Archives for February, 2010
A lot of people think that cats work on their own agenda, not paying much attention to their owner provided they have clean litter, food, and water. Cats can behave in odd manners at times, which can easily confuse their owners and make it really hard to determine what the cat wants. As much as cat behavior can be confusing, there are some ways that you can solve common cat behavior mysteries.
A common behavior that almost all cats do is push their heads into any type of object that will allow them to do it. Youve probably seen your cat do this before, probably against table legs, TV stands, or another object. This can be noticed more when you have other people who own animals or those with allergies over at your house. When a cat notices this, he will rub his head against the person. In doing so, he will put a touch of saliva on the individual. In a cats mind, he owns what he puts his saliva on.
By putting his saliva on something, that object or person will have a familiar scent. Although this can be very annoying, you have to understand that other people in your home are seen as odd or weird to your cat. When a cat does this, he is simply trying to make the visitor belong. When he brushes up against them and puts his saliva on them, he is trying to put his scent on them which in his mind will mean that they belong in his territory.
Even though marking someone or something with saliva is beneficial to the cat, saliva is one of the most common forms of pet allergies. When someone wipes the saliva off of them, the scent will be gone and the cat will go back and attempt to do it again. Even though it may appear that cats target those with allergies, cats are actually just trying to make the visitor belong at the house. If the guest simply cannot take the saliva, allow the cat to rub himself on their pants leg a few times. Normally, this is all takes for a cat to leave the person alone.
Those of you who an indoor cat should expect the cat to spend quite a bit of time lying near windows. During this time, you may hear your cat make very strange noises or weird movements. You shouldnt fear though, as he is simply acting out his hunting instincts. Whether its another cat or object outside moving about, the cat will see it and simply go into his native hunting instinct.
As most already know, cats love to play. They love to played with, especially with toys. They will pounce on things on occasion, which should always be expected. If you try to prevent this type of behavior, your cat will take a very negative approach and youll end up with a lot of broken things in your home. You can always play with your cat using a string, as he will love to chase the string around the room.
The longer you own your cat, the more odd behavior youll see him exhibit. Cats behave in strange ways, although they always have a reason for behaving the way they do. If you can understand why your cat behaves like he does, youll have no problems keeping him healthy and happy. If you simply pay attention to your cat and the way he behaves at times youll be able to understand him better than ever before.
Tags:
Animals,
Brushes,
Cat Back,
Cat Behavior,
Cats,
House Cat,
Indoor Cat,
Lot,
Manners,
Mysteries,
Pet Allergies,
Saliva,
Table Legs,
Tv Stands,
Weird
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Feb 28, 2010 | | Cats
The head collar has become an increasingly popular dog training tool in the past couple of years. Two of the most well known brands of head collar on the market are the Gentle Leader and the Halti, but there are many other brands that incorporate the basic head collar concept.
Many people find the Gentle Leader easier to fit that the Halti, and in addition the Gentle Leader is designed to fasten around the dogs neck. The advantage of this design is that even if the dog is somehow able to wriggle out of the muzzle, it is still wearing a collar. This safety feature is very important, especially during training outside or in novel situations. On the other hand, the Halti offers better control of the dog, and for this reason it is often favored when working with very aggressive dogs.
Training a dog with a head collar has a number of advantages over training with a traditional or training collar. For one thing, head collars are often easier to use for beginning dog trainers than are training collars. Head collars are also quite effective at preventing dogs from pulling, or controlling and retraining dogs that tend to pull.
Head collars can also be quite effective at controlling dogs in difficult situations, such as controlling a dog that wants to be with other dogs. Most owners know of some situations in which their dogs are difficult to control, and head collars can be quite effective at controlling these volatile situations.
Head collars can be excellent for controlling dogs that are very strong, or for working with a dog in an area that contains a great many distractions. For instance, head collars are great for when your dog is on an outing, or in an area where there will be other dogs and other distractions.
Even though a head collar can be a great tool, it should not be used as a replacement for effective dog training. A head collar is most effective when it is used in combination with strong and sensible dog training methods, such as reward training and other forms of positive reinforcement.
