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Tuesday, 30 September 2014

The Ebola outbreak is the deadliest known to man thus far

Thursday September 25, 2014

 This post is from Healthwise

BY DR YLM
Ebola can spread from human to human through direct contact via broken skin or mucous membranes, and also through blood, secretions and body fluids. — AFP
Ebola can spread from human to human through direct contact via broken skin or mucous membranes, and also through blood, secretions and body fluids. — AFP
 
Now that Ebola is creeping closer and closer to our shores, I am scared. What is the outbreak like around the world now?
At the time of writing, the Ebola virus has infected more than 5,300 people in West Africa since early this year. More than 2,600 people have died from it.
It apparently shows no signs of slowing down, and more than 700 new cases have been reported last week alone.
The worst affected countries are Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone has already gone into “shutdown”, meaning its six million population must stay home, except for volunteers who have to disseminate information and supplies.
This Ebola outbreak is the deadliest outbreak to date.
Previous Ebola outbreaks have occurred in remote villages near wildlife in Africa. But now, the Ebola virus has spread to towns and large urban areas.
Worse yet, it has spread to other countries through air travel.
What is Ebola?
Ebola is a viral disease, and it is now officially known as Ebola virus disease (EVD). It was formerly called Ebola haemorrhagic fever.
The Ebola virus is transmitted to humans from wild animals. Thereafter, it can be transmitted from humans to humans.
If you get Ebola, there is an average 50% chance that you will die. So, it is an extremely fatal disease.
The Ebola virus comes from the virus family Filoviridae, which consists of Cuevavirus, Marburgvirus and Ebolavirus.
There are five species of Ebolavirus – Zaire, Bundibugyo, Sudan, Reston and Tai Forest. The Zaire is the one which is currently associated with the massive outbreaks in Africa.
When was Ebola first discovered?
Ebola first appeared in 1976 with two simultaneous outbreaks. One was in Sudan and the other in Congo. Ebola takes its name from the Ebola River of Congo, where the disease was first discovered.
How is Ebola transmitted? Through air?
The hypothesis is that fruit bats are the natural hosts of the Ebola virus.
Ebola can be spread to humans through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other body fluids of infected animals such as bats, chimpanzees and monkeys, especially if they are found ill or dead in the forest.
Ebola then spreads from human to human through direct contact via broken skin or mucous membranes, and also through blood, secretions and body fluids.
It can also be spread through sharing clothes and bedding which have been contaminated with these fluids.
This is why healthcare workers, priests and volunteers nursing or tending to sick Ebola patients frequently get the disease themselves, especially when they do not practise strict infection control methods.
Even those who die from Ebola can transmit the disease. Burial ceremonies in Africa in which mourners can touch the body of the dead can also spread Ebola.
Even when you have recovered from Ebola, you can still transmit it as long as the virus is still in your bodily fluids, like breast milk or semen.
In fact, men who have recovered from Ebola still have the virus in their semen for up to seven weeks.
I have been in contact with an African traveller on a plane recently. He looked sick. I am very frightened. How can I tell if I have Ebola?
The incubation period after contact with a suspected Ebola patient ranges from two to 21 days. You will not be infectious until you get symptoms.
Look out for a sudden onset of fever and fatigue, muscle aches, headache and sore throat. This is akin to other viral illnesses, though Ebola symptoms can be quite severe.
Then this is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rashes, and sometimes, internal and external bleeding. You can bleed from your gums and nose, and you can cough out blood or see blood in your stools.
Is there any treatment?
There is as yet no proven treatment for Ebola other than supportive care. But two potential vaccines are now in trials. Also, people have tried using the blood of recovered Ebola patients for the antibodies to be injected into the current Ebola sufferers.
How can I prevent spread?
Avoid contact with people who have Ebola symptoms. If you are a healthcare worker or volunteer, you should make sure that you use gloves and protective equipment.
Do not consume wild animals, and you should handle sick animals with gloves and protective gear.
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Guide to Preventing and Lowering High Blood Pressure—Naturally

