My Crazy Dog

Looking Into A Dog Training Collar for Your Gun Dogs? Try SportDOG

Owners of hunting dogs have supplying needs that pet owners do not necessarily have. Some of these include callers the field training, tracking collars, and often by callers. The good news is SportDog can meet all of those needs.

SportDog SD 400 Electronic Dog Collar

These correction collars are used for mischievous behavior, correction-based training, and other times when your dog needs correction. Hunting dogs often need training to retrieve, stand still, and to flush on the point of a partner dog. The SD 400 from SportDOG provides fourteen different levels of stimulus for corrections to help you better-train your hunting dog. The receiver and collar are completely waterproof, making it ideal for training–no matter the weather or terrain.

SportDog SD 400S Training Collar

The SportDog SD 400S offers a higher level of stimulation and is perfect for a large breed or for a very stubborn dog. This option may be perfect if all other training methods have failed with your dog. It is important to remember that electronic training callers will not hurt your dog even though systems like the SD 400S offer both high levels and continuous stimulation. Training your dog using a combination of commands in training collars will help ensure that your dog not only is a good hunting companion but stays safe while you are in the field hunting.

SportDOG Bark Collar

A barking dog out on the field can quickly eliminate your chances of hunting. If you have a dog that barks at all the wrong moments, you know how frustrating it could be. With the SportDog bark collar, your dog will quickly learn that barking isn’t appropriate at certain times. With the use of a bark collar, your dog won’t ruin your chances and alert prey to run away. In a fairly short time, your dog will know to stay quiet. When this occurs, you won’t need the collar ever again.

With so many collars to choose from, a trusted brand is definitely a must and SportDOG is a very trusted brand on the market today. Whether you need a barking collar or a training collar, they’ve got the one for you.

Tags: electronic dog collar, hunting dogs, sportdog

Easy Tips for Crate Training Your hunting dog

Most hunters who own hunting dogs treat the dogs not as a tool to use on the hunt, but as friends and companions who live with them every day. If your dog is living in your home with you, you’ve probably realized that these gun dogs also make great pets. In order to keep it that way, though, proper training for living in your home is a must.

Training a bird dog to behave in your house is not difficult and only requires persistence and love. You’ve trained your gun dog to be great in the field, so now it’s time to turn that same training into house living. If your dog is a puppy, this is even more important and will take longer to teach—puppies, while smart, are easily distracted and forget what they’ve learned quickly. Again, persistence is key. Teaching your bird dog, whatever its age, to go outside to potty, to not tear up your furniture, and so forth is most easily and humanely done by crate training.

Some thing that crate training is mean or cruel, but they couldn’t be further from the truth. Remember: a bird dog is not a human and has very different instincts. A warm, safe, quiet place for Fido to relax is a great boon to the dog’s self-esteem and well being. Dogs have a “den” instinct that prefers small spaces that give a sense of safety and security. That’s what a crate can be for your dog.

The size of the crate is a very important thing to keep in mind. You will want to purchase a crate that is big enough for your dog to be able to comfortably turn around, lay down straight, and be able to stand up comfortably. Most breeds of hunting dogs, a medium or large size dog crate will suffice. Don’t worry if you have a puppy, there is no need to buy multiple crates, you can buy the crate that will fit your dog when they are full grown. It is suggested however that you section off the crate and make it larger as your puppy grows. If the crate is too big, you will run into the problem of you puppy going to the bathroom in an empty corner. If there are no empty corners, the puppy won’t want to have an accident where he is sleeping.

Obviously, your dog cannot be locked in that crate all day, every day. The crate is for when you are not around to supervise your dog’s behavior, such as while you’re at work or sleeping. It’s essential that you let your dog out to potty and for exercise. Especially so with gun dog breeds as they are highly energetic. To get your dog used to the idea of going outside to do his business, take him for walks or take him outside repeatedly, every half hour or so, until he goes. Then reward him for going. It doesn’t take long, even for a puppy, to understand this behavior.