Disadvantages of head collars
Even though head collars have many advantages, they have some distinct disadvantages as well. For one thing, head collars tend to make many dogs dependent on the equipment, and they quickly learn the difference between their regular collar and the head collar, and adjust their behavior accordingly.
In addition, some dogs, particularly those not accustomed to wearing a head collar, dislike wearing it and paw at it, try to rub it off or pull excessively. If your dog exhibits this behavior, the best strategy is to keep it moving until it learns to accept the collar. A good alternative is to have the dog sit by pulling up on the dogs head.
Another disadvantage of the head collar is the reaction that many people have to it. Many people think that a head collar is a muzzle, and react to the dog as if it may bite. While this is not necessarily a defect of the head collar, many people do find it troublesome.
In conclusion, training with a head collar is much like training with a training collar or any other equipment. While the head collar can be an important and useful tool, it is important to use it appropriately, follow all package instructions, and to combine its use with solid training methods. The eventual goal of dog training with a head collar should be to have the dog behave as well with a regular collar as it does with the specialized head collar.
Tags:
Aggressive Dogs,
Difficult Situations,
Distractions,
Dog Trainers,
Dog Training,
Dogs Training,
Gentle Leader,
Halti,
Head Collar,
Head Collars,
Muzzle,
Novel Situations,
Oth,
Safety Feature,
Situations Head,
Training Collar,
Training Collars,
Training Tool,
Volatile Situations,
Working Dogs
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Feb 28, 2010 | | Dogs
While reward training is commonly viewed as the most current style of dog training, it is actually a lot older than most other methods of dog training. It is likely that the reward training method has been in use since dogs were domesticated thousands of years ago. Early humans likely used some unofficial type of reward training when refining the wolf pups that ultimately became domesticated dogs.
A lot of the ideas about current methods of reward training go back several decades. But what we know as reward training today has only enjoyed its recognition for the past 10 or so years.
Most reward training proponents are not so eager about other methods of dog training, like the leash and collar style. It is likely, though, that the best approach to training your dog will be a mixture of leash and collar training with reward training.
Additionally, a certain training style might work great for one particular dog, but not for another. Some dogs who are not motivated by reward training but do well with the leash/collar method, and other dogs respond well to reward training while leash/collar training does not work at all. Fortunately, the majority of dogs fall somewhere in between.
One of the more popular methods of reward training currently is clicker training. While clicker training does not work for every dog, it can still be a highly useful method of training dogs. The way clicker training works is by teaching to associate a clicking sound with a positive reinforcement, such as a treat. When the dog does something well, the trainer reacts by clicking the clicker, then immediately offering the dog a treat. In time, the dog learns to react to the clicker only.
In reward training the most common type of treat is a food reward. Almost always, complex tricks or behaviors can only be taught using this type of reinforcement. In fact, trainers who train dogs for movies and television use food-based reward training almost totally.
Reward training is used for all types of dog training, including for police and military work. The majority of training in scent detection and tracking utilize a kind of reward training. You can also use reward training in teaching the basic dog training commands.
In reward training a lure is frequently employed to entice the dog into a desired position or stance. The lure helps to convince the dog to perform the sought after behavior of his own volition.
Getting the dog to carry out a behavior without being handled is important. The point of the training, in fact, is to get the dog to execute a behavior without any handling by the trainer.
Once the dog has carried out the commanded behavior, he is rewarded with a positive reinforcement, such as a food treat. Treats are often used in order to reinforce good behaviors, but other positive reinforcements, such as verbal praise, can also be used for reinforcement.
It is important that a reward-trained dog also be a reliable dog. If a dog is trained to do a job, such as police work or drug detection, outside distractions are to be expected. Therefore it is important to train the dog to work and be focused around diversions, as well as to socialize him with other animals and people.
Sometimes dog trainers only train the dog inside the house or back yard, only when the owner is there, free of distractions. It is important to take the dog outside of his comfort zone and introduced to new people and situations.
