How to Train Your Puppy to Obey Basic Commands

By Suzanne Alicie

Puppies are cute and cuddly, and generally out of control. One of the first things a new puppy needs is training in basic commands. Sit, Stay, and Lie Down are the most basics commands to teach a puppy. When it comes to training a puppy it is important to be firm and consistent. Puppies learn from consistency and repetition, and responsible pet owners know that proper training can turn a wild puppy into a well mannered dog.

Teach Your Puppy to Sit

Initially you will need to get down on your puppy’s level and help him sit. A gentle push on the haunches while saying “sit” to your puppy will help him get the idea. When your puppy sits upon command the first few times, be sure to reward him with praise and a treat. One of the things we do in our house is make the dogs sit while we prepare their food bowls. It is a ritual that helps even hyperactive dogs contain a bit of that energy and mind their manners when being fed. Sit is a common command and one of the easiest to teach, even a young puppy.

Teach Your Puppy to Stay

This is a command that is a bit more difficult to teach. Puppies tend to want to follow, because they simply want to be close to you. To teach this command initially, you don’t want to step away from the puppy and tell him to stay. The easiest way to teach a young puppy to stay is to use a treat. Since repetition is the key it may be easier on your puppy’s tummy to break treats into many pieces, or use smaller treats like the CANIDAE Snap-Bits™.

Place a piece of the treat on the floor in between you and your puppy. Tell him to stay and hold a hand in front of him so that he can’t reach the treat. Scoot the treat closer to him until it is right in front of his nose, while repeating “stay.” In time you will find that when you say “stay” your puppy will do so, but it takes repetition. Consistency is the key, as well as not overwhelming the puppy with too many commands to learn all at once. Concentrate on one act at a time.

Teach Your Puppy to Lie Down

Lie down is another simple command, and an easy transition from sit. Many times when your puppy is sitting if you tap the floor under his nose he will lie down to touch your hand. So once you have repeated this action several times, start to say “lie down” when you reach toward the floor. Before you know it your puppy will lie down as soon as he hears the words. Again, treats and praise along with the repetition and consistency will help your puppy learn the command quickly.

Puppies are loving and eager to please. If you begin training early and consistently, it should not be difficult to train your puppy to obey these basic commands, and then you can move on to other tricks. Puppies can learn just about anything you feel like taking the time to teach them, from sitting pretty to dancing, jumping and speaking.

Read more articles by Suzanne Alicie

Why Do Dogs Chase Cats?

By Ruthie Bently

Asking why dogs chase cats is like asking the age old question “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” Basically, like many things dogs do, chasing cats is instinctual and they’re hard-wired to do it. However, you’ll find anomalies in every purebred and mixed breed dog; some will chase cats, some won’t. If you have a hunting, working or terrier breed or mix, there’s a good chance they will chase cats, because they have a stronger drive to do so. Most terriers and even some hounds were used as ratters not that many years ago. Dachshunds were used for hunting badgers and were sent into holes after the badgers to route them out.

The instinct that our domestic dogs inherited from their wolf ancestors is their prey drive. This drive was necessary in the wild so a wolf pack could survive. A mother wolf hunts to feed her pups, and the pack hunts for survival of the fittest pups in the pack, as they are the future of the pack’s longevity. The prey drive causes a lone wolf to hunt anything smaller than itself.

A dog’s prey drive is motivated by movement; it can also be motivated by smell. Racing Greyhounds are trained to chase a mechanical rabbit. Lure coursers chase a scented bait across a field. Herding dogs chase the flocks they protect, nipping at their heels to get them to move. This is all controlled at their base level by the prey drive instinct. If a dog grows up with cats, while they may chase when playing with their feline roommate, they are not as apt to actively chase cats all the time. They may also defend their joint territory against strange cats that intrude in your yard.

If you want your dog and cat to get along, the first step is introducing them. Admittedly it is easier if one or both of them are young, because they are less apt to have preconceptions of what the other species is capable of. If you’re bringing a new puppy home, a good way to introduce them is to crate your puppy and bring the cat into the room the crate is in. If your cat isn’t disturbed by the appearance of your dog, sit on the floor in front of the crate with the cat in your arms and introduce them.

