Delightful as companions, entertaining as pets and fiercely loyal as a good friend, a dog is indeed a man’s best friend. A lively member of the household, dogs are incomparable in their constant love and attention to us. It is no wonder then, that you and I immensely enjoy the company of these ‘fur angels’.

Pet dogs, over the years, have become an important member of the household and as dog parents, we certainly don’t grudge them the best of training, care, and diet. And yet…lack of knowledge often does more damage than good. It is essential therefore, that dog owners learn about, not just the breed of their dogs, but also the various aspects of canine training and care.

Caring for your furry friend is not just about long walks and regular brushing of its coat. There are several aspects of dog training from housebreaking puppies and basic obedience to dealing with behavior problems, health and diet, treating different coats and caring for older dogs etc, which one needs to take care of.

The Woof Factor is here to give you effective and useful tips that will help you and your pooch.

How?

Housetraining Your Dog

Housetraining is one of the important aspects of training, which most dog owners find extremely difficult to cope with. Puppies are like babies. They have little control over their bladder and yet, at an impressionable age as theirs, they are quick to learn when taught correctly.

Start potty training early. Ready yourself to devote an average of 3-4 months to housetrain your dog.

However, this figure may vary largely for different breeds.

Stubborn breeds like Terriers, Sight Hounds, Scent Hounds, Pointers and Setters are difficult to potty train and may take upto 6-8 months. Highly intelligent dogs like Border Collies would normally take as less as 2-3 months. Sometimes, Late Maturers like Great Danes may take up to 18 months of constant monitoring to be complete housetrained.

Crate Training combined with Paper Training or Litter Box Training, are methods, which have proved most effective over the ages.

Of course, the invention of puppy diapers has greatly helped to keep accidents in check. However, this does not come highly recommended. Teach your puppy what is right and where it should eliminate. He won’t be wearing diapers all his life…after all!

A Crate is a puppy’s ‘personal space’. The dog’s natural instinct will teach him to keep his crate clean and odour free. In other words, he will learn avoid ‘going potty’ inside his crate. Crate Training is important since it teaches your dog where NOT to eliminate.

Once you’ve taught your dog where it should not eliminate, teach him where he SHOULD eliminate. This is where Paper Training and Litter Box Training step in. Crate training can be combined with any of the two and gradually followed by outdoor potty training and even training your dog to ‘tell’ you when nature calls. Read More…

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Dog Training

Successful housetraining is only the first step to training your dog. Calling a potty trained dog, ‘trained’, is equal to calling a literate man, ‘educated’.

As a dog parent, you would want your dog to obey your every command. Training your dog can be an ongoing and lengthy process depending on your dog’s breed, the methods used and your knowledge and skill or lack of it.

Dog breeds like Mastiffs, Afghan Hounds, Akitas etc, are typically difficult dog breeds that take months of proper training and often do well if enrolled in obedience schools.

Basic Obedience Training requires your dog to follow simple commands like:

• HEEL
• STAY
• COME
• STOP
• OFF
• GO

Advanced training techniques help your dog learn desirable behavior patterns that certifies it as a ‘civilized’ dog. You would not want your dog to jump on your guests or beg for table scraps. Such behavior is not only embarrassing but also reflects on your dog’s upbringing.

If you are not sure how to impart proper training, consider enrolling your dog in a dog training school.

Even though all dogs like to play, Agility Training, unfortunately, is not meant for all breeds. Some breeds cannot endure heavy exercise regimes. Breeds like Chihuahuas, Shih-Tzus do not like ‘sweating it out’ as often as Border Collies, Dobermans or German Shepherds do.

Most dog parents are not qualified to impart proper Agility training. This specialized training requires years of experience and if you want your dog to excel at agility, try a professional agility trainer.

Basic Trick Training is fairly easy. ‘Roll Over’, ‘Play Dead’, ‘Shake Hands’, etc, are tricks that most dog owners can teach their dogs without difficulty or prior training. If you’ve got your dog’s housetraining and basic training right, trick training your dog should be easy. A little patience, treat and lots of love should be sufficient. Read More...

