Dogs Can Sign, Too - A Breakthrough Method For Teaching Your Dog to Communicate - By Sean Senechal

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Have you ever wanted to sit down and have a conversation with your dog? Or just ask your pooch "Why are you barking?" Well, that just might be possible according to Sean Senchal. In her book "Dogs Can Sign, Too", she presents a method for communicating with your canine -- a system of gestures that she calls "K9Signs" which could allow your dog to "talk" to you. The goal is to teach dogs to use this sign language to ask for things, to ask or answer questions, and to respond to your commands or comments.

Senechal has established an "academy" (the AnimalSign Center) where people are working every day with dogs and other animals to see just what their limits are as "language learners". The author emphasizes that it will probably be years before any definite conclusions can be drawn as to the ability of non-primate animals to communicate with us, but she offers a number of examples of what she has accomplished in working with her own pets.

One example had to do with her dog Chal who she has worked with for several years. Chal came into a room where Senechal was talking to a friend and tapped a storage drawer with her nose, then lifted her right front leg which is the K9Sign for an object. When Senechal made the sign for "What?", Chal lifted her right front leg and flicked it slightly, the sign for "keys". The author opened the drawer and there was the key to the yard gate; Chal immediately ran out to the gate and waited for Senechal to open it for her.

That story may not seem all that unusual or interesting; after all I had a border collie whose parents herded cattle and sheep and were able to respond to a wide variety of hand and voice signals. The main difference is that in Chal's case she not only responds to various signs, she offers her own canine signs. If you thought Lassie was brilliant, imagine a herd dog that could come to you and sign "Lamb caught under branch in gully over there; wildcat sneaking up on her -- hurry". That's the fascinating part of K9Signs; not just the ability to communicate but the complexity of the information that can be exchanged in just a few signs.

K9Signs training, as Senechal points out, is fundamentally different from obedience training. It calls for encouraging your dog to show creative behavior rather than obedience. Your dog has to be prompted to initiate communication and make requests rather than just respond to commands. Conversation implies a give and take, a two-sided method of communicating and that means your dog has to feel free to "talk back".

Maybe the most important thing to remember in K9Sign training is to make signing fun. If your dog is obviously having trouble understanding what you're doing and seems to be getting frustrated or losing interest, back up and try to break the lesson down into simpler steps and reward the accomplishment of each smaller step. Or go back to something your dog has already learned and enjoys (like playing with a favorite toy) and make that sign. Later you can go back to working on the new sign. Senechal constantly emphasizes the importance of patience, rewards, and slow, easy steps in teaching K9Signs.

I'm not sure I would have the patience for K9Sign training and really, like most dogs, my two already communicate with me without animal signing. For example my Lab will bark and let me know if someone comes to the front door. But if he and I could make use of K9Signs, who knows -- maybe he could tell me "Pat at front door, has pizza" or "Two strange men at front door, smell friendly". Or instead of simply moving around restlessly, maybe our Rottweiler could tell me "Feel bad - need go out and eat grass". It would require a good deal of time and patience, but maybe one of these days I'll work up the courage to give K9Signs a try (and find out what my dogs are really thinking).

If you're interested in learning more about Sean Senechal's K9Signs system or her method of animal signing in general, her books "AnimalSigns To You" and "Dogs Can Sign Too", are both available at http://www.amazon.com.

Dog Training Book - "Dog Training 4 Life" - Reviewed in Detail by Another Expert

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An exclusive new dog training book, "Dog Training 4 Life", has recently been published online. It is an excellent training resource for people who would like to benefit from the author, Anne Pottinger's wealth of experience with dogs. She has trained not only puppies, but also older dogs, including many discards rescued from shelters. In fact her wealth of knowledge stems from more than thirty years working with dogs.

Before moving to the US, Anne began training dogs in England under the mentorship and direction of the late, great Barbara Woodhouse, at that time a renowned trainer who also published several bestselling books on the subject and had television shows syndicated worldwide.

Dogs love to please, your praise means everything to them. Unfortunately too many owners never think to praise or reward good behavior, relying instead upon negative reinforcement and punishing bad behavior. Dog Training 4 Life is structured entirely upon Positive Reinforcement coupled with consistency.

Positive reinforcement takes the two things dogs care most about in life-- praise and food -- and make them work to the owner's advantage. The principal is simple: use praise and treats to reward him whenever he does something you are asking him to do correctly, and be consistent. Always use exactly the same command for any action you wish your dog to perform.

