I think of the no command as more of a training technique rather than a command and to perfect the technique you will need to be consistent for most of your time with your pet dog. The no command isn’t like other commands and is taught over several years rather than a ‘learn it and forget it’ dog training technique.

You can start to teach your dog the no command as soon as you see your cute little puppy doing something wrong for the first time, to most people the command will come naturally when they see their dog causing terror in the house and it will not be too hard for them to remember how to execute the technique.

The no command should come part and parcel with punishing your dog, the idea behind the no command is to teach your dog that ‘no’ means bad behavior and punishment, after teaching this command the end result will be that your dog should stop whatever they are doing when you say ‘no’.

So to make this command work you will need to enforce and recite ‘no’ in a very assertive way whenever you are punishing your dog or see your dog behaving badly that will result in punishment. By doing this your dog will associate ‘no!’ with being punished and making you the owner, unhappy.

If you do this consistently through your dogs earlier years, especially when your dog is a puppy and very impressionable you will gain respect from your dog and just saying ‘no’ alone will be enough to stop your dog in its tracks and save you punishing your dog.

Dog shampoos are essential to maintaining your dog’s health and well being when it comes to hygiene; some dogs seem to have a great liking for mud and anything else dirty for that matter, so how do you know which shampoo you will need?

Well there are many different types of shampoo to be had, from many different suppliers that are used for different situation and dog types. Dog shampoos available are flea shampoo, Aromatherapy and relaxing shampoos, dry shampoos, Anti tangle shampoos, conditioning shampoos and natural shampoos.

If your dog suffers from a easily tangled coat or you suspect from the length of the dog hair, that tangling may occur then anti tangle shampoos will save you a lot of time and keep your dog so he/she is happier to be washed and cleaned in the future.

Flea shampoo is self explanatory and should only be used if fleas are found or suspected; using flea shampoo for safety shake would not get rid of the fleas for long in any case because of fleas around the house, so flea shampoo should be used only if essential.

Besides ordinary dog shampoo the only other handy and helpful shampoo for shy or easily scared dogs would be the dry spray shampoo, this does not give as good of a clean as normal dog shampoo but there are instances when dog cleaning spray is needed. If it can be avoided then avoid, but if your dog it terrified with water then it may be the only alternative besides a smelly house.

Every time your dog has a bowl of food or some treats (some treats help with cleaning teeth) some of the food gets stuck around the gums and mouth of the dog. This food then turns into plaque and after staying there for a short period of time of about one to three days, this plaque turns into tartar which is a key element in gum and mouth diseases which can put your dog in a lot f pain.

To combat these diseases you will need to get rid of the plaque and you do this in much the same way as us humans do it, witch is by brushing them. Dogs are a little bit trickier to deal with than humans so training will be needed.

First you need to get your dog to sit using the commands learnt on this site. If you cannot do this yet then it should be taught first. Start by gently breaking your dog into the habit of you playing with their teeth and around the mouth area by rubbing a tasty nice tasting treat around the teeth and mouth, if your dog acts well and lets you do it you should reward him/her for their patience with a treat every time.

After your dog is comfortable with you playing with their teeth, start to do the same but with dog toothpaste so they get used to the taste and sensation. When you and your dog are comfortable with you using your finger instead of a toothbrush its time to make the swap to the real thing.

To brush effectively you should move the dog toothbrush in circular motions to dislodge plaque and start from the back teeth working your way to the front, don’t be too rough with your dog and always try to keep it fun for them and you shouldn’t have too many problems.

There are no guarantees with which dog breeds will behave in certain ways and there will always be exceptions in every breed of dog but there are many characteristics that you can look out for when finding the correct breed for you, here are some of the top dogs in order of ease to train and how quickly they pick up the different tasks and activities.

Labrador Retriever

The Labrador retriever is a very affectionate dog that takes well to unknown strangers, very friendly and the best of our choice of dogs that are easy to train.

Australian Cattle Dog

The Australian cattle dog is yet another easy breed to train and teach new tricks to due to their passion for learning, not so good with other pets and may be a bad choice if other pets are around at your home.

Sheepdog

Sheepdogs are renowned for being a good well behaved training dog on places such as farms and holdings. Although good and faithful to owners, these dogs don’t take so well to other people who are not familiar, if you have many visitors to your home it may be a choice of breed.

Australian Shepherd

This is again a dog with very high drive to learn new things and explore things further but is not as friendly as the Labrador retriever at the top of the list and is not as energetic either, but is a good protector of the home.

