How to deal with a whining dog
Whining in puppies
As puppies, it comes naturally: a very young puppy will whine without even realizing it when she’s hungry, tired, or cold. The mother dog will respond to this whining with milk, warmth, and a safe place to sleep – and as time goes on, the puppy begins to realize the association between the two. This is when she begins to whine deliberately, to notify her mom that something’s amiss or that she needs something.
Why Does My Dog Eat Grass?
My dog crops grass like a cow. He eats it with gusto whenever he encounters it, to the extent that my friends have begun to refer to him, jokingly, as ‘The Ruminant’.
Of course he can’t digest it ( not having the three stomachs a cow does!) so it will reappear one way or the other pretty soon…
The Positive Reinforcement Method Explained
It’s widely accepted among the vast majority of dog training experts that the most effective and humane way to train your dog is through a process called positive reinforcement training.
This is a fancy phrase for what’s essentially a very simple theory: using positive reinforcement entails rewarding the behavior that you wish to see repeated, and ignoring the behavior that you don’t.
Introducing A New Dog To Your Pack!
Let’s say you’ve had just the one dog for a couple of years and the time has come, you feel, to add a second pooch to your home. Have you asked your current dog about this?
Of course you haven’t so make sure you that the first meeting between the established dog and the newcomer is optimized for maximum friendliness and away from ‘territory’…
Things My Dog Told Me Today
Once you can recognise a dog’s body language you suddenly become very aware of all the unspoken messages he is giving you every day. Forget about the noises he can articulate, gestures are just as important on Planet Dog - if not more so.
From head nudges to bowing gestures, lip licking and rolling on his back these and many others are easy to decipher if you know the secret of dog body language…
Dog Training, The Basics
No matter how smart ( or dumb!) your dog is every dog can learn to follow basic commands and even do a few tricks too. The secret is ‘reward’ training at first followed by praise. When the dog stops having fun then stop the training for the day.
Another thing I’ve learned is to make them ‘earn’ those treats! Why not secretly teach a new trick as a ’surprise’ birthday or Christmas gift from the dog?
Why Do Dogs Have So Many Friends?
Since dogs don’t tell lies, are loyal and give love and affection unreservedly it’s hardly surprising that humans like them so much - maybe there’s a lesson for us all there: be more dog-like and become a nicer person!
Also this is an excuse for me to post some great dog quotations, feel free to add your own in the Comments section.
Do You Talk Dog?
I’m sure you’ve seen those amusing video compilations on Amazon where dogs are filmed apparently talking. Usually the owners hear what they want to hear as in “I want my Mama!”
Well instead of pretending dogs can talk ‘human’ why not try to learn to speak ‘dog’?
Who’s In Charge? You Or The Dog?
An alien visiting us from a nearby galaxy might be forgiven for thinking your dog runs your household. You feed him, bathe him and even clear up his poop in the garden or road - ergo the dog’s the leader!
He’s the one the alien needs to communicate with to discuss the earth joining the Intergalactic Federation of Planets. The chances are this has already happened and is why we are not spending our vacations in Alpha Centauri this year…
Getting A Shelter Dog - A Deeper Bond!
These days, with the economy in the ditch, some people are having to abandon their pets because they cannot afford to feed them anymore. Sad as that might seem, it gives the dog seeker a chance to save one of these precious pets and give it a loving home.
Your local veterinary clinic often receives unwanted dogs and this would be the first place to look. If you don’t find a dog there, go to the local animal shelter. There you will definitely find dogs who have been abandoned for one reason or other.
