Jun 19 2009

Training To Fix Dog Behavior Problems

by Andyl Hannerl

When getting or buying a new puppy for your home, you will need to address all training issues that are foreseen. Yes, puppies can be very charming and cute, but if you wont be able to fix any of the certain behaviors that they have on the onset, chances are your puppy will grow up with a lot of disparaging behaviors which may be harder to fix when they become adults.

There are very simple solutions to many of these problem behaviors, and if the training starts as soon as the puppy enters the household, many of the presenting problems will not even manifest, since they were addressed the first couple of times that they occurred.

Issues

Because of the many types of dog behavior problems, a lot of dog owners seek for a dog trainers help in addressing these issues with their dogs. A common dog behavior problem is too much barking.

A lot of dogs have the inclination to bark at almost everything that they see and encounter “it can be a noise, another dog or animal, a person or just for the sake of having fun. Not only is barking annoying to owners, it can also affect the neighbors especially those who live in a condominium or an apartment.

Another common behavior is digging the yard. This might be one of the difficult issues to stop if it has already started. This behavior can affect safety issues and can cause a lot of damage if this behavior is not corrected.

Not only will digging destroy flower beds and destroy gardens, it can also create holes in the yard which can be very insightful. Also, if dogs create holes somewhere near the fence, they will have the tendency of escaping and it can be harmful to your pet.

Having a lot of animal pets in the house can also be a reason for having the dog behavior problem known as food aggression. Dogs being territorial, they will be very protective of their food from the other animals around the house. They have a tendency of snapping at the other animals of chase them away from their food bowl. If this is the scenario, this can be very dangerous as they might start having a fight and if you have toddlers at home, the behavior can be acted upon them if they are in the area. Another common aggression is between two male neutered dogs.

Moreover, some of the behavior problems which involve different issues such as chewing problems, thieving issues, separation anxiety, running away and whining.

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Jun 02 2009

How To Break The Chewing Puppy Syndrome

by Brad Davenport

When you welcome home a new canine member, you are actually welcoming a bundle of warmth and love that has winsome eyes and covered with soft fur. However, this cute little puppy has one unavoidable drawback and that is the chewing puppy syndrome.

Well, one cannot blame the puppy as chewing is its inherent habit. When your kids present you with their favorite stuffed toy or a beloved pair of shoes torn to pieces, you realize that it is high time to put an end to your puppies chewing syndrome.

Before you embark on an anti-chewing puppy project, you should first understand the need and reason behind his obsessive habit. The main reason might be because he is teething and trying to relieve the pain by chewing on anything that takes his fancy.

Because of their high sense of smell they might want to have a go at the objects which has lingering scents of the family members or they might be trying to ascertain their position in the family. Or, he might be chewing with enthusiasm just because he does not have anything else of interest to do. Whatever the reason, if you do not put a stop to this bothersome behavior, your puppy will never outgrow his chewing syndrome.

You first step to break his behavior is to go for a shopping trip to a pet shop. Shop for some puppy toys that he will love to chew like fake bones, knotted sisal ropes and hard rubber balls. Once you have these with you, you just have to teach him all these goodies are his to chew and everything else is taboo.

Remember, you’ve got to keep a sharp eye on your chewing puppy if you want to avoid Dad’s favorite leather slippers going to the dogs! The minute you see him chewing on anything but his designated toys, round him up and deliver a firm No! or Bad dog!. The phrase, bad dog, comes in handy later, because he comes to associate the single admonition with behavioral infractions, so this phrase is multi-purpose.

The only punishment you should administer to your chewing puppy is the disapproval in your voice, followed by leading him to his own toys in a restricted area. This can be as simple as a large cardboard box or as fancy as a dog crate. Let him have his own toys and chew to his heart’s content. With this simple process, he will eventually learn what belongs to whom!

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May 31 2009

The Pros Guide To Puppy Training

by Gill Mortenssen

Having a new puppy in the house is very exciting and fun. Everyone will want to touch the puppy, everyone will want to play with the puppy and everyone will want to feed the puppy. When you first bring your puppy home, you should take note that you are taking the puppy away from the mother. We know, your puppy is an animal and that is what animals do, but believe it or not, your puppy was used to the mother. This means your puppy is going to be vulnerable, so for the first couple of weeks, in order to go through successful puppy training, you should keep the puppy on a routine.

