Is Catnip Dangerous for Your Cat?

Is Catnip Dangerous for Your Cat?
Your cat, your loving and lovable family pet is not usually what you would call a bundle of energy. In fact she spends a good deal of the day taking a siesta. When she moves she does so at her own pace and in her own time. But should your sedate kitty have a whiff of catnip . . . well, wop bop a lula blim bam boom! The party is on baby. Suddenly your cat . . .

Teaching A Quick Response To Commands
Dear Adam:

I have read the first 125 pages of your book.

You reference, “training collar” several times. I have probably overlooked this, but what do you mean by training collar? Is it a pinch collar or one that delivers a shock? So far I have used your techniques with a great deal of success. We use the “get busy” command to make the dog relieve himself. After three days, it works very well. The dog sits well, too. He still needs a hand signal from time to time. We’re currently working on the down position. Your book has been an inspiration. One other question: We recently had an invisible fence installed. The dog is 15 weeks old. How soon should we start to use this? He is a 33 pound “English” yellow Lab.

Thanks,
Brian

Dear Brian:

Thanks for the e-mail.

Yes, in general I’m talking about the pinch collar when I refer to the training collar.

In regard to the to sit command: You should first issue the command THEN the correction. Don’t wait to see if the dog’s going to do it or he’ll learn to WAIT to see if you’re going to correct him. In other words, you end up teaching your dog that a slow response to commands is okay. And this is not our goal. Our goal should be to teach the dog that he should respond quickly and immediately.

Once he’s 100% conditioned to respond fast every time… and he consistently beats you to the correction… then you can stop.

As far as the electronic fence… I’d probably wait until he’s 6 to 7 months.

That’s all for now, folks!
Adam

Adam G. Katz is the author of the book, "Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer: An Insider's Guide To The Most Jealously Guarded Dog Training Secrets In History." Get a free copy of his report "Games To Play With Your Dog" when you sign up for his free weekly dog training tips e-zine at: <a href="http://www.dogproblems.com" title="http://www.dogproblems.com" target="_blank">http://www.dogproblems.com</a>

Why Crate Train My Dog
Why Crate Train My Dog? A few years ago, before I decided to stay home with my kids, I worked as a veterinarian technician in an animal hospital. While at that job I saw so many clients who would bring in their dog and be upset because they had eaten something in the house, other than food, and were now sick. One client brought in her chocolate lab that had gotten into her sewing box and eaten a pincushion, pins and all!!! Off to surgery the dog went and the owner was out about $1,500. Case number two was a giant poodle that, while the owner was away, got into her closet and ate a pair of panty hose. Unfortunately this dog did not make it through surgery. The pantyhose got wrapped around its intestines and the doctor was not able to save the dog. The above stories are a couple of really good reasons why you should crate train your puppy or dog, especially if you have a dog who likes to chew or eat things they should not be eating. By putting your puppy or dog in a crate you are giving them a sense of security and a place they can call their own. Dogs actually like having a den to cuddle up in. By putting the dog in a crate while you are gone it will also give you peace of mind knowing that they are in a safe place, away from harm, and not doing any damage to your belongings or themselves. Crate training will also help with potty training. Make sure you put your pet on a regular schedule for potty breaks and use the crate when you are gone or need your pet to rest. Dogs will typically not go in their home. They like to keep it clean and will hold it until you can take them outside to eliminate. Remember to always praise your pet when he eliminates in the area you want him to outside. Puppies have very small bladders so they cannot physically hold it for very long. I would suggest that you take the puppy out every two hours. As puppies get older, naturally they will gain the bladder control and be able to hold it longer. Eventually this time should increase to 8 hours or more. Another thing to consider when purchasing a crate is to make sure that you buy a crate big enough to accommodate the full growth of your pet. When your pet is a puppy and you are crate training, make sure that the crate has a divider panel. You can adjust the placement of the divider panel so that the puppy does not have full use of the crate thus creating the den feeling that will make your dog feel comfortable and cozy. In this situation the dog will not want to go in its den and will keep the area clean. If you give the puppy the full area of the crate it may be too large and the dog will make one area of the crate his potty area and the other area as his sleeping area. Adjust the divider panel so that the dog has enough area to get up and stretch but not enough room to eliminate. Crate training your puppy or dog is just a smart thing to do for you and your pet. It will give you the sense of security and peace knowing that your pet is not getting in harms way while you are away. Jenny Saylor CratesPlus.com

Jenny Saylor is the owner of <a href="http://www.cratesplus.com"> CratesPlus.com </a>, specializing in quality dog crates, pet carriers, accessories, and more. .

