When it comes to dogs digging habits there are two extremes of opinion: one, is that a dog is a dog, and we should permit him to express his true canine nature by allowing him free reign
over the yard and flowerbeds; and the second opinion is that a flowerbed is a flowerbed, and no dog should even think about trespassing if it comes at the price of your cherished rosebuds. Many people tend to favor the middle ground.

While it is true that plenty of dogs do love to dig, and it’s healthy for them to be permitted to indulge in this habit from time to time, there’s a difference between permitting your dog to express his inner puppy, and allowing him to run rampant in the yard.

There really is no reason that a dog should have to come at the price of a garden, and vice versa: you can have both. If
your dog’s developed a taste for digging, it’ll just take a bit of time (and some crafty ingenuity) on your part to resolve the issue satisfactorily

Why do dogs dig? In no particular order, here are some of the more common reasons that a dog will dig: 

* Lack of exercise.

Digging is a good way for an under-exercised dog to burn off some of that nervous energy. 

 * Boredom. Bored dogs need something rewarding and interesting to do, to help the time pass by. 

 * Dog Digging is often the ideal solution for a bored dog: it gives him a sense of purpose, and distracts him from an otherwise-empty day. 

* The need for broader horizons. Some dogs are just escape artists by nature – no matter how much exercise and attention they get, it’s nearly impossible to confine them. For many dogs it’s not the digging  itself that’s the reward, it’s the glorious unknown that exists beyond the fenceline. 

*Boredom

If he’s bored, give him some toys and chews to play with during your absence, and wear him out before you leave so he spends most of the day snoozing. 

But if all this doesn’t work try some of these suggestions: 

 * Restrict your dog’s access.

This is the most effective thing you can do: if he’s never in the yard without active supervision, there’s no opportunity for digging. 

* Use nature to help restrict your dog.

If the digging is bothering you because it’s upsetting the more delicate blooms in your garden, plant hardier blossoms: preferably, those with deep roots and thorny defenses. Roses are ideal. 

Accept your dog’s need for an outlet: give him a place to dig.  Set up an area where he’s allowed to dig as much as he pleases. Once this zone’s been established, you can make it clear that there’s to be absolutely no digging in the rest of the yard – and you can enforce your rules with a clear conscience, since you know your dog now has his own little corner of the world to do with  as he chooses. If you don’t have a “spare corner” of the yard, if the whole yard is, grass, flowerbeds, and gravel path, what to do? 

You can get a sandbox, which you can place anywhere in the garden. You can even make a deep one yourself and fill it with a mixture of sand and earth, and put some leaves or grass on top if you like – get your dog interested in it by having a scratch around yourself, until he gets the idea. 

Further reading

For more information on recognizing and dealing with problematic behaviors like digging, chewing, barking, and aggression, check out Secrets to Dog Training. It’s a detailed how-to manual for the responsible owner, and is packed with all the information you’ll need for raising a healthy, happy, well-adjusted pooch: from problem behaviors to dog psychology to obedience work, Secrets to Dog Training has it covered. You can check out Secrets to Dog Training by clicking on this link.

House training is one of the areas of dog ownership that’s most subject to misunderstanding, confusion, and just plain dread!

Common house training problem #1: Submissive / excited urination

What is it?

A ‘submissive urinator’ is a dog that urinates on the floor and himself (and sometimes on you and others) in situations of extreme excitement or stress – when you return home at the end of the day, or when he’s being told off.

Why does it happen?

Puppies are the usual candidates for submissive/excited urination, but it’s not uncommon to see adult dogs with the problem as well: usually, these are highly sensitive and timid dogs, and/or ones from a shelter/with a history of abuse.

When does it happen?
Situations when an excited/fearful dog is likely to urinate:
- Greeting time after a prolonged absence
- Play time
- The arrival of guests
- Stressful situations at home, arguments
- During a correction
- Sudden loud noises

First of all, you should take him to the vet to make sure there’s no medical reason for the issue (like diabetes or bladder infection.)
Limit his intake of water to help him control his bladder more effectively. Don’t restrict his water intake over a prolonged period of time however.

When greeting your dog, keep it calm. The more excited he is, the harder it is for him to control his bladder, don’t encourage him to get worked up: ignore him for the first few moments, or give him a neutral “hello”, then a quick pat. It’s important that you DO NOT punish or harshly correct your dog for this behavior. It’s not something that he can easily control, and he’s not doing it on purpose. When you catch him in the act, you can give him a firm “No!” followed by praise when he stops, but don’t punish him. Keep your cool, and be sympathetic.

