Welcome to the world of dog ownership. If you've done your due diligence and research, then you probably are confident that you have selected the right breed for your home. Guess what? The education is about to begin. Let me introduce you to what I refer to as the ?Dog Owner's Guide to Survival.? It's not a book, but it is a common sense approach when it comes to canine ownership.
Making a few common sense decisions regarding your new dog can be critical when it comes down to laying the foundation to a good relationship with the animal. One of the first considerations is the position that dog will occupy from an interaction standpoint. You should also think about that when it comes to the animal's relationship with friends, neighbors, and (especially) strangers who show up unexpectedly at your home. You will find that in most instances, the relationship will work if the dog and owner adapt to the situation that the decisions have mandated.
Another point here is that you need to treat this relationship the same way you would treat any other relationship, especially relationships that you have with loved ones. Use the philosophy of making the relationship work for all parties concerned and you will have a much easier time of things. The key aspects are adaptation to the relationship, amending the rules, and the act of decision making.
To reflect back momentarily, what if you haven't decided on the breed of dog that you want and are just starting to do your research? Here's some suggested reading for you:
?Choosing a Dog for Dummies
by Chris Walkowicz/Trade paperback/2001
?Your Purebred Puppy : A Buyers Guide
by Michele Welton/Paperback/2000 (second edition)
?The Complete Dog Book (20th Ed)
by the American Kennel Club/Hardcover/1997
These three books are excellent reading. The one published by the AKC is my first choice if you are getting that dog as an investment (as in breeding) as well as a pet. The origin of the breed, reasons for its development, personality, and physical attributes is what I call critical need-to-know information. So the first consideration is to select the breed based on studying it from all angles and making sure that it will adapt to the family lifestyle and temperament.
Personalities of breeds come in all shapes and sizes. Do you want a dog that can hunt or pull a sled? Or do you want a dog that is calm and loves to just hang out and relax? How about the coat --- long-hair or short-hair? Obviously, if you really love that animal, grooming will always be an issue. And by all means, think about the climate zone that you're living in. Here's a thought. If you live in the dessert, don't get a sheep dog. Do you catch my drift?
Just remember that the physical and psychological aspects are everything. Never take them for granted. Never assume that you are doing all you can do for that animal's well being. Their mental health controls their physical health, just like with humans.
You've probably had a day or two when you felt like your dog just wasn't paying any attention to you at all, right? You talked, you yelled, you shouted, maybe you jumped up and down and waved your arms, but she just wasn't interested in anything you had to say to her in any tone of voice. You're not alone.
Your dog isn't human.
Unless you believe in pet psychics, there's really no way for you to read your pooch's mind and figure out exactly what she's thinking. The good news is that, like many dog owners, the problems you're having can probably be traced to one simple thing: you're trying to communicate with your dog from a human standpoint, and your dog isn't a human. Sure, you know that, but lots of humans try to relate with their dogs in the ways that they think are rational as humans. The problem is that dogs are driven in every act and every moment by very strong instincts. Deciphering those instincts and leveraging them to build a productive relationship is like finding the keys to the city.
Your dog doesn't speak English.
Take the word ?no,? for example. Does your dog speak English? Not understand English. Does she speak it? What's meaningful to her is your tone of voice, not the word itself. Now let's think about that ? we're taking up excess time trying to teach our dog a word she'll never speak and that probably doesn't mean much to her anyway. Sure, it's meaningful to us, but that's only one side of the equation. What about something that's meaningful to both human and dog?
You know what a growl means, and your dog knows what a growl means.
If you think that mutually meaningful language doesn't exist, you're not thinking creatively enough. What does it say to you when a dog growls at you? Anything from ?get away from my food? to ?back off, dude,? right? Yet in every case, a dog's growl typically means that she is not happy with whatever you've done. And you've seen dogs react to other dogs? growls, right? So you know what a growl means, and your dog knows what a growl means. Where's the disconnect? Growl at your dog!
No, seriously. The next time your pooch starts stepping outside her bounds or doing something you don't like, growl at her. A nice, strong, guttural growl that would put the alpha wolf in a pack to shame. While you're growling, look directly into her eyes. You're almost guaranteed that she'll back off. It might be best to try it in your home environment to start with ? I don't want to be held responsible for you getting funny looks in the street!
Instincts save time and communicate effectively.
See that? You worked with her instinct and the information hardwired into her brain, and the result was instantaneous. Why spend tons of time trying to work against that instinct and end up frustrated, angry, and still miscommunications? This approach works in everything from basic discipline to full-on obedience training. You just need to figure out how to apply it in each of those situations.
Both Alexey Baskakov & Paul Duxbury are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Alexey Baskakov has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets, Pregnancy Problems and Puppies Dogs. Alexey Baskakov is a dedicated expert on pets and canine health. Check out his site for more information on how to keep your best friend healthy.. Alexey Baskakov's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.
Paul Duxbury has sinced written about articles on various topics from Puppies Dogs, Wedding Bells and Home Businesses. Paul is Head of Training for a major UK Charitable Organisation. He has just launched which offers a range of products for all Dog Lovers!. Paul Duxbury's top article generates over 49500 views. to your Favourites.