First Coast Pet

Posts Tagged ‘training your dog’

So you brought home your brand new puppy. Dog training is the last thing on your mind. Oh, you know you will have to house train your dog but that is no big deal.

You envision what your life is going to be like now that you have a new best friend. Your anxious to take him to the park with you so you can run and play together through the green meadows. There will be no need for a leash because your dog will stay right by your side and you will take him where ever you go.

He might even be a best friend to your daughter or son. They will spend the summers running together and getting into mischief the way a kid and their dog are supposed to. Life is going to be so wonderful!

Then real life comes back to smack you in the face.

Your well mannered dog refuses to go to the bathroom outside and thinks your couch is the best place to sleep. He is now to good for the kibbles and bits you try to feed him and instead rummages around the counters to find better fare. Your new carpet has become is favorite digging hole.

Forget that you bought him chew toys and plenty of bones, the arms on your favorite recliner have become the best chew toy in the world. He is constantly barking at everything including his own shadow and your dreams of owning a well behaved dog are vanishing.The constant barking is driving you batty. If you do dog training barking is first on the list.

So what in the world do you do know?

Well you can’t get rid of the blasted dog because even though he is a monster he has the saddest eyes that he stares up at you with when he’s in trouble. He really loves you and you are quite fond of him.

If only that silly dog would behave (even a little)!

Well the answer my friend is dog training and not just taking your dog to a dog training class a handful of times. Your dog will need constant training but it will not be as hard to do as you think.

Dogs really love to please so when you two finally figure out how to properly communicate and he knows what to expect, he will go out of his way to make you happy.

It is probably true that you want your dog to be healthy and happy.The main influences on your dog's health and well being are a nutritious diet and getting enough exercise.  This could also affect the way your dog behaves and could be a cause or a cure for problem dog behavior.

There is no reason to believe that certain foods do not affect dogs in the same way that some foods affect humans.  Some humans are sensitive or even allergic to certain foods and food additives.  This sensitivity causes a variety of reactions, one being hyperactivity in children.  It is a possibility that if you have dog problem behavior, and training does not seem to be working, that your dog could be sensitive to something that it is eating.What happened the last time that you ate something that didn't agree with you.Did you feel really happy and ready to play?What if there was no other choice but for you to eat it?Dogs don't have the option to change their food, they must eat what their owners feed them.

Ingredients in a large number of the commercial dog foods available today are primarily carbohydrates, fillers and additives.  The high carbohydrate concentration alone can cause wild swings in blood sugar levels and can in turn, cause dog behavior problems.  Dogs evolved from primitive wolves, however, they are not exclusively carnivores.The prey of wild wolves eat plants and the wolves will eat the stomach contents of the prey.  You have also most likely seen your dog eating grass.If it was choosing its own food, your dog would choose to eat food that it could easily digest.Because of this, veterinarians often prescribe a lamb and rice diet for dogs with certain health problems.

A high quality, protein based food that also contains the essential nutrients that an animal would derive from plants, roots and berries should be chosen to ensure that you dog gets proper nutrition.It might be hard to find a product that has these ingredients in today's market place, but they do exist and you should be able to find one with some research.To help your dog to be healthier and possibly even improve its behavior, proper nutrition is essential.

If you haven’t bought your dog a sturdy set of pet stairs, you should seriously consider doing so. Dog stairs not only help your pooch get where he needs to go (be it the sofa or the bed), but it also helps to save his joints and the tissues around them from becoming damaged from the daily impact of leaps and descends. Dog steps come in a variety of heights and sizes, but you must make sure that the steps you choose aren’t too tall or too short as this could cause him to trip.

Some dogs may not take to using pet stairs straight away. This is not uncommon an uncommon occurrence, especially if the dog is older. All it takes is a little effort on your part to show your dog (in a way that he can understand) that using the stairs is worthwhile to him.

We’ve always had the best results when using our dog’s favourite treat as encouragement to use the stairs. For our bedside pet steps, I would sit on the bed in front of the steps dangling our pup’s favourite biscuit. At first he would try to go around the stairs to jump on the bed. When this happened, I hid the treat behind my back and gave my dog a firm “No!” After a few attempts (and many acts of re-positioning my dog in front of the steps), my dog finally understood that he would receive praise and a treat when he used the stairs. It didn’t take him long to learn to use the stairs on a regular basis.