Border Collie

The border collie is not as trainer friendly as some of the breeds above but is a very hard working dog with lots of affection and energy. The border collie enjoys challenges and challenging training schedules. If you cannot spare at least an hour of intense exercise this might not be the correct dog breed choice for you.

There are many other dog breeds around, and you may prefer other training breeds so before getting a dog be sure to explore all aspects to make sure the chosen dog is correct for you.

Crate training is a very popular and effective technique for teaching your dog right from wrong; this method includes teaching rules of eliminating, sleeping arrangements, and keeping your dog from being destructive when you are out amongst many other benefits.

To crate train you must choose a correctly sized crate that your dog or puppy will be able to grow into with time and they will not be too cramped or have too much space. If your dog has a crate that is too small they won’t want to live there or go there and if the crate is too large it leads to eliminating problems.

You should make your dog feel as comfortable as you can in their crate; this should include putting a bowl of water with your dog in their crate, a nice easily cleanable blanket and put them in an area that is widely used by the family so they always feel part of what is going on.

When you are out, your dog can be closed in their crate to ensure common bad behavioural problems don’t happen while you are out such as chewing, biting and eliminating in the house. Be sure not to keep your dog in their crate for longer than about 4 hours and to let them go to the toilet on a regular basis.

Dogs will naturally not want to eliminate in their place of sleep so as you dog gets used to its new sleeping area it will want to go to the toilet only when they are let out so be sure to take them to their appropriate place for eliminating when they are let out, then reward them for behaving in the correct manner.

Always reward your dog for using the crate in the correct way and be sure all members of the family know that the dog should not be pestered in their crate. As long as this rule is followed then you won’t go far wrong and you will begin to notice great improvements in your dog’s behaviour immediately.

But what are the best rewards and treats to give your dog in times of good behavior? Well for starters you won’t be short of treats to try, the markets as it is now is full to the brim of all the fancy rewards and treats you could ever think of.

One of the favourite for dog owners is to treat their dog to homemade treats from recipes that can be found across the internet in many places, some of my favourites and personal recommendations are listed in the products page of www.dog-behavior-training.co.uk along with other tips on dog training there.

Consumer products are also a good choice when rewarding your dog; these include chewing toys which can be very rewarding for puppies and dogs alike. Saving one of their favourite toys for when they behave well makes everything more exciting for your dog and causes them to want to perform more for this reward.

If a chew toy is not to your dogs liking then they may instead enjoy a tug toy, tug toys are good for your dog’s teeth the same as chew toys are and it enhances the relationship between you and your dog as you play with them. Be careful while using these toys as some dogs may think of this game as good behaviour and will start tugging on trousers or other annoying or destructive things.

The last toys I am going to talk about are the throwing toys; these are good to calm your dog down when they are over active or if you just want to reward your dog with quality playing time for their good behavior. These toys range from a simple tennis ball to special durable dog Frisbees and help you to react with your dog wile also training playing the ‘fetch’ game.

There are lots more dog toys available, probably at your local pet shop. It is a good idea to keep in mind what textures and current toys your dog likes to play with or chew before making your choice but as long as your dog enjoys it, it can be used as a good reward and training method.

Dog’s bad breath like most other dog symptoms can be the cause of many different issues separately or together, this makes the cause hard to diagnose without a proper examination from a professional dog carer or vet.

Common causes of dog bad breathe –

Maybe your dog is finding it hard to eat or swallow which can lead to dog’s bad breath and other illnesses that are related.

Saliva drooling from your dog’s mouth may also be a cause of bad dog breath, as more saliva gets built up in your dog’s mouth is makes it easier for bacteria to breed resulting in bad breath.

The last and most common form of bacteria build up is from not cleaning or not properly cleaning your dog’s teeth, this enables tartar to form and make the bad odor you are forced to smell day in day out.

Many believe that food choice and what you feed your dog is a problem when dog breath is concerned, as this may be true to an extent this is more of a temporary short term problem and the reason above is more likely to be the problem cause.

There are plenty of dental hygiene products available in pet shops and online, some work better than others on different dogs but you best bet is to clean your dog’s teeth regularly to stop the bacteria build up, this is where the problem begins and where you should target your efforts.

If you fear the problem has got too far to recover or damage or the gums and teeth is visible you should contact your vet as soon as possible for help and a proper diagnosis of your pet.

