Nov 10 2009

Things Not To Do When Training Your Dog

Nearly every dog owner wants to teach their dog properly. However, nearly an equal number seriously misjudge the amount of time and discipline it takes to instruct a dog. This results in a regular set of misjudgments that are often made that could, with more or less effort, be wholly avoided.

Dogs should not be treated as hairy kids. Even though the typical dog has the psychological development of a two year old child, there are more contrasts than similarities. While dogs are incredible at processing language, they are unable to rationalize as humans do. They can’t put together cause and effect the way humans do.

That is why plenty of new dog trainers are extremely frustrated when they suppose the dog is ignoring their command, which is being repeated again and again. Many owners consider a dog to be stubborn on one day when he obeyed his master’s commands the previous day. But the owners do not take into consideration that the dog does not understand the command so he does not know how to respond.

That is the reason why owners dub a dog stubborn or disobedient as if it was human. A dog might get distracted while training or not relate the “come” command with the behavior of the previous training session and its resulting reward. There are reasons for this particular behavior.

Dog owners and trainers have to be extremely patient. You will need to repeat commands many times for the dog to assimilate them. Sometimes the dog is not going to respond as you want it to. Many dogs take up to 2 years to go beyond the simple basic commands which they can understand.

Remember that patience means that you keep your temper when what you really want is to smack or yell at your dog. It’s normal to think about taking the easy route of physical punishment as the first reaction for improving the dog’s behavior. However, this should be reserved for only the most serious situations. The dog doesn’t really understand why they’re being smacked. This will not develop into trust, but instead fear.

Dogs are just like human beings in the way that they follow people they trust instead of the people they fear. Following a person they fear is a last resort option for dogs. Dogs also have different reasoning abilities than humans. They are not going to learn from physical punishment, because they do not understand the reason behind it. That is why physical punishment is not an effective training option.

This is how not to train your dog: -Treating and talking to your dog like it is a human, and able to reason like you. -Thinking that your dog can connect cause and effect, and events across different circumstances and time and reach the same conclusions as a human being. -Getting impatient with the dog, as well as frustrated, just because they are not behaving in the manner you want them to behave, and then punishing them for something they cannot understand.

If you follow these ways, you are just going to have a totally maladjusted dog, and are going to be extremely unhappy with the results. So change YOUR behavior now instead of trying incorrectly to make the dog change its behavior.

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Nov 09 2009

Use Your Dog’s Everyday Behavior to Teach Tricks

Dogs are amazing creatures in that they conform to their owner’s desires in almost all cases. You would be amazed at the things a dog will do to please their owner, especially when there is some sort of treat involved when all is said and done. There are things that they do as a matter of course, and those are the things that you’re going to want to use while you train them to do tricks. If you combine these methods with treats, then you’ll find that it’s a lot easier to do the training.

Observe what your dog does for his own amusement. Does he spring into the air pursuing butterflies? Does he like to lay on his back with his feet in the air? If some kind of impromptu behavior can be turned into an enjoyable trick, that will quicken the training process. Be ready to use a fitting hand cue and verbal command when this behavior is displayed and then follow through with an instantaneous reward.

It’s important to not feed your dog an excessive number of treats. If you feed them too many you risk them either becoming sick, obese, or immune to the treat if you know what I’m saying. Treats will be good in the beginning, but you need to slowly wean your dog off of these treats so that he or she will do the tricks after seeing your hand signal or receiving the verbal command.

Quite a few dogs get the knack very rapidly after a few repeats and a voice praise or snack reward. This usually makes training the “stay”, “come”, “sit” and other elementary commands quite straightforward. When you want to teach something a bit more complicated it can be as simple as capitalizing on these elementary commands and behaviors. For example, the “down” command can be the jump off point for training “play dead”.

Another way to get your dog to pay close attention while you are trying to perfect tricks is to use their favorite toy. You can dangle this close to your dog’s nose and say ‘jump’. It may take a few minutes, but the dog will soon realize that the word ‘jump’ means…well…jump. After a while you won’t even need the toy.

