After the dog is used to the leash, take up your end of it and walk around with your pet, applying little or no pressure. Gradually, over a short period, increase your control until your dog is completely comfortable being on the leash. Multiple, short periods of training are most effective. Four or five sessions a day, five to 10 minutes each, works well for puppies. Older dogs can tolerate sessions of up to 20 minutes long.

 

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BASIC TRAINING

Basic Training It's important for every dog to know these five basic commands.

Teach one command at a time, and reinforce those already learned before moving

on to a new one.

• “Sit.” Have your dog on the leash to your left. Say “Sit” and, at the same time,
  press the dog's rump into a sitting position. When your dog is seated to your
  satisfaction, give a bit of food and lots of praise. Repeat the lesson until your dog
  sits on its own.

• “Stay.” Now have your dog sit. Tell it to “stay” and drop the leash. Raise your palm in front of its nose and then back away. If your dog tries to follow, say “No” and hold your raised palm toward it. Have your dog sit and then repeat the exercise until it stays on command.

• “Come.” Walk with your dog heeling beside you. Then step backward, pulling the dog with you and saying “Come.” Pet and feed your dog a little. Repeat, using the leash less and less, until your dog comes to you to be petted and rewarded.

• “Down.” First, get your dog to sit. Then say “Down” and press its shoulders down while pulling its front feet forward. Your dog will lie down. Repeat until your dog lies down when you give the command.

• “Heel.” The goal is to have your dog walk at your left side at an even pace. Hold the end of the leash in your right hand with the training collar above the dog's neck in your left hand. Your dog’s chest should be kept next to your left leg. Gently but firmly pull the dog into the proper place with your left hand as you walk along, giving the command “Heel!” Praise your dog as soon as it is in the right position. Teach your dog to stop when you stop and walk when you walk.

 

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CARING FOR YOUR DOG

Your dog needs what you need: food, shelter, love, and companionship. It relies on you, so treat your dog with care and respect. Dogs have their origins in the wild canines of prehistoric times. These social pack animals were carnivores (meat eaters) and ate what they could hunt and kill or scavenge. They wasted nothing. The carnivores ate the muscles, bones, and organs as well as the stomach and intestinal contents of their prey. The parts supplied protein, carbohydrates, fat, minerals, vitamins, and fiber—just what the canines needed to live. Today, wolves, foxes, coyotes, and jackals hunt for food, but they can’t always find a balanced meal. Our pet dogs have an advantage over their relatives in the wild. They only have to hunt for their feeding bowls to find a healthy serving of commercially manufactured dog food.

 

Feeding Your Dog

Just as infants, toddlers, children, and adults require different amounts of liquids and food during their lifetime, so do dogs. There are different diets for different stages of your pet’s life. A newborn puppy up to the age of three or four weeks depends wholly on its mother’s milk. When it is weaned, you should introduce your dog to a “puppy” diet, which usually contains higher levels of protein and carbohydrates than the mother’s milk as well as a balanced mineral content. A general rule of thumb is to feed a puppy on the basis of one cup (8 ounces) of dry food per 20 pounds of body weight, three times a day. For example, feed a 5-pound puppy only one-quarter cup of dry food three times daily; feed a 10-pound puppy one-half cup three times a day.

 

Feeding canned food to your puppy may be necessary at first because of the lack of tooth development. However, try to soak dry food in water to soften it and feed it to your dog as soon as possible. Canned foods are more flavorful, but they are mostly water. Pound for pound, they do not provide as much nutrition for a puppy as dry kibble. When your dog reaches bone growth maturity (which varies with each breed), it’s time to switch to an “adult dog” diet. Adjust the amount of food you give it based on its weight and breed. Reduce the number of meals from three times a day to two times. If you continue to feed your pet three meals a day—or keep the dog food bowl filled during the day—your dog may become obese.

 

Dog Feeding Don’ts: Don’t feed a dog pork bones, chicken bones, chop bones, T-bones, or other bones that can splinter. They can cause serious injury. You may give your dog a knucklebone, which does not splinter, or a dog toy that is solid enough that your pet can’t chew it up and swallow it.

