The Commands That Every Dog Owner Should Know That Will Lead To An Obedient Dog
The Commands That Every Dog Owner Should Know And How This Will Lead To A Happy, Clean And Obedient Dog That Will Not Cause Problems
There are of course many reasons for owners to want a calm, obedient and faithful dog. For one thing, obedient and trained dogs are happier dogs, less likely to get into tussles with people or with other dogs. Another reason is that many communities require that the dogs living in their neighborhoods be well trained. This is especially true for many breeds thought to have aggression and behavior problems dog breeds like pit bulls and rottweilers for instance.
And of course, training your dog well will also make he or she a much better family companion, especially in households where there are young children. Many studies have shown that proper dog training makes a big impact when it comes to cutting down the number of dog bits and other behavior problems encountered by dog owning households.
When considering training your own dog, or having someone else help you train it, there are certain basic commands that must be mastered in order for a dog to be considered truly trained. These basic commands include:
Heel it is important that any dog learn to walk beside its owner on a loose lead, neither pulling ahead nor lagging behind
Respond to the word No the word no is one word that all dogs must learn. Training your dog to respond to this important word can save you a ton of trouble.
Sit Training your dog to sit on command is a vital part of any dog training program.
Stay A well trained dog should remain where his or her owner commands, so stay is a very important command in dog training.
Down Lying down on command is more than just a cute trick; it is a key component of any successful dog training program.
Off Forms the basis for later training, especially when training the dog not to chase people, cars, bikes, cats, etc.
Dog training does much more than just create an obedient, willing companion. Training your dog properly actually strengthens the bond that already exists between dog and handler. Dogs are pack animals, and they look to their pack leader to tell them what to do. The key to successful dog training is to set yourself up as that pack leader.
Establishing yourself as pack leader is a very important concept for any potential dog trainer to understand. There is only one leader in every pack of dogs, and the owner must establish him or herself as the dominant animal. Failure to do so leads to all manner of behavior problems.
A properly trained dog will respond properly to all the owners commands, and will not display anxiety, displeasure or confusion. A good dog training program will focus on allowing the dog to learn just what is expected of it, and will use positive reinforcement to reward desired behaviors.
In addition to making the dog a good member of the community, obedience training is a great way to fulfill some of the dogs own needs, including the need for exercise, the security that comes with knowing what is expected of it, a feeling of accomplishment and a good working relationship with its handler. Dog training gives the dog an important job to do, and an important goal to reach.
Giving the dog a job is more important than you may think. Dogs were originally bred by humans to do important work, such as herding sheep, guarding property and protecting people. Many dogs today have no important job to do, and this can often lead to boredom and neurotic behavior.
Basic obedience training, and ongoing training sessions, provide the dog with an important job to do. This is especially important for high energy breeds like German shepherds and border collies. Training sessions are a great way for these high energy dogs to use up their extra energy and simply to enjoy themselves.
Incorporating playtime into your dog training sessions is a great way to prevent both yourself and your dog from becoming bored. Playing with your dog helps to strengthen the all important bond between you the pack leader and your dog.
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Jul 15, 2010 | | Dogs
Soft dog carriers, and soft dog crates are are great way to transport your small dog. A soft sided dog crate will give your dog a sense of comfort and home. Soft sided dog carriers allow the dog to feel comfortable when they brush or lean against the wall.
Fabric carriers allow for you and your pet to be more comfortable. Fabric carriers can be used on small dogs and on cats.A fabric dog carrier can be as unique as you are, and match what style you have. A fabric dog carrier may also be a designer dog carrier, as many companies now cater to pet owners.
A dog purse, or a carrier bag for small dogs is a great way to tote your dog with you, and not have to worry about the awkwardness of a hard dog carrier. A dog purse or a dog tote can also be unique. Soft dog carriers will make carrying your small dog or cat easy.