It is also important that the dog be trained to pay attention to the handler always. When the owner has the complete attention of the dog, he has complete control of the dog. When executed correctly, reward training is a very effective training method that helps to earn the respect and the attention of the dog.
Tags:
Collar Method,
Collar Style,
Current,
Decades,
Dog Collar,
Dog Training,
Dogs Training,
Domesticated Dogs,
Domesticated Thousands,
Early Humans,
Food Reward,
Mixture,
Positive Reinforcement,
Proponents,
Television,
Training Collar,
Training Dogs,
Training Your Dog,
Wolf,
Wolf Pups
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Feb 27, 2010 | | Dogs
Do you ever wonder how much a dog can really taste? Does it really matter whether you get him the beef liver treats or the turkey liver treats? Isnt it all just the same in the end anyway? How much can the dog really tell the difference?
Anyone who has a dog knows they will eat just about everything, save the occasional vegetable. I am sure most of you either have or know at least one dog that sits at your feet when you eat. He/she either stares with that adorable slightly pathetic face, hoping you take pity on them and give them a bite, or the more tenacious ones whimper, yelp, and beg. It doesnt seem to matter what you are eating, the ferocious desire for some of the food is the same. Why should the dog training treats be any different?
I understand some dogs have allergies, some have certain diet requirements for their health, and in those cases it is important which treats you buy the dog, however in the mass number of cases I am sure it doesnt really matter in the end.
There are however, those people that will insist on only the best for their dog and spend tons of money on the best dog training treats money can buy, the whole time going on and on about how Foofoo doesnt like the turkey and how she only eats the veal treats-which are probably made out of actual veal. I dont know about you but this strikes me as being slightly ridiculous.
Treats come in very handing when training dogs and I am sure are a valuable resource, however I am convinced one treat probably works just as well as the next. And maybe Foofoo really does prefer the veal, but the question remains as to why Foofoo was even given the veal in the first place. Dogs may decide they like one treat better than the next but making that decision requires options. I am pretty sure that if simply presented with a treat most dogs would not decline.
Tags:
Allergies,
Beef Liver,
Desire,
Diet Requirements,
Dog Training,
Dog Treats,
Health,
Mass Number,
Options,
People,
Place Dogs,
Pooch,
Stares,
Tons Of Money,
Training Dogs,
Turkey,
Veal,
Whimper,
Whole Time,
Yelp
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Feb 27, 2010 | | Dogs
In dog training, the most simple acts often produce the best results. In any dog pack, the alpha sets the rules and the rest follow. Therefore, by establishing yourself as the alpha, you can be sure that your obedience training sessions will be that much more productive. The following is a list of 8 simple things you can do to teach your new puppy or unruly dog that you are the alpha in your pack.
1. Never feed your dog from your plate while you’re eating. A dog must learn that your are the alpha and that it can only eat when you are finished with your meal.
2. Never allow your dog on the sofa or on your bed. And if your dog sits on your path, gently shove it out of the way with your foot. By setting boundaries, you will instill in your dog that it must obey the alpha.
3. Never allow your dog to chew on your towels, socks, shoes, or clothing. Use bitter apple to discourage these behaviors.
4. NEVER HIT YOUR DOG FOR MISBEHAVING. Instead use the tone of your voice and a collar/leash to teach and make corrections.
5. Never allow a puppy to chew on your fingers. Otherwise, it will become a habit that will be very hard to break when it becomes an adult. Spray you hands and fingers with bitter apple and then allow the dog to proceed. The dog will learn not to bite your fingers without associating any negative thoughts about you as the alpha.
6. Never leave a hyper dog unexercised. Playing ball before you leave for work and after you return can help alleviate your dog’s pent-up energy.
7. Never keep your dog alone in a yard for days at a times. Without proper socialization your dog will become aggressive towards other dogs as well as other humans. A dog needs contact with its own species in order to learn how to behave in a dog pack equally as well as it must learn to behave in a human pack. A dog left alone for long periods of time will believe itself to be the alpha and try to dictate to its master instead of the other way around.
