Training a Deaf Dog!

This type of training is great for a deaf dog! You can even achieve an off leash recall! It works really well for hearing dogs too!



She uses Dogtra remote collars to help get the dogs attention and teach him commands. Dogs respond very well to the vibration with the pager feature and it instills muscle memory. She has taught him to heel completely off leash, and to come when called. She also uses various hand signals in place of verbal commands.

She has several other videos on her youtube channel
If you click uploads and search "deaf training" you will see several other videos and updates about this dog.
He had been rehomed many times because he would sneak out the door and run away and there was no way to call him back. Now he would make a suitable pet for anyone who has the time to keep up his training.

Wondering about your dogs diet?

Check out dogaware.com! Great information on commercial foods, raw diets, and cooked homemade diets! Also lots of advice on keeping your dog healthy!

Ten Rules of Tug O' War

Sorry I haven't written in a while! Anyway here are some rules to playing tug o' war with your dog in a productive manner.

Ten rules of tug
There are really only two good reasons not to play tug with your dog: 1) If either you or your dog has some kind of medical condition that rules out this kind of vigorous play (and then you still might be able to play low-key tug) or 2) if you have one of those very rare dogs who just can’t seem to learn to play by the rules, and insists on putting his mouth on you despite your best efforts to teach him otherwise. Barring those, the game is on, with the following rules:

1. Use a toy that is long enough to keep dog teeth far away from your hands, and that is comfortable for you to hold when he pulls.

2. Keep the tug toy put away. Bring it out when you want to play tug.

3. Hold up the toy. If he lunges for it say “Oops” and quickly hide it behind your back. It’s your toy - he can only grab it when you give him permission.

4. When he’ll remain sitting as you offer the toy, tell him to “Take it!” and encourage him to grab and pull. If he’s reluctant, be gentle until he learns the game. If he’s enthusiastic, go for it!

5. Randomly throughout tug-play, ask him to “Give” and have him relinquish the toy to you. If necessary, trade him for a yummy treat. After he gives it to you, you can play again (see steps 2 and 3). You should “win” most of the time - that is, you end up with possession of the toy, not your dog.

6. If, while you are playing, your dog’s teeth creep up the toy beyond a marked or imaginary line, say “Oops! Too bad” in a cheerful voice, have him give you the toy, and put it away briefly. (You can get it out and play again after 15 seconds or so.)

7. If your dog’s teeth touch your clothing or skin, say “Oops! Too bad” and put the toy away for a minute.

8. Children should not play tug with your dog unless and until you are confident they can play by the rules. If you do allow children to play tug with your dog, always directly supervise the game.

9. Only tug side-to-side, not up-and-down (up-and-down can cause injury to your dog’s spine), and temper the vigor of your play to the size and age of your dog. You can play tug more intensely with a 120-pound adult Rottweiler than you can with a Rottie puppy, or a four-pound Chihuahua.

10. When you are done playing, put the toy away until next time. You control the good stuff.

Happy tugging!

Source: http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/11_9/features/Fun-Games-To-Play-With-Your-Dog_16059-1.html

A Great Website for Dog Lovers!

Dogster.com
This site is full of helpful information about dog care and breeds. It is also quite similar to facebook because you can create profiles for your dog and make doggie friends online. You can also look up dogs for adoption and find pet stores and even restaurants where dogs are allowed. Make sure to check it out!

Diamond's Cat Food Recall

Diamond Pet food also produces dog food and several brands like Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul, Nutra Gold, Nutra Nuggets, and Premium Edge. Their cat food was recalled October 3rd due to the lack of Thiamine which over time, can lead to anything from "mild loss of balance to life threatening seizures" according to the ASPCA. This is an essential vitamin in cats that they cannot produce themselves and Diamond is recommending that all cats that have been on this food for extended periods of time get checked out by their veterinarian. 


"There have been 14 confirmed cases of Thiamine deficiency linked to the recalled Diamond Pet Foods products, and all 14 cats were able to recover with medication, Thiamine supplements, and supportive care."  

Photo Contest!

This weeks topic: Dog Days of Summer!
Any summer related doggie photo can be entered!

Go to tinypic.com and before you click upload check off
"send it via e-mail"
then type in waterdogblog@gmail.com

Can't wait to see what pics you guys post!
I'll post a few of my favorite ones and I'll let you vote for the winner!

5 Things to introduce to your new puppy

These 5 things, if taught early, will really lower the stress levels in you and your dogs life. Getting your dog used to as many different things as you can will ensure a well rounded dog and a great family member.

1. Grooming & Bath time - Introduce your new puppy to the bathtub in a fun way! First play with him and give him treats for sitting patiently in the bathtub, without water the first few times.  Introduce water slowly and make his time in the tub as short and as fun as possible until he is completely comfortable. Get him used to grooming clippers, brushes, nail clippers and in some cases, articles of clothing if you want your dog to wear a jacket in winter or a life vest on a boat. The earlier the better.

2. People - Many dogs, if they are not exposed when they are young, can develop a fear of men, babies, small children, and large crowds. Make sure you bring your dog to meet new people and encourage him to socialize.

3. Other Animals - Dogs and cats can coexist but it really helps if you socialize early. Does your neighbor have a cat? Rather than waiting until your dog chases their cat away, why not ask if they can have a closely monitored "play" date? This is great for puppies when you first bring them home because they are small enough that the cats are usually more comfortable. Introduce the two of them slowly and make sure neither are at risk for injury. This is also great for other animals like horses, pigs, goats, bunnies, sheep, or anything else you might have living near by.

4. Riding in the car - Your dog is definitely going to be spending some time in the car starting from when you bring them home. Make it a great experience and get them used to sitting quietly rather than jumping all around and distracting the driver.

5. Walking on a leash - I know this sounds like an obvious thing to do, but it is much easier to teach a puppy to walk on a leash than a full grown adult. This way they develop good habits right off the bat and you will both enjoy walking together much more.