Labrador Retriever Dogs Blog

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Mahatma Gandhi.

MYTH #1 — You need to use a choke collar to leash train your dog. This is just not true and choke collars should only be used by those experienced in their use if at all. Choke collars do exactly what they say — they cut off your dog’s air supply! Needless to say, it’s a health hazard and you can do serious damage to your dog’s esophagus!

MYTH #2 — You need a prong (spike) collar to train “tough” dogs. This is not true just like myth #1 is not true. Prong collars have spikes that jab into your poor dog’s neck every time the leash is jerked. The truth is that most people do NOT need to discipline their dogs in this aggressive way! Only experienced dog-training professionals should be using prong collars, and they know the special situations that call for it. This collar should NEVER be used by the average dog owner.

MYTH #3 — You need an electronic shock collar to stop your dog’s barking. No feeling person should imagine that this modern convenience is a humane act, and in truth it is just not necessary. It’s EASY to stop a dog’s barking without using something as inhumane as SHOCKING! 

Studies show shock collars work on only a small percentage of dogs and it teaches the dog to be afraid of the collar! What is worse, you are creating tremendous stress and most likely serious damage to your dog’s immune system!

MYTH #4 — You need to dominate your dog by using physical force (smacking, hitting, and choking). Your dog needs to view you and the family members as the “pack leader”. But this respect is not accomplished or earned by beating your dog!!!!! In the wild, a pack leader doesn’t suddenly overreact and beat its pack members into the ground.

A pack leader is calm, consistent, and fair. Sure you can beat a dog into obedience. You can smack it, yell at it, and shock it to force it to obey your every command, but this abuse will not gain your dog’s  respect — it’ll just make your dog fearful of you and have to suffer a life of anxiety! It won’t love you… and you will NOT have earned its unwavering loyalty. Your dog will be afraid of you, cower and grovel submissively every time you make a fast move in its direction and will always be looking for a way to escape your company.

Is THIS the kind of relationship you want with your dog? Of course not…

MYTH #5 — You need to YELL at your dog, so it perceives you as tough. Yelling accomplishes little with people and even less with dogs that do not speak your language. To a dog yelling sounds like frantic barking — which the dog will interpret as something is wrong! Good trainers can easily control their dogs with a quiet whisper, body language and hand signals…. And, of course, there are other less than intelligent and inappropriate training recommendations like throwing bottles filled with rocks at your dog, putting your dog on prozac, isolating it from the family, and tons more horrible actions directed at dogs in the name of discipline and training.

Make your dog LOVE you…not SCARED of you!

You may be wondering, if negative reinforcement doesn’t work, why do so many dog trainers insist you should PUNISH your dog to train it?

This is how a lot of so-called “professional” trainers make their money!

These are trainers who intimidate and force the dogs to do what they want (the William Koehler trainers) that today we regard as old school “yank and crank” trainers being kind, cruel and abusive to be accurate. The problem with yank and crank trainers is the dogs seldom like their handlers and in fact are often afraid of them, and their training produces inconsistent results along with dogs that don’t like or respect their owners. If you don’t have a good bond with your dog, or if your dog does not respect you as a pack leader, you will never reach consistency in training.

A modern compassionate “Hands-Off Dog Training Program” focuses on teaching YOU how to train your dog using simple voice commands, handle signals, and well-timed positive reinforcement. Free Video CLICK HERE

This type of training program gets results QUICKLY because your dog actually has fun!

This type of training can Stop your dog’s WORST habit in just 6 days…Without laying a finger on your dog!

Problems such as:
1. Constantly pees on your favorite rug or couch
2. Barks out your window like crazy at people and cars
3. Growls at you for “invading” its favorite couch space
4. Jumps on you, your family, and friends
5. Plays too rough with your kids
6. Refuses to “come” when called
7. Ignores basic obedience commands like “sit”
8. Tries to dig or chew its way out of your backyard
9. Constantly begs for food at the kitchen table
… Or whatever other problems you may be having.
 
You can be taught how to tap into your dog’s natural canine instincts and manipulate its behavior. And the best news is it will only take you 5-10 minutes of training per day so within just 6 days of starting this program, you’ll have put an end to your dog’s most annoying and destructive habits…

… And best of all, it’ll only take you 5-10 minutes of training per day!

For the rest of the story…CLICK HERE

Ear infections are common problems in dogs. They usually affect the auricle.

The 4 main causes of infection are allergies, bacteria, yeast and mites. Symptoms include head shaking, scratching, head tilting, personality and behavioral changes, appetite loss, odor, discharge, pain, bleeding and swelling. The treatment of dog ear infections depends on the underlying cause.

Allergy infections

Allergies, to food or inhaled substances, are the primary cause of persistent dog ear infections. In response to the allergy, the ear produces excessive wax which makes an ideal environment for bacteria and yeast to thrive.

Allergies can be difficult to control. They are diagnosed through skin testing, blood testing or allergy testing. These tests determine the allergens that cause infection in your dog. Once the allergen is known, your dog can be treated with allergy shots and by minimizing its contact with the allergen. Although costly and complicated, these tests and injections are more effective to finding the right treatment.

If the dog owner does not want these tests or injections, corticosteroids are prescribed for itchiness and inflammation. Allergy symptoms can be controlled with antihistamine and fatty acid supplements.

Bacteria and yeast infections

Ear infections in dogs can be caused by various types of bacteria and yeast. The healthy ear normally has a strong defense against these micro-organisms. In the event that the ear canal weakens or the ear environment changes due to allergies, injury, moisture and other causes, the defense mechanism is compromised and bacteria and yeast infections can occur.

This type of infection is diagnosed by examining swabs of the ear under a microscope for bacteria, yeast or any other infection. Normally, there is discharge and bad odor. The ear must always be cleaned before applying medications. Bacteria infections are treated with oral and/or topical antibiotics while yeast infections are treated with oral and/or anti fungal drugs.

Ear mite infections

Another common cause of ear infections in dogs is the mite. This parasite lives in the auditory canal and on the head of dogs. The infected dog suffers from intense itchiness and inflammation. Excessive scratching causes damage to the auricle and bleeding. As the auricle becomes injured, secondary infection from bacteria or yeast may occur and further exacerbates existing problems.

The vet can see mites by looking into the ear with an otoscope. The ear must be cleaned thoroughly before applying medication. Treatment is on a daily basis, for a week, and repeated when necessary, depending on the product used.

If you notice any of the symptoms of dog ear infections, consult your vet for proper medical diagnosis and treatment immediately. If left untreated, the infection on the auricle can spread to the middle and inner ear. Once the ear drum is affected, your dog may experience loss of hearing which is irreversible. There may be other complications that may arise.