8. Never allow your dog to jump on you or your guests. Its fun when your dog is a puppy, but it isn’t fun when it becomes a 100lb behemoth. Practice with a collar and leash and set up situations where a neighbor rings your doorbell while your dog awaits their entrance. Make a sharp correction and command your dog to “sit” when as your neighbor enters the house. And, of course, don’t forget to praise the dog as soon as it follows your command. Once the dog knows what to do, try the same thing off leash, but this time use a water spray bottle and spray your dogs face with water as punishment for jumping with a stern vocal correction of “NO”. Proceed to praise your dog once again when your dog obeys your command. This way, it will learn to associate praise with correct action.
By following these steps, you will establish yourself as the alpha. And, you will have a head start in training your dog because it will have already learned to respect your authority as its leader.
Tags:
Acts,
Alpha 3,
Bitter Apple,
Dog Training,
Dogs,
Habit,
Hands And Fingers,
Long Periods Of Time,
Misbehaving,
Negative Thoughts,
Obedience Training,
Proper Socialization,
Puppy Dog,
Sessions,
Setting Boundaries,
Shoes,
Socks,
Sofa,
Tone Of Your Voice,
Towels
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Feb 26, 2010 | | Dogs
Dog Training Tips: Things I’ve Learned About Agility Dog Training
I’ve owned many dogs, throughout my life, but have never known exactly how to train them properly. I based my training on punishment and just couldn’t figure out why that didn’t work that well. But, almost two years ago, I started training my Papillon for agility competition. She was extremely high-drive and I knew she’d really love it. So, I found a good agility training school and off we went. We’ve been competing, very successfully, for almost a year now and, looking back, I learned so many important things about dog training!
First of all, most trainers require that dogs have completed at least a basic obedience class before proceeding to agility training. This is critical to agility training and, in my opinion, every dog and handler could benefit from a basic obedience class. I learned that I have a food-motivated dog and that she will work her heart out for highly prized treats, not for punishment! There are skills you and your dog will learn, through an obedience class, such as recalls, sit/stays, down/stays, and walking nicely on a leash. Each of these skills is something you will need every time you compete, not to mention day-to-day life with your dog.
The pace of your training will always be set by your dog. Each dog learns at a different speed and, what comes easily for one dog, may not come easily for another. So, be very patient while training your dog any skill. Make it a game. Let your dog take as much time as it needs, without getting impatient or frustrated, to figure out what behavior you want from it.
All tasks must be broken down into small pieces, whether the task is a simple sit, the beginnings of obstacle training, or more complex tricks or agility sequences. If you break the task down to something small, then mark/reward and repeat, several times before making the task larger, you will have success without stressing the dog out. For example, when training an agility tunnel, you scrunch it up to its smallest form. Have someone place your dog at the entrance while you sit on the ground at the exit, with a treat, and call your dog. As soon as the dog comes through that little piece of a tunnel, you mark/reward. Slowly begin expanding the tunnel using the same technique. In just a few minutes, you’ll have your dog going through however long a tunnel you need.
For agility training, once the dog begins obstacle training, there is never a wrong answer. Dogs get confused, and may shut down, if they start being told they’re doing the wrong thing, so keep the training light and never scold for doing the incorrect thing. If the dog doesn’t do what you want it to, you simply do not mark/reward for that action. You just ask again and, the minute you get the correct response, mark/reward and make a huge deal of it. That will make your dog more anxious to give you that same answer again. As you start competing, you might want to use a particular word to indicate the incorrect response, such as “uh oh,” or “oops,” but not with a scolding tone. This will indicate that the dog will be asked to try again but everything is fine between the two of you.
Lastly, always keep the training fun for both you and your dog. Even when you start competing, or have been competing for a long time, this is critical. If you start getting caught up in the competition and title-winning, you might forget why you started agility to begin with: because it’s fun! When the game stops being fun, your dog won’t enjoy it anymore and neither will you. Agility is a wonderful sport and will forever secure the relationship between you and your dog. Run fast, run clean, and, above all, have fun!
