Was great to see Agility trials being included as one of the regular featured events and PetnYou is pleased to be given the opportunity to run the trials as part of Dogathon 2009. Our 10th Agility trials saw 22 teams making up a total of 42 entries. Mini class was popular and saw 15 teams running, which is reflective of the dog population in the country. Courses set by PAA Penang judges for Novice, Jumpers With Weaves and Basic Jumpers classes were smooth and fast. New agility teams - Sharon with Rusty (Min Schnauzer) winning the Basic Jumpers mini class in a time of 21.3s.
By PetnYou Malaysia.

Result for Rusty get Clean Run 1st for Basic Jumper mini group

Picture 1 Great shoot! By Fawn

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Clicker training is a technology which has recently become very popular in dog training. The clicker itself is a little box which makes a click sound when pressed. It becomes a marker for the behavior that the trainer is looking for and also that goodies may be on their way. Training this way is continuing to evolve with more research and understanding of animal behavior. It is useful to attend a couple of classes or seminars to get the basics down and to learn the more complicated scientific behavioral concepts if you are interested in the full philosophy. I have been to two Melissa Alexander seminars, these two day events were very enjoyable, Melissa is down to earth and very good at explaining complicated behavioral concepts. Click here for an explanation of Operant Conditioning.

I started with luring my first puppy into the correct position with food and then gradually pairing that with the desired command word. This works great for teaching a puppy basic sits and downs, but free-shaping with the clicker goes one step further, the dog learns to be aware of his own body. When you lure a dog into position, he is thinking about the food rather than what he is doing. When you use free-shaping, you either wait for him to take up the position naturally and let him work out what you are rewarding, or you break down a more complicated sequence into small pieces and gradually ask for more each time. Click here for more information about Luring, Moulding and Shaping.

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Picture is Ricky on leash.

 

How to Walk a Dog

Walking your dog is a fun activity for you and your pup to do together. Not only will you both be getting exercise, but most dogs enjoy it too!

Steps

 
1. Pick up your lead/leash. This signals to the dog that it is about to go for a walk. Make a dog sit patiently as you clip on the lead. Use a treat to lure the dog to sit if you have to. Make sure you only clip on the lead when the dog is sitting still, going for a walk is on your terms, not theirs.

 
• If you do not have a collar and/or leash, take a trip to the pet store, or even a department store like Walmart, and buy one for your dog. Make sure it is the correct size for your dog; they usually have the weight or size requirements on the package.

Video

Tips

 
• Follow this wiki and your pooch will love you!

 
• If you're going for a long walk, stop a couple of times so that you don't tire out your dog if it isn't in decent shape.

 
• Consider carrying around a few low-fat and low-calorie quick eat treats. Charlie Bears work great!

 
• If your dog constantly pulls on the lead, you might try one of the gentle lead products (like the Halti, for example) available. Or, even better, train your dog not to pull (which isn't that difficult).

 
• Don't forget to bring a plastic bag to clean up the poop. Though it's recommended you have the dog go before you take it out for a walk.

 
• If you can teach your dog to get used to verbal cues like "cross", "this way" and "stop" you will be less dependent on the lead and the walk will be more enjoyable for you and your dog.

 
• If your dog does decide to pull, there are a few ways to help cure the problem. Don't pull your dog back to you. Pulling the dog backwards will jade your dog to the pressure of the leash and teach him that if you want him back, he can just wait for you to pull. Instead decide on a distance you'd like your dog to pace you at, such as with his forelegs next to yours, or with his neck next to your legs. Start by walking with a loose lead, and if the dog creeps out in front, turn immediately around and start walking in the opposite direction. A quick little tug might help get his attention. Soon your dog will learn to pay attention to you and walk close enough that he can see you change directions, otherwise risk walking the wrong way and getting a smart little tug on the leash.

 
• Make sure to check weather conditions as well as your walking route. Remember that unlike us, your dog has fur, which can make it extremely uncomfortable when walking distances in the blistering heat.

 
• If you can, ensure you walk a little ahead of the dog in order to communicate that YOU are the leader of the pack, not him/her.

 
• Find a good stable leash(lead) for your pet.

 
• If you own a short-haired dog, such as the Pug or Chihuahua, it may be a good idea to put a sweater on him/her in cold temperatures.

Warnings

 
• Be careful of other dogs; try not to get too close.

 
• Only let the dog off-leash if it has a reliable re-call, but not with many vehicles around.

 
• If the dog is unfamiliar with the leash, collar, harness, etc, let him smell it and ponder over it before you take him out on a walk.

 
• Don't tug on the leash. Before you start taking your dog on walks, make sure it has good leash manners.

