We are often asked, “How many jumps should I start with?” You can never have too many single jumps to practice agility. A good starting place is four jumps. This is the absolute minimum number of jumps that we recommend.

You can teach a variety of skills, drills, and exercises with four jumps. Four jumps will allow you to work on a short jump chute or jump grid. You can setup a “box” with your jumps and practice handling, collection, and 270 degree jumps. You can teach your dog jumping left and right. You can be outside the box and send your dog or you can handle from the inside of the box. Your jumps can be setup in a horizontal line, so that you can practice serpentines and threadles.

Go the next step and get eight jumps. Now you can setup two boxes with one introductory jump. You’ve now multiplied your drills that you can practice with your dog. Your jump grids can be of recommended size and quantity of jumps. You can also setup your jumps in a circle with the jump bars perpendicular to the circle or on the circumference of the circle. This pattern also enables you to train a variety of skills.

Your next consideration is a double jump and a triple jump. You could set two or three single jumps together to make your expanded jump, but having double and triple jump in your course work is really valuable to practice. We’ve seen many dogs run a clean course and the last obstacle is a triple and the dog is not prepared for it, and bang, down comes the bar.

You can really be ahead of the pack and have two sets of eight jumps. This is the ultimate in training because you can keep a jump grip up at all times that is separate from your course work, and have eight single jumps to have for course work. And when you include your double and triple, you can really practice all the jumping skills and drills necessary to get you those “Qs”.

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If your dog is scratching and biting all the time, there’s obviously something wrong. Contrary to myth, it’s not normal for dogs need to scratch constantly. Just like with humans, excessive itching is an indication that there is something the matter.

What is excessive? Let’s just say that if it is enough to be getting on your nerves, then it’s too much. And if it’s getting on your nerves, imagine how your dog feels!

Constant itching can be a real health problem for your dog, and can lead to big vet bills down the road. If you don’t do something about it, it could seriously affect your dog’s health. Chronic scratching and biting at the skin can lead to all sorts of problems over time – from infections to hearing loss.

Although there are many reasons why your dog might be itchy, one of the most common (and most overlooked) is dog food allergies.

As you know, when your dog suffers from any type of food allergy it makes sense to change the diet to exclude the allergic food. However, that is easier said than done because your dog can be allergic to a whole food item or just a part of that food item (a particular element of that food item, such as a preservative or even an enzyme).

Unless you are able to determine exactly what food is causing the allergy (and that would be hard to do, unless you can trace the development of the allergies to a change in food), switching to a high-quality hypoallergenic dog food is a good move.

Since your dog can be allergic to any of the ingredients in the normal packaged dog food – any of the major ingredients, preservatives, colorings, flavorings, or any of the multitudes of chemicals (even natural chemicals) – that go into the preparation of the dog food, you would definitely need to start giving your pet a diet prepared to exclude allergy-causing foods and chemicals.

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It is an exciting time when you get to bring home a new puppy. He quickly becomes part of your family and you create a bond with lots of cuddling, trips outside and walks in the park. If buying from a breeder, you will want to be sure you choose a responsible breeder versus a backyard breeder (those who are only breeding for financial benefits). When shopping for your new dog, there are things you need to expect from your breeder as well as some things the breeder will expect from you. If you have found a responsible breeder, which can be done through references, he or she may come across as a very nosey person. This is okay, considering that the nosier breeder, the better!

No matter where you find the right dog for you, the same basic rules will apply. You will find that a very young puppy only vaguely resembles the adult dog you admired on the street or in the show ring. Older puppies, between the ages of six and twelve months or so, go through an awkward adolescent stage during which they seem hopelessly out of proportion. You will often get a better idea of what the puppy will eventually look like if you observe the adult members of his family, (when this is possible).

If you are looking for a puppy, rather than an adult dog, there are various methods of picking the best puppy from a litter. Some advise avoiding the weakest and shyest, even though the runt of the litter may turn out to be the best. Some breeders claim the mother picks out the best, so they remove the puppies from her and note which ones she brings back first. But everyone agrees that the signs of a good temperament in a very young puppy are friendliness, confidence, playfulness, and curiosity.

