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Helping your pup or dog adjust to its new home is as important to future behaviour as any other factor. The way you begin this process will likely set the tone for your relationship with your dog. It's important that one person act as the main authority figure during this introductory phase. This will make training much easier as the pup ages.

Not That, This - Whether its behaviour or obedience training, the key to getting your dog properly trained is to stop bad behaviours before they begin. It's far more difficult to train a dog not to do something than it is to train them to do something. Remember that distinction when you reward your pet's bad behaviour. Whether it's barking nonstop, climbing on the furniture, or chewing shoes the best way to train your dog is to begin training the moment you notice the behaviour. Your dog will quickly see that the rewards come when he doesn't chew shoes or eat from the table. Read the rest of this entry »

The Puli is a medium-sized dog, with a height in the males of 16 to 19 inches and the female bitch slightly shorter at 14 to 16 inches, although in the U. S. they can be a little larger, and the dog weighing 24 to 33 lbs and the bitch 22 to 31 lbs. The Puli has a fine boned structure that is quite muscular. Their head is in proportionate size to their body and domed in structure. They are a particularly long-haired dog and their hair, on occasions, can even reach the ground. Their hair is very distinctive, with its dreadlock like appearance. They can come in a variety of colours, although if you're showing this dog some colours are not permitted in competitions, but this also depends on the country in which the competition is. They are an instinctively protective dog, that are very agile and lively. Read the rest of this entry »

The Sealyham Terrier is a small dog, weighing a mere 20 pounds and standing some 12 inches high. They are close to the ground and very strong with a head that is broad and long when viewed from the side, and is proportionate to their body. They have a slightly domed skull with a small indent running down between the eyebrows. They have large oval wide set eyes, with white ears that hang down. It is customary for the tail to be docked. However, this practice is illegal in Europe except on medical grounds. They are blessed with a double coat, that is solid white but sometimes has a tan or lemon markings on the head or ears. Read the rest of this entry »

If you want to know how to train your dog, start with etiquette. This is the basis for more advanced training.

It can be a problem though. Who can reject that perky attitude and excitable nature that all puppies bring with them? They are just too irresistible for you not to give them that extra bite from your dinner plate.

If you do not stop your puppy from doing things like begging, stealing, barking and racing around the house, you will have big problems to deal with when he grows up. Your dog will learn from your lack of intervention that he can do whatever he wants and what you want does not matter. Read the rest of this entry »

Training your dog is very similar to training a child in the sense that you have to set down a base first. You wouldn't try to teach a 3-year-old the same things you would teach a 10-year-old. He is just not ready for that advanced training.

As with humans, the canine brain takes time to develop. It depends on several things, perhaps the top one being how well he is socialized. A puppy that is not socialized will be much tougher to train, but once he gets the chance to interact with other dogs and humans, this training will become much easier. Read the rest of this entry »

The Shetland sheepdog is somewhat reminiscent, in look, of Collies and particularly so as a smaller version of the Ruff coated collie. Standing 13-17 inches in height and weighing 14 to 28 pounds. they are classed as a medium-sized dog. Their head is in proportion to their size, and with a slight tapering of the muzzle towards the nose, giving it a blunt wedge shape when seen in profile. They have dark coloured eyes, which are an almond shape. They have been known to have blue eyes, in the blue Merrill coloured dogs. They are small ears, folding down, and an arched muscular neck. Their tail is long and feathered, normally straight down although it can have a slightly curve upwards. Their double coat is quite long over their entire body, although somewhat shorter on the legs and head. The outer coat is straight and feels harsh when stroked. Read the rest of this entry »

There are actually three types of Brussels Griffon: the Belgian Griffon, the Brussels Griffon, and the Petit Griffon. All are considered to be toy dogs with a shoulder height of 7 to 8 inches and a weight of 6 to 12 pounds. The stop of the dog is very pronounced and the muzzle is short. The tail of the Griffon is usually docked and the ears can either be clipped or left natural. The coat of this dog comes in two varieties, smooth and rough. The rough coated Griffon has a wiry, longish coat with distinctive facial hair. The coat of the smooth is short and glossy. The Griffon will generally live to be 12 to 15 years old. This dog is also known as the Petit Brabancon and the Griffon Bruxellois. Read the rest of this entry »

Being somewhat reminiscent of a shaggy looking greyhound, the Scottish deerhound is a tall dog, with muscular upper legs. The coat is much longer than that of greyhounds, being some 3-4 inches in length and can be a variety of colours including black, grey, blue black etc. and can sometimes have white on its tail, feet, or chest. Standing between 28-32 inches in height they are a very tall dog for their weight, which is between 75 and 110 pounds. They've a long tail which they carry low and almost touches the ground. Read the rest of this entry »

The Polish lowland sheepdog is a medium to large size with the male dogs measuring 16-20 inches in height and weighing 30-35 pounds, and the female bitch being some 42-47cms high and 13-18kgs in weight. They have a double coat which is shiny on the outside, with the undercoat being downy, for warmth and weather resistance. Whereas they can be any colour the most common are, brown, white, and grey with grey, black or brown markings, these colours can fade as the dog ages. These are large boned with a strong skeleton supporting a fairly impressive musculature. Read the rest of this entry »

The Briard is a powerful dog, for herding. The males are the same length as they are high, but with females the length may be slightly greater. They have a large rectangular shaped head. The muzzle has a beard and moustache, and is wide, this ends in a square shaped nose. That is black in colour, with open nostrils. Their teeth meet in a scissor bite. The eyes are black or brown, and wide apart. The eyes are covered in hair, which falls to join the rest of the body. The ears are set high, and do not lie flat to the head, they can either be cropped or left natural. The legs have strong bones that are powerful. The tail, has a J. shape, and is well feathered. Read the rest of this entry »