Dog Training 4 Life begins by explaining the dog's heritage and how the different types of dogs and breeds developed and evolved. In fact it represents a very well structured and thought out piece of work and anyone reading the book from start to finish will not only have a much clearer perspective on training their dog, they will also know exactly why their chosen breed looks and behaves the way he does.

This e-book is phenomenal value. Well over 80 pages jam packed with really great information! It's also written in a style that keeps the reader engaged from beginning to end, with an abundance of interesting facts that you just don't find in your average dog training book. The author appears to have taken immense care in constructing and writing the e-book, even including little quotes at the beginning every chapter. My favorite is the one by Will Rogers: "If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went."

She also offers all her customers a great bonus: Unlimited personal consultations with her via email.

Whether you have a new puppy and want to get off on the right foot, have recently adopted an older dog, or you have had a dog for a long time that has behavior issues that you need to remedy, the Dog Training Book Dog Training 4 Life receives my wholehearted recommendation! For much more information Click Here Now!

How to Train Your Dog Not to Bark

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When a dog is irritated by any sort of heat, cold, hunger or thirst it gets its owners attention by excessive barking. It also barks when it is in pain, sick, lonely or sometimes just plain bored. Dogs will also bark to alert you when someone is near or they sense some sort of danger. Dogs are very jealous companions and will even bark when you are talking to a person or ignoring them. Some breeds are more prone to barking than others.

So how exactly do you get a dog to stop barking so much?

One way could be to focus on teaching the dog TO bark! When you can train your dog to bark on cue you can usually pick up on training them to stop barking on cue as well. Another great example is to teach your dog isolation. Your dog should be able to be alone during certain times of the day without having to continually bark. At first this can be difficult and your dog may think that you have forgotten him or are ignoring him which may prompt him to bark even more but after letting it bark for a while they realize that they are merely wasting their own breath.

If you can not figure out why your dog is barking you may want to try a different approach such as treating it at a mutual level as the rest of your family and find the problem and remove it. The main thing to remember when training your dog is to have a lot of patience and compassion.

Three Wonderful Pet Care Book Reviews

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Pets and the Planet: A Practical Guide to Sustainable Pet Care
Carol Frischmann

This guide offers you all the facts you'll need to value sustainability in the framework of pet parenting and equips you with the knowledge to choose wisely for you, your pet, as well as the environment. It outlines the environmental costs of pet ownership and offers a variety of environmental friendly choices for every family with pets, such as selecting pet food; purchasing pet toys (who knew?) and equipment; getting rid of your pet's waste and steering clear of household toxins. Carefully researched and crammed with practical guidelines for starting "green" pet practices, "Pets and the Planet" is an effective map for sustainable parenting for your pet.
Wiley Publishing

Goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet
Gary Kowalski

Any one who may have lost their pet will find comfort in author Gary Kowalski's sweet supportive book. Goodbye, Friend. The author is the minister of Burlington Vermont's Unitarian Universalist church. Upon completion of this book, his elderly dog, Chinook, died. Kowalski's new book is full of supportive and empathetic counsel to help you through the loss of your pet. He includes ceremonies, rituals and spiritual guidance. There are precious readings and poems that offer solace. The author's tone is a comforting one, not unexpected for a pastor whose profession it is to be thoughtful and wise. The book also talks about animals' sadness when they lose someone close to them or another family pet who may have been their buddy for a long time. He explains the various life spans of animals; their growth, needs and illnesses. They are very similar to our own: the need to eat healthy, to exercise daily, to sleep soundly, to enjoy life, to savor companions and to anticipate routine. Kowalski shares advice on nurture yourself after the death of a cherished pet and how important honesty is when speaking with your children about this transition. Kowalski's guide is very therapeutic support when an excellent friend dies, but also impresses his key point: that our pets are essential and they are worthy of our respect and nurturance. Kowalski offers the perfect path to grieving the loss of your pet and holding them in high esteem for eternity.

Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats
Richard H. Pitcairn, D.V.M

In excess of 400,000 copies of this cherished classic have been purchased ever since its initial publication over two decades previously. The guide that's the conclusive manual for an all natural diet and lifestyle for cats and dogs has been totally updated and edited for the very first time in nine years. Written using the tenderness and empathy which have earned them a nationwide fan base, Richard H. Pitcairn, DVM along with his wife, Susan Hubble Pitcairn, considered authorities in chemical-free nourishment and natural treatment for pets, demonstrate how cat and dog lovers the way to supply the most beneficial friendship and ongoing care and attention. The book now includes ecological factors, such as contaminants equally within the home and outside, in addition to current hot-button subjects, including Mad Cow disease, Lyme disease, plus the West Nile virus. They have modernized lots of quality recipes for scrumptious and healthy pet food and goodies. Along with helpful tips for dealing with emergencies and an exhaustive Quick Reference segment, they provide distinct guidelines for avoiding, diagnosing, and the treatment of an array of pet diseases and conditions with unique focus on homeopathic, herbal, and nutritional treatments.

Anyone who is active in their own health management through healthy nutrition and exercise will find that Dr. Pitcarin and his wife support that lifestyle for your pet as well. If you want your pets to be healthy, Dr. Pitcarin's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats is the best read for you!

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Dog: The Definitive Guide For Dog Owners by Bruce Fogle

"Dog: The Definitive Guide For Dog Owners" by Bruce Fogle really does live up to its title. It is a very comprehensive, and yes definitive, guide to dogs for dog owners. It is not an encyclopedia of dog breeds, but rather a guide that takes you through the life stages of your dog, including birth, puppy hood, adolescence and adulthood. This is a very informative book that covers everything a person needs to know about the life of their dog.

This is a large book with a lot of information, and also plenty of great photographs that will be sure to delight dog lovers of all kinds. The book contains a lot of general information about dogs, but then also specifics that will benefit any dog owner, regardless of the breed owned, in fact, there is even a chapter on choosing a new dog, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

After an interesting introduction, chapter one is on how dogs became dogs. Short informative history with great color photographs. From there, chapter two covers how dogs are classified. If you have ever seen a dog show, and wondered how they classified the breeds, wonder no longer. This chapter explains how they do it. Chapter three then focuses on modern dog breeds. Good introduction to various breeds, but not as complete as a book solely on this topic. Chapter four then addresses what makes the modern dog. This chapter provides some interesting information that you don't see included in many dog books.

Chapter five is on puppies in the family pack. It contains information on mating, birth, feeding, and such. Then chapter six covers our relationship with dogs. The section on biting and bites was especially informative for me. Chapter seven provides good information regarding choosing a new dog. Practical advice for anyone wanting a new dog.

The next chapters focus on the life cycle of dogs and begin with chapter eight and canine infancy, then chapter nine on canine puppy hood, chapter ten on canine adolescence, chapter eleven on adulthood, chapter twelve on the older dog, and concluding with a short chapter on the dignified end. These chapters really do cover a lot. Information about anything you need to know about owning your dog is covered here. Training, behavior, socializing with other dogs, feeding, grooming, exercise, health and first aid, traveling, and many other special concerns are covered within these pages.

Sure, you don't need to read and learn about dogs to own one, but the information in this book can make owning a dog easier and happier for both you and your canine friend. This is an excellent resource for any dog owner to have on their shelf.

Alain Burrese, J.D. is a writer, speaker, and mediator who teaches how to live, take action, and get things done through the Warrior's Edge. He is an expert on conflict and mediates and teaches conflict resolution and negotiation. Additionally, he teaches physical conflict skills in his Hapkido and self-defense courses, lectures, and seminars. Alain is the author of Hard-Won Wisdom From The School Of Hard Knocks, the Hapkido DVDs Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking series, and numerous articles and reviews. You can read more articles and reviews and see clips of his DVDs as well as much more at http://www.burrese.com/and http://www.yourwarriorsedge.com/

Dogproblems May Be the Answer to Your Dog Behavior Problems

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If you are a dog owner, you know all too well the importance of having a pet whose behavior is not a constant matter of concern and irritation. Countless books have been devoted to helping the pet owner solve the many dog related problems such as pulling on the leash, barking incessantly, puppy chewing, house training, etc. Needless to say, deciding which training source to use can be an exhausting exercise. The purpose of this article is to help you make that choice by reviewing one of those sources, dogproblems.com. We will be examining the following areas: (1) how extensive the list of dog behavior problems is so you can have assurance that your particular area of need is included, (2) what kind of support is available to give you the comfort that the suggested solutions will actually work.