Basic Instructions on How to Build a Dog Kennel
Rather than buying a commercially available dog kennel, many pet owners opt to instead build their own. This would allow the owner to build the kennel to fit his dog’s specific needs. Factors such as the size and breed of the dog should all be considered whether one is planning to buy a premade kennel or build one from scratch.

A dog kennel should be designed in such a way that it allows for maximum comfort and convenience for both you and your pet. It should be built in such a way that you can see your dog at all times, and that he can see things such as when you pull in and our of your driveway. Be careful, however, about putting the kennel in a location that would cause your dog to bark at someone walking down the sidewalk or driving by. Your dog probably wouldn’t want to be out in the rain for too long, so an ideal kennel has both an outdoor area as well as an indoor area for those rainy days.

You must also decide what materials to use when building your dog kennel. Steel is usually considered to be a better alternative to wood and plastic both because it’s easier to clean, and because it won’t splinter and cause harm to your pet. Wood kennels can harvest mold or begin to rot if not properly maintained, so consider all of these factors when choosing the material you will work with.

Sanitation is an important factors to consider when building a dog kennel. It should be built in a way that allows you to clean it easily, without much inconvenience to either you or your pet. Consider building a slight slope into the kennel to allow for better drainage, so you can simply hose away dirt and debris without having to mop up any excess water that may have collected. Frequent disinfection will keep odor to a minimum, in addition to keeping your dog healthier.

Try to put good craftsmanship into your dog kennel, so that it will serve you and your pet for many years to come. A good kennel should be sturdy and able to withstand the elements, while at the same time keeping your dog safe and comfortable with a place to sleep. If your dog is important to you, then the decision to invest in a good dog kennel should be an easy one.

Scott Byers is a contributor to <a href="http://dogkennels.easyaccessinfo.com/Outdoor_Dog_Kennel.html">http://dogkennels.easyaccessinfo.com</a>, along with many other websites. Please visit our website if you would like to know more about <a href="http://dogkennels.easyaccessinfo.com/How_to_Build_a_Dog_Kennel.html">how to build a dog kennel.</a>.

Can You Really Teach An Old Dog New Tricks… Also, Dog Owner Invents Training Techniques
Adam,

I received a surprise Christmas present last year in the form of a 4 year old female shepherd mix that my wife and daughter decided I needed to replace my long time pet who had to be put down last summer. She really is a beautiful dog, but the shelter fibbed to us when they said she was good with other dogs and cats. She has been rather aggressive with them. We are 6 months into this relationship now and she is much better. I guess she is more secure now.

The one problem I have not solved is her desire to run out the door and ignore our “come” commands. All this is to ask you: Will the techniques in your book and video series work on an older dog? I’d rather not invest the money in a lost cause. We live in the Arizona desert and she won’t last long this summer if she gets out and runs off again. I’ve looked through many of your newsletters, but didn’t find any mention of age.

Thanks for your help.
Larry

Dear Larry:

Thank you for the e-mail.

Yes, the dog training techniques work on all dogs, as long as they are healthy and do not have any mobility problems.

In many cases, training an older dog is easier than training a younger dog, despite the saying that “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” there is definitely something to be said about maturity.

—

Dear Adam:

Please help! I am ready to give away my 6mo. old Maltese. I grew up with one of these dogs- the most gentle and affectionate dog I’d ever met so I bought one for my family at great expense. I tried to find a good breeder and had the dog shipped.

The problem is this - He growls and snaps at my 4 year old whenever he tries to pet him or pick him up, or if I’m watching saying, “Good dog, no growl, it’s OK.. ” he will not growl but struggle to get away and growl as soon as he’s down. He has bitten when I was not watching.

I tried the advice in your book and that given by others on the discussion group. For a long while my son was the only one to feed the dog, I kept him off the furniture and the kids owned the toys. Nothing seemed to help, so recently I’ve been grabbing him firmly by the scruff and growling “No” at him, then putting him in a small room by himself for several minutes. Today when I went to correct him he snapped and growled at me! He is now frightened of me and I am angry at him.

