Good behavior is important for dogs. Not only will it keep the humans around him more comfortable, but it will keep the dog happier as well. A trained dog is a happy dog because he is welcome more places. He will be welcome in public. He won?t have to be banished from the room when company comes. And he will get more interest and attention from the humans he meets. Your dog wants to be good. It?s time to train your dog into better behavior.

Why dogs should be trained

Beyond the dog?s personal happiness, training will build a relationship between you and your dog, establishing you as the alpha dog. In addition, proper training will allow you to control his behavior in an emergency situation. If your dog escapes, he will come when you call. Unfortunately, dogs that remain untrained are more likely to be destroyed. And if you must give up your dog, trained dogs are more adoptable.

Setting limits for your dog

While you don?t want to be too strict or keep your dog from having fun, boundaries are important. Dogs who aren?t taught to follow many rules have less respect for their owners and are more likely to break the few rules they know. A little obedience training can go a long way toward improving his manners, especially when company comes. A dog who respects you will listen when you say ?no,? ?down? or ?stay,? which are invaluable commands when company is over.

Socializing your dog

Taking your dog for a walk may be fun for you, but you may not realize how important it is for your dog. Getting your dog out of the house and into the world can prevent separation anxiety, excessive barking, aggression and fear. When your dog is comfortable with people, dogs, cars and noises in the outside world, you will both be happier. Socialization allows your dog to be comfortable and know how to behave in unfamiliar situations. Taking your dog out into the world is fun and valuable. You can even attend dog socialization classes.

People training

Dogs need training, but so do people. Your dog won?t know how to behave in public unless you teach him. Here is the proper dog-walking etiquette:

• Do not allow your dog to walk or eliminate on other people?s property
• Always pick up after your dog, and don?t leave the house without a bag and shovel
• Keep your dog from greeting people who aren?t interested in meeting him. If someone wants to pet your dog, they will make it clear
• Allow your dog to socialize with other dogs only with permission from the owner
• Always walk your dog on a leash, and don?t let him run lose to do his ?business?

Following dog-walking etiquette makes the socialization process more enjoyable for everyone. And well behaved, friendly dogs keep your local government from enacting strict dog laws. http://www.uwsp.edu/psych/dog/dog.htm http://freedogtraininginfo.com/category/house-training/ http://www.inch.com/~dogs/whytrain.html

Having a pet is a big responsibility. Your pet depends on you to keep him safe, find the right veterinarian and provide a loving environment. If you feel overwhelmed, here are some areas you can start with to keep your pet healthy and happy.

Creating a safe environment in your home

Pet-proofing your home can prevent pet accidents. Does your pet chew on power chords? Keep harmful objects out of his reach. You may not realize that a small taste of antifreeze can kill your pet. Always be aware of poisons that can kill your pet, like those found in pesticides, medications and plants.

Plants you should keep out of your house:

• Philodendron
• Mistletoe
• Hyacinth
• Dieffenbachia

See the vet regularly

Like humans, pets need regular physicals. This can help prevent a problem before it starts. Don?t wait till something is wrong or you go on vacation to take your pet to the vet. And make sure your pet gets routine vaccinations annually.

Finding the right diet

Obesity in pets is a growing problem. It is important to make sure your pet gets the right amount of food and exercise to stay healthy. The quality of the food is also important. And don?t feed your dog human food!

Developing a relationship with your pet

Developing a relationship with your pet is rewarding for both of you. If you have a dog, proper training will allow you to take your dogs more places and make more friends, both human and animal. Training will also establish you as the ?top dog.? You probably won?t take your cat on a walk, but playing together is a healthy way to bond.

Animals need attention and want to be around you. Happy animals tend to behave better, and animals who behave are treated better by humans, which creates a cycle. If you notice a behavioral problem in your pet, don?t ignore it. You and your pet will both be happier.

Brushing your pet

Brushing your pet regularly will get rid of tangles and excess hair. When you brush your pet, the strokes should be gentle, yet firm. Your pet should enjoy getting brushed.

Bathing your pet

When your pet gets dirty, you should give him a bath. It helps to brush him first. Always use specialized pet shampoos and not human shampoos on your pets. Sometimes pet bathing takes two people, especially for pets who don?t like to be bathed, like cats.