 
• Don't use choke-chains when going on walks. A lot of the time, the dog tries to go fast, or let his head hang low, and the choke collar chokes him. These are for training only. Use a comfy nylon or flat leather collar instead.

 
• If you have a puppy less than one year old, use a harness to avoid putting stress on the neck. If your puppy pulls on the harness, do more leash-manners training.

 
• When going out in public with your dog, make sure he doesn't bite; if he is aggressive, you may have to teach him some manners.

 
• Always make sure your dog's collar or harness has an identification tag saying at least the dog's name and your phone number. Also, just in case your dog slips out of his collar, make sure that your dog is micro-chipped. You can have him micro-chipped at the vet's office.

 
• If the ground is icy or the pavement is hot and sharp, you may consider having your dog wear dog protection pads, or dog booties (not the cute fancy ones, the ones that are for safety).

 
• Try bringing at least one bottle of water for your dog! They get thirsty too, you know! You could get one of those bowl 'n water bottles for your dog. It is easier for them to drink out of. Or, buy a Pet Top Portable Drinking Device (most recommended, www.pettop.com).

 
• You might think that right away puppies will stay close without a leash, and usually they will, but they will run away and especially if they think they are under attack or they see another dog.

 
• Watch your dog to make sure that they don't eat anything they shouldn't.

 
• When your dog poops, pick it up! No one likes to step in it, or have it left on their front lawn.

 
• In hot weather, you have to consider that the ground or pavement will get very hot in clear weather, causing much discomfort for the dog. Schedule walks for cloudy weather, or evenings or early in the morning, during the summer, if you live in a hot climate.

Picture By Me

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About Fido Friendly
Perhaps you can do without our magazine, but for kibbles' sake, think of your dog!

At last, a voice for the traveling canines of the world. Until now, few have taken pooches on-the-go seriously. After all, who appreciates warm shelter and a comfy bed more than a dog?

Your call for help has been answered with Fido Friendly, The Travel Magazine For You & Your Dog, a complete guide to Fido-friendly accommodations across the United States and Canada.

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Summer 2009 Cover

Smart, city-savvy and fun, CityDog brings the joys of life with our four-legged friends to dog lovers throughout the West - Seattle, Portland, San Francisco - and everywhere in between. Each quarterly issue of the print magazine overflows with informative, insightful and often humorous articles on topics from cool canine products and the latest doggie trends, to regional activities for people and their pooches. Each issue of CityDog Magazine features:

 
• Weekend getaways for you and your pooch

 
• Cool canine products

 
• An inside look at life and living with dog in the West

 
• A dog's eye view of featured dog-friendly neighborhoods

 
• Outdoor adventures, trails and hikes with your hound

 
• Reviews of newly released dog-centric books

 
• Calendar of fun canine events throughout the West

 
• Updates on canine advocacy and activism

 
• Advice on behavior and health

Click below for Free Digital Magazine- Summer 2009

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Schutzhund is a challenging 3 part sport (obedience, tracking and protection) which was originally designed as a breed test for the German Shepherd, and has grown in to a popular sport, as well as continuing to function as a breed test. A Schutzhund title is a pre-requisite for the German Shepherd Breed Survey or Koerung. As a sport, several countries hold regional and national competitions. In Germany, the big trial each year is the BSP or Bundes Sieger Prüfung. There is also a world competition (WUSV) each year held under FCI international rules.

 
For me, it is interesting to train a dog in a sport where he uses aggression, most dog owners try to avoid aggression at all costs particularly in our litigious society where dogs are becoming less tolerated, particularly if they behave like dogs! Schutzhund, when it is properly trained, provides an arena where you can learn about aggression and how your dog reacts to stressful situations. The dog also learns to control his drives and learns to obey his owner even when he is very excited. This results in a very well-behaved dog. The duration and breadth of training also helps create a very close bond between dog and handler.

People worry that Schutzhund will make their dog aggressive towards people. In my experience, dogs which have not been aggressive towards people beforehand do not suddenly become aggressive after Schutzhund training.

Some people who like to avoid aggression try to train Schutzhund protection as an obedience exercise, where the dog learns to bark to "ask for a reward", and gets the sleeve or "prey object" as this reward. They argue that Schutzhund is a game and their dogs will only bite a sleeve. This may be a good way to relieve their conscience when asked if they train their dogs to bite.

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Dogs are unique animals because they can immediately become a part of your family. If you have had your dog for a long time there is no question this is true.

Dogs in general have similar social systems to those in the human world. They survive with the lead of an adult male who is alpha or dominant over all others in the pack. If the leader oversteps his boundaries then a strong and competent female will step in.

Just like your family works together as a group, so does the dog pack. There are social bonds and loyalty on both sides. Even if the family group or pack of dogs fight, it doesn't matter they are always united and come together when it counts.

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