The most upsetting thing for me is that I wanted this dog to be a friend for my son like mine was for me when I was young. My son is a gentle, quiet boy who loves animals and is saddened my this. Is there any hope?

Signed,
Stewart

Dear Stewart:

I don’t know how to say this without sounding like a complete jerk, but… PAY ATTENTION AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS!

The one thing you apparently HAVEN’T DONE is to CORRECT THE DOG’S UNWANTED BEHAVIOR!!! The ‘pulling on the scruff of the neck’ is only for young puppies, 8 to 10 weeks old. It’s ineffective for older dogs.

For correcting older dogs, I spend much of the book explaining the benefits of the pinch collar. Remember the concept of motivation? Remember the notion of associating a negative/correction with the dogs unwanted behavior? Remember how I teach you to look at the corrections you’re giving and decide if they’re motivational or not? Remember page 23, page 38, page 59, page 62, page 155, page 173, page 174, page 181, page 226, page 241, and page 260 ?

I’ll quote from the book, “After you correct the dog, immediately tempt him to do the behavior again. Offer him the choice: If he does the behavior again then most likely your first correction wasn’t motivational… If he refuses to do the behavior, then praise him - as he’s just made the RIGHT DECISION.” [Page 156.]

Now, if you have a specific question about how to implement any of these techniques… then that’s another issue. But telling me that you’re confining the dog in a bedroom as some sort of “Time Out” technique is NOT something you’ve found in my book. And neither is, “”Good dog, NO growl, it’s OK…”

Again, I’ll repeat: Praise the dog only when he makes the right decision (staying calm). Do not tell him, “No growl,” if he’s already being quiet. This is SOOOO CONFUSING TO THE DOG.

It’s very simple:

The dog does something good = You say, “Good dog,” and praise. The dog does something bad = You say, “No!” and administer a correction with the leash and collar.

I can only speculate why your question is not more along the lines of, “This is what happened when I corrected my dog using the pinch collar and tab for this obnoxious behavior.”

The only reason I’m being so blunt about this issue is that it’s a central theme throughout the book. I stress over and over again the elements of timing, consistency and motivation. In fact, many readers have commented that my repetition of this concept is sometimes tedious.

Once you can explain to me how specifically you’ve used timing, consistency and motivation and applied these elements to your dilemma, you will (perhaps surprisingly) find yourself in the position of explaining to ME how you will have fixed your dog’s obnoxious behavior.

That’s all for now, folks!
Adam
Dogproblems.com

Adam G. Katz is the author of the book, "Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer: An Insider's Guide To The Most Jealously Guarded Dog Training Secrets In History." Get a free copy of his report "Games To Play With Your Dog" when you sign up for his free weekly dog training tips e-zine at: <a href="http://www.dogproblems.com" title="http://www.dogproblems.com" target="_blank">http://www.dogproblems.com</a>

Introducing a Cat to Your Children
So, you had a cat in the family when you were a kid. And you are thinking that the addition of a cat into your home would make a terrific family pet, and would give your children the pleasure of loving and caring for an animal. Most likely you’d be right. But, just because you have nothing but pleasant memories of growing up with a much loved feline pet doesn’t mean that things always go faultlessly well. There are things to remember and steps to take before introducing a cat to your children.

Her Dog Defecates In The Crate
A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel owner wrote to me with the following question:

“Dear Adam:

We recently got a four month-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

We can’t seem to housebreak him. I’ve tried what your book and tape said to do. He goes “#2″ in his crate. I have been doing what you suggested, but would like some advice on the crate issue. Thank you.

-Brenda

Dear Brenda:

The best solution to this problem is to build an outdoor kennel run on grass or pea gravel so that the dog can get reconditioned to eliminate on this flooring substance and not in the crate.

Otherwise, when you take him outside to go to the bathroom, you might have to wait longer to get a bowel movement. If the dog is on a schedule, make sure you get him outside after he is finished eating. If standing around waiting for him to go isn’t getting you anywhere, you might try some light play or take a walk around the yard. Exercise has the effect of bowel stimulation.

When he defecates, make sure to praise him well. You might have to spend 10-15 minutes outside encouraging him to potty, but when he does, it is worth it. If you have an outdoor kennel run or even a securely fenced yard, give him less time in the crate and have him either be under your supervision in the house or out in the kennel. If you have not done this already, you should also clean the crate with an enzyme cleaner such as Nature’s Miracle to eliminate all traces of the feces.

