and then look away. When you take your eyes off the dog you are signaling to the dog that you are not a threat to them.
5. Never tease a dog. You don’t like to be teased, neither do dogs.
6. Do not approach a dog that has been tied up or left at the end of a chain. Again, any dog that feels threatened could potentially attack.
7. Tell an adult immediately if you see a dog that is loose in your neighborhood.
8. Never touch a dog while it is eating. The dog could feel that you are a threat to take away its food, so stay back and let him finish. This includes dog bones and even toys, if the dog has a strong toy drive.
9. Do not scream or run away from a dog. If you are approached by a strange dog and you feel scared, fold your arms, stand still, look away, and completely ignore it until it loses interest in you and goes away. If you can, back away slowly away with your arms still folded. Do not run! This could cause the dog to begin chasing you.
10. If the dog tries to bite you, put something between you and the dog, and back away to a safe place. Do not fight back, as this may increase the dog’s fight drive and only make him bite harder. Instead, slowly try to back away, or get to safety.
11. Never roughhouse with any dog. No hitting, wrestling, tugging, play biting, etc. These things may be cute when the dog is just a pup, but as that pup grows, they can become more serious.
12. Make sure your own dog knows the pecking order. Dogs are pack animals, meaning they live in a group with a strict social structure. When a dog joins your household, he needs to learn his position within your family "pack.” He is always testing to see if he can move up in rank. For safety and comfort, everyone in the family needs to be higher in the pack order than the dog. For smaller children, try putting their hand and foot in the dog’s food (before you feed the dog). This will get the child’s scent on the food, thus helping the dog understand that even the child is higher in rank than the dog.
13. Never touch a sleeping dog. This could startle him or her, so always speak to a sleeping dog before touching him. He might bite to defend himself before he realizes who you are.
14. Never leave a small child alone with any dog.
15. Never wave sticks or other objects around a dog. Often, when a child waves an uncommon object, such as a stick, or throws a stone, the dog may try to protect itself.
16. Know which parts of a dog’s body are more sensitive to the touch. Most dog breeds will react strongly to having their tail pulled or stepped on. Some dogs do not like to have their paws touched. Also, try to avoid contact with the eyes, ears, and whisker areas.
Teaching your child these dog safety tips can help keep them from being bitten, and can help your child develop a healthy respect for dogs.
(C) Marc Adams
(C) Marc Adams
Dog Training Tip: Consistency In Dog Training
Dogs are very adaptable. Who they are and who they become depends in large part on how they are trained and how they are treated. Training them with consistency is one of the major keys to successful dog training. Consistency has nothing to do with words and everything to do with behavior. Training your dog with consistency is vital because it does three important things.
First, it establishes who’s in control (Here’s a tip: it should be you!). Second, it actually puts your dog at ease because it makes him feel more secure. And third, it teaches your dog right from wrong. That way, he will know what behavior is acceptable, and what behavior is not. So how can you be more consistent in training your dog? Here are some tips:
1. Work with your dog every day.If possible, set a time and stick to it. Dogs are very routine-oriented. So the more consistent your schedule, the easier it will be for him to learn. And believe it or not, this will help you, too.
2. Expect the right behavior from your dog.
If you give your dog a command, he should do it. If he doesn’t, you should reprimand him. Don’t let him get away with ignoring you. Remember, you’re the owner, he’s the dog. You are the one who makes the decisions. Expect and enforce the right behavior.
3. Use praise often.
Behavior that is praised is behavior that is repeated. We all love when others praise us. Your dog is no different. Just as you reprimand him for being disobedient, you should praise your dog when he is obedient. When he listens and responds…reward him.
(Tip: Your tone of voice is very important. Praise him with a fun, excited tone. He’ll respond better to this!)
4. Don’t confuse your dog by giving him changing commands.
You must use the same word for a particular command every time (for example, don’t use “Come” sometimes and “Come here” other times). Determine your command words, and use the same ones for the specific behavior you want your dog to possess.
6. Use the power of repetition.
Someone said that “repetition reinforces.” It’s true, so work your dog. Stick to it…day in, day out. Keep using the same words, correcting when appropriate, praising as often as you can, and repeating the actions you are teaching your dog.
First, it establishes who’s in control (Here’s a tip: it should be you!). Second, it actually puts your dog at ease because it makes him feel more secure. And third, it teaches your dog right from wrong. That way, he will know what behavior is acceptable, and what behavior is not. So how can you be more consistent in training your dog? Here are some tips:
1. Work with your dog every day.If possible, set a time and stick to it. Dogs are very routine-oriented. So the more consistent your schedule, the easier it will be for him to learn. And believe it or not, this will help you, too.
