Pup to Dog Training A good start for your family dog.

Effective dog training can be boiled down to the dog is learning all the time. We are training our dog each time we interact with our dog (whether we mean to be training or not).  This is especially true with puppies.  As dog owners and (therefore a para professional dog trainers) our canines are learning everything from “I can beat you out the door” to “I have to sit and wait from my food”.  This means I can train my dog to be even higher strung by always squealing and racing around the house with the dog or I can teach it to be calm on command.  You dog needs time where the two of you are calm together so the puppy learns how to be around you.  You can train your dog to do this -to be calm on command. We forget this because it is so much fun to chase and play with a puppy. We must teach the puppy to be calm when the game is over.

In Park City, Utah a man has used pepper spray to successfully ward off annoying loose dogs. In most cases, pepper spray is an effective deterrent (whether or not it is cruel is another matter). However, I would like to caution that some dogs will not react with a retreating behavior. It is important to understand some dogs may become enraged and attack the person spraying them.
Read more at: http://www.parkrecord.com/ci_10539764?source=most_viewed

Hurricane Ike reminded me that all pet owners should have an emergency evacuation list and perhaps even a bag packed. Emergency preparation can save your pets in case of a number of different scenarios. Training is crucial to a smooth evacuation. Don't wait till you need to crate your dog in an emergency to see if they will stay quietly in a kennel. It is a good idea to practice with older trained dogs just to be sure your pet will stay calm. Things you need:

• Vaccination records
• Vet contact info
• Leash and collar
• Food for several days
• Kennel or crate
• Water
• Toys
• Appropriate chews
• Bowls
• Medicine(s)