We’ve also heard of dog owners who have denied their dog access to the bed unless the dog steps were used. This was done by either verbally dismissing the dog from the bed or bodily removing him from the bed onto the floor in front of the steps. This tactic is quite successful, as is high praise. Anytime your dog uses the stairs to get onto the furniture, make a big deal about it. Give him a cheery “good boy!” or any other phrase of praise you commonly use. This not only lets him know that you prefer for him to use the stairs, but also that it pleases you—and that’s what dogs want to do!

For information about getting your dog a set of pet stairs, visit Help Your Pets.

Ok, you have a new dog and you are all excited and happy (and you should be!). But one question that will come up pretty soon is what to do about training?

It is absolutely necessary to train your dog (if you haven’t noticed it yet, wait a couple of days…), but how? The dilemma is usually between training it on your own or hiring someone professional with a lot of experience to do it for you.

There are advantages to hiring a pro to do the training for you. First of all, you know the job will be done in a very professional way (that is, after performing a good market research and making sure the person you hire knows what they are doing…). Besides that, if you don't train your dog on your own, it will take less time for your dog to be trained. Another great advantage to hiring a pro is the amount of work and energy from your side. By all means – you must be involved, but you will have to put less effort and work because you will have guidance.

But (what, you really thought that only pros and no cons???) hiring someone to do the training for you can get expensive. Also, you may feel you are not having much success because you haven't any previous experience.

One solution can be online help. Yup, there is a variety of dog training programs that you'll find on the internet, and they do quite a good job! It is actually pretty ideal, as it gives you the opportunity to train you dog on your own, and it lowers the price of hiring a professional! (Isn't that a great feeling? Think of the great sense of fulfillment and accomplishment you will have!)

So, see how much money you can out in this business, do your research online, and get this project kicking!

Snarling? Biting? Growling? Want To prevent Your Dog’s Aggression? follow this link!

Usually the best training for dogs comes from their owners.

Training your dog will help him to be a more obedient animal .It will also help him to be your favorite pet.

The time that you spend investing in this training will reward you for ever.Your dog will be closer to you and will be your best friend.

And, it doesn’t take away for his or her personality.But, what is does is sets the rules, the boundaries which help your dog to feel secure.

Your pet is communicating with you.They want attention and will do whatever it takes to get it.

Maybe you do not provide your pet with the attention that she or he are need of.

If you yell at your dog for doing something wrong , they may keep doing that wrong just to get that attention.

You are agitated which makes them excited .Just don’t pay attention when your dog do something wrong like this.

Instead, positive reinforcement works well on many pets .Give to your dog a reward if he or she behave right. Let me show you what can you do .

Giving them a treat works wonderful.Just take some time daily to pay attention to your dog.This does several things for your dog.

You will be reinforcing good behavior in your dog by giving a reward.Also it will make you as the boss.

If your dog tries to challenge your leadership you must show them you are the leader of the pack.Obedience training can be quite beneficial for your dog if he or she are continually showing wrong behavior.

The pet will feel more secure and behave right when he follow a leader.

Positive reinforcement type training can work in different ways.To teach the animal into giving you the desired reaction you can use the “capture reward process” .

Professionals trainers affirm that it is best to use several senses for training your dog .

It’s necessary the use of verbal communication and the use of hand signals .

Things like stay, fetch, sit are all verbal signals.You need a release signal as well which will inform the animal that she has done a good.

You should give the release signal and then her reward right afterwards.This way you links the signal and the good behaviour in the dog’s mind.

You can do most of your pet training yourself.

You can learn more going to this website about training for dogs.

Dog psychology is a fascinating subject and one we will explore today. Taking the time to understand your dog’s pysche a bit better will prove to be quite helpful in understanding your dog and in applying it when you train your dog.

When we learn to understand why a dog behaves and acts the way that he does , then we are essentially learning dog psychology. The way the dog-a descendant of the wolf- has adapted to human social organization is truly fascinating.

Dogs have learned to live with and obey humans through successful training. A dog learns that when he behaves well, he will be rewarded and this is one facet of creating a trusting bond and relationship between you and your dog.

The importance of understanding how wolves live plays a large part in understanding dog psychology. Wolves live in the wild in packs of two or more.The dictatorship system that the males and females use is strictly defined.

The leader or “alpha leader” of this system is almost always the biggest male in the pack.The alpha leader is eagerly followed by the other wolves with the utmost respect.

