My Ideal Dog

If you have a puppy, you should know that socializing is a crucial part of caring for your new hunting dog. The unsocialized puppy may end up biting out of fear, so it’s very important to socialize your dog. If you’re looking to start social training with your dog, here are some tips.

Puppy School

Puppy training classes can be a great asset to you and your puppy.  You’ll learn commands that will teach your puppy control himself, like sit, stay and quiet. You’ll also receive advice on socialization questions. Check with local pet stores or search online to find a puppy class near you.

A word of caution: keep shy puppies away from group training classes, as this can overwhelm. If your dog exhibits shy behvarior, like hiding from people or things, you should help him gain trust and confidence before starting on any dog training exercises.

Dealing with a Shy Dog

Dogs are so shy that they are actual afraid. If this is the case with your puppy, don’t force him to accept your petting because this can heighten his anxiety and cause him to bite out of fear. Instead, help him cope and develop by training with a greeting circle.

Invite a few of your friends to help you out and make sure you have a supply of your puppies favorite treats. Ask everyone to join you sitting in a circle on the floor and put your puppy next to you (if he’s very shy) or right in the middle of the circle.  You want to make sure that your dog doesn’t feel threatened in any way, so one way to do that is to have everyone sitting sideways and facing another person versus a position that might be more threatening to the dog (i.e. sitting staring at the puppy).  Make sure that you don’t frighten your puppy by leaning over them as they might see this as an attempt at domination.  Avoiding direct eye contact and sudden movements will also help your puppy be more comfortable.

The way to make this circle work is to have each person sitting in the circle put a treat in their hand and close their hand and extend it into the circle.  Once this is done you can each open up your hands and call to the puppy, and try to urge him to come to take the treat from your hand.  You should make sure that you’re using soft voices and offering encouraging words during this process, but don’t try to pet the dog until he comes to you for attention.

Go around the circle. Have each person encourage puppy to take the treat. Make it easy for your puppy.  When he learns the game and is voluntarily walking up to the next hand, you can change it up a bit by changing direction or having people call him at random.

Hopefully once you get him started, your dog will begin walking around the circle and will go to the next person in the circle on his own – at that point, you can try having people not sitting next to each other call him to encourage him to socialize with them.

The Play Date

Playtimes are an excellent way to introduce your puppy to people and animals of all shapes and sizes. Be sure his first playtimes are fun and positive.  Observe your puppy carefully. A scary encounter with another dog will make a permanent impression.

Be sure to set up play dates with familiar and trustworthy dogs.  For instance, if your friend has an adult Labrador who loves everyone and everything, you should try and setting up a playtime with him.

Check your local pet store for play dates and times. This is usually free. Remove your puppy from the area if he seems afraid or is being bullied.

If your heading out, take your puppy along.  This helps him get used to different smells and sights.  Keep some tasty treats close by so that you can reward friendly behavior.  If you take him to the pet store, give him a treat as soon as you walk in the door.  Let him explore at his own pace.

If you’re out with your puppy and someone asks to pet him make sure they understand that he’s a little shy and offer them a treat for your dog. This can help develop trust with strangers also.

Making sure your hunting dogs is properly cared for is extremely important to make sure you have all your hunting dog supplies that is necessary to train your dog properly including PetSafe Wireless Fence, Innotek 5100, and Innotek 4100.

Dental care for dogs is a rapidly expanding field of medicine, but is a strangely novel concept for many dog owners and potential dog owners.  However, many of us have the desire to give our pets long, healthy lives, and this is an essential way to contribute to that ideal. For new dog owners, or those who have no idea where to begin their dog’s dental care, it is important to learn the basics of doggie dental health care. 

Although dogs are different than humans in almost every way imaginable, we do share a few common issues.  As a human, you acknowledge that brushing your teeth regularly, going to the dentist periodically, and general oral care are a very important part of your mouth’s health.  Believe it or not, dogs require some of the same care on a regular basis.

Just like ours, if a dog’s teeth are uncared for, over time, they will begin to deteriorate.  Again like us, poor dental care will cause pain, discomfort, and even illness for a dog.  This generally occurs in three distinct stages:

 Plaque accumulates on the teeth.

This is, technically speaking, the breakdown of sugars and other types of food fragments on the teeth, and it produces germs.  This takes place continuously, every day and every meal, but is minimized to some extent by eating specific foods, chewing, and drinking water.     

Plaque hardens into tartar. 

Tartar is an extremely hard, mineralized material that attaches to the teeth.  The tartar build-up ultimately brings about gingivitis, a disease recognizable by red or inflamed gums, terrible breath, and infrequently bleeding gums.       

Periodontal disease sets in. 

When tartar reaches a certain level, it begins a slow spread under the gums, forming pockets between the teeth and gums.  These pockets are prime environments for bacterial reproduction.  The damage done from periodontal disease cannot be undone, and normally includes abscesses, infections, and even tooth loss.                

The most important danger with periodontal disease is the potential for bacteria to pervade the bloodstream.  If this comes to pass, the dog could be exposed to infections in the cardiovascular system and kidneys.  The older a dog is at the time of the onset, the more risky this condition becomes.  Your dog can die from complications arising from poor dental health if the condition is left untouched.  That’s why appropriate dental care for your dog is so crucial.

Your dog’s dental healthcare starts at home.  You ought to give your dog frequent oral exams; if at all possible each day for active dogs or dogs who chew a great deal.  Search for symptoms of disease or injury: discolored or bleeding gums, chipped or fractured teeth, inflamed lips or gums, and so on.  Anything unusual should be brought to your veterinarian’s attention.  Next, brush your dog’s teeth daily.  You can find materials to do this at any pet store, online, or by way of your veterinarian.  Give your dog toys and food that will assist with tartar prevention, especially snack food such as dog bone treats.

Over and above frequent home exams and care, your dog needs steady visits to the veterinarian.  Your vet will supply you with routine dental cleanings, which will be made up of the following:
Oral exam.  More comprehensive than the daily ones we do at home.  

X-rays.  Radiographs will screen for any abnormalities that might not be noticed otherwise, and will be used to guarantee that all the teeth are healthy enough to undergo cleaning.

Ultrasonic or manual cleaning, depending on the vet. Your dog will sleep through this due to anesthesia, but it is vital toward removing the tartar that builds up on the teeth.

Tools with rotary brushing heads remove scratches and similar surface imperfections that are ideal bacterial breeding grounds.

By being dependable with your dog’s dental health care, you are presenting your pet with a healthy and enjoyable life.  To encourage you in this faithfulness, dental insurance is offered for your dog.  Talk to your current health or dental insurance provider, or simply type “Pet Health Insurance” into your chosen search engine.  Most of all, don’t forget to brush!

Make sure you have all the correct hunting dog supplies for your dog including Garmin Astro 220 Tracking Collar and Innotek ADV 1000P Dog Training Collar.