October 30, 2014

This post is from Healthwise



5188.jpgWhile it's true that antihypertensive drugs do lower blood pressure and reduce your risk for stroke, they don't work for everyone. Worse, the drugs' side effects, such as leg cramps, fatigue, depression and erectile problems, can be daunting to say the least—especially if you have to stay on them the rest of your life. If you're feeling like your choices are a lifetime of drug-induced misery versus an incapacitating medical condition, take heart! There are much better ways to get your blood pressure down and keep it there—and you won't have to take a single drug.
In the Bottom Line Guide to Healthy Blood Pressure—Naturally, we'll tell you about dozens of ways to control your blood pressure that are proven, effective, simple—and even enjoyable—but are entirely drug-free. You'll learn about a hand exercise that lowers your blood pressure 15 points…the lunchbox snack you ate as a kid that lowers systolic pressure (the top number) 7 mmHg…how to lower systolic pressure 17 points and diastolic pressure 10 points by doing this with your toes…what's red, round, delicious (butisn't an apple!) that can reduce your blood pressure 10 points in 24 hours…what a particular kind of singing or walking barefoot can each do for you…and much, much more.
Important: Don't stop taking a blood pressure drug without discussing it with your doctor first—and you might want to show him or her these articles. Read below how to have healthy blood pressure naturally…

Eat Your Way to Healthy Blood Pressure

Help from Herbs, Vitamins and Supplements

Exercise: Better Than Drugs

Toe Tapping, Chanting and Other Offbeat Cures

Video and Book with More About Lowering Blood Pressure Naturally...


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Monday, 29 September 2014

Full Fat Dairy May Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes and Other Health Problems

September 29, 2014

 This post is from Healthwise

Mercola.com


Story at-a-glance
  • Most mainstream dietary advice recommends low-fat or non-fat dairy. But a growing number of experts argue that it’s far healthier to eat and drink whole, full-fat dairy products
  • Recent research found that those who ate eight portions of full-fat dairy products a day cut their risk of diabetes by nearly 25 percent, compared to those who ate fewer portions
  • A previous study proposed that it’s the palmitoleic acid, which occurs naturally in full-fat dairy products, that protects against insulin resistance and diabetes
  • Previous studies have also shown that consuming full-fat dairy may help reduce your risk of cancer, weight gain, and heart disease
  • Research also backs up the suggestion that butter is a health food. Fat levels in your blood are actually lower after eating a meal rich in butter than after eating one rich in olive oil, canola oil, or flaxseed oil
By Dr. Mercola
Most mainstream dietary advice recommends low-fat or non-fat dairy. But a growing number of experts argue that it’s far healthier to eat and drink whole dairy products, with all the fat left in.
Dairy foods contain roughly 50 to 60 percent saturated fat, and conventional thinking is that saturated fat is bad for your heart. This idea has been thoroughly refuted as false. It’s a mistaken interpretation of the science. In a 2010 analysis,1 scientists said:
“...There is no significant evidence for concluding that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of [coronary heart disease or cardiovascular disease].”
More recently, research presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna, Austria, found that eating full-fat dairy products such as whole milk, cream, cheese, and butter, reduces your risk of developing diabetes.

Full-Fat Dairy Associated with Lower Risk of Diabetes

The study included nearly 27,000 people between the ages of 45-74 who were followed for 14 years.
As reported in The Telegraph,2 those who ate eight portions of full-fat dairy products a day cut their risk of diabetes by nearly 25 percent, compared to those who ate fewer portions. One serving counted as:
  • 200 milliliters (ml) of milk or yogurt
  • 20 grams (g) of cheese
  • 25 grams of cream
  • 7 grams of butter
Also, consuming 30 ml of cream or 180 ml of high-fat yoghurt daily reduced the risk of diabetes by 15 percent and 20 percent respectively, compared to those who ate none. According to lead author Dr. Ulrika Ericson of the Lund University Diabetes Center in Malmö, Sweden:3
“Our observations may contribute to clarifying previous findings regarding dietary fats and their food sources in relation to type 2 diabetes. 
The decreased risk at high intakes of high-fat dairy products, but not of low-fat dairy products, indicate that dairy fat, at least partly, explains observed protective associations between dairy intake and type 2 diabetes...
Our findings suggest, that in contrast to animal fats in general, fats specific to dairy products may have a role in prevention of type 2 diabetes.”
In 2010, a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine4 proposed that it’s the palmitoleic acid, which occurs naturally in full-fat dairy products, that protects against insulin resistance and diabetes. People who consumed full-fat dairy had higher levels of trans-palmitoleate in their blood, and this translated to a two-thirds lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to people with lower levels.