What can be done in these situations can be a tricky choice, and a choice that will need to be done quickly. Simply driving past a suspected stray dog on the side of the road could end in the death of the dog minutes later.

What to do when you find a stray dog is different in almost every case, but there are guidelines to follow to help save the life of a scared stray, and put the mind of the loving owner at ease.

To begin you should always be aware that the dog in question may be very aggressive due to being scared, lost, and possibly very hungry, so approach with care. If you feel the dog is not a violent one then you should still be very careful not to startle or scare the dog in any way, a scared dog could easily run onto a busy road or dangerous area.

A good way to reassure the dog you are not there to harm them and to get them close is to use a strong smelling food such as tuna or other dog favourites as well as speaking gently and calmly to the dog.

When you finally get the dog under control and have no fears of aggressive behavior, reassuring the dog by stroking and talking to them will make it easier for others to deal with them. If you have leash or any other form of dog control with you then try and secure the dog with them, still being careful not to scare the dog.

When you have successfully captured the dog or if you have had other problems making it difficult to capture then you should phone for help from the local animal care or control authority to ensue the correct procedures are met and the safety of the animal will be secure.

Some breeds of dogs are more active and need more exercise than others, and sometimes more than a lot of owners think they can give them due to other commitments like work and there not being enough hours in the day. But this doesn’t have to be the case as many professional dog trainers will tell you, and keeping your dog in shape can be fun and rewarding for both parties.

Here are some of the exercises that are popular in the dog community and reasons why –

Fetch

Starting off with the most well known of exercises, the fetch game involves you throwing a ball and your dog running after it and returning it to you. This can be little exercise for you and a lot for your dog if you use any throwing enhancing products that are on the market today.

Tug

The tug game involves both you and your dog pulling on either end of a tugging toy, requires little effort on your behalf and can be played while you sit and watch telly or between breaks of other activities.

Jogging

Jogging is a highly active sport and helps keep your health up as well as your dogs, your dog will love to pay this game with you and it will ensure a healthy and happy dog.

Cycling

Although cycling may seem like a difficult exercise for your dog to follow and keep an interest in, there are special leashes for you to use on your dog to maintain hands free control over your dog giving you a more subtle form of exercise. Care may be needed and basic dog training should be given to make sure your dog will be in no harm during the task.

Training your dog to stop barking doesn’t have to be stressful, no one likes the loud barking sound coming from your dog, especially at 3 in the morning so lets go through some tips to control dog barking.

1. Need Attention huh?

Don’t give your dog the attention he wants from barking at you. if I was getting everything I wanted just for barking id probably do it too. You’ve got to teach your dog that barking won’t get him anywhere. If he wants something wait till he has stopped barking first.

2. Time to bark yet?

If your dog barks when you leave the house, 8 times out of 10 it will be because you’re making to much fuss over them when you leave. Dogs can’t fully grasp the idea of saying goodbye and may find it upsetting when you give them cuddles and play then go out the door and leave for 8 hours while you’re in work. For a dog that’s a good enough reason to bark and howl the house down for you to come back and play. Try leaving the house without any fuss, Leave the house without drawing any attention to yourself and the barking will lessen and stop.

3. Bored with nothing to do!

Dogs enjoy barking, it’s something they like to do. The barking sound might not be completely to your taste but dogs enjoy it and it’s a completely natural thing for them, so if your dog has nothing to do in his spare time then barking passes the time like nothing else. Keep your dog busy with lots of exciting toys if he seems to bark a lot at night, something to chew and play with when you’re not around will help comfort the dog and keep him from barking and waking the neighbours. With nothing else to do your dog will bark through the night until you wake up.

4. Visitor time

When visitors come round it’s an exciting time for your dog, new faces, new smells and more attention than usual. This often causes dogs to bark, they want all the attention they can get in the form of cuddles and play time. You can solve this by using the ‘Stop’ command, teach him this and praise him when he listens to you and you should have no more problems with your over excited dog.

5. Be Consistent

Unfamiliarity can trigger your dogs barking off a lot of the time so keep constant with the times he barks most, for a lot of dog owners this is at night time. Decide where your dog or puppy sleeps. If one night your dog is out in the cold and the next he’s all snug and warm in bed with you or your kids you can guarantee he won’t want to be back out in the cold getting no attention from anyone again. Stick to consistency with your dog and you won’t go far wrong, otherwise you may be in for another sleepless night shouting at your dog.