How to Stop Your Mixed Breed Dog Whining Problems

Most dogs grow out of whining in the early age around the six-month age. If your dog is still whining after this period, it means your dog is either doing it unintentionally, or he has learned a method to get him something that your dog needs.

There are a variety of reasons as to why your adult mixed-breed dog might be whining:

• Suffering pain - physical or emotional pain.
• Bored or feeling lonely.
• Needs to go outside.
• Feeling afraid or anxious.

Your response to her whining really depends on the cause of it. Sometimes whining is acceptable, and does require a response - and sometimes, it is merely manipulative. Other times it may be tolerable, but the response that comes most naturally will not necessarily help your dog. Therefore, your dog keeps on whining during late night and it causes disturbance to your neighbors.

It is important to know that which particular whining means pain. Stomach discomfort and arthritis are normally making your dog call out for help. If whining still persists within long period of time, it is time to seek consultation from your veterinarian.

Some breeds are quite playful and demand for more accompany. This particular type of breed like Terriers, Pointers and Beagle requires more attention from its owners. These dogs need to be trained to play alone when you are not around.

Other than that, some breeds are very fragile in terms of getting anxious easily. These particular breeds are afraid of thunderstorm, heavy wind blow and rattling window panes. You need to intensively encourage him to overcome his fears and do not punish him for being afraid.

It is less stressful to train your mixed-breed dog if you able to identify your dog's breed via dog DNA breed test. By knowing your dog's breed, you are able to seek for opinions from your veterinarian about setting up a diet and exercise plan for your mixed-breed dog

No matter what kind of dog you rear, you just could not stop them from digging your backyard or your favorite garden. Dogs like to dig for one main particular reason - they treat it as a rewarding pastime. They dig when they feel extreme boredom or they want to work out - as another option for running and walking.

Dog breed often plays an important role in any given dog's personal valuation of digging as a rewarding pastime - like Terriers and Nordic breeds in particular in which includes Huskies, Malamutes, some members of the Spitz family; seem to predominantly enjoy digging. If you rear these particular breed dogs, it is best that you minimized your landscaped designs or decrease the size of your garden. This is to ensure that your garden will not be ended up with potholes.

Most dogs dig when they have lack of exercise. When this happens, they choose to dig because it is a good way for a hyped-up, under-exercised dog to burn off some of that nervous energy. In addition, this particular mischief is due to boredom. They just want to pass their time playing around and they need to do an interesting task and something rewarding. In order to solve this problem, dog owners are encouraged rewarding them if they are able to place their legs at the right place.

Bear on your mind that some dog breeds are indeed fragile or aggressively stubborn. You are required to identify your dog's breed before you plan a set of training for your mixed-breed dog. Concurrently, you are required to seek consultation from your veterinarian for more professional opinions.

It is less stressful to train your mixed-breed dog if you able to identify your dog's breed via dog DNA breed test. By knowing your dog's breed, you are able to seek for opinions from your veterinarian about setting up a diet and exercise plan for your mixed-breed dog. For more information of dog DNA testing as a breed identification tool for mixed-breed dogs, visit http://dogdnabasics.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J.J._Yong

Stop My Dog From Chewing My Stuff - 5 Tips

Most dogs have a natural desire to chew, and that's not a bad thing unless they're chewing on your favorite pair of shoes and leaving teeth marks on the legs of your dining room table. Why do dogs chew? They may be anxious or bored, or both. Here are 5 dog training tips on how to stop your dog from chewing:

1. Dog-proof your home. Your dog can certainly learn not to chew on your stuff but why put temptation in their path, especially while they're still young and in training?

When deciding if your things are safely out of reach, take into account the height of your dog and whether he will jump up on furniture in order to get something.

Dogs love your:

pillows
candles
shoes
garbage
cell phone
remote controls
garbage
socks
books
garbage

2. Don't allow your dog to taste the forbidden fruit. It's better to train him from the start regarding what's chewable and what isn't - before they get attached to the particular taste of your shoes or couch pillow.

