4/07/2015

My Dog Wont Stop Whining! What should I do?

Are you a dog owner that is upset because your cainine companion whines all the time? Are you scared that your adorable pup may be ill, or that something serious could be wrong? When your pup does whine, do you get mad at her for such irrational behavior?

If you answered YES to any of the above questions, the first thing to know is that you are not alone. Dogs that whine incessantly is one of the most common complaints of dog owners the world over!
The second thing to know is that getting upset or getting mad at your friend (however justified you feel in doing this) is unlikely to have a positive impact on the situation.

There is a possibility that if your pup whines a lot it might be sick or injured. But this is only a possibility! It may also mean that your dog is sad, depressed or scared. Just like humans, dogs also have feelings. You may want to do some investigation to find out the real reason for your dog's behavior before starting a course of medication or other extreme treatment.

Remember that dogs cannot talk. They can communicate their feelings only by barking or whining. That's the only communication methods they have available to them. When a dog whines, this means that your dog has a problem or needs something. First and foremost examine your dog thoroughly to check if there is any medical problem. A dog can indicate pain only by whining.

If there is no medical problem then you would need to take a step further in order to investigate why your dog whines so much. Another reason could be boredom. Dogs are very active and intelligent animals. A dog that is lazy might be a dog with a problem. Normally, a dog whines in order to indicate that it is getting bored and it needs some kind of stimulation. You must keep your dog busy for as long as a possible. Taking your dog to obedience training, or undertaking your own training with your dog, will help to keep its mind and body active and stem most issues.

Even a simple "Stay" command would be sufficient to keep your dogs mind out of boredom. This would make the dog feel that it is doing something important for its master. This simple trick might be sufficient to keep dog from whining in your home.

A few more reasons that may trigger dog whines are fear, bossy attitude of your dog or having a dog with a demanding nature. In such situations you must use efficient parenting skills to teach your dog good habits. Remember that a well trained dog should whine only when it is sick or in trouble. If your dog whines frequently then it will be difficult for you to know when they are truly in trouble, and this could lead to disaster.

Another common reason is that your dog is suffering from separation anxiety. This is a very common, but often misunderstood, clinical disorder that leads to dogs whining, crying and tearing your home apart when you are away.
If you think this may be a problem for you, I would encourage you to check out the dog separation anxiety diagnosis check list on this page>>


Dog Separation Anxiety- Capitalize On the Situation Before It Worsens!



Dog separation anxiety is the most common type of anxiety syndrome found in dogs; it usually occurs when the owner returns to work after a long break like a vacation, a maternity leave or even when children return to school. To be precise, dog separation anxiety occurs when the owner returns to work or comes back from work. As social animals, dogs are supposed to have a natural bond with their owners and thus are more prone to dog separation anxiety. One can say that dog anxiety syndrome is the fear of dog getting separated from his owner. A dog, when becomes overly bonded with his owner, starts behaving in a different manner that is by far not normal.



Dog separation anxiety is a cause of concern for the dogs who are suffering from this form of disorder. The dogs start behaving in different manner when he sense that his owner is coming back or leaving for work. Dogs suffering from these kinds of anxiety attacks start behaving in a different way than normal like crying, whining, barking and often spinning in circles in front of their owners. They cry, whine and bark at inappropriate times of the day, leaving their owner dazed and confused.

Dog separation anxiety is a dreadful situation of concern, as it can leave both the owner and the dog under a mental imbalance. One should find a way to treat it at the earliest; not doing so will unleash your dog to various health ailments including mental imbalances. The first step in treating dog separation anxiety is to see that whether or not your dog(s) are suffering from this ailment, this you can do by noting down the behavioral changes. You should first see whether or not your dog shows symptoms, some of the things to note are:
·         Does your dog(s) bark, cry and whine at inappropriate times or without any reason?
·         Does your dog (s) tend to tear off things and eat up your furniture when you are away?
·         Does your dog(s) spin in circles often sensing your departure?

If the answers to all the above questions are yes, then you desperately need some guide and remedies to help you and your dog. Some of the ways to get rid of dog separation anxiety are:
·         One of the efficient ways to overcome dog separation anxiety includes training viz. crate training and obedience training.
·         Owners can also try and put their dogs through plenty of exercises, work outs like walking, running, and frisbee and ball returning exercises, this will definitely tire the dog and a tired dog can easily accept separation.
·         Dog separation anxiety is caused because of low confidence in dogs, therefore a dog has to be given the lost confidence back. Owners can try and play those games with their dogs where their dog wins. This will make the dog obedient and also boosts up their confidence.

·         A usual break of few minutes alone will also help the dog being alone and thus helps a dog to overcome separation anxiety. Let the dog be alone everyday for a few minutes and slowly increase the time gap.

3/26/2015

Dog Separation Anxiety- Causes and Symptoms and How to Treat It Effectively

Dogs are such social beings that are loyal, a friend, and sometimes more for their masters. As an owner of a lovely dog you would never want your dog to develop any kind of disorder or syndrome. But did you know that your affection and love beyond the line can make your dog a victim of dog separation syndrome. Dog separation anxiety is one dreadful kind of syndrome where dogs start developing behavioral changes as regards to their habits and diet. Dog separation anxiety refers to a situation wherein a dog expresses his gratitude towards his owner when sensing their absence.

There are several reasons why dogs suffer from this deadly anxiety syndrome. Some of the reasons are:

·         Dogs are social animals and they require the company of humans, so after a point of time, they can perceive trusted humans as their pack mates.

