How to Give Your Dog Medicine

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For some reason your protection dog may need to take medications, weekly, monthly, or even daily if certain health problems develop. Giving dogs medicine can be a process that creates a lot of anxiety for both you and your Personal Protection Dogs so it is important for you to know how to properly go about it. If you develop a routine for giving them their medication it will greatly decrease the anxiety. Here are some tips that will make medicine time much less stressful for the both of you.

First, your veterinarian will let you know whether or not your guard dog's medication can be given with food, or taken on an empty stomach. If the tablet or capsule medicine can be taken with food then you can make what is called a "meatball". A meatball is when you place the pill inside the center of a small ball of food, such as canned food or cheese. This will obviously disguise the pill and make your protection dog excited to eat it. It is a good idea though to test this meatball trick first to see if your dog chews or gulps it whole. Most dogs gulp the whole thing, but if they do chew it there is a chance of them finding the pill and spitting it out. If they spit it out the tablet or capsule may have become partially dissolved and hard to handle, which could waste that dose of medicine. Also, if the Guard Dogs bites into the pill, it will likely leave a bad taste in their mouth making it harder to give them medicine a second time.

If your dog's medicine can not be given with the meatball, there are other ways to make the process much easier. The medicine given to you by the vet will most likely be in pill, capsule or liquid form. Being that you can not conceal the medicine your dog will become much more anxious and harder to handle. Start by holding your protection dog's head from the top using your less dominant hand. Then tilt their head backwards, and gently fold their upper lip over their teeth as you open their mouth. This will protect your hand from getting bit if they do decide to bite down, because they will end up biting their lip instead. Next place your thumb on the roof of their mouth, and take the pill in your other hand. Drop the pill or capsule as far back over the tongue as you possibly can. Immediately close their mouth and blow on their nose, this will encourage them to swallow. If you have to give your guard dog liquid medication, take the dropper and squirt it into the pouch between their teeth and cheek. Then try and hold their mouth closed and stroke their neck or blow on their nose to encourage them to swallow. Liquid medicine could possibly enter the dog's windpipe, to prevent this from happening do not tilt their head backwards. Although giving your protection dog medicine may be stressful, it is an extremely important factor to keep them healthy.

Remember if you need to give your German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, or Dutch Shepherd  Protection Dogs medicine it is not a big deal and by following these simple tips you will be helping your dog in no time.

Training the Send Out Exercise in Schutzhund

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Schutzhund is a dog sport originating in Germany as a way to test the working ability of German Shepherd dogs during the early 1900's. Since then, it has involved into a popular sport, and is enjoyed by canine enthusiasts worldwide. The sport itself offers titles to dogs who compete favorably. Teams of handler and dog can compete for specialised titles that focus on one specific area, but the standard Schutzhund titles demand proficiency in three areas: tracking, obedience and protection.

The purpose of obedience is to test a dog's loyalty, intelligence and ability to be trained. Obedience exercises are performed in all levels of Schutzhund training, and are especially important during the preliminary Begleithunde (BH) stages. One such exercise is known as the "send out" exercise. While the basic concept of Send Out is fairly simple, this exercise is considered one of the more difficult to train for, especially for inexperienced handlers. In the exercise, the handler gives a "send out" command (typically "voraus"), to which the dog must respond by running in the direction signalled by the handler. After about 30 paces, the handler gives the "platz" command, to which the dog must respond by immediately stopping its run and entering a down stay.

As with all distance exercises, it is best to start training at short distances, and gradually increase the distance until it is above 30 paces. Before training the send out exercise, it is important that the dog already be trained for to down stay with the platz command. Begin the send out training by having the dog simply run out, and then gradually add in the platz command. Many trainers begin training by placing a toy in the field and having the dog run to the toy. However, the effectiveness of using a toy is debatable. Regardless of how training begins, one should keep in mind that no toy or object will be present in the Schutzhund ring during judging. Speed is important in this exercise, so it is important that you train for the exercise when your dog is well rested and has energy.

Whether you have a German Shepherd,  Belgian Malinois, obedience is the most important factor in successful training. If a dog cannot consistently follow basic commands, there is no way it will be able to complete complicated protection exercises. One should also keep in mind that Schutzhund training is effective only for sporting dogs. If you want a true Protection Dogs, you need a dog that has been trained specifically for real-world protection from the very beginning.

