Virtually any Los Angeles dog bite attorneys will be able to tell you that if you have been the victim of a dog bite injury or know someone else who has been, then you are well aware of the physical and emotional pain caused by a Los Angeles dog bite. Each year there are many people in Orange County cities such as Laguna Beach or Los Angeles cities like Redondo Beach, Marina del Rey and Hermosa Beach that have bitten by dogs.

These dogs can be family pets or dogs they have never seen before. The experience of a dog attacking you can be very terrifying and traumatic. The terror the attack causes you to experience may well lead to you developing Post Traumatic Stress later on after the attack. Young children who are attacked usually develop a life long fear of dogs. Living with these fears can in many instances be life hindering for the victim in certain situations that bring about the memory of the vicious dog attack.

As a result of the frequency of dog bite attacks, many personal injury lawyers in Los Angeles and surrounding areas have specialized in representing dog bite victims. A good Orange County area dog bite attorney can help relieve some of your stress in your bid for monetary compensation after a dog bite attack.

Children seem to suffer the most emotional pain from a dog bite attack. As a parent, you will want to help ensure that the child receives the counseling he needs to be healed emotionally from an attack. Suing the owner of the dog can help ensure your child will receive the ongoing counseling he may need. California strictly holds the owner of the attacking dog liable for any damages they cause.

Orange County area dog bite lawyers can help prepare a successful case for your dog bite claim and bid for compensation. They know first hand the physical an emotional pain that can be caused by a dog bite. You will want to be sure you hire the most experienced personal injury lawyer who is familiar with California dog bite law. These caring professionals can help determine what type of compensation you will need and what amount you should be asking for in your particular case.

You injuries may include the necessity for long term care of both physical and emotional damage done by the dog. In some tragic cases, the need for a wrongful death suit may be necessary. Experienced and compassionate personal injury lawyers provide a great service to the community in cases like these. In the unfortunate event of a wrongful death and other dog bite injuries and other personal injuries, never hesitate to get the legal council you need.

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I was recently in a social setting where I was asked about my dog, Rocco. Rocco is my Rottweiler who has undergone extensive protection dog training. We were engrossed in a discussion about his training and capabilities when we were overheard by another person.

“Oh, you shouldn’t train your dog to do that stuff. That makes them vicious,” was her statement injected into our conversation. I was initially a bit taken-aback and annoyed; not only was her comment unsolicited but it was based on a lack of knowledge. As I thought about it more, however, I came to realize that this is a common style of thinking. There are many misconceptions about protection dogs and protection dog training. Let me dispel some of the myths of protection dogs and talk about protection dog training at its root to combat some of the more prevalent misinformation.

First, let me do a bit of defining. There are many terms thrown around that are often interchanged incorrectly.

Attack Dog- A poorly trained, typically anti-social, and fearful creature. Ineffective except for looking tough.

Guard Dog- A dog that is trained to guard an area. Guard dogs are often used on estates, warehouses, or open areas that need guarding. Guard dogs may or may not be good with people and may or may not have obedience training.

Police Patrol Dog- A dog that is trained to work chasing down criminals. They are trained to be used on the offensive.

Protection Dog- A dog that is trained to be used first and foremost as a defensive deterrent. A protection dog is trained to show aggression on command and turn off on command. A protection dog is trained to attack on command or if the aggressor is not deterred by the show of aggression. A protection dog has high levels of obedience training.

So now let me return to the original statement. Does training a protection dog make him vicious? I understand why many people would assume this. After all, you are training a dog to show aggression, bite a person, and do what is necessary to combat a human. Protection dog training does not, however, make a dog vicious.

There are several styles and methods for protection dog training. At its root, however, there are two instincts, or drives, that protection dog trainers harness time and time again to achieve results. Let’s examine them.

Prey Drive

Prey drive is a drive that most dogs possess, not just protection dogs. A Labrador retriever chases a tennis ball because of prey drive. The local mongrel chases a car because of prey drive. Essentially, prey drive is a dog’s desire to chase and capture a fast moving object. Nothing vicious about it. A good protection dog trainer will harness this drive to teach a puppy to chase a rag. As the puppy grows older he graduates from a rag to a tug. From a tug the trainer teaches the dog to bite a sleeve or a dog training bite suit. All the while the training is approached as a game. As a fun way to use energy and satisfy drive. Basically, the decoy, or guy wearing the bite suit or sleeve, is not viewed as a ‘bad guy’ but as a partner in a fun game. As training progresses, a good trainer will train the dog to discount the presence of equipment and view the person as the prey object. All of this training is done on command only. As training progresses the dog is taught to only respond when he hears the dog training command from his owner. This ensures for safety and control.

