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dogtraining and puppy training
Housetraining Puppy1

Housetraining a puppy is one of the biggest challenges faced by all dog owners irrespective of breeds. If you think housetraining your puppy simply involves a steady supply of old newspapers, you're WRONG! It requires a lot more...
To begin with, you'll need heavy doses of patience, persistence and practice. Housetraining a puppy is a continuous process that continues till it is 6 months old. Since they are growing and developing rapidly at this time, puppies eat more, burns more calories and needs to eliminate more frequently than an adult dog.

There are certain specific housetraining tips that you should follow when you're at home and some others that you need to consider when you're not at home.

Housetraining - When You're Not Home:

Choose a small room that can be easily "puppy-proofed".
Cover the entire floor of the chosen room with paper.
Confine your puppy in the room along with its toys, food and water bowls and bed.
Make sure that your puppy finds no way to escape out of the room.
Be prepared to clean up a lot of mess initially.
Lay down fresh sheets on return everyday.
Though initially, your puppy will soil the entire floor, gradually it will eliminate in only one particular place.

When your puppy learns to eliminate in its demarcated place, start removing the papers from the other areas.
Remove the papers that are laid far away from your pup's chosen spot and close in gradually.
Eventually you will need to cover your puppy's chosen spot only.

Be careful not to reduce the area too soon or your pup might miss its spot and soil your floor.
Once your puppy has learnt to eliminate only on the papers you've left, then try to move the sheets, an inch a day, slowly and gradually to a location of your choice.
Don't be discouraged if your puppy suddenly acts crazy and messes up your floor!

Return to papering the entire floor again and improve gradually till your puppy is successfully paper trained.
Never scold or punish your puppy for mistakes and accidents.
Remember the 3 Ps - practice, perseverance and patience.

Housetraining - When You're At Home:

When you are home, rules for housetraining are same as mentioned above. You must keep in mind that you must spend more and more time with it in order to housetrain it faster.

Take your puppy out to eliminate immediately after a nap, after a play session, and after meals and drinks. The rule of the thumb is that your pup needs to go once in every 45 minutes.
Take your pup to eliminate to one particular area every time.
When your puppy does eliminate in the chosen area, praise him and reward him immediately.
Don't punish your puppy for housetraining accidents - this will eventually delay the housetraining process.
Don't allow your puppy to roam around the house unless you're absolutely certain that your puppy has learnt to control its bowels and bladder.
When you actually want to allow your puppy to roam around, start by giving it access to one room at a time.
With time, when your puppy has complete control over itself, you can allow it to go wherever it wants.
Don't rush through housetraining - or for any training for that matter. By following the procedures I've just mentioned, you can minimize incidents of house soiling to a considerable extent. By learning to detect signs that indicate that your puppy needs to eliminate, like sniffing around or circling, you can also prevent a number of accidents.

But yes, there will be a few more accidents than you expect - learn to accept them as a part of raising a pet.

Nancy Richards has been a dog lover for the past 12 years. She has owned and handled dogs of different ages and have helped many fellow owners in training their dog. DogPottyTrain.com one of her sites has the aim to promote public interest in Dogs and convey by all possible means varied house training techniques for adult dogs and puppies. Anybody is free to use the article in their website as long as an acknowledgement is given Nancy Richards' and a link to the site www.dogpottytrain.com

Training Aggressive Dog - How To Train Your Aggressive Dog
Training aggressive dog is a thorny issue and has gotten many dog owners vexed over it. Dog aggression can be a serious problem as there are laws and by-laws in different states that demand the punishment of dog owners in the form of court charges. At the same time, should your dog happen to attack and injure anyone, your poor dog would be put down. That said, with proper dog aggression training, the aggression in dogs can be curbed so that they do not turn on strangers and your closed ones. Are you ready to start learning some 'training aggressive dog' tips?

Training aggressive dog first requires some basic understanding of why dogs become aggressive. There could be several reasons that accounts for your dog's aggressive behavior. He/she are territorial animals and may feel that their territories are compromised. Maybe they feel threatened by some changes in the environment. Such aggression normally finds its root in the lack of security and confidence. In such instances, simple dog obedience training would not curb aggressive dog behavior.

