Dog Training - Control That Barking

If you have a dog that barks a lot before going the full length of despair it is important to remember that it is really our fault that dogs bark. Dog descended from wolf. Wolves howl - they do not bark. Humans bred barking into dogs.

If possible, before purchasing a dog consider the breed, as some breeds are more inclined to bark.
In simple terms dogs bark for two reasons. Either they bark at something or they bark for something.

A dog barking at something is usually easier to solve. Once you identify what they are barking at, you need to decide if you are happy that they bark at that. For example, they may bark when they hear a noise at the door. You may find this useful as a form of guard dog and decide to let them bark. You will still need to train them to stop barking when you say so but you should let them give out a few barks first to let them know they are correct to bark at this until you decide they can stop.

In the case of your dog barking at something you do not want them to bark at, the best way is to train them not to bark when that something occurs. For example assume your dog barks whenever the washing machine is on. You could put the washing machine on and get your dog to stop barking (the best way is to physically close your dog's mouth and keep it closed repeating the stop barking command. Keep repeating until they stop barking). Switch the machine off and then back on again and repeat this until your dog learns not to bark when the washing machine is on. It may take a lot of attempts and patience.

A dog barking for something can be more difficult to address. They may bark because they are hungry, want exercise, want to get your attention or need outside for the toilet. In the case of a dog barking for your attention, consider first that your dog is part of your family. Dogs are naturally sociable animals and if they have been left alone for long periods of time, maybe they deserve a bit of your time.

If it is your attention they want the best way is to ignore them until they stop barking. Wait a minute or two longer and then reward them. If you try and physically close your dogs mouth they may well deem this interaction as reward for their barking, making the issue worse. As always patience and repetition are the key.
A dog barking when you are away is a real problem that is difficult to address - not least because it really only happens when you are away. You may not know about it until your neighbors complain.

As said, dogs are sociable animals and thrive on interaction. Hence, it is only natural for your dog to get lonely and upset when you are away. However, there are a few things you can try to address the problem:
1. Get a friend to visit during the day when you are away.
2. If possible, try and come home more often or a few times per day.
3. When you are at home, go out of the house until your dog starts barking and then come in and use your stop barking command. If you keep repeating this, your dog may learn not to bark. However, be careful that your dog does not learn that by barking you will immediately show up. You may have to just leave your dog barking for while before returning and rewarding them for being quiet when you return.
4. Arrange for daytime dog care.

There are other things you can do but I personally would not recommend them. These include bark collars, muzzles or even surgery. If it gets to this sort of stage, I would go down the line of day care.

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Indoors Or Outdoors: What is Best For Your Pet

Indoors Or Outdoors: What is Best For Your Pet

Before you take on the responsibility of owning a cat or dog, you need to take the time to consider the living arrangements for your pet. Many people adopt pets with the idea that they will be raising an outdoor animal. How many people in your neighborhood keep their dogs or cat’s outdoors at all times? The fact of the matter is, outside is not a safe place for a cat or a dog. When you adopt a pet, you need to make sure that you are ready to allow your pet into your home.

Pets Love Being Outside
It is true that cats and dogs both will love being outside, it is their natural environment. Cats delight in chasing birds, climbing trees, and hiding in shrubs. Dogs adore barking at the neighbors, chasing squirrels, and digging. However, there are many dangers to keeping your pet outside at all times. Dogs tend to get more outside time in cats. Owners take their dogs out for walks, and in some cases allow their dogs, unsupervised access to the backyard from time to time. Cats are usually either indoor pets or outdoor pets. 

It is more common nowadays, for owners to keep their cats indoors as they begin to realize the dangers of allowing their cat to live outdoors at all time. It is highly recommended that you keep your cats and dogs inside. For cats, you can help them explore their natural instincts inside by giving them plenty of places to run and play inside your home.  Buy your cat a good scratching post with a high perch and install a window seat so they can gaze at the birds outdoors.

Dangers of Outside
The number one danger to your pets when they go outside is other animals. You never know when your dog or cat will encounter a stray or strange cat or dog from down the street. You know that your pet is properly vaccinated, but you do not know that health condition of other animals outside. In addition, if your dog or cat gets into a fight with another animal.  Your pet can be seriously injured or harmed.  Unless you supervise your pet at all times when they are outside, you never know when your cat or dog will encounter a strange animal.

Other dangers of allowing your pet to live outside are cars and other people. A cat darting across the street late at night is a recipe for disaster. What if your dog gets loose from your yard and encounters a child?  How will your dog react? You hope that your dog will be good and stay friendly. However, what happens if the child begins to taunt or tease your dog or poke a stick at him? If your dog bites or scratches another person, chances are, you will be responsible for your pet's actions. Many pet owners have found themselves in a serious situation when their dog or cat has acted aggressively when outdoors.

