Thursday, October 30, 2008
webDogTrainer's Blog has MOVED
webDogTrainer's Blog has moved, come visit it's new home: http://www.webdogtrainer.com/blogs/
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Discount Promo Code!
For my special blogging friends I've created a NEW PROMO CODE for $10 off my interactive dog training website! I'll be your coach through training your dog! Visit www. webdogtrainer. com and type in DOGBLOG10 in the Promo code box! Enjoy!
Julie
Julie
Saturday, April 5, 2008
The best and worse place to adopt your next dog.
“The best place and worse place to adopt your next dog.”
By Julie Bjelland Lokhandwala
www.webDogTrainer.com
Want to know the best and worse place to adopt a dog? Adopting a puppy from a puppy mill tops the worst place to adopt a dog. If you buy your dog from a pet store or online there is a very high chance it came from a puppy mill. What is a puppy mill exactly? Having just watched a report with Lisa Ling on the Oprah show that took a hidden camera into the life of puppy mills, I was so horrified and shocked that I had to share what I saw. I knew they were bad but I did not know just how bad. If you didn’t have a chance to see the shocking video I will try to describe it for you. If more people actually knew where and how their puppy mill dogs came to be I am sure they would change their minds and stop buying dogs that came from puppy mills. If we instead adopted our dogs from shelters and rescue organizations we would be doing more than saving the life of a dog in need. Puppy mills are extremely inhumane and it is quite shocking we allow them to run.
Let’s take a virtual tour of a puppy mill together and find out where those puppies parents are. We come across a place where hundreds of dogs are kept in small rabbit-like wire fences with wire flooring. The dogs are dirty, covered in urine and feces, large patches of their fur missing, and skin covered with sores. Several dogs are kept in each small cage and the adult dogs do not even know how to walk because they never have been out of the cage! They spend up to 10 years or more in these tiny cages together with no medical care. The females are forced to breed every cycle producing hundreds of puppies each. The females are covered in tumors from over breeding. When the dog can no longer reproduce they are shot and killed. Some of the dogs have had a long tube hammered down their throat to damage their vocal chords so they cannot bark. The dogs are not socialized and have never had a human pet them. Many have chains on their necks that are so tight there bloody skin has grown through the chain.
Once these breeding dogs have there puppies the puppy mill owners take the puppies, clean them, fluff them up and make them look cute for us to adopt. If you knew this cute puppies mother was suffering for years in a cage to produce this puppy would you want to finance this operation buy buying it or would you want to do what you could to shut it down? If you buy a puppy that originates from this kind of place you are financing them to continue. If we stood together and never bought another puppy from a pet store or online, and instead gave a home to a dog in a shelter or rescue group you have stood up for what is right to improve this whole situation. These puppy mill dogs may be cute on the outside but they are over bred, which can cause major behavioral and physical problems that can end up costing you a lot of money and suffering down the road.
How can you know if a dog came from a puppy mill or a reputable breeder? If you still want to buy a dog then please only do it from a breeder where you can actually visit their location and see the condition of the mother and other dogs. If you buy from a breeder online where you cannot physically visit the area there is a good chance it is coming from a puppy mill. A good breeder will actually take back a dog even years later if needed rather then seeing it end up in a shelter. A reputable breeder also has extremely extensive adoption procedures because they want the adoption to be the best possible match. You get what you pay for too; so do not be fooled by a discount breeder.
So where is the best place to adopt a dog? If you are thinking about adopting a dog and trying to decide where the best place to adopt your dog is, look no further. Shelters and rescue organizations are the new “in” thing. People are educating themselves and realizing that there are so many really great dogs to adopt right in there local animal shelter or rescue organization! You can even find puppies and purebred dogs there too. They say education is freedom. Well, education is also freedom for dogs! Now, Americans are learning that most dogs in shelters and rescue groups are actually really great dogs, which would make wonderful family companions. Mixed bred dogs are often healthier too, getting the best traits out of the mix of their breeds, and you can have a unique dog like no one else.
