We meet thousands of dog owners from all over who complain that their dog is becoming lethargic and that it is not responding to their commands. Now, the common thinking is that age must be catching up with the dog. A dog is expected to have a life span of about 14 years in general, and right up to the last couple of years, a dog is generally very active.
The problem lies in the fact that your dog is not getting enough / the right kind of exercise. Just like we go down to the gym to do the various kinds of exercises ranging from aerobics to weight training to cross training and abdomens; your dog also needs to have a varied set of activities so that all parts of its body are kept in top condition. And just letting your dog run around the compound will not suffice.
- The most common reasons for a dog to bark are hunger and thirst. Especially in the summer months, slurping water is more of a comfort than a thirst buster for a dog. So ensure that the bowl is full and that too with water that is cool. Same with food.
- If you live in an area that has a lot of noise and disturbance – like if you live on the main street where there’s a lot of traffic or construction work going on, your dog can get quite anxious if it can only hear the noise and not see it. So one solution would be to let the dog see the happenings on your street and that will normally keep it quiet.
- Another reason why the dog barks is because he is uncomfortable. It might be too hot for him or too cold; or he might have the need to run out for a while.
Many individuals enjoy having a beagle in their daily lives. Beagles are very cute with their friendly attitude towards people and expectant eyes. However, take it personally from us, that beagles training can be a bit of a chore. If you would like to train your beagle the right way, then you will need to possess some patience. Without patience, you will not succeed at training your puppy. Once you decide to start training your beagle, you should not give up. You need to put a lot of dedication into training that four-legged friend. Our friend showed us a guide called “Zone Training Your Beagle” which seemed to have some very useful advice.
{There are two stages to dog chewing. One is when the dog is getting teeth for the first time, and feels the need to chew on something to alleviate the itch in the mouth! Whatever you put within reach of the puppy during that phase is bound to be chewed up – irrespective of whether it is leather or furniture. There is little you can do at that phase, except redirect its chew-energy towards something that is designated to be chewed. You can get something like a soft bone or a chew-toy for your dog, and each time you catch him chewing something else, redirect his energy towards the chew toy. Every time you see him chewing his designated toy, praise him and play with him so that he knows that this is what he should do.
There are also sprays available at good pet stores that can be sprayed on objects that you do not want your dog to chew. The taste and the smell become overpowering for the dog and it won’t go near. Don’t worry – the ones that you find in the popular stores are all tested and are safe.
If the matter persists, time for you to meet an expert, or probably a vet. There might be some other reason beyond the common realm causing your dog to chew.
The basic psychology of potty training a dog is the same as any other kind of dog training. Praise him when he does it right and say ‘bad dog’ and take him to the designated place when he does wrong. The important thing is that you don’t move the ‘potty area’ around once you bring the pup home. To begin with, you can use absorbent paper, and as the dog becomes older, you can try something like sawdust. Once you have the absorbent paper in place, each time you see the dog getting into potty position, immediately carry him over to the designated area, and wait till the task is done. Change the papers immediately, and keep doing that till the dog gets used to the idea that this is his ‘potty place’. Each time the dog goes by itself to the potty area, praise him and give him a little gift – something to nibble on, or play with him for a while.}
