Bringing a new baby home, trying to bring the groceries in the house or baby sitting a friend’s dog? If you have ever engaged in any of these activities then you can understand the need to contain your dog from time to time. Dogs are excitable creatures and they can get rambunctious during these events, but putting them in the spare room and shutting the door will often lead to destructive consequences. Your dog wants to belong and be a part of the action so banning him to the back bedroom will make him feel closed off and lead to the possible ruining of the doors and carpets through his attempts to get out of the room. Containing your dog is a fact of life whether it is indoors or out and you should have some tricks up your sleeve to do so. When used correctly there are several useful tools to keep your dog content while keeping him out from under your feet!

The first and most important containment tool is the crate. All dogs should be kennel trained and have their own special place to go when life gets hectic or you need a dog free zone. Say the cable man is coming over to check your service or the appliance guy is coming over to install your new refrigerator. In these instances, a crate trained dog can simply be told to go to their crate to wait it out. If crate training is done with patience and is not used as punishment, most dogs will be happy to head straight to their crates without complaint after hearing only one simple command to do so. Keep the crate stocked with a comfortable bed or several blankets and a favorite chew toy and remember to give him treats upon entry from time to time. Your dog may still bark when the repair man comes to the door, but he will generally stop quickly because he is in his special place and not shoved into the basement or back bedroom at the last minute.

The next great containment system is the baby gate. Baby gates have come a long way and are now being designed with clever canines in mind. Gates these days have doors that open and close at the touch of a button, smooth powder coated bars that prevent climbing and are even spring loaded so you don’t have to drill holes in your door frames. Some gates come as long as a dozen feet long for those wide family room openings while others are small enough for a bathroom entry. Baby gates are wonderful for prolonged periods of containment because your dog can clearly see into the room where you are and thus feel like a part of the action. If you are watching a movie with friends who are skittish with dogs, simply gate off the adjacent room and place their beds and a toy there. They will still be able to see you and what is going on so they will not feel cut off from the action and their behavior will be much better than if they were holed up somewhere else.

Another method of containment is the invisible fence system. This consists of a wire buried around the perimeter of your yard and hooks up to a special box where the controls are located. The system comes with a collar that your dog wears to warn him when he gets too close to the barrier. This beep along will not make them stop; however, it is followed by a quick shock when the barrier is crossed. Eventually your dog will learn that the beep means stop so there will be no need for future shocks. This is an excellent way to contain your dog if you do not have a fenced in yard. It is not fool proof so please use with supervision. The main benefit of these systems is that you do not have to worry about a lost dog in case he slips out the back door without your permission, which is bound to happen if you have a dog.

When containing your dog always remember to provide toys, fresh water and comfortable bedding. Containment is a necessary part of a dog’s life, but it doesn’t have to feel like a punishment. Get your dog in the habit of listening your commands, being contained in a part of the house on a regular basis so you are both ready when the time comes.

Article sent in by pet super store a site with dog doors, petsafe radio fence and shock collars.

If you have ever watched the National Geographic Channel for any length of time then chances are that you have seen a show titled The Dog Whisperer staring Cesar Millan. Fro those of you who have not had the pleasure, Cesar is a television host who travels across the country helping people gain control over their unruly dogs. He solves dog behavioral problems by teaching people how to understand the psychology behind why their dogs exhibit said behaviors. Cesar’s main advice is to remain the calm and assertive pack leader. For those of us who don’t speak Cesar fluently; here are 5 ways to be a pack leader:

1. You must understand why dogs need a pack leader. Dogs are wild animals who descended from wolves. Before dogs were domesticated they lived in the wild in packs. Within those packs there was a pecking order from the pack leader or alpha down to the most submissive member. In order to have a successful and happy pack you must establish yourself as the leader of it. By doing this you let the dog(s) know where their place is and what roles they play within the pack. Without this structure your dog is more likely to act out through destructive behavior or other undesirable actions.