Slowly we are abandoning the myth that all shelter dogs are there because of some behavioral problem. The truth is that most are there because of a mismatch in their past home not because there is something wrong with them. Also, oftentimes people adopt a cute puppy only to realize they didn’t know how hard it was to raise a puppy and it ends up at the shelter. If everyone decided to adopt their next dog at a shelter or rescue group we could prevent so much unnecessary death and shut down puppy mills!
I am a huge advocate of adopting adult dogs in shelters or rescue groups for lots of reasons. Millions of wonderful dogs are killed every year simply because there are not enough homes for them and yet puppy mills are generating new dogs every day. Why are we producing all these dogs in horrible conditions when we have perfectly good dogs needing homes in our shelters? Shelter dogs and rescue dogs make wonderful companions and with a little training we can really have the kind of dog we always wanted and feel great we adopted a dog in need rather than supporting grossly inhumane puppy mills.
What can ONE person do? Adopt your next dog from a shelter or rescue group and never again from a pet store or unknown breeder. Get your dog spayed or neutered to prevent the over population of dogs. Spread the word about puppy mills. Learn more; educate others, volunteer at a shelter or rescue group.
If everyone who is affected by this information tells someone they know and so on, maybe we can spread the word and educate more people and find ourselves saving the dogs we love. Dogs love us and depend on us, let’s work together! Let’s save more dogs lives and shut down puppy mills. Adopt from your local shelter or rescue organization!
------
Julie Bjelland Lokhandwala is a Popular Dog Trainer and Writer. She has written an insightful dog-training book that is featured on her unique, interactive Dog Training Web site at: http://www.webdogtrainer.com/. The site allows dog owners to ask Julie any question about their dog through her personal, one-on-one live chat consultations.
Imagine life with a well-trained dog!
By Julie Bjelland Lokhandwala
www.webDogTrainer.com
Want to know the best and worse place to adopt a dog? Adopting a puppy from a puppy mill tops the worst place to adopt a dog. If you buy your dog from a pet store or online there is a very high chance it came from a puppy mill. What is a puppy mill exactly? Having just watched a report with Lisa Ling on the Oprah show that took a hidden camera into the life of puppy mills, I was so horrified and shocked that I had to share what I saw. I knew they were bad but I did not know just how bad. If you didn’t have a chance to see the shocking video I will try to describe it for you. If more people actually knew where and how their puppy mill dogs came to be I am sure they would change their minds and stop buying dogs that came from puppy mills. If we instead adopted our dogs from shelters and rescue organizations we would be doing more than saving the life of a dog in need. Puppy mills are extremely inhumane and it is quite shocking we allow them to run.
Let’s take a virtual tour of a puppy mill together and find out where those puppies parents are. We come across a place where hundreds of dogs are kept in small rabbit-like wire fences with wire flooring. The dogs are dirty, covered in urine and feces, large patches of their fur missing, and skin covered with sores. Several dogs are kept in each small cage and the adult dogs do not even know how to walk because they never have been out of the cage! They spend up to 10 years or more in these tiny cages together with no medical care. The females are forced to breed every cycle producing hundreds of puppies each. The females are covered in tumors from over breeding. When the dog can no longer reproduce they are shot and killed. Some of the dogs have had a long tube hammered down their throat to damage their vocal chords so they cannot bark. The dogs are not socialized and have never had a human pet them. Many have chains on their necks that are so tight there bloody skin has grown through the chain.
Once these breeding dogs have there puppies the puppy mill owners take the puppies, clean them, fluff them up and make them look cute for us to adopt. If you knew this cute puppies mother was suffering for years in a cage to produce this puppy would you want to finance this operation buy buying it or would you want to do what you could to shut it down? If you buy a puppy that originates from this kind of place you are financing them to continue. If we stood together and never bought another puppy from a pet store or online, and instead gave a home to a dog in a shelter or rescue group you have stood up for what is right to improve this whole situation. These puppy mill dogs may be cute on the outside but they are over bred, which can cause major behavioral and physical problems that can end up costing you a lot of money and suffering down the road.