Training aggressive dog seriously and properly with special aggressive dog training will however solve the problem. Aggressive dog behavior includes barking and lunging at others also. Such behaviors are symptoms of dog aggression behavior. It is therefore important to arrest such aggressive dog behavior early before it balloons into something more serious.

Your dog vet may put forward some suggestions on how to seek a qualified aggressive dog trainer who are experienced in dealing and dog aggression trainer. Training aggressive dog is a special skill set and would thus set you back by a substantial sum of money. However, the results would be good and you can put your worries to rest. Do not just approach any normal dog obedience school as most would not accept your dog if he/she has aggressive behavior since the dog training classes are quite large and there are other pet dogs around. Rather, send your dog to special dog obedience training school that knows exactly how to handle and train aggressive dogs. The local directory and yellow pages are great places to start looking.

One more thing you need to pay attention to is the training techniques and methodology they adopt in training aggressive dog. How they train aggressive dogs is important as some dog training schools are known to use obsolete methods which could be harmful to your dog. As time goes by, accumulated experience and knowledge sharing has taken the area of training aggressive dogs to a more advanced level. So it is worth the effort to be extra careful. After all, the truth is it is hard to train an aggressive dog but with the right techniques; it becomes less of a pain.

Ultimately, what really matters is your favorite pet stops its aggressive behaviors and starts to be a loving companion. You can then enjoy the best moments together and not be in constant fear that your dog would bite you, others or other dogs. Training aggressive dog is so essential in order to make this a reality.

Other than enrolling your dog into dog obedience schools that train aggressive dogs, find out from my dog obedience site how you can apply all the best techniques of training aggressive dogs without being a dog trainer yourself.

Article written by Davion Wong.

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Healthy Food For Your Dog
Today’s pet food market is larger and more diverse than ever before. While this offers a large number of choices in various types of pet food, it also presents a dilemma in choosing the healthiest food for your dog. Are generic or store brands suitable for a dog? What about familiar name brands like Purina and Alpo? Are the pricier brands that advertise specially formulated ingredients (Science Diet, Eukanuba) really living up to their claims and worth the extra money? All of these are valid questions that loving dog owners deserve to have answered.

Dog Food Considerations

There are several factors to consider when choosing the right food for your dog. Different dogs have different nutritional needs at different stages in their lives. Some things to consider when selecting the food you’ll give your dog follow.

The Dog’s Age

Puppies have different nutritional requirements than adult dogs just as human children have different needs than adult people. Senior dogs also have different requirements than younger adult dogs. Make sure that you select a food that is appropriate for your dog’s stage in life.

The Dog’s Health

Does your dog have a specific medical condition? If so, the food you choose may need to be partially dictated by that condition. Diabetic dogs need low-glucose foods and dogs with specific allergies (yes dogs can be allergic to all sorts of things, just like people) may require certain foods as well. Your veterinarian can help you choose foods that are appropriate for a dog with a specific medical condition.

The Dog’s Size or Body Type

Some dogs are overweight. Some dogs are underweight. Some have a natural tendency to get lots of exercise while others tend to prefer to lie around a lot. There are, of course, small, medium, and large dogs as well as the ultra-tiny “toy� dogs. All of these different types of dogs will have different requirements for the type of food they need as well as how much of it.

Your Budget

Dog food can be expensive, there’s no doubt about it. And where dog food is concerned, the rule really is “you get what you pay for.� Low cost generics and store brands will lighten the burden on your wallet, but may not be the healthiest choice for your dog as they are made with cheap ingredients and lots of fillers. You should buy the best dog food you can on your budget to help ensure your dog’s nutrition.