When looking for a soft dog carrier, you need to keep in mind that the size of your dog does matter, especially if you are looking at a carrier bag. You also have to keep in mind how heavy your dog is. If you have a small dog, but it is a heavy dog, then make sure that your soft dog crate, or soft sided dog carrier has a secure bottom, so that your dog receives the support that it needs. Keep in mind these great questions about dog crates.
What ever you decide is the best method for toting your dog, and carrying your dog, be sure that you train your dog on how to use the soft dog crate.
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Jun 28, 2010 | | Dogs
Review of the Purina Second Nature Dog Litter Box System
I had previously raised two lhasa apso dogs who spent most of their lives living in high-rise condominiums. Instead of having to take them down an elevator to go outdoors to eliminate all the time, I trained them to use newspapers in a spare bathroom. Since they were both initially paper trained as puppies anyway, I chose to continue this method for them. Indoor newspapers worked quite well for the rest of their lives as my dogs were able to go to the bathroom whenever they needed to. The only problem is that the papers tended to get rather messy and smelly. If plastic liners were not placed underneath the papers, newsprint ink would be imprinted on the ceramic tiles of my spare bathroom floors. On some occasions, urine puddles would flow off the papers as well as the liner resulting in situations which required immediate cleaning since urine became trapped between the plastic liner and the floor. Despite these complications, I was relatively satisfied with the paper method for my little dogs.
After both of my dogs had passed away after long lives, I took a break as a dog owner for several years. When it was time to become dog owner again, I had made up my mind to train my new pair of lhasa apso puppies to use papers indoors as well. This time, it turned out that Purina had come out with a new litter box system called Second Nature designed for specifically for dogs. It was basically modeled after similar setups for cats but the dog litter consists of large pellets made up of recycled newsprint. Purina also introduced a litter box that has one side cut away lower to facilitate easy entry for dogs. Im not totally convinced on the advantage of this particular feature since my lhasa apsos have no problems stepping into the box from the side. But for Purina to introduce such a system to the market, I must not have been the only dog owner who considered indoor elimination a better alternative to outdoors for smaller breeds. The product is now very popular especially among small dog owners living in apartments and high-rise condominiums without easy access to outdoors.
Purina recommends a slow transition from papers to their Second Nature system by placing newspapers over their dog litter at first. The company also suggests crate training at the same time but instead of taking the dogs outside, they are taken to the litter box. Newspapers are also placed all around the floor area of the litter box itself. My puppies needed some time to get use to the box so while they were being introduced to it, they were eliminating on both the newspapers on the floors as well as inside the litter box. Once they got use to the idea of going inside the box more often to eliminate, paper coverage on the surrounding floor area was gradually made smaller. When they started to use the litter box all the time, the newspapers on the floors were gone for good. The next step was for them to get use to the actual pellets of the litter. Since there were still newspapers covering the dog litter, the puppies were still technically using papers but at least they were getting accustomed to stepping on the pellets underneath. Papers inside the box were gradually reduced a bit at a time exposing more dog litter. Over a few weeks, the puppies gradually saw more dog litter than newspaper inside the box. Eventually, all newspapers were totally eliminated as my lhasa apsos finally got used to the box filled with litter only.
In my mind, the litter box system is less messy since all dog urine and feces stay inside the box. Actually the Second Nature pellets absorb urine much better than normal newspapers. The odd time, one of the puppies may get a bit lazy and have just the front paws inside the box while the hind legs are still outside resulting in urination on the floors. In these cases, the puppies have to be nudged a bit so that they are completely inside the box. This is part of their training. The only complication I observed with the pellets is that both puppies like to chew and eat them at times. Purina claims that ingestion of the pellets itself is not harmful to the dogs since they are just compressed papers. This will result in more feces production until the dogs can stop this habit. The dog litter is non-clumping so it will not get stuck inside the canine digestive system unlike normal clumping cat litter. It is considered unsafe to use clumping cat litter as a substitute for the Purina dog litter.