How can you know if a dog came from a puppy mill or a reputable breeder? If you still want to buy a dog then please only do it from a breeder where you can actually visit their location and see the condition of the mother and other dogs. If you buy from a breeder online where you cannot physically visit the area there is a good chance it is coming from a puppy mill. A good breeder will actually take back a dog even years later if needed rather then seeing it end up in a shelter. A reputable breeder also has extremely extensive adoption procedures because they want the adoption to be the best possible match. You get what you pay for too; so do not be fooled by a discount breeder.
So where is the best place to adopt a dog? If you are thinking about adopting a dog and trying to decide where the best place to adopt your dog is, look no further. Shelters and rescue organizations are the new “in” thing. People are educating themselves and realizing that there are so many really great dogs to adopt right in there local animal shelter or rescue organization! You can even find puppies and purebred dogs there too. They say education is freedom. Well, education is also freedom for dogs! Now, Americans are learning that most dogs in shelters and rescue groups are actually really great dogs, which would make wonderful family companions. Mixed bred dogs are often healthier too, getting the best traits out of the mix of their breeds, and you can have a unique dog like no one else.
Slowly we are abandoning the myth that all shelter dogs are there because of some behavioral problem. The truth is that most are there because of a mismatch in their past home not because there is something wrong with them. Also, oftentimes people adopt a cute puppy only to realize they didn’t know how hard it was to raise a puppy and it ends up at the shelter. If everyone decided to adopt their next dog at a shelter or rescue group we could prevent so much unnecessary death and shut down puppy mills!
I am a huge advocate of adopting adult dogs in shelters or rescue groups for lots of reasons. Millions of wonderful dogs are killed every year simply because there are not enough homes for them and yet puppy mills are generating new dogs every day. Why are we producing all these dogs in horrible conditions when we have perfectly good dogs needing homes in our shelters? Shelter dogs and rescue dogs make wonderful companions and with a little training we can really have the kind of dog we always wanted and feel great we adopted a dog in need rather than supporting grossly inhumane puppy mills.
What can ONE person do? Adopt your next dog from a shelter or rescue group and never again from a pet store or unknown breeder. Get your dog spayed or neutered to prevent the over population of dogs. Spread the word about puppy mills. Learn more; educate others, volunteer at a shelter or rescue group.
If everyone who is affected by this information tells someone they know and so on, maybe we can spread the word and educate more people and find ourselves saving the dogs we love. Dogs love us and depend on us, let’s work together! Let’s save more dogs lives and shut down puppy mills. Adopt from your local shelter or rescue organization!
------
Julie Bjelland Lokhandwala is a Popular Dog Trainer and Writer. She has written an insightful dog-training book that is featured on her unique, interactive Dog Training Web site at: http://www.webdogtrainer.com/. The site allows dog owners to ask Julie any question about their dog through her personal, one-on-one live chat consultations.
Imagine life with a well-trained dog!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Coping with a diabetic dog.
Coping With a Diabetic Dog
By Julie Bjelland Lokhandwala.
published: in Dog Twist magazine: http://www.dogtwist.com/coping-diabetic-dog/
Just like in people, there are an increasing number of dogs found to have Diabetes today. Proper exercise and nutrition play an important role in preventing and also coping with this disease. Diabetes is not curable, but the good news is that it does not have to be a death sentence for your dog. Through proper treatment and care your dog could go on to live a normal, full life.
First of all you will want to make sure you completely understand your dogs particular health evaluation from your Veterinarian. Write down a list of questions for your Vet and get the answers you need. It will be important for you to follow your Vet's treatment plan in order to help your dog have the best life possible. If diabetes is not managed well then a lot of serious medical complications can arise.