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Dog Hygiene Practises Bathing
Dog Hygiene Practises Bathing Parasitic shampoo is used on animals with fleas, ticks and lice and can be purchased from the vets or pet shops, the alternative shampoo is medicated shampoo and this is for specific skin conditions, and you can easily get it from a vet whom has prescribed it. Medicated shampoo needs to be left in the fur for a period of time then washed out, where as parasitic shampoo needs massaging deeply into the animals fur and then rinsed out and always insure you read the instructions on the container. The Water Temperature for bathing a dog should be of a medium heat. You should test the water temperature by putting your hand within the water. If the water is too hot or too cold it’s wrong for the dog. Once you have cleaned the dog you will need to dry them there are three methods that can be used, blast drying, you use a blast dryer to get off excess water, making sure you don’t blast dry down the ears. Cage drying, you place the animal in a cage on a towel and place a standing dryer over it. And also stand drying in which you place the animal on a table with a towel underneath it, and you use either a stand dryer or a hand held dyer to dry the dog. Written by http://www.diyconservatories-and-windows.co.uk/

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potty training dogs
Life can be tough, for animals as well as humans. It is a dog-eat-dog world, and, unfortunately, sometimes it is a dog-eat-poop world. The consumption of poop is formally known as coprophagia, and it is a natural behavior that is found in some animal species.

Why Does It Happen?
Human beings have difficulty understanding exactly why dogs eat their poop. Dogs have been known to eat poop from various sources, such as other dogs, cats, and rabbits. This is a habit that is most prevalent in puppies, and certain breeds are also more susceptible to coprophagia. From a human’s point of view, it is repugnant, and we can’t help but wonder why dogs eat poop.
There are many theories regarding animals consuming poop. It might be the result of a dietary deficiency, and the dog is compensating for a loss of nutrition by eating poop. Another theory, from the medical community, proposes that a dog might be experiencing malnutrition, starvation, intestinal disorders, or parasitic infestations. However, most of these illnesses are very rare.

Puppies have been known to eat their poop when they are being housebroken, and this may be the result of physiological and behavioral factors. Physiologically, the digestion of food is not always complete, and puppies will see nutritional value in their poop. Behaviorally, dogs are frequently attracted to undigested food in their poop, such as rice, corn, or peanuts, viewing these foods as a snack. Behaviorally, many pets eat their poop when they are being trained because they do not know whether they should eliminate on paper in the home or on the ground outside of the home. If a dog eliminates in the wrong place, it might experience stress and try to hide the evidence of their wrongdoing by eating it.

What Can Be Done About It?
Dogs must be kept in optimal health; otherwise, they will develop illnesses that can result in eating poop. First, have your veterinarian check your dog for parasites. The animal may lack essential bacteria in his system. Also, parasites can compromise an animal’s immune system and allow other illnesses to occur. Take your dog to the vet for a regular checkup, and take notes at the appointment. This can help keep your dog healthy between appointments. Second, make sure your dog takes a vitamin every day. Vitamins are inexpensive, readily available, and they can be placed in a dog bowl with the animal’s food, or they can be given directly to the dog as a daily treat. Third, keep your home clean, inside and out. This includes keeping the dog’s bed and toys washed and sanitized on a regular basis. Fourth, provide distractions for the dog. When you see the dog eliminate, use a command to call the animal away from the elimination area. As soon as the dog leaves the area, give him verbal and physical praise. Keep a ‘pooper scooper’ handy and pick up the dog poop after calling the dog away from the elimination area. Make it a point to walk around the yard each day and pick up any poop that may have been previously left in the yard.

How Can It Be Prevented?
As a rule, dog owners want to keep their dogs from eating poop. Not only is eating poop a health risk, it is a very unattractive sight for family, friends, or visitors.

The importance of cleanliness and home sanitation cannot be overemphasized. Once the dog is housebroken, the chance of his eating poop inside the home is minimal. However, the dog is likely to go back to its pre-housetraining habits if the house smells like poop or urine. The best way to keep a home clean is to develop a weekly cleaning schedule and maintain that schedule without fail. If the dogs does eliminate inside the home, it can be quickly and easily detected because the rest of the home will not have an odor. If the dog does eliminate inside the home, the poop should be removed immediately, and the elimination area should be sanitized immediately. An additional benefit of maintaining a housecleaning schedule is that you will not have to worry about cleanliness or odor if an unexpected visitor comes into the home.