 

Be sure to keep plenty of fresh, clean water available for your dog at all times. If you have an outside dog, place the water bowl in the shade. Check often and refill the bowl regularly. As dogs age, their diet requirements will vary according to their existing health problems and levels of activity. If your older dog is healthy, feed your pet a “senior” or “lite” diet once or twice a day. However, if your dog has certain medical problems (such as kidney disease, arthritis or joint issues, or heart problems), ask your veterinarian to recommend a diet specifically modified for your pet’s condition. That diet will not only help to manage your dog’s medical problems but also may improve the quality of your pet's life and help lengthen its life span.

 

The rate of aging varies among the different breeds of dogs. “Toy” and small breeds may live to be over 15 years old, while “giant” breeds may be considered very old at 9 or 10 years of age. Your dog’s level of activity will affect how much food the dog needs to eat. Working dogs (such as herding breeds and police dogs) require more protein and carbohydrates but not a proportional increase of fat in their diet. However, dogs in cold climates require—in addition to extra protein and carbohydrates—a much higher amount of fat in their diet. Dogs recovering from certain injuries or illness may need special dietary supplements. A “sit-in-your-lap” dog with little activity should have a controlled diet that keeps it from becoming obese.

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Housing Your Dog

Though many dogs live indoors with their owners, others spend most of their lives outside. Dogs that live outdoors need shelter. How you house your dog depends on the climate, the type of dog you have, and where you live. All dogs are not necessarily outdoor dogs. A Great Dane, for example, is a big dog but has a short coat and could freeze outside in winter temperatures. Pug-nosed small breeds, like English Bulldogs, do very poorly outdoors in hot climates where they have a hard time panting to keep their bodies cool. Most small and shorthaired dogs are best kept inside when it gets cold.

 

Like wolves, dogs develop a winter coat. However, they won’t properly develop that

coat if kept indoors during the winter. For that reason, don’t keep a dog indoors during

the day in winter and then send it out into the cold at night. Dogs do get frostbite and

can freeze to death in very cold climates. An outside dog should be outside all the time

except when temperatures fall below zero.

 

If you plan to house your dog outdoors, start when the dog is a puppy. An older dog

that is used to being kept indoors will have a hard time adapting to outside living. If you buy an adult dog, find out if it was raised as an outdoor dog before leaving it outside. In extreme weather conditions—hot or cold—bring the dog inside. An outdoor dog needs a dry, elevated doghouse with clean, dry bedding, and a flap over the entrance in wintertime to keep out drafts. It should be small enough to allow the dog’s body heat to keep the space warm. Dogs need protection from wet cold. If you have a garage, consider adding a dog door to the garage and put a soft cushion in the warmest corner. If you live in the north, you will need to give your pet extra care in the winter. Check outdoor water bowls often when the temperature is below freezing. When necessary break the ice or refill the bowl with warm water. In winter, outdoor dogs also need more calories, so increase the amount you feed your pet. On the other hand, indoor dogs may get less exercise when it is cold, so feed them less to avoid weight gain. Dogs kept in extremely hot or humid environments need air circulation, plenty of clean, fresh water, and daylong shade. In summertime, be sure to change the water at least twice daily to keep it clean and fresh and free of algae. Be aware that dogs can suffer from heat exhaustion and die of heatstroke.

 

 

Exercising Your Dog

Dogs don’t like being cooped up inside or out. Even if you have a large yard for your dog, that does not mean it is getting enough exercise. A dog in need of exercise is both bored and unruly. Exercise provides both physical and mental stimulation. Exercise gives a dog an outlet for energy and builds strong bodies and good muscle tone. How do you decide how much exercise your dog needs? It depends on the age, weight, health, and breed of the dog. Ask yourself these questions before you start exercising your dog: Is your dog eating all the time? Is your dog bored? Is your dog a hunter or working dog that likes to run? A Great Dane might need a long hike each day to stay in shape. Do you have a small breed that stations itself on the couch? A walk around the block might be enough to keep a toy dog fit.

