Shedding, ways to keep fur from flying

Regardless of the length of coat your dog has when summer gets here, they all shed, some more than others of course. Loosing that winter coat can mean having thousands of dog hairs floating around your house per day. And when these little hairs go floating around they end up sticking to everything possible – your clothes, your furniture, your couches, etc.

Of course not all dogs shed in one huge fashion like this. There are certain indoor pets that shed all year long, but the hair is minimal, nothing like a dog shedding for the summer.

Try these tips to help keep the dog's coat clean and your house “hair free”:

1. Ask any professional what the best thing to do when your dog is shedding and they will all invariable agree that brushing your dog on a regular basis during shedding season is by far the best thing that you can do. You will need a brush that is tailor-made for your pet's coat. You will probably spend anywhere from one time per day brushing your dog's hair or as little as one week depending on what breed of dog you are dealing with.

2. Brush very deeply with firm strokes. Use short strokes instead of long ones because they penetrate the coat more thoroughly. If you are running over the coat quickly with the brush then you are not really getting deep into the area that you need to make the brushing effective.

3. Go against the direction of the growth as you brush the second time around. This will help loosen any hair that you may have missed on your first round of deep brushing. This may cause some static unless you have a static free brush so it is recommended that you get one so as not to shock your dog.

4. A second brushing technique is to use a comb to brush the dog after you have deep cleaned him with the first 2 brushes.

5. There are some dogs that just will not stand still for a good coat brushing because of the strangeness of the brush. For these types of situations there is a perfect solution called a grooming glove. And like the name says, it is a glove that fits on your hand to groom your dog. What makes it a grooming glove is that there are hundreds of tiny plastic or rubber teeth to help brush those dogs that simply cannot sit still for a standard brush.

6. Last but not least, it is advisable to properly bath and groom your dog all year round not only for the health and well being of your pet, but also it minimizes the amount of hair when it comes time to shed.

Being Your Dog’s Leader is Key to Training

Dogs, in their natural state, are pack animals. We tend to think of them simply as autonomous pups and don’t often consider their immutable core nature as pack animals, however. This failure to take into account the true nature of dogs can make training more difficult. Likewise, understanding what it means to be a pack animal can unlock one of training’s greatest secrets.

Dogs, in packs, have leaders. The leadership role in dog packs is one of great influence. Other dogs in the pack naturally subordinate themselves to leadership and will look to their leader for guidance and instruction.

Of course, domesticated dogs don’t travel in packs. Instead, they build a pack based on those with whom they regularly interact. In essence, the owner and the owner’s family members or close friends become the dog’s pack.

This creates a wonderful opportunity for dog trainers. By casting yourself as the leader of your dog’s pack, the dog will naturally tend to follow your lead, will naturally feel inclined to respect you and will demonstrate an instinctive need to learn from you. Since a dog’s real social structure will always be seen through the innate canine perspective of packs and leaders, it only makes sense for trainers to take advantage of this by assigning roles for both pet and master that will make dog training especially effective.

There are several things a trainer can do to emulate being a pack leader. These techniques will allow your dog to find what he will rightfully feel is his place in your family’s social order and will make him substantially more amenable to your training. Some may say it is as easy as “making sure the dog knows who is the boss,” but that is an oversimplification. Being bossy is not the same as being a leader. Simply trying to enforce your will on a dog does not necessarily communicate to him that you are truly the pack leader. The talented trainer will understand this and will take specific actions to emulate a pack leader.

Some expert-recommended techniques include:
Consistency
Good leaders are consistent enforcers of rules and regulations. Leaders who too often “look the other way” are not taken seriously. A dog will notice whether your rules and expectations are consistently maintained and may even test your mettle upon occasion, pushing the boundaries of established behavioral norms to determine who is really in charge. By being a wholly consistent leader, you are likely to establish yourself as being the head of your pack and your dog will then be much more apt to follow your lead.

Respect
Leaders are respected not just as an arbitrary outgrowth of their assigned position but because of how they behave in that role. A firm, but fair leader is far more likely to be admired and followed. One must be firm with their dog when training, but cannot hold unreasonable expectations or enforce their rules with violence or punishment. A good pack leader can still use the positive-reinforcement techniques that have been proven the core of successful dog training. Being a respectful leader will create a respectful follower in your dog. Their submission to you should be premised in respect and appreciation—not in fear or humiliation.

Interaction
The successful pack leader will interact with his dog in ways that reinforce the notion of the social hierarchy. Dogs, for instance, look for cues from leadership in the eyes. By maintaining eye contact with your dog during training, he will better understand your role as leader. Likewise, it is desirable to occasionally demand your dog’s attention while walking, playing or during more intense training sessions. By commanding your dog to heel and to look at you, for instance, you will further reinforce your position as pack leader.

Unlocking the power of being a pack leader can make training much more effective. With roles clearly established, one can avoid much of the struggle others may experience while training their pets. Additionally, by assigning yourself the role of pack leader you create an environment in which your dog will naturally look to you for its guidance. Pack leadership is an essential component to any fully optimized dog training program.