Most of the time, a backyard breeder or pet store simply won’t offer this type of information. In addition, pet store puppies usually come from a puppy mill or a relative breeding farm and they are sold on a first come, first serve basis. Questions aren’t asked of the buyer and no attention is paid to the puppy’s welfare. A responsible breeder will also expect the buyer to have questions and concerns of their own. A buyer should not be afraid to ask questions about this new life you will be taking into your home.

Choosing an adult dog is different. He has already achieved his full physical development and personality. He may also have acquired physical or mental quirks. When choosing an adult dog of unknown past, you must use all of your powers of observation. Like the puppy, a good temperament is the most important quality of all. Keep in mind that adult dogs are more difficult to train, as they have already been trained by someone else.

When choosing your dog, take a look at the bigger picture. Try to resist the temptation to go for the cutest, cuddliest, adorable dog you can find. Consider your lifestyle, your home, your family and try to find a dog breed that fits best with your life. After all, your new dog will be sharing your life with you for many years to come so making sure that you are both happy is an important thing to consider.

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Soft or hard dog food? This decision can be confusing to many of us

Most dogs do seem to prefer wet dog food. It smells more yummy and goes down with ease. However, as your vet has probably told you, dogs need to chew crunchy items to keep their teeth in good shape.

There’s a case to be made for feeding your dog both wet food and dry food. However, if you really don’t want to feed your dog dry kibble from a bag, you can use dog treats such as dog biscuits. In addition, your dog can exercise her jaw with chew toys.

While visiting the veterinarian for checkups, the vet will examine your dogs teeth and will alert or warn you of any issue that needs attending and correcting with a different type of dog food, more opportunities to chew, or even dietary supplements.

Dogs require hard materials to chew on, since this will offer their powerful jaw muscles a good workout and help to strengthen their teeth. Believe it or not, but it’s a good practice to brush your dog’s teeth at least twice weekly. However, if this is not possible, hard crunchy foods can help make up the difference.

As a dog owner, you should brush your dog’s teeth at least twice weekly. However, if this is not possible, hard crunchy foods can make up the difference. Hard chew toys can also help loosen the build up of plaque and tartar.

Whether you choose to feed your dog moist or dry food, you need to provide your dog with something that gives a regular teeth and jaw workout. While visiting the veterinarian for checkups, the vet will examine your dogs teeth and will alert or warn you of any issue that needs attending and correcting with a different type of dog food, more opportunities to chew, or even dietary supplements.

If you would rather feed your dog moist, soft and tasty can foods it will be just fine, but do make sure that your dog also has access to things that he can give a good chew.

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Do you have a yard, and would you like to spend a lot of time out there? Then it will be very important to provide some shelter for him out there. Both in the summer and the winter, having shelter from the elements will be crucial.

A dog house would very well provide shelter for your dog and would be a great idea, because it also gives your dog some space to retreat to, if he needs some alone time.

Fortunately, you do not need to be a structural engineer to build a dog house. It is not too difficult. All you need to do is put some thought into it and have your tools ready.

So, do you want to take this exciting project on for your little friend? Make him his own personalized dog house? If you do, I am sure he will love it. So, let’s think about how to go about it and what things to consider.

Alright, to start off, you will need to decide on the size of the dog house. This, of course, needs to be based on your dog’s size.

Depending on how old your dog is, he will still be growing bigger. If that is so, take this fact into consideration. Make sure to build the house based on the size he will one day be.

Of course, it is important to consider three dimensions: the width, the length, and the height. As for the width and length, your dog should be able to lie down without running out of room. As for the height, simply make sure he can stand comfortably.

Additionally, you need to think about the material you need to build the dog house. As for myself, I like to go for the highest quality stuff out there.

Of course, this is up to you, but it costs much less to build a dog house once, and do it right, than to build one with poor quality material.

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Of course, as dog owners we want to make sure that our dogs stay healthy. This is a top priority, and we do not like anything interfering with it. One concern that has come up in this regard is flea medication – a lot of people wonder whether it is safe.