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Dog Grooming & Shedding

Every dog needs grooming, whether shorthaired or longhaired. A well-groomed dog not only looks healthy but also feels healthy with the proper grooming care.

Grooming is not just brushing and combing your dog. Dog Grooming entails trimming nails, cleaning eyes and ears, brushing teeth and giving periodic baths and for some breeds, haircuts too.

Generally, dog breeds with heavy and long coats require more grooming care as compared to those with short hair.

It is a myth however, that dog breeds with long coats ALWAYS require more grooming than breeds with short coats. For example, shorthaired American Foxhound or Canaan Dog requires more grooming than an English Toy Spaniel with long coat or the heavy coated Bernese Mountain Dog.

Which brings us to the question: Is it true that long coat breeds shed more than short coat breeds?

All dogs shed periodically around the year, usually Fall and Spring. The amount of hair that a dog sheds depends very largely on his breed. However, like grooming, a common misconception that most dog owners or people suffer from is that longhaired breeds shed more hair than shorthaired dogs. Here are a few examples that will break this myth:

Malteses, Poodles, Coton De Tulears, Yorkies etc shed little though they are either long haired or heavy coated breeds. On the contrary, Labradors, Canaan Dogs shed a lot even though they are shorthaired breeds.

You cannot avoid shedding but regular grooming care will ensure that your dog’s coat does not matt and hair fall is reduced. Read More…

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Dog Health and Diet

Your dog’s health is largely dependent on what you feed him. A good and right diet will not only keep your dog healthy, fit and fine, but will also make its coat shiny and smooth.

Dog owners these days are extremely conscious of what they want to feed their dogs and pet food manufacturers are only too glad to oblige. However, though it may be easier for you to buy commercial dog food and give it to your dog, your pooch may still be deficient in nourishment. Weight gain problems or obesity are also drawbacks of manufactured food.

The Woof Factor suggests that dog owners go NATURAL as regards their dog’s diet. Feed your dog a diet that comes close to what it may eat in the wild. Give your dog a combination of both vegetable and meat diet. A well balanced diet should negate the possibilities of using diet supplements. Special nutrition needs should not occur if you exercise your dog well along with a good diet.

If you think that begging for table scraps is ‘cute’, you are doing the biggest damage to your dog’s health by encouraging him. Avoid giving your dog chocolates, sweets, and food with excess oil. All of these are bad for your dog’s health.

Instead, take some time out and cook your dog a homemade meal. Not only is this a great way of showing how much you love your furry friend, but also ensures safe food for your dog. Read More…

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Dog Exercise

All dogs require some amount of exercise to keep them fit and lead a healthy life. However, the need for exercise may vary largely depending on the size and breed of your dog, its age, sex and health conditions.
Lack of proper exercise can lead to several health problems like obesity, cardiac ailments, poor muscle and bone growth and even emotional problems.
Before you start with the exercise regime:
1. Make sure you know the exact amount of exercise that your dog requires. Reading, research and consultation with a dog expert may help in this matter.
2. If your dog has physical disabilities, heart problems or any other weaknesses, it may be wise to consult the vet regarding the type and amount of exercise your dog should do.
3. Make sure that your dogs exercise routines are well planned and followed regularly.
While exercising your dog, remember:
1. Male dogs possess greater stamina than female dogs.
2. A puppy is a bundle of energy but allowing it to exert itself is not wise
3. Never let your puppy run around, play, jump, bounce unsupervised.
4. Avoid ‘pushing’ aged and diseased dogs to perform rigorous exercises.
Play keeps your dog energetic and alert. Games give your dog the exercise it needs to keep its heart and muscles strong. Your dog's imagination knows no bounds, and the play is spontaneous and whimsical, without many rules hindering pleasure. Puppies and young adults, including old dogs need play and daily workouts to maintain their health. Read More…