| 1. Never hit your dog.
It can create a dog that is fearful of the hand or hand shyness.
Hand shyness can create problems in obedience training where the dog is
expected to respond to hand signals.
2. Excessive thirst, frequent bowel movements, hiccups, and tail
chasing could be, but not necessarily be, indications of worms.
3. Ammonia cleaners should not be used when trying to housebreak
a puppy, as urine contains a form of ammonia. The ammonia cleaner
might attract the puppy to the same area as the odor is similar.
4. Training collars, slip collars, and choke collars should be
used only for training and walking purposes. This type of collar
should never be left on a dog that is unsupervised because it is possible
for the collar to get caught on something, thereby hanging the dog to death.
5. A dog should never be left alone in a locked car with all of
the windows closed, particularly in the summer. The temperature in
a closed car can rise drastically in a very short time. If
possible, bring the dog with you or leave the dog at home.
If you leave a dog in a shaded area with the windows opened sufficiently,
check on the dog every half hour for the direction of sun changes.
What was once a shaded area might become a boiling hot area.
6. The word "down" means to lay down and should not be used to
mean to get down when a dog has jumped on people or furniture.
The use of the same word to mean two different things can be very confusing
to a dog.
7. Certain very common household plants can be poisonous if consumed.
If you suspect you own any of these plants, speak to your florist or nursery.
8. If an otherwise responsive dog is unusually difficult on the
sit command, have the dog's hind quarters and anal glands checked by a
vet.
9. When boarding your dog, choose a boarding facility carefully.
Always inspect the kennel area. If possible, try to visit unannounced
rather than by appointment.
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10. When purchasing
a toy with a squeaker, remove the squeaker as it will sometimes pop out
and lodge in the dog's throat.
11. If you ultimately want your dog to be housebroken, bypass
paper training unless there are special circumstances. If there
is no reason to paper train the dog - DON'T. By paper training you
are breaking your training consistency. The dog is encouraged
to go in the house on the paper, reprimanded for going in the house off
the paper, and encouraged to go outside. This can be very confusing
for a puppy.
12. Never leave a lead or a rope on top of a crate.
Part of the rope could fall into the crate. The dog may become
twisted or entangled or perhaps strangled.
13. Keep cleaning items (ammonia, Drano, etc.) out of reach of
dogs. They can be fatal.
14. If you are bringing a newborn baby into the house, treat
the dog with child psychology. When friends come to see the new baby,
have them pay attention and say "hello" to the dog first. Isolate
the dog and baby as little as possible to avoid jealousy and animosity.
15. An all human food diet is not as nutritious as a dog food
diet. Unless you are an expert in nutrition and know how to
correctly supplement, dog foods are healthier for dogs.
16. Toys not made for dogs could have toxic parts and should not
be given to dogs.
17. One word or simple commands will make training much easier.
Most dogs do not understand statements such as "Please Rover get off the
couch. You know Daddy doesn't like that."
18. Prong collars and electronic shock collars should never be
used for training. If you are having that much difficulty with your
dog, contact a good professional trainer.
19. In the winter, check the feet on your dog regularly as many
de-icing chemicals used for sidewalks can irritate a dog's paws.
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20. Before laying
new carpet in your home, bring a sample or piece into the house ahead of
time. Let the dog adjust to the new smell. This
will avoid any territorial behavior such as claiming the area by urinating
on it.
21. Never reprimand a dog for not coming when he's called.
If someone called you and upon arriving, you were hit or scolded, you would
not be apt to come again.
22. Keep medication and other drugs out of reach of your dog.
23. When shipping a dog by plane, know what the temperature is
gong to be from departure to destination so you do not subject a dog to
arrival in 100 degree temperatures, such as in Texas, California, and other
warmer climates.
24. To determine your dog's correct collar size, measure the neck
and add two inches.
25. Never exercise a dog after a large meal as it is suspected
as a cause of bloating and gastric torsion.
26. When purchasing or building a dog house, the door should be
to one side rather than in the middle. This avoids excessive wind,
cold, and heat.
27. When using fertilizers, keep the dog entirely out of the area
for a sufficient amount of time.
28. It is extremely important to teach a dog certain basic things
even if you do not need them at the time. For example, all dogs should
be able to go up and down stairs even if you live in a ranch house.
29. When teaching a dog to sit, never push down on the hindquarters.
Instead, tuck under the rear legs.
30. Do not let a dog consume paint chips, especially ones
with lead-based paint. They may get lead poisoning.
31. Avoid any situations where a dog may chew on electrical
cords.
32. Over-training a dog is just as harmful as under-training.
A dog should never have to undergo a vigorous training session during the
heat of a summer's day.
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