2. Expect the right behavior from your dog.
If you give your dog a command, he should do it. If he doesn’t, you should reprimand him. Don’t let him get away with ignoring you. Remember, you’re the owner, he’s the dog. You are the one who makes the decisions. Expect and enforce the right behavior.
3. Use praise often.
Behavior that is praised is behavior that is repeated. We all love when others praise us. Your dog is no different. Just as you reprimand him for being disobedient, you should praise your dog when he is obedient. When he listens and responds…reward him.
(Tip: Your tone of voice is very important. Praise him with a fun, excited tone. He’ll respond better to this!)
4. Don’t confuse your dog by giving him changing commands.
You must use the same word for a particular command every time (for example, don’t use “Come” sometimes and “Come here” other times). Determine your command words, and use the same ones for the specific behavior you want your dog to possess.
5. Be patient.
Behavior is changed and developed over time. You don’t train a dog in one day. So, be patient. If you will discipline yourself and be consistent, your dog’s behavior will change to how you want it to be. Don’t get frustrated and give up. Be patient…persevere.
(Tip: Don’t raise your voice and never yell at your dog! Some people believe this is effective, but we do not. At Off-Leash K9 Tulsa Dog Training, we train our dogs without yelling. You don’t want your dog responding to you out of fear!)
Behavior is changed and developed over time. You don’t train a dog in one day. So, be patient. If you will discipline yourself and be consistent, your dog’s behavior will change to how you want it to be. Don’t get frustrated and give up. Be patient…persevere.
(Tip: Don’t raise your voice and never yell at your dog! Some people believe this is effective, but we do not. At Off-Leash K9 Tulsa Dog Training, we train our dogs without yelling. You don’t want your dog responding to you out of fear!)
Someone said that “repetition reinforces.” It’s true, so work your dog. Stick to it…day in, day out. Keep using the same words, correcting when appropriate, praising as often as you can, and repeating the actions you are teaching your dog.
Consistency is the key to training your dog. You can do this. Just stick with it. For more information on dog training in Tulsa, or trained family and companion dogs for sale, contact us today at 918-949-STAY.
(C) Marc Adams
(C) Marc Adams
Dog Training Tip: How To Break Up A Dog Fight
Let’s face it, for most of us a dogfight is a very scary thing, especially when one of the dogs in the fight is our own. So what do you do? Here are some tips on how to break up a dogfight.
First , remember that in a dogfight, the dogs believe they are fighting for their lives. They are usually oblivious to what is going on around them, due to their focus on the event at hand. This is why yelling at them rarely works. And this is why you should proceed with great caution. All dogs have teeth, and in a dogfight, they use them (obvious, I know). It is important to remember that if you attempt to break up a dogfight, you yourself could get hurt, so be careful.
Second, stay calm. Yelling and screaming actually could elevate the stress level of the dogs and increase the energy they have focused on fighting. Staying calm will also allow you the opportunity to more clearly think of what you should or should not do.
Third, do not hit or kick the dogs as this could make matters worse. As stated above, this could raise the level of stress, making them fight harder. Also, if you hit or kick the dog, he/she may think that the hitting or kicking is coming from the other dog, causing them to fight even harder. Also, do not use cattle prods or shock collars, as some suggest. This also may cause the dog think the other dog is causing the “shock”, and increase the fight drive. Instead, try the following approaches:
· Grab the dog(s) by the hind legs (preferably by the feet), and lift. This is an effective way to break up a dogfight because dogs get their strength and leverage from their rear legs. Raising the hind legs forces the dog to focus less on biting/fighting and more on balancing. Keep in mind, however, that doing this could cause the dog to turn its attention toward you. So, be careful. Once the dogs let go of each other, back them away from one another and don’t let go of them, or they may begin fighting again.
· Grab the dog(s) by the collar and pull back. Remember to be cautious…the collar is awful close to the mouth! Once you are pulling back on the collar, if the dog doesn’t release from the other, begin twisting the collar in order to make it more difficult for the dog to breathe. If the dog is struggling to breathe, it will let go.
· Use water to distract them. Sometimes pouring water on dogs or spraying them with a hose can distract them long enough to pull them apart. This, however, is not as effective as some of the other methods for breaking up a dogfight.
· Find something to wedge between the dog’s teeth, like a strong, flat object. Just be sure not to get your hands too close to the dog’s mouth.
If there are people around, such as children, who cannot protect themselves, make sure to keep them at a safe distance. And of course, after you have stopped the fight, check the dogs for injuries, and seek medical attention, if necessary.
One final thought. Never try to break up a dogfight by yourself. It is simply too dangerous. Get someone to help you; dogfights can turn ugly in a hurry. Whatever method you choose to break up a dogfight, remain calm, have a partner and act quickly.
(C) Marc Adams
(C) Marc Adams
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