2. Pack leaders always win. You must never let your dog win when playing against you. If your dog is sitting in your favorite chair and you try to move him and do not follow through after he growls or snaps then you have just lost. Go calmly back to the situation and urge your dog to move by nudging or enticing with a treat. The moment your dog relinquishes his position you should praise liberally. In this scenario you have won, but your dog is also happy because he learned his place in the pack and got a treat in the process.

3. Pack leaders go first. Whenever you are in a situation where you can go first or the dog can, always make sure you go first. If you are getting ready to walk out the door to go on a walk make sure your dog sits and waits for you to go first before he is allowed to exit himself. When on the walk make sure your dog is by your side and not out in front leading you around the block. You should also go first at mealtime. You eat your food first and then feed Rover. All of these behaviors will reinforce your alpha role in the pack. 

4. Make them work for it. Pack leaders do not give treats to their dogs for being cute (OK, well maybe sometimes when no one is looking), they make them work for it. It can be something as simple as a sit or as difficult as an extended down stay, but it should always be something. Always make sure to have your dog perform some type of command before giving him any type of treat. He needs to learn that there is no free lunch.

5. Remain collected and confident. Body language is very important to dogs because that is how they communicate with other dogs. Use body language like keeping your head up and shoulders back. This alert posture shows your dog that you are confident and assertive. Use a firm voice when administering commands. Make it known that you are telling and not asking. 

This might sound stern to you, but keep in mind that there is always room for affection in a healthy pack. Be firm and decisive when achieving pack status, but reward desired behavior and give love liberally when shaping your pack. Good leaders know how to balance discipline and affection.

This article was provided by the authors at pet-super-store a site featuring dog ramps, raised dog feeders, and wireless dog fences.

If you have ever seen your dog run to the smelliest thing he can find and roll around in it with glee then chances are you have had a moment in which you question his sanity. Sometimes our dogs do things that we don’t understand, but there are underlying reasons. Some reasons are obvious and others not so much. Here is a list of 10 puzzling doggie behaviors and their meanings:

1. Pants: Typically dogs pant to cool themselves off. Dogs don’t have sweat glands on their skin like humans so they regulate their body temperature by panting. Sometimes your dog will pan if he is anxious or afraid and occasionally when he is in pain.

2. Circles the bed before sleeping: When your dog circles his bed several times before lying down on it he is acting out on a behavior he would have used out in the wild. In the wild dogs would circle their sleeping spots to flatten the grass in that area to create a sleeping nest.

3. Licks you: This behavior is something your dog learned just after birth. Puppies learn to lick their mother’s mouth to encourage her to regurgitate food for them. This behavior continues as an attention seeking behavior. Dogs will continue to do it if they receive feedback as a result. Some dogs will like to establish dominance. Perhaps this is something to keep in mind next time you ask Poochie for a kiss?

4. Paws the ground after eliminating: Your dog is actually trying to mark his territory with his scent and a visual indicator that they were there. Dogs actually have sweat glands in the pads of their feet so they can leave their scent behind through the pawing or the ground.

5. Rolls around in stinky stuff: Dogs and other animals have a heightened sense of smell and can detect other animals from quite a distance. By rolling in excrement or carcasses of dead animals dogs are able to mask their own scents and make them less vulnerable to predators. Modern dogs don’t need this skill; however, it is an instinctual behavior left over from their days as wild packs.

6. Yawns: Dogs yawn for the same reasons that we do. For one, they are tired and for two, they are using a neutral and normal behavior to relieve a stressful situation. It is similar to what we do when we fidget with our hair or lick our lips and other nervous repetitive behaviors.

7. Runs in his sleep: If you have ever seen your dog pumping his legs back and forth while napping he is doing just what you might expect, dreaming. Dogs dream just like us and he very well might be dreaming about running through the park or treeing a squirrel.

8. Rubs his butt on the carpet: This can be a disturbing though, but your dog might be scooting because he has intestinal worms. The culprit might often be impacted or infected anal glands. If there are no health problems then your dog just might be sing the scent glands in his anal sacks to rub his scent on your floor.