Nail trimming

Dogs and cats need to have their nails trimmed regularly. Nails that remain untrimmed can break, bleed and become very painful for your pet. Cutting your pet?s nails only removes the excess, just like when you cut your own nails. Important tips for cutting pet nails:

• Make sure you have the right size clippers for your pet
• It is best to trim a small amount off the nail on a regular basis
• Use training to make your pet more comfortable. Start with holding your pet?s paw. When your pet is comfortable with that, cut one nail and move slowly on from there

http://www.peteducation.com/category_summary.cfm?cat=1383
http://www.healthypet.com/library_view.aspx?ID=63&sid=2

Using antidepressant medication for animals was once considered the lazy solution to animal behavior problems. Unhappy, aggressive animals just needed more training, not medication.

Today Prozac is not just for people; Prozac is proscribed for everyone, including pets and zoo animals. But just because a dog can be given Prozac doesn?t mean he should be. Does my puppy really need Prozac?

What does Prozac do?

Prozac is given to animals to help with aggression, separation anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. The idea is that once the animal feels more mentally stable, the owner can teach the animal new behaviors. So Prozac and training are used together to help the animal.

However, just like in humans Prozac may cause unpleasant side effects in animals such as:

• anxiety
• lethargy
• hunger loss/weightloss
• vomiting
• restlessness

If you are treating your dog for anxiety-related symptoms, these side effects are troublesome. At least no animal deaths from Prozac have been reported.

How many animals are taking Prozac?

There is no record of how many animals have taken Prozac. This is because some animals take Prozac for a few months to learn new behaviors, while others take it for the rest of their lives. However, Americans have spent a lot of money ? about $15 million - on medication for behavior modification in animals.

Now that drug companies know that Americans are willing to spend money on animals, they are starting to created more medications for pets. Eli Lilly has recently created a chewable version of Prozac specifically for dogs called Reconcile.

Why would giving Prozac to animals be considered a cop-out?

Not everyone thinks that giving Prozac to pets is a good idea. Animal behaviorists, like the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, believe that Prozac only hides the underlying problem and does not cure it. They believe that humans should provide suitable training, care and environment for an animal, and proper behavior will follow naturally.

These animal behaviorists think that medicating animals allows humans be lazy and ignore the animal?s real problems.

Prozac for pets: The middle ground

Some people argue that there are certain, extreme circumstances in which a pet should be medicated for behavior, just like a human. They think that most of Prozac?s bad reputation comes from physicians over-prescribing it and that the same potential for abuse exists for animals. Some humans and animals really need Prozac but millions of others will be prescribed at the drop of a hat.

These people argue that in extreme circumstances the pet should be medicated so it can calm down enough to learn new behaviors. Calm animals learn better than anxious animals.

Alternatives to Prozac for Animals

If you don?t want to medicate your dog for behavioral issues, you have other alternatives to use in conjunction with traditional behavior therapy:

• acupuncture
• chiropractic treatment (has been used for animals since the 1900s)
• electromedicine (microamerapge current is applied to treat animal phobias)
• Scutellaria laterifolia (was once used to treat rabies)
• Passiflora incarnate

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/09/0929_050929_wp_prozac_2.html
http://www.technologyreview.com/Biotech/18463/
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/features_julieshealthclub/2007/06/pets_on_prozac.html
http://www.healthypet.com/library_view.aspx?id=119

A pet?s bad behavior is most likely caused by the pet?s emotions. Your pet reacts to stressful situations by acting out; if your pet is acting out, it?s important to determine what is triggering their behavior. This is the only way you can help your pet.

Causes of Bad Behavior

There are many emotional problems that can cause a pet?s bad behavior. While specific behaviors may vary from one type of animal to another, the root causes are generally similar.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

OCD in pets results in odd and unusual pet behavior. Your pet may chew at its own feet, attack inanimate objects, be aggressive and destroy objects. This behavior usually stems from your pet being anxious, stressed or bored. Often OCD in pets can be prevented by keeping them well stimulated and active. Be sure to provide them with exciting toys, especially when you are away from the home.

Anxiety

There are three main types of pet anxiety: social, noise and separation anxiety. Social anxiety occurs in a pet that?s not well socialized. A well socialized pet can interact with other animals and humans easily. A poorly socialized pet may cower or act aggressively towards others; to prevent this, be sure to introduce your pet to other animals early on.