You can control the cleanliness of your home, and you can control what your dog eats. One way to keep a dog from eating its own poop is to put food additives in the dog’s regular food. Food additives provide nutrients that the dog needs and, as a result, these nutrients will keep the dog from eating its poop. Consult the dog’s veterinarian to make sure that your dog is receiving food additives that are safe and effective for your dog.

Finally, take your dog outside for a ‘potty walk.’ Using a leash, wait until the dog poops, then call the dog. The leash is only used to keep the dog from the poop if he tries to eat it. When the dog leaves the poop and comes to your side, give it verbal praise and a treat.

All of the above information must be performed consistently. This way, the dog will know what to expect when he tries to eat his poop. Also, consistent cleanliness, training, and maintenance should give you the results you want; your dog should stop eating poop.

Nancy Richards has been a dog lover for the past 12 years. She has owned and handled dogs of different ages and have helped many fellow owners in training their dog. DogPottyTrain.com one of her sites has the aim to promote public interest in Dogs and convey by all possible means varied house training techniques for adult dogs and puppies.

Choosing Dog Training Equipment
To train your dog you need some good equipment to do it! It's easy enough to find places that sell dog training equipment these days. You can find stores in your local phonebook or on the internet. The internet has everything these days and is usually a lot less expensive. So I suggest having a look there first. Dog training equipment comes in all shapes, sizes and colours so there is something to suit everyone. Dog training equipment can be used anywhere, at home, at a friend’s house or even in a field in the middle of nowhere. The equipment is usually lightweight and portable and very easy to pack so you should have no problems carting it around. Not only can you get dog training equipment for dog agility but you can also purchase items for dog obedience. Dog obedience items are simple things like clickers, treat balls (which are amazing), extendable leashes and other similar items. They are a lot easier to get than agility items. When you decided you want to compete with your dog you usually pick one or the other, dog agility or dog obedience. For dog obedience you only concentrate on dog obedience, for dog agility you need your dog to be obedient so there is a little bit more training involved. Dog training equipment can be funky or old fashioned, bright or dull it’s up to you. Many stores cater for individual needs so you can specify what you would like your equipment to be like. Dog training equipment is sometimes needed for obedience when you have a stubborn dog, and for dog agility training equipment is essential. Dog training equipment needn’t only be for competition purposes. You can get equipment for fun training to. When you want to teach your dog to come, sit and stay and some other commands toys are always a great help. You and your dog need to enjoy special moments together to make a bond with each other, why not make a bond and train at the same time? The better the bond the more fun it will be!

Razak Ariyo is a computer scientist. An experience owner and lover of dogs. Get a free 10 part dog training mini course that can easily speed up the training of your dog at http://master-dog-training.blogspot.com

dog training and problems
Why and When do Cocker Spaniels Urinate?
Many Cocker Spaniels have a tendency to urinate (pee) when excited or scared, which can happen to other breeds as well, particularly when they are puppies. Excitement urination happens when infant muscles in puppies cannot hold urine if the puppy gets excited, and it pees. The puppy gets so excited when he sees his owner that he loses control of his bladder. The puppy is not aware of or able to control this and punishment will confuse him and is not fair to him. Often dogs outgrow this problem as they mature and gain control of the muscles that control peeing. Sometimes Cocker Spaniels do not outgrow the problem.

Common situations in which Cocker Spaniels get excited or fearful and urinate are:

Over-affectionate and boisterous greetings when you arrive home
Guests entering your home
Arguments between people
Scolding
Loud noises
Playing indoors
Angry behavior
In order to understand submissive urination, you must understand dominance and submissiveness. Young puppies learn this from their mothers. Averting their eyes, rolling on their backs, and urinating, are all used to express submissiveness. In situations where a dog feels intimidated, their response is to give a submissive signal to show the person or other dog that they recognize their dominance.

