I really don't have a problem with the clicker, itself. It has it's place in more advanced training exercises and for tricks. But not for basic obedience and behavior modification that is the result of a fundamental lack of respect from the dog to the owner. And not for behaviors that can be fixed immediately with a firm, well timed correction.
I've never understood why someone would choose to take a whole week to fix a behavior that can instead be fixed in 10 minutes, if you use the right technique. It's not like the dog is any more or less happy, one way or the other.
(To learn more about how to get maximum results in minimal time with your dog, click here: http://www.dogproblems.com/secretsbook.htm)
The clicker can be used to more accurately mark subtle differences in behavior, as mentioned above, slight differences in positioning, for teaching the competitive heel.
Where I take exception is with the "clicker training methodology" which uses pop psychology terms to try to explain away the necessity of correcting your dog for unwanted behavior.
For basic, companion dog obedience, it comes down to this: Why fix it, if it ain't broke? Especially if the "fix" takes longer and provides no greater benefit to the happiness and well being of the dog?
The other issue I have with the "clicker training approach" is that it fails to account for the fact that most owners are smart enough to realize that they can moderate the firmness of their correction, based on the dog's temperament and the motivation for bad behavior. The "clicker training approach" adopts the viewpoint that every correction is a level 10 correction, and that every dog owner cannot be trusted to not over-correct his dog.
And in my experience... even WITH the pinch collar... 98% of dog owners consistently UNDER-CORRECT the dog, initially.
2008年9月17日星期三
2008年9月5日星期五
How Is Your Pit Bull’s Diet?: Dog Nutrition Tips
Part of being a loving, responsible Pit Bull owner is providing him with the proper diet to ensure he stays healthy. Many owners believe just because they purchase the most expensive brands of dog food for their Pit Bull that he is getting all of the vitamins and nutrients he needs, but often times, that is not the case. Humans can’t meet all of their nutritional requirements by eating one particular food, and neither can your Pit Bull. You are the one who is in control of this day to day aspect of your Pit Bull’s life, so essentially his health is up to you.
It is important to try to make sure your Pit Bull’s diet consists of all the vitamins and nutrients he needs to be healthy. A lack of vital vitamins and nutrients can cause your Pit Bull to have stomach problems, bones that break easily, and have weight problems. You can take the best care of your Pit Bull, but if he doesn’t have a proper diet, it isn’t going to make any difference. Diet also plays a role in your dog’s ability to fight off disease and infection, much the same as it does with humans. Your veterinarian can help made recommendations to help you provide the best diet possible for your Pit Bull.
When purchasing food for your Pit Bull, you should get a variety. Mixing up dry food and canned food will help give you a good mixture of ingredients and nutritional value that should help you to cover all the bases. Your dog will also enjoy the different textures of the food. They also enjoy bones and meant flavored treats.
Pit Bulls prefer dog foods made of meat, as they are primarily carnivores. Meat is a good source of energy and helps your Pit Bull grow, but he also needs fiber and carbohydrates to help with food absorption.
Many Pit Bulls also love to eat vegetables, hard to believe, huh? Check with your veterinarian first to make sure it is okay, then try it out. If your Pit Bull likes them, he will be getting plenty of additional vitamins and nutrients that dog food alone may not offer. It will also help to add some variety into his diet.
Making certain your Pit Bull’s diet is up to par is one of your responsibilities as a loving owner. It is important to talk to your veterinarian to see what his thoughts are and what he recommends, but whatever you decide, your Pit Bull’s health depends on you making smart choices on his behalf.
It is important to try to make sure your Pit Bull’s diet consists of all the vitamins and nutrients he needs to be healthy. A lack of vital vitamins and nutrients can cause your Pit Bull to have stomach problems, bones that break easily, and have weight problems. You can take the best care of your Pit Bull, but if he doesn’t have a proper diet, it isn’t going to make any difference. Diet also plays a role in your dog’s ability to fight off disease and infection, much the same as it does with humans. Your veterinarian can help made recommendations to help you provide the best diet possible for your Pit Bull.
When purchasing food for your Pit Bull, you should get a variety. Mixing up dry food and canned food will help give you a good mixture of ingredients and nutritional value that should help you to cover all the bases. Your dog will also enjoy the different textures of the food. They also enjoy bones and meant flavored treats.
Pit Bulls prefer dog foods made of meat, as they are primarily carnivores. Meat is a good source of energy and helps your Pit Bull grow, but he also needs fiber and carbohydrates to help with food absorption.
Many Pit Bulls also love to eat vegetables, hard to believe, huh? Check with your veterinarian first to make sure it is okay, then try it out. If your Pit Bull likes them, he will be getting plenty of additional vitamins and nutrients that dog food alone may not offer. It will also help to add some variety into his diet.
Making certain your Pit Bull’s diet is up to par is one of your responsibilities as a loving owner. It is important to talk to your veterinarian to see what his thoughts are and what he recommends, but whatever you decide, your Pit Bull’s health depends on you making smart choices on his behalf.