If he urinates out of fear when scolding him for an offense, try to reduce the stress levels  by keeping a firm, but not angry tone. Remember, you’re dealing with a sensitive, high-strung dog: if you get angry or worry him, the problem will worsen.

Common house training problem #2: Scent marking

Scent marking – where a dog “marks” his or her territory with urine – is not actually a house training problem, since it’s based on issues of dominance and territoriality not insufficient house training.

But  since the problem centers around the unwanted presence of urine in the house – it seems logical, in a way, to link this problem with house training. Scent marking and lack of house training: how to differentiate between the two.

Your dog’s probably scent marking, not genuinely relieving himself, if:

- The amount of urine produced is rather small, and tends to be directed against vertical surfaces (walls, or doors)

- He’s male, unneutered, and at least five or six months old. Unneutered dogs are much more territorial than neutered ones. Spayed and neutered dogs can also exhibit marking behavior, but it’s relatively infrequent.

- It makes little difference how often he’s taken outside for a toilet break

- He frequently targets items that are new to the house: new possessions, guest clothing/footwear, etc

- You live in a multi-dog household and there is conflict between two or more of the dogs

What to do about the problem?

First thing is spay or neuter your dog(s) as soon as you possibly can, ideally six months of age – this often halts marking altogether; but if your dog’s been marking for a prolonged period of time, he may continue to do so after being spayed or neutered, since a pattern of behavior will have been established.

Clean soiled areas thoroughly. Use a non-ammonia based cleaner (because it smells just like urine) no vinegar (it smells similar to urine.) Because dogs tend to re-mark the same places, you’ll need to redefine the places that you know he’s marked to prevent repeat offending.

For more information on how to successfully house train your dog (as well as a whole bunch of in-depth information on house training troubleshooting and related issues) you’ll probably want to check out The Ultimate House Training Guide. I totally recommend it!

It’s the complete dog-house-training guide. The Ultimate House Training Guide and comes highly recommended.

You can visit the The Ultimate House Training Guide site by clicking this link:

Many people today have started to get their dog or puppy to a dog training school. There are a lot of aspects that are gone over in dog training classes. Unfortunately, one part of dog training that is not gone over very well in dog training classes is chewing.

It is hard to go over a dog chewing problem in dog training classes because dogs often have nothing to chew on or destroy while in the class!

Covering this dog behavior problem in dog training is necessary for dogs both young and old. Many people think that this part of dog training should be more geared to puppies. But older dogs need to be exposed to this type of dog training because they also like to chew up things while their owners are away!

Before beginning dog training, you should first realize that all dogs chew. In fact dogs need to chew. So when you expose your dog to training, make sure you have several things that are ok for your dog to chew on. Then begin dog training by making sure to keep all of your dogs chewing toys in one location.

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This will hopefully result in your dog will learning to associate this location with his chew toys. You must do this in order for this type of dog training to work. Try to have the dog toys in a “toy box” for your dog.  During this dog training period however, never spank or hit your dog if you should catch him chewing on something it is not allowed to. Instead, for effective dog training, give you dog some praise and pet it when it chews on what it is supposed to chew on.

It has been shown many times that dogs will respond much better when they receive positive praise and are exposed to positive dog training. If you find that your dog continues to chew on things that he shouldn’t, verbally reprimand him. Your tone of voice will be enough punishment and is the only punishment necessary for this kind of dog training.

Another method of dog training you can try out is to put a taste deterrent on any items you don’t want your dog chewing on. This Dog Training chew deterrent is called “bitter apple” and it should be available at most pet stores.

These are one of the most effective means of dog training  that can teach your dog not to chew on inappropriate things. If you follow all of these methods, then your dog training should go more smoothly and be more successful.

Dog training can be a fun and rewarding experience for both you and your dog.  Just make take the necessary steps to make sure that all of your favorite things aren’t chewed up in the process! By being calm, and most of all, patient you should be able to achieve good results.

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A shiny coat on a dog means more than just looks and good dog grooming, although it certainly begins with that.  Take a look at your dog, does he have a shiny healthy looking coat? 

