If you’re thinking about adding a member to your family, you’ll also want to consider that, that means having one more mouth to feed, and someone else to clean up after. And, this is especially true if you’re considering a pet.
According to experts its imperative to teach pets, especially puppies about proper hygiene as soon and as early as possible. But, they note that you must remain realistic and not expect too much. Remember, much like babies, puppies are still in their formative years and should not be expected to have full or adequate control of their sphincter muscle. In fact, professionals point out that it’s not uncommon for puppies up to six months old to use the living room floor or rug as a “potty”. However, they note that with proper patience, love, and persistent training, such problems can be put in the past.
Denote a spot where your puppy IS allowed to “go” and point it out, making it obvious to him or her that’s what the spot should be used for. Note his or her patterns and bring him or her to the spot soon after he or she wakes up and after eating, drinking or playing. If however your catch your canine peeing or pooping in an inappropriate spot, simply “escort” him or her to the proper area reinforcing it as an acceptable bathroom spot.
Make sure also to keep a system of proper scolding and rewarding for behaviors. Compliment your pooch verbally and rub his or her ears and back each time he or she goes to the right spot, and after a few compliments, you may also want to consider scolding when he or she disobeys. And, make sure that the “punishment” fits the “crime” and takes place immediately after the incident so that your pet can make the proper association.
Success say experts depends on repetition of action. Taking that into account, they suggest planning meals at regular times and intervals, about three times a day. And they suggest teaching your pet to ration his or her food by offering a large bowl of food and allowing him or her to figure out how often the bowl will be replenished.
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Mar 04, 2010 | | Dogs
There’s always been some controversy over whether you should give treats (i.e. dog biscuits or MilkBones) when you are training a dog. There are advantages and disadvantages to giving treats to a dog when you are training him. This article will hopefully clear up any confusion you might have.
Now, some people say, “Of course! Give the dog treats so he’ll obey you. After all, you won’t get his attention if you don’t give him anything he enjoys.” On the other hand, some other people will say, “No, don’t give the dog treats! He’ll be only obeying you for the food.”
There is truth to both the opinions stated above. The dog does need some incentive to obey you, right? But also, what if they dog does begin to work only for the food? What then? If he’s not hungry and doesn’t really want the food, then he doesn’t have any reason to obey you!
So should you use dog treats? The answer is YES, but in moderation . Don’t give the dog a biscuit every single time he obeys you; instead, sometimes just praise him excessively instead. Also, don’t make the “prize” too big or you’ll be overfeeding him. For example, break a biscuit in half or even cut it into three pieces so you’re not feeding your dog too much when you train him.
Here’s another idea for training young puppies. Don’t feed them biscuits at all just use adult dog food pellets. The pellets are big enough to be a treat for the young puppy’s tiny mouth, but small enough that it won’t overfeed the puppy.
Another very important point I’d like to make is that you shouldn’t train your dog to obey you only for the food as a reward. Although you might not consciously be doing this, it’s easy to slip into the habit of just rewarding your dog with a treat every single time he does anything remotely good.
Instead, you want your dog to think of you as the “strong master,” or the “alpha” over him, so that he obeys you because you’re the master and because he wants to please you, not just because you have a treat. You can do this by praising him a lot in a high voice when he does something good and in a deep, “you’re in trouble” voice when he does something bad. You want him to distinguish between the voices and figure out that a high voice means “good” and low means “bad” and whenever you do the low voice, you are not pleased with him.
I hope this article has helped you in training your dog. I hope you have much success in developing a well-behaved, friendly dog!
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Mar 01, 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.
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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.
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Feb 26, 2010 | | Dogs
When giving commands to a dog, a calm, firm, authoritative voice is most effective. Dogs do not respond well to hesitant, pleading voices, nor to yelling, which might sound to the dog like threatening barking or scolding. It is also important that the word used for the command and the pitch of the voice be consistent each time the command is delivered so that the dog can more easily learn what the owner means (siiiiiiiiiiiit does not sound the same as sit, for example).
Using the puppy’s name before a command ensures that the dog knows that a command is coming, that it is for him (rather than for other dogs, children, or people), and that he should pay attention. This is important because dogs hear a lot of human speech that has no relevance for them at all, and it is easy for them to disregard commands amongst the babble.