Once your puppy is on that routine for the first couple of weeks, we believe you are not going to have any problem. After about a month of sticking to the same routine, your puppy will begin to get used to it. This means, when you will need to do everything at the same time in the same order.

Right now, everyone wants to feed the puppy, play with the puppy and hold the puppy. Those rules that have been established can easily be broken. Everyone has previously agreed that the new puppy will be sleeping in the crate of her own. However, as soon as the puppy came home, everyone insists that he or she should be sleeping in the bed.

Whatever you do, before you get you new puppy, you should make sure you are prepared for doing puppy training. Puppy training is something that is very important. You should also know that puppy training is not going to be “simple.” No matter what breed of puppy you got, whether it is a pit bull or beagle, it will still take some work to train the puppy.

Well, chewing on the shoes may be cute (or frustrating), and you should not allow your puppy to do it, even if he or she is not doing any harm to the shoes. Going to the bathroom on the floor is not acceptable. Sure, accidents happen and we understand this, but on your behalf, you should make sure you take the puppy out at regular intervals. In fact, you should take the puppy outside every couple of hours and after each meal.

That puppy is vulnerable. What the puppy needs is routine and security. That’s right, the key to learning how to train a puppy is all about a routine and security. Set up a room just for your puppy. Put paper down on the whole floor, take the food and water bowls along with the bed and put it all in one corner. Put the puppies toys everywhere.

When you play with your puppy, make sure you play gently and quietly. We know this may be irresistible to do, but don’t go flooding the puppy with activity and attention. If your puppy looks like he or she wants to lay down and take a nap, then step back.

You should take note that puppies will need their sleep, just like you. Once you’ve learnt the real technique of puppy training and you have mastered it, you will be able to tell by the obedient dog that is sitting in front of you.

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May 28 2009

How To train A Puppy The Easy Way

by Gill Mortenssen

Having a new puppy in the house is very exciting and fun. Everyone will want to touch the puppy, everyone will want to play with the puppy and everyone will want to feed the puppy. When you first bring your puppy home, you should take note that you are taking the puppy away from the mother. We know, your puppy is an animal and that is what animals do, but believe it or not, your puppy was used to the mother. This means your puppy is going to be vulnerable, so for the first couple of weeks, in order to go through successful puppy training, you should keep the puppy on a routine.

Before you went out and got your puppy, you should make sure you got all of the necessary puppy accessories. For instance, your puppy will need a puppy crate and bed. Don’t forget about those water and food bowls.

Right now, everyone wants to feed the puppy, play with the puppy and hold the puppy. Those rules that have been established can easily be broken. Everyone has previously agreed that the new puppy will be sleeping in the crate of her own. However, as soon as the puppy came home, everyone insists that he or she should be sleeping in the bed.

When you first bring your puppy home, you should start the training right away. There are some individuals that believe waiting the first couple of days to train the puppy is fine. However, if you wait the first couple of days to train your puppy, you will find that the puppy will get used to this routine. Obviously, you do not want your puppy to get too used to doing the wrong thing. What exactly is the wrong thing?

The grouchiness starts to set in and the enthusiasm stoops down to an all time low. No one in the house wants to get up and feed the puppy, as they previously agreed. How are you going to housetrain that puppy? How are you going to seep with that whining? You know, that new puppy has been taken away from the mom and the other littermates.

When you’re learning how to train your puppy, you need to make sure you don’t allow your puppy to do other things, during the training sessions, he or she will get used to that routine. For instance, if you allow your puppy to make his or her own routine, they will begin to think what they are doing just fine. Allowing your puppy to sleep in your bed is probably a big no no. Instead of your puppy sleeping in the bed, he or she should try to sleep in his or her own bed or in a crate.

Take note that when you are trying to get your puppy to sleep in the crate or in his or her own bed for the first time, it is going to take some work. After the first couple of nights of yelping from your puppy, your puppy will begin to get used to it and will peacefully sleep.

When you follow the right steps of puppy training, you will find that it is a hard process, but all dogs are smart. When you stick to a routine, then your puppy will stick to that routine and know it for the rest of their life.

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May 18 2009

Dog completely out of control? Dog Obedience Training can turn things around!

by karl Hernandez

Dogs make excellent buddies, they are commonly regarded as “man’s best friend” and without a doubt they excellently fit the bill. But what happens the moment your dog habitually disobeys your every command? And, what happens when you teach your pooch some dog obedience training, but you only get a growl for an answer?