3. Don't confuse your dog. Don't let him chew some old household items such as old shoes or old towels, but not others. He won't understand the rules of this game. Hmm... why is this sock okay? Maybe all socks are okay now?

4. Let him chew. Since your dog loves to chew, give him owner-approved chew toys so he'll hopefully leave your things alone. Put a couple of safe choices out for him, and rotate the toys to keep things interesting.

5. Supervise your dog's playtime. It might be tempting to keep your dog penned up and in the "safe zone" until he's old enough to stop chewing everything in sight, but how boring for him. He needs the chance to explore and learn his boundaries and your expectations. He needs to have the chance to learn right and wrong while spending time with you.

It's perfectly natural for your dog to like to chew, especially if he's under 3 years old. Keep that in mind and put your most valuable possessions out of reach until he understands the rules. Be consistent with correcting him when he starts chewing on the wrong thing. Catch him in the act and replace it with an acceptable chew toy. When he's chewing the acceptable toy, heap on the praise to help him understand. With these tips in mind, you should be able to train him on what's appropriate to chew.

Want to stop dog from chewing? Got other dog behavior problems? It's about time you checked out http://dogintraining.info Be sure to sign up for your free ecourse too!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Gold

Stop That New Puppy From Chewing

One effective training tip is to have an acceptable chew toy or other item readily available at all times to substitute for the "bad" item you catch the puppy chewing. Anytime you catch the puppy chewing something you don't want him to, calmly replace that item with a chew toy. If the puppy tries to bite your fingers, place the chew toy in his mouth. Don't use any type of old clothing or old socks for the puppies chew toy. This will only confuse him in the process of teaching him what is acceptable to chew, and what is not.

Another effective tip If you see your puppy chewing something he shouldn't is to make a sharp sound like a yip a bark, a loud "no", or even a loud clap of your hands to get his attention. Then, replace the item with an acceptable chew toy. Always use the same sound when you catch him, so he will always associate that sound as a demand to stop. Never hit or slap the puppy to get his attention. If you see the puppy choose an appropriate item to chew on, be sure to pet and praise him.

Until the puppy has been trained, do not let him roam freely around your home. Keep him in a confined area with several appropriate things to chew. A dog crate is a great place to contain the puppy when he is unsupervised. Dog's like to have their own "den" area, so once he is familiar with his dog crate, he will be happy when confined to that space. There are several types of chew toys available, including flavored rawhide. There are even toys where a treat can be hidden inside to keep your dog occupied while trying to extricate the treat. Give your puppy a variety of choices to keep him entertained while in his crate. This will get him used to the items he should be chewing.

Some dogs chew because they are lonely or bored. Make sure you exercise and play with your puppy daily. A good game to play, that will also reinforce the non-chewing training, is to fill an area with acceptable and forbidden items. Watch the puppy, and when he chooses a forbidden item, use your sound (the yip, "no" or clap) and remove the item from him and replace with an acceptable chew toy. When he chooses an appropriate item, pet and praise him. Spending ten minutes a day, playing this game with your new puppy, will teach him quickly, and reinforce the other training you are providing.

You might also try one of the products on the market that can be sprayed on furniture, door moldings or other items that attract your dog to chew. These sprays leave a bitter taste on the item. This will discourage your puppy from chewing where you have sprayed.

Along with training your puppy, you also have the responsibility of keeping your puppy safe at all times. Do not buy chew toys with squeakers or pieces that can be chewed off and cause choking. Teaching your puppy what is appropriate to chew can protect him from chewing things such as electrical cords, poisonous plants and even inappropriate "people" food such as chocolate. These items can be a major threat to the safety of any pet.

Chewing is a natural and healthy behavior of a dog. It is one way they learn about their world. By training your puppy what is appropriate to chew, you will not only save your personal items from destruction, but also keep your puppy safe. You can enjoy that soooo cute face for many happy years.

