Monday, February 9, 2009

What Is The Best Dog Training Collar?

So what is the best dog training collar? Using the right dog collar for training can make all the difference in an easy success or daunting task. A dog collar can be a great investment if you have a problem dog. This is a tremendous help with stubborn animals, or dogs that just have bad habits. If you have grown tired of relying on the rolled up newspaper option to help break your dog of his bad habits, the dog collar for training may be for you.

There are two main types of dog training collars available; the most common dog-training collar is the one that will give a small shock to your dog when he barks. This is extremely helpful for those dogs that have developed a barking problem. The second type of training collar is one that will again; provide a small shock to your dog if he goes outside the boundaries of your yard.

These types of dog collars are one of the most effective and humane ways to train your dog. Many people do not like to use a rolled up newspaper on their dog for breaking habits or reinforcing good habits, the dog collar relieves you of having to do this. I really like a citronella dog collar.

The flat dog collar is recommended for leash training a puppy. This type of collar is lightweight and easy for your pup to get used to wearing. It is always better to start your puppy on the gentle track to training. Don’t go full speed ahead with the more harsh training methods.

The metal training dog collar is commonly referred to as a choke chain. A better description would be a metal slip collar. If this dog collar is used properly it should never choke your dog. It should release quickly when used properly. When you learn how to use this dog collar with good timing and skill - it can be an efficient training device.

No matter which dog collar you choose for training your pet, do your homework and learn the best method of training your dog with a dog collar. This also works for a dominant dog.

Puppy Training To Fetch

Having a dog can be a fun and rewarding experience. There are many fun activities you can do with your dog to grow upon the enjoyment that you both have. One of the most popular games to play with a dog is fetch. This simple game of retrieving a ball or some other item can lead to hours of fun. There is one catch to this simple game, you have to train your dog to be able to fetch. Do not worry; this is not as hard as it may seem at first glance. With a little persistence and work on your part, your dog will be playing fetch before you know it. This also works for puppy training as well.

THE FOUNDATION
Your dog will naturally be drawn to running after a ball that is thrown. This is a natural instinct that you have probably seen many times in your dog. This is one of the most elementary things that your dog needs to be able to do to play fetch. If you have never seen your dog do this, grab a ball and throw it to see if he runs after it. Most dogs will run after the ball, grab it, and then start towards you. The reason that this is not fetching a ball is that they usually stop and start playing with the ball. Once your comfortable with this, you can move onto the training aspect of getting your dog to fetch.

TRAINING
You will need to have two balls to make this training work. It is important that your dog is interested in these balls. There are dogs that will chase any ball that you throw. There are other dogs that are picky in what they chase. Know which group that your dog falls into.

Throw one of the balls and let your dog chase after it. Keep the other ball that you have hidden. It is important that your dog is focused on the ball that you have throw.

As your dog runs toward you, choose a point near you to tell your dog to drop the ball. You will want to give this command in a stern but friendly voice. Make sure that the point that you choose to do this with your dog is close enough to be your dog giving you the ball. Odds are that your dog will not do this on the first try.

If your dog does not drop the ball, take out the second ball. Ignore your dog and start playing with it. Act like the ball that you have is the most interesting thing that you have ever played with. This will cause your dog to drop the ball that he brought to you and want the one that you have.

Throw the second ball so that your dog has to run and get it. Place the first ball into your pocket so that your dog does not see it. Repeat the command to drop when your dog comes to you with the second ball. If your dog does not drop, repeat this process over and over again until your dog brings you and drops the ball on your command. Reward with a treat as your dog is learning and when he completes the task on command. It will take some time for your dog to get comfortable with playing fetch with you. It may even take a few dog training sessions.

What Can You Do For Dog Food Safety?

If you are feeding your dog commercial dog food, you have probably heard of the horror stories related to commercial dog food. The fact is, you are not alone and a dog is always hungry. More and more dog owners have been concerned about the quality of commercial dog food and the health benefits they really bring. Sadly, some commercial dog food do contain harmful ingredients that are not really safe for consumption.

Chemical preservatives such as BHT and BHA, as well as ethoxyquin are contained in some dog food, and are not safe to be eaten by dogs. These cause your dogs to be more prone to some infections and other disorders.

Since commercial dog food are not really as beneficial as previously believed, more and more dog owners are beginning to feed their dogs the food they prepare themselves. Homemade dog food surely is the best alternative to commercial dog food. That way you can make sure there is no horse meat in dog food. Unlike the latter, homemade dog food are higher in nutrients and contain less fat, making your dog lose the weight they gained from eating commercial dog food.

Dogs fed with homemade dog food tend to have silkier coats, more pleasant breath, more active and less aggressive. Because of the health benefits they get, that means you will avoid the vet bills, too. That's why it's cheaper to feed your dog homemade dog food.

If you are concerned about the health of your dog and the best food you should feed him, I suggest you pick a copy of "Dog Food Secrets" which outlines everything you need to know about commercial and homemade dog food.


Food is where we get the nutrients we need to keep us healthy and full of energy. Like humans, dogs need nutrients to be healthy all the time. Dogs should be fed with the best quality dog food and not just any commercial food available.

It is essential to choose the right kind of food for your canine companion. Dog owners sometimes make the mistakes of just feeding their dogs with unhealthy dog food overlooking their dog’s health. Best quality dog food increases the lifespan of your dog. There are cases that some commercial dog foods are linked to the deaths of thousands of dogs. This can be prevented if you feed your dog with nutritious food.

The nutrients needed by your dog cannot be supplied by just any commercial food available and if your dog is deprived of the needed nutrients, he will eventually become sick and weak. Aside from lack of nutrients the preservatives in commercial dog food can destroy your dog’s health. Be cautions and learn to read commercial dog food labels. Best quality dog food can only be obtained from a well-balanced dog food recipes made at home.

It will surprise you that preparing home made dog food is a lot cheaper and rich in nutrients. If you love your dog you should make time to prepare his food and make sure it is healthy. Of course to help you prepare the best quality dog food, you need to understand the nutritional needs of your dog. After all, I use it for my pet chihuahua, Taco.