The above mentioned scenarios are definitely frustrating for a dog owner. You maybe very keen to teach your dog how to behave as he should, but to no avail. So, before your dog claims the position of being master, now is the best time to teach him who the real boss is. This kind of introduction will help you draw the line between the leader and the follower.

In fact, dog obedience training is on the cards albeit a difficult and challenging task. This domestic animal wasn’t really born dogged and unruly. A dog?s significant reputation of being well-trained, reliable and companionable still towers above the down points. And so, regardless of off-putting and negative traits your pooch may possibly possess, the fundamental truth that they can still be tamed is something that you should focus on.

The main point of this article deals with simple commands and orders used to train and establish leadership and obedience among dogs.

One of the most widely held basic commands in dog obedience training is positive reinforcement. For new handlers wanting to instill obedience of simple commands in their dogs can go for positive reinforcement training.

Positive reinforcement is done through rewards or treats system. Take for instance, teaching your dog the basic “sit” command, if your pooch acknowledges your order and without much ado executes as you’ve commanded, a simple praise or a treat provides further encouragement and motivation to your dog. If he does otherwise, an easy pat on the rear will help signal your pooch to keep on trying.

Moreover, dog obedience training can also be performed through dog training collars. These types of collars are fast becoming popular among dog owners, as it makes way for easy handling and training. Contrary to reports that dog training collars aren?t animal friendly and advocates dog cruelty, these collars serve as good foundation towards training your pooch to listen, obey and act upon.

Hence, the next time you have a growl for an answer, you can tame your pooch by employing dog obedience training. The process may be lengthy and lingering, but the reward of domesticating your dog the proper way is nothing compared to the rigorous training you and your pooch have gone through.

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May 08 2009

Dog Obedience Training - Who’s the Alpha Dog of Your Pack?

by Jim Navary

The companionship of a dog can truly be one of life’s under appreciated joys. However, that joy can be seriously diminished if your dog exhibits excessive behavior problems. Aggression, inappropriate barking, jumping up on you or visitors, destroying household items and other unacceptable behavior can usually be eliminated through effective obedience training.

Since dogs are, by nature, pack animals, the are most content when they are assured of their place in the social hierarchy.

If the dog’s perception is that you are not a strong leader, he will most likely assume the role of “alpha” dog. Bad behavior will worsen since, as the pack leader, he will believe that he can do as he pleases without regard to your wishes.

Unless you impress upon your dog that you are the “alpha dog”, your efforts to teach appropriate behavior will most likely fail. However, effective obedience training will teach your pooch that YOU are the leader of the pack and that he is expected to comply with your wishes.

When you begin obedience training try to make the activity fun for your dog. Be sure to reward your dog when he does well. Rewards can take the form of tasty treats, petting, giving him a favorite toy or vigorous praise.

Never punish your dog when conducting obedience training. If he associates obedience training sessions with punishment he will do everything he can to avoid it. When you need to correct a behavior problem, try to make it a penalty instead of a punishment. A penalty can be anything from a “time out” (stopping an activity that he enjoys), a quick tug on his leash, or simply ignoring him for a few moments.

When training your dog, remember that rewards are much more effective than penalties. Discover the things that he truly enjoys and make maximum use of it during training sessions. The old adage about training an animal with either a carrot or a stick is not valid. Just throw away the stick and concentrate on providing your dog with a variety of “carrots” that he enjoys.

Professional dog trainers use a wide variety of training techniques. If you are not sure about specific tactics to use, you may benefit from their advice. There are several wonderful guide books and training courses available online that you may find quite helpful in your quest for a well behaved best friend.

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May 07 2009

Obedience Training for Dogs - Are You the Alpha Dog?

by Jim Navary

One of life’s genuine joys is the companionship of a dog. However, if your dog exhibits major behavior problems, that joy may be compromised. Destroying household items, piddling on the carpet, excessive barking, aggression, and other unacceptable behaviors can usually be eliminated through effective obedience training.

Dogs are most content when they know their place in the “pecking order” of the pack.

If the dog’s perception is that you are not a strong leader, he will most likely assume the role of “alpha” dog. Bad behavior will worsen since, as the pack leader, he will believe that he can do as he pleases without regard to your wishes.

Until you establish yourself as the alpha member of the pack your efforts to teach proper behavior to your pooch are destined to fail. By providing high quality obedience training you will teach your dog that you are the leader and that he must follow comply with your wishes.

When you begin obedience training try to make the activity fun for your dog. Be sure to reward your dog when follows your commands. Rewards can take the form of yummy treats, petting, giving him a favorite toy to play with or vigorous praise.