Purina Second Nature was launched only in the United States so as a Canadian resident, I had to go down to the U.S. to purchase the system. I started out with Purinas cat and small animal litter called Yesterdays News which is basically the same as Second Nature except the pellets are much smaller. But at least the Yesterdays News pellets are non-clumping and therefore safe to use for dogs. Purina changed their Second Nature pellets to be around the same size as Yesterdays News and many users including myself, found that my dogs ended up tracking the pellets all over the place. After speaking to a Purina spokesperson, I was informed that the Second Nature pellets will be made back in the original larger size soon. This will reduce the tracking significantly again. Purina will also introduce Second Nature in the original larger pellet size to the Canadian market. Naturally, this is good news for me and other owners of small dogs who would like to use an alternative to going outdoors for elimination, especially during cold bitter Canadian winters. I would definitely recommend the Purina Second Nature dog litter system to other small breed dog owners, especially when it returns to its original larger pellet size.
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Jun 20, 2010 | | Dogs
Almost everyone, adults and kids alike have a natural fondness for cats. They are loving, quiet, and very playful pets that can provide you with years of entertainment. Although most of us have a fondness for cats, that fondness can rapidly diminish when it comes to the litter box. Even the most hardened cat lover may get tired of litter box duty, especially when it comes down to scooping you know what from the litter box.
Cats are very intelligent, instinctively knowing how they should use the litter box. After the cat has finished using the litter box, someone in the family will need to scoop the waste from the litter box. This can be a very dirty and somewhat smelly job, one that is often overlooked during the day when the workload gets heavy. Cleaning up the litter box doesnt take but a few minutes, although most would prefer not to do it at all. Although the litter box will need to be scooped out daily, it will also need to be changed once a week as well, by throwing the current bag out and replacing the box with a new bag and fresh litter.
Those who dont like to scoop out the litter box should invest in one of the best inventions ever the self cleaning litter box. These litter boxes are easy to use, and will keep the area clean. After the cat has used it, the self cleaning litter box will automatically clean the litter either by sifting or using a device that resembles a rake.
Self cleaning boxes that use shifting will often times have a round design. Once the cat leaves the covered box, the dome on top will revolve for the box to clean. The litter in the box will be shifted with the waste being put below the litter where it is discarded. Once the waste is properly disposed of, the litter will be returned to its normal position in the box for the cat to use again.
Boxes that have raking systems will often times sport a rectangular design. Once the cat leaves the box, the rake will automatically come out and clean the litter. The rake will clean all of the litter in the box, including the clumps of waste as well. Rakes are popular, although the shifting litter boxes are by far more popular and more common.
Those who are often times away from home could greatly benefit from a self cleaning litter box. They are great to have for cats that spend a lot of time by themselves, as they virtually eliminate any scooping of litter on your part. You can find them at your local pet or department store, even online as well. They are very affordable and ideal for anyone who doesnt like scooping waste from their litter box.
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Jun 09, 2010 | | Cats
Dear Adam,
I adopted a 1 year-old female dog about a year ago. I have 2 cats who grew up with dogs and like dogs. When my dog first arrived, the first few days she was subdued– being in a new surrounding – but then she wanted to play rough with the cats… which didn’t set too well with them.
The cats run and she chases when we try to have them all in the same room together when watching TV, etc. I’ve been keeping them separate with baby gates (the dog in the kitchen and the cats in family room) and don’t let the dog over unless both cats are outside. The dog ends up spending too much time in the confines of the kitchen with this method.
Is there a way to teach her that we don’t want her rough-housing with the cats so they can all be together in the same room when I am present? The e-collar sounds good but so expensive. Maybe a less costly solution? Thanks. Enjoyed the book!
Willie Mae & DeAnne
Dear Willie Mae & DeAnne:
When the cats run, they are triggering your dog’s prey drive. This is instinctive. However, it is also natural for a dog to defer judgement to his pack leader.
What this means is that: You must act like the pack leader.
In other words, if you tell you dog to lay down, you must USE THE TECHNIQUES in the book (timing, consistency and motivation) to keep the dog in a down-stay.
I personally LOVE having cats around when I’m training. What could be better to proof your dog around?