Grooming sessions can be a great opportunity for bonding with your dog and to examine his health too.  Some dog grooming tips include seeing if your dog has a shiny lustrous coat of fur, as should be an indication that you dog is in good health. Proper dog grooming is very important in promoting good health in you dog.

Maintaining a Shiny Coat with Dog Grooming

With this dog grooming tip, good dog health begins with good dog grooming.  You must groom your dog everyday if you want him to have a healthy coat of fur.  It is not necessary to bathe him everyday, however.  Bathing your dog just once a week should suffice, or maybe once every two days if you have a dog that has longer or thicker fur.

How to Bathe Your Dog

A useful dog grooming tip is when you are bathing your dog, wet him completely with a hose or a detachable shower head.  Then applying dog shampoo work up a lather, going all the way from his chest to the top of his head, then go down his back and tail and then his legs.  While applying the shampoo, take care not to get any shampoo in his eyes or ears.

Another dog grooming tip is to use a dog shampoo that has been formulated for dogs, not your own shampoo.  Shampoo designed for human hair can be harsh and irritating to a dog’s skin.  Dog shampoo is designed for the sensitivity of the skin and fur of dogs. Besides a general dog shampoo, you can also use medicated shampoo for skin conditions, or a flea shampoo or rinse.

You should rinse your dog thoroughly after you have shampooing and conditioning his fur.  This is because if even a small amount of soap remains on the dog it can lead to severe irritation of his skin that could lead to eczema.

After Your Dog’s Bath

When you are finished bathing your dog, make sure to dry him thoroughly by using a towel to pat all the excess water out of his fur.  If your dog has short hair, you can simply allow him to air-dry his fur out.  But if have a dog with thick or long fur, you may need to dry his fur out with the use of a hair dryer instead.  You should comb out any loose and matted and tangled hair with a fine-tooth metal comb.  This will get rid of any burs, ticks or fleas.  This should be done every day whether you a bathing your dog that day or not.

Beyond Grooming

One more dog grooming tip having to do with a dog’s shinny coat.  While having a shinny coat of fur for you dog is highly desirable for you dog’s appearance the shinny coat is also a good indicator of good dog health too.

Good nutrition also plays a large role towards promoting good dog health.  If a dog gets all the nutrients that his body needs, then definitely he will get a shiny coat.

There are some cheap dog food brands out there, but they are made up of low-quality ingredients.  So to be sure that your dog is eating good food, do not skimp on quality dog food.  You can also cook up your own dog food to feed your dog.

If after regular dog grooming and regular feeding of high-quality food and your dog still does not display a shiny coat, it means that there is something else that is wrong with his system.  Your dog may not be as in high a level of good health than you may have guessed.  In this case, it is time to go to the vet.

 As you can see good dog grooming goes hand in hand with watching out for your dog’s health and nutritional needs if you want to enjoy your loyal companion for many years.

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Dogs are social animals that have always run to greet us and wait patiently for our return, but more than that, they have worked with humans for thousands of years. They have played an important role in many different cultures. Since dogs are highly valued for their intelligence and loyalty, it is important to train and care for them with the proper dog pet care.

Dog pet care is all about demonstrating love, compassion and responsibility.  Good dogs, after all must be trained to be good dogs.  Whether you have a puppy or an older dog, he can still benefit from being properly trained.

In spite of the importance that we understandably attach to dogs, many dog owners find it can be hard when it come to dog pet care and in training in particular.  Responsible dog owners need to make sure to feed, housebreak, and clean their dogs, since dog caring is important for his health and well being.

Dog pet care essentials include the dog care tips:

Dog Care Tip 1 – Always providing your dog with fresh clean drinking water that is always available. You can use large stainless steel bowl or even the automatic drinking bowls if you work and can’t be around to feed them during the day.

Dog Care Tip 2 – You should make sure that you give your dog or puppy a good nutritional diet that is well balanced.  Consult with a veterinarian on just what a diet your dog should have and how often he should be fed.

Dog Care Tip 3 – All dogs and puppies need exercise, so you should see to it that he gets enough to be physically fit.  You should also as your veterinarian how much exercise to give him.

Dog Care Tip 4 – As part of good dog pet care you want to feed your dog quality dog food, even if it is somewhat higher priced. Lower priced dog food may not give your dog the healthy look of a shiny coat and bright eyes.

Dogs can be very much like their owners, and will often behave in many of the same ways, they are also like small children, and you will have to treat them like children.