Never punish your dog when conducting obedience training. If he associates obedience training sessions with punishment he will do everything he can to avoid it. When you need to correct a behavior problem, try to make it a penalty instead of a punishment. A penalty can be anything from a “time out” (stopping an activity that he enjoys), a quick tug on his leash, or simply ignoring him for a few moments.

Remember that rewards are usually much more effective than penalties. Try to discover what your dog really enjoys and use it as positive reinforcement when training. The old belief that you can use either a carrot or a stick to train an animal should be entirely forgotten. Instead, try of use a variety of “carrots” to convince your dog that obedience is a good thing, and just throw away the stick.

You may find it helpful to study the tactics used by professional dog trainers if you are not sure about which techniques are best. There are several very high quality guide books and training courses available online that you may want to consider using in your quest for an obedient best friend.

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Apr 25 2009

Offer Your Dog An Active Lifestyle

by Daniel Waser

Of all the creatures which man can rely upon, dogs are the ones deemed as his best friend. Still, eating the remote controlling or chewing your sofa is one of those nasty things that they’re just fond of doing. It is because they have that characteristic of being dynamic, but they are at home with a TV addicted couch potato. A dog is more likely to feel depressed if he is matched with an keeper who has a different lifestyle and this can sometimes create a tense in a human relationship.

When bringing a dog into your home, there are activity levels that you should be able to think about since it will determine the factors needed by the dog to keep him fit not just physically but also emotionally. Having a dog that needs walking twice daily can in some way give those idle adults the kind of exercise that for so many years, they have been taken for granted.

Active dogs need active keepers, but if they have been matched with lazy folks, a change of ways is badly needed - nonetheless, that can’t be easily done. Since idle keepers are more likely to slack off during walking sessions, the dog is not likely to get the essential benefits of having a frequent outside time thus the dog will be the one to suffer.

Giving your dog enough physical exercise is not equivalent to giving him the amount of daily activity that he needs. You should give your dog his required time to walk, run, jump and relax for each day. You might as well go to the park for a walk with your dog on a leash or even just around your block. You don’t have to put your dog on a leash to let him enjoy the freedom of running and playing if you have a home with a fenced yard.

If you are one of those older adults who are concerned about having limited mobility, then you might as well go for a dog that won’t demand you of too much activity everyday. Active dogs may find individuals who are fond of going outside to have fun or relax after a day’s work to be ideal owners that are suitable for them. It is more likely that the end of each day’s actions make both the keeper and the dog excited, since they will both relish the fun and freedom of running together or chasing each other around the park.

You should be aware that the trend to be more physically active goes with those dogs of bigger sizes. Those dogs with the heritage of being working or hunting dogs can be sited as examples of these dogs. The desire of getting busy and working off their energy is just some of their built-in traits. Dogs such as Irish Setter, Doberman, Beagle, German Shepherd and Greyhound are built for movement and agility, thus, it is natural for them to need some kind of physical exercise everyday.

Do not be deceived by the sizes of each dog since those dogs that can outweigh their keepers easily like the St. Bernard and Bull Mastiff, are those kinds of dogs with a low level of activity. Even though you see the St. Bernard in movies rescuing the lost skier, what you miss is the rest of the time when the dog is asleep in front of the fireplace.

Small dogs like Poodles, Pekinese and Chihuahuas can live in small places and forgo the daily long walk in the park, however, getting active around your house is not something that you can avoid from these dogs since they have those nervous temperaments. It is already taken that some of their natural actions may appear to be pointless such as running to and fro around your house, meddling with your guests or bouncing either at them or at you, but as soon as the energy burst is all used up, they just tend to calm down. When those little dogs go find their way to your lap or on their sumptuous pillow, that’s the time for them to recharge by getting that hard-earned nap.

There are a lot of things that you need to think about just before you decide on buying a dog. Take time to evaluate your living space, character, and personal physical activity level so that you can come up with the best dog profile that can be compatible to you thus will give you a lasting and harmonized human relationship.

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Apr 13 2009

Quickly And Easily Train Your Dog

by Matt McGrath

A well-trained dog is a pleasure to be around and a pleasure to own. If you love your dog and you love being a dog owner you owe it to yourself and to your dog to make sure that you follow through with all of the dog obedience training that you can. Your dog will be easier to live with, get along with and much safer than if you fail to train your dog.

