Bringing a new baby into a home with a dog can be stressful, but Mikkel Becker has some good news: With precautions and training, your dog can safely and happily cohabitate with a newborn. Here’s her best advice on teaching proper manners and purchasing safety items. Learn more at http://www.vetstreet.com/.

Are you considering adopting and raising a Black Mouth Cur? Taking that you even know what it is, you’re going to have to learn more about its history, character, and the jobs that it was “meant” for. The Black Mouth Cur is one of the best hunting dog breeds on the face of the planet – they have skills that others don’t have, and similar ones that are of greater “refinement”. This pooch has been known for its neck-snapping speed, as well as its eye-popping agility. It can get through obstacles, such include trees, vines, etc., in the hunting environment it was placed in.

The build of it is ideal for that kind of scenario – athletic, strong and a flexible body weighing anywhere from 40 to 80 pounds and standing up to 28 inches. With that physical prowess and structure, it was no wonder that it was able to run after and kill medium to small sized critters with ease. But its abilities didn’t just limit itself to catching small game; it had a knack for the big ones. Be it a deer or a bear, the Black Mouth Cur could easily sneak up on it, catching it off guard. From there it would be able to alert the hunter of the prey it found, or if necessary keep it busy till the hunter arrived.

Killing animals, tracking them down, or holding them at bay was one of its many specialties. Aside from that, it made a good sheepdog – guarding herd, keeping them in order, and warding off predators was the standard operating procedure given to it by the farmers. That’s how the Black Mouth Cur is, and that should never be forgotten while raising one. With that in mind, having one as a family pet would be great. They are very protective and have the tendency to treat the family as its “herd”. Unwavering loyalty to the lucky owners of the pooch will be given without hesitation.

It’s also known for its kindness towards the people it loves, especially the ladies (it’s a fact). Black Mouth Curs also get along very well with the children of the family – they just love playing with them and keeping them under “surveillance”. But they don’t get along with other kinds of animals, such as raccoons and smaller animals. The other pets in town could also trigger its “hunting instinct”. Remember these are very proficient killers, having one in the town may lead to “mysterious disappearances” of other peoples pets. Giving it thorough canine behavioral lessons and “socialization classes” is very important if you don’t wanna be the owner of a serial killer.

Let it meet the other mammals and people around, preferably at an early age. Giving it nutritious dog food is also important – its best that you give it three meals a day, instead of one big one. This will help out with its digestion and avoid the rise of any “overfeeding” related disorders. Have it exercise often, like everyday to keep it in good shape. Most importantly, give it love and attention – don’t treat it as if it were a piece of property or whatever; treat it as if it were a member of the family.

Dog Training Harness

As many dog owners will confess, dog training can be difficult, frustrating and time consuming.  The theory of getting your dog who has endless energy and no understanding of your English dictionary to understand what you would like him to do can seem like mission impossible!  However some dog owners have discovered that part of the solution is using a dog training harness.

Dog Training Harness – How It Works:

Some people believe that the dog training harness is a more humane method of controlling their dog because of the way they fit and work.  It fits over the dogs front legs and lies around his mid-section.  So, when controlling the dog using the harness, he still feels a tug, but it is more humane than jerking the collar for results.

The dog training harness helps control the momentum and forward force of the dog more easily too.  This is because it distributes your dog’s weight more evenly, whereas a collar and lead is focused on one small area, his neck, and because of this he can pull ahead or away incredibly quickly, and without too much effort in many cases.

Dog Training Harness – Comfort

The dog training harness is considered more comfortable for your dog, and less of an exhaustive problem for you as there is less lead jerking and tugging, and more even control of your dog. And because of this a dog training harness can be much more effective than the standard collar and lead.

The harness focuses on the dog’s weight in the shoulder and chest area due to its even fit and distribution of weight, and because of this it is considered safer for the dog, because and by comparison the dog’s neck is weaker and can get damaged.  Many neck collars can cause discomfort for your dog but the harness is usually found to be a more comfortable for your dog to wear.

Dog Training Harness – Sizing:

Of course with most doggie products, the dog harness comes in a range of sizes, styles, colours etc to suit a range of different sized dogs. The most appropriate style is one that is adjustable so you can make the fit correct for your dog.  You are also looking for a harness that has soft padded straps that go over the front of the chest area for the comfort of your dog.

The harness should not be over tight, it should fit loosely but no so loose so it slips around or so the dog can escape, however it should not be very snug either.  It needs to be loose enough for comfort but not so loose that the dog can’t feel your commands.  If you are unsure, then you can ask the professionals.  You can do this by visiting your local pet store, they are almost certain to sell Dog Training Harnesses, and many allow you to take your dog in, and they will often be able to help you with your appropriate choice and sizing.

It is important and safer for you and your dog to have him properly trained and under control.  A dog training harness when used and fitted correctly can help as part of your dogs training and control, they can be more effective and more comfortable than a simple collar and lead, so they are well worth a try. 

Schutzhund is a form of dog training or dog sport foundered in Germany over a century ago. The word Schutzhund actually means protection dog in German and was used to assess German Shepherds to determine if they were suitable for police work.

Although it was initially just German Shepherds, testing now occurs on dogs of many different breeds. The test is both rigorous and demanding, so the numbers of other breeds that pass are limited.

Schutzhund Basics

Enrolling your dog into Schutzhund training may still prove difficult, however if you are keen to learn the techniques and principles behind this training method, there are many DVDs that can be purchased or acquired. It is important to understand though, that the training is highly specialized, very strict and very structured, which means you will need to maintain this consistently for your dog to learn. For this reason, it may not be the best form of training if you have a young family.

The training will over time teach your dog the skills of obedience, tracking, protection, sniffing and retrieving, and will commence when your pup is just a few weeks of age. Of course, you may not be able to commence your training until your pup is 8+ weeks of age when you bring them home from the breeder.

Schutzhund Training Principles

Although it is possible to get specialized training DVDs that focus on a specific principle, you can expect your Schutzhund training DVDs to cover the following areas:

Clicker Training – This is a form of positive reinforcement that is gaining popularity with trainers around the world, even if it isnt associated with Schutzhund. It involves using a little clicker button whenever the dog is good. First you will need to train your puppy to know that the clicking noise equals a good job.

Obedience – This is the core of any training method and is the first test in Schutzhund, covering a set of 11 basic commands. The commands however may use multiple instructions in one, such as sit, down and stand. In addition they cover instructions like focus and attention, targeting, retrieving, motion exercises, pointing out an object and heeling. To pass this test, your dog must be able to execute all 11 commands perfectly.

Tracking – Leveraging from the obedience commands to target and find an object, which has been pointed out, the dog will learn to track all sorts of items and people. The training will teach the dog to remember a scent when provided to them and then to pursue that until they are called off.

Protection – Using more commands the dog is taught how to identify potential threats and how to attack them. Police, guard and attack dogs are taught using this method. Another form of protection is where the dog is taught that it must protect a person or object; this is then done without commands.

Schutzhund training is designed to give a dog an education to enable it to be a specialized working dog. Although this may not be the aim with your dog, the training DVDs can provide useful instruction on training and assist in developing your dog understands of commands. As stated earlier, there are a number of different courses, so it is best to research the types of training courses first before purchasing them. Understand the success rates and the philosophies they employ and whether they are likely to be useful for your breed of dog.