Tags:
Agility Competition,
Agility Dog Training,
Agility Training,
Game Dog,
Heart,
Important Things,
Love,
Obedience Class,
Obstacle Training,
Pace,
Papillon,
Sequences,
Several Times,
Small Pieces,
Train,
Training Dog,
Training Dogs,
Training Your Dog
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Feb 26, 2010 | | Dogs
Considered man’s best friend, dog training professionals have been disseminating more knowledge on how to make this animal live up to that title.
Here are tips that one should keep in mind in training his dog more easily.
Digging Behavior
Dogs, as social beings, consider digging as their outlet when they are lonely. Nutrient deficiency may also cause this digging. Also known as pica, they sometimes eat the dirt they dig to supplement their health. Spending more time with your dog and giving him a health check will keep his digging behavior at bay.
Potty Training
For dog potty training, a reward-based method will prove to be a very rewarding endeavor. Giving it a bit of dog food when it performs a good potty behavior will make it easier for it to remember the good thing that it did.
Repeat and Repeat
Considerable repetitions will give your dog ample time to grasp the command. Consistency is the name of the game. After doing enough repetitions, not helping him with the routine will test if the dog really got it. Three successful attempts in a row is a fine gauge in defining if it’s just a fluke or if the dog has actually understood the drill.
Direct and Correct
Communicate to the dog how the drill should be. Be clear on what you want the dog to do. Just commanding the dog without correcting him if he did it wrongly is not advisable.
Timing is Gold
Timing means that you should consider the age of the dog when considering how to deal with him. It is best to train dogs while they are still puppies. Always remember that old dogs can’t learn new tricks saying.
Be More Stubborn Than the Dog
Establishing rapport to the dog must always be in this order: you as the alpha dog (authoritative) and him as the submissive being. Show any sign of fear when he snaps back and you damage that rapport. Don’t let the dog not complete the exercise. This will teach the dog to just hold out long enough for you give in to his preferences.
Be A Good Actor
Provide your puppy with an outlet for his chewing urges. Also, you may practice yelping loudly when your pup starts to chew on you. After yelping, fold your arms and for 10 minutes consider ignoring him. That response is the thing that happens when a pup becomes too rough on other puppies. But depending on your puppy’s personality, he may react otherwise, such as biting more. In this case, use a more aggressive approach.
Tags:
Ample Time,
Attempts,
Best Friend,
Consistency,
Dirt,
Dog Food,
Dog Training,
Establishing Rapport,
Fluke,
Gauge,
Health Check,
Name Of The Game,
Nutrient Deficiency,
Old Dogs,
Potty Training,
Puppies,
Puppy,
Repetitions,
Rewarding Endeavor,
Sign Of Fear
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Feb 26, 2010 | | Dogs
First and foremost the most important thing that can be mentioned as a dog training tip is patience. It is of course very easy to become frustrated and want to give up on your dog, as you yell at them for the 10th time for going to the bathroom in the house. However there are many things that can help you, many useful dog training tips that will make your life much easier for the next few months.
There are books to read, and classes to take, and people to talk to. Believe it or not training your dog involves a lot more than teaching him/her to go to the bathroom outside. There are other very important accepts of having an animal. You are going to have to train the dog not to jump on the furniture (should that be your wish). Maybe you want to train them to heel and come, sit and lie down always come in handy too. Well how do you do this? And I dont mean the type of training that works 1 out of every 5 times, I mean really train your dog. Well there are many tips to be found everywhere. The American kennel club provides some on their website and there are many, many books out there to be read, all with helpful dog training tips and methods.
If you want the information it is not finding it that is difficult, it is deciding what school of thought you agree with, and yes there are schools of though for dog training. Do you want to use a crate? Or just rewards for good behavior? In order to make the best out of the situation and develop and truly respectful relationship with your animal training is important and you must decide how to go about it. Careful research is the only answer.
Tags:
American Kennel Club,
Animal Training,
Careful Research,
Dog Training,
Furniture,
Going To The Bathroom,
Good Behavior,
Lot,
Many Things,
Patience,
Respectful Relationship,
Rewards,
School Of Thought,
Sit,
Success,
Train Dog,
Training Dog,
Training Tip,
Training Your Dog,
Yell
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Feb 26, 2010 | | Dogs
Every dog and every dog owner has his or her own unique dog training challenges. Each breed of dog has a different temperament as does each individual dog. And dog owners are no different. Despite the differences, there are some basic things in common for training all dogs.