Other Research Showing Full-Fat Dairy Is Good for You

As I’ll discuss below, I firmly believe that pasteurized dairy products are best avoided. Unfortunately, research on raw dairy—which is always full-fat—are few and far between, so I’m going to refer to studies using pasteurized dairy for the sake of showing that the full-fat versions are the better choice.
Besides lowering your risk for diabetes, previous studies have also shown that consuming full-fat dairy may help reduce your risk of:
  • Cancer: Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a type of fat found naturally in cow's milk, significantly lowers the risk of cancer. In one study,5 those who ate at least four servings of high-fat dairy foods each day had a 41 percent lower risk of bowel cancer than those who ate less than one. Each increment of two servings of dairy products reduced a woman’s colon cancer risk by 13 percent.
  • Weight: Women who ate at least one serving of full-fat dairy a day gained 30 percent less weight over a nine-year period than women who ate only low-fat (or no) dairy products.6
  • Heart Disease: People who ate the most full-fat dairy were less likely to die from cardiovascular disease, according to a 16-year study7 of Australian adults.

More People Starting to Recognize That Butter Is Better

More and more people are starting to realize the fallacy of the low-fat myth. As noted by NPR,8 in 1992, 44 percent of household cooks surveyed reported being “concerned about the amount of cholesterol in their food.” Today, that number has dropped down to 27 percent.
Other countries have also switched over from margarine to butter in ever-increasing numbers. According to dairy economist Brian Gould, American butter export has grown from zero to just over 10 percent of the market since the early 2000s.
Keep in mind that butter’s nutritional value depends on how the cows are raised, as the fatty acid composition of butterfat varies according to the animal's diet. The very best-quality butter is raw (unpasteurized) from grass-pastured cows, preferably certified organic. (One option is to make your own butter9 from raw milk.)
The next best is pasteurized butter from grass-fed or pastured organic cows, followed by regular pasteurized butter common in supermarkets. Even the latter two are healthier choices by orders of magnitude than margarines or spreads. Avoid “Monsanto Butter,” made from cows fed almost entirely genetically engineered grains.7 This includes Land O’Lakes and Alta Dena.

The Many Health Benefits of Grass-Fed Butter

Other research backs up the suggestion that butter is a health food that offers both short-term and long-term benefits for your health. One study10 found that fat levels in your blood are actually lower after eating a meal rich in butter than after eating one rich in olive oil, canola oil, or flaxseed oil.
The scientists’ main explanation is that about 20 percent of butterfat consists of short- and medium-chain fatty acids, which are used right away for quick energy and therefore don’t contribute to fat levels in your blood. Other oils (canola, flax, etc.) contain only long-chain fatty acids, which are more readily stored as fat.
What this means is that a significant portion of the butter you consume is used immediately for energy—similar to a carbohydrate. But, unlike a carbohydrate, it doesn’t adversely affect your insulin and leptin levels. The primary nutrients found in butter are outlined in the table below. For more information on the health benefits of butter, take a look at this classic article by the Weston A. Price Foundation.11
Nutrients in Organic, Grass-Fed Butter
*Vitamin A in the most absorbable formLauric acidLecithin (necessary for cholesterol metabolism and nerve health)
Antioxidants*Vitamin EVitamin K2
Wulzen factor: hormone-like substance known to prevent arthritis and joint stiffness (destroyed by pasteurization)*Fatty acids, especially short- and medium-chain in the perfect omega-3 to omega-6 balance*CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid): anti-cancer agent, muscle builder, and immunity booster
Vitamin DMinerals, including selenium, manganese, chromium, zinc, and copperIodine in a highly absorbable form
CholesterolArachidonic Acid (AA): brain function and healthy cell membranesGlycospingolipids: fatty acids that protect against GI infections
*The highest amounts of CLA and omega-3 fats come from cows raised on grass pastures. Their butter is also 50 percent higher in vitamins A and E, and 400 percent higher in beta-carotene, giving grass-fed butter its deeper yellow color.

