Do Dog Training Collars Work?

Debate is inevitable when the subject of whether the use of electronic dog training collars is a humane way of canine obedience training. But it is useful to gain an understanding of what electronic dog training collars are, and how they function, before taking sides.

There are several different types of dog training collars. Most people are familiar with those that contain a sensor or probe that connects to the dogs skin. When the dog handler presses a button on his control unit, a signal is transmitted to a receiver unit on the collar, and an electric sensation is felt by the dog.

A second type of electronic dog collar emits a high pitched sound that dogs dislike; the third is a citronella collar which squirts citronella (which dogs don't like) in front of their noses.

The type of dog training collar that is chosen is really irrelevant. They all have the same objective, to make the dog associate improper behaviour or response, with an unpleasant sensation, be it an electronic buzz, a sound or an unpleasant smell.

Those who don't approve of electronic dog training collars believe that rewarding a dog for doing the right thing is a better, kinder and more effective training method.

However, there are dogs that are very difficult to train, and electronic dog training collars can be used as an aid to conventional command training. As an example, when you give your dog the "sit" command, a handler would gently push down on the dogs lower back, which makes him sit. After doing this several times, a dog usually catches on, and will sit without the handler touching him. Of course this needs to be repeated often over a period of time to reinforce the lesson.

If at this stage the dog refuses, or ignores the command, the handler might elect to use the electronic dog training collar. Use of the collar will ensure the handler has the dog's attention, and then the command will be given again, with correct response rewarded with a treat.

A great use for electronic dog collars is to train your dog to stay on your property - for his own safety as well as neighbors. Called an "invisible fence" and requires a thin wire to be run around your property boundary (or the back yard - wherever you want your dog to remain). Whenever the dog approaches the wire, a beeping alarm is triggered. If the dog ignores the alarm a low-grade electric shock is then administered.

Electronic dog training collars are a good method of reinforcing verbal commands for difficult to train dogs. However, their use should remain as a reminder to the dog to respond correctly to commands, and never used as a form of punishment.

Disciplining Your Puppy

Although some canine behaviors are similar to the behavior of the wolf, the domestic dog has developed many unique adaptive behaviors as a result of his cohabitation, companion relationship, and interaction with humans. Consequently, training techniques derived from wolf behavior are not necessarily effective with the domesticated dog. For instance, the female wolf is said to pick up her misbehaving pup by his scruff, shake him, drop him to the ground, and pin him there.

The wolf's behavior is interpreted as a correction to the pup that demonstrates the mother's dominance. While the wolf pup may understand such language, the domestic dog may not. There is little evidence to indicate that domestic female dogs shake their puppies by the scruff or use the alpha rollover as a correction.

This is only one factor that preclude correcting the dog in a manner designed for wolf puppies; therefore, trainers and pet owners would benefit greatly in understanding dog behavior as opposed to wolf behavior.

Dog parasite: Roundworms

Many parasites make their home in the dog's small intestine. Most of them belong to the ascarid family. But some dog parasites, such as those that belong to the group of toxacara, also infest your dog's large intestines. This type of parasite not only infests the large intestines but they also infest your dog's blood vessels and their respiratory tract.

This dog parasite is also very harmful to puppies. The worms are capable of passing through the gut wall, into the blood supply, right to the liver and lungs, where they are coughed up and swallowed. This is a process that repeats itself over and over again.

Roundworm is a dog parasite that is responsible for certain illness in puppies such as hepatitis and pneumonia. In adult dogs, the worms usually travel to the muscles where they remain inactive as cysts. In pregnant dogs, the dog parasites attack the embryo and then stay in the puppy's lungs.

This type of dog parasite is also very dangerous to children. Although it is very uncommon, they may possibly become encysted in the child's eye which in extreme case, cause eye loss. This can be avoided by immediately disposing of your dog's feces and making sure that children are trained not to put their hands in their mouths after touching a dog.

In the 1920's the Labrador Retriever began gaining popularity with American sportsmen. Although a few "English retrievers," as Labradors were called in 19th century America, had made their way to our shores, few could be located in American shooting kennels prior to the 1920s, as setters and pointers were the dogs of choice in those days. In 1917, the first Labrador Retriever registered by the American Kennel Club was imported from Scotland. Her
name was Brocklehirst Floss.

The style of shooting in United States at that time was different from that practiced abroad. A group of wealthy enthusiasts on the East coast with ties to Britain began developing the Labrador Retriever among themselves in order to carry on the style of pass shooting to which they were most accustomed and partial. To aid in this, they not only imported fine dogs but also lured noted Scottish trainers to America.