No matter why you have a dog, he should at least have some very elementary dog training. No one wants a dog who isn’t housebroken, who runs away or into the street, who won’t sit, come or stay when you want him to. Both you and your dog will be happier with a little common ground on obedience training.
One of the first things to take into account when dog training is that dogs are programmed for a world of leaders and followers. You have to be the leader in your relationship. Signs of a leader are absolute consistency. Know what you want your dog to do and keep that constant from day to day and training session to training session. Don’t shout. That is a sign that you have lost control. And keep your dogs attention focused on you during the entire training session.
Attention is the second important thing to keep in mind for dog training and one of the hardest to maintain. It has been said that ninety percent of dog training is getting and keeping his attention. Dogs are very much like small children and have short attention spans. Keep training sessions short – 20 minutes is fine, or even a couple of 10 minute sessions. Work with your dog in a quiet environment that is free of distractions. Talk to your dog in a quiet voice. Use his name and explain what you want him to do. He may understand no more than, “Blah blah blah, Toby”, but your voice will keep him focused in your direction.
Experts have found that positive dog training is more effective that a system of rewards and punishment. A dog who looks forward to training sessions as fun and full of rewards is a dog who will learn faster and better. Reward accomplishments with treats or words of praise or pats. As your dog learns new skills, you can reward him for each step along the way. If he doesn’t respond the way you want, rethink what you are asking him to do and how you are asking him to do it. What worked as a dog training method for one dog may not work as well for the next. Your dog may need to review some more basic dog training lessons before going on to new lessons. Rather than punishment, a stern NO, blocking a movement with your hands, or withholding rewards when he doesn’t perform, and remaining consistent are the best ways to encourage your dog to exhibit the behavior you want. Remember that it is in his nature (as well as yours) to want to test limits and see how much he can get away with. Consistency in dog training and rewards are what get positive results, not punishments.
Dogs are very much like us. They want to follow a leader they respect. And dog training is just like school. They like to do things that are fun and make them feel good, where they get rewards for accomplishing what is asked of them. And they want the same thing their owners want, a happy and safe relationship with the ones they are love. A little dog obedience training will go a long way in making this happen.
Tags:
Absolute Consistency,
Blah Blah,
Common Ground,
Distractions,
Dog Owner,
Dog Owners,
Dog Training,
Entire Training,
Leaders And Followers,
Minute Sessions,
Obedience Training,
Pats,
Quiet Environment,
Quiet Voice,
Reward Accomplishments,
Rewards,
Shout,
Temperament,
Training Session,
Words Of Praise
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Feb 26, 2010 | | Dogs
Okay the time has come. The puppy you have cherished for the past few months is ready to go to school. Where do you send him/her? Which establishment can be trusted? You want a school sensitive to your puppys needs as he/she begins the long and arduous task of learning to interpret you English commands and hand signals. However you also want a school that will respect your needs as the owner. Does such a place exist? What dog training school is right for you?
How do you make the decision? What research do you do? Well to start of the internet is of course always a great resource. The American Kennel Club is very well respected and has a list of good dog training schools in most states. Of course I am sure you also have friends with dogs that can give recommendations, but of course you wonder, will what was right for them be right for you and your precious little bundle of fur?
Of course there are also other things to take into account. What do you want the school to teach? Do you just want and obedience school or do you want one that teaches tracking, herding, retrieving? What is most important to you? How much of a star do you want your little guy to be?
From the many dog training school to pick from I am sure there is one that will fit your needs, as there is probably one for just about everything you could imagine out there. It will just take some long deliberation to decide what is best for both you and your puppy.
Tags:
American Kennel Club,
Arduous Task,
Choices,
Deliberation,
Dog Training,
Dogs,
Fur,
Hand Signals,
Obedience School,
Puppy,
Puppys
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Feb 26, 2010 | | Dogs