Defense Drive

All creatures have some sort of defense mechanism. Dogs have three ways of dealing with an aggressor: fight, flight, or avoidance. In protection dog training a good trainer will utilize a dog’s defense drive to build on what he has learned with prey drive. The trainer will show the dog that in certain situations a person is a threat and can be dealt with using the skills taught in prey drive. In this way, prey drive and defense drive work together. In essence, a dog is taught that when given a command that the aggressor is a real threat and he should use his skills to fight the threat. As with prey drive these skills are taught only under command and with high levels of control and safety.

There are not many dogs capable of this level of training. A dog that can accomplish this is a strong and very confident dog. This level of confidence is what often makes protection dogs safe and good with people. They are so confident that they don’t view people as threats unless told to under command by their owner. Protection dog training often bolsters this confidence as these dogs learn the power that they have and their innate abilities.

So are these dogs vicious? Absolutely not. Their natural drives have merely been harnessed to teach them new skills. I like to compare a well trained protection dog with a well trained soldier. Is a soldier more of a danger because of his training? Many would argue that he or she isn’t. The advanced levels of training turn a soldier into a person who is extremely confident. A soldier is capable of being a loving and caring family member in one setting and tool of battle in another. Just because a soldier is capable of using weapons under one setting does not make that person ‘vicious’.

Confidence is the opposite of fear. Fear is what causes many problems both in dog and human alike. When you combine the confidence and high levels of control in a well trained protection dog, I contend that you have a dog that is safe to be around and definitely not vicious.

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Why Crate Train?

Crate training your dog brings with it numerous benefits, starting in puppyhood and lasting throughout his lifetime. Proper crate training is essential to developing a positive association that will lead your dog to willingly enter his crate. Throughout his life, your puppy will likely be in several situations requiring him to spend at least some time in a crate, such as going to the veterinarian, being boarded while you are away, traveling by plane and staying in hotels. Crate training your dog early on will help ensure that he fully cooperates in these situations and does not feel unnecessary stress as a result of them.

Bear in mind that dogs in the wild sleep in dens, which are usually fairly small enclosed areas where they feel safe and secure. Your dog’s crate should fulfill this exact purpose, satisfying his natural instinct to rest in a safe haven. Crate training can also help with housebreaking because it works with dogs’ natural instinct to avoid soiling their sleeping areas. Crating your dog can also prevent destructive chewing caused by boredom or separation anxiety and can keep him away from hazards such as dangerous household chemicals when you are away.

Creating a Positive Association

Ensuring that your puppy has a positive association with his kennel is of utmost importance in crate training. If he considers his crate punishment or associates it with loneliness, he will not want to go into the crate. Many dogs who have been properly crate trained actually enjoy their crates, and will use them willingly to sleep at night or nap during the day. To help create a positive crate experience for your pooch, consider the following tips:

-Place the crate in a social location of your home. Keeping the crate in the living room or otherwise near the action of the family will help your puppy create a positive association. You do not want the puppy to feel that his crate is a place where he gets isolated from the family. Stock the crate with toys, chews and a soft bed (or towel/sheet) for comfort.

-Start slowly. Begin by tossing a treat into the crate and cheerily instructing your puppy to get the treat. Refrain from shutting the door of the crate just yet. Instead, praise your puppy for entering the crate and allow him to freely enter and exit.

-Use a one word command for instructing your dog to enter his kennel. This can be as simple as “kennel” or “house.” Use the command along with enthusiastic praise each time the dog enters the crate, even if he is only going for a treat you have placed inside. Never force him into the crate. Before long your dog will obediently enter the crate when he hears the command.

-Do not leave him alone right away. While your puppy is adjusting to his crate, help create a positive association by not leaving him alone just yet. Once your puppy is comfortable entering and relaxing in the crate, begin by closing the crate for brief periods of time while you are at home. Continue the positive reinforcement by praising him while he is in the crate. This will help prevent your puppy from thinking that the crate is only used when he is going to be left alone.

A crate should never be used to punish a dog. Additionally, do not let your dog out of the crate simply because he is crying or barking. This will only teach him that barking and crying will result in getting what he wants, and he will repeat the behavior. Just as you positively reinforce your dog for good behavior, such as entering the crate voluntarily, you should refrain from reinforcing behavior that is unacceptable.

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If you just got a brand new puppy, congratulations! You’re in for a very fun yet frustrating time. One second, you’ll be smiling at him for being so cute, while the next second, you’ll want to scream at him for breaking something in the house. So when it comes to a puppies training, the sooner you do it, the better off you’re going to be.