The most important thing is to never scold or punish your dog for excitement urination; it makes the situation worse as the puppy will then start to pee out of fear! Excitement or submissive urination is part of this breed’s specific instincts. It is not a “behavior�; it is instinctual. The dog is not doing it to be disobedient or punish you! He is excited, scared, or showing submissiveness to a person or animal he perceives as dominant. Excitement urination that causes an owner to get angry can easily become submissive urination. The dog does not understand why you are angry and, in a dog’s mind, peeing is his attempt to calm and appease you. Cocker Spaniels often see other animals and people as dominant, so submissive urination occurs. Even a housetrained Cocker Spaniel may show excitement or submissive urination when greeting you or when in an exciting or scary situation.

How to Prevent and Handle Excitement or Submissive Urination?

The first thing to do is have your veterinarian examine your dog for possible physical problems causing this problem. Sickness and disease can make it difficult for your pet to control their peeing muscles. If physical problems are the cause, discuss options regarding your dog's situation with your veterinarian, such as surgery, drugs, and coping mechanisms.

Dog owners who are too dominant and strict will reinforce submissive urinating. So, calm down and be gentle and kind with your Cocker Spaniel. Get your temper under control! Never scold or punish for excitement or submissive urination.

One way to handle the problem is to make sure your Cocker Spaniel is outdoors while you are gone (in a fenced and safe area naturally) so that when you come home, if he urinates, your floors are not damaged. But this does not solve the problem. It is a good idea to do more to help the puppy stay dry.

All indoor activities should take place only after taking the dog out for a pee or poop. If a dog is almost ready to pee or poop, but hasn't gotten around to doing it, any physical activity will trigger the urge to go. So, if your dog wakes up and you start playing with her, you're asking for trouble! Take a potty break first, have play time second. Play time outdoors is the best idea, especially for the puppies that have small bladders.

Don’t hover over your Cocker Spaniel when you come home. She will see this as dominance and will become intimidated. Don’t look her directly in the eyes. Dogs assume that direct eye contact is a challenge. For a submissive dog, even a moment's eye contact can be intolerable. Eye contact from above heightens the reaction. Another behavior that challenges a dog is bending over or touching the dog's head, neck, or shoulders. Dominant dogs often control by placing the neck or a paw over another dog's neck or shoulders. When a human pats a dog on the head, a submissive dog sees it as a display of dominance and finds it intimidating, leading to peeing.

A goal in controlling excitement urination is to prevent your dog from becoming so excited in the first place. Do this by exposing your dog to whatever excites him, over and over until it no longer excites him. If your dog gets excited and wets when you return home, ignore him; don't even look at him. Then take him outside to pee. Then leave again for a few minutes, return and ignore, leave, return and ignore. Keep doing this until you can see that your dog is actually bored with the whole thing. If excitement urination is a problem when visitors arrive, have them do this too. It may take many sessions to get your dog calmed down. When your dog stays calm and no longer gets excited when you come in, then very quietly and gently say hello. If any signs of excitement appear, repeat the coming in-and-leaving routine. A rapid sequence of heel-sits will capture your dog's attention to the game of heeling and sitting instead of urinating. Then, take him outdoors. Praise him when he pees outside; this builds self-confidence. Remember to ignore all excitement urination and never scold or get angry at your dog. As the dog matures, he can learn to sit and shake hands when visitors arrive.

Use a small food treat as a reward for not peeing in the house when you arrive home or guests enter. It’s difficult for a dog to eat and pee at the same time. Take the dog outdoors quickly thereafter.

If your Cocker Spaniel pees while being trained, be especially careful not to yell or scold him. Be firm and use a confident-sounding, but kind, “No� when the dog misbehaves.

If your dog's problem doesn’t improve with the above suggestions, there may be other options. For example, drugs can sometimes be prescribed by a vet for excitable dogs to calm them down. But, remember, this kind of training can take weeks or months before it improves. Stick to one or two techniques. Give them time to work!

