Dog Training - Old Dogs

There comes a time when your dog will no longer be as young as they used to be and more care and attention might be needed. Everyone and every living thing gets old at some point and there’s nothing anyone can do.

There are however, things that can help dramatically in keeping your dog young and healthy and to set them up for a much better and happier aging. Don’t wait till your dog is old before thinking of the care he will need, you need to constantly look after your dog’s health to stop any unnecessary suffering later on.

The main things that affect your dog’s later life are the diet he/she is on and the exercise they get, along with other less important needs such as grooming and others, feeding and exercise are the main factors in determining your dog’s health later in life.

So what can happen to your dog in later life I hear you ask? Well there are plenty of illnesses and situations that may occur with age because of things not working as well as they used to much the same as human illnesses. Middle age for a dog is around the seven years mark although it depends on dog size and this is when the dog’s body will gradually start to deteriate.

One of the most common of old age symptoms for dogs is hearing and sight deteriation, this can cause the dog to be much more frightened and feeling more vulnerable than they used to. Old Dog personalities may begin to change in affect to this making some more friendly and other more grumpy and snappy. Other old age side effects include putting on weight, weaker muscles and bones, memory loss and being less able to fight off infections and diseases.

Weight gain is a big issue in old dogs and needs to be monitored and acted upon often to make sure your dog doesn’t get unwanted problems through obesity.

In general, if you pet is getting old and you can see he/she is feeling the pain, then take them to the local vet to get advice on any questions you have and have them checked over by an expert.

3 Basic Dog Training Tips Every Pet Owner Should Train Their Puppies

An excellent dog training requires both time and the right attitude. After all, this is how you establish a relationship with your pet. Since you have no means to verbal language, you need to properly utilize all other forms of communication so your dog can understand what you are trying to teach them.

There are three basic dog training tips that you need to teach your pet. And they are easy to do since all you need is a traction belt and your pet's favorite snack to motivate them to listen and obey.

"Come Here" Training

This is a basic obedience training that every pet dog must learn. This particular training method must be executed before meals or when they're hungry such that you can utilize the food reward to your advantage and get them to follow your orders.

Begin by rolling up the belt into a ring and place it on your left thumb. Then, send out a voice command saying "Come!". Make sure that only your mouth is moving as you do this, and avoid bending over - allow the dog to come to you. If you fail at the first try, use the food to attract his attention. If the dog comes over to your side, you can allow them to relax and give the food reward. Never bend over or show sympathy to them. This is an important rule in personal dog training that every pet owner must learn.

"Sit Down" Training

Once they have learned to obey the "come here" command, this is the next dog training skill you need to teach them. Still using the traction belt, grip it with one hand as the other controls the dog. When you call the dog's name, show them the food in your hand. Try shaking the food above its head as it will cause them to take a natural sitting position while gazing upwards at the food. When the dog bends its legs, this is the time to send out a "sit" voice command.

When it refuses to sit down, you can pull its collar upward. As soon as it sits down, make sure you loosen the traction belt. Always reward your pet for every aspect of dog training commands it obeys.

"Sit Down and Don't Move" Training

This particular command expresses ownership of the dog. This is an important skill to teach your dog when you go outside. However, you must practice this particular training skill somewhere inside your house for at least 15 minutes per session.

As with the other two above, always prepare your dog's favorite snack. As soon as the dog looks at the food, order them to "sit down". Once they are seated, try to move forward and tell your to stay put by commanding "don't move". If you have moved but your dog has remained in its place, walk them slowly around and avoid repeating the command.

However, repeat the entire process if they did not obey your command during the first instance and do not stop until you succeed in this part of your dog training. Seize the collar using your left hand as this will force them to sit down.

Dog Potty Training Problems

What if you seem to be getting nowhere after three months of potty training your dog? You have tried all the right things, crate training, putting your dog outside after a nap, teaching her only potty business outside, and so on, but still your dog does it inside.

What do you do now? The problem is, he is only a small dog, and very young at only three months old. Even though you know he needs to go every few hours, it is still not working for you.

How to do you get through to him that he needs to go outside to do his business. This can be very frustrating, and it is at these times you wish your dog could talk. But he cannot, so you just have to stick with it.

The key to solving this problem is following the correct procedures to ensure you have success. Later in this article I introduce you to a method I found which will have your dog potty trained in just seven days.

If your dog still does not change to the desired behavior, here are a few things to try.

1. If you have been bringing him in straight after he has done his business, leave him outside for a while to have a sniff around. That way he will know that being outside is for fun and not just to go to the loo.

2. Do not play with your dog until he has emptied himself. That way he will want to relieve himself quicker so that he can play with you.