Good nutrition and exercise is very important for all dogs, but especially if your dog has diabetes. Ask your Veterinarian what your dog's ideal weight should be and work with them to help your dog reach that goal. Try to keep your dog on a regular feeding schedule, offering small meals two to three times a day at the same time each day to help stabilize blood sugar levels. It will be very important for your dog to have a regular exercise schedule as well. Too little or too much exercise at any time can affect your dogs blood sugar levels so try to stay on a daily, moderate exercise schedule. Ask your Veterinarian how much exercise they would recommend for your particular dog and stay on schedule. It might take a little extra effort on your part but once you develop the proper schedule it will become routine and enjoyable for both you and your dog.
If your dog requires insulin shots, try to associate the shots with something positive so that your dog does not become fearful of the shot. You can distract your dog with a very yummy treat while giving the shot for example. Get the insulin ready to administer and have your dog's favorite treat ready in front of them; offer a treat, then give the shot, then offer another treat.
Even though your dog has diabetes it is important that you try to continue your normal behavioral expectations of your dog. Don't make the mistake of allowing negative behaviors in your dog because you feel sorry for them. A well-trained dog is happier because they get to spend more time with you and the family, so do not end your training goals because your dog has diabetes. As with all dogs, your dog will be happier to live in a home that has consistent expectations of them.
Your dogs medical needs could change over time so be sure to have regular check ups with your Vet to continue to cope successfully with your diabetic dog. There are a lot of other people going through the same thing you are so reaching out to others with diabetic dogs could be beneficial emotionally. Gather the support of family and friends when you need it too and enjoy the love your companion dog has to offer you.
--Julie Bjelland Lokhandwala is a Dog Trainer and freelance writer. Her insightful dog-training book is featured on her interactive Dog Training Web site: www.webdogtrainer.com, which allows dog owners to ask Julie questions about their dog through live chat consultations. Julie shares her home with her German Shepherd, Fax.
By Julie Bjelland Lokhandwala.
published: in Dog Twist magazine: http://www.dogtwist.com/coping-diabetic-dog/
Just like in people, there are an increasing number of dogs found to have Diabetes today. Proper exercise and nutrition play an important role in preventing and also coping with this disease. Diabetes is not curable, but the good news is that it does not have to be a death sentence for your dog. Through proper treatment and care your dog could go on to live a normal, full life.
First of all you will want to make sure you completely understand your dogs particular health evaluation from your Veterinarian. Write down a list of questions for your Vet and get the answers you need. It will be important for you to follow your Vet's treatment plan in order to help your dog have the best life possible. If diabetes is not managed well then a lot of serious medical complications can arise.
Good nutrition and exercise is very important for all dogs, but especially if your dog has diabetes. Ask your Veterinarian what your dog's ideal weight should be and work with them to help your dog reach that goal. Try to keep your dog on a regular feeding schedule, offering small meals two to three times a day at the same time each day to help stabilize blood sugar levels. It will be very important for your dog to have a regular exercise schedule as well. Too little or too much exercise at any time can affect your dogs blood sugar levels so try to stay on a daily, moderate exercise schedule. Ask your Veterinarian how much exercise they would recommend for your particular dog and stay on schedule. It might take a little extra effort on your part but once you develop the proper schedule it will become routine and enjoyable for both you and your dog.
If your dog requires insulin shots, try to associate the shots with something positive so that your dog does not become fearful of the shot. You can distract your dog with a very yummy treat while giving the shot for example. Get the insulin ready to administer and have your dog's favorite treat ready in front of them; offer a treat, then give the shot, then offer another treat.
Even though your dog has diabetes it is important that you try to continue your normal behavioral expectations of your dog. Don't make the mistake of allowing negative behaviors in your dog because you feel sorry for them. A well-trained dog is happier because they get to spend more time with you and the family, so do not end your training goals because your dog has diabetes. As with all dogs, your dog will be happier to live in a home that has consistent expectations of them.