Obedience classes are excellent for your dog. It will teach you ways that you unconsciously reinforce negative behaviors and how to encourage and praise your dog.

Conclusion
Build a strong relationship with your Cocker Spaniel using kindness, daily attention, and formal training. Never yell, hit, or scold your dog when she urinates inappropriately. Use the above tips from the time she is a puppy to help her avoid or eliminate excitement or submissive urination behaviors. Remember! Stay calm and give the dog time to learn.

Nancy Richards has been a dog lover for the past 12 years. She has owned and handled dogs of different ages and have helped many fellow owners in training their dog. DogPottyTrain.com one of her sites has the aim to promote public interest in Dogs and convey by all possible means varied house training techniques for adult dogs and puppies.

Akita attacking children and strangers
This breed is prone to being teased by children and what makes things difficult is that they are not sporting about it and end up attacking the children in retaliation. If an Akita bites, the most likely target would be a child visitor. The Akita is not used to interacting with outsiders, nor is it friendly with people who are strangers or irregular visitors.

The Akita is a very private dog, and as has been observed by an expert on Japanese breeds, he owes this trait to his upbringing in the typical Japanese setup.

There’s further explanation that says that the Oriental homes in which the Akitas are generally brought up, are much smaller by Occidental standards, and thus social gatherings are always held in public places. This explains the wary attitude of the dog where visitors, especially children are concerned.

Although famous for being trusted by Japanese mothers, who often leave them alone with their children, the Akita can often be very aggressive towards unfamiliar children and might even bite them when driven wild thanks to their incessant teasing. Children should be taught to treat these dogs with patience and kindness.

One positive aspect to their temperament, however, is the fact that they can eventually be made to grow tolerant towards strangers. They often make the first move towards a visitor if they are used to seeing him on a regular basis. This holds true, especially if the stranger happens to have something with him, some tidbit that might be of interest to the dog.

Their reticence comes from an innate dignity, which is quite rare in other dogs and thus they can be tamed with reason and proper tutelage.

One major flaw in these dogs is that they are extremely unfriendly towards non-family children. They cherish their own family kids but visiting children and adults lie in the danger zone and face the brunt of their tantrums. These dogs often ignore indifferent strangers, which is in a way better than their hostility.

The Akita is very food-possessive but with patient training, they can be fine pets, otherwise they tend to get bored easily and often end up going untrained.

A plausible solution to this breed’s hostility towards unpleasant strangers is training them outside of home or taking them to training classes to socialize them with unknown children and adults. One cannot expect each and every individual that happens to drop in, to be friendly with the household dog and in such a situation it is best to train the dog to be adaptable with different people.

There could, however, be a worst-case scenario when the dog does not really appreciate the training procedure and may growl at the trainer. In such a case, the trainer may even try to discipline him with a smack or a jerk of the collar.

If visiting children don’t go down too well with the dog, which is majority of the time, there should be someone to monitor his attitude towards the former. He should be made to sit and watch the family kid play with that of the neighbor’s, and thus, eventually made to get accustomed to all strangers in general.

This process is referred to as desensitization. It should be done repeatedly and with different children. The dog gradually tries to be at home with non-family kids and even when left alone without any supervision, learns to behave.

This should, however, not ideally be the scene. An Akita should not be left to be with a stranger, kid or adult, without an overseer. This would not only decelerate the training procedure, it might even backfire. The presence of the owner always makes things easier, both for the owner as well as the dog.

The bottom line is that if one happens to own a typically private Akita that does not really gel with strangers, especially child visitors, and reacts to teasing with a bite, like most Akitas do, he should take measures to train him into obedience.

All said and done, the final responsibility lies with the owner, who should make sure that the training process turns out to be successful. He should not merely impose rules upon the dog but make sure that the children and adults visiting are on their best behavior, or at least neutral towards the dog, if not overtly friendly.

Learn all about Dog
Adoption from the unique e-book Super Dogs and
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If you are searching for dog breeders, learn how to choose the right dog breeder.

