UNDERSTANDING THE MANY MOODS OF YOUR PUPPY

UNDERSTANDING THE MANY MOODS OF YOUR PUPPY

Arrange your puppy training to be easier and more enjoyable by comprehending that your puppy is making an effort to connect with you in further ways than barking or wiggling his tail. Keep in mind, your puppy also tries to communicate with his ears, paws, tail, mouth and more and your puppy teaching and day to day life with your dog will be to a large extent more enjoyable.

Here are a few guidelines to some fundamental body language of your dog and its meaning:

Dominant – You will come across that a dominant dog will have the ears directly up or frontward, its mouth a little open or closed, its eyes wide open or looking intently, its body standing rigid and tall with hackles perhaps lifted up, and its tail out from the body rigid or plumped up. A low down and aggressive bark can frequently be anticipated.

Friendly - A friendly dog has upraised ears, open and watchful eyes, a calm mouth, the whole rear end or tail wagging, and perhaps whining, yelping or giving out small barking sounds.

Playful - A bended over pose with the tail wagging implies, “come, let us play.”

Submissive - A dog with its ears firmly back, eyes closed and paw lifted up is presenting excessive submission. The dog is not in high spirits but shows it will not assault.

Aggressive - An aggressive dog has its ears packed down behind touching its head, its eyes tapering or testing, body on edge, mouth open to show teeth and tail held out from the body and ruffled up if possible. Growls or howls are usual.

Worried - Quick barks along with howling, ears compressed and neck hairs lifted up means "I'm worried" or "something is wrong."

Fear - A dog shows fear with a lowered posture, tail down or put underside, an curved back, looking or turning head even as showing the whites of their whites of eyes and enlarged pupils. Dogs frequently bark out of fear, in particular if they are in a tight spot, cooped up, or on a restraint.

Stressed - A dog under stress will frequently have its ears down and back, mouth wide open, and the lips being drawn backwards with fast breathing. Also tail put down, shoulders lowered, bent frontward, nervousness in attitude and it will almost certainly be shaking.

Now that you know more about what your puppy is making any effort to say to you about how he senses or the frame of mind he is in, try to put up this in your puppy training and day to day life.

In a puppy training sitting your dog should be showing that he is in a responsive or mischievous mood. If he shows he is commanding then you can make out that he may not be taking you sincerely or may well be being obstinate and you most likely have to be more forceful.

A little submissive conduct is not a bad thing as it means that that he knows that you are in command.

If your puppy turns out to be hassled, terrified, troubled or even hostile, you have got to stop your teaching and comfort your dog right away. If you have been teaching for more than 15 minutes, discontinue and take a breather. When you come back take things more leisurely or commence things in a different way.

Use your awareness in day to day life too. Watch your puppy in different circumstances and you will soon find out what he is fond of and hates or what his state of mind is. You can then take action to give him more of what he takes pleasure in and more encouragement, assurance and teaching in circumstances he finds more complex

GENERAL HISTORY OF DOGS.

GENERAL HISTORY OF DOGS.

There is no incongruity in the idea that in the very earliest period of man's habitation of this world he made a friend and companion of some sort of aboriginal representative of our modern dog, and that in return for its aid in protecting him from wilder animals, and in guarding his sheep and goats, he gave it a share of his food, a corner in his dwelling, and grew to trust it and care for it. Probably the animal was originally little else than an unusually gentle jackal, or an ailing wolf driven by its companions from the wild marauding pack to seek shelter in alien surroundings. One can well conceive the possibility of the partnership beginning in the circumstance of some helpless whelps being brought home by the early hunters to be tended and reared by the women and children. Dogs introduced into the home as playthings for the children would grow to regard themselves, and be regarded, as members of the family

In nearly all parts of the world traces of an indigenous dog family are found, the only exceptions being the West Indian Islands, Madagascar, the eastern islands of the Malayan Archipelago, New Zealand, and the Polynesian Islands, where there is no sign that any dog, wolf, or fox has existed as a true aboriginal animal. In the ancient Oriental lands, and generally among the early Mongolians, the dog remained savage and neglected for centuries, prowling in packs, gaunt and wolf-like, as it prowls today through the streets and under the walls of every Eastern city. No attempt was made to allure it into human companionship or to improve it into docility. It is not until we come to examine the records of the higher civilisations of Assyria and Egypt that we discover any distinct varieties of canine form.

The dog was not greatly appreciated in Palestine, and in both the Old and New Testaments it is commonly spoken of with scorn and contempt as an "unclean beast." Even the familiar reference to the Sheepdog in the Book of Job "But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock" is not without a suggestion of contempt, and it is significant that the only biblical allusion to the dog as a recognised companion of man occurs in the apocryphal Book of Tobit (v. 16), "So they went forth both, and the young man's dog with them."

The great multitude of different breeds of the dog and the vast differences in their size, points, and general appearance are facts which make it difficult to believe that they could have had a common ancestry. One thinks of the difference between the Mastiff and the Japanese Spaniel, the Deerhound and the fashionable Pomeranian, the St. Bernard and the Miniature Black and Tan Terrier, and is perplexed in contemplating the possibility of their having descended from a common progenitor. Yet the disparity is no greater than that between the Shire horse and the Shetland pony, the Shorthorn and the Kerry cattle, or the Patagonian and the Pygmy; and all dog breeders know how easy it is to produce a variety in type and size by studied selection.

