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By kathy Davison, April 30, 2011

Why do dogs eat droppings?

Almost without exception when a dog eats his own waste matter or indeed that of another animal ,the owner is appalled and revolted ,thinking perhaps that he has a perverted dog on his hands!

The correct term for this practice is coprophagia and not only is it common ,it is also normal! It is not a sign of illness and depravity and is a normal part of the food gathering process. As your dog is a carnivore he would kill and eat any animal in the wild and that includes the contents of the bowel…

The droppings of an animal are a great source of various enzymes and a variety of microorganisms. the enzymes help with digestion and the microorganisms are killed when they reach the stomach .Protein,fats and other vitamins are then absorbed by the dog.

Dog who are fed on an artificial diet will often eat their own droppings and the droppings of other animals. If they dog is fed on a natural diet then he will not eat his droppings as they will be powdered bone and of little value . He may still eat the droppings of other animals.

If you want to give your dog the vitamins and probiotics he needs then you can feed him yogurt,cottage cheese and eggs. However, he may still want to eat droppings as it is normal. Dogs will also eat soil and this is for the same reasons.

Sniffing Dog

Why do dogs roll in droppings?

When our dog decides to roll himself in animal droppings we are horrified by this disgusting habit and the smell that drifts our way! To the dog this is a normal instinctive behavior and, in fact, the worse he smells the better he feels. Dogs do this to appear superior to other dogs

This behavior goes back to when dogs were wild .A pack leader would roll himself in strong smelling droppings to remind the rest of the pack who is boss. A younger member of the pack would also do this if he wanted to challenge the top dog

Although pet dogs have been domesticated for quite some time, this instinctive behavior still remains. Your dog could also do this if there is a tussle over pack leadership in order to impress you!

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By jnavary, March 26, 2011

By: BJones

A dog’s behavior is influenced by certain basic instincts which you should be aware of if you want to understand your dog. Some of them have been lessened by the protected life led by modern pets. In fact, the dog as a species seems to be undergoing an important period in his evolution since never before in history have so many of them been bred exclusively as pets.

The instinct for survival is common to all living creatures. No acquired behavior pattern is strong enough to dominate entirely this powerful drive. When it is aroused, the only effective means of controlling it is constraint. Along with this instinct is the Instinct for procreation, or mating instinct. It is normally very strong although it varies for the same health reasons, hormonal balance, opportunity and more rarely, psychological inhibitions.

Need for companionship is an instinct common to both dog and man. Many canine personality disturbances have no other cause than the solitary confinement imposed on them by man. Studies show that the critical period when a puppy forms his primary attachment to humans is between the ages of 3 and 10 weeks. If he is “imprinted” by sufficient pleasurable human relations during this time, he is apt to remain attached to humans, But if he is confined in a Kennel with only other dogs and deprived of human contact, he will prefer animal contact over humans forever.

Like human beings, dogs are vulnerable to mob psychology. The pack instinct is a more accurate term because it usually brings out the worst side of their nature. It may take no more than one other dog for this psychological phenomenon to occur. Most dogs want to pleasure their owner. But once they become a member of a pack their old instincts take over and the owner is forgotten. It is very important never to let your dog run loose where he can get into bad company.

Dogs have always retained the instinctive need for a pack leader. This need is the role hat we play in our pet’s life. Dogs I whom this instinct is strongest are the most trainable. They are the ones that follow you around as puppies, who never want to leave your side as adults, who listen to you, study your facial expressions, and enjoy contact with you. They seek the approval of their pack leader and will do for free what other dogs need to be bribed to do.

Most owners provide protection, food, and shelter as do wildlife pack leaders. But you must also offer leadership, enforce discipline, and maintain their prestige and authority. Psychological superiority is more important that in physical size or strength. Moreover, the modern dog’s dependence on his owner is as much emotional as it is physical. Your dog will love and respect you more if you live up to his leader image of you. Be dependable and consistent so that he can trust you.

You must be reasonable and fair in order to avoid offending his sense of justice. But above all, do not think it is a kindness to let your dog always have his way. In their wild state, dogs instinctively seek and accept leadership as well as a strict social code. In fact, discipline and obedience are probably more natural to them than indulgence, which they have experienced only as modern pets.

