Dog Trick Academy Library

Dogs have been living a healthy life with humans for thousands of years. (Vilmos Csanyi, in his book “If Dogs Could Talk” ¹, says the oldest dog skeletons found are about 14,000 years old.) Yet in this twenty-first century, dog owners face a barrage of advertising, aimed at convincing us to buy commercial dog food.

Much of this advertising suggests that feeding a dog is a highly complicated process, best left to the “experts”, those who package so-called “complete” foods. If feeding dogs is so difficult, how did humans manage so successfully in the past? Perhaps the same way they fed themselves and their children – through the use of common sense and an understanding of the needs of their dogs.

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So you want to train your dog to jump through a hoop? Well in this article, I am going to show you how to make one that is SAFE for your dog.

When a dog jumps through a hoop, there is always the possibility of the dog injuring himself by accidentally hitting the hoop with his legs. So below, I will take you on a step-by-step guide to building your own safe hoop. Read the rest of this entry »

This article was written by drgnrdr.
This article may or may not be fully endorsed by the Dog Trick Academy.

All of the material contained in this handout is copyrighted and cannot be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, copy by writing the information down or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from JH. If and/or when permission is given, any reproduction of this handout must contain the authors name and credit given to them. All Rights Reserved

You might be surprised that you are actually following, not leading. Try and answer these questions:

1. Does your dog usually walk ahead of you, either in the house or when you go for a walk? Does he tug or bite at the leash?

2. You know when he wants to play because he…Brings you a toy/ball? Or Barks at you? Plays “keep away”?

3. You know when he wants attention (wants to be petted or you’re ignoring him) because he:
A). gets up under your hands?
B). barks or makes noises (whining included)?
C). puts his head on you or puts a paw on your leg or knee?
D). Jumps up on you with both feet or when you’re sitting he just stands upright looming over you?
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Feeding your dog is the most fundamental way to care and to promote a healthy life for your dog. Good nutrition will help your dog fight diseases and to keep him healthy.

It is of no surprise that the majority of dog owners spend more money on dog food than any other expenses for their dog. But choosing a brand or type of dog food can sometimes be confusing. A dog food that has a label “Premium”, “Premium Ultra”, or “Holistic” does not guarantee that the food was prepared using high quality ingredients. So the more you know about commercial dog foods and what the label means, then it become easier for you to choose the best brand for your dog.

There are basically two choices of commercial dog foods. There is either the kibble type or the canned type dog foods. Both contain mostly the same ingredients, but the kibble type had the water removed through the process of extrusion or baking. This gives the dog food a crunchy appeal while at the same time ensuring a long shelf life. The water is kept in canned dog foods, so it must be sealed in a can to keep it fresh. Read the rest of this entry »

A service dog is a type of assistance dog, specifically trained to help people with physical mobility limitations to reach high or low places, or open doors and turn on the lights. Other duties may include moving wet laundry to the dryer, or they may help in public by pulling a wheelchair up a steep incline.

Other service dogs may also be trained to detect medical problems and to warn the authorities. Some does have been trained to warn their handlers of seizures before they happen and to contact the medical emergencies by pushing a button (already preset to contact). Read the rest of this entry »