Adam G. Katz is the author of the book, "Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer: An Insider's Guide To The Most Jealously Guarded Dog Training Secrets In History." Get a free copy of his report "Games To Play With Your Dog" when you sign up for his free weekly dog training tips e-zine at: <a href="http://www.dogproblems.com" target="_blank">http://www.dogproblems.com</a>

Tips For House Training Your Dog
The first thing you must have when attempting to house train your dog is “patience.” Keep in mind that when we were young, we too had to learn where and when we could go. Bad news is, we don’t have doggie diapers, but the good news is we don’t have to get our dogs on a toilet seat! Also, dogs are instinctively clean animals, they would prefer to not to mess themselves or their usual eating and sleeping areas. Depending on the age of your dog, they naturally develop tendencies to go on certain surfaces like grass or dirt, use this as a stepping stone to a quicker and more successful training cycle.

Establish the Living Area with Your Dog

Help your dog establish their living area in a small confined space, maybe a bathroom, part of the kitchen or garage. Please make sure that if you plan to have your dog in a crate, make it an open environment. Some people think that putting the dog in a crate and shutting the door helps them get used to their surroundings, but it doesn’t. Using a crate is OK if you let your dog live comfortably by letting them have some freedom to go in and out as they please, unless you have to leave the house for a short period of time. Keeping them locked up for long periods of time is when you should ask yourself if you are really ready to own a dog.

Take the time to work with your dog to establish their living area. Spend time playing with them in their “room” as well as let them eat and sleep here. Do your best to make their room comfortable, maybe give them a comfortable dog bed, blanket and give them a bowl of water in, or close to their space. It’s possible they might still wet their space in the beginning but once they realize that their room is designated for their comfort they will do their best to avoid going in their space as long as they have regular opportunities to go to the toilet on the paper or outside.

When your dog has had the time to get comfortable with their room, you’ll be able to move it around and they will follow it to wherever you decide to place it. It’s important to find a place that makes them part of the family surroundings but is equally convenient for you so you don’t feel they’re “in the way” a dog will become part of the family in no time, trust me!

Once your dog gets to the point of sleeping in their bed feel free to confine them there by leashing them or shutting the crate door to keep them in their room, just be aware of them and ensure you can keep an eye on them. Keeping your dog on a leash unattended is not recommended anytime. Also, if you feel that you want to keep an eye on them when there awake, just keep their leash attached to your belt during your daily routine to help you identify any tendencies and help monitor their behavior.

Establish the Toilet Area with Your Dog

Help your dog establish their toilet area, at first it will probably be inside the house on some news paper, just make sure they that they have access to this area when they need it. If they do not have access to this area they will go in other places and establish their own areas, the problem being this might not be ideal for you and your family. Until they are comfortable going in the designated area, it is important that you accompany your dog every time.

The best way to gauge when your dog has to go to the toilet is to keep them on a regular eating schedule. You will start to see that when they eat at a certain time they will need to go to they toilet after an approximate amount of time, this will give you a better understanding of when they have to go. A regular eating schedule means a regular toilet schedule this will help you to plan out your day without having messy accidents everywhere. If your dog is confined too long and has to go, they will potentially go in there space and it will get increasingly more difficult to house train them.

If you have a new puppy they have a harder time controlling their bladder so you might have to take them a little more frequently, but healthy adult dogs should be able to control their bladder and bowels for about eight hours. Also, keep in mind that when new puppies get excited they might make little mistakes, make sure you don’t scold them in this instance, just let them know they did it and show them the regular toilet area. Every time they go in the right place make sure you let them know they did good, this will reinforce what you’re training.

As you are training your dog in the house you should be working with them outside as this is where your dog will end up going. You have to read little signs to know when they’re ready to go and if convenient take them outside right away. Don’t expect a puppy to bark when they need to go, they’re not there yet! You will know something’s up when your dog starts to get restless or starts sniffing around, they’re actually looking for a spot to go. Just pick them up and take them outside, they’ll do the rest, you can urge them a bit with the command that you want them to go. Again, once they go it’s important to acknowledge them in a positive way so they know that this is where they must go. When they get comfortable with this they will start to ask to go out.

