Crate Training Tips - How to crate train your dogWritten by Moses Chia
A crate is a valuable and useful training tool. Its main purpose is to provide security, safety and protection for short term confinement while training a puppy or new dog about its own and house boundaries. A crate may look like a jail cell, but when used properly is your dog’s natural den – a personal space where he’ll feels secure and comfortable. The best place to place a crate would be where your dog can see environment and family members, hear and smell your house - kitchen is usually a good spot. An ideal crate should be large enough to allow your dog to stretch out, stand without hitting his head and be able to turn around. The crate should not be so large that your dog can relieve himself in one corner and play move away to play and sleep in another. If your puppy is still young and is not fully growth, try to block off certain section of crate with cardboards or wood boards. To encourage your dog to “like” his new den, you should preferably equip it with soft beddings, a bowl of water and a toy that he likes. (You might want to remove water at night when you are potty training your dog) You must introduce crate slowly to your dog. Crate him in smaller interval, about 10 minutes, and gradually increase over time. Your dog need time to get used to being crate. Never crate him for more than 30 minutes or longer for first time.
| | The Geriatric (Older) DogWritten by Moses Chia
Dogs mature and age at much different rates, usually according to size and breed. It is commonly held that dogs live 7 years for every year that we man does. However, this serve as only a rough guide when converting and calculating your dog’s age as dogs grow up very rapidly in their early years and then slow down. For example, a 1 year old dog is comparable to a 15 year old kid, at age 6, he is comparable to 40 years old in human terms. By 12, it is consider a geriatric dog and is equivalent to an 80 year old man. It is generally believed that smaller dog breeds, longer they live. Small breeds such as Terrier and Poodle may not slow down until 13 or 14 and could live to 17. On other hand, larger breeds such as Great Dane and Wolfhounds rarely live pass 9 years. Diet A healthy diet for older dog should be senior food that are formulated with low in fat and salt for a healthy heart, lower calories to help combat obesity since they are less active, lower protein to help kidneys and liver, and higher fiber for bowels to prevent constipation. A switch to a specially formulated commercial diet for older dog will usually perk him up. If you have no clues about your older dog’s diet, you should consult your vet for advice.
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