Although it’s important to get a puppy trained early, this still means you are going to have to show some patience. Let’s face it. This is a brand new situation for a puppy. You are going to have to give him a little leeway. He’s not going to pick it all up on his first day at a new home.

The beginning part of the puppy training should be focused on boundaries. What can the puppy do? Where can it go? All these things have to be answered. The best way is just to simply keep an eye on him. Watch and see where he goes when he is in the house. If he walks into closet, be prepared to say “NO”. The dog will soon get a sense by your tone, and where he is in the house, as to where he can go, and where he cannot.

Obviously, take him out a lot with a leash. Not only is it great for outside stimulus, but is also important for the dog to know that he has to relieve himself outside, not indoors. Whenever he does his business, make sure to give him a little treat, so he knows he’s done good.

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The soft coated wheaten terrier would be considered by most people to be “high maintenance”. This means that a lot of care should be given to it in order to maintain its stature. This statement also means that a lot of steps should be taken in order to care for the dog properly. So how do you care for your soft coated wheaten terrier pet dog?

Let us first talk about the coat. This is one of the most distinguishing characteristics of a soft coated wheaten terrier pet dog. In fact, when you take a look at the name, you will realize that the coat gives the dog its identity. Taking care of this essential part of the soft coated wheaten terrier dog can be quite a daunting task. This is especially true if you have just found out about the various standards that people use to judge the beauty of a soft coated wheaten terrier pet dog.

Frequent grooming is required to keep the coat shiny and to prevent matting. It also helps get rid of any accumulated dirt. You should comb or brush your soft coated wheaten terrier dog everyday to make sure that his coat remains silky and tangle-free. The coat also needs to be trimmed once in a while to preserve the “terrier look” and to allow a new coat to grow.

Besides the coat, you should also take care of the nails and teeth of your soft coated wheaten terrier pet dog. In case that you do not know what to do by yourself, you might want to hire some professional dog grooming services to do the job for you.

Another aspect you should concentrate on is the training. Remember to train your soft coated wheaten terrier dog as early as possible in order to ingrain in him the basics of proper behavior. There are several keywords that should come to your mind when training your soft coated wheaten terrier pet dog:

1) Consistency – be consistent with your teaching. Do not use different commands in order to get the same response as this will only serve to confuse your soft coated wheaten terrier pet dog. You should also be consistent in terms of reward and punishment. This will help your dog understand what you want to happen.

2) Tone – a soft coated wheaten terrier dog is actually pretty sensitive to the tones in the human voice. This means that the dog will be able to tell if you are feeling upset or if you are feeling impatient. You need to learn how to moderate your tone in order to avoid confusion with your soft coated wheaten terrier pet dog.

3) Timing –learn the proper timing of when to correct your soft coated wheaten terrier pet dog. The element you need during correction is surprise. You need to correct the soft coated wheaten terrier for a mistake right after or even before it performs the act. This way, you will be able to instill a sense of consequence into your soft coated wheaten terrier pet dog.

Caring and training for your soft coated wheaten terrier can be quite a bit of work. You will also have to contend with the energy inherent in every terrier breed. However, with patience, your efforts will be rewarded.

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If an animal or other dog bites your dog, the possibility of it becoming serious is very likely. The saliva of other animals or dogs contains huge amounts of bacteria, which can certainly induce an infection throughout the wound. Even a little bite that does not look serious can critically damage your dogs underlying tissue. Regardless of the size of a bite wound, it is best to have a veterinarian check and treat the injury to make sure it remains infection free and does not end up worse. Here are five things you should know and do if your dog does end up bitten by another animal.

1. When a dog experiences pain, often it will lash out, even at their owners or family members. This is extremely common so the first thing you should do if your dog receives a bite is place a muzzle on your dog, which gives you protection in case the dog snaps and tries to bite you or someone else. Before touching the animal, use a muzzle, or if you do not have one available, use a makeshift one and carefully tie the dogs mouth closed using panty hose, gauze, or other material available but without covering the dog’s nostrils. If the dog suddenly gets stick or starts having trouble breathing, remove the muzzle immediately.