If the cat is unwilling, scared or too wiggly, you can put them in their carrier and set the carrier door facing the crate door, several feet apart. You still want to be nearby watching the interaction and have treats and praise on hand for both your dog and cat. If your dog barks or the cat growls, admonish them but do not punish them; they are just reacting to a new situation. If they behave well, praise them and offer treats to both. By using this method, your dog and cat can get used to the sight of each other without being able to reach each other.

The next step is to let them interact in a room under your supervision. Make sure the room you choose has an escape route for your cat. Make sure your cat’s toenails are trimmed before the encounter, a friendly swat on the nose is one thing, but sharp claws may make your dog re-think the idea of being friends. Put a collar and leash on your dog and put them on a sit/stay in the room.

Have another family member bring the cat in and put them on the floor near the dog. If your dog is calm, praise them and offer them a treat for their good behavior. If your dog rushes the cat or tugs on the leash, tell them “no” and put them back on their sit/stay. Repeat both stages of training several times a day and for the first several months if needed. If your cat is an indoor/outdoor cat, provide sanctuaries both inside and out where they can be away from the dog, because even friends need a break at times. Make sure to feed your cat away from the dog’s reach. A dog eating their food may irritate the cat and make his acceptance of the dog harder.

You can train an adult dog that has not grown up with cats to respect them as another member of your melded pack. I know, because I’ve done it. By having patience, understanding why your dog chases cats, and using the same method of training consistently, you too can have your own peaceable kingdom at home.

Read more articles by Ruthie Bently

Deer Antlers: Tough Chews for Tough Dogs

Naturally shed deer antlers
100% organic - now for sale at i-pets.com

Male white-tailed deer (bucks) have antlers during spring, summer, and winter moths. The antlers naturally fall off, or "shed" in late winter, early spring, when mating season is over.

Antlers are made of dead bone - they are a great alternative to rawhide chews, especially for dogs who are aggressive chewers or who have a sensitive digestive system, disturbed by the fat and protein in rawhide chews.

Antlers on deer are bone material.

During growth they are covered with a skin that helps provide blood and nutrients to the antler.

When the antler growth stops due to testosterone-levels rising in the animal, the skin is rubbed off - this creates the colorization and "staining" of the antler.

The antlers carried by i-pets.com are "natural sheds," collected in the forests of Illinois. Deer have not been harmed to collect these antlers. Because they were gathered in the wild, we have washed them with a mild peroxide solution, just to be sure they are dirt and germ free.

Deer antlers are a clean, odorless, non-staining, non-greasy treat to keep active chewers busy. The antlers will not crumble or splinter and harm your dog.

In the wild, shed antlers are not around for too long - they are a favorite treat for wild animals - even squirrels and rodents love them because they are rich in minerals and calcium.

But not all dogs like antlers.

Just as some dogs aren't crazy about rawhide or pig ears, there are those who aren't attracted to antlers, either.

Because antlers are odorless, your dog might not be aware of their excellent chewability. Try rubbing on a little peanut butter or some beef juice left over from your steak dinner when introducing antlers for the first time.

As with all treats, please supervise your pet carefully, especially the first few times you're offering this new treat.

(Holly, pictured above, is a four-month old pup, who really, really likes deer antlers. She says they're much more enjoyable than the table legs she was chewing before.)

What recession? Our pampered pets are still living the good life

Americans continue spending heavily on their pets even as they have given up restaurant meals, vacations and new cars.

Even though job losses and foreclosures have forced some people to give up their animals, pet-related spending in the United States actually climbed by 5 percent from 2007 to 2008. Industry experts expect the numbers to rise again this year, to a total of $45.4 billion spent on food, supplies, medical care and animal purchases.

Though some consumers have scaled back on products such as accessories, American Pet Products Association President Bob Vetere said many remain choosy about what they feed their pets. The tainted-pet-food scares that killed dozens of animals in 2007 have led many consumers to buy higher-end brands. **

A survey conducted by BIGresearch, a market-research company, shows that 61.2 percent of people surveyed in December said they owned pets, up slightly from 59.4 percent the previous year.

Retail and animal experts say families staying home more may see getting a new pet — particularly one from a shelter — as a relatively low-cost investment that will reap benefits for years.

Source

** Obviously, great news for i-pets.com, where we continue to sell USA manufactured rawhide treats, free of chemicals and additives.

See what our happy customers say about i-pets.com.