Here is your daily dog digest for April 26, 2012

Inside this issue….

1. UK Animal Cruelty Stats Released – 2012-04-23 14:34:11-04
   The number of people convicted of cruelty and neglect to animals rose by nearly a quarter last year, according to figures announced by the RSPCA today. Cases revealed ahead of the charity’s major fundraising push, RSPCA Week 2012, include a dog repeatedly stabbed with a potato peeler, a dog the only survivor of a house [...]

   UK Animal Cruelty Stats Released is a post from: My Dog Magazine

2. Dog Wardens Comment on Microchipping Proposals – 2012-04-24 05:39:36-04
   The National Dog Warden Association is the latest organisation to speak out about the recent Government proposals for compulsory microchipping of all dogs in England. In a statement, the NDWA says: Whilst NDWA welcomes the government announcement on proposed ways to deal with irresponsible dog ownership in its many forms, it is extremely disappointed that [...]

   Dog Wardens Comment on Microchipping Proposals is a post from: My Dog Magazine

3. Why is My Dog Panting? – 2012-04-24 14:37:36-04
   Why Do Dog’s Pant? Unlike horses and indeed us humans, dogs do not sweat through the skin; they sweat through the tongue and nose, so that when a dog is [...]

   Why is My Dog Panting? is a post from: Dog Advice

4. Vets Latest to Hit Out at Government’s Dog Law Plans – 2012-04-24 15:09:22-04
   Veterinary associations have described the Government’s package on dangerous dogs as a missed opportunity to prevent future dog attacks. The package (for England) includes an extension of dangerous dogs law to cover private property, the removal of the requirement for all dogs to be held in police ‘custody’ and a range of options to introduce [...]

   Vets Latest to Hit Out at Government’s Dog Law Plans is a post from: My Dog Magazine

5. Alice Cooper & The 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act – 2012-04-25 07:28:23-04
   Some people never learn from the mistakes of history. Ken Baker is one of those people. His introduction of the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act and, along with it, breed specific legislation (outlawing/banning certain dogs by ‘type’) has been an unmitigated failure. A disaster on every level. Dog attacks have not reduced, the cost of attempting [...]

   Alice Cooper & The 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act is a post from: My Dog Magazine

Welcome to the Daily Dog digest for April 24, 2012.

In this digest we've got…

Is it safe to let dogs lick your face?

That's the question posed (and answered) by MyDogMagazine.com.

The article covers:

1. Dogs Lick Faces Because…
2. Is it OK to Let Puppies Lick Faces?
3. A Show Of Respect
4. How To React to Dog Face Licking?

Extract:

Dogs use their long tongues for mopping up lunch crumbs, removing mud from their feet, and cleaning their privates. And yet, when they give our faces sloppy licks, there’s something endearing about it. Apart from occasional attempts to retrieve bits of glazed doughnut from our chins, dogs lick us because they like us. It isn’t a kiss, but it’s close.

Almost as soon as they’re born, dogs experience the soft warmth of their mothers’ tongue, which bathes them with maternal affection. The licking never really stops after that. Mothers take advantage of their puppies’ relative immobility during nursing to lick them clean. They also lick their bottoms to jump-start their impulses to relieve themselves.

Read in full: http://mydogmagazine.com/interesting/dog-lick-face/

As most of us realise when bringing a new puppy home, dogs are not capable of the same type of analytical thinking that their human owners are, so never assume your pup is as smart as you are. Treating a dog as if he is able to understand every word you say can be disappointing. However, you are about to learn how to properly treat your dog so you can train it.

When a behavioural problem suddenly occurs you should take the dog to the vet to eliminate health problems. Animals that are in pain or that have certain health conditions may lash out or behave inappropriately. Animals can't tell us when something is wrong, so they depend on us to interpret their behaviours.

Ask your family to help you train your dog by using the same commands you are teaching him. If you use different commands for each action, like using "down" and your wife using "lay," your dog will get confused. If the family can be consistent about commands, training will go easier.

When teaching your puppy not to chew on things that are not toys, you should try to facilitate success. You also need to make sure that you keep your pet away from objects that could hurt him if chewed. Common items like curtains and hairbrushes are choking hazards that can kill your dog if you aren't vigilant.

In consideration of your training efforts, avoid rough games or anything that mimics in play what you don't want your dog doing on his own. These games often encourage a puppy to start biting. You don't want them doing that, so you should wait until they are older and more mature to play those games.

To house train your pup, get him on a set feeding and potty schedule every day. This will give you an idea of when the dog is likely to have to go, so you can take it outdoors to take care of this matter before an accident occurs on your rug. Conversely, this also teaches your dog that he may need to wait to go to the bathroom.

Dogs that don't like being away from their owners should learn to be comfortable with multiple people. This will help it be less focused on the fact that you are not home.

Learn how to use positive reinforcement for training outside of treats. You will find that treats do work. Unless you are in a training class, however, you are not likely to carry dog treats on you 24 hours a day. Good behavior can be rewarded with petting and hugging, which are two great treat replacements.