In 1931 the Labrador Retriever Club of America was founded and sponsored its first field trial in December of that year. The competition was held in Chester, New York, with a total of 16 entries - all but one of which were imports. The winner was Carl of Boghurst, a yellow owned by Mrs. Marshall Field. This annual event would spur popularity in the sport to the point where today there are more than 150 trials a year held for Labrador retrievers!

It was not until May 18, 1933, that the first specialty show for bench competition was held by the Labrador Club of America. From an entry of 34, Boli of Black was chosen as best. Boli, owned by Franklin P. Lord and purchased from the British breeder, Lady Howe, was the first American bench-champion Labrador retriever.

The Arden kennels of W. A. Harriman became the driving force in the field, claiming the first American field champion in Blind of Arden and the first female American field champion in Decoy of Arden who were litter mates. Mr. Harriman's talent for breeding top-quality Labradors from his stock earned him the recognition of having developed the finest American
kennel to date. His credits include four dual champions, five field champions, eight bench champions, and scores of champions that descend from this line. The shining star among the Arden Labradors was Shed of Arden, owned by Paul Bakewell. He embodied all that a Labrador should: talent in the field, beauty and intelligence, and the ability to produce quality offspring.

A mating of Mr. Harriman's Decoy with Dr. Milbank's Ch. Kaffles of Earlsmoor produced a litter from which Earlsmoor Moor of Arden emerged. Moor went on to win the Labrador Club of America Annual Specialty in 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, and 1943. Winning a national specialty five times is an astounding accomplishment that may never be repeated again by any dog of any breed.

Despite what you may think, it is never a good idea to give someone a puppy as a surprise gift. Getting a dog is such a personal decision, and a bond needs to be made when an owner picks a puppy. A puppy given as a gift sounds cute, almost irresistible, but it takes the owner out of the decision-making process of picking a puppy.

For example, parents often give a child a puppy as a gift, but after a few weeks, the child grows weary of the responsibility. And who can blame them?

Owning a puppy is hard work. A puppy is not some toy to have around the house. Of course it's a great experience for kids to have a puppy in the house - they can play with the puppy and help work on training. But a puppy should be a gift for the whole household and not just for a child.

Resist the temptation of buying a puppy as a gift for someone. Let the person make the choice of when they want to get a puppy and what kind they wish to have. Conscious choice is the best method in any situation that involves a commitment.

There are several ways to soothe separation anxiety in your dog in order to help him feel more secure while you are away. For the fastest results possible, apply the following practical tips:

1. Having a new puppy or a new adult dog is an enjoyable experience. It is so easy to give the new member of the family tons of love and attention. But spending all of your time with your new dog can create negative consequences, especially when you return to your normal schedule where you are out of the house all day.

Give your new dog a lot of attention, but also get him use to being alone, even when you're at home. Getting him used to your absence should be done gradually so it doesn't create a traumatic experience.

Start by going to a different room and closing the door behind you, leaving your dog by himself in another room. Do this several times every day. Next, leave him alone in the house for five minutes, then fifteen, and so on, until he is comfortable enough to be left alone for several hours at a time.

2. Being home alone should be a good experience for your dog. This can be done by linking a positive association with that of you being away. Give your dog a new toy before you leave the house. Provide him with different toys when you are home so he doesn't associate the toys with you going out and leaving him. Another strategy is to give him his favorite snack or a hollow bone filled with tasty treats that will take the dog a while to finish. These are two pleasant activities that your dog can engage in that will relieve him of the feelings of anxiety and fear.

3. Sometimes it is necessary to confine your dog when you're not home. If you must do this, be sure to create a positive association with that room. Make him feel that he is going to a fun place. Do not put your dog in a crate because this will only increase his feelings of loneliness. Instead, pick a safe room where he feels secure. And when you are home, make it a point to spend some time and play with him in that room so he can associate the area with fun.

4. Do not make the act of leaving the house a big deal and do not feel guilty about it. Ignore your dog for about ten minutes before you leave the house, and then another ten minutes upon returning home. This eliminates the excitement of you going away and coming back.

5. Another way to ease your dog's feeling of distress is by giving him enough exercise, especially before you leave the house. Taking him out for a jog or a brisk walk will make your dog feel relaxed and tired, ready for a long nap while you are gone.

