Does your dog love the winter or would he rather cuddle up on the couch under a cozy blanket? Either way, you should be prepared to protect him when he ventures out into the elements. Many dog owners live with the misconception that because their pets have a coat of fur, they can tolerate the cold better than humans. This isn’t necessarily the case. Like us, these fur-coated creatures are used to the warmth of indoor shelter and cold weather can be as hard on them as it is on us humans. Whatever your viewpoint on winter, one thing remains certain: it’s a time when our beloved pets need a little extra care.

Preventing Winter Health Risks

We have 15 winter care tips to keep in mind as you explore the winter landscape with your faithful four-legged friend. But first … let’s talk about two serious cold weather conditions that you should take care to prevent.

This is a common problem seen among many different dogs which pull on their leash while walking with their master. This problem can be seen in puppies as well as in adult dogs. This is more than just aggravating. If the leash breaks, the dog could run and put itself or others in danger. You should want to walk your dog, not have it walking you.

There are a number of different reasons why your dog will pull on the leash. Some dogs are so happy to go for a walk that they are out of control, and are anxious to move about.

Dogs have not always held a special place in the hearts of their human companions. Their role among humans was mostly utilitarian until the 18th century, when the term "man's best friend" came into the vocabulary of a person. Their working roles are reduced today, but their importance at home has only increased. From pets to sporting companions to service dogs, canines add a measurable degree of quality to the worlds of the humans they share their lives with.

There's always been some controversy over whether you should give treats (i.e. dog biscuits or Milk Bones) when you are training a dog. There are advantages and disadvantages to giving treats to a dog when you are training him. This article will hopefully clear up any confusion you might have. Now, some people say, "Of course! Give the dog treats so he'll obey you. After all, you won't get his attention if you don't give him anything he enjoys."

The Beagle is a small-sized hound, similar in appearance to the much larger foxhound. The Beagle is a scent hound, developed primarily for hunting hare. With a great sense of smell and their tracking instinct, the Beagle is employed as detection dog for prohibited agricultural imports and foodstuffs. The Beagle is intelligent but single-minded. It’s a popular pet due to its size, good temper, and lack of inherited health problems.

Behavioral Traits:
Separation anxiety, barking, and destructiveness are common behavioral problems in beagles. Fortunately, they can almost all be prevented by keeping your beagle well exercised. Taking your Beagle for a long walk before leaving the house will leave him with little energy to be destructive. Beagles who bark or howl are often doing so because they are bored. Ensuring your dog has plenty of exercise and toys or bones to chew on, will keep him entertained and will stave off many of these undesirable behaviors.

The Labrador Retriever is one of many breeds of the retriever hunting type. Extremely loyal and intelligent, Labradors are one the most popular pet breeds in numerous countries. While they still serve the purpose for which they were initially bred, which is retrieving small downed waterfowl, they are also adept at a number of other jobs including leading the blind, acting as hearing dogs, and police and military work.

When you're not home and can't provide entertainment for your pooch, another dog in the household can be a comfort. It also can often prevent boredom and resulting behavioral issues. Although owning multiple dogs can work well for some households, it's not suitable in all situations.

Canine Companionship and Socialization
If you have a busy work schedule and spend a lot of time out of the home, having two dogs can help your peace of mind. Your dogs can play with each other, which can be effective for keeping boredom and lack of stimulation at bay. Boredom and inadequate stimulation can trigger destructive canine behaviors such as chewing, pacing, digging and excessive barking. Not only can constant companionship help prevent behavioral troubles, but it can help to eliminate or minimize separation anxiety.

Concern about dogs barking is the most common complaint from dog owners, with 35% of owners reporting problems with barking. So what is the best way to deal with it?
The reality is that there is no simple quick-fix solution to this problem, but it can be solved with some strategies at home, particularly by identifying what your dog is barking at and why. The key is to deal with separation anxiety, train your dog to be ‘quiet’ on command and reward quiet behavior and ignore unruly behavior. Before we get on to a look at the various tools that can be used to stop barking, it is important to look at the reasons why your dog may bark. Your dog may be barking at people walking past, for attention, during play, due to anxiety (such as separation anxiety) and due to boredom or as a warning.

Dog training is the process of teaching a dog to exhibit certain desired behaviors in specific circumstances. Some examples are:

* Teaching a dog basic obedience commands (part of obedience training).

* Teaching a dog to perform tricks casually or for circus acts.

* Teaching a guide dog to lead the blind.

* Teaching a rescue dog to find victims of a disaster.

* Helping a hunting dog learn to perform its instinctive behaviors at appropriate time.

Dog training begins virtually at birth. Dogs that are handled and petted by humans regularly during the first eight weeks of life are generally much more amenable to being trained and living in human households. Ideally, puppies should be placed in their permanent homes between about 8 and 10 weeks of age.

Fundamentally, dog training is about communication. From the human perspective the handler is communicating to the dog what behaviors are correct, desired, or preferred in what circumstances. From the canine perspective the handler must communicate what behaviors will give the dog the most satisfaction to his natural instincts and emotions. Without that inner satisfaction a dog will not work well.

Most training revolves around giving the dog consequences for his behavior, in the hope of influencing the behavior the dog will exhibit in the future. Operant conditioning defines four types of consequences:
Positive reinforcement adds something to the situation to increase the chance of the behavior being exhibited again (for example, giving a dog a treat when he sits.)
Negative reinforcement removes something from the situation to increase the chance of the behavior being exhibited again (for example, releasing the tension on an uncomfortable training collar when the dog stops pulling on the leash).