Take advantage of your dog’s perceptive sense of smell… his capacity to detect smells close by and at long distance is fascinating. This incredible capacity can be utilized in training many types of “hide-and-seek” tricks and games. Again, using a favorite squeaky toy or chew ball, conceal it under a box or other object. Begin up close and slowly lengthen the distance or increase the difficulty in stages, for example positioning the box in a different room or up on a counter.

What about giving you five? That’s a great trick for a dog, and it’s actually pretty easy. Most dogs have a tendency to give you their paw immediately, and you can show them your hand or “paw”, and then say ‘high five’ as they give you theirs. After a while this will become second nature to them, but at first you will need to reinforce this behavior using a treat.

Often the dog will give you his paw at once. With some dogs you will have to help them get the idea by elevating their paw whilst using the vocal command. Bear in mind the need to praise even if you have to elevate his paw into position, then lower the paw back down and repeat.

Once you’ve taught your dog a few tricks, there are some other things that you can do. Once you teach them to give you five, you can extend it into telling them to ‘sit up’. You can lift the paw slowly, and the other one will rise up by reflex, and then the dog will actually be sitting up. Make sure you reward the dog with a treat after you do this.

Training a dog can be fun, and it has a few other benefits as well. By training your dog and spending time with him or her you will create a strong bond. You and your dog will become very close and you both will be a lot happier!

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Nov 09 2009

How Do You Train Your Pet Not to Chew?

The muscles found in the jawbone of a dog are capable of stripping the flesh off a rawhide bone in a few minutes. Even an ordinary Golden retriever can tear that thick bone apart really fast. That is because a dog has some of the strongest jaw muscles among animals. And that is why it can become a problem that they can do the same to the furniture too.

Different dog breeds are going to have different chewing patterns and tendencies, and that is all going to depend upon their behavior patterns. That is why dog owners should understand why dogs chew everything they see in or out of a house. That is one reason why their attention needs to be focused upon objects used only for chewing. But sometimes it is quite difficult getting a dog to understand that.

Young dogs including puppies are not very choosy about the materials which they find to chew. However, owners can teach the puppies to keep away from objects which are definitely not to be chewed upon.

As a little prevention is always better than the cure, keep laundry, shoes, and other chewable items away from the vicinity of the dog. Keep the toys meant for the dog away from the toys which are used by the children.

One can also keep a large number of attractive toys at different locations, both indoors and outdoors, which can be chewed by the dog. Some of these items may include hard rubber, plastic bones, and rawhide bones according to the breed one has. It is not suggested to give a real bone like a chicken bone to a dog, because it might splinter and cause internal injuries.

Nevertheless, there are plenty of toys made especially for dogs and some of them have treats in hollow interiors. A dog needs to work really hard to get to the treat and not only is it going to have a good physical and mental workout, but it is going to get a treat reward at the end of the activity.

You can try talking to the dog extremely firmly when it tries to chew upon any unsuitable object. But do not yell or punish the dog with physical punishment. Not yelling is quite difficult, but one has to look at other options for venting one’s frustrations, all in the upholding of a harmonious owner and pet relationship.

The development of specific habits can be done by leashing the dog. Then an unsuitable object has to be placed near the dog. The moment, the dog approaches it, the leash should be jerked sideways, and No said very firmly.

Remember to jerks sideways and not back. The throat of the dog can be bruised if the leash is jerked back. This pulling movement is to give the dog information and not for punishment purposes.

A dog may have the tendency of chewing objects found outside like fences, chairs, plants and other items. Such behavior can be contained by coating homemade mixtures like cayenne pepper, upon the surfaces which the dog likes to chew. Some commercial products also have bitter apple, which discourages the dog from chewing any surface.

As with all dog training, patience, persistence and consistency will be the primary factors which contribute to success. To suppress chewing, one must be up to the complex challenge since you are training the dog to not perform a behavioral pattern as opposed to learning a new one.