·         Dogs often want their masters to be there with them 24*7 and your absence may trigger destructible behavior in your dog.

·         You tend to stay with your dog for a long time and thus when you return to work, or leave your dog for any period of time, your dog may show signs of separation anxiety.

Let us now venture in to some symptoms of dog separation anxiety. There are obviously symptoms that you should note and then begin treating your dog. Some of the symptoms are:

·         Dogs whine, cry and bark at inappropriate times of the day.

·         Dogs and puppies suffering from this disorder are bound to become eat less food and hence weakness is a major symptom.

·         In the absence of their masters, dogs suffering from the disorder tend to eat away furniture and destroy the interiors of a home.

·         Dogs become restless and often tend to jump and bark at visitors.

·         Dogs may even escape, or run away from their houses.

Dog separation anxiety is thus one of the dreadful situations wherein a dog may even suffer mental imbalances and thus as a loving owner, you should take appropriate steps to cure it. Early detection and treatment are very important in separation anxiety, otherwise it may result in the havoc of a situation. People from around the world are searching for ways to treat this dreadful condition, some of the treatments that can be implemented are:

·         Look into the root cause of your problem, like what the dog wants, where does he come from (if you newly bought the dog) and then start the treatment.

·         Spend more time with your dog and take your dog out for walks and play with him, this will make the dog realize that you are bound to a time table.

·         Behavioral training is necessary for a dog with separation anxiety. Behavioral training helps a dog to behave in a proper way while their master is away.

·         Practice a few separation sessions each day and look at how your dog reacts. Increase the separation time as days pass and you will slowly relieve you dog of separation anxiety.


There are many other remedies that can help you and your dog lead a tension free life, it’s up to you to find the ways to treat separation anxiety.

2/28/2015

How to Train Your Dog Like a Pro

The toughest question that faces every newbie dog owner is how to train a dog to be obedient and well behaved. Most people love dogs, but hesitate on owning one as a pet because they fear that they might not be able to train their pup properly or may have to hire an experienced pet trainer for this purpose which could prove to be very expensive.



The truth is, although it takes time and patience to train a new pup it is not actually a very difficult task. If you want to learn how to train a dog, all you need to do is first introduce consistency and patience in your own behavior. Dogs are very intelligent animals and learn very quickly from the behaviors they perceive.

The first and foremost step in learning how to train a dog is to teach your dog to respond to basic commands like “sit”, “stay” and  appraisals like “good dog” and “bad dog”. You must reward the dog by saying good dog or something similar whenever your pet does a good job. For the first few weeks you must try and keep the selection of words the same throughout. You may change your words once your dog has learnt to understand the tone of your voice, but it is very important to be absolutely consistent to begin with.

The second step in learning how to train your dog is to get it familiarized with its resting place. It could be a crate or a kennel. Both these training steps should in fact be practiced side by side. If you cannot afford to buy a kennel, you can always use an empty crate. However, you need to examine the crate thoroughly to check if there are any areas which could hurt the dog. Secondly, you might want to place in some blankets to make it look dark and cozy just like a den.


The third step in learning how to train your dog is to teach your dog where to urinate. There is nothing worse than a pup urinating all over your house. This could be both dirty and dangerous. This training must also be started from the very first day of your dog’s arrival.

2/23/2015

What Should I Do If My Dog Whines All the Time?

Do you get irritated when your dog starts to whine?


Do you get irritated when your dog starts to whine? This is a common issue for many dog owners. Worst of all, it often seems like your dog waits until you are comfortable in bed at night, trying to go to sleep, before it decides to start waking up the neighbourhood!

There could be numerous reasons why your dog whines. So, in order to stop your dog from whining frequently you will first have to learn the cause behind it.

It is very important to remember that a dog whines because it is trying to express its emotions to you. It is like a baby in a lot of ways. It wants to communicate with you to tell you what is wrong, but it can't Talk! So instead, it whines.



Your dog could be feeling pain, excitement, anxiety or some kind of fear. Even if you feel that your whining dog is only trying to get your attention, you must not avoid this situation. This is an indication that your dog probably is afraid that you might abandon it, and you need to take action.

The longer you leave this situation unresolved, the worse it will become!


One must never punish a whining dog thinking this might treat the pet. There is nothing more depressing and cruel than punishing your dog instead of helping it. It will leave both you and your dog hurt. Instead you must train your dog by teaching it different methods to respond to various situations. A whining dog is not an incurable dog. All kind of dogs can stop whining if they are taught what kind of behavior is expected of them.
The first thing to do is start to think of your dog more like a human baby. For example, your dog might whine as it knows when it has done this in the past you have given it a treat, played with it or taken it for a walk.
First and foremost you must learn to stop reacting immediately to your whining dog. Instead you could train your dog to sit obediently till you are free and then entertain the pet's request. This would give the dog an impression that you are actually giving it a reward for its obedient behavior. This type of training is essential to teach your dog that you are the master and must be obeyed.
Another reason for the anxiety of your whining dog might be that it is left alone at home for long hours. If you are a person who has to stay out of home or travel long distances then it is compulsory that you efficiently treat your dog to face such situations and enjoy them. There is nothing more heart breaking than a whining dog looking at you with longing eyes while you leave your door step.
In a lot of cases, a whining dog is a sign of a condition known as Dog Separation Anxiety.

To find put more about dog separation anxiety, and if your dog may be suffering from it, visit this website