Your dogs medical needs could change over time so be sure to have regular check ups with your Vet to continue to cope successfully with your diabetic dog. There are a lot of other people going through the same thing you are so reaching out to others with diabetic dogs could be beneficial emotionally. Gather the support of family and friends when you need it too and enjoy the love your companion dog has to offer you.
--Julie Bjelland Lokhandwala is a Dog Trainer and freelance writer. Her insightful dog-training book is featured on her interactive Dog Training Web site: www.webdogtrainer.com, which allows dog owners to ask Julie questions about their dog through live chat consultations. Julie shares her home with her German Shepherd, Fax.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Do-it-yourself Dog Training
Does your dog pull you down the street, jump on people who come to visit, or behave in other embarrassing ways? No matter how educated or successful we may be in our life we can sometimes come up short when it comes to understanding how to train our dog. You are not alone! Luckily there is a lot of information out there today that can help us learn to understand our dogs better so that we may be better equipped to train them well.
Imagine being able to take your dog down a busy street and meet your friend at an outdoor café while your dog lies quietly next to you. Imagine going camping while your dog happily plays off-leash nearby and knowing at any moment you could call them back and they would come to you. This is all possible and you can learn how to train your dog yourself!
Training your dog on your own may seem like a big task but it can be a very rewarding one. There are a lot of benefits to doing it yourself too, one of the most important being that your dog will respect YOU and listen to YOU, not just the dog trainer. The process of teaching your dog obedience can bond your relationship even tighter. And, you will feel a great sense of accomplishment if you do-it-yourself! It will also save you hundreds of dollars and you and your dog will be happier!
To begin training your dog you must first meet their energy needs through daily physical exercise. A tired dog is a good dog! Then you’ll also want to teach your dog some obedience training, which is a way to communicate what you expect of them in a way they understand. It gives you the tools to do so and it replaces behavior you don’t want with behavior you like! So, for example your dog is jumping on your newly arrived guests; you instead train him to sit quietly to receive attention.
Your dog really does want to please you and when they don’t it is usually a result of one of two reasons; either they don’t truly understand your needs, or you have not met their physical and mental needs first.
The keys to having a well-trained, happier dog:
v Meet your dog’s physical and mental needs first through exercise, obedience, play and affection.
v Create personal training goals and stay consistent with your expectations of your dog. Your dog will be as consistent as you are.
It is important to learn these techniques well in order to be successful. A great resource to help guide you through the process is a website called webDogTrainer.com. It is a unique idea in dog training that is catching on fast as people discover its benefits. It gives you the tools to help you understand your dog better, techniques on how to do obedience training the right way, and even personal guidance from a professional trainer who was even a former service dog trainer! All of this is done on your schedule because you can learn it all from any computer.
A well-trained dog is a happier dog because they get to spend more time with you!
Julie Bjelland Lokhandwala is a Popular Dog Trainer and Freelance Writer. She has written an insightful dog-training book that is featured on her unique, interactive Dog Training Web site at: www.webdogtrainer.com. The site allows dog owners to ask Julie any question about their dog through her personal, one-on-one live chat consultations.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Article published in Bay Woof Newspaper
“No Chew!” Article for Bay Woof Newspaper, published Feb 2008. http://baywoof.com/2008mar_gooddog.html
By Julie Bjelland Lokhandwala
webDogTrainer.com
In the world of dog behavior, destructive chewing of your furniture, shoes, and other belongings is a big no-no. Though the problem is equally bothersome whether your dog is young or old, the solution is a bit different for puppies than for adult dogs.
Puppies
Chewing is a normal part of growing up, because all dogs explore their environments with their mouths and because pups are teething. Just like human babies, pups have to gnaw and chew on objects to help cut the new teeth through the gums. Until your puppy has learned what he can and cannot chew, simply keep things away from him that you don’t want him to have, and don’t allow him into areas of the home that are not puppy-proofed unless you’re there to supervise.