Well-trained dogs will never cause their owners to be embarrassed. They require less restrictions and can be relied upon in all circumstances. In this way a well-trained dog is nice to own. A well-trained dog will never cause unnecessary problems for his master.

If your dog is well-trained most people respond positively towards them and you. Untrained dogs that bark too much or jump around like mad and jump all around and jump up and on other people make everybody uncomfortable including you, the owner of the dog. A well-behaved dog is just nicer to own and nicer for everyone to be around.

A dog that is leash-trained and will heel properly at his owner’s side and will sit down without hesitation upon command is much more welcome in a public place among other people and other pets than a dog that is rowdy and out-of-control. Also, a well-trained dog receives much more positive attention and interactions from other people, be they friends, family or even strangers. A well-trained and obedient dog can melt away people’s fears and open up their hearts.

As a responsible dog owner you need to take care of your dog obedience training. Training a dog can strengthen the bond between the dog and his owner. Training a dog forges mutual respect, communication, and understanding and makes it apparent to your dog that as his master and owner you are the “alpha dog”. If your dog considers you to be the leader you will deflect many difficulties especially if your dog is a high strung and rambunctious by nature.

If you want to keep your dog safe, obedience training is one of the most important things that you can do. If your dog slips out of his collar in the middle of a busy street you will be able to control your dog until you are able to get to a safer place. If someone fails to lock your gate and your dog gets out you will be able to get your dog to come back and you won’t have to contend with the animal control people picking him up and taking him away. A well-trained dog will save you much frustration, energy and time.

It is nice to have the ease of knowing that your dog is dependable and reliable around children. This can even be a liability problem and it is very important. Good manners, proper behavior in a crowd and reliability are important aspects that your dog will gain with the appropriate obedience training.

You will enjoy having your dog much more if you take the time, energy and money to appropriately train your dog. Both you and your dog will be more at ease.

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Mar 05 2009

How to Deal With an Aggressive Dog

by Graeme Landis

Most all dogs can and will show aggression given the right set of circumstances. Aggression for a dog is a natural response and it is critical to understand what circumstances and experiences will probably provoke aggression in a dog. Understand that what a human may see as an unprovoked act of aggression in a dog may, in fact, be perfectly logical to a canine mind. The major acusses for aggressive behavior in dogs are discussed below.

Territorial Aggression

Dogs will use territorial aggression when defending their territory. This is any territory that the dog is familiar with or has marked with her scent. While you may encourage your dog to protect your property, the dog may claim the whole neighborhood as his territory to protect.

Guarding Aggression

Many dogs tend to guard both possessions, and members of their pack. This may include people, other family pets, and even favorite toys and sometimes food items. This “Guarding Aggression” is directed at unfamiliar people or animals that are approaching the dogs people, possessions or food. Occasionally, the dog will even guard food or toys from familiar dogs or people.

Transferred Aggression

Transferreed Aggression often happens when a dog becomes upset or over-excited and instead of becoming aggressive with the specific item, it transfers its aggression/frustration onto another dog or person. For example a kid may poke a dog with a stick through a fence, and since the dog cannot defend itself because of the fence it may turn its aggression on another person in the yard or on another dpg.

Pecking Order Aggression

Dogs are pack animals, and they need to establish the pecking order or hierarchy with the family or household members (human and animal alike). Once the dog has established his rank in the family he, or she, does not like to be challenged. Often well-meaning owners will inadvertently teach their dogs that they are in fact the highest ranking pack member and that can lead to difficulties in controlling the dog. It is also common for there to be aggression problems between dogs in the same household as they battle it out for the top position.

Aggression Due to Fear

Dogs do respond like humans with a fight or flight instinct when presented with a fearful situation. Dogs that respond with aggression may growl, snarl or even bite if they are frightened. Remember, different reactions in dogs are due to genetic disposition, training methods and past experiences. The dog may see a fearful event in a calm environment if he has been abused in the past. Dogs that would normally use the flight option but are trapped or cornered will resort to aggression in an attempt to protect themselves.

Some dogs will become aggressive when they believe that they are threatened, that their position in the pack or family is threatened, or that their territory or possessions are endangered. As humans we often don’t understand all the triggers for a dog to respond aggressively. Aggression in dogs, whatever the reason, needs to be controlled in order to avoid a potentially dangerous situation for both humans and other animals. Positive rewards training works well for these aggressive dogs, and punishment almost never helps and in fact will often make the aggressive behavior worse.

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