Noise anxiety results in cowering, especially during long durations of loud noises such as thunderstorms. Cooing over your pet while it?s cowering only encourages the bad behavior. Instead, encourage their calm behavior, maybe at the early stages of the storm. If they are cowering, leave them alone.

Separation anxiety occurs in a pet that?s distressed about its human leaving. Pets will make noise, destroy objects and may urinate or defecate in the home while you?re gone. This can be eased through desensitization therapy.

Aggression

Aggression in pets is usually caused by poor social skills, dominance or fear. The easiest way to treat aggressive pets is to prevent the aggression. Be sure your pet is well socialized, can establish a hierarchy of dominance in homes with multiple pets and isn?t cornered in strange situations. Be careful with aggressive pets; if it?s a dog, consider obedience classes.

Stress

Stress can trigger the above behaviors. A stressed pet will exhibit any of the above behaviors, including urinating and defecating in inappropriate places, destroying objects or tearing at furniture. Reduce your pets stress by providing it with exciting toys while you?re away, making sure it has plenty of stimulating activity and modifying behavior during stressful situations.

Whatever the cause, most pets behavior can be effectively modified through behavior training and desensitization. Obedience training and early socialization are two great methods at treating and preventing an anxious pet.

Be sure to pay attention to your pet. Bad behavior is your pet?s way of telling you it?s unhappy. These signs are indicative of either emotional distress of physical ailments. Always have your pet thoroughly checked out by their veterinarian to be sure there are no health problems.

The stories are all too familiar. A beloved family pet suddenly maims another animal, attacks a child or mauls a neighbor possibly causing serious injury or death. Dog owners often give up on aggressive dogs chaining them up in the back yard, or having them destroyed.

Aggression can arise from any breed of dog, due to lack of socialization, disease, unpleasant past experiences, abuse, improper training and a host of other situations. In the following article we are going to explore some of the more common instances of dog aggression and their signs. We will also cover some suggestions for handling an aggressive canine and how you can ward off these tendencies in your pet.

Dominance Aggression

A canine who wants to be in control of situations and uses force to maintain control is dominant aggressive. He is characterized by extreme confidence. His tail will be high and his shoulders back, in a stiff posture. The fur on his back may stand up as his lips curl and he lets out a low-pitched growl. This dog will stare down other dogs or humans and may react by attacking the perceived challenger. Dominant-aggressive dogs do not like to follow commands. They will react with aggression when removed from areas that they believe are theirs, such as a bed or sofa. At times their aggressive behavior may be seen as playful by the owner, such as ?hugging.? Giving in to their demands will only further their aggressive nature.

Fear Aggression

Dogs may show fearful aggression when they are cornered and see no other way out. Often an event that a dog viewed as traumatic may induce future aggression if it?s repeated. A fearful dog may portray signs such as slinking, putting his tail between his legs, snarling, growling and barking excessively, uncontrollable urination or an exorbitant amount of salivation. Additionally, the ears may be back and his hackles may be up. Any attempts that you make to reassure the fearful dog will only reinforce this behavior, allowing them to believe that they have a reason to be fearful.

Territorial and Protective Aggression

A canine who believes that his ?possessions,? whether the house, yard, or people are under threat is exhibiting territorial or protective aggression when he responds to the perceived threat in an over the top manner. In a dogs mind, pizza delivery persons, postal carriers, and next door neighbors may be at your home to cause some unknown harm. As the protector, your dog may lunge, growl and defend his territory to save what he values. He may attack windows, or jump fences when trying to reach the ?intruder?. A canine dealing with these issues may also come to the defense of a family member if it believes that another family member is harming her (such as with horseplay or bear hugs).

How to Control or Relieve Aggressive Tendencies

Several things that may seem like they would fix the aggression, may actually worsen the condition. Do not physically punish your dog. A dominant aggressive dog will see this as a challenge and may react in kind. First, it is vitally important that you protect your family and neighborhood by never leaving an aggressive dog alone with children or free to roam the streets. Second, do not ignore the behavior, believing it will go away on its own. Dogs who exhibit any form of aggression should be seen by a veterinarian to rule out sickness. A dog behavior expert should be contacted for help in devising further steps to help your dog correct his demeanor. Until you can receive help from qualified individuals, it?s best to keep your dog out of situations that provoke the aggressions.