Some Tips

* If you follow the instructions as outlined above, your dog will be house trained in a short period of time. One way to speed up the process is to praise and reward your dog each and every time they go successfully in their toilet area. It is just as important not to scold your dog for accidents and mistakes. Reprimanding your dog usually confuses the dog and slows down the house training process.

* If you find that your dog continues to go in their allotted space, make note of how long they were there. You might find they were in there too long or they’re space is a bit too big for them, giving them the room to go in the corner of they’re space. You can remedy this by not leaving them there too long, establish a smaller sleep area and take them to the toilet more often.

* If you find that your dog continues to go in their bed, this might be due to being confined there too long and they couldn’t help themselves, or they are still trying to understand that this is their sleep and comfort space. Again, try not to leave your dog in their space too long and try to take them to the toilet more often.

* If you find the bed wetting continuing longer than you feel is right, you might want to look at their water intake. A lot of dogs will drink water out of boredom or habit, ensure you’re limiting their intake and take them out more often if possible. Also, try and keep your dog active to ensure good health and limited boredom, get them into good habits. Also, be aware that continued messing can be due to unknown medical issues like urinary tract problems for instance, try the tips above first, it’s usually something simple that you might be missing.

* If your dog doesn’t feel comfortable in their space and/or surroundings you might notice signs of them barking, chewing, some anxiety or whining a lot. If you feel this is happening go back over your method and ensure you’re making them as comfortable and welcomed as a family member.

Remember, love, due diligence and patience on your part will make it a smooth and “clean” transition.

Great resource for dog lovers, tips on dog accessories, dog training, dog breeds and more! Learn More: http://www.home-and-leisure-guide.com/dogaccessories

Universal Principles For Successful Dog Training
Dog training is not rocket science and is not as difficult as you think. It is certainly possible for ANY dog owners to train their dogs themselves provided they put in adequate amount of effort. The principles listed here are universal to dog training of any dog breeds, be it sporting, working, toy or terrier, any dogs - big or small, pup or old, any Owners - competitive or leisure.

The Basic Steps In Cat Litter Box Training
You’ve got your new kitten and now it’s time to start the toilet training, it’s easier than you think. Even if traditionally cats are known to hate water they are in fact very clean animals. You might observe that if you have a pet cat they are licking themselves a million times a day to make sure that every single inch of their body is clean. It’s for this reason that cats usually dig a little hole in the ground if taken outdoors to do their needs, and then carefully cover it and smell around until they are sure it is properly concealed.

A cats natural instinct is to do their needs outside, but alot of people get a cat and keep them indoors most of the time, if not all the time. If this is the case then it is essential that you get yourself a litter box and then train your cat how to use it. Here are the tips to help you with this.

Cat Litter Box Training

When a cat arrives at its new home it is important that it is familiarised with it’s new surroundings. This is known as house breaking and you must be patient in these first staged as the cat may be a little disorientated over the first few days. You will have to repeatedly take it to where its food and water bowl is and then to the litter box.

For successful cat litter box training, you must remember that cats need a couple of things just as humans do . . . guessed it yet? Well, privacy for one, cats get nervous or shy doing there job when there are passers by or when there are loud noises. They also need a clean environment, which may mean cleaning out the cat litter tray straight away for him/her to do it again.

You also need to get the right litter for the tray, this is down to a number of things, it is necessary for it to be odourless, or have a scent that your cat agrees with? Your cat litter box training will be unsuccessful very soon if your cat litter tray has a strong scent that your cat doesn’t like as they do have a very developed sense of smell.


Taking Cat Litter Box Training to the Next Level

If what has been mentioned doesn’t give any positive reuslts, then you need to take your cat litter box training to the next level. It seems a little cruel but will reap its own rewards very quickly. Keep our cat confined in one space for a day where you will provide him ir her with food and water and when the time comes his or her cat litter tray, you must keep the cat near the tray until he/shee uses it. If you repeat this procedure a couple of times then you will be successful.

Helpful Tip

Reward your cat when he or she uses the litter box, at least for the first few times and always ensure that you keep the litter box clean so your cat has no excuse to choose other locations for its needs.

Andy Manifield is the owner of <a href="http://www.on-cat-litter.com">On Cat Litter</a>, the BEST source for all the information you'll need to help you deal with the messy aspect of your best friend.

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