PetLvr.com - [The Blog]

As anyone who’s ever had a fearful adult dog can attest, eliminating an established fear is tricky, whether it’s a common one like thunderstorm phobia or something more unusual, like a friend of a friend’s dog who’s afraid of pineapples. It takes patient, persistent desensitization to eliminate fear, and even when everything’s been done correctly, one startling experience can turn the “cured” dog back into a quivering mess. So, it’s clear that preventing fears from developing in the first place is the preferable option. But how does one do that?

Socialization Scavenger Hunt

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Doggie daycare can give owners a much-needed break from the exercise needs of a high-energy dog, as well as keep a dog with separation anxiety under control in the absence of his family. However, many pet owners have reservations about placing their dog in the hands of a daycare facility. Let’s take an honest look at reasons to use or not to use a doggie daycare center.

The Pros: Reasons to Use Doggie Daycare

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You’ve got a puppy. Congratulations! Now is the time to prevent behavior problems in adulthood. Many serious issues can be prevented by properly raising your pup. More dogs die each year in the United States due to behavior problems than due to all contagious diseases combined. Make sure your dog won’t be an unpleasant statistic: Follow these five simple tips to raise a behaviorally healthy dog.

Touch Him All Over Every Day

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Socialization involves getting your dog familiar and comfortable with other dogs, pets and people in their environment. As natural pack animals it’s often easy to do, and sometimes even harder to keep them from interacting at inappropriate times.

Most dogs benefit from socialization. The people around them do too. But German Shepherds and a few other breeds are special cases. They’re often asked to perform special roles, such as police or guard dog, guide dog and other jobs. That means that socialization, while still useful, needs to be carried out much more carefully.

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