In order properly to understand this question it is necessary first to consider the identity of structure in the wolf and the dog. This identity of structure may best be studied in a comparison of the osseous system, or skeletons, of the two animals, which so closely resemble each other that their transposition would not easily be detected.

The spine of the dog consists of seven vertebrae in the neck, thirteen in the back, seven in the loins, three sacral vertebrae, and twenty to twenty-two in the tail. In both the dog and the wolf there are thirteen pairs of ribs, nine true and four false. Each has forty-two teeth. They both have five front and four hind toes, while outwardly the common wolf has so much the appearance of a large, bare-boned dog, that a popular description of the one would serve for the other.

Nor are their habits different. The wolf's natural voice is a loud howl, but when confined with dogs he will learn to bark. Although he is carnivorous, he will also eat vegetables, and when sickly he will nibble grass. In the chase, a pack of wolves will divide into parties, one following the trail of the quarry, the other endeavouring to intercept its retreat, exercising a considerable amount of strategy, a trait which is exhibited by many of our sporting dogs and terriers when hunting in teams.

A further important point of resemblance between the Canis lupus and the Canis familiaris lies in the fact that the period of gestation in both species is sixty-three days. There are from three to nine cubs in a wolf's litter, and these are blind for twenty-one days. They are suckled for two months, but at the end of that time they are able to eat half-digested flesh disgorged for them by their dam or even their sire.

The native dogs of all regions approximate closely in size, coloration, form, and habit to the native wolf of those regions. Of this most important circumstance there are far too many instances to allow of its being looked upon as a mere coincidence. Sir John Richardson, writing in 1829, observed that "the resemblance between the North American wolves and the domestic dog of the Indians is so great that the size and strength of the wolf seems to be the only difference.

It has been suggested that the one incontrovertible argument against the lupine relationship of the dog is the fact that all domestic dogs bark, while all wild Canidae express their feelings only by howls. But the difficulty here is not so great as it seems, since we know that jackals, wild dogs, and wolf pups reared by bitches readily acquire the habit. On the other hand, domestic dogs allowed to run wild forget how to bark, while there are some which have not yet learned so to express themselves.

The presence or absence of the habit of barking cannot, then, be regarded as an argument in deciding the question concerning the origin of the dog. This stumbling block consequently disappears, leaving us in the position of agreeing with Darwin, whose final hypothesis was that "it is highly probable that the domestic dogs of the world have descended from two good species of wolf (C. lupus and C. latrans), and from two or three other doubtful species of wolves namely, the European, Indian, and North African forms; from at least one or two South American canine species; from several races or species of jackal; and perhaps from one or more extinct species"; and that the blood of these, in some cases mingled together, flows in the veins of our domestic breeds.

How to Stop Bad Dog Behaviors

How to Stop Bad Dog Behaviors

Many families take a lot of joy out of having a pet. Dogs are often viewed as the ideal pet because you can interact so much with them. You can teach a dog tricks, take it for a walk, and it will always be a loyal companion. Some dogs like to test their owner’s patience by acting out. This may be in the form of barking non-stop, biting things around the house, or digging holes in the back yard. No pet owner wants to have to deal with bad dog behaviors like this. It’s not only frustrating, but it’s time consuming as well, if you don’t know how to effectively correct the problem.

Adopting an animal when it is very young usually helps to initiate a lasting bond. Once a small puppy is taken from its mother, it relies on its owner for direction. It is at this stage that you want to start reinforcing certain things. One of the most troublesome bad dog behaviors is playing with items the animal shouldn’t be. Typically this is slippers, or small kids’ toys, it can even be expensive purses or shoes. The dog has no idea what is and isn’t a toy, so it just assumes everything is. The owner should be mindful of what it left within the dog’s reach and if he or she notices the dog picking up something it shouldn’t be, a firm “no” always helps. Repetition is often necessary to ensure the dog understands the rule and to correct this type of dog behavior problems.

Accidents in the home sometimes occur and if they aren’t dealt with swiftly, the problem can be a persistent one. Many puppies relieve themselves wherever and whenever the mood strikes them. This is one of the bad dog behaviors that can really impact your life. It’s important for the owner to take the dog outside at regular intervals when it is young so it becomes accustomed to not going inside the house. If that’s not possible, you can paper train the dog, which is also very helpful.

Biting is another issue that some dog owners find themselves facing. Typically it’s not that the dog is meaning to bite anyone. It’s more that the dog is playing and nips at the person. This is especially troubling if you have young children in the home. Correcting bad dog behaviors like this is really important. You don’t want to end up having a dog that bites people who are at your home visiting. This could have very serious results so you need to work with the dog, by scolding it when it does attempt to play in this fashion.

It’s so nice to have a pet for the entire family to enjoy. With a little work and commitment you can train your dog to be a wonderful and loving companion for years to come. Dog behavior problems can always be corrected if you take the right approach