Raw Dairy Is Preferable Over Pasteurized

While the featured research focused on the fat content of the dairy, I also want to point out that the issue of pasteurization is another important consideration. Raw milk from organically raised grass-fed cows is far superior in terms of health benefits compared to pasteurized milk. Pasteurization destroys enzymes, diminishes vitamins, denatures milk proteins, destroys vitamin B12 and vitamin B6, kills beneficial bacteria, and actually promotes the growth of pathogens. Many of the enzymes that are destroyed in this process are needed for digestion. As a result, drinking pasteurized milk can tax your pancreas and promote disease—particularly allergies.
A number of studies have also demonstrated the superior safety of raw milk compared to pasteurized. Contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of foodborne illnesses in the US are actually linked to factory farmed and highly processed foods, not raw foods. For example, late last year Chobani Greek yoghurt was recalled following reports of gastrointestinal illness.12 The yogurt, which is pasteurized and not raw, was found to be contaminated with a fungus called Murcor circinelloides.
Unfortunately, despite overwhelming evidence of safety and health benefits, several US states have outright banned the sale of raw milk for fear of contamination. That’s in sharp contrast to Europe, where some nations even sell it in vending machines13... But there’s really no need to fret about the safety of raw milk, provided it comes from organically raised, pastured cows. Research by Dr. Ted Beals,14 MD, featured in the summer 2011 issue of Wise Traditions, shows that you are actually about 35,000 times more likely to get sick from other foods (most of which are processed) than you are from raw milk.
You can easily ascertain the quality of grass-fed milk, butter, and yoghurt by its color. The carotenoids in the plants cows eat on pasture gives grass-fed products a more yellow-orange cast. When cows are raised on dried grass or hay, opposed to fresh-growing grass, you end up with a whiter product, which is an indication of reduced carotenoid and antioxidant content. Raw milk yogurt is also very thick and creamy, compared to pasteurized commercial varieties. The same goes for pastured eggs, which can be ascertained by their deep orange yolk. CAFO chickens, which never go outdoors, and are fed grains rather than bugs and insects, produce eggs with pale yellow yolks.

Documented Raw Milk Health Benefits

Just like raw organic butter, raw milk from grass-fed cows has a number of health benefits you simply will not obtain from drinking pasteurized and homogenized CAFO milk. For example, raw milk is:
Loaded with healthy bacteria that are good for your gastrointestinal tractHigh in omega-3 and low omega-6, which is the beneficial ratio between these two essential fats
Full of more than 60 digestive enzymes, growth factors, and immunoglobulins (antibodies). These enzymes are destroyed during pasteurization, making pasteurized milk much harder to digestLoaded with vitamins (A, B, C, D, E, and K) in highly bioavailable forms, and a very balanced blend of minerals (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron) whose absorption is enhanced by liveLactobacilli
Rich in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which fights cancer and boosts metabolismRich in healthy unoxidized cholesterol
Rich in beneficial raw fats, amino acids, and proteins in a highly bioavailable form, all 100 percent digestibleIt also contains phosphatase, an enzyme that aids and assists in the absorption of calcium in your bones, and lipase enzyme, which helps to hydrolyze and absorb fats

Where to Find Raw Milk

There are several resources out there to help you locate raw milk and other dairy products, and the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund provides a state-by-state review of raw milk laws, in case you don’t already know what your state’s rules are.
In many states, you can make a private agreement with a dairy farmer, called a herdshare, which entitle you to the benefits of owning a “share” of a cow, such as a certain amount of milk each week. If you simply cannot obtain raw milk, for whatever reason, you have a couple of options that are likely to be better than drinking conventional pasteurized and homogenized milk from confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs).
Some food US stores have started selling lightly pasteurized and non-homogenized organic milk. If your local store doesn’t carry it yet, you can ask them to do so. As a last resort, you could opt for organic pasteurized milk. At least, you’ll avoid many of the detriments of CAFO dairy that way—including antibiotics, recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), and other drugs. You’ll also avoid a source of genetically engineered organisms (GMOs) and glyphosate, as CAFO cattle are typically fed genetically engineered grains.

New Raw Milk Bills Could Allow More Food Freedom

Raw milk is the only food banned in interstate commerce. This makes it challenging (though not impossible) for small farmers to share their raw milk products with people living across state lines. Such nonsensical bans have resulted in an increasing number of violent crack-downs on peaceful dairy farmers who want nothing more than to provide their customers with high-quality food.
Fortunately, there are signs of progress and glimmers of hope. A bipartisan coalition of 20 lawmakers is planning to introduce a series of “food freedom” bills this year. The first two to be released could be a major step forward in the raw milk movement. According to Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky, these bills are intended to improve consumer food choices while protecting local farmers from federal interference:
  • The Milk Freedom Act of 2014 (HR 4307): The bill would prohibit the federal government from interfering with the interstate traffic of raw milk products, offering relief for small farmers who have been harassed, fined, or prosecuted for distributing raw milk.
  • The Interstate Milk Freedom Act of 2014 (HR 4308): This bill would prevent the federal government from interfering with trade of unpasteurized natural milk or milk products between states where distribution or sale of such products is already legal.
To protect food freedom and freedom of choice for all Americans, I urge you to contact your government representatives, and ask them to vote YES on both HB 4307 and HB 4308. The Farm-to-Consumer Defense Fund has created a one-click form letter for this purpose. Please take a moment to sign the petition right now.