Many dogs switch themselves to once-a-day feedings between 6 months and 1 1/2 years of age by turning up their noses at either the morning or evening meal. Most people interpret this behavior as a clue that the pet needs only one meal a day. What is probably happening, though, is that the dog no longer needs rapid growth nutrients and is entering the maintenance stage. In many dogs, maintenance requires a little more than one-half of growth needs.

So the owner naively starts feeding once a day, which leaves the dog with an empty stomach for most of its waking hours. This results in "hunger tension," a phenomenon not hard to imagine when nature's fuel gauge reads 'empty' for more than 12-14 hours a day.

Dogs digest food in their stomachs longer than humans, probably because canine saliva has no discernible digestive enzyme function. Dogs, as carnivores, are designed by nature to rip, tear and gulp, so it makes sense that their gastric juices require more time to sufficiently break down food before it enters the small intestine. It is not hard to imagine the consequences of cutting an accustomed two feedings down to one per day. Some dogs adapt to the change, though many owners give their once-a-day eaters tidbits around the time of their former feeding. Dogs often develop oral behavior problems, such as pica, chewing, stealing food or begging at the table.

The reason some animals require only one, and others two meals a day is mainly due to the rate at which they metabolize their food. Other elements of the environment can bear on the situation as well. The amount of exercise a dog undertakes spontaneously, or is stimulated to undertake, affects food intake; even the temperature. For these reasons, two meals a day are recommended in problem cases. This requires feeding half the once-a-day ration twice daily.

Coming Up With A Feeding Schedule

Feeding schedules can play a significant role in problem behavior. If these are too near to the regular departure or arrival times of the owners, any change in the schedule because of unexpected delays or early departures can upset the routine - and the dog. This is especially true when feedings are given immediately after the owner's arrival at home in the afternoon or evening. If the owner is late, the dog has double-trouble. The emotional ritual of the greeting is frustrated and the gastric schedule of the animal is violated.

Therefore, even though this practice may not appear clearly to be part of the problem, it is worthwhile to schedule feedings at least an hour before the owner's departure and an hour after homecoming on regular workdays. The same schedule is used on weekends, at least until the problem is cleared up. This affects the social schedules of some owners, but it can help to solve problems.

It is important for your puppy to feel he is a valuable individual. Try to have your training sessions in a relatively quiet place. Because he is so playful, he can be easily distracted by other people and activities. If he is constantly being bombarded by other sights and sounds, it will be difficult for him to get the message from you that you enjoy being with him.

Use words:The only way he will learn to associate the command with the action is if you use the word every time you guide him into doing what you want. A puppy can learn a very large vocabulary with such words as "Outdoors," "Bedtime," "Go for a walk," as well as the basic commands.

Reward your pup: To teach him anything, you must first have his attention and then you must reward him as soon as he has done what you ask. The reward can take three forms; a
tidbit, a pat, or your voice. Consider the use of tidbits a highly successful means of puppy training. By guiding his behavior with it, you can avoid pushing and pulling with your hands and all of the jerking and pulling on the leash.

A puppy learns much more quickly when he performs the activity himself rather than being pushed or pulled into doing it. Then, as he begins to understand what you mean by "Sit" or "Come" or whatever, you can use your hand or leash to perfect the performance, thereby keeping handling at a minimum. Timing is of the utmost importance when using tidbits in puppy training. Obviously, your puppy is not going to know what you mean by the different commands when you first begin to train him, and the only way he will learn that he is doing the right thing is when he receives the reward at the moment he does it.

An example in using tidbits is to teach the command "Sit." If you have a puppy who prefers bouncing around and absolutely hates sitting, you may have to begin by rewarding a bending of the hind legs. If you were to wait until he sits all the way down with his bottom on the floor, you would never get the job done. After a few rewards for partial sitting, the puppy will suddenly sit all the way, at which time you will not only reward him but tell him how marvelous he is.

Another example of rewarding with tidbits is with the heeling exercise. This is the most difficult thing for most puppies to learn. Too often, it involves excessive jerking on the leash. The more a puppy is being pulled, the more he resists and pulls in the opposite direction. Their natural tendency is to run off and sniff around. Cheese tidbits is very effective in overcoming the problems of teaching a puppy to walk beside us. It works even better off-leash (but only for a minute at a time).

As you begin walking, the instant the puppy begins to look away from you, get his attention with your voice and give him a tidbit. This will keep him at your side for another few steps. Repeat this a few times during each session, reversing your direction and taking some turns. Then stop while you are both still performing well and give him lots of praise with your voice along with some pats.