Nancy Richards has been a dog lover for the past 12 years. She has owned and handled dogs of different ages and have helped many fellow owners in training their dog

24 Human Foods Not Fit For Canine Consumption
25 Human Foods You Should NOT Feed Your Pet


Recently, there was a lot of news about unsafe commercial pet foods. Unfortunately, this problem isn’t really ‘news’. It seems that incidents similar to this occur from time to time. Perhaps this is one reason more and more people are opting to ‘home cook’ for their pets. However, in order to properly home-cook for your pets, you should first have a basic knowledge of canine nutrition; and, even more importantly, a thorough knowledge of human foods that are harmful to dogs. Some foods which are safe for human consumption can be poisonous for our canine companions. E-dog-training.com has put together a list of 25 common human foods that are toxic to dogs. Of course, when in doubt, always check with your vet. Here is a list to get you started:

1. Onions (Both onions and garlic contain the toxic ingredient Thiosulphate. But onions are more of a danger. Many dog biscuits contain *small* amounts of garlic â€" garlic contains less of this toxin so huge amounts would need to be consumed to be toxic. And, by the way, this poison builds up the system â€" it can be toxic in one large dose â€" or with repeated consumption of small amounts.)
2. Chocolate (Chocolate contains Theobromine, a compound that is a cardiac stimulant and a diuretic. This can be fatal to dogs.)
3. Grapes (Grapes are dangerous because of an unknown substance which is toxic to dogs â€" affects canine’s kidneys)
4. Raisins (See above.)
5. Most Fruit Pits and Seeds (Contain Cyanogenic Glycosides resulting in cyanide poisoning â€" though the fruit itself is OK.)
6. Macadamia Nuts (Macadamia nuts contain an unknown substance that is toxic to dogs.)
7. Most Bones should *not* be given (especially chicken bones) because they can splinter and cause laceration of the digestive system and/or become lodged in your pet’s throat â€" so they also pose a choking hazard.
8. Potato Peelings and Green Potatoes (Contain Oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous, and urinary systems.)
9. Rhubarb leaves (see above)
10. Broccoli (Broccoli is only toxic in large quantities.)
11. Green parts of Tomatoes or Green Potatoes(Contain oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous, and urinary systems.)
12. Yeast Dough (Yeast Dough can produce gas and swell in your pet’s stomach â€" leading to rupture of the digestive system)
13. Coffee/Coffee Grounds and Tea ( are dangerous due to the caffine.)
14. Beer/Wine/Alcohol of any kind (Alcohol of any kind could lead to coma or even death.)
15. Human Vitamins (Human vitamins, especially those containing iron, can cause damage to the lining of the digestive system as well as cause kidney and liver damage)
16. Moldy or Spoiled Food (though I think this goes without saying.)
17. Persimmons (Persimmons can cause intestinal blockage)
18. Raw Eggs and Raw Fish (Raw eggs and some raw fish can cause Salmonella poisening.)
19. Salt, Baking Soda, Baking Powder (In large amounts these can cause an electrolyte imbalance â€" and severe electrolyte imbalances can lead to muscle spasm or even congestive heart failure.)
20. Mushrooms (Mushrooms may contain toxins which could cause liver and kidney damage)
21. Sugar-Free Foods (Sugar-free foods containing Xylitol have been found to cause liver failure in some dogs.)
22. Nutmeg (Nutmeg can cause tremors, seizures, and central nervous system damage.)
23. Excessive Fatty Foods (Excess fatty foods can cause Pancreatitis.)
24. Avocado (All parts of the avocado and avocado tree are toxic to dogs.)
25. Diary Products (Dairy products don’t usually pose a great danger; but many dairy product have high fat content (see number 23) â€" and many pets are lactose intolerant â€" some pets more than others. Lactose intolerance leads to gas and diarrhea; though small amounts of yogurt and cheese are usually fairly well tolerated.)

Keep these 25 toxic foods in mind when cooking for your dog. There may be other foods that your dog can not consume; so always ask your vet when you are unsure about anything concerning your pet. Please visit http://www.e-dog-training.com for more FREE tips, advice, and canine cuisine recipes. Happy Home Cooking!

