Dog Care and Obedience Training

An average pup should be house trained by day at four months or so, but may not be dry at night until six months old. Eight week old pups do not have very much bladder control and certainly cannot wait to go out. They will need to relieve themselves at least at two hourly intervals, and always after meal, a sleep and an energetic play. Constant watchfulness on owner's part is the quickest way to success. When the puppy pauses in its activity and starts to sniff the floor, it should be taken out immediately. Always stay with the puppy until it relieves itself and praise it. Puppies can be trained to use newspaper and this often simplifies cleaning up. Spread papers over his living quarters, then watch him carefully. When you notice him starting to sniff the floor, rush him to the place that you want to serve as his relief area and gently hold him there until he relieves himself. Than praise him lavishly. When you remove the soiled papers, leave a small damp piece so that the puppy's sence of smell will lead him back there next time. It shouldn't take more than a few days for him to get the idea of using newspapers. When he becomes fairly consistent, reduce the are of paper to a few shits in a corner. Keep in mind that you can't expect too much from your puppy untill he is about five months old. Before that, his muscles and digestive system aren't under his control. You can begin outdoor training on leash even while you are paper training your puppy. First thing in the morning take him outdoors and walk him back and forth in a small area untill he relieves himself. Praise your dog every time taking him outside brings results, and he will get the idea.

Every dog owner should spend at least a little time every day with his dog, in addition to looking after his necessities such as feed, water, proper shelter, and sanitation. Of course, if your dog is kept in the house he sees much of the family and becomes a part of it. But if he is kept in an outside kennel, he should be taken out at least dayly, given a period of exercise on a leash or if possible, a good romp in some open space. These periods can be employed to train the dog. They also allow time for a brisk grooming so essential to the development and maintenance of a good healthy coat and skin. Fresh water should be available to the dog at all times regardless of where he is kenneled.

Care of the teeth. Dogs that are allowed to gnaw on large bones, hard bisquits or bread generally keep their teeth clean. Where discoloration shows, wipe teeth with hydrogen peroxide on a piece of cloth. Puppies lose their milk teeth at about four month af age.

Ear care. The ears of a dog are very sensitive and extreme care should be taken not to irritate them. Never wash out a dog's ear with soap and water. If it becomes necessary to clean the ear, clean it with cotton and peroxide, or cotton with a little olive or vaseline oil. Be gentle in this cleaning and do not probe deeper than you can see.

Eye care. The eyes should be washed carefully. After each romp in high grass, foreign matter should be washed out with warm water.

Grooming. Daily brushing is a task that your dog will enjoy. It will enjoy the feeling of being fresh and clean. A thorough brushing involves three steps: brush the outer coat to clean the surface; brush stiffly against the hair to clean the undercoat and massage the skin; brush the hair back to its original position.

Complete list of books for dog care