Does your dog defend his food? Does he growl or snap at anyone that approaches him or his food bowl at mealtime? This behaviour can be dangerous to children who may not understand the need to stay away from your dog at this time. Fortunately, training can reduce or eliminate this behaviour.

Follow these steps consistently:

Phase 1:

You’ll need two dog food bowls and a ready supply of dog food. Put a small amount of food in each bowl to start.
1. Put a small amount of food in your dog’s bowl then put the bowl down in front of him and let him eat it.
2. Put food in the second bowl. When he’s done eating the first bowl, take it away and give him the second bowl.
3. Repeat this swapping bowls many times over a few days until your dog is relaxed about you doing this.

When your dog is used to the above, and you feel safe, progress to Phase 2:

1. Put food in your dog’s bowl and put the bowl down for him and let him eat it.
2. Before he’s done eating, reach down to the bowl and add more food to it.
3. Repeat the above steps many times daily for several days.

When your dog is used to the above, and you feel safe, progress to Phase 3:
1. Put food in your dog’s bowl and put the bowl down for him and let him eat it.
2. Before he’s done eating, without any fuss, simply remove the food bowl while at same time replacing it with another bowl containing better food. This is similar to phase 1 except that you’re not waiting for him to finish eating this
time. Don’t grab the bowl and only do it if you feel safe.
3. Repeat the above steps many times daily for several days until your dog is relaxed about you doing this. This exercise will turn your taking away his food into a positive experience for him.

Make sure you and your dog are relaxed while doing this. It should be fun, not a harsh lesson. You might want to wear gardening gloves and/or use tongs or a scoop at the beginning of each phase. If you do, then make sure you introduce him to those things first by exposing him to gloves and tongs away from feeding time, so they don’t add to his stress when you start this training. Take off the gloves and stop using the tongs or scoop before proceeding to the next phase.

Dog Rescue Newcastle is a not-for-profit, volunteer organisation. We have many dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens waiting to be adopted. To adopt or donate, please visit our website http://www.dogrescuenewcastle.com.au.

Guest Author: After a long career in IT, Terri now divides her time between bookkeeping for the family business and volunteer work with Dog Rescue Newcastle.

Petitude, in partnership with Dog Rescue Newcastle, publishes  pet care guide and pet adoption articles. To learn more about Petitude’s new advocacy campaign and what you can do to help our less fortunate furry pals while doing your online shopping, please subscribe to our newsletter.

It is not safe or kind to allow your dog to travel in the back of an open ute, truck, or other vehicle. It is dangerous and cruel for a number of reasons:

• He is vulnerable to having debris fly into his eyes and ears;
• He is exposed to extreme cold when the vehicle is moving and extreme heat and sun when stopped. He is fully exposed to rain;
• Your dog has no protection and will probably be killed if your vehicle rolls over;
• If you turn a corner quickly, or brake suddenly or get hit by another vehicle, your dog could be thrown off the vehicle. If he is tethered by his collar he’s likely to have his neck broken. If he is tethered using a harness he’s likely to suffer extreme trauma, injury or death. If he is unsecured by any sort of tether then he’ll go flying to his death;
• If your dog is barking at other vehicles or other dogs it is a dangerous distraction to you and other drivers;
• It is tiring and may become painful for your dog to be standing and bracing against the vehicle movement;
• Cargo in the back of the vehicle could pose a danger to your dog if it slides or rolls into your dogs legs, or your dog gets thrown against it;
• Many dogs on the back of utes are terrified. They know how vulnerable they are. The next time you see a dog on the back of a ute, take a moment to notice and you will often see fear displayed in their body language (tail down, ears back, braced legs).

If you love your dog, look after his or her safety in your vehicle. You wouldn’t allow your child to travel in the back of a ute, so don’t allow your best friend back there either. Keep him with you in the cabin, wearing a harness and clicked into the seat belt using a restraint strap/tether. Alternatively, put your dog in a pet cage which is covered from the elements and securely tied down in the back of the vehicle.

For more information, refer to the previous article about the 3 safe ways to travel with your pet inside your vehicle: harness and tether, pet crate, and barrier.

Dog Rescue Newcastle is a not-for-profit, volunteer organisation. We have many dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens waiting to be adopted. To learn more about us or to make a donation please visit our website http://www.dogrescuenewcastle.com.au

Guest Author: After a long career in IT, Terri now divides her time between bookkeeping for the family business and volunteer work with Dog Rescue Newcastle.

Petitude, in partnership with Dog Rescue Newcastle, publishes  pet care guide and pet adoption articles. To learn more about Petitude’s new advocacy campaign and what you can do to help our less fortunate furry pals while doing your online shopping, please subscribe to our newsletter.

Have you already thought of what costume your favourite four-legged pal should wear for Easter? Aside from considering buying him a bunny costume this Easter, you may also want to explore other options that can make your precious little princess or prince stand out this Easter. The hat is probably the most important part of classy dog costume for Easter, but you don’t have to stop there. Many Easter motifs involve matching dresses or suits of dear “parents and babies”. You can see lots of pets wearing the same kind of hat, dress, necklace or even boots of their beloved “mommies” or “daddies”. If you are going to do this, you and your pooch will be well photographed, but you will probably have to design and sew the outfit yourself, or have it custom-made by a dog designer. Truly, any dog can be a bunny because it’s adorable, but it’s not your only option.

Any dog can also be a champion in a swanky Easter hat. But if you’re going to a parade, especially one where hats and costumes are being judged, you simply have to make it yourself or you can check out the latest and the most beautiful and unique styles available on online pet stores. When buying or making your pet a hat, you must consider the weight of the head dress. You don’t want to overload either your hat or your dog. For a very small dog, you might consider going more unusual but be sure that your dog could carry it well.

Angel dog harness will also make a great outfit or accessory for your pet during Easter. But then, try not to overburden your pooch. A string of plastic eggs, a few flowers and pastel bows as dog accessories for Easter will make your dog really look stylish, unique and cute. You can even buy nice and classy necklace or jewelries for your pet if you do not want to use collars.

There are many options that can help you make your pet look really cute, fashionable and outstanding this Easter. All you need is to find the one that can complement his personality and enhance his charm.

Dog charms and other dog jewelries become more and more popular among dog owners. Since many pet lovers like to collect different dog jewelry such as dog charms, bracelets, and totems, the pet industry has made different styles of dog jewelry perfect for both male and female dogs. Dog jewelry might be expensive but this is a good venture for your beloved canine friend especially this summer. Your dog will surely look cuter in those dog charms which complement his dog clothes.

If you like to make your pet dog stand out from the other dogs in your neighborhood this summer, you should not think twice of buying him dog charms because these will surely add to their grooming. The good thing about dog charms is that they are available to any amount of budget. This means that you can possibly buy your pets their own dog charms without spending too much. Of course this will require your being a smart and wise shopper.

Dog charms are made of different materials. That is why they range from different prices. Many of the dog owners today let their dogs to have dog charms because they think that dog charms provide their pet a good luck.

But do you know that dog charms are not only perfect for dogs? Yes, the exciting fact is even you; the pet owner can wear amazing dog charms. You and your pet dog will become the darlings of the crowd because of your jewelry which really looks good on your outfit. This is a great way for you to have a happy and relaxing summer vacation.

Since pet stores offer different kinds of dog charms, you should choose a design appropriate for the summer season. You can go online to find the perfect dog charms for you and your pet which you can wear when you decide to have a walk this summer. There are a lot of online pet stores which you can visit in your search of dog charms perfect for your budget. You will be amazed of the great deals you can get from shopping online. With this, saving money is very possible.