Remember, your dog should stay down UNTIL you give him the “Take a break!” command. If he gets up to chase the cats, then you’ll need to correct him back into the down position.
If he gets up again, it’s a sure bet that your corrections lack motivation. (Correct more firmly. Make sure you’re getting slack in the line. If the dog’s body is moving when you correct him, then you’re using muscle instead of technique… not good!)
You don’t need an electronic collar. Just a $12 prong collar and a six foot leash.
Once you get your dog to hold a down-stay around cats using nothing more than proper timing, consistency and motivation, your friends will think you’re a genius. Or the lost love child of Sigmund and Roy.
Now if you can just get those darn cats trained!
That’s all for now, folks!
Adam
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Apr 22, 2010 | | Dogs
FREE Dog Training Tips: Easy Steps to Leading the Pack
[This article is the first in a 3-part series about changing dog behavior using positive dog training methods.]
Be a leader, a dog will follow.
Hum, what does that mean?! Simply put, if you lead the pack, your dog will follow you to the ends of the earth. Some basic and easy adjustments in your dog training routine can result in huge changes in dog behavior. The simple truth is…dog behavior is a result of human behavior. That is, your dog reacts to you. If you take the time to teach your dog appropriate behavior, and you are consistent in reinforcing it, your dog will work so hard to please you. One key to changing and reinforcing new dog behavior is using positive dog training methods. This article introduces some basics in beginning to get some respect from your dog.
Dogs are pack animals, and they want a leader to tell them what to do and what dog behavior is appropriate. If you dont step up as leader, your dog, no matter how big or small or cute and fluffy, will take over as leader (not just of other dogs, but of you, your spouse, your kids, the cats, and anything else that moves and breathes). This is not the ideal situation, as you can see from the following example.
The Franks are a real family where the dog runs the house. King didnt want the role of leader, but no human stepped up as leader so he felt he had to. His “pack” consisted of dad, mom, and two kids. Being leader was a big job–keeping track of the pack, teaching them the rules (which King made up), and enforcing the rules was a 24-hour job. He successfully taught the family to stay away from his food and toys (growling and snapping when they got too close), not to disturb him if he was napping in main traffic areas like the middle of the kitchen floor, that certain pieces of furniture were his and his alone, and that he decided who got to come into the house. The young boy became a playmate whom he could nip and jump on; the older child and the parents were there to care for him. Any infractions of these “rules” were quickly and severely disciplined by King with growling, biting, snapping, baring teeth.
If Kings household is like what you experience in your family, weve got some gentle and positive dog training tips to help you take back your leadership role.
Put these simple steps into your dogs daily life and watch the dog behavior changes. Each of these steps shows your dog that YOU are the leader. Lets start simple, with 3 very basic and easy (for you) new dog training ideas. Once youve mastered these, in the next article, Ill introduce several more.
1. Show me your tummy!
Make it a positive experience for your dog to roll over for that yummy tummy rub. This submissive posture indicates a deferment to your leadership.
2. Praise, praise praise!
Praise for being a good dog. Any dog behavior you like and want to keep, praise it and give a small treat occasionally. This focus on what you want is much more successful than a focus on what you dont want. No free treats or praise for the dominant dog. If your dog wants to be petted, have him sit first! Everyone wins and the dog is learning manners at the same time.
3. Get out of the way!
A leader gets respect. For Scout, that means no lying in high traffic areas (hallways, middle of living room or kitchen), no sitting on your feet, and no refusing to move out of the way. Gently scoot your feet in the direction you want to go while using excited tones and waving your hands to get him up and moving.
For a dog, trying to live with everyone “just getting along” does not work. Dogs live in packs with hierarchies, not democracies. Remember, no human leadership means Fifi will take over and set the rules. Its time for you to step into the leader position. If you do, you will notice positive changes in your dogs behavior right away. You and your dog will begin working as a team.
Be the leader–your dog will love you for it and youll be surprised how hard hell work to please you.