As with children dogs and especially puppies should not be left alone and extended periods of time, since they will have a tendency to get into trouble. When you have to leave your dog at home alone, you must set aside a designated area with boundaries. Leave them with some chew toys or other items that will keep them occupied.

Have you dog checked out regularly with veterinarian visits and make sure he gets all of his necessary vaccinations.  Because of the problem of dog overpopulation, you should also spay and neuter him.

Another aspect of dog pet care is to be sure you enter your dog in some good dog training instruction like that found in the Secrets to Dog Training download package, recommended by experts.  The benefits of training your dog include being able to control your dog’s behavior and it can even improve the bond between the two of you. How you choose to train your dog in very important.  You want him to be a dog you can take for a walk with out worrying about him getting out of control.  Also don’t forget to praise and reward him when he behaves properly.

Remember that caring for your ’social animal’ can be difficult sometimes but keep in mind that with proper dog caring, love and dog training your friend and companion will likely love you unconditionally for life.

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The head collars used in dog collar training have become an increasingly popular dog training tool in the past couple of years. Two of the most well known brands of head collar on the market are the Gentle Leader and the Halti, but there are many other brands that incorporate the basic head collar concept.

Those head collars considered to be the most successful consist of two woven fabric loops, one loop should fit snugly around the dog’s neck just behind his ears.  At the same time the other loop loops around the muzzle loosely enough so that the dog will still be able to eat, drink, bark, and even bite.

There are two head collar brands prominently on the market, they are Halti and the Gentle Leader.  There are other brands that also employ the basic head collar idea.

The Gentle Leader head collar is designed to remove the tendency of the dog to pull by placing gentle pressure on calming points and preventing any uncomfortable pressure on the dog’s throat.  The Gentle Leader is also useful in dog collar training because it discourages lunging, jumping, excessive barking, and calming an anxious or aggressive animal.

HALTI is also a popular choice in head collars because it has been designed to combine maximum steering efficiency without sacrificing comfort for the dog. The collar has no metal parts in contact with the dog’s skin and the point of steering is situated well down the nose and away from the dog’s eyes. A feature of the HALTI head collar not found on other designs of head collars, is that with this collar the owner can use an on-off muzzling action to close the dog’s jaws.

There are advantages to training a dog with a head collar as opposed to dog collar training with a traditional or training collar. This is because head collars are easier to use for beginning dog trainers than training collars. Head collars are also useful when it comes to preventing dogs from pulling, or controlling and retraining dogs that have a tendency to pull.

When the head collar is fitted correctly, it mimics the two most common holds dogs used in communicating leadership to other dogs low in rank in the pack. Adult dogs either will grasp the subordinate dog firmly, but gently, just behind the ears, or they will hold it by the muzzle, with the collar serving to constantly remind the younger or subordinate dog that he’s not in charge.

When it comes to how a dog responds to the collar and how the owner reacts to the dog’s response can give us a valuable insight about the animal’s behavior and its relationship with his owner.  Dogs naturally operate in and need a stable pack structure to give them a feeling of security. The head collar in dog collar training can help to communicate your leadership to your dog and can help them to accept that they live in a human-centered pack, dogs will naturally assume that position because every pack must have a leader.

The head collar can also be effective at controlling a dog’s behavior in difficult situations may like needing to control a dog that wants to be with other dogs.  The collars can be effective at controlling other difficult situations. Head collars are great when taking your dog on an outing, or even in an area where there will the dog will be around other dogs and other distractions.

While a head collar can be a great tool for dog collar training, it is not to be used as a replacement for proper dog training. For a head collar to be effective it must be used in combination with sensible dog or puppy training methods, like reward training  and other forms of positive reinforcement.

In conclusion, the head collar can be an important and useful tool, bus it is important to use it appropriately, follow all the package instructions, and make sure you combine using the head collar with solid training methods. The goal of dog collar training with a head collar should that the dog behaves as well with a regular collar as it does with the specialized head collar.

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There are many dogs that would benefit from dog agility training, whether they are a show dog or a dog that is a family pet and companion.  If you have a very large or very small dog the dogs agility training can have some special challenges not found in other kinds of dog training.

Some of the benefits of a dogs agility training can include providing him with plenty of exercise, since a lack of exercise is the cause of many dog misbehaving.  Agility training is great for people who want to do things with their dog.