When your cat or dog stays indoors, you can also help control fleas, ticks, and the exposure to heartworms. This is not to say that you should not treat an indoor pet for these problems. All dogs, whether the event indoors or outdoors, should be on a monthly heartworm preventative. Both cats and dogs should also be treated with monthly preventative. It is important to remember though, if your cat or dog lives outdoors, you will have many more problems when it comes to fleas and ticks.

As you can see, there are many reasons why you should keep your dog or cat indoors. Pets that are indoor pets live longer and healthier lives than pets that live outside. This includes all pets, once you make them an indoor animal; you need to protect them from anything that might happen if they get outdoors, they now depend on you to provide a home for them.

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THE DECORATIVE DEERHOUND.

THE DECORATIVE DEERHOUND.

The Deerhound is one of the most decorative of dogs, impressively stately and picturesque wherever he is seen, whether it be amid the surroundings of the baronial hall, reclining at luxurious length before the open hearth in the fitful light of the log fire that flickers on polished armour and tarnished tapestry; out in the open, straining at the leash as he scents the dewy air, or gracefully bounding over the purple of his native hills. Grace and majesty are in his every movement and attitude, and even to the most prosaic mind there is about him the inseparable glamour of feudal romance and poetry. 

From remote days the Scottish nobles cherished their strains of Deerhound, seeking glorious sport in the Highland forests. The red deer belonged by inexorable law to the kings of Scotland, and great drives, which often lasted for several days, were made to round up the herds into given neighbourhoods for the pleasure of the court, as in the reign of Queen Mary. But the organised coursing of deer by courtiers ceased during the Stuart troubles, and was left in the hands of retainers, who thus replenished their chief's larder.

Head:-

The head should be broadest at the ears, tapering slightly to the eyes, with the muzzle tapering more decidedly to the nose. The muzzle should be pointed, but the teeth and lips level. The head should be long, the skull flat rather than round, with a very slight rise over the eyes, but with nothing approaching a stop. The skull should be coated with moderately long hair which is softer than the rest of the coat. The nose should be black (though in some blue-fawns the colour is blue) and slightly aquiline. In the lighter-coloured dogs a black muzzle is preferred. There should be a good moustache of rather silky hair, and a fair beard. 

Ears:-

The ears should be set on high, and, in repose, folded back like  the Greyhound's, though raised above the head in excitement without  losing the fold, and even, in some cases, semi-erect.The ear should be  soft, glossy, and like a mouse's coat to the touch, and the smaller  it is the better. It should have no long coat or long fringe, but there  is often a silky, silvery coat on the body of the ear and the tip.  Whatever the general colour, the ears should be black or dark-coloured. 

Neck and shoulders:-

The neck should be long that is, of the length  that befits the Greyhound character of the dog.  The nape of the neck should be very prominent where the head is set on, and the throat should be clean-cut at the angle and prominent. The shoulders should be well sloped, the blades well back, with not too much width between them.

Stern:-

Stern should be tolerably long, tapering, and reaching to within 1-1/2 inches of the ground, and about 1-1/2 inches below the hocks. When the dog is still, dropped perfectly straight down, or curved. When in motion it should be curved when excited, in no case to be lifted out of the line of the back. It should be well covered with hair, on the inside thick and wiry, underside longer.

Eyes:-

The eyes should be dark: generally they are dark brown or hazel.  The eye is moderately full with a soft look in repose, but a keen, far-away gaze when the dog is roused. The rims of the eyelids should be black. 

Body: The body and general formation is that of a Greyhound of larger size and bone. Chest deep rather than broad, but not too narrow and flat-sided. The loin well arched and drooping to the tail. 

Legs and feet:-

The legs should be broad and flat, a good broad forearm and elbow being desirable. Fore-legs, of course, as straight as possible. Feet close and compact, with well-arched toes. The hind-quarters drooping, and as broad and powerful as possible, the hips being set wide apart. The hind-legs should be well bent at the stifle, with great length from the hip to the hock, which should be broad and flat. 

Coat:-

The hair on the body, neck, and quarters should be harsh and wiry, and about 3 inches or 4 inches long; that on the head, breast, and belly is much softer. There should be a slight hairy fringe on the inside of the fore and hind-legs, but nothing approaching to the feathering of a Collie. The Deerhound should be a shaggy dog, but not over coated. 

Colour:-

Colour is much a matter of fancy. But there is no manner of doubt  that the dark blue-grey is the most preferred. Next come the darker and  lighter greys or brindles, the darkest being generally preferred.  Yellow and sandy-red or red-fawn, especially with black points i.e.,  ears and muzzle are also in equal estimation.

Height:-

From 28 inches to 30 inches, or even more if there be symmetry without coarseness, which, however, is rare. Height of bitches: From 26 inches upwards. There can be no objection to a bitch being large, unless she is too coarse, as even at her greatest height she does not approach that of the dog, and, therefore, could not well be too big for work, as over-big dogs are.
       

