by: James Lee

House training older dogs is a more delicate process than with younger dogs. If you are looking to adopt an older dog that was not previously exposed to any house training at a young age, it is going to bring along its bad habits such as chewing, excessive barking, making holes in the yard or “marking” the territory.

Furthermore, you will also experience more difficulties in house training older dogs as they tend to respond and progress much slower to most training methods and commands than younger dogs.

Here are 3 useful tips that can help you in house training older dogs successfully.

* First and foremost, a complete check-up at the vet is necessary in order to eliminate any existing health problems or complications such as urinary tract or flea infections. Older dogs may also experience some form of diarrhea if there is a sudden change from their previous dietary habits. Do not punish him for these “mistakes”. Instead be patient and allow your dog a week to adapt to the changes gradually. If conditions did not improve, consult your vet.

* Always establish a routine schedule for eating and drinking for your dog. This helps you to easily monitor your dog’s toilet habits and decide when to bring your pet out for a walk every time he or she finishes its meals. Most adult dogs tend to eliminate 30 - 45 minutes after eating or drinking. Learn the signs and watch out for clues of circling and sniffing the floor.

* Older dogs have shorter attention spans therefore more repetitions are needed during the house training process to reinforce the desired habits. Never use violence on them if they make a mess in the house. Scolding the dog is pointless unless you actually see it eliminating indoors. Use a firm voice command “No” and guide the dog to its designated spot. Praise or reward your dog when it relieves itself outdoors.

Therefore, house training an older dog successfully depend a lot on your consistency, discipline and perseverance. Treating the dog with patience and understanding, using the appropriate house training methods are the main ingredients to developing a well behaved adult dog with good toilet habits.

GOod Luck!

About The Author

James Lee is a contributing member at http://www.DogTrainingClassroom.com. For more information on dog training tips, try visiting http://www.dogtrainingclassroom.com/dog-training-tips.html.

By JL Good

There are 5 things that will help you find the perfect dog to adopt at your local shelter.

1. One of the most important things to do long before heading to the shelter is deciding what kind of dog you really want. Spend time researching through articles on the internet, looking through breed books, and talking to friends about their dogs.

If you don’t have a clear picture of the kind of dog you want to live with, you could come home with the first dog whose big brown eyes and drooping ears made you feel sorry for him. Later on, you’ll be feeling a lot sorrier for yourself.

There are so many different personalities and temperaments, and such huge variations in size and coat length (and propensity for shedding and barking) that going to the shelter before doing your homework is just asking for trouble.

Once you know exactly what sort of dog you need, and what kind of activities you’ll be sharing with him, you’re ready to head to the shelter for the first time.

2. Be sure to take a piece of paper and a pen with you. Since those brown eyes and droopy ears can be such heartbreakers, you will probably want to look at all the dogs in the shelter, look at the notes and comments left by the shelter staff, and make your own notes about the dog’s personality and appearance.

Then take your notes home with you and calmly decide which dog will be the best fit for your household.

If you see a gorgeous mutt that you just can’t stand to leave behind, even for a few hours, at least go out to the car and talk it over with your family before filling out the adoption papers.

3. Wear old clothes. The Humane Society shelter near you is kept as clean and sanitary as possible, but lots of dogs living in close quarters do tend to smell. When you take your potential pooch out to the exercise yard to get to know him, he may forget his manners and jump up on you in his excitement. A wool suit is probably not the best choice.

4. Take everyone who will be living with the dog, if possible. Everyone should have a chance to help make the final choice, as far as their age and experience will allow. Since it’s even harder for kids to resist those sad eyes when they’re attached to the wrong dog, it’s even more important to do your research ahead of time.

By the time you make your trip to the shelter, everyone in the family should know you’re looking for a small dog (or a big one), a short-haired dog (or a long-haired dog), a shepherd (or a lab). If you know what you’re shopping for, it will be easier to pass by the dogs that just wouldn’t fit into your household, in spite of their desperation to go home with you.

If you children (or your in-laws) are afraid of dogs, there may be specific breeds that trigger their fear. If your child was bitten by the neighbor’s cocker spaniel, that would not be a good breed choice for your family. Even if you don’t let your kids make the final decision, take them with you and watch them closely for any signs of fear around certain dogs, and for any signs from the dogs that they may not be kid-friendly. You should also ask the shelter staff if the dogs have been temperament tested, and which ones they recommend as safe around children.

5. Expect to go home without a dog. If you go to the shelter with the firm intention of taking home a dog, it will be more difficult if none of the available dogs really fit your criteria. You may find yourself fudging a bit, deciding that maybe that Rottweiler will be okay, even though you had your heart set on a Golden Retriever.

Remember – there are hundreds of dogs that need homes, and your perfect pooch may be in the animal control van right now, on his way to the shelter. If you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for today, there’s a very good chance that you’ll find your dog the next time you visit, or the time after that.

If you don’t see what you need, talk to the shelter staff and put in a request. Give them the criteria you’ve listed, and ask them to call you when the perfect pooch comes through the door.

So remember – the secrets of finding the best dog to adopt are preparation, research, and patience. You should be practicing patience anyway, since your future adopted dog is going to need lots of love and patience while he earns a place in his new home.

About the Author: Learn everything you need to know about dog adoption, including choosing the right breed for your family and how to avoid common dog adoption mistakes, at http://www.older-dog.com

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Maltese

The Maltese is a companion dog that was originally bred for royalty or the very wealthy. They are natural born troublemakers, but are very loyal to their owners. They are not at all good with children, other animals, or strangers. They’re considered to be dogs of average intelligence and trainability. Their beautiful coats require frequent grooming.

Pekingese

The Pekingese was originally bred for the Emperors of China. These little dogs have a boisterous personality and are not very tolerant of children or other animals. They do bark a lot and are often difficult to train. Wary of strangers they can make a good watchdog and will bark loudly when strangers approach their home.

Pug

The Pug comes from East Asia. Their short coat requires little grooming, but the folds and wrinkles of their faces must be cleaned often. Pugs make wonderful family dogs because they are very docile, don’t bark a lot, and are good with children and other animals. They are highly intelligent dogs and very social.

Angela Schulz

http://www.dogs-picture.com

No, you don’t wind them up and they don’t take batteries

“Toy” dogs are becoming more popular all the time. These little dogs, the result of generations of selective breeding, are generally bred as companion animals and people just seem to love them. Their miniature size and playful nature (most toy breeds are good natured dogs with a few exceptions) make them wonderful companions and for several years they have been chic among well to do people.

Most of the toy dog breeds hail originally from Asia where the process of selectively breeding dogs to make them smaller is believed to have begun, but there are plenty of toy breeds from other areas of the world as well.

Bichon Frise

A small dog that was originally bred as a companion dog, the Bichon Frise possesses a boisterous personality, is very tolerant of children, other animals and strangers, and is highly intelligent and very trainable. These dogs have a short and curly white coat that does require frequent grooming.

Chihuahua

The Chihuahua may be the best known of the toy dog breeds. They have a short or medium coat, are easy to groom, and possess average intelligence and trainability. They do not have the best personalities and are not tolerant of children, other animals, or strangers. The Chihuahua hails from Mexico originally and is the smallest of the toy dog breeds.

Angela Schulz

http://www.dogs-picture.com