Thousands of years ago wolves were able to adapt domestically with man because of the similar social organization and instinctive mental or psychological structure. When it comes to dividing duties like feeding, some wolves track the animal, one stands guard, and one makes the attack.The alpha leader allows the other members of the pack to finish his “leftovers” when he has fed first and is satisfied.

As part of your household your dog views the members of the family as the pack.Your dog will be watching everyone closely until he can figure out who the alpha leader is and exactly where he fits into this new system.

He will be watching for clues such as the physical size of each family member as well as the tone of voice that each person speaks with.The way everyone interacts with one another is another clue your dog will watch for throughout the day.

It is essential to establish yourself (or another responsible adult in your household) as the alpha leader.The sooner this is established, the fewer behavioral problems you will see.

Establishing yourself or someone else as the alpha is not the only understanding that you need to have, but you need to also need to understand that your dog is at the bottom of your family’s heirarchy.

Without a hierarchal system in place, your dog will create one and put himself in charge. This is when a lot of dogs can become overly dominant and destructive. It needs to be very obvious to your dog that he is subordinate to everyone-including children.

Because of their small size and their dependency on adults, it is sometimes difficult for a dog to understand that he is lower ranked than children. Dogs can sometimes become very aggressive towards children for this reason and might even bite on occasion.

Your dog will realize he is subordinate to every other family member through disciplined training.Good quality dog training resources can help you with this process.

Remember, training does take time and effort, but it is definately worth it!

All the best with the process of training your dog.

Darcy Austin is editor in chief of Dog Obedience University, a comprehensive resource on dog obedience training.

Spring is here and that means nicer weather and more opportunities for taking your dog for walks. If your dog walks are anything but leisurely strolls, the following tips are just for you!

Change Your Direction

Abruptly changing the direction you’re heading in may be enough distraction to make your dog understand that he needs to follow you. Each time your dog begins to yank on the lead or run in front of you, quickly change direction and start walking in a different direction. When his attention is averted and he returns to walk next to you, follow up immediately with lots of praise. A small dog treat helps, too. Its pointless to scold your dog, catching him off guard and redirecting his attention is far more effective.

To begin with, your walks may only be a few steps at a time. That’s OK! You may need to repeat this process several times. The idea is that you want your dog to be paying attention to you and your movements. Be generous with your praise and rewards and repeat this process several times. Your dog will slowly give up the tug of war game he’s been playing with your.

If you already have a remote dog trainer that offers both positive and negative tone reinforcement, now would be a good opportunity to put it to use.

Consistency is Important

Once you’ve made up your mind that you want your dog to walk obediently beside you, don’t give in! If you don’t establish consistent rules, your dog will become confused. Treat this as you would any other training session.

Practicing your dog’s new skills in a familiar place, such as your driveway or backyard, is the best way to start to your training. Once you’re confident your dog understands what’s expected of him, begin taking longer walks in less familiar places.

Keep Up the Good Work

As with all dog training, teaching your dog to walk properly on a leash is an ongoing process. Don’t be discouraged if your dog isn’t instantly getting it. Patience and consistency will pay off in the long run. You’ll want to continue to use this technique occasionally to keep your dog on his toes and reinforce his new behavior.

Make sure you heap on the praise! Dogs instinctively want to please their owner and love being rewarded and praised for obeying. The more praise you give when you “catch him” being good, the more likely he is to pay close attention to what you’re doing.

dog training tips

There has to be someone special in order to fill the job a dog trainer must do. Training your dog is an important part of developing a life-long bond with your beloved pet. You may never be a dog trainer for money but just giving your dog the basic dog commands is more than many people find themselves able to do. You can look back with a sense of satisfaction that your pet is a good example for others.

In order to be a dog trainer for your pet, you have to know some dog training tips. The first is having the proper knowledge on the dog breeding. Certain dogs are more laid back than others. Some dogs exhibit more aggression. As a dog trainer for your puppy, you must know its breeding. Once you have this knowledge ingrained then you will know what areas of difficulty you can expect as well as areas that will be easier.

Basic dog training starts off with teaching the pet how not to use the bathroom in your house. Dog books may recommend something called crate training to help with this aspect. Basically it begins with laying puppy pee pads out and into a crate designed to house your dog. There will be some rough times when the carpet gets more of the pee than the pad or crate does but as a dog trainer you must come to expect this. Eventually the dog will lean to use the bathroom correctly.

Crate training can also be used as a way to secure the dog at night when the rest of the family is asleep. You probably do not want to wake up and find your best shoes chewed up because Fido became irritated at you because you were not there for him or her when they wanted to play. Dogs are very smart. If you irritate them or abandon them, they will retaliate and the recipient is often a favored pair of shoes that become chew toys.

