Preventing Unwanted Urination

Dog Quote: If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you.
This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.
....Mark Twain

Preventing Unwanted Urination.

There are a number of reasons why dogs have problems with inappropriate urination and in some cases defecation.
Unfortunately most dog owners don't understand why this happens and are unsure what to do.
It can even happen to dogs that have been trained and housebroken.
Many dog owners who are unable to address the problem simply take their dog to the pound as they assume there is no alternative to the problem that they are unable to solve.

Unwanted urination is a very common problem that many dog owners face and is more common than most people would assume.

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Sit Stay Fetch

You will need to eliminate any medical reasons first, as there could be bladder infections that are causing the urination, but aside from that there are other reasons why dogs will urinate.

One of the most common reasons for a dog to lose control of it's bladder is from excitement and you will generally see this happen a lot more with puppies.
With puppies this is a lack of bladder control that will generally stop, as they get older.

Puppies are often unaware that they are urinating when they get excited and to reprimand them for doing this will cause confusion.
To get angry with your dog for excitement urination can lead to other problems where the dog will begin to urinate from submissiveness rather than excitement thereby creating another problem that will need to be addressed.

With excitement urination the best cure is prevention and that is achieved by not allowing your dog to get overly excited.
And the best way to stop your dog getting over excited in certain circumstances is to expose him/her to those situations more often until they no longer get excited to the extent that they urinate.
Puppies will eventually grow out of excitement urination as they develop better bladder control.

Submissive urination is something that is common in the wild, where dogs, being pack animals, show their submissiveness to the leader of the pack by lowering themselves and urinating.
Where a dog is showing signs of submissive urination this is effectively a sign of insecurity and is very often associated with dogs that have been abused.

It can be difficult to correct submissive urination and quite often the best method is to ignore what is happening and focus on developing a better relationship with your pet and help to build it's self confidence.

More Information:
Sit Stay Fetch

Addressing the Problem of Boredom

Here's Today's Joke: Why did the dog chase his tail?
Because he was trying to make ends meet.

Boredom

Dogs get bored just like adults and children
Assuming that your dog is happy to just lie around all day or stay on it's own while you are at work could lead to a very unhappy animal.

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Sit Stay Fetch

While it's not possible or practical for most people to have contact with their dog throughout the day, due to work and other commitments, a dog will always be a lot happier if it knows that at the end of each day it will get the opportunity to go for a walk in the park or a run along the beach.

The stimulation that it will get from this activity and the time that it is spending with you will help it to keep a healthy mind and a happy personality.

This time together is all important for building the bond that will ensure you both get the maximum benefit from your relationship.

Quality time with your dog will reap rewards, just as they would with a child, with a more obedient dog who is happier to please you than to misbehave.
And a happier dog is a healthier dog that will tend to live longer and give you more years of pleasure.

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Sit Stay Fetch

Crate Training

Dog Quote: I have a great dog.
She's half Lab, half pit bull.
A good combination.
Sure, she might bite off my leg, but she'll bring it back to me.
....Jimi Celeste

Crate Training

One of the best things you can do for your puppy early in life is crate training.
Many people are under the misconception that crate training a puppy is cruel but this is far from the truth.
Dogs actually get a lot of benefit from having been crate trained and they generally come to like the fact that they have been crate trained.
Many people also assume that crate training is difficult, but this is also far from the truth.

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Sit Stay Fetch

Dogs, naturally avoid soiling the area where they will eat and sleep and this is one of the reasons why crate training is important.

It is essential to take notes of the times when your puppy likes to eat, sleep, and 'go to the toilet' because this will help determine the best times for the crate training.
Crate training is not about keeping your dog locked up for extended lengths of time.

Crate training needs to be handled with the care that one would expect from a family member.

You should remember that, done correctly, crate training will enhance the lives of both you and your dog.

There are bound to be mishaps along the way when your puppy might 'mess' in the crate but he/she should not be punished for this, as it is highly unlikely that it would have been intentional.

Crate training is the best method of potty training a puppy by far, so it is well worth doing when they are young to eliminate one area that can be a problem with dogs, as they grow older.

While it might seem that your dog doesn't like crate training initially, (many dogs will fuss, whine and bark when they first start crate training) most crate trained dogs learn to love their crate as their own place, much like children have their favorite blanket for security that they will carry around.

Crate training usually starts with short periods of 10 to 15 minutes slowly building up to two hours as they become more accustomed to their crate.

More Information:
Sit Stay Fetch