Victoria Stilwell's Dog Tips for the New Year

Whether you're ringing in the New Year with a new puppy or starting 2011 with an older pooch, we know you want to make this year the best ever. And to help you out, Victoria Stilwell, host of the Animal Planet show "It's Me or the Dog," has provided 10 terrific tips to ensure a truly happy 2011.

1. Keep training your dog. People think that once their dog is trained, there is no need to carry on. But your dog never stops learning, and training should be reinforced throughout your dog's life.

2. Think dog. Take time to think how your dog perceives the world and use this knowledge to make training easier. For example, a human's dominant sense is vision, whereas your dog's dominant sense is smell, making his experience of the world very different from yours. When you take him for a walk, allow him to smell things as much as possible, as this stimulates your dog mentally and helps to tire him out.

3. Exercise your dog. A tired dog is a happy dog, but make sure that the exercise is appropriate for the breed and age of dog that you have. Exercise releases pleasurable endorphins and is a great stress reliever for both of you.

4. All dogs need a calm, confident leader to make them feel secure. Being a leader is not about dominating your dog and making him submissive toward you, it is about being a teacher and building his confidence by using positive reinforcement techniques to encourage good behavior. Don't forget to praise your dog if you see him doing something that you like. Many people spend a lot of time telling their dogs off but forget to mark the good behavior. If your dog is made to feel good about a certain action or behavior, he will offer it to you again.

5. Look at your dog's diet to see how you can improve it. You are what you eat and the same is true for your dog. Many behavior and medical problems can be attributed to poor diet, so make sure your dog is getting the very best. Foods that contain additives such as artificial colors, flavorings and preservatives should be avoided, as well as foods that contain corn, wheat and soy. These are cheap fillers used to bulk up the food and have very little nutritional value, as well as potentially exacerbating allergies in your dog.

6. Consider signing up for a dog sport you'll both enjoy. Dogs get bored easily, so get them out and get them moving doing something such as agility, fly ball or canine freestyle.

7. Make sure your dog is microchipped. Also take this opportunity to book his yearly checkup with the veterinarian.

8. Play with your dog. One of the main reasons humans and dogs get on so well with each other is that both species love to play. Playing with your dog is one of the best ways to bond and is a great stress reliever for both of you.

9. Have fun and enjoy your dog. A dog should never be a burden. If you take the time to train your dog, you will give him the tools he needs to live successfully in a human world. Having a dog can improve your health by increasing your exercise level, and studies show that just petting a dog can lower your blood pressure and give you a feeling of calm.

10. Check out Positively.com. It's the No. 1 site of positive reinforcement training and the latest information on giving your dog the best in life.

The new season of Stilwell's Animal Planet show, "It's Me or the Dog," debuts Jan. 8, 2011.

Tags: dog training, DogTraining, its me or the dog, ItsMeOrTheDog, new years, NewYears, positively.com, victoria stilwell, VictoriaStilwell