The sport of dog agility is a competition where dogs compete one at a time to navigate around a serious of obstacles in a particular pattern to find out which of the dogs competing can complete the course without any errors or a least the fewest errors.

There are also professional dog agility training competitions too.  Just like a dog show, where you might have a handler for the dog that is not the dog’s owner who is carrying out the dogs agility training.  He is the one that the dog must listen to for commands.

Some of the obstacles a dog would encounter in agility training depend on what the particular organization sanctioning the competition might select.  But they usually consist of jumps, tunnels, contact obstacles, and others.

Some dogs take to agility training rather easily, while others need extensive training.  The dogs agility training can normally take about 6 to 8 weeks.

As with regular dog training treats and praise figure prominently as ways to reward the dog for being able to navigate all the obstacles correctly.

A dogs agility training is great way to ensure the happiness of your dog, and if give you a chance to spend some quality time with your dog, and this is why so many dogs love agility training. If you have a dog that loves agility training, make sure that you can take advantage of any dog agility training opportunities to train your dog on a more regular basis.

There are many dog training schools that offer dog agility training classes.  Many trainers recommend that the dogs going through these types of classes have already completed at least a basic obedience course, especially since in agility training the dogs usually run of the leash and have to be able to come back when they are called.

You will no doubt find that your dogs agility training will be both challenging and rewarding for your and your dog, but it is a great way for both of you to have fan while spending time together.

If you want to improve your relationship with your dog and solidify the bond you both share, find yourself a good dog training school for your dogs agility training, for whatever discipline you prefer, and just do it. By just investing a little time, money, and patience, your relationship will become a forever relationship, and the your dog will truly be your best friend!

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Separation anxiety, or ‘owner absent misbehavior’ as it is sometimes known in the dog training world, happens to be a frequently encountering problems for dog trainers.

Separation anxiety reveals itself in so many different ways, including chewing, destroying the property, excessive barking, self destructive behavior and inappropriate urination and defecation.

Dogs who are suffering from this problem of separation anxiety manifest such behaviors as whining, barking, crying, howling, digging, or they chew and scratch at the door for the whole time their family members are out.

Dogs that have been lost previously, or those dogs that have been turned over to shelters and then readopted, will usually have the worst problems with separation anxiety.

It is easy to encourage this misbehavior by rushing home to reassure the dog, but is must be remembered that for the sake of the well being of both dog and owner that the dog needs to learn how to deal with extended periods of separation.

The way in which the owner leaves the house will often influence feelings of separation anxiety.

If it is a long and drawn out period of departure can result in the dog feeling himself even more isolated when the owner does finally leave.

These long farewells can get the dog excited, and then cause him to develop more excess energy without a way to work it off. This leads isolated dogs to then work off their excess energy in the most destructive of ways, such as chewing up a favorite rug or piece of furniture.

Sometimes excess energy can be mistaken for separation anxiety, since they have the same results.

If you think that excess amounts of energy may be part of the problem, give your dog more exercise and then see if this eliminates the problem. If separation anxiety is the problem, then it is neccessary to be able to address the root causes of that anxiety.

 To be able to prevent separation anxiety from occurring in the first place, you need to take steps the make the dog feel happy, safe, secure and comfortable while the owner is away for a period of time.

You should see that the dog has plenty of things to keep it busy while you are away. This could be include providing him with lots of toys, such as balls or chew toys. Having a pet companion for your dog is often effective at relieving separation anxiety as well. In fact this is a great way for busy pet parents and pets alike to cope with the stress of being left alone.

By setting aside scheduled play times, during which the pet is given your undivided attention, can be another great way to alleviate boredom and separation anxiety.

By playing with the dog, and providing it with sufficient attention and exercise, you are sure to avoid having a stressed and anxious dog. A happy dog that has been receiving good exercise and is in good condition will be able to sleep the day away happily and be able to wait patiently for the return of his owner.

It is important to schedule one of these daily play sessions before you leave the house each day.

It is also very important to give your dog at least a few minutes to settle down after playtime before you leave the house.  For dogs that are already experiencing separation anxiety and other misbehaviors, it is important to get him used to your leaving gradually.

Be sure to practice leaving and returning at irregular intervals, several times during the day. Doing so will allow your dog to become more used to your deparartures and this should help him see that you are not going to be leaving him forever. Part of treating this problem is making sure the dog will learn that your leaving is not permanent.

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