Tips to Help Control Barking

Above photo courtesy of Cocoa Bella Havanese

No doubt about we all know dogs bark. It is their way of "talking,"  or a natural reaction much like in humans we talk as reactions to things in our environment. Dogs barking can be much more annoying than a person constantly talking. Yelling, rewarding bad habits and inconsistent disciplining is not the way to go for solving this problem.

You first want to try and figure out the source of your dog's barking if you want a permanent solution. Maybe the dog barks due to being bored. If so, provide your dog with interesting and/or fun things to do and you solve your problem. If separation anxiety is the reason your dog barks you will need to try a completely different approach. If you have several dogs, they may even dog with each other as a way of "arguing" or determining ranking order.

In this article, I will give you a few tips I have learned are recommendations trainers and dog behaviorists offer the most for dealing with  your dog's barking.

Providing enough exercise always seems to top the list. Try this one first. Giving your dog adequate amounts of physical and mental exercise before you leave them or every day for that matter could possibly help them to rest more when you are not home or rest more in general. A daily walk is great if you have time to walk your dog. If not, then think about hiring a dog walker.

Many dogs bark at people or other dogs in their territory. Socializing your dog well can help solve this problem. If a dog has many positive experiences with all ages and types of people such as people on bikes, the mailman, people in wheelchairs and children, the dog is less likely to protest and bark at them. If your dog is a mailman barker, ask the mailman to give your dog a cookie, for example, to try and ease the tension between them.

Interactive dog toys and puzzles help to stimulate the dog's mind and hopefully provide them with less desire to bark for an activity. Place treats inside a dog puzzle toy and the dog to work at getting the treats off to take his mind off barking at outside noises.

Another common suggestion I see and hear a lot from dog trainers for dogs who bark a lot when their owner is gone is to leave the dog with some familiar sounds such as a radio or television. Oddly enough my dogs seem to calm down to "Popeye Cartoons."

Close the blinds when you leave home to help remove the dog's opportunity to see things within their territory.

Teach a "be quiet" command of your choice or use a silent foghorn device, silent to you, but very loud to the dog's ears. If you use a foghorn, press the button at the moment the dog barks, then release it when the dog stops barking. Some dogs will learn this is their command to stop barking. And all dog trainers always advise to give treats for obedient behaviors to whatever you choose as your quiet commands.

If you have read many articles or seen many videos about training dogs, you probably have read or heard these tips before. Never hurts to be reminded of them again. I hope you find one of these tips to be helpful in training your dog or dogs NOT to bark excessively. They have the right to talk in dog language, just not to the extreme!

Dog Grooming Tips for the Summer

Above photo courtesy of Beautiful Bologonese

Summertime will be upon us before we know it. Time passes so quick. Be prepared for summer grooming as it usually means spending more time outdoors with your dog. The goal here is to make your dog feel cool and comfortable. A bonus with grooming your dog at home is it enhances the relationship you have with your dog. Dogs appreciate beauty salon treatments from their owners and will repay you with a closer bond to you. Grooming shows your dog you love him or her. Even if you have professional grooming intervals, grooming at home is an excellent way to tell your dog, "you are special to me," and "I love you."

Brushing your dog regularly provides many benefits that range from reduced shedding to a cleaner coat all the time. Brushing your dog daily is also an excellent way of keeping your dog cool in the summertime as it also helps you spot anything going wrong with your dog's skin such as infections, allergies or even fleas and ticks that are extra summertime problems for you and your dog. Brush regular to get out the mats that may develop in your dog's coat. Mats are extra bothersome in the summer months as they trap moisture from humidity and irritate your dog's skin. Brush regular to remove the dead hair. Brush regular to help circulation on the outer layer of skin.

Don't bath your dog too often. This is often a mistake people make in summer months thinking it helps the dog be more comfortable. If you brush every day, this will keep the coat clean. Every few weeks or once a month is usually enough depending on your dog breed. In between baths, you can use leave on sprays that condition and clean. You can also use a damp towel to wipe off dirt and help keep the dog clean in between baths.

Consider a summer haircut or shave down in summer months to help keep your dog cooler and more comfortable. Dogs don't sweat like people do. Their body heat needs some external help from you to get out. A summer time hair cut is especially necessary for dogs with longer or thicker hair.

Consider summer time pools especially for your pooch to splash around in, to jump into and cool off. 

Grooming safety is always a priority for grooming at home and professional grooming. 

Interesting Facts About American Eskimo Dog Breed

Above photo courtesy of American Eskimos in Tri State Area 

Judging from the name of this dog breed you might assume they originated from America. They are actually a German dog breed descending from the German Spitz who came to the United States with their German immigrant owners. The name "Eskimo" makes you think they might be sled dogs in Alaska, but this is not the case either. They were never bred to be genuine sled dogs, however, they excel at agility competitions. If you are looking for a good breed for agility competitions, look no further than the American Eskimos.

Beautiful German Spitz snow white dogs were originally used as herder dogs, livestock guards and hunting dogs. It was only when they were brought to the United States they became quite popular as family pets.

Another interesting fact about the American Eskimo dog is that in the late 19th century, they became popular with the traveling circuses. Since they are so easy to train they were capable of performing many kinds of entertaining agility stunts. Just imagine how stunning their bright white coats looked under the spotlight of a circus show. You can see why they then became popular as family pets. Many families gathered to see their acts and fell in love with this dog so much they wanted one at home for a family pet.

I bet you never imagined the American Eskimo Dog was the first at becoming an acrobat and walking a tightrope. That being said, you most likely could train this dog to do a variety of tricks to put on amazing performances, for example, at children's birthday parties and more. Just think how much kids would enjoy seeing these beautiful dogs perform tricks for them at their friend's or neighborhood child's birthday party.

The American Eskimo Dog is like the Poodle in that they come in three sizes: The standard usually weighs no more than about 35 pounds; the miniature size and a toy size.

Okay, so I lied! They don't only come in white. You can also find them in a biscuit color. They are either completely white or white with biscuit cream around the edges.

The American Eskimo Dog is a stunner both in the show ring and at home.