Speaking of puppies, remember that they do not have the control of an adult dog and will probably have accidents inside their crate. First and foremost, do not berate or punish your puppy for this as it sends a mixed message that puppy won’t understand. Instead, put puppy in a safe area and clean up the mess. Make sure that puppy doesn’t see you cleaning up, as this also sends the wrong message.If you have a puppy, you must understand that they don’t have the control like adult dogs, and can’t go for as long without having a bathroom break either. With this being said, a puppy will have accidents in the crate. It is important that you don’t scold or punish the puppy, because this will make him relate to crate to a punishment. Remove the puppy and place him somewhere where it is safe and he is confined, such as a bathroom. This way the puppy doesn’t see you cleaning the mess up, because this will tell your puppy that having an accident is okay, and you will just clean it up.

Dogs respond very well to routine. You should try to make sure that you take your dog out around the same time, as well as training time should be the same time everyday. If you maintain a routine in your dog’s life, the training process will be much quicker, as well as less stressful for you and your dog.

Most people feel that crate training is the humane way to housebreak your dog and it’s typically the quickest and most effective method of training your gun dog to use acceptable indoor behavior.

Tags: bird dogs, dog crate, gun dogs, hunting dogs

How To Care For Your Hunting Dog That Just Had Puppies

In most cases, a dog that has just had pups will whelp the puppies, expel her placenta, and with a little rest be back on her feet as healthy as ever. Whelping is a natural process in which a bitch will usually have no problems—especially if she’s strong and healthy. There are possible complications, however, so it’s a good idea to be aware of them. Postpartum care is important for any breeder of hunting dogs to understand.

Within a day of whelping, the bitch should be taken to a veterinarian to be checked. Most vets will also want to look at the puppies, which is also a good idea. You want to be sure, in the mother’s case, that she is still healthy and that no unborn pups remain in her womb and that her placenta ejected completely. If she retains either, she could get an infection (or worse) and die. Most veterinarians will also offer a shot to help her let down her milk and clear her uterus.

For the pups, temperature checks and physical checks can ensure that the babies are all in good health and that there are no immediate problems. For mom, make sure you watch for fever, lack of appetite and diarrhea after birth as these could be signs of a bacterial infection. Any symptoms should be immediately discussed with your veterinarian so that an antibiotic can be prescribed if needed.

Typically if mom is going to have any problems they will show up within a week of the puppies birth so you’ll want to watch her carefully and make sure that she is in fact returning to her old self.

There are some things you can do as a responsible pup parent to make sure that mom has everything she needs to make sure all stays well. First and foremost make sure that the area where mom and babies are resting is kept very clean – wash all bedding daily and clean up any messes you see immediately. Do not use any harsh cleaning products that can cause irritation to the eyes and noses if the newborn puppies.

You should also watch out for eclampsia in the mother dog, which is a condition in which the body cannot produce the calcium needed for lactation. She will need to see the vet right away. Symptoms can include pain and discomfort, fever, sttiffness, and seizures. Also known as milk fever, this condition can happen around week three of lactating and can cause a serious threat. However, if you catch it early enough, you can add supplements to her food to make up for the lack of calcium.

Mammary gland infections, particularly the teats, are a common problem so you should them frequently. As her puppies get older and teeth grow in, these infections can occur. Mastisis can set in within a day of birth; watch for purple spots around the glands and check for fever. These and other infections are common and is easily treated with topical creams.

Sometimes, agalactia can set in. This is a condition where the bitch can only produce little milk, or sometimes, not at all. The vet will be able to see if this is a problem during the first examination and take effective measures to treat the problems.

Most of the time, whelping is a natural, nearly worry-free process that will require little on your part to go well. Most bitches that are healthy will have pups without a problem and will be fine mothers.

When you have any breed of hunting dog, you should also make sure that have all the proper supplies you need to train him correctly. There is a wide variety of supplies that will help you do this, including things such as Tri-tronics collars, and SportDOG collars.