Dogproblem.com's claim of "An all-in-one dog training resource for owning, training and fixing your dog's behavior problems" appears to be fairly accurate. The subject matter in this book with respect to dog training and selecting and choosing a puppy, appears inexhaustible, including how to articles and videos, member forums, consultations with canine specialists, and member photo sharing. Without exploring every one of the 42 alphabetically listed departments, from "adopting a dog" to "submissive urination" it appears the dog owner can find a solution for practically any subject. This is different from many sites or books that seem to concentrate on only one or two problems.

With regard to your confidence that applying the suggested remedies will result in success, let's take a look at how thorough each problem is covered and what kind of support is available. Each particular area of concern, or department, gives the pet owner a number of solutions. For example, if you were trying to house train your puppy you would go to the "Dog House Training" department. Here you will find seven different articles covering subjects such as: correcting when they do it in the wrong place, praising when they do it in the right place, establishing a "doody area" and a "get busy" elimination command.

If the article or video still leaves questions, a forum is available that allows pet owners to share their experiences with other owners. In addition, this venue also offers unlimited consultation with a team of dogproblems.com canine behavior experts. This combination of articles, forums, and consultation should give you both the knowledge and the support to successfully solve your dog behavior problems.

The only negative I could find, if it is truly a negative, is that the wealth of information can be overwhelming initially. Perhaps it could be organized somewhat better to make it a little easier to sort through.

When looking to invest in dog training, you have a choice of many different sites, books, and prices. It can be a difficult decision no matter how amazing the claims may be. A review of dogproblems.com seems to indicate a site that gives the pet owner a solution to almost any problem imaginable. What is most important is that the support offered through videos, forum access to other dog owners and consultation with canine behavior experts should give the pet owner confidence in a successful outcome.

Copyright 2009 by Tom Buck. All rights reserved

Tom Buck is a 69 year old that has owned a dog since childhood. The 6 dogs were all from an animal shelter and ranged in age at adoption from a 6 week old puppy to a 3 year old. Past dog behavior experiences prompt Tom to review dogproblems.com and its behavior training. For more information, go to Tom's dogproblemsreview.com [http://www.dogproblemsreview.com] review site.

Feeding Your Rabbit With the Right Rabbit Food

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Fiber is essential for the normal digestion in rabbits. Fresh grass and vegetables should be the greater part of the house rabbit food. Feeding a diet consisting mostly of pellets might consequence in fatness and boosts the probability of digestive difficulties. Fiber also support in the avoidance of hair balls.

No matter, other than hay, pallets and vegetables are believed a treat and should be given with strict restraints. The digestive system of a rabbit is very vulnerable to serious disturb if the diet is unsuitable. The quantity of pellets should be limited, particularly in plump rabbits. The diminution in pellets should be made up with a diversity of fresh vegetables and infinite access to hay.

Grass hays for example oat or timothy should be obtainable at all times. Some rabbits do not take much hay at first. Tallying fresh hay many times a day may help; as the quantity of pellets is decreased the rabbit will probably become hungry to eat the hay.

Vegetable should make up a bulky portion of the food. Diversity ought to be fed daily to make sure a balanced food intake. If a rabbit is in the habit of taking pellets regularly, the modification needs to be made slowly to allow the rabbit digestive system to adjust. Suggested vegetables include carrot tops, carrot, broccoli, parsley, mustard greens, collard greens, turnip greens, dandelion greens, romaine lettuce, endive, spinach and kale. However, spinach, mustard greens and kale are high in oxalate, so the feed consisting of these should be limited. Cauliflower, beans, potatoes and cabbage may cause difficulties so they should be avoided.

Pellets are fundamentally made for marketable rabbit production. They are fairly calorific. Pellets do have a place in rabbit nourishment, because they are rich and balanced in nutrients. However, specialist recommends restricting the quantity of pellets fed, and compensating with fresh vegetables and grass hays.

The fresh fruits should be given daily to house rabbits as a treat. Treats put up for sale in pet stores marketed for rabbits are usually needless. In some cases they can cause digestive problems owing high carbohydrate or sugar content. Instead of food treats, consider offering brushwood from apple or willow trees as a rabbit food.

Feeding your rabbit with the right rabbit food is essential. Loads more info now on http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk/products/rabbit.html