Taming My Dog

by Bill Ronald

When I got my first dog, a beagle, as my pet several years ago, I was thrilled. I was finally able to have my very own lively, obedient, and loving pet. After about week, I became very frustrated. If happened to own a dog too, then you know what I mean. Taking care of Sally was like having to take care of an unruly child.

I already had some knowledge on how to train Sally. But it didn't seem to work, Sally would continue her bad habits in spite of what I've done. She would let it out anywhere she pleased. The incessant barking, whether it's indoors or outdoors drove my neighbors mad. Do get me wrong, I love my pet, but this was getting out of hand. Sally was afraid of the simplest things: I can't even use the toaster without her barking like mad. Whenever an icecream truck drove by, she run for cover. She disobeyed my commands many times and would bark at my friends and neighbors for no apparent reasing. Taking her out was a pain. I was tired of having to fetch most of those frisbees myself. There must be something wrong with the way I'm training her I thought, so I went out and bought a couple of dog training books and read through them in about a week. I've applied most of the techniques in the book but a month passed and there was still no progress. I then tried other books and asked for advice from other dog owners. Again, almost a month passed and there was still no progress. I was exhausted. Having stress from work was bad, I don't want to be stressed at home too. I pondered for a while and realized that no matter how difficult a situation is, there's always solution if one is persistant.

With the newly found drive to train my dog for the better, I scoured for more information on dog training. Then I stumbled upon something that actually worked. I thought it was the same old stuff that's already in the books that I've read, but no this was actually something new and effective. It was a epiphany for me after I bought the manual and followed its instructions and techniques. After about a month, Sally was starting to become fairly obedient. Most of her worse habits were gone. She was on the right track for improvement. You see, there's usually always a solution to even the worse problems. The answers are out there, you just have to find it. I was glad I didn't give up early.

Aggressive Dogs -- Can They be Re-Trained?

by Amy Nutt

Having an aggressive dog is not only a problem to the dog owner, but also to other people. You will never know when your dog may attack or injure someone. In fact, dog aggression can result in injuries and even deaths of innocent people, and there are many laws and by-laws that are imposed to punish dog owners whose dogs are guilty of physical assault.

Find the cause of aggression before re-training

If you have an aggressive dog, you should know that it is possible to curb its aggression with the right training. With proper training, aggressive dogs will learn not to be hostile towards strangers, or your friends and relatives. However, if you really wish to understand the basics of re-training aggressive dogs, you have to know why dogs become aggressive.

There are numerous reasons why a dog can become aggressive. The main reason may be that it is territorial and feels that its territory is being invaded. Sometimes, it feels threatened with certain changes in the environment, and it will become defensive and react with aggression. This type of aggression usually comes about because of lack of security and confidence, and simple dog obedience training is not sufficient to curb the aggressive behavior of the dog.

Such aggression requires special dog training. The usual symptoms of dog aggression are barking and lunging at people. These symptoms have to be controlled before they become a serious problem that causes bodily harm on other people.

Ask your dog vet to suggest an aggressive dog trainer

Since a dog vet often meets with trainers and dog owners, he or she is the best person to approach when you are looking for the perfect aggressive dog trainer. A qualified trainer will have the necessary experience to control the aggressive behavior of any dog. However, remember that aggressive dog training costs more than normal dog training, and it is usually done with a special skill set. So, set aside sufficient money to pay for this kind of training.

Though you have to pay quite a large sum of money for aggressive dog training, you can be assured that you will get the results that you desire. It is not advisable that you enroll your aggressive dog for normal dog training classes because the trainers will not take any risk to train it with other dogs in the school.

Some training schools may harm your dog

Instead, your dog has to be sent to a special dog obedience training school where qualified trainers have the necessary skills and knowledge to handle aggressive dogs. You can use the yellow pages to find the best training school for your dog. One thing you have to consider when choosing the right trainer for your dog is the training method employed by the training school.
You should avoid training schools that use obsolete training methods that can cause harm to your dog.

It is always better to choose a more experienced dog training school. This is because such a school will have the necessary experience and knowledge to train aggressive dogs effectively. As such, it will produce better results with the re-training of dogs.

With the right aggressive dog training techniques, it is possible to train your dog to control its aggression. Once your dog stops its aggressive behavior, you will find that it is indeed a loving companion, and you can spend valuable time with it.

Without the aggressive behavior, you need not worry about the safety of your family or that the dog will bite other dogs or people.

Use websites for dog training tips

If there are no aggressive dog training schools or trainers in your vicinity, you can also search the internet to learn some tips on how to curb your dog's aggression. There are some sites on the internet that provide these tips. However, whether or not such tips are effective depends on how you understand and implement them on your dog.

Some Terrier Dogs That You Would Find Interesting

by Jenny Styles

The personality of a lively child put into dog- this might be a good way of describing the general personality of terriers. But as it appears, that still would not justify their temperaments. These dogs came from the British Isles where they were first oriented to hunting fox, rat, otter and the likes over and under the ground. And as its name suggests, "terrier" came from the word "terra" which means, "earth".

While terriers may be identified through their prominent physical characteristics, they are still divided into various breeds that separate one kind from another.

The following are the subgroups of the terrier breed:

Show Terriers- These are basically bred as small dogs and are used for show rings.

Bull and Terrier Types- these came from breeding between bull dogs and terriers. Only in the last quarter of 1800's did the breeders separate a number of bull dogs from terrier types for distinction.

Hunting and Working Terriers- The breed that was primarily bred for hunting.

Toy Terriers- These are the smaller versions of terriers, which are basically categorized into the companion breed.

To help you understand the various natures of terrier dogs, we have prepared some dog profiles here, please read on.

Airedale Terrier- This is known to be the largest dog in the Terrier breed. Standing an average of 23 inches from the shoulder, this dog shows off both beauty and elegance that make them fit for both dog obedience trials and show rings.

A cross-breed between Otterhound and Black and Tan Terrier, Airedale possess good skill in scent and superb swimming prowess.

Australian Terrier- Probably one of the dog types that have gotten to so many out-crossings with other dog breeds. A cross breed between the forerunner of Dandie Dinmont and rough coated terrier is said to have been migrated into England. The offspring of which was taken to Australia. With the scarcity of dog breeds in this land, many dogs had been crossbred into it which later resulted to a small type having the characteristics of terriers while being a good watchdog and ratter. It stands 10 to 11 inches with a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years.

Border Terrier- A True-blue working terrier, this dog is marked by its medium built while proving to work far better than what its appearance may give. Border Terriers are agile and alert while having the capacity to fit into narrow gaps especially during hunting.

Aside from its being affectionate and good adaptation to training, Border terriers can also make good family pets.

Bull Terrier- Originally bred for dog fighting and bull baiting, this dog is known to have been well-accustomed to courage and good resistance to pain. However, when the bloody dog fights were banned in England during the 1800's, most breeders turned to breeding milder dogs.

Bull Terriers came from these fighting dogs combined with Dalmatian and English Terrier to produce all-white specie. This new breed though is very much reserved from starting fights which gave them the nickname "White Cavalier".

There are of course a variety of other terrier species. Initially, you might find them interesting enough to catch your attention but a closer look would lead you to further knowing them. Who knows, you might find your ideal type of dog in this breed.