It seems that flea medication can be quite harmful to both dogs and humans due to its toxic elements, if not applied properly. This is the case because flea medication is a fairly concentrated substance that can have many side effects.

High levels of these medications can find its way to your pet’s circulatory system. Flea medication has high levels of toxins that can be poisonous and causes fatal consequences.

These toxins make sense, as their purpose is to repel or kill the fleas. However, if spread unevenly they can do serious harm to your dog, too. Furthermore, if your dog licks himself, he may also ingest the medication.

It is important to keep the animal from licking the part of their body with flea medication. The toxicity of these medicines can cause nerve problems and brain damage.

Moreover, the dog owner who applies the medication is also somewhat at risk. To minimize this potential risk, you must be very careful when applying the medication, because the toxins can also harm you and lead to allergic reactions.

The best way to go about applying the medication is with disposable gloves. Also make sure that you wash your hands thoroughly after doing so. Wash each finger individually to make sure you are good.

If you are this careful, you will be minimizing your risk, which is essential. Before doing all this, please make sure to ask your vet for recommendations in terms of what flea medication he would choose for your dog.

They can suggest a remedy that is natural or has fewer chemicals which can be harmful to you and your pet. Make sure that you do your research before buying the medication.

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If your dog gets sick, he is going to try to hide it from you. His behavior is sensible in a way, because way back in time when dogs still lived in the wild with their packs, it could have been deadly for them to display a weakness.

Back then, dogs only showed their symptoms openly, when they simply could not hide them anymore. Why am I telling you this? Well, it means that you cannot expect your dog to let it on when he is sick – you will have to figure it out for yourself

Sometimes dogs just have minor issues. They might vomit and feel much better immediately. However, if the issue is not minor like that, your dog will be much, much better off, if you recognize the signs and initiate appropriate treatment immediately.

This goes to show, that being able to recognize symptoms can be tremendously beneficial, because you can get him the needed treatment right away.

One of the most immediate signs that a dog has an illness is when you notice any change in their eating or drinking patterns. If you had to fill the water bowl three times a day, now it sits full, this is a warning sign.

In addition, if your dog gobbled down his meals but now hesitates or leaves leftover kibbles, that is another symptom of a potential problem; you see what I mean.

Most dogs love treats, too, so if your canine starts to turn up his nose at the sound of the treat jar, it is time to visit the vet.

Of course, sometimes dogs do vomit or have diarrhea, and it is not a big deal. That happens. Often the problem takes care of itself; but despite that, please do not take these incidences too lightly.

And last but not least, there is one more symptom you absolutely need to be aware of: blood in the urine. If you ever see this happening, take your dog to see a vet right away. This, certainly, is more than a warning sign.

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Bringing a new pet home with an existing pet already being there can easily cause problems. It is not unheard of that those pets don’t get along well, and it may take quite a while for the pets to not cause trouble anymore and get along well.

The already existing pet in your home may not be used to other animals in its place. So it is a good idea to adequately introduce the new puppy to a cat that has been in the house for a while. If you are not sensitive enough this may well lead to behavioral problems with both of them.

The best way to introduce a new puppy into a home where there is already a cat in residence is slowly. For the first 2-3 days, you are going to want to keep the puppy in a smaller area of the home.

Not only will this diminish the stress from which your puppy suffers when he first arrives at his new place but it will also show your cat, that everything is under control.

The cat will have to get used to a lot of new things: different smell and different sounds the puppy will make. Help her to get accustomed to it, so it will not cause issues like scratching or urinating.

It can also help if you reassure your cat of her position in the house. You can do this by showing your cat some additional affection to take her fear of being replaced by a different pet.

During the first few days do not dote too much on the puppy. This will help not to create a sense of rivalry between your cat and new dog as it happens very often among pets as it does with siblings in a family.

What you ultimately want to reach is to help both pets to feel safe and secure in their home. You can reach this best by a slow introduction of the puppy to your cat.