Territorial instinct has a profound influence on a dog’s behavior, as it has on ours. It is related to the survival instinct and is therefore very powerful and vital to his existence. Puppies as young as 2 or 3 weeks old display their sense of territory by annexing a certain corner of the nest, a bed, cushion, or chair as their personal domain. Their territory grows bigger as they do on until adulthood when they transfer their territorial instinct to their owner’s home, and their pack instinct to their human family.

Dogs respect man made boundaries such as fences, walls, and gates, but they also establish markers of their own. Which they mark with urine and visit regularly and refresh as necessary. Domesticated dogs are respectful of their neighbor’s territory as they are jealous of their own, and seldom engage in territorial warfare. In the animal world, an intruder is always psychologically inferior to an individual who is on his home territory. Under these conditions, a tiny terrier can chase away a Great Dane.

Generally speaking, dogs are most aggressive on their own territory, most submissive on another dog’s territory, and most sociable on neutral ground. An old family dog will make friends more easily with a new puppy if the two are introduced on neutral ground before the newcomers are taken home. The territorial instinct varies in intensity and quality from one breed and individual to another. Still, in all dogs, as in all humanity, there is a territorial instinct. Oddly enough, both will accept with tolerance, and sometimes even welcome, intrusions by innocent infants, unthreatening inferiors, and attractive members of the opposite sex.

Finally, dogs possess an instinctive loyalty that is much stronger than our own. Once a dog has accepted someone as his master, it is very difficult for him to switch his devotion to another. Better food, greater comfort, kindness and understanding may not succeed in swaying his allegiance even from an unworthy owner. On the other hand, if you adopt a dog who has been happy in his previous home, give him plenty of time to transfer his loyalty to you, you will have a friend that would never fail you.

Article Source: http://www.a1-optimization.com/articles

Randy Jones and his partner Brent Jones have been in the pet industry for a long time. Recently they formed Joncopets.com. On the site, customers can read articles about anything pets as well as shop for the latest designer dog collars, dog clothes, dog carriers and more for their best friend. Feel free to check out the site at www.joncopets.com

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By jnavary, January 10, 2011

In addition to his basic requirements of food, water and shelter, a dog needs social interaction, positive attention from his human companion, exercise and mental stimulation. Several of these additional  needs  can be met by just taking your dog for a walk. Walking your dog daily provides him with the attention from you that he needs. Possibly more than anything else, our pets simply want our company. Even when you remain at home during the day, a lot of your time is spent doing household tasks rather than interacting with your family pet. When leaving for your walk, take along a plastic bag or similar container and be sure to clean up after your pet.

A walk permits you to reinforce obedience skills with your dog to increase the reliability of training. Going over the basic commands also will increase the advantages of a walk because your dog isn’t merely ambling along, but is also performing extra tasks. Walking your dog keeps him mentally alert through territorial examination. With nose to the ground and alert to the sights and sounds of his surroundings, your dog gathers evidence about how his territory has been altered since the last outing.

Together with the emotional benefits, there are physical advantages. Taking your dog for a walk is the most effective method to exercise a dog that may not be very active in your home or even in your yard. Older dogs must be kept as lively and fit as possible. However, he may not be disposed to exercise without some motivation. Whether or not your pet is active in your yard, it is certainly more active during a walk. Merely sharing an activity with you is one of your dog’s greatest motivations to exercise.

If you pass by another dog or person during your walk, your dog has the chance to socialize. Dogs are social animals. It is natural for them to investigate unrecognized individuals. Puppies ought to be encouraged, from the very beginning, to appropriately respond to and get along with other dogs and people while on walks. These friendly experiences help the puppy learn to behave appropriately when meeting visitors to your home, or when he is with you anywhere else. If a dog does not have the opportunity to socialize, it will not understand how to interact correctly with other people or dogs.

Walking your dog is among the the best means to prevent behavior problems. At least one walk each day will help prevent elimination problems, destructiveness, separation anxiety and other frequent behavior disorders. Take your dog for a walk soon after every meal, as this is often the time it’s most likely to urinate or defecate, and you’ll be able to direct your dog to an appropriate location. Praise must be given immediately to be effective. If you merely let your dog go out in the yard, you miss out on a great opportunity to bolster good behavior.

Allowing your pooch to wander freely is hazardous both to your dog and to other pets and people. It also gives the unsupervised dog freedom to revert to unacceptable wild behavior. Your dog’s life might depend on his obedience to your commands. Not permitting some activity cannot be viewed as unkind when considering the possible unfortunate outcome.