The easiest way to do this is to keep vigilant and calm and redirect the dog’s attention to objects which it can chew, so that it can follow its instincts. The purpose of the exercise is to keep your relationship with your pet happy, instead of losing your temper.

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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 30 2009

Find Out Tips To Puppy Potty Training

by Todd Hammerstein

Getting a new puppy is very exciting. It doesn’t take long, however, to realize that a new puppy takes more patience than you may have thought. Potty training a puppy, including teaching him to go outside requires a lot of effort on your part.

If you try to potty train your dog to go to potty outside before it is a month old you may be wasting your time. It’s easier and better to start potty training your puppy around two months of age. At this point, the best approach is to work out some kind of routine with your puppy. Haphazard training rarely works.

If you jump up to take out the puppy every few minutes you will soon grow weary and your puppy may not get the point of too frequent visits outside. Set up a schedule to take your puppy out about once every thirty minutes or so. It’s also a good idea to take your puppy out before you sit down for a meal. You don’t want to have to get up and take the puppy out when you are in the middle of eating.

Setting up a routine and sticking with it is the quickest and easiest way to get your puppy potty trained. Training without a schedule can be a frustrating, fiasco. The sooner your puppy is in a routine, the better off your puppy will be.

Some people feel that establishing a routine is just too excessive. The reality is that it is a fairly simple thing to do, and it will help get your puppy trained. It is the best way for your puppy to learn. Just like potty training a child, your puppy will need to see and complete the process a number of times before it actually “clicks” that going outside means time to potty.

Puppies that refuse to potty outside can be especially perplexing. Try to figure out why they refuse to go outside. Try taking them to a different place in the yard. With a little effort you will get your puppy potty trained and can move on to other puppy training adventures.

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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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Mar 21 2009

Best Ways To Toilet Train Your Puppy

by John Michaels

Dogs are actually really clean animals. They won’t soil close to where they eat, or where they sleep. The thing is, a house is a completely different story. Living in a house is unnatural for an animal whose instincts would be to roam wherever she wants to go, so you will have to help her learn where and when she can relieve herself.

The sooner you can train your dog or puppy proper potty expectations the better. Trying to break the habit of a dog is quite difficult and it can be very frustrating. You need to use guidance and encouragement to help the pet. Animal experts all have some great ideas that can help you house train your dog.

Believe it or not, dogs are sanitary creatures. If a dog does soil accidentally in the wrong place, it is likely that it will be far from his dog dish, at least six to ten feet. This is true for the place where the dog sleeps as well. But, unless you find a good place for her to go and train her in that manner, the rest of your house is okay to them.

Training a fully grown dog is essentially the same as a puppy. Youll need to take him outside every few hours and also 30 minutes after he eats. It is about repetition. Stay with the pet until she goes, and then praise her when she does. If she does not go, bring her back inside and try again in fifteen minutes. Watch her though. If the dog starts sniffing and circling take them out right away as this is a sign that she is about to go. If you keep an eye and help condition the dog, they will start to associate going outside with potty activities.

It is important to know that all dogs learn at different rates. Some dogs personality will cause her to go one way or the other. But, if you take her outside at the right time, it will go smoother. A puppy of less than four months old will need to go out during the night. Older puppies can hold it that long. A dog that cries to be let out has an urgent need. Get up and take her out, she needs every chance to succeed that she can get. Positive reinforcement is necessary for success.

Your approach and how you treat your dog will greatly affect the learning ability. If you catch your dog going in the act, distract her with a clap or call her name. You really need to approach this with patience. Clean up any accident that you find on the floor. If the dog approaches during this time, ignore her. Dont talk to or punish her at this point. The worst thing that you can do is to yell at her or physically punish her. This will cause her to fear you and to not bond as well to you. She wont connect it to the accident at all. Don’t create a negative condition and you and your dog will do fine together!

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