Http://www.e-dog-training.com provides free dog training information on puppy training, house training, dog obedience & behavior training, crate training, dog trick training, and general dog training tips and advice. You’ll also find free information on dog care, puppy care, dog health & nutrition, and free canine cuisine recipes. Visit <http://www.e-dog-training.com> soon for the latest free dog training tips and advice. Copyright 2007 – Article may be reprinted and/or distributed if links to http://www.e-dog-training.com remain intact in the body of the article.

adopting a dog
Before you decide to bring a dog home, it is absolutely essential that you give some thought to the costs that you will be incurring in the process. It’s not the purchase alone, though even that is likely to be expensive in the case of some superior breeds of dogs, but also the cost of the equipments you will have to buy to make your home habitable for your pet. Then there are the visits to the vet, which have to be regularly made, and the expensive vaccinations, which the puppy has to be given. So, all in all, you will have to make pretty sure that your wallet can take the beating before you bring your doggy home.

What then, are the costs, and how much are they? Let’s start at the beginning. You have to buy the dog unless you are lucky enough to have it presented to you by a friend or a family member and the cost of this initial purchase can vary very widely. The variance will firstly depend on the type of dog you are buying. A purebred “companion only� puppy usually starts from around $800 but can go up to astronomical amounts for rare or exotic breeds. If you prefer to adopt a non-purebred variety from a shelter, it will cost you from around $150 to $300.

Costs also differ in different geographic locations so it is difficult for us to tell you of one fixed sum that you will have to pay for any given variety of dog. Visit the sources in your locality from where people normally buy dogs and check on the prices. And this includes the internet. After some queries on your part, you will be able to come to a fix on what your desired dog costs.

Now that you’ve got your dog, it’s time to look at the other costs you will have to start to incur. Let’s start with the one - time costs.

One Time Costs Average Cost
Fence $300 - $1500
Bowls $25
Collar $6
Training Collar $10
Leash $12
Bed $40
Crate $100
Brush/Grooming tools $20
Shampoo/ Coat care $15
Neuter/ Spay ( Based on weight ) $300
Microchip $50



Then there are the annual costs, which you have to be prepared for. I enumerate them below:

Vaccinations $185
Heartworm Test $35
Heartworm Preventive $65
Flea/Tick Preventive $120
Food $480
Toys/Treats $45
Tag $5

And then there are other costs:

Boarding â€" per day ( with 2 playtimes ) $25
Grooming â€" per time $50
Training classes ( Per 6-8 classes ) $100
Individual training ( Per session ) $100



And remember, this list is for grown up dogs and not puppies. If it’s a puppy you are adopting, the costs increase. There’s a check up, a series of 4 sets of vaccines, worming, heartworm tests, all of which will cost you close to $300. Then there is puppy food, which will set you back around $450 and toys/treats, which will cost approximately $65.

So, as you will have counted up from the figures given above, in the first year, you will be spending approximately $1500 to $2500 over and above the cost of buying your dog. After the first year, you will spend less per year â€" about $1000. Smaller dogs cost a bit less and larger dogs cost more.

Apart from all this, your dog will have lifelong healthcare needs. There will be shots and medicines you will be administering as preventive care and there will almost certainly be unexpected accidents, injuries or illnesses, however well you look after your dog.

It is therefore utterly essential that you objectively evaluate your budget and come to a decision as to whether you can really afford a dog. He will look to you for your support in all things and you owe it to him to give him, not only your love, but proper care, food and medical attention. These don’t come free â€" so ask yourself whether you can afford to get that dog you always wanted. If you realize that you can’t, it’s best to do without, both for your sake and his.






Learn all about Dog
Adoption from the unique e-book Super Dogs and
Puppies.

If you are searching for cost of a dog, learn how to go aboutthe right cost.

Nancy Richards has been a dog lover for the past 12 years. She has owned and handled dogs of different ages and have helped many fellow owners in training their dog.