While deciding what to feed your Labrador retriever certainly is the top priority, how, when, and where are also vital aspects. Once you resolve all these issues, you should set the pattern for a healthful lifestyle for your dog.

It is important to set a specific location for feeding your Lab. In many households you will find him being fed right in the middle of the kitchen floor, probably at a time when the kitchen is in full use. People, thinking in their human way, naturally feel that the dog appreciates being part of the family scene and enjoys sharing meals with the family. But dogs are animals with pack instincts, not humans. They should be allowed to eat their meal in peace, without having to entertain thoughts of whether anyone is going to try to take their food away from them. Many dogs gulp down their food not as a result of hunger but out of a desire to finish quickly before they are disturbed. (They often vomit this food back up and eat it a second time, which is an unappetizing process for humans to watch but quite normal for dogs.) As mild mannered as Labrador retrievers are, they do not appreciate interruptions and will eat better if fed each day in a private area, out of the flow of traffic.

When to feed your Labrador is generally a matter of choice and the age of the dog. Young puppies require four and sometimes even five small meals a day. From about four to eight months, the growing puppy will need three meals a day: morning, noon, and night. Reduce the feeding schedule to two meals a day at about nine months of age, and finally to the adult diet of one large meal a day at 11 or 12 months of age. Most owners feed an adult dog his main meal in the late afternoon or early evening, and often augment this with a few biscuits or some kibble in the morning. Others just divide the rations into two smaller feedings. Use whatever suits you and your dog best.

How you feed your Labrador refers not only to the method but also to how much. There is no set amount that will apply to every Labrador retriever, and product-label directions should only be used as guides. Quite naturally, the size, age, temperament (active or lazy), and amount of daily exercise will dictate the number of calories needed. The primary indicator of how well a dog is being fed is its overall trim, A Labrador retriever should be firm, not plump. It is easy for today's dogs to get out of condition by not exercising enough and by being fed too much by well-meaning owners (we humans often equate food with love). Labradors will overeat if encouraged, so don't let Jake nibble to his liking from a perpetually full bowl. At the other extreme, if the ribs and hipbones can be easily felt upon running your hand down the dog's side, your pet may require additional calories. Telltale signs of undernourishment are a lack of coat sheen and an overall malaise. Labradors are normally peppy, so a physical slowdown should be carefully monitored.

So you have chosen to add a baby Pit Bull to your family. You have learned about its history as well as its unfair controversies. You have taken your time, searched high and low, and finally found a number of good breeders who have perfect lovable litters for you to choose from. Now comes the dilemma; which puppy should you pick?

Both Pit Bull males and females make equally good pets. Males are a little larger than the females. Some males mark their territory inside your house by urinating on your walls and furniture, a behavior that can be quite difficult to stop. And because they are genetically inclined to attack, males tend to fight with other male dogs, especially with another male Pit Bull. Female Pit Bulls also have the tendency to fight with each other, but are less likely to do so. Furthermore, female Pit Bulls experience what is called "estrus" or heat cycle, twice a year. Estrus lasts for three weeks, although neutering usually helps to avoid it.

When deciding which Pit Bull puppy to pick out of the litter, try to choose the one with the best parents and grandparents you can find. Keep in mind that although all Pit Bull puppies look extremely cute, their faces do change as they turn into adults. If looks are important to you, be sure that the breeder has the look that you like. You can determine how the puppies would look like as adults by looking at their parents and grandparents.

Consider the basic features of a good Pit Bull. Pit Bulls are very strong and athletic dogs. The puppy of your choice should display strength, vigor, speed, and energy. Watching how the parents act will give you a good idea of the puppy's potential temperament. If the parents show signs of curiosity, enthusiasm, and positive energy, their puppies will more likely develop the same traits. In addition, if the parents and/or grandparents have been living long, healthy lives, the puppies will also have a very good chance of enjoying a long lifespan.

Observe how each puppy behaves with the rest of the litter. Bossy Pit Bull puppies are prone to become dominant adults. On the other hand, puppies that act submissive are likely to grow up into insecure adults. Choose the one with a temperament that falls somewhere in between the two extremes. The puppy that curiously comes to greet you with excitement and follows you around is a probable choice. If the puppy doesn't resist to being held and stays relaxed while you lift him up should be the perfect puppy for you.

All Pit Bull puppies look adorable. You need to spend time with as many puppies as you can so in order to see the differences in their personalities and therefore, pick the best one for you.