Training An Agressive Dog

Dogs are a man’s best friend. That has always been the belief ever since. Why not? Because of their care, loyalty and sweetness to their owners, people will have a hard time not loving them.

Unfortunately for some dog owners and some people, the dog becomes their worst enemy. Just imagine the life of the mail man. The mail man has been always portrayed in movies or cartoons as a biting post of dogs. This is not a stupid joke. I have a n uncle who worked as a mail man and got bitten by a dog.

In fact, there are more people aside from mailmen that get victimized by dog bites. Every year there are 4.7 million people that get bitten by dogs. Among the 4.7 million people that get bitten, 17% needs medical attention. Also, 10-20% of tragic bite victims are killed by dog bites.

Since this has been a growing problem, certain breeds have been banned in some U.S. states. Here are the top 10 breeds that cause dog bites in no particular order. Rottweilers, pit bulls, huskies, German shepherds, Dobermans, malamutes, St. Bernards, chow chows, Akitas and Great Danes.

The dog’s behavior of being aggressive or non-aggressive greatly depends on the owner’s responsibility and training of the dog. Here are several steps that the owners can take to make their dog safe around other people.

• Make your puppy have social interaction with other dogs and people after it gets vaccinated. This will help the puppy feel that other dogs and humans are not threatening. The puppy will then learn to be friendlier. Bring the puppy to the park, pet store or even puppy classes.

• Spraying or neutering the dog will greatly help reduce the risk. When the dog is neutered some of its territorial instincts like territorial aggression are reduced. Most fatal dog bites (80%) are caused by non-neutered male dogs. So trying to neuter your aggressive male dog will help keep it safe around other people.
• Always remember to restrain your dog when interacting with strangers or in a public place. You can’t predict your dog’s behavior even though you may say that it’s really friendly. Try to restrain him with a leash when in a public place. Also prevent strangers from interacting with the dog because the stranger might startle him or her. When leaving the dog alone in your yard, remember to enclose him on a fence that will be suitable for its size.

• It is the dog’s nature to bite anything, so training it to not bite anything will greatly help. Distraction will work on a dog when it is biting anyone. Try to make a quick sound such as a clap or saying “ow”. After, make the dog chew the chew toy. It will greatly help in training if the dog is rewarded when biting the right stuff.

• Always watch your dog’s behavior. When the dog is really aggressive and can’t be trained, get help from the vet.

Being able to follow these things can help prevent the risk of your dog to society. Instead of becoming public enemy number 1 it could be America’s sweetheart. So be a responsible owner.

Naming Your Pedigreed Dog

Unlike some aspects of dog ownership, naming your dog is just plain fun! The pets themselves don't require much; they just need a pleasing dog name they can identify with when you give them commands. But if you plan to show a purebred dog in competitions, there’s a lot to consider when it's time to choose a dog name for your dog's American Kennel Club certificate. Let's start at the beginning.

The name of the kennel your dog came from is part of his show name. Usually, it's the first part of his name as it appears on the certificate. If you purchased your dog from a show kennel, then the kennel's name should be first, such as: Dexy's Fido. If you bred the dog yourself, then use your own original kennel name. You can also use a combination such as 'Dexy's Fido of (your kennel name here)' so that your dog's name reflects both where he comes from and where he now resides.

Originality is important when choosing a show dog name. The American Kennel Club (AKC) doesn't allow duplicate dog names, and will ask you to choose another name if your pick is already taken.

Unusual dog names with creative spelling attract attention to your dog in a show catalog, while reducing the chance that you've nearly duplicated another dog's name. For example, 'Dexy's Hi-Jac' is a cute play on the word hijack. It's catchy yet original, and offers a great built-in theme for the future if you advertise your dog in breed and show magazines. You could use "He'll hijack your heart" for your ads. Cute, right?

Once you've selected your dog's 'paper name', the work isn’t over. You'll still need to settle on a shorter dog 'call name' for everyday reference. Using our example of Dexy's Hi-Jac, the name Jack immediately suggests itself for the dog's call name, while directly referring us back to his official dog name on the AKC papers.

So, now that you know the basics of dog naming, you're ready to choose a dog name that will serve you well both at home and in the show ring.