2. If the pet is tiny and cannot wear a muzzle, use a towel and place it around the dog’s head to protect you from a dog bite. You certainly want to avoid blocking the dog’s air supply, so wrap its head loosely and only leave the towel on for a short period.—

3. Once you have muzzled the dog, you should use K-Y or another type of water-soluble jelly and carefully put a thin layer directly on the dog’s bite wound. You are now ready to trim the hair near and around the bite wound area. This makes it simpler to clean the wound along with helping it air out so it heals quicker. Use electric clippers, a disposable razor or scissors to gently, carefully trim the hair. The K-Y jelly will protect the injury by preventing the hair from getting into the bite wound. After trimming the dog’s hair, clean the injury carefully to prevent infection. Use running, lukewarm water to flush the wound for approximately five minutes. If the bite is more than twenty-four hours old, use antibacterial soap to scrub the bite injury as there may already be bacteria in the wound. Flush with running, warm water and dry the wound.

4. Once you thoroughly clean and dry the injury, apply Neosporin or another antibiotic over-the-counter ointment on the wound. A clean cloth or gauze makes an excellent bandage but slip your finger under the bandage to be sure it is not too tight.

5. Always keep your dog’s rabies vaccination and other vaccinations up to date.

Watch the dog bites carefully and have your veterinarian examine the dog wounds for your own peace of mind.

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Ah, the sound of barking dogs. To some people, it’s a pleasant sound that indicates a dog is feeling happy and active; while to others, it’s just a painful noise that rattles a peaceful and quiet day. If you have a dog or just simply love these animals, you know that dog barking sounds are just their way of expressing themselves or communicating with other dogs!

Dogs may have descended from wolves, but their means of communicating can differ a lot. While wolves also bark every once in a while, howling is really their communication method of choice. Dogs, on the other hand, bark much more often than howl, making the domesticated canine somewhat different from the wild wolf.

However, wolf cubs do a lot of barking, too. This fact—along with many other similar physical features they share with dogs, including habits like the tendency to be submissive—has led experts to theorize on neoteny. Neoteny is a condition where adults retain juvenile traits. In this case, dogs and young wolves seem to exhibit like behavior.

Domestication is also touted as an explanation for barking as well. When humans and dogs first got together in a symbiotic, mutually beneficial relationship, the former found in the latter a most convenient and effective alarm system.

The barking warned them and prepared them against impending danger from predators, marauders, and other intruders. Therefore, barking was encouraged, even highly prized, which is why some breeds—such as hunting dogs, for example—are considerably louder and more vocal than others.

The many instances when a dog barks can include the expression of an emotion (such as loneliness, elation, excitement, stress, fear, etc.); when a dog is feeling hungry or neglected; when he hears other dogs barking or when he hears unusual sounds; and sometimes, he barks simply because he feels like it.

Your pet may bark when you leave him alone at home, especially if he tends to suffer from separation anxiety, and he will bark his approval once he senses you approaching the front door after you’ve been away the entire day.

There are two types of barking—the warning bark and the alarm bark.

The first starts out as a rumbling, low-pitched growl (dog barking sounds which are meant to be playful and friendly have a higher frequency), which gradually increases in volume and intensity as a full-blown howl meant to show dominance and aggression. Dogs use this when they are in the presence of a perceived threat and a dog may feel the need to fight back and defend himself and his territory.

The second type, on the other hand, is not hostile and is simply a dog’s way of calling his master’s attention to something in particular that needs it, such as a ringing phone or a car pulling up in the driveway. And he won’t stop barking unless these events are taken care of by his master.

Sometimes, a dog’s barking can reach the point where it gets a bit too much to handle and you’ll want to know how to get him to stop when his barking is unnecessary. This is why you should give your puppy the proper training early on. Do not reinforce the behavior by petting or soothing him while he creates a racket. Instead, reward him once he’s settled down and don’t forget to praise him lavishly. This is reassurance to him that he is doing the right thing by being quiet and will likely avoid barking too much as he does not wish to displease you.

Understanding dog barking sounds isn’t so complicated that you will find hard to grasp, so knowing what they mean and how your dog makes them will really help you build a harmonious relationship with your pet.

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In ‘How to train a puppy - Part 1′ we discussed the importance of reward based training.

In this installment we will be introducing the Crate.

Why early lessons in your puppies life are so important in the crate training process.

Most puppies given the option don’t want to eliminate near where they eat or sleep, however there maybe underlying reasons why they do… 

If your puppy (before you got him) was left to eliminate in his crate at a particularly impressionable age he will undoubtedly continue this into adulthood.

This is a very important fact.

If your puppy was taken from his mother too early then he has missed out on a very early lesson – no-one taught him to be nice and clean – from an early age a puppy is licked by his mother so that they learn to keep clean. Consequently, if no-one has taught him to be clean then he may think it is acceptable to be messy and to live in a messy environment. 

Lets start from the beginning…

Introducing the crate.