9. Chases his tail: This can simply mean that your dog is bored and is in search for outside stimulus. Of course if your dog actually catches and begins biting his tail he might have skin or other allergies to consider.

 10. Sniffs around looking for the perfect spot to urinate: Your dog is not alone in this, all dogs do it. Canines have a very keen sense of smell and they will sniff until they find the perfect spot. They are looking for olfactory communications from other dogs before they urinate to leave their scent behind. Some dogs are so selective that they will not eliminate where another dog has been. This can be a challenge to apartment dwellers so just be patient. 

This article was submitted by the authors at pet-super-store a pet site featuring dog fences, petsafe, and dog kennels.

The use of dogs for trailing after criminals and escaped prisoners is on the rise.  Training a dog to trail a criminal must start out like any obedience training, slowly and consistantly.  Please pick a quiet place outdoors. Tie the dog to a tree. Have a person, preferably a stranger, pick on the dog, then run away. He runs out of sight of the dog, marking on the ground with his foot the direction he has taken.The assistant can rub his shoes with bacon fat or another material that has a strong odor.

The man must run in the direction of the wind. If he ran against the wind, it would blow the scent toward the dog. When the dog works in the direction of the wind, he is aided and will keep his nose close to the trail.

Take your dog on a long lead leash to the spot marked by the criminal's foot. Have the dog smell the spot. Command "find" and let him go on his way.  If the dog loses the scent, always take him back to the starting point, the spot where the criminal marked the trail with his foot.

Scold the dog when he gets off the trail; praise him as he keeps on it. Lengthen the trail each day. Change persons frequently. Keep the dog on the leash while trailing. In cases of actual trailing of criminals, he would go too fast for the pursuers.  After a time, the dog can be let loose on the training trails. The assistant can have on a training suit or can be up a tree. The dog is not to attack when he comes upon the person but is to bark and hold the convict from escaping.

The dog must always find his man at the end of the trail. In practice he should always be brought to the criminal, for if he trails every day without finding his goal, he will lose interest. If always he finds his man, he is happy and attentive and feels that he must go on until he does find his man.

This article was provided by pet-super-store an online pet shop that features dog houses and patio pet doors.

Training for a 5K can be a daunting task. It’s always easier to train for a race when you have a loyal running partner at your side. You and your dog can train for the race together if you follow the steps below.

Step 1: Look online or consult a local running club in order to create a reasonable training schedule for you and your pup.  Depending on your (and your dog’s!) current level of fitness, you should give yourself anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months to prepare for the 3.1 mile race.

Step 2: Keep it interesting. Vary the routes that you and your dog run while training so that neither one of you get bored. Also vary the running surfaces, which will help keep his paws and joints healthier too.

Step 3: Fight the urge to lose the leash. It’s important for him to remain leashed during his training runs because he will need to be leashed during the race.  Once the two of you have found a steady pace, you might be able to tie the leash around your waist.

Step 4: Keep your dog hydrated. You should carry a water bottle for him in order to avoid overheating.

Step 5: Feed your dog a well-balanced healthy diet. The first ingredient in his food should be meat, not corn or some other byproduct. Talk to your vet about whether or not you should increase his calorie intake during the training period.

Step 6: Beware of the health issues that are associated with exercising your dog too much. If you notice him limping or slowing down, he might be experiencing pain in his joints. You might want to consider giving your dog a supplement to support his joint health.

Step 7: Run the course with your pup beforehand. This will enable you both to see the ups and downs (literally!) of the course. It will also give you a chance to see where you can take it easy and where the course might provide some real challenges for you both.

 Step 8: If possible, take your dog to a 5K that you are not participating in.  He needs to be exposed to all of the hustle and bustle of race day before the big event.

If the 5K is a big success, you might find yourself entering more events with your pup at your side!

This article is sponsored by pet super store. An online pet store that features dog training collars and dog tracking collars.