To reinforce the command, the dog always gets some kind of reward or reinforcement (praise and usually a treat or toy) when it performs the action correctly. This helps the dog to understand that he has done a good thing.
Note that not all dogs are trained to voice command. Many working breeds of dog are not trained to a voice command at all; they are taught to obey a combination of whistles and hand signals. Deaf dogs are perfectly capable of learning to obey visual signals alone. Many obedience classes teach hand signals for common commands in addition to voice signals; these signals can be useful in quiet situations, at a distance, and in advanced obedience competitions.
The specific command words are not important, although common words in English include sit, down, come, and stay. Short, clear words that are easily understood by other humans are generally recommended; that way, people will understand what a handler is telling his dog to do and other handlers have a good chance of controlling someone else’s dog if necessary. In fact, dogs can learn commands in any language or other communications medium, including whistles, mouth sounds, hand gestures, and so forth.
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Feb 25, 2010 | | Dogs
Most training revolves around giving the dog consequences for his behaviour, in the hope of influencing the behaviour the dog will exhibit in the future. Operant conditioning defines four types of consequences:
Positive reinforcement adds something to the situation to increase the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, giving a dog a treat when he sits.)
Negative reinforcement removes something from the situation to increase the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, releasing the tension on an uncomfortable training collar when the dog stops pulling on the leash).
Positive punishment adds something to the situation to decrease the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, growling at a misbehaving dog).
Negative punishment removes something from the situation to decrease the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, walking away from a dog who jumps up).
Most modern trainers say that they use “positive training methods”, which is a different meaning of the word “positive” from that in operant conditioning. “Positive training methods” generally means preferring the use of reward-based training to increase good behavior over that of physical punishment to decrease bad behavior. However, a good trainer understands all four methods, whether or not she can put operant-conditioning terminology to them, and applies them as appropriate for the dog, the breed, the handler, and the situation.
Rewards
Positive reinforcers can be anything that the dog finds rewarding – special food treats, the chance to play with a tug toy, social interaction with other dogs, or the owners attention. The more rewarding a dog finds a particular reinforcer, the more work he will be prepared to do in order to obtain the reinforcer.
Some trainers go through a process of teaching a puppy to strongly desire a particular toy, in order to make the toy a more powerful positive reinforcer for good behaviour. This process is called “building prey drive”, and is commonly used in the training of Narcotics Detection and Police Service dogs. The goal is to produce a dog who will work independently for long periods of time.
Some trainers believe that the toy acts as a positive reinforcer for the desired behavior, when in all likelihood the prey drive works on an entirely different level from standard training and conditioning techniques. This is seen most clearly in the fact that, according to the laws of operant conditioning, positive reinforcers lose their effectiveness if they’re given every single time a dog does what is desired of him; the more predictable the reinforcer, the less reliable the behavior. Yet detection dogs only work well when they are always rewarded with a toy, every single time they find drugs or explosives, etc. The reason for this disparity is that when a dog is trained through the prey drive, the training activates an instinctive, automatic sequence that has to be completed in order for the dog to feel satisfied. That sequence is: search, eye-stalk, chase, grab-bite, and kill bite. So when a dog searches and finds drugs or explosives, he feels he hasn’t finished his job unless he can bite something. This is the primary reason he’s always given the toy. It’s not really a positive reinforcer. If it were it would reduce the reliability of the behavior overall. It’s a means of completing the predatory sequence for the dog.
Punishments
“Positive punishment” is probably the consequence that is least used by modern dog trainers, as it must be used very carefully. A dog is generally only given this type of punishment if it is willfully disobeying the owner. Punishing a dog who does not understand what is being asked of him is not only unfair to the dog, but can make the dog a fearful or unwilling worker.
Punishments are administered only as appropriate for the dog’s personality, age, and experience. A sharp No works for many dogs, but some dogs even show signs of fear or anxiety with harsh verbal corrections. On the other hand, certain dogs with ‘harder’ temperaments may ignore a verbal reprimand, and may work best if the reprimand is coupled with a physical punishment such as a quick tug on a training collar. Trainers generally advise keeping hand contact with the dog to positive interactions; if hands are used to threaten or hurt, some dogs may begin to behave defensively when stroked or handled.