The Right Kind of Milk Can Do Your Body Good

While both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the CDC warn that raw milk can carry disease-causing bacteria, they completely overlook the fact that these bacteria are the result of industrial farming practices that lead to diseased animals, which may then in turn produce contaminated milk.
This is a key issue, as raw milk from a confined animal feeding operation (CAFO) IS dangerous and must be pasteurized in order to be fit to drink, whereas raw milk from cows raised on pasture IS NOT dangerous and does not need pasteurization. It’s really critical to understand that it is the source of the milk makes all the difference when it comes to raw milk. So, to summarize, there are two primary considerations to take into account when deciding on dairy:
  1. Full-fat versus low-fat or non-fat. The former is definitely a better choice, regardless of whether you opt for raw, organic lightly pasteurized, or organic pasteurized. Pasteurized and homogenized low fat dairy products and skim milk have little to no redeeming nutritional value, as all the good stuff has been processed into oblivion or taken out altogether
  2. Raw versus pasteurized. Pasteurization damages and denatures the milk, rendering it a source of allergies and digestive problems. Many who are lactose intolerant and cannot eat or drink dairy find that they do not have these problems with raw grass-fed dairy products.
[+] Sources and References

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No More "Bad Dog"

September 15, 2014

This post is from Healthwise
5177.jpg
How to Break Your Pet's Bad Habits
Does your dog ignore you when you call its name? Does it jump on you when you walk in the door? Does it pull at its leash when you go for a walk?
Before you blame your dog, consider that the way you train and interact with your dog could be at the heart of the problem. Many widely used, seemingly sensible dog-training strategies are not very effective—some actually are counterproductive.
More on Living Happily with Your Pet
  1. Is It Safe to Have Pets in Your Bed?
  2. If You Love Your Pet, You Must Read This
  3. Home Remedies and Natural Cures for
    Dogs and Cats
  4. How to Travel Safely with Your Pet
  5. How to Tell If Your Dog or Pet Has
    Lyme Disease
  6. Want a Second Dog? How to Make
    Sure the Two Pooches Get Along
  7. Choking Danger for Dogs: Toy Balls

