Upgrade Your Dog

ptorrone writes "Engadget has glimpse in to the future, a future where your dog has a cell phone, webcam and electronic tag, and maybe even talks to you. Maybe. Some of this dog-tech isn't available yet, and some of it is (in Japan, of course). The overview includes some interesting iterations of pet technology, and they even made their own version of a dog webcam along with the first ever canine photographer's photo gallery." I'd rather see more of these things applied to infants.

UGA Cam

[Darthmalt]

The University of Georgia has been putting a camera on their mascot an english bulldog named UGA (pronounced UH-GUH)for years and broadcasting it up on their Jumbotron

Re:What's wrong with normal pets?

[acxr is wasted]

I like dogs because they're lovable, cute, loyal, and a pleasure to be around. ... Those Japanese will never learn...

Apparently, Japanese women agree with you. [bbc.co.uk]

Re:umm

[Anonymous Writer]

Two weeks now and he still shits and pisses on my computer...

It's probably because he has pissed on it before that he continues to do so. Once they mark a spot with pee, they continue to use that spot because it has been marked with a scent, even if you clean it up well. I think there are pet products that you can use that counteract that smell. If not, vinegar and water [doggiedoor.com] might do the trick. There are other tips [homestead.com] online about training puppies.

Then again maybe he's telling you to get a better computer.

Re:umm

[NerveGas]

With both of my puppies, I took them outside whenever they would need to go. That's not so hard to figure out. A puppy will need to pee:

1. Within a few minutes of waking up from ANY duration of sleep.
2. Within a few minutes of drinking ANY water.
3. After playing for a little bit, and after they stop playing.

They'll have to poop within 10 to 20 minutes after eating any amount of food, and after waking up from sleeping.

At those times, take the puppy outside. Wait until he goes. IMMEDIATELY (within 1 second) give him a reward.

If it goes in the house, make a noise to interrupt it, pick it up, take it outside, let it finish, and when it does, IMMEDIATELY reward it. Don't hit it, swat it, rub it's nose in it, or anything else.

I can't tell you how many puppies I've seen that work like a MIRACLE for - but only if YOU are consistent.

Dogs instinctively won't go in their "den". The trick is that you need to help the dog realize that the entire house is a den.

I've also seen people trying to crate-train that achieved near instant success the day after they started letting the puppies sleep on the bed - that just helped the puppy learn that the house was the den, not the crate.

steve

Re:babies too?

[MoggyMania]

"Get some personal responsibility and learn to live with the fact that shit happens despite your best efforts to nerf the world."

I'm not a parent, but I can say from experience that after you've actually seen a loved one in severe pain or even watched them die, the above poster's attitude comes across not as insightful but inexperienced/immature/ignorant. It's a lot easier to sneer "shit happens" when you haven't had that shit happen to you.

Re:umm

[pamar]

While I agree with most of your post, I'd like to add that you'd better not to let your dog sleep on the bed.

This was covered in conferece by a Vet specializing in psychological rehab and training for dogs (especially for dogs who have been taken to a pool/shelter).

I do community work at a local animal shelter, this was a series of conferences to help the people to better work with the dogs and the people who wanted to adopt them.

There are some signals/behaviours that could confuse the dog idea of his own place in your household hierarchy. Your relationship with the dog works best if he (she) understands that the the human is the "pack-leader" (and that any other human in the household is higher in the hierarchy).

Making him sleep on the bed gives the wrong signal. Just like having the dog eat before the humans.