The crate should be big enough for your puppy/dog to stand, stretch and turn around – don’ buy anything bigger otherwise he may eliminate in his crate knowing that he can stay dry and comfortable. As your puppy grows either get a new crate for every stage of his development or use dividers. I have to emphasis this… It’s very important that the crate is not too big – this may seem a harsh but as your puppy/dog earns more privileges (including space) the more he will know you are in charge and what YOU want. You can use either plastic or wire crates – it comes down to your own preference. However… If your puppy/dog is reactive to his environment and barks at everything he sees then a plastic crate (they normally obstruct the dog’s view) would be more appropriate.

Where do I put the crate? 

Keep the crate where the family are – if you isolate your puppy/dog he may develop behavior problems due to a lack of socialization. Don’t keep chopping and changing where you put the crate. Remember that introducing the crate is all part of the training process-be consistent or you will confuse him. 

Crate training a puppy

The crate is a wonderful housetraining tool for your puppy/dog – don’t use it as a punishment – otherwise he will associate the crate with bad things and bad memories. Put the crate where your puppy/dog is near the family – this is very important as your puppy/dog needs to feel part of the family not as someone sitting on the outside of the family. Decide what you are going to use as the cue word for putting the dog in his crate and use this cue EVERY-TIME. Use something like “go to crate” or “go to kennel” or “go to bed”. It doesn’t matter what cue you and your family use but agree on a cue and everyone should use the same cue every single time. Keep the cue word short and to the point. When you can’t watch your dog he should then be in his crate… Going to work – crate your puppy/dog. Going out – Crate. Preparing dinner – Crate. Get the idea. It may seem like allot of time your puppy/dog is spending in his crate but as he gains better control the more time he can spend out of his crate. Make sure that the crate is safe. Don’t leave any choking hazards or a collar on him in a wire crate or anything that it could get caught on..

I want to keep these ‘How to train a Puppy’ articles relatively short and digestible so will continue the crate training process in more detail in Part 3.

If you would like more information on how to train a puppy, you may find these tips useful.

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Dogs bark. It is part of their normal and natural communication and behavior. Dogs can bark for appropriate and good reasons, such as when strangers approach our house, they hear an odd noise, or they are herding sheep. Most of us want our dogs to be “watch dogs” and alert us to anything unusual. But dogs can also bark inappropriately. In two scientific surveys of dog owners, approximately 1/3 of them reported their dogs barked excessively. To control barking in our dogs, we first need to understand why they are barking.

Types of canine vocal communication

Dogs, as well as wolves use many types of vocalizations to communicate. This communication starts very early in life. Young puppies make a mewing-like sound when they are searching for food or warmth. Louder crying sounds are heard if the puppy is hurt or frustrated. As dogs get older, they make five main classes of sounds: howls, growls, grunts, whines, and barks. Each of these classes of sounds is used in different situations.

Howling is used as a means of long-range communication in many different circumstances. Howls are more often associated with wolves, but dogs howl too. Wolves often howl to signify territorial boundaries, locate other pack members, coordinate activities such as hunting, or attract other wolves for mating. Dogs may howl as a reaction to certain stimuli such as sirens.

Growling can occur in very different activities. It is used to threaten, warn, in defense, in aggression, and to show dominance. But growling is also used in play as well. By looking at the body posture we should be able to tell the difference. Growls during aggression are accompanied by a stare or snarl, and the growling dog often remains stationary. Play-growls occur in combination with a happy tail and a play bow to signal willingness to play. These dogs are often moving and jumping about to entice play.

Grunts in dogs are the equivalent of contented sighs in people. They can also be heard when dogs are greeting each other or people.

Whines or whimpers are short- or medium-range modes of communication. Dogs may whine when they greet each other, are showing submissiveness, are frustrated or in pain, to obtain attention, and sometimes in defense. Dogs generally whine more than wolves, perhaps because they use the whine more as an attention-seeking behavior, and are often rewarded for it. Think about it. The first sound you may hear from a new puppy is the whine at night when he finds himself alone. We often are guilty of unintentionally reinforcing this whining by giving the puppy the attention he wants.

Barking is another mode of communication that seems to be more common in dogs than other canine species. Again, this may be the result of human encouragement. Certain breeds have been bred to bark as part of their watchdog or herding duties. Barking is used to alert or warn others and defend a territory, to seek attention or play, to identify oneself.

Controlling Excessive Barking

A Bark Collar is the most humane device that you can rely on to stop your dog’s excessive barking. A Bark Control Collar is an effective way to stop annoying, barking dogs safely, humanely and quickly.

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