Here, nine dog-training mistakes…
Mistake: Calling your dog to you by yelling its name. Dog owners say their dogs' names so often and for so many different reasons that dogs can become uncertain what to do when they hear their names. Some dogs start ignoring their names entirely.
Better: Select a word like "Here" or "Come" that you will call to your dog only when you want it to return to you. Call out this word in a friendly tone, not a stern command as many dog owners do. A stern voice could make your dog think you're angry, discouraging it from rushing to your side. Reward the dog with a treat when it responds properly to your recall word. (You can phase out these treats once your dog responds reliably, but don't do so too quickly. Coming when called takes time to cement.)
Do not use this recall word only to call your dog for things that it doesn't like, such as going back inside when playtime ends. Your dog is much more likely to come when called if it often receives something nice when it does, such as praise or food.
Mistake: Pulling back when your dog pulls at its leash…or letting yourself get pulled along. This teaches the dog that straining at a taut leash is normal and acceptable.
Better: When you walk your dog, carry dog treats and a "clicker"—a small device available in pet stores that makes a clicking sound. Immediately sound this clicker whenever the dog walks next to you with a slack leash as it is supposed to, even if it’s just for a few steps, then quickly reward with a treat. The clicking sound marks the good behavior in the dog’s mind, and the treat is a powerful reward for a job well-done.
When your dog pulls at its leash, stop and don’t budge until the dog either turns around to see what’s wrong or just stops in its tracks. Continue this process until your dog is reliably walking by your side, and then slowly wean down from the frequent click and treating. Because the great outdoors is filled with distractions, you’ll probably have to use the clicker and treats for several weeks before you can begin weaning.
Mistake: Chasing a dog that grabbed something it shouldn’t have. If you chase your dog when it picks up something that it isn’t supposed to have in its mouth, you increase the odds that the dog will engage in this misbehavior again. Dogs love to play chase with their owners.
Better: Get a dog treat, squat down to the dog’s level, and call the dog to you. When the dog approaches for the treat, place it in front of your dog’s nose and say, "Drop it." Reward the dog with the treat when it does drop it.
Similar: If your dog gets loose, don’t chase after it—your dog can probably outrun you and likely will enjoy the chase. Instead, get the dog’s attention, then run away from it. This might cause the dog to change its game from running away from you to chasing after you, making it easier to calmly take hold of your dog when it catches up to you.
Mistake: Giving a jumping dog attention. Dogs that jump up and put their front paws on people crave attention. They will continue jumping as long as their owners give them attention—even if the attention they’re receiving is just hearing their owners tell them, "Get down."
Better: Walk away from the jumping dog without making eye contact or saying a word to it.
Later, when the dog is calm, start to teach it to sit when you cross your arms across your chest. Many dogs tune out verbal commands when they get excited, but most still notice body language.
To teach your dog to respond to a crossed-arm sit command, start by combining the verbal sit command with crossed arms. Provide treats when the dog responds. Then eliminate the verbal command and use the crossed-arm signal alone, still rewarding with treats.
Once your dog masters the crossed-arm sit command, instruct house guests to use it, too. Otherwise they might accidentally give the dog attention when it jumps up, undermining the training.
Mistake: Letting your dog use old household items as chew toys. If you let your dog chew on an old flip-flop or towel, don’t blame the dog when it chews up your new flip-flops or towels, too. Dogs generally can’t figure out the difference.
Better: Never let your dog chew on anything that could be mistaken for something you don’t want it to chew on. Limit your dog to products made for dogs, including toys and bones.
Mistake: Failing to notice that a puppy is about to go to the bathroom inside.
Better: If you can hustle the puppy outside before it relieves itself, this will help the puppy figure out that outdoors is the proper place to do its business.
What to do: When your puppy becomes distracted and wanders away from people, dog toys and/or other dogs, quickly take it outside—there’s a good chance that the puppy is about to heed nature's call.
When the puppy must go to the bathroom inside—when you’re away all day at work, for example—provide grass-textured pet potties, not smooth-surfaced potty pads. The feeling of the artificial grass underfoot can help the puppy learn that it is supposed to use the yard to relieve itself.
Mistake: Yelling at a barking dog to get it to quiet down. Making noise is not an effective way to convince a dog to stop making noise. Your dog might think that you’re joining in on the fun.
Better: Look for the reason behind the barking and address it. Examples…
• If your dog barks to defend its territory against animals and people that it sees nearby,block its view. You could do this with curtains, fencing, landscaping or opaque window privacy film, available in home centers, that temporarily adheres to windows. You don’t have to cover the entire window, just the lower section that is in the dog’s sight line. You can gradually lower the privacy film until you don’t need it at all.
• If your dog barks to get your attention, ignore the dog until the barking stops, wait a few beats and only then see what it wants. Eventually the dog will figure out that barking will not get it attention, though you might have to put up with considerable barking until this message gets through. Stay strong—many dogs try barking louder just before they finally give up on barking. You also can teach your dog the "hush" command. Say, "Hush," and when the dog stops barking, give it a treat.
Mistake: Waiting for misbehavior to become entrenched before acting to correct it.The longer you tolerate a dog’s misbehavior, the harder it will become to alter.
Better: Correct misbehavior when you notice the dog doing it a second time. Once could be a fluke…twice suggests that this is a habit.
Mistake: Using pain to train. Choke chains and other training tools that hurt dogs might suppress misbehavior, but they don’t change the way the dog thinks. If your dog lunges at other dogs, for example, a correction from a choke collar might convince it not to, but your dog still might feel antagonism toward other dogs and react when you’re not around.
Better: Provide treats when the dog behaves properly, rather than pain when it does not.
Source: Victoria Schade, author of Bonding with Your Dog: A Trainer’s Secrets for Building a Better Relationship and Secrets of a Dog Trainer: Positive Problem Solving for a Well-Behaved Dog (both from Howell Book House). Based in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, she was the featured trainer on the Animal Planet TV show Faithful Friends.LifeOnTheLeash.com

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