Get started using these 3 tips and check back in a few weeks for the next set of easy dog training steps for outstanding dog behavior!
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Mar 21, 2010 | | Dogs
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.
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Feb 28, 2010 | | Cats
They are mans best friend, but what can you do when you have a dog, you love it, but it just wont stop chewing on your best shoes, or polishing its nails on your precious sofa?
Regular training
We train them to become, not only more sociable, but also a reliable company. This can be done by taking your dog to a professional dog-trainer, or simply at home, following instructions from books. Since the first option requires time to take the dog to a trainer, to go check on it, and take it back home, most people choose to house-train their pets. However, the second option has many disadvantages, since you are not a professional, and you do not have experience. Many even think, that after the dog/cat learned where to go out, the training is over. You could not be more wrong.
On-line training
There is a third way, a new one, but as efficient as taking your dog to a trainer, but less time consuming. On-line training. Dont think of putting your dog in front of a PC and let it learn from there. Through on-line training I mean visiting sites specialising on dog training. The following few paragraphs will be a guide to a few of these sites.
www.perfectpaws.com
Gwen Bohnenkamp owns this site. She has been working with pets since1985 and also, she instructed the first course in Animal Behavior. The site itself is easy to navigate, easy to read, but most important it contains valuable information on training your pets, may they be cats, dogs or even guinea pigs. In addition, you can find tips on how to get closer to your companion, and how to become a certified dog-trainer. The subjects are well categorized and easy to get. If you want, you may purchase online books written by Gwen, herself.
www.dogproblems.com
The renowned dog trainer, Adam Katz, publishes this site. It covers almost all aspects of dog training, you can buy Katzs book, which apparently, is the best-sold book of its type on the internet, and join a forum where the topic is no other then DOGS.
www.sitstayfetch.net
This is the easiest to use site I could find about dog training. The mastermind behind this site is Daniel Stevens, a dog trainer, who wrote the book SitStayFetch! On this site you can find testimonials of people who have used his book and the way it helped them.
Conclusion
However, you may choose to train your dog, bear in mind one thing: an untrained dog can be more of a nuisance than a friend. So, please, help your dog help you.
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Feb 03, 2010 | | Dogs
There are a lot of experts out there who say that cats are strictly independent animals. These very same experts state that cats have chosen to associate with humans due to their strategy of survival. Although many argue with this statement, there are many who agree as well although those that agree are normally those in the percentile who dont agree with cats.
Anyone who has owned a cat will tell you that cats are great at bonding with people, although they are very particular. Normally, a cat will choose someone in the home that he bonds with. Youll know when a cat wants to bond with you, as he will hop on your lap seeking attention or snuggle up to you at night when you are sleeping. Purring is a strong sign of affections, especially with cats that are looking to bond.
Although many experts have tried to figure it out, no one really knows why cats choose a particular person whom they will bond with. It could be the individuals manners, voice, or simply how that person treats the cat. Perhaps it may be the individual is really gentle, or maybe a little more forceful bringing the best out in the cat.
There are a lot of ways that researchers have tried to take this subject, one of which being psychic. Some say that cats bond with someone due to a psychic aura that is compatible with both the person and the cat. If a cat feels that someone is giving them a bad vibe, they will simply ignore that person. Although this can be true to a sense for some, a majority of those who own cats will tell you that this couldnt be any further from the truth.
Even though there are a lot of theories and speculation out there, no one really knows why cats bond with humans. Theres little to no proof available as well, other than cats and their natural instinct for physical survival. Those who own cats know that cats crave attention, simply to make them feel needed. They love to be pampered by their owners, and will shower you with attention and affection if you just give them the chance.
Those who are new to owning cats may find bonding to be very different. Cats are different from other animals, including dogs, in the sense that they bond different. Different breeds of cats will bond different with their owners, although most prefer affection and attention. The more time you spend around your cat, the more he will bond with you. Over the years, youll find that the bond you create with your pet has grown very strong and simply cannot be broken.
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Jan 15, 2010 | | Cats