Berritt Wryder is a writer for our website http://www.condosforcritters.com CondosForCritters offers a large variety of dog crates and other products for your pet's comfort. We are always adding new information on crate training and new products so visit our site often.

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Dog Skin Problem - How to Tell If the Problem is Parasitic

Your Dog's Skin Problem May Be Parasitic
When you dog can't stop scratching, licking, and biting, there can be many different causes including, environmental, bacterial, neurogenic, nutritional, and allergic causes. The symptoms for a parasitic dog skin problem ranges from biting, scratching, licking, bald patches, inflamed skin and small scabs. If your dog has all or some of these symptoms, the cause could be caused by various parasites including fleas, ticks, chiggers, deer flies, gnats, Cheyletiella mites, Sarcoptic mites, and Demodex mites. The symptoms and treatment of each of these is slightly different so we will look at them individually.
1. Fleas - Symptoms include - constant scratching, hair loss, and sores on skin. Fleas are usually easy to spot. Place your pet on his back and check his belly and groin areas. You can see the fleas running and in the rare case where you don't see the fleas but still suspect them as the problem, you can see flea "dirt". Flea dirt is actually flea droppings of dried blood that they have sucked from your pet and expelled as waste. If you take one of the flea droppings, place it on a paper towel and dampen it, you will see the blood spread as it absorbs the water. Unfortunately, repeated exposure to flea bites can cause a hypersensitivity in your dog and he will have an abnormal or excessive reaction. Even if no fleas are seen, the dog reacts to the saliva from the fleas.
Treatment - Bathing your dog with flea shampoo, treating the indoor and outdoor area where the dog has access.
2. Ticks - Symptoms are usually an ulcerative lesion. Be aware that dog skin problems aren't often caused by ticks but it is possible.
Treatment - Remove the tick and treat the bite with ointment.
3. Chiggers, deer flies, gnats - Symptoms - small bites and minor irritations. These parasites don't usually cause significant problems.
Treatment - first aid ointment
4. Cheyletiella mites - Symptoms include hair loss, dry, flaky skin. Sheyletiella mites are often called "walking dandruff". They look like little spiders when looked at under a microscope but look like flaky dandruff with the naked eye.
Treatment - Flea shampoo will usually rid your pet of Cheyletiella mites but you must be careful because they can be transferred to humans and cause the same symptoms and problems as in your pet.
5. Sarcoptic mites - Symptoms include severe itching, hair loss, inflamed skin, multiple small scabs. Sarcoptic mites are known as scabies.
Treatment - If you suspect that your dog has scabies, you must take him to the vet. Scabies can only be diagnosed by a vet. They are often misdiagnosed as an allergy because they burrow down into the skin. You vet can give you medication to treat the Sarcoptic mites.
6. Demodex mites - Symptoms of Demodex mites, or mange, don't cause the dog to itch very much therefore, you won't see a lot of scratching. The most obvious symptom of mange is the bald patches. Demodex mites live and reproduce under the skin in the hair follicles and oil glands.
Treatment - These mites can be seen on a skin scraping performed by your vet and proper medication will be given.
A parasitic dog skin problem can often be hard to diagnose because there are many different parasites in addition to fleas, ticks, chiggers, deer flies, gnats, Cheyletiella mites, Sarcoptic mites, and Demodex mites that can disturb your pet. When in doubt, take your dog to a qualified veterinarian and he can properly diagnose the problem.
For more information on dog skin problems, the symptoms, causes and treatments, go to http://www.DogSkinProblem.info
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Debra_Proctor

Dog Skin Problem - Could the Problem Be Neurogenic?