2008年9月2日星期二
Fighting the war against fleas- your weapons and attack plan
Although the summer is coming to a close all over the United States, many people all over are still faced with the problem of their dogs, cats and houses being infested with fleas. Fleas are not a laughing matter as they do carry many harmful effects and can impact the health of your pet. There’s an estimate on the web that it costs 1 BILLION dollars a year to control fleas on your pets. So what are these little critters?
Adult fleas range from 1/16 to 1/8-inch long, do not have any wings, come in an assortment of colors, yet are usually red to brown, extremely thick bodied, amazingly have 3 pairs of legs. You would think that they’re jumping beans due to their jumping abilities. They can leap up to 7 inches, and can leap side to side up to 13 inches.
Now that we know what they are, how can we find them and target them for extermination? The first step is inspection. You can’t treat what you don’t know exists. Find out where your pets sleep and rest, as fleas tend to migrate to areas where they are sleeping. You can detect these flea areas, too, by using a white sock wrapped over a shoe and walking around a house. Other areas of activity occur where the animal goes in and out of the home, eats, plays, and explores. Cats are no different than dogs, except where they travel. You usually can’t find a dog on top of a cabinet..unlike cats.
Now, there are two methods to stopping the flea problem at your house, home, or apartment: either kill the ones you have or stop them from even getting into your house in the first place.
Pet medications like Advantix, Frontline, and frontline plus , are a great way to stop the problem before it even starts. By applying this flea control medicine to your pets, you will be able to stop the host from attracting and carrying the fleas in your home. This is how it works and works very well as thousands of units are sold monthly, worldwide.
But what if you’re to far past the point of pre-medication and need to address the flea problem now? You can hire an exterminator, which is a great option, but also rather costly. If you can’t afford a flea exterminator, then my next suggestion is to defumigate your living area for fleas. Many manufacturers make so called “flea bombs” that kill fleas where they live”. The only downfall to this method is that whereas it does work, you do have to close up your living area, close the doors and windows and let the flea bomb do its work. Left over residue, odors, and a feeling to always keep the windows open is often an after effect to using a flea bomb.
Or if you prefer less messy treatments, you can always use evasive techniques and put a shallow pan of water on the ground, and put in some dishwashing detergent. By placing a small lamp (gooseneck) in it, and leaving it on at night, the fleas will be drawn to the light, hit it, and fall into the sudsy mixture, thus killing them.
You have many tools, weapons, and procedures at your disposal in this war against the fleas. Never feel so frustrated that you have nowhere else to turn to. When in doubt, however, always call a professional who can best assess your situation, but always try a home remedy first. Good luck!
Adult fleas range from 1/16 to 1/8-inch long, do not have any wings, come in an assortment of colors, yet are usually red to brown, extremely thick bodied, amazingly have 3 pairs of legs. You would think that they’re jumping beans due to their jumping abilities. They can leap up to 7 inches, and can leap side to side up to 13 inches.
Now that we know what they are, how can we find them and target them for extermination? The first step is inspection. You can’t treat what you don’t know exists. Find out where your pets sleep and rest, as fleas tend to migrate to areas where they are sleeping. You can detect these flea areas, too, by using a white sock wrapped over a shoe and walking around a house. Other areas of activity occur where the animal goes in and out of the home, eats, plays, and explores. Cats are no different than dogs, except where they travel. You usually can’t find a dog on top of a cabinet..unlike cats.
Now, there are two methods to stopping the flea problem at your house, home, or apartment: either kill the ones you have or stop them from even getting into your house in the first place.
Pet medications like Advantix, Frontline, and frontline plus , are a great way to stop the problem before it even starts. By applying this flea control medicine to your pets, you will be able to stop the host from attracting and carrying the fleas in your home. This is how it works and works very well as thousands of units are sold monthly, worldwide.
But what if you’re to far past the point of pre-medication and need to address the flea problem now? You can hire an exterminator, which is a great option, but also rather costly. If you can’t afford a flea exterminator, then my next suggestion is to defumigate your living area for fleas. Many manufacturers make so called “flea bombs” that kill fleas where they live”. The only downfall to this method is that whereas it does work, you do have to close up your living area, close the doors and windows and let the flea bomb do its work. Left over residue, odors, and a feeling to always keep the windows open is often an after effect to using a flea bomb.
Or if you prefer less messy treatments, you can always use evasive techniques and put a shallow pan of water on the ground, and put in some dishwashing detergent. By placing a small lamp (gooseneck) in it, and leaving it on at night, the fleas will be drawn to the light, hit it, and fall into the sudsy mixture, thus killing them.
You have many tools, weapons, and procedures at your disposal in this war against the fleas. Never feel so frustrated that you have nowhere else to turn to. When in doubt, however, always call a professional who can best assess your situation, but always try a home remedy first. Good luck!
订阅：
博文 (Atom)