It is important that you offer your puppy appropriate chew toys to help him through this phase and that you train him to use them. Keep a suitable chew toy near you at all times so that when you catch your puppy mouthing something he shouldn’t have, you can quickly redirect his chewing to the more appropriate item.
You must actually catch your puppy in the act to train him successfully. When you see him chewing on something he is not supposed to have, use a command such as “no chew,” take the item away, and replace it immediately with the toy. Offer lots of praise when your puppy takes the toy.
NEVER yell, hit, or spank your puppy for chewing or for any other reason or he will lose trust in you and is likely to develop more serious behavioral problems.
Prevention, good timing, redirection, and genuine praise are the keys to successfully preventing destructive chewing in your puppy.
Adult Dogs
In adult dogs, destructive chewing has different causes. It is usually the result of boredom, loneliness, separation anxiety, and/or lack of sufficient exercise. Dogs require plenty of time with their humans, including lots of physical exercise and mental stimulation. If you need to leave for work for the day, make sure you’ve exercised your dog well before you leave and do so again after you get home.
Dogs love to be active and busy and are not meant to be at home alone every day. If you simply cannot give your dog the time he needs, try a doggie day care center or hire a dog walker to come by a couple of times each day. How do you know how much exercise is enough? Your dog should come home and lay down to rest because you have worn him out! Practicing obedience training daily is a great way to mentally stimulate your dog.
Also, get your dog involved in activities you can enjoy together, such as hiking, biking, pet therapy work, search and rescue, agility, fly ball, herding, etc. Find out about your specific breed’s natural interests and try something new.
As with puppies, punishing your adult dog for destructive chewing will only add to your problems. If you catch your dog in the act of chewing something inappropriate, simply redirect his behavior onto something he is allowed to chew. Make sure you have appropriate chew bones and toys available at all times and praise your dog when he uses them.
Here are a few general pointers:
- To give your dog something good to chew on while you are away from home, there are specially-made chew toys that can be stuffed with kibble.
- NEVER punish your dog after the fact. If you come home and find something destroyed, there is no effective correction. Yelling or spanking the dog will only confuse him and deteriorate your relationship.
- Remember: Your dog isn’t destroying things to “get back at you” or because he is angry. This isn’t how a dog’s mind works. Dogs want to please us. If you meet your dog’s physical and mental needs and show consistency through appropriate leadership, you can successfully eliminate destructive chewing.
- Whatever his age, spend a lot of time with your dog and provide lots of love and guidance. This is how dogs learn right from wrong.
There are lots of options to improve your dog’s life and the effort will be well worth the reward of having a happy, healthy dog who isn’t destructive.
Julie Bjelland Lokhandwala is a Bay Area Dog Trainer and freelance writer. Her insightful dog-training book is featured on her interactive Dog Training Web site: http://www.webdogtrainer.com/, which allows dog owners to ask Julie questions about their dog through live chat consultations. Julie shares her home with her German Shepherd, Fax.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Gaining insight from webDogTrainer
Hello Julie:
I am so grateful that I found your email.
I am impressed by your insight, especially about the 'stay' command. I now understand why none of my previous dogs ever truly understood this command. My goal is to have an extremely well-trained dog who is a joy to be around. I have always had the greatest respect for service dogs. My highest goal would be for Josie to be a certified Good Citizen and become a Pet Therapy Dog.
I am relieved that I found your website.
Thank you!!!
South Carolina
I am so grateful that I found your email.
I am impressed by your insight, especially about the 'stay' command. I now understand why none of my previous dogs ever truly understood this command. My goal is to have an extremely well-trained dog who is a joy to be around. I have always had the greatest respect for service dogs. My highest goal would be for Josie to be a certified Good Citizen and become a Pet Therapy Dog.
I am relieved that I found your website.
Thank you!!!
South Carolina
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