There are six main causes for dog skin problems: Environmental, Parasitic, Bacterial, Allergies, Nutritional and Neurogenic. Of these six, Neurogenic is often the most troublesome disorder and the hardest to treat. Lets take a look at the symptoms, causes and treatment of these Neurogenic problems.
The symptoms for this problem includes obsessive, persistent licking of one particular spot. The dog will pick one part of his body and seems intent on destroying it, chewing it relentlessly until a sore has developed or he has, in extreme cases, actually maimed a part of his body. This disorder is considered to be a nerve or a "mental" problem of the dog. Some of the different causes could be boredom, loneliness, separation anxiety, being confined and not enough exercise. This is seen happening a lot in cases where the owners of the pet become too busy to give the dog the proper attention that he needs. Dogs are meant to be dogs and all have different personalities and traits that are common to their breed. High energy dogs just cannot tolerate being confined to small apartments or even to houses with small backyards. They need plenty of exercise. The same is true for working dogs, collies, herd dogs, shepards, and hunting dogs. Confine these dogs without proper exercise and you could have a neurogenic problem develop. Before you try to treat your dog for a neurogenic dog skin problem, take your pet to a veterinarian to rule out the possibility of any other causes. The first treatment you should try is to identify what is causing your dog emotional distress - boredom or loneliness? Not enough attention and exercise? Confinement or separation anxiety. Address these problems and give your dog what he needs. This will usually take care of the problem. In more severe cases, you may need to take your dog to a Behaviorist to train him out of the problem. Whatever the cause of your dog skin problem, once you discover the cause, it is easy to treat. Love your dog and give him the care he needs and he will pay you back many times over.
For more information about dog skin problems, go to http://www.DogSkinProblem.info - We have articles on many different types of dog health issues.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Debra_Proctor

Dog Worms - 3 Factors to Consider

Dog worms are unfortunately a fact of life if you own one or more dogs.Since dog worms are parasites, they have an interesting relationship with the dog. On the one hand, they depend on the dog to supply nutrients and protection so that they can multiply and survive as a species.On the other hand, if they are too successful at this they might kill the dog, thereby depriving them of what they need to survive.
The result of this is that they mainly toe the middle line and ensure that both they and the dog survive. What does this mean to you the dog owner?
Well firstly it means that some worm infestations will not be evident to you as the dog will not show many physical signs of having a worm problem.This is particularly true in adult dogs, whereas puppies tend to be have heavier worm burdens and show signs of ill health.
Secondly, in all likelihood you will need to have a stool sample tested to determine the worm load present in your dog. Again there are exceptions - puppies may vomit up adult roundworms for all to see, while tapeworm segments can be observed in the stool of dogs of all ages.
Thirdly, because they are supreme survivors, worms have a few tricks up their sleeve to increase their chances of surviving as a species. One of these nifty little moves is that part of their lifecycle takes place outside of the dog's body. So even if you treat your dog for worms, there is a good chance that it will be re-infected before you have put the deworming medication back in the cupboard!
Le Doc is a veterinarian. He has written a Free Report entitled "Does Your Dog Have Worms?"
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Le_Doc

Dog Obedience Training in Under 2 Weeks

Are you trying to figure out how to fit dog obedience training in your life? I know I struggled with trying to figure out when I would ever have time to get it taken care of. Even weekend courses I found usually didn't work out because something was always coming up.
Did you know that you can train your dog at home in your spare time? I didn't know that and it took me a while to find something that worked. Don't get me wrong, I love dogs. I was just about at the point of insanity trying to figure out how to get him to behave like a normal dog.
I got to the point where I was dreading coming home each evening to see what surprise I had waiting for me when I walked in the door. The best was when you grabbed to table cloth and completely pulled everything off the dining room table. There was shattered glass everywhere.
I really didn't know how much longer I could take it. I signed up for some dog obedience classes but somehow life always seemed to get in the way. Then if you miss a class then all of a sudden you are that pet owner at class with the dog who is running around crazy while all the other dogs are actually making progress. I was that pet owner.
I looked everywhere to figure out something that would work in my situation. I mean there are only so many hours in a day. I am glad to say that I finally found a program that works. I no longer have to dread coming home each evening to see what kind of disaster awaits me.
It is a nice feeling. So I know what you are going through and it isn't the end of the world.
Do you like the way your house looks after your dog has been running wild? If not then I suggest you do something about. Dog obedience training in your spare time is the way to go!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_N_Jones