 

Pay attention to your dog’s health as you begin an exercise program: 

• Bring water if you plan to be out for a long time; give your dog only small portions of water before and immediately after exercise.

• Exercise during the cooler parts of the day to keep your dog from overheating.

• Give your dog time to digest food before exercising.

• Avoid extreme heat or cold; hot or frozen surfaces can hurt your dog’s paws.

• Avoid surfaces covered with chemicals such as oil, antifreeze, and chemical de-icers used in winter; these can burn the pads on the bottom of the paws or might make your dog sick if it licks off these chemicals.

• After exercise in the summer, check your dog all over for ticks and burrs.

 

Puppies have soft pads and should start off on softer surfaces, such as grass or dirt, until their pads toughen. Any dog not used to exercise should start out with several short walks a day. This is true for puppies, however energetic they may be, and dogs that are out of shape and overweight. Older dogs might not be able to handle much more than a gentle walk. If you have any concerns about how to start an exercise program for your dog, consult your veterinarian. Dogs with thin or short hair might need a coat or sweater in cold weather. When walking your dog, be sure to use a leash and collar. This will help keep your dog safe. Besides, most cities have laws that require dogs to be on a leash. Some parks have leash-free areas where dogs can run free, but they are best for well-trained dogs. If your dog is young or not used to being around a lot of other dogs and people, it is not a good idea to enter a leash-free area. Remember: Pooper-scooper laws require owners to clean up after their pets.

 

As your dog’s fitness level increases, you can pick up the pace. Dogs love to fetch—some breeds can fetch balls, sticks, or other fun toys for hours without becoming tired. If both you and your dog are in good shape, you can try jogging or swimming together. Exercise makes tired dogs and Scouts happy dogs and Scouts. If your dog has a history of medical problems, ask your veterinarian about an appropriate exercise program. Remember, whatever exercise program you pursue, your dog loves to spend time with you, and you can make that time special!

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GROOMING YOUR DOG

Just like you, dogs benefit from having their hair brushed daily. Throughout the day, dirt, bugs, dead skin, and shedding hair collect in the dog’s coat and the hair can become matted. A quick daily brushing cleans the hair and prevents tangles. It also stimulates blood circulation in the skin and distributes the skin’s natural oils. All of this helps keep your dog’s coat shiny. If you have a short-haired dog, or a puppy, give it a rubdown with a soft cloth or a piece of chamois. You can also use a stiff, short-bristled brush on short-haired adult dogs. Long-haired dogs will require a wide-toothed comb and a brush with long bristles. Work out burrs on long-haired dogs with your thumb and forefinger, or with a metal grooming comb. Spread a newspaper on the floor to catch the combings. Place your dog on the paper, and pet and talk to your dog in a soothing voice until the dog relaxes. Begin working from head to tail. If your dog is not used to being groomed, keep the session short. You can gradually increase the time as the dog becomes more comfortable with grooming. If you work gently and give a lot of praise, grooming will be an enjoyable experience for your dog.

 

Long-haired dogs often have matted or tangled hair that may be hard to brush out. The trick is to hold the hair above the matted part and gently work at the bottom of the tangle with a brush or comb. If you cannot brush it out, the matted part will have to be cut out. Unless someone in your household has experience with this, have a groomer or a veterinarian remove the tangle.

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Bathing Your Dog

Unless your dog gets really dirty running around outside, it should only need a bath about once a month. More frequent bathing can dry out a dog’s skin. Puppies younger than three months generally should not be bathed. When you do give your dog a bath, use warm—never hot or cold—water. Talk gently to your dog, giving praise for sitting still. Begin washing from the tail up. Your dog’s head should be the last thing you wash because once it gets wet, your dog will want to shake itself. When you wash the head, keep soap and water out of your dog’s ears and eyes. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water, more than once if necessary, so that no soap is left on the dog’s skin.