The Bloodhound As a Working Dog

The bloodhound is a classic working dog with a long history. As with many hounds, it is speculated that the bloodhound was developed by the Belgian and french people, centuries ago. The bloodhound is mentioned in writings dating back as early as the 14th century, where they were bred for the purpose of hunting deer and wild boar. The bloodhound's long history of use as a hunting dog have given the breed a reputation for remarkable tracking skills. It is a misconception that bloodhounds were frequently used in packs. In fact, most bloodhounds track solo in order to minimize noise and to avoid startling their game.

As hunting changed over the years, so did the role of the bloodhound as a working dog. Local police forces began to take note of the breed's incredible ability to track human beings by scent. Before the abolishment of slavery, bloodhounds were imported to the United States and used to track runaway slaves. Since then, they have found more noble work with police forces who have used them to track criminals and locate missing persons.

Today, bloodhounds are a popular cultural icon and often seen on film or on TV. However, the actual use of bloodhounds by the police has diminished. The gentle nature of the bloodhound combined with difficulties in training and obedience have caused the police to take on more protection-oriented breeds such as the German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois. However, bloodhounds are still sometimes used in tracking situations where there is little to no risk of danger to the police officer and the dog.

Bark and Hold Exercise in Schutzhund

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Schutzhund is a dog sport that is practised by canine enthusiasts in Germany, the United States, and many other countries worldwide. It began in Germany as a way to test the ability of working German Shepherd dogs during the early 1900's, but has since grown into a popular sport with dedicated followers from all over the world. To the average spectator, the sport of Schutzhund may be indistinguishable from real protection work, but when it's time to invest money in a dog who is expected to protect oneself and ones family, knowing the difference between a sporting dog and a Personal Protection Dogs is invaluable.

There are many Schutzhund exercises that fail to properly train and prepare a dog for real life scenarios, but one of the worst, by far, is the Bark and Hold exercise. In this exercise, a decoy will hide himself behind a two-sided structure known as a blind. The decoy wears a bite sleeve over one arm, and holds a stick in the other. The dog is trained to corner the decoy inside the blind, and bark aggressively for a length of time. Eventually, the dog is given the signal to take a bite. During the bite, the decoy will strike the dog with the stick in an attempt to distract and disorient it.

Amongst true protection dog trainers, this exercise is given another name: Bark and Die. As grim as this may sound, the reality is that Schutzhund dogs are being trained to make several mistakes in this exercise. In a life or death situation, these mistakes could have terrible consequences. The first big mistake is that the dog is trained to stand and bark in front of a man holding a weapon. The idea behind this is simply absurd. The reality is that an armed criminal is not going to stand idly by while a protection dog barks at him; he is going to attack. The second big mistake is that once the dog takes a bite, the weapon arm is not targeted. Targeting the weapon arm is absolutely essential, as it prevents the criminal from fighting back. A real criminal will not be softly hitting the dog with a small stick; he will be attacking with a real weapon. In a dangerous situation, these mistakes can not only cost the dog its life, but could also cost the lives of the human beings it's protecting as well.

Whether you're looking to purchase a German Shepherd, Dutch Shepherd or Belgian Malinois as a protection dog, it is vital that you understand the difference between a sporting dog, and a real Protection Dogs. Schutzhund is just a sport, and a dog trained in Schutzhund simply cannot be depended on to protect the lives of you and your family.

Can You Catch a Disease From Your Dog?

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There has always been the question of whether or not you can catch a disease from you protection dog. Almost everyone is familiar with stories of rabid dogs and just by hearing the word rabies, they are stricken with fear. Rabies also, referred to as a zoonotic disease, is virus that has the possibility of infecting almost any mammal, including dogs. It lives in the saliva of the animal and is transmitted typically by bite wounds. If the virus is not treated, it will attack the nervous system. Personal protection Dogs infected with rabies begin to show a change in temperament, and act rabidly. Zoonotic diseases can be transmitted from a wild or domesticated animal to a human, and vice versa. Since there is so much concern, it is obvious that there is definitely a potential for you to catch a disease from your Personal Protection  Dogs .