Spay or neuter your dog at the age of six months. This really should be done prior to the start of obedience classes. A newly neutered or spayed dog is more obedient. You will have a lot more happy years with your dog, and your dog will have a happier, healthier life.

Be certain your dog knows that you are the leader of your pack. Make sure he knows that you know what you are doing and are in control of the situation. Then he will look to you and defer to your judgment. It is important to walk ahead of your dog when taking him for a walk. This will let him know that you are the leader.

You need to make certain your dog is having fun each day during training sessions. If you do so, your dog will feel closer to you, and even respond to training better. While you can have fun during training sessions, it's a good idea to spend a little time simply playing.

After learning some helpful hints on how to get through to your dog and train it to behave to your expectations you simply need to follow what you have learned. After changing your dogs behavior to fit with the tips suggested you can properly train your dog.

1. Puppy Personality Test – 2012-04-03 07:13:29-04
   A puppy personality test enables you to conduct some (very) unscientific research prior to choosing your puppy. We've got four short tips to help you run a puppy personality test [...]

   Puppy Personality Test is a post from: Dog Advice

   
   

2. A Nation of Animals? The Stats Don’t Say So – 2012-04-03 07:38:25-04
   Is Britain really a nation of animal lovers? A new study has estimated that over 260,000 cats and dogs entered the care of UK rescue organisations during 2009, the first full year since the onset of the UK recession. The aim of the research was to estimate the number of cats and dogs, currently being [...]

   A Nation of Animals? The Stats Don’t Say So is a post from: My Dog Magazine

3. How Often Should I Train My Dog? – 2012-04-04 06:05:05-04
   Positive dog training can happen any time, all the time. You don't need to get your dog ready in special training equipment. Your pet is usually ready whenever you are. [...]

   How Often Should I Train My Dog? is a post from: Dog Advice

   
   

4. World’s Weirdest Inventions for Dogs – 2012-04-04 06:11:32-04
   A popular aggregator website has compiled a list of the "ten strangest inventions" and a remarkable 30% of the list were inventions created specifically for dogs. Of the top ten list, three of the inventions were specifically for dogs, proving either that the most innovative and ingenious people in the world are dog owners, or [...]

   World’s Weirdest Inventions for Dogs is a post from: My Dog Magazine

5. Can Dogs Catch Colds? – 2012-04-04 07:49:27-04
   Can Dogs Catch Colds? Or, as many of our readers have asked, can dogs catch a cold from humans (and even vice versa, can humans get a cold from dogs?). Let’s have a look shall we and see if we can answer one of the most commonly asked questions here at MyDogMagazine.com….can dogs get colds? [...]

   Can Dogs Catch Colds? is a post from: My Dog Magazine

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1. Facebook (Finally) Acts to Ban Sale of Puppy Farm Dogs – 2012-03-22 16:15:35-04
   In response to concerns from the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®), measures will be put in place to ensure that puppy mill dogs will no longer be sold via Marketplace on Facebook, an action the ASPCA believes will help combat the inhumane puppy mill industry. Many puppies sold online [...]

   Facebook (Finally) Acts to Ban Sale of Puppy Farm Dogs is a post from: My Dog Magazine

2. Introducing The Cockapoo Owners Club – 2012-03-23 10:42:02-04
   Introducing The Cockapoo Owners Club By Shirley Fearnley and Sarah Webb Cockapoos are fantastic dogs and it’s not only their name that often causes people to smile when they hear it mentioned. They are friendly and fun and can make an ideal family pet. This wonderful cross breed has been growing in popularity for some [...]

   Introducing The Cockapoo Owners Club is a post from: My Dog Magazine

3. Prisoners Bettering Themselves With The Help of Dogs – 2012-03-23 10:43:01-04
   Story by Lance Cpl. Rebecca Eller MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. — They both have shiny blonde hair, big brown eyes and slender legs. Poet and Roghan are residents of the Naval Consolidated Brig aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. However, they are not prisoners, but puppies. Select prisoners at the Brig receive an [...]

   Prisoners Bettering Themselves With The Help of Dogs is a post from: My Dog Magazine

4. Dog Chocolate Consumption Warning – 2012-03-27 05:37:38-04
   Dog chocolate consumption is never more likely than at Easter time. For those unaware (what happens if my dog eats chocolate?), one of the favourite human treats can actually kill a dog. Now a shocking new survey from a prominent animal welfare charity has revealed that over 57% of pet dogs have eaten chocolate intended [...]

   Dog Chocolate Consumption Warning is a post from: My Dog Magazine

5. New Epilepsy Gene Located in Dogs – 2012-03-27 09:21:55-04
   A new epilepsy gene for idiopathic epilepsy in Belgian Shepherds has been discovered in the canine chromosome 37. Professor Hannes Lohi, a lead researcher, along with his team at the University of Helsinki and the Folkhälsan Research Center, have opened up new possibilities for understanding the causes and triggers for the genetic beginnings of epilepsy [...]

   New Epilepsy Gene Located in Dogs is a post from: My Dog Magazine