Crate training can help a dog trainer by providing the pet with a place to go when the owner is not immediately at home and values their favorite shoes. It can also be used as a time-out of sorts.

You, as a dog trainer, can expect to have a lot of questions and should expect to have some frustrations or set-backs. Do not take it personally. It takes time to learn all of the tricks of the trade. Eventually the initial training will be complete and then you can start on some of the fun things.

As a pet dog lover, you always see to it that you give all the best in the world for your furry best friend. Some even would go through the extreme of enrolling their dogs to an obedient school for weeks or months. Well, that would be a swell idea if you have the financial resources. They can also opt for a trainer who can train their dogs right in their own homes. If you have the money, go ahead. But unfortunately, most dog owners can’t seem to manage to invest in these things. That’s why, they would resort to going through the Web, browsing for an online dog training course and help them learn how to train their own dogs.

If you would want to train your dog on your own, this is also what you should try to look for. There are many benefits in learning how to do pet dog training. First of all, you can create a stronger relationship with your pet. Of all people, you are the only one or your other family members, for that matter, knows the personality of your mutt and training him on your own can be handled efficiently as compared to getting the services of a dog trainer. A dog training course that you can do on your own is much cheaper. You might, for example, find a software or an e-book guide which you will only pay for a minimum amount and you can train your dog with it and you can even apply your knowledge from what you’ve learned from a book guide on other dogs.

Third and the last, training your own loyal best friend won’t really be a impediment to your time and your other important responsibilities. You can set out your fixed schedule on when to train your dog effectively. But the concern is, where can you find a a proven method to train your dog? If you go to the Net right now, you can come across some dog training reviews site which has compiled several guides on how to train your dog. From there, you can get to learn the different system and after reading them, that’s the time for you to decide to choose from among those options which you think will work best for you and your furry friend.

Simple Principles in Dog Obedience Training

Dogs, even when their breeding is maximized and well-adapted to human needs, will always need some basic obedience training as they would never figure this out on their own. Obedience training requires the use of some principles which differentiate effective training, from training without results. They are the following:

First Principle: CONSISTANCY

The first rule in obedience training is to be consistent. This covers the use of words, tone, and the actions that accompany the word or command. During the beginning of the training, the trainer or the dog owner must decide what should be the parameters of training, such as what and how you are going to teach the dog.

At first the word commands, such as “come”, does not make sense to a dog. It is only reasonable to conclude if he does not understand the way humans are, then he does not understand our language. So to make the training understandable, you should use the command in a very consistent manner so that the dog will learn to associate the word with the meaning you attach with it.

An example would be if you use the word, “come”, then you need to make sure everyone else in the household using the same word. The command “Come” specifically means that the dog should approach the giver of the command. When you are using this command be sure not to use any signals or body movements that would be confusing to the dog.

If he does not come to you, do not force the dog to come to you and then punish him for doing so. Otherwise, this would make him attribute the command with the punishment. He will not follow the same command since in his mind, he remembers it will lead to punishment.

Being consistent in your dog commands is to be followed by anyone who works with the dog. For instance if you are teaching the word “come”, others should not use the words, ’come here boy’ or ’here’, because this will only confuse the dog.

Second Principle: Keep It Short

Both the amount of time you spend training and the words you use as commands should be kept short. Dogs tend to have a short attention span, it is best to limit the training so they keep the interest level to it’s peak during the days lesson. Puppies usually react to a specific stimulus, but not for a very long time, they may begin to chase a moving toy, and quickly lose interest, then move on to the next thing.

They can quickly loose interest in an activity sometimes within just moments after beginning, and will need something else to stimulate their senses. They also often become board during training and that is why it’s best to limit the time to 10 – 15 minutes a day.

Principle Three: DO NOT USE FORCE and PUNISHMENT

A trainer should never hurt the dog in any way, you should make it a goal to have the training be a positive experience for all involved. Also, never force the dog to follow the command if he is not prepared for, or punish a dog for something he did during training that he did not understand.

Make sure not to over do it when training your dog. A good trainer realizes dogs do not learn things instantly and so they are very patient and show understanding towards the animal they are working with. All he knows is that you are mad.

So do not use force as this does not communicate your meaning properly, instead gives a negative reinforcement. By praising a dog for good behavior and obeying commands he will learn exactly what pleases you and what is expected from him.