There are also other ways for you to catch a disease from your dog besides Zoonotic Disease. Even if the dog does not appear to be rabid, he could still have a disease that you are not aware of. For example a parasite such as hookworms could be present in the saliva or feces of the protection dog, and there's no way for you to know that before hand. The hookworm could easily spread to you or your child if the dog happens to lick you. This shows how important it is for you to give you protection dog vaccines for worms, and have regular check-ups.

Rabies, hookworms, salmonella, fleas, lime disease, roundworms are all examples of zoonotic diseases that can be caught from your animal. The best solution is to take your protection dog to the vet for regular check-ups and vaccinations. It is a good idea to never handle feces directly. Make sure to always wear gloves when handling your dog's feces, and make sure to pick up any feces in your home quickly to prevent your child from coming in contact with it. Wash your hands frequently when handling any dog, especially unfamiliar ones. You have very little to worry about concerning catching a disease, just always use caution and common sense when handling Protection Dogs.

Training Your Dog for Sheep Herding

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Humans and canines have had a long history together that stretches back for thousands of years. The domestication of dogs was a long process that likely began with wild canines following groups of nomadic humans in order to scavenge scraps of food from them. As ancient nomadic tribes developed into agricultural societies, they began to realise the potential to use the natural behavior of dogs to their advantage. Thus, herding dogs came into existence, and the first working role of canines in human society was established.

Although similar techniques can be applied to herding a wide variety of livestock including goats, sheep and cattle, the term "sheep dog" or "shepherd" is the most commonly used term to describe herding dogs. The roles of herding dogs can differ depending on the circumstance. In some instances, the dog is required to move the livestock by "driving" them; in others, the role of the dog is to keep the livestock from wandering too far from their grazing area. Regardless of the precise role of the herding dog, it remains that the act of herding plays off of the natural predatory instincts of the canine. Of course, many breeds of dog have lost these instincts over thousands of years of being bred for other roles. However, any dog can be tested for herding instincts in order to determine their suitability for work as a herding dog.

It should be noted that while both are often referred to as "sheep dogs", there is a difference between dogs that are trained to herd versus dogs who are trained to guard livestock against natural predators. To add to this confusion, some dogs are expected to perform both roles. For a guard dog, the guarding instincts for which they have been bred will make a good fit for guarding livestock. However, many Guard Dogs today are taken from traditional shepherd breeds such as the German Shepherd, or Belgian Malinois. Dogs from these breeds are likely to still have strong herding instincts, and may be a good fit for herding livestock.

Arthritis, and Bone Joint Disease in Dogs

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Health problems like arthritis often referred to as degenerative joint disease affects not only humans, but also dogs as well. Arthritis is the breakdown of cartilage, which causes the bones to rub against each other. This will cause stiffness, pain and loss of movement in the joints. As a protection dog owner hopefully you do everything in your power to keep them healthy. Including things like giving them medicine to prevent things such as heart worms, making sure they have good nutrition, and have a loving home. You will also naturally notice changes in their mood and behavior. Your guard dog will become like another one of your children, and if they begin to act differently in the slightest way, you will be able to tell. If you notice your protection dog not feeling too well, there is a possibility it could be arthritis. Arthritis affects one out of every five dogs in the U.S, and is a source of unbelievable chronic pain.

Being that your personal protection dogs will not be able to verbally tell you what is wrong with them, it is your responsibility to look for signs of arthritis. Some signs that your dog will show you is favoring a limb and difficulty sitting or standing, these symptoms obviously result from the chronic pain they are in. Also, their joint deterioration will cause them to have stiff or sore joints, and also a hesitancy to jump, run or climb stairs. If your guard dog, for example your Belgian Malinois has arthritis they will have a large decrease in activity and will begin to sleep more and be a lot less alert. If your dog experiences these symptoms for more than two weeks, take them to the vet to be evaluated for arthritis. Therapies for arthritis may include a healthy diet and regular exercise to maintain a proper weight. Drug treatments will also help relieve some of the constant pain your dog is experiencing. The most common treatment for arthritis is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). Also over-the-counter treatments, such as pills or foods which contain glucosamine and fatty acids have been known to relieve symptoms of dog arthritis. Regardless of how it's done, making sure that your Protection Dogs is happy and free of pain is the most important thing.