Tags: bird dogs, gun dogs, hunting dogs, sportdog collars, tri-tronics collars

Know How To Keep Your Bird Dogs Flea Free

It’s summer and it seems like fleas are everywhere. Luckily, today’s pet owner has an arsenal of flea treatments at their disposal. Pyrethrin is a safe and widely used insecticide. Methoprene and Fenoxycarb are insect growth regulators (IGR) which prevent eggs and larvae from developing into pupae. Always treat gun dogs and their environment at the same time.

A flea’s life span can range from 2 weeks to 8 months. Because the pupa is wrapped within the protection of a cocoon, insecticides will not affect them one bit. This is why they are extremely difficult to kill, and also the reason why pet owners experience another flea outbreak just 2 weeks for the first treattment. As the pupa stage ends and the adult flea develops, you are left in the same position you began.

Flea Baths
Using a regular flea prevention shampoo can help with flea control. One thing to be careful about though is flea dips – especially if you have children in the house. Flea dips are very harsh and most leave a residue on your dog – they’re only recommended in cases of very extreme infestation and should be discussed with your veterinarian before use.

Spot On Medications
These easy to use once a month treatments are designed to kill adult fleas and are dispensed directly to your dogs skin beginning at the neck typically and going down the top of their back. Before you use this type of treatment, check and see if they also prevent the growth of eggs and/or larvae. Your dog should be at least two month old before you use this type of treatment and check the label for reduced potency if your dog is bathed often or enjoys swimming.

Pill Flea Treatment
Known for its effect as a “flea birth control”, this is also a monthly treatment. When the flea bites your dog, they become sterile and die without every laying eggs. When this happens, the fleas will die out completely, leaving you flea-free. Since this type of treatment can’t be washed off in water, it is great for pets that live indoors.

Natural Methods
Not everyone likes to use chemicals for flea control purposes. If this is the case, you should vacuum thoroughly as often as possible. In addition to carpets, vacuum furniture, pillows, and bedding. Properly discard the bag, or burn it, right away. Secondly, you should wash everything in the hot water cycle. Lastly, use dried pennyroyal, diactomaceous earth, or pyretthrum powder. Apply it on pet bedding and underneath cushions and mattresses. However, don’t use pennyroyal if your dog is pregnant. Repeat this process every few days.

Clean from inside out
Fleas love pet bedding, furniture, cushions, and thick carpeting. Vacuum everything before treating your home. Insecticides will reach immature fleas more easily. Burn or trash vacuum bag immediately. The dust and hair in the bag are a flea buffet. Wash pet bedding often in hot water.

Outside, fleas love wet, shady areas like dog houses, flower beds, and under decks or porches. Treat any location where your pet spends a lot of time. Fully mow and rake your yard. Get rid of leaves in flower beds and under bushes to increase the areas exposed to insecticides. The garage, basement and other places with non-carpeted floors should be thoroughly mopped to get rid of flea larvae hiding in crevices. Wash pet carriers and vacuum the car!

If you’re concerned about an infestation of your home or your yard, you may want to consider treating the area with a fogger or spray that can be effective, especially for heavily infested areas. You should follow all the directions for using these treatments and retreat in 2-3 weeks.

The most important reason for treating fleas immediately is the hazard to both your family and your pet. Flea bites cause annoying itches that can lead to skin problems, dermatitis, hair loss (in your pets) and even infection. If your pet becomes infected from a flea bite they can wind up with anemia or even tapeworms which can lead to other health problems. Help your home stay flea free and your pet stay safe from possible flea infestations.

Healthcare is probably one of the most important issues you should concentrate on with your dog, but so should the hunting dog supplies you buy for him too. If you are looking for a useful tool to train and keep your dog safe you should look into and consider purchasing SportDOG electronic collars.

Tags: bird dogs, fun dogs, hunting dog supplies, hunting dogs, sportdog electronic collars