If you do as I said there is a good chance that you reach both things at the same time with almost no stress: the new dog being introduced to your home and the cat not losing your attention and love.

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Great Danes are a giant breed of canine. Because of their size and power, it is very essential to train them starting at a youthful age. eight to twelve weeks old is appropriate to start with the basics that any canine ought to know; come, sit, stay and no. You might need to know a few commands that your average sized or little canine might not require, like heel, down and mild in addition to socialization coaching and perhaps crate coaching. You should retain these 10 tips.

one> Great Danes in addition to any canine with a deep chest are prone to a medical situation known as bloat or gastric torsion. This could turn out to be deadly and it is therefore essential Not to teach to roll over.

two> Don’t punish or any canine for that matter. A simple stern “no” is all it should take if they do something incorrect. Yelling, hitting or other negative steps can create what’s deemed a “fear biter,” and the types that usually get bitten are the owners or innocent bystanders.

three> The heel command is necessary for great dane training. You’ll require mild physical exercise a minimum of once per day and the best way to do this is to opt for a walk. To show your new best friend to heel, start out with the sit command and once they are still and calm, begin to walk, give a gentle tug around the leash and say “heel.” If you pull or get way too rough, come to a dead stop and take them to sit down once more. Later, repeat all over again.

four> Counters and tables are the perfect peak for most. Instructions like off, no and down are essential to incorporate in your training.

five> Your training ought to account for their sensitive nature. Can suffer from separation anxiety maybe a little higher than other much more impartial dogs. You are able to desensitize them by leaving the room and coming back when they are relaxed. Gradually boost the time which you are gone.

six> Crate training is another great form of coaching that could be helpful to keep them from entering into difficulty or struggling from separation anxiety. Make sure to obtain a crate that allows them to face and turn around in.

seven> Don’t forget to praise when they get it correct. Constructive reinforcement works well with Great Danes.

eight> Be patient and constant when you work your way through great dane training campaign. Great Danes are smart and learn things well. They want to please their keepers and so they will understand what you desire them to do, ultimately.

nine> Give them the proper medical attention they require. Unhealthy canines are more vulnerable to behavior problems and it is not their problem. If peeing in the house unexpectedly, you might wish to drive them towards the vet.

ten> Finally, the Great Dane is an awesome pet for the family members or even the individual. Your canine coaching ought to include socialization because they can be protective and territorial. They should understand how to behave around strangers and other canines as this breed could be a bit intense towards them.

Your conduct and attitude toward them will be the best method to instill great coaching behaviors. By following these fundamental directions true personality will begin to unfold and also you will see a marked improvement in your companionship. As your puppy grows, so will your bond. When trained correctly, these gentle giants can depart a lasting impression on anyone they encounter.

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Just like human babes, puppies do not have teeth when they are born. However, within the first twelve years of their life, their first set of sharp primary teeth comes out.

Each time your puppy is visiting the vet for a vaccination, always get the vet to check over his mouth. You want to ensure that his teeth are coming through in the right position, to prevent any palate damage.

But of course your puppy will not keep his primary teeth for too long. During month four, his adult teeth start coming out and within three more months the full set is complete.

A check again with the vet when he is 5 to 6 months of age to check his adult teeth are coming through as they should be is beneficial.

In addition to the regular check-ups, you should also make sure to brush your puppy’s teeth regularly. This should be done from the third month onwards. But never ever use human tooth paste, because it would make your dog sick; use puppy toothpaste instead.

When you first start brushing his teeth, do not worry too much about how effective your brushing is. What is more important at this stage is getting him used to the process.

Using an extra soft brush would be nice of you in the beginning. Then apply some toothpaste, even let your dog taste it first, and then gently brush his teeth. Just like with kids, use small slow motions. And give him a treat afterwards.

If your puppy starts to suddenly dislike getting his teeth brushed at around 3 to 5 months old, just stop the process temporary.

Here is why: As their adult teeth start coming through, your puppy’s gums can become overly sensitive and the teeth brushing could really hurt them. So what can you do? Just sit it out until the full set of adult teeth is in place. Then start again.

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