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THE FOXHOUND DOG

THE FOXHOUND DOG

Foxhounds were the very first of the canine races in Great Britain  to come under the domination of scientific breeding. There had been  hounds of more ancient origin, such as the Southern  Hound and the Bloodhound; but something different was wanted towards the end of the seventeenth century to hunt the wild deer that had become somewhat scattered after Cromwell's civil war. The demand was consequently for a quicker hound than those hitherto known, and people devoted to the chase began to breed it.

Head:-

Somewhat broad, not peaked like the Bloodhound, but long from the apex to the frontal bones, eyebrows very prominent, cheeks cut clean from the eye to the nostril, ears set low and in their natural condition thin and shapely, but not large, nose large, jaw strong and level, and small dewlaps, expression fierce, and with the best often repellent. 

Eyes:-

Very bright and deeply set, full of determination, and with a  very steady expression. The look of the Foxhound is very remarkable. 

Neck Should be perfectly clean, no skin ruffle whatever. The length of neck is of importance, both for stooping and giving an air of majesty.

Shoulders:-

The blades should be well into the back, and should slant, otherwise be wide and strong, to meet the arms, that should be long and powerful. 

Legs and feet:-

The bone should be perfectly straight from the arm downward, and descend in the same degree of size to the ankles. The knee should be almost flat and level; there should be no curve until coming to the toes, which should be very strong, round, cat-shaped, and every toe clean set as it were. 

Coat:-

The coat is hard hair, but short and smooth, the texture is as stiff as bristles, but beautifully laid. 

Colour:-

Belvoir tan, which is brown and black, perfectly intermixed, with white markings of various shapes and sizes. The white should be very opaque and clear. Black and white, with tan markings on head and stifles. Badger pied a kind of grey and white. Lemon pied, light yellow and white. Hare pied, a darker yellow and white. 

Height: Dogs from 23-1/2 to 24 inches; bitches from 22 to 22-1/2 inches.

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NEWFOUNDLAND - THE ARISTOCRAT AMONG DOGS

NEWFOUNDLAND - THE ARISTOCRAT AMONG DOGS

The dogs which take their name from the island of Newfoundland appeal to all lovers of animals.There are now two established varieties, the black and the white and black. There are also bronze-coloured dogs, but they are rare. The black variety of the Newfoundland is essentially black in colour; but this does not mean that there may be no other colour, for most black Newfoundlands have some white marks. In fact, a white marking on the chest is said to be typical of the true breed. Any white on the head or body would place the dog in the other than black variety. 

 

The black colour should preferably be of a dull jet appearance which approximates to brown. In the other than black class, there may be black and tan, bronze, and white and black. The latter predominates, and in this colour, beauty of marking is very important. The head should be black with a white muzzle and blaze, and the body and legs should be white with large patches of black on the saddle and quarters, with possibly other small black spots on the body and legs.

Apart from colour, the varieties should conform to the same standard. The head should be broad and massive, but in no sense heavy in appearance. The muzzle should be short, square, and clean cut, eyes rather wide apart, deep set, dark and small, not showing any haw; ears small, with close side carriage, covered with fine short hair (there should be no fringe to the ears), expression full of intelligence, dignity, and kindness.

The body should be long, square, and massive, loins strong and well filled; chest deep and broad; legs quite straight, somewhat short in proportion to the length of the body, and powerful, with round bone well covered with muscle; feet large, round, and close. The tail should be only long enough to reach just below the hocks, free from kink, and never curled over the back. The quality of the coat is very important; the coat should be very dense, with plenty of undercoat; the outer coat somewhat harsh and quite straight.

The appearance generally should indicate a dog of great strength, and very active for his build and size, moving freely with the body swung loosely between the legs, which gives a slight roll in gait. As regards size, the Newfoundland Club standard gives 140 lbs. to 120 lbs. weight for a dog, and 110 lbs. to 120 lbs. for a bitch, with an average height at the shoulder of 27 inches and 25 inches respectively; but it is doubtful whether dogs in proper condition do conform to both requirements. 

When rearing puppies give them soft food, such as well-boiled rice and milk, as soon as they will lap, and, shortly afterwards, scraped lean meat. Newfoundland puppies require plenty of meat to induce proper growth. The puppies should increase in weight at the rate of 3 lbs. a week, and this necessitates plenty of flesh, bone and muscle-forming food, plenty of meat, both raw and cooked. Milk is also good, but it requires to be strengthened with casein. The secret of growing full-sized dogs with plenty of bone and substance is to get a good start from birth, good feeding, warm, dry quarters, and freedom for the puppies to move about and exercise themselves as they wish. Forced exercise may make them go wrong on their legs. Medicine should not be required except for worms, and the puppies should be physicked for these soon after they are weaned, and again when three or four months old, or before that if they are not thriving. If free from worms, Newfoundland puppies will be found quite hardy, and, under proper conditions of food and quarters, they are easy to rear.

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