Avoiding punishment
Keeping a puppy on a leash in challenging situations or in his crate or pen when not closely supervised prevents the puppy from getting into situations that might otherwise invite an owner’s harsh reaction (such as chewing up a favorite pair of shoes).
Next: Dog Training part V- The command voice
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Feb 25, 2010 | | Dogs
Dog training begins virtually at birth. Dogs that are handled and petted by humans regularly during the first eight weeks of life are generally much more amenable to being trained and living in human households. Ideally, puppies should be placed in their permanent homes between about 8 and 10 weeks of age. In some places it is against the law to take puppies away from their mothers before the age of 8 weeks. Before this age, puppies are still learning tremendous amounts of socialization skills from their mother. Puppies are innately more fearful of new things during the period from 10 to 12 weeks, which makes it harder for them to adapt to a new home.
Puppies can begin learning tricks and commands as early as 8 to 12 weeks of age; the only limitations are the pup’s stamina, concentration, and physical coordination. It is much easier to live with young dogs that have already learned basic commands such as sit. Waiting until the puppy is much older and larger and has already learned bad habits makes the training much more difficult.
There are some professional trainers who disagree with this idea, particularly those who train working dogs, detection dogs, police dogs, etc. They feel that obedience work shouldn’t start until the dog is at least a year old, or after the prey drive has fully developed. These trainers also take the position that spaying and neutering is harmful to the training process, again because of its negative impact on the dog’s prey drive.
Next: Dog Training part III – Communicating with the dog
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Feb 24, 2010 | | Dogs
My best friend is incredible!Shes one of those rare types who hangs on every word you say.Shes content to be quiet when I need stillness, even though shes one of those high-drive types.All I have to do is call and shes there in an instant, no matter what she was doing before.She puts me ahead of all her other friends, never fails to make me feel special, and is a redhead just like me.But shes not a person, even though shes sure she is.She is a butterfly dog; a Papillon.
When I brought this eight-week-old bundle of joy home, I didnt know what to call her.Im not very good at naming anything, so I usually just observe for a couple of weeks and let the animal name itself by its personality.This puppys name became evident in nothing flat:Tazzie.She whirled around the house, jumping up on furniture five times her size, zooming and zipping and totally charming me. She was, indeed, a Tasmanian devil pup.I quickly realized the athleticism of this dog and knew Id have to find her a job when she got a little older.High-drive dogs, that dont have jobs, will certainly find other outlets for their energy and those outlets arent usually things you would enjoy!
You already have a burning love for your puppy, but what is your relationship like?Does it come when you call it?Does it sit or lay or stay?From your first class, at your dog training school, your relationship with your dog begins to change.I will warn you, however, that anything you want to teach your dog wont come just with a once-a-week class, even if you have the best dog training school in the world.You have to practice with them, just a little bit, every day.
Tazzie was a very food-motivated dog, so the fact that she got food every time she did something right made training a blast for her, all by itself.And this happened every day!Bonus!She made fast friends at her new dog training school, so going to class was fun as well.She got to where she would whine, as soon as we pulled in the parking lot, until I finally got her out of that car.
So now youre taking your dog to classes in a place they love, and youre working with them every day.During that time, youre paying complete attention to them, teaching them to pay complete attention to you, and they get their favorite food as icing on the cake.This does incredible things for the bond between you and your dog.They learn to focus on you, no matter what, and good things will come.They get praised and fed, or praised and allowed to tug on a toy, whichever motivates the dog more, so your relationship cant help but blossom.
Ever since Tazzie and I started training together, she has claimed me as her own.When my other two dogs want to sit on my lap, shell push them out of the way to get the best spot because, I am her property, as far as shes concerned. I do give the other dogs personal time as well, but I have to put her in a sit/stay or a down/stay so shell let them come get love.
She is, by far, the one I can trust the most, not only because of her training, but from the bond we gained through the training.She never takes her eyes off of me, since we began at our dog training school, and it serves us well in the agility ring!
If you want to forever alter and solidify the bond you share with your dog, find yourself a good dog training school, for whatever discipline you prefer, and go for it.With a little time, money, and patience, your relationship will become a forever relationship.If you do, your dog will turn out to be your best friend too!
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Feb 19, 2010 | | Dogs
Teaching your dog the “sit” command could be one of the most useful commands you ever teach him. A poorