Cheapest Pet Insurance

Cheapest Pet Insurance

In the matter of your pet, to keep them healthy is what you need. Most pet proprietors would do anything for their pet, including going bankrupt. Now and again your pet will have a condition that with the headways of innovation can now be dealt with at a robust cost. In the event that you need to do anything for you're pet, however would prefer not to burn up all available resources then pet wellbeing protection could be the best approach. On the off chance that you do the best possible research and look sufficiently hard you will effortlessly have the capacity to discover shabby pet protection. 

Cheapest Pet Insurance

A few things to remember when scanning for the least expensive pet protection you should olso look at Cheapest Pet Insurance least cause the least expensive may not be the best. Likewise with some other administration today there is dependably somebody that is willing to do it for less expensive. Make a point to locate a pet wellbeing insurance agency that is shoddy as well as offers the administrations you require. 

Cheapest Pet Insurance

In doing my exploration about shoddy pet protection I have discovered numerous organizations. Some of these organizations offer great worth for there dollar, and some appear like aggregate shams. A percentage of the less expensive pet back up plans that I found had a considerable measure of breed confinements and would not cover creatures over a particular age. Another astonishment I found in the little print of these Cheapest Pet Insurance agencies was that they had a cutoff on the paid out sum over the lifetime of the pet. Some of these were little and scarcely would cover a pets customary vet visits over a 10 year period. 

At the point when searching for the least expensive pet protection it is a smart thought to remember that simply in light of the fact that they are the least expensive does not mean they are the best in worth. Your pet is similar to a relative, treat him like one.

Cheapest Pet Insurance

Repport About Multi-pet Insurance : What You Have To Know

Multi-pet Insurance

Anyone who has a pet is prone to love it and regard it as an individual from their family; they are critical furthermore extravagant. Shockingly restorative treatment furthermore different accidents can be lavish and consequently numerous individuals decide to take out medicinal protection. Pet protection is really more seasoned than numerous individuals may understand, the first arrangement was really guaranteed in 1980. English individuals are surely understood for adoring their pets and numerous family units have them, in 2009 Britain turned into the second most astounding nation to take out pet protection, behind Sweden. Out of every single pet proprietor in the UK, 23% have pet protection; this may be because of the stress of vet bills, because of the pet being significant or uncommon or for some different reasons. pet Insurance

More than a reason your Multi-pet Insurance will come up short you: When taking out pet Insurance you ought to be mindful that there are prone to be a few avoidances which are not secured inside of an approach. These prohibitions are the normal ones albeit every suppliers' arrangement ought to be checked; the rejections are liable to include: Multi-pet Insurance

* Sickness which emerges inside of the initial thirty days of an arrangement being taken out, this regularly applies to numerous protection strategies in connection to any cases being made. 

* Sickness or conditions which emerge because of pregnancy or the procedure of conceiving an offspring. pet Insurance

* Animals, primarily pooches which are enrolled under the Dangerous Animals Act 1976 or the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, any approach which is found to break these demonstrations will be promptly be classed as void and illicit 

* Dental treatment, in spite of the fact that this is regularly strategy subordinate 

* Behavioral issues and genetic conditions 

* Pets which are crushed under the requests of the courts .pet Insurance

* Sickness connected with the unlawful importing or trading of creatures 

* Travel outside of the UK, unless expressed inside of the arrangement, this is a noteworthy issue the same number of cases have been made which are not feasible as individuals have neglected to check their strategies, people expecting to take their pets abroad are encouraged to check all strategy subtle elements. Multi-pet Insurance

* Claims in connection to maladies which ought to be accounted for to the right affiliations, this incorporates illnesses, for example, rabies. 

* Dogs which are working, hustling or watchman puppies won't be secured under common pet protection despite the fact that master protection may be accessible. 

Individuals who take out pet protection ought to likewise uncovered at the top of the priority list when taking out an approach or when making a claim that there is liable to be a greatest pay out by an insurance agency. As far as possible will rely on every individual approach furthermore on the explanations behind the case. Some insurance agencies stop pay outs for pets at £6000, in spite of the fact that as already expressed, every individual strategy is prone to appear as something else. 

Much the same as some other protection approach, people taking out the strategy will be requested that pay an abundance towards any cases made, this happens with both house and vehicle protection moreover. A few organizations have a set overabundance charge and some will differ contingent upon the kind of sprea.Multi-pet Insurance

Guide Dogs For the Blind - How Do They Train Guide Dogs? Guide Dogs Puppy Walking

guide dogs puppy walking
By Jae Winters

Guide dogs for the blind are trained with the help of several people. The guide dogs for the blind training school staff does the feeding, hygiene maintenance, grooming, and handling guide dogs when they are sick or if they have recently had surgery. The trainer provides the preliminary and secondary trainings. A mobility instructor comes in through the final stages of training before the dogs can be handed over to their respective owners. 

These people are professionals, each with their own specialty. They have undergone extensive training, themselves. They are required to undergo and pass the rigorous training to get a license before they could start practicing. The training school must be certified and all the trainers handling the dogs are licensed also. The trainers in fact should have undergone at least 15 months of training as well as a three year apprenticeship with a licensed instructor after. The mobility instructor has to accomplish three years of training that sometimes requires them to move in and stay in the training school for months. After that, they could take the examinations that they need to pass to obtain a license.

Guide dogs for the blind are molded to be professionals. In fact, they are intended to be guide dogs even before their birth. There are particular breeds of dogs that have the characteristics that a great guide dog should possess and  the breeders breed them with the particular end result in mind. Puppies intended to be guide dogs start getting trained by the dog trainer after the first two months of their lives. They are initially trained in the basics such as determining sounds and smell. They are being brought into the places that they will work in the future to familiarize them with their environment. They are also taught to always walk ahead of their handler. In this part of the training, they learn to respond when commanded to sit, stay, come, and other such basics. Then the training stops for a while. 

After a guide dog turns one year old, the second part of the training starts. This is when guide dogs meet their trainers again for a refresher course and to familiarize them with the new routines they will be required to practice. The trainer decides when a dog is finally ready to be handed off to the mobility instructor who will provide the final and the hardest part of the guide dog training.

During final training, guide dogs are rewarded not only with food but with love and affection. Dogs may not understand the words that are said to them, but they can develop an understanding of what is wrong and what is right. There are collar cues provided on the first part of this training stage. These are the cues that the mobility instructor use when guide dogs commit errors and when these dogs finally get things right, they are rewarded with food and verbal praises. 

By this, guide dogs will determine when the instructor says something negative or positive. These three lessons go together. The instructor talks while giving rewards or while moving the collar. In this stage, guide dogs learn to distinguish when they are being praised and whether or not the instructor is satisfied or angry. When they know how to discern between the two, they can also determine if the instructor is happy with them regardless of whether he shows it through actual physical or verbal acts.

Upon completion of the final stage of training, the instructor takes time to visit the client regularly to study how he can match a particular guide dog to a particular client. Environments, attitudes, lifestyles and the characteristics of both students and guide dogs are important factors. Instructors call this the assessment part. 

When the instructors have decided, the rehabilitation worker comes in. They train the potential owner on everything they need to know about the guide dog, and how to work with him. The normal routine and tasks commonly occurring in the particular client's life are matched by the level of energy that guide dogs have. The best possible fit between guide dog and owner is evaluated to ensure harmony in the relationship for the long term.

How to Train Your Puppy For Walking

puppy walking

The sooner you start your puppy walking training the better because it will stop your pet from getting into bad habits. You can only do this after around 6-weeks after it has received all it's injections. Venturing outdoors for the first time is a real adventure and the puppy will get very excited about the new World that has just opened up for them.

First things first, you cannot go out of the house without a collar and leash. This may be new to your puppy so place the collar around the neck while you are still in the house. Make sure it's comfortable and not to tight that it can squeeze the neck, but tight enough so that it will not slip off. You should put the collar on well before you start to take the puppy out so that it can get used to having something around their neck. Let them walk around the house with it on. The natural reaction would be to try and take it off either by trying to chew it or by rolling around the floor. If the puppy can chew the collar then it is too lose.

Once your puppy has got used to the collar then now it's time to introduce it to the lead. The same procedure applies and the puppy may shake the lead a little and will definitely try and bite it but a firm command to stop should do the trick with a little perseverance. You are the master and the puppy looks to you for guidance. They need to understand the difference in your voice levels and tones so when you want to command puppy a puppy to do something then it should know and understand immediately.

When you first venture outside you may find that it pulls a little and veers to different sides. This is normal because it is looking at a wide range of objects and hearing noises it has not heard before. Don't expect too much in the early stages, this is the first time and puppies are not going to walk in a straight line and ignore everything around them. Let them be curious, they will soon get used to the new surroundings.

Even puppies will have a little strength in them and may well pull on the lead, they don't know where they are going, they are just very excited and want to get there as soon as possible. Now what you should never do with a puppy is yank them back on the lead. For older dogs with stronger neck muscles this is fine and is practiced by many dog trainers but for puppies you have to be a little more gentle. Yanking a puppy around the neck can cause them serious long lasting injuries.

When your puppy starts to pull, stop walking. Pat your leg at the bottom as a command for the puppy to come back to this area. When it does you can praise him. There is no need to give your puppy a treat when he does something you tell him. Puppies and dogs love praise so you can really reward him with this. If he will not come back to your side and keeps pulling then keep repeating the procedure. Puppies are quick to learn, so if they want to walk then they will have to do it in an orderly fashion. As soon as they pull you stop walking. They will soon get the hang of it.

When it's time to cross the road it's a good habit to make your puppy sit. You can train your puppy to do this by pressing down on it's bottom. If it lies down bring it back up again and try again. You want to be able to train your puppy in the future to lie down so never confuse the two by telling your puppy to sit down. The command is just sit. Practice makes perfect and you will need to be patient and keep persevering. Just think about the long walks you will be having in the future and it will make all the effort you put into training your puppy worth while.

By Vilma Ladaga

8 Tips on How to Train a Dog

By K Brandt

Having a dog as your companion can be a true joy. However, you don't want your beloved buddy chewing your new shoes or going to the bathroom in the house. Therefore, you need to create a dog training plan to help your new puppy or dog understand the rules of the house.

What things should you focus on in dog training when you want your dog to understand the expected behaviors and even some fun tricks? Should you take dog training classes or complete dog training all on your own? The answer to these questions is that it depends. Take a look at the following dog training options to determine what type of dog training you want to provide for your canine best friend.

Possible dog training options include: a beginning obedience class that you can take through your local human society, dog supply stores such as PETCO, community recreation departments, and local colleges. These dog training classes can vary in price, time commitment, and personal attention. They are usually affordable and meet once a week at a community park. It is a great way to not only have your dog experience basic dog training, but socialize with other dogs as well.

If you have the financial resources and time you can hire a personal dog trainer. This type of trainer may be necessary if your pooch is having a hard time in basic classes and your dog training efforts aren't making a difference. Before you invest in a private dog trainer it is important to make an accurate assessment of your dog training methods. Often times a dog that is not following directions is the result of the poor dog training by the dog's owner.

A private dog trainer might be necessary if you are going to show your dog at dog shows. You can hire a dog trainer/handler or you can become one yourself. If you do, you must know the proper dog training techniques. You don't want to have Fido jump up on the judges during the competition so he must be trained thoroughly and correctly.

You can also search through dog training books, guides, and various resources. There are products that will help you complete dog training such as special collars and muzzles. You can effectively go through a dog training regime with your canine if you follow these eight dog training tips.

Tip #1: Many people start their dog on the path to dog training success by enrolling them in a basic obedience class. This is a great idea because you will learn how to teach your do basic commands such as "sit", "stay", and "heel".

You can teach these dog training commands by using verbal commands and physical actions. For example, right after you say the word "sit" you gently push your dog's bottom down onto the ground and put them in the sit position. Immediately say "good" and smile. Give them a tasty treat as well. Basically, you want to do as much as you can to reinforce the action of sitting when you say "sit".

Tip #2: Dogs act like absorbent sponges when it comes to learning proper behavior and tricks. If you do your job properly then dog training should be a hit. Your dog is ready and eager to learn proper behavior. They want to please you. Therefore, if they aren't following your instruction it might not be their fault. You might be giving confusing dog training instructions.

Tip #3: Dogs thrive on positive reinforcement and encouragement. Positive reinforcement such as acting excited and petting your dog when they do the right behavior help with your dog training efforts. It is a dogâÂ(TM)s nature to want to be close to you and make you happy. Showing encouragement and praise will help your dog much farther, much faster in their dog training. Make sure to encourage a dog through each dog training accomplishment, no matter how big or small.

Tip #4: Food is a powerful motivator when it comes to dog training. You will be hard pressed to find a dog that passes up food or a tasty treat. Dogs are always hungry and welcome any situation where food is involved.

Tip #5: Dog training should be a gradual process with regards to skill level and learning more complex commands. Give your dog time to understand new commands. They most likely won't learn it the first day you teach them. You will have to review the commands and proper behaviors often.

Tip #6: Have dog training sessions at various times throughout the day. Your dog needs periodic training to reinforce the proper behaviors. You dog's attention span can wane, so make sure to keep the training sessions to five to ten minutes long.

Tip #7: When you first start dog training work in environment that is free from distractions so your dog can focus on their behavior. Once your dog understands the basic commands you can try to use the commands in a busier environment.

One thing you may find is that your dog is distracted and seems to have forgotten the commands. Don't fret. This can happen because dogs tend to be situational learners and your dog just needs to work on the commands in the busier environment.

Tip #8: Too many treats equals an overweight dog. Dog training is a process that involves tasty treats, but too many of these treats can be a bad idea for your dog's waistline. Use small treats and wean your dog off treats as they understand the different commands. They will then rely on your praise as the positive reinforcement for each behavior.

These eight dog training tips will set you on the road to happy, healthy, obedient pooch.

Is A Premium Dog Food Really That Much Better For Your Dog?

By Carolyn Schweitzer

If you're interested in premium dog food, then I probably don't have to tell you about the importance of diet in keeping your dog active and healthy. You already know you want something better than "average" for your furry friend.

But how much do you really know about what's in a premium food and what your particular pet's needs are? I'm no veterinarian but I do know a thing or two about health and nutrition. (As a family dentist who practiced for twenty years, I saw first hand the effects of poor dietary habits on human health -- and particularly on human teeth!!).

Like you, your dog has to deal with the effects of stress, age, exertion, a polluted environment, and foods grown in nutrient-depleted soils. Unlike you, he has to get practically all of his nutrition from a single food. Sure, you may give him a few treats or the occasional table scrap (not too many I hope!), but otherwise he's eating out of the same bag or can day in and day out. You want him to get complete nutrition out of that one food.

===========Complete Nutrition?===============

Even the experts seem to disagree on exactly what complete nutrition is. Maybe this explains why there are so many formulas for premium dog food out there. There's one thing they do agree on, though: premium dog food is better for your pet than economy and grocery store brands. Although you'll pay more, it usually holds true that you get what you pay for.

Experts also agree that, because premium foods are more nutritionally dense and easier to digest, your dog won't need to eat as much. One study even concluded that if you fed your dog the recommended amounts on each package, you'd end up saving money on the premium formulas. That's because your dog needs to eat a lot less of it. (You'll save on pooper scoopers too!)

Another way to know if your dog is getting a proper diet is simply to observe him. Are his eyes bright, his coat silky and shiny, and his skin free from dryness and itching? Is he at a healthy weight? How about his energy level? This may vary from one animal to another, but as you get to know yours, you'll know when your dog isn't feeling up to par.

Of course, any persistent health problems should be looked into by your vet, and the same goes for any special dietary needs. But in general you'll know if your friend is doing well on the diet you're feeding him. If you see signs that he isn't, try a different formula or another brand of premium dog food.

Introduce new foods gradually, especially if you have a picky eater. And while we're on that subject, it's always nice if your dog enjoys eating his food. This has a lot less to do with taste than it does with smell. Dogs have fewer taste buds than we do, but about 40 times as many scent receptors. So make sure he eats with gusto, and doesn't just pick at his food.

Here are some basic guidelines you can follow:

============Essential Nutrients=============

Every dog needs the right amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. Your dog must have all these in correct proportions to stay healthy. Needs vary with life stage, breed and activity level. Dog food companies make premium dog food for all life stages, from puppy to senior. An average adult dog needs a daily intake of about five ounces for every ten pounds of weight, with essential nutrients in the following proportions:

Protein --23% of total intake

Fats --5% of total intake

Carbohydrates --65% of total intake

Additional vitamins and minerals your dog needs are: Vitamins A, D, E, B-complex, Niacin, Biotin, Folic Acid, Choline, and Pantothenic Acid; Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium Chloride, Magnesium, Iron, Copper, Manganese, Zinc, Iodine, and Selenium.

It's generally agreed that dogs do better on a protein source that's primarily meat rather than soybeans and grains. Check the label. All US food labels must list ingredients in order of their quantity. If meat by-products are listed, they should come after the real meat, not before it. Meat by products are an inferior source of protein, and are basically what remains after the good quality meat has been removed. "Crude protein" can be a similarly poor source, since it may include parts of the animal that can't even be digested or absorbed by the average dog (hair, beaks, etc.).

Omega fatty acids are a hot topic in human nutrition these days, and have been found to be just as important in the canine diet. Both should be present, and in the right ratio. Most premium dog food companies have done the research on this and adjusted the ratios, but as usual, ask your vet if your uncertain.

===========Wet vs. Dry============

You can buy premium dog food in just about any form, but which one is best? Again, most experts seem to agree. Dry food is less likely to allow plaque to accumulate on the teeth, less likely to harbor bacteria if left out too long, and results in firmer, more compact stools. Semi-moist foods are convenient but for some reason (I'm not sure what) don't offer the same nutritional benefits as premium kibble or canned foods.

That said, I have also heard arguments suggesting that a diet of exclusively dry food can be a strain on a dog's kidneys. So, to be on the safe side, check with your vet.

===========Life Stages============

Puppies need more calories and essential nutrients than adult dogs. They need up to twice as many calories per ounce of body weight and should get 25% to 30% of their energy from protein depending on the breed.

Most premium dog food brands take this into account in their puppy formulas, but it doesn't hurt to check the label. By six to eight weeks of age a puppy should be fully weaned and eating his dry food consistently. After that, different breeds reach their mature weight at different rates, by anywhere from 9 months to 24 months old. So it's hard to give an age or weight by which you should take your pet off puppy food. Again, your vet can help out here.

Also, remember not to try to "rush" the growing process by overfeeding. If she grows too fast, a dog can develop bone growth diseases. A puppy should get three to four meals a day because he's growing fast but still has a small tummy, but don't overdo it with portions size.

Adult dogs need to eat according to their size and energy requirements and should be fed two meals a day. This is frequently referred to by the premium dog food companies as a "maintenance diet".

Unlike cats, dogs are not strictly meat eaters. In fact, a dog is more like an omnivore and will eat just about anything, whether it's good for him or not! A certain amount of vegetable matter is part of a dog's natural diet. Dogs love vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, zucchini, peas, and beans, and fruits such as bananas, apples, and melon. These make great low-calorie treats, too!

One thing you should never feed your dog is chocolate--it contains a chemical called theobromine which is toxic to dogs.

Senior dogs need a premium dog food that will help head off and manage the effects of aging. Since different breeds vary so much, it's hard to give an age by which you should switch to a senior diet. The ASPCA recommends using weight as a guideline, and offers the following:

Small breeds or dogs weighing less than 20 pounds:7 years of age

Medium breeds or dogs weighing 21 to 50 pounds:7 years of age

Large breeds or dogs weighing 51 to 90 pounds:6 years of age

Giant breeds or dogs weighing 91 pounds or more:5 years of age

The ASPCA recommends that you begin dealing with the symptoms of old age before they're obvious. Just like us, dogs will begin to accumulate more body fat as they age even as they consume fewer calories. (At least we're not alone!). Muscle mass will tend to decrease, but this doesn't mean you should lower your older dog's protein intake. If anything, protein is more important than ever to help maintain muscle mass, so avoid senior dog food formulas with reduced protein.

One thing you will want to feed him less of is calories. Obesity is a real problem with adult dogs, and many owners don't even realize their dog is overweight. Aside from portion size and calorie content, one way to avoid an overweight dog is to resist giving him table scraps. Most human food isn't good for your dog.

===========How Much to Feed============

How's your dog's weight? You should be able to feel your dog's backbone and ribs with light finger pressure, but not actually see them. If you have to "dig" to find them, your dog is overweight and if you can actually see her ribs, she's underweight.

If you're not sure how much to feed, you'll love the interactive Dog Food Calculator on PetsMart's home page! It's the result of considerable research that has been published in scientific journals and accepted by industry experts. You can determine the right amount of food to feed your dog and find out how long that 40-lb bag will last!

===========Supplements============

If you're all ready feeding a nutritionally complete premium dog food, do you still need supplements? This is another hotly debated topic. As a rule, it seems that most dogs do just fine without supplements. For certain dogs and certain conditions supplements can make a differenced. For example, a dog who isn't thriving and there's no other medical explanation for it might improve with supplements. Or, dogs with certain skin conditions have been known to improve on supplements. Since there's a danger of doing more harm than good, you should definitely discuss supplements with your vet.

If you do decide to use one, pick one that's made from natural sources and is designed as a multivitamin formulated specifically for dogs. That way she'll get everything in the right amounts and ratios. Add it to the diet twice weekly so you won't overwhelm or suppress your dog's own internal regulating mechanisms.

=======Special Diets==========

There are many reasons why a dog might be put on a special diet. Some dogs are very sensitive to certain ingredients in commercial dog foods. Even if you're feeding her the best of premium dog food, if your dog isn't thriving, it's possible her diet is a problem for her. Owners have resorted to alternative diets -- holistic, raw foods, even kosher -- to optimize their pet's health. Some choose these diets simply because they believe they're better, not because their dog is having any issues.

We'll discuss special diets in a future article. For now, I hope you've gained some useful insights about the benefits of premium dog food over and above economy brands.

Frome eazinearticales

The Psychology of Successful Dog Bathing

Author: DuAnn Lustig-Chambers

"Can I wash my own dog? It can't be that hard can it?" These are the words that I hear everyday as I go about my business working at the Pooch Parlor in Northern Idaho. Each time I walk a customer through this process, I find myself wondering why in the world something so simple is so doggone hard to explain. Washing your own dog may seem simple, but - only if you think and speak 'dog' - the language of your own dog.

I run a shop for full service and self-service dog grooming and bathing, and I LOVE it! There are dogs, and owners, of every size, every breed, and every temperament that come in to use the self-service doggie wash. Most owners are excited, some are scared, and some are cocky, but no matter who they are, or what they do for a living, there is nothing quite as intimidating for them as washing their own dog in public! The thought of doing this can give even the most confident person, performance anxiety, and for good reason! It is a true test of trust and tolerance and friendship for the person and dog companion. And, on a very basic level, it is an honest mirror for the owner, and how he or she deals with life, and with conflict. The likelihood of a successful experience for both is completely dependent upon the psychological relationship that exists between them, and, to a large extent, the ability of both to comprehend the body language of the other. You may be surprised to know that I have found that dogs are supremely better at reading their humans than their humans are of reading them. It is this relationship between human and canine, that shows itself without modesty during bathtime, and, keeps me coming to work day after day with a smile on my face.

My clients have been giving their dogs baths in my shops for 10+ years now, and, each year is more entertaining than the last when it comes to watching regular people washing their own regular dogs. The average person that comes through our doors is highly successful, which usually means - intelligent - and, because like attracts like, so is their dog. And, so why oh why, they ask me, should this simple task of cleaning their dog be so difficult? I ask them time and again, "Well, how well do you speak dog?" Invariably, their reply is a blank stare. So, this is the time to ask yourself, "How well do YOU speak dog?"

There is a lot to say about the theories of why dogs and humans behave the way they do, but I'm going to get back to the practical things to look for while bathing your own dog. The bottom line to remember is that your dog's energy and personality traits are a mirror to your own. Take this into consideration when attempting to get him into the tub and have him be happy about it.

1. Deciding when to bathe your dog. Timing and Personality traits: Timing is important. Look at your own needs regarding timing to know how your dog will react. Are you the kind of person that is up for anything anytime? Or do you need to accomplish your day in a scheduled, systematic way? How do you do with new experiences? Do you find them refreshing and fun, or do you feel fearful until comfortable with a new activity? Your dog is going to deal with the bathtime experience in the same way you deal with life experiences. Remember that your dog is going to reflect your own personality traits - not necessarily the traits you show the world, but the traits that are truly inside you.

a. Fun-loving, extroverted, and social humans. If you enjoy regular physical activity, then so will your dog. For this type of person and dog, I suggest you take your dog out for a bout of exercise before the bath. In the city where I work, we are fortunate to have a designated beach on the lake just for dogs and their humans - dogbeach. There is a long path to run or walk on, and there is a large beach area to swim and play in. This is the perfect scenario for pre-bath timing. The dog can choose to get muddy, run, socialize, or just enjoy being outside. In any case, the dog is able to spend big reserves of energy outside in a fun way, just like letting human children play before naptime. If you love exercise, do something like this with your dog before taking him into your own tub or a professional facility for a dog bath. A common fault of the social dog and owner: Just because you are friendly, out-going person does not mean everyone wants to accept your friendly, and out-going gestures. It's hard to fathom, I know, but it is true. If you have a very social dog (if you are a social person), it is easy to forget that many dogs (like their owners) are not social and do not appreciate the social requirements (like butt-sniffing) of others. Please remember to respect their space when in public or otherwise. Keep your dog restrained and under control, even if your dog has the friendliest intentions.

b. Non-social, active, or inactive humans. If your personality is not conducive to social interaction, then I still suggest that you walk your dog or do something that is comfortable within your life that involves light exercise before bathing your dog. Taking a walk with your dog does wonders to alleviate excess tension or stress for both human and dog. By getting rid of stressful energies during a walk, it does not present itself during bathtime. Getting exercise is especially important for those humans,( I mean dogs), that are highly nervous. I recommend giving your dog Valerian root (liquid form) or Rescue Remedy (liquid or spray) orally 30 minutes before the bath. Both of these products are natural remedies to calming down jittery nerves- and it works great for humans too. If timing is important in your life, take your dog to a self-service bathing facility when the least amount of people are there, usually early or late in the day. A common fault of the non-social dog and owner: they communicate poorly within their own species and with other species. Many people that tend towards isolation, often do this because they never figured out how to communicate effectively in human society. Their dogs typically have the same problem. I have seen it happen many times that owners of aggressive dogs unwittingly encourage their dog's unwanted behavior, when they think they are doing the opposite. They do this by projecting their worrying thoughts about the 'what-ifs' of a social situation. Dogs of this type of owner act out their dog interpretations of their human owners signals. The dogs often pick up the 'what-if' fears of the human as the request of their human, actually creating the 'what-if' behavior to occur. Without human intervention and boundary setting by the owner (requiring advanced communication skills), it is quite common for this type of dog to exhibit increasingly aggressive behavior. Most owners are dismayed by their dog's aggressive behavior, but they simply lack the skills required to communicate what behavior they will and won't allow from their dog. I recommend that if you have a dog that is displaying increasingly aggressive behaviors to consult a professional dog behaviorist or trainer. Just a few simple tricks will convey an accurate message to a dog that is most likely misunderstanding your expectations.

Language barriers for humans and dogs. Its no surprise that miscommunication between owner and dog happens often. If you are a human that is finding you don't understand why your dog does what he does, remember, you are learning a whole different language and culture. Give yourself time and give your dog time to understand each other. Just don't expect your dog to act like a human, especially during conflict. It takes time and practice for anyone to learn a new human language. It's no different learning dog language. We all know how to interpret a human smile in society. When a dog pulls his lips back over his teeth, it typically doesn't mean he's happy! Would a human dream of greeting a new acquaintance by sniffing their butt? Right! But, in doggie language, that's the equivalent of shaking hands. A dog that shakes his head to get the slobber off of his mouth is no different than a person smoothing his slacks or dusting off his shirt to look more polite. The differences are huge, so give yourself and your dog a break if you have hit a communication block wall.

2. Deciding where to bathe your dog: There are not a lot of choices when it comes to bathing your dog. A. You can use your own bathtub at home which requires no human socializing - hard on your back, it's very messy with extended after cleaning, and potentially traumatizing to human and dog. B. Bring your dog to a self-service doggie wash shop - easier on your back, requires some basic social skills by owner and dog, can be noisy and hairy, requires no after cleaning, and it does cost more than just the shampoo. C. Tie the dog to a fence and wash him with a hose in the yard (hopefully on a hot, sunny day) - not easy on the back, hard on the dog with cold water, potentially traumatizing for nervous dogs, but does not require human or dog socialiaing. D. Wash the dog in your nearest lake -which is very popular in my neck of the woods - hard on the back, requires advanced human and dog social skills, is potentially harmful to the environment, and how clean can you really get a dog in lakewater?

Regardless of where you wash your dog, take into account your own physical limitations, and your dog's physical limitations. Is it worth wrecking your bathroom and hurting your back to wash your dog at home? For the clients I see, the answer is a definite, no! Emotional requirements are often a factor for dogs. For instance, (in general) Labrador retrievers have no issue being bathed in a lake (even though they don't get clean), but they often resent being restrained in a tub with a sprayer hose pointed in their direction. For a farm dog that has never been away from home, tying them to the fence is a better solution than trucking them to the city and asking them to have manners in a grooming shop, or in a populated lake. At least next to the fence, even with cold water, they are comfortable with where they are and what is expected of them.

My vote is, of course to find a self-service doggie wash facility. The equipment is professional and easy to use, the water is warm (most of the time) and typically the dogs get treats when they walk out the door, which makes them happy campers. So, for those that want to know about washing your dog at a laundradog facility, here you go:

2. Getting your dog in the tub and getting him to stay there! At this grooming shop, the average dog that comes in for self-service is around 100lbs. All the dogs are washed at waist level where they stand on a grate in the tub. Getting them in the tub can be a trick. It's kind of like asking a human to put ice skates on, and stand on the ice and not worry about how to do it. The easiest way for dog and human is to not give the dog time to decide whether or not he wants to. (Not the easiest task for shy or overprotective owners). The owner is given a large choker chain or cloth noose which goes around the dogs neck.

Leading: We have the owner quickly lead/pull the dog up the stairs with another person on the other end of the dog to give a quick boost on the butt end. The dog is on the grate, and in the tub before he has decided to be worried about it. Once the dog is in the tub, the owner hooks them in (not something you can do in your tub at home) to a variety of metal hooks inside the tub.

Choking: The dogs that are new to having a bath will sometimes turn in the tub and pull on the choker chain. We prefer the choker chain to a regular noose because the dog quickly learns with a choker that he is in control of whether or not he feels the choking sensation. The second the dog realizes he controls his own choking, AND realizes his owner is going to allow him to learn this (this is very difficult for the overprotective and/or mother types of owners-most all of us!), the pulling behavior stops. With a regular cloth noose, or one that does not self-regulate, the dogs will pull and pull and often never learn that they have the control over their own pulling more than any other behavior during the bath. Owners feel like they are directly causing their dog injury and should rescue them immediately when they hear them coughing and sometimes gagging. It is natural to feel concern over your dog choking, but it helps to think of the dog's pulling and coughing similar to putting a toddler into his crib for a midday nap.

Many human toddlers HATE taking a nap and will cry hard enough to cough and gag. If parents rescue them from their cribs when this happens, they are reinforcing this coughing behavior for their child. Parents that monitor the crying, and coughing from a safe distance where the toddler cannot see them, soon find that their babies submit quietly to naptime without expecting to be rescued each time he utters a sound. Naps and baths may not be pleasant to begin with, but they are both essential habits of life. Dogs have the same learning behaviors regarding rescue. Owners that react with excessive concern over the pulling (as the dog is expecting), or crying and screaming tantrums, find they are only encouraging more pulling and tantrums from their dog. This point is so crucial that it is worth repeating. The more upset and worried the owner gets over the dogs behavior, the more they get of that dog behavior. If the owner is calm and without fear - and projects this to their dog, it is not long before the dog understands that pulling on the chain is only hurting himself, and that tantrums are a waste of their energy. When the owner believes everything is fine despite pulling and tantrums, the dog does too, and he stops the undesirable behavior accepts that today is bath day!

So many nurturing owners find this part difficult, but try to remember, when you expect your dog to learn how to control his own anxiety, he will learn, but it requires that you LET him learn. The best ways to learn to control ones own anxiety is to actually go through the experience of having the anxiety and dealing with it. If you are the type of owner that cannot allow your dog to experience this emotion without taking over and stopping the experience, your dog will learn to go into an anxious state more and more easily because of the reaction that he can expect from his owner. This becomes upsetting for both dog and owner and as you can see becomes an escalating cycle. If you allow your dog to go through this experience of the bath, anxiety and all, you will see that they will calm down and before you know it, you have a dog that allows you to bathe him! And having clean dog is essential to most dog owners. When your dog does calm down, i.e. quits pulling on the noose and allows the bath experience, that is the right time to express heightened emotion of happiness through praise and treats. If you take this time to praise your dog, it won't be long before your dog asks to be washed with a happy, wanting-to-please attidude.

However, as with any rule, there are a few exceptions: old, very young, asthmatic, and dogs with neck or throat problems should be closely watched if they exhibit excessive pulling on the choker chain.

Ignore or not to Ignore: Most of the time, I recommend to owners to simply and quietly ignore their dogs protesting to get the behavior to stop (and it does), with the only exception being a small puppy (like a yorkie) or an old and fragile dog. Both the young and the old dogs that are not used to baths can injure their tracheas or create a medical problem (like asthma) if their nervous behaviors are allowed to escalate. It is in this circumstance that I tell the owners to use a harness to hook the dogs in the tub or in the case of a small and wild puppy, to use a sink or bucket in which they can immerse the dog in warm, soapy water. Puppies are wired to swim and that's what they do if they find their bodies in water. Swimming is easier to work with than a freaking out jumping bean. If you do choose to ignore your dog's protesting to the bath, REMEMBER to give lots of praise when the dog show's signs of acceptance and/or begins to calm down.

Drying Your Dog: Drying a dog depends on the type of hair, type of temperament and grooming experience the dog has. If you have a shorthaired dog, towel drying is generally adequate. In the grooming shop, we use high-power dryers that blow the water out of thick or double-coated dogs like shepards, collies, and huskies - and in this case - standard poodles.

Put cotton in the dog's ears before you begin as the dryer is loud. Make sure there is a minimum of play in the noose or chain that connects the dog to the tub, as the more room the dog has to throw a tantrum, the more room he'll use. Start the dryer on the back end of the dog and aim the dryer side to side moving towards the head until the water is not dripping off the dog any longer. Most private owners go home with their dogs still dripping because of the tantrum factor. This is where the above information comes into play. The majority of dogs are nervous at first, but they quickly learn that the air is only loud, not painful. If the owner stays calm, the dog will quickly find this state during the drying process.

There are a few more minor steps that do occur in the grooming shop, such as brushing, nail trimming, anal expression, ear plucking and cleaning, teeth brushing and scaling and more. You can check out more 'how to' information on these specific techniques at www.thepoochparlor.net. Regardless of who you are or what you do for a living, the chances of your dog having a pleasant experience during the bath is highly dependent upon the ability of the dog's owner to understand his or her own needs regarding life and society. Consider all the factors, energy reserves of your dog - spend them before the space wherever you go will increase your odds for success. Consider how much you actually do know about dog language. Above all else, remember that you, the owner, are in charge, and that if your dog is temporarily distressed with a new situation, you have to stay calm long enough to allow your dog to understand and accept the experience. It's a curious notion that a human would have to delve into the basics of his or her own psychological needs to give their dog a great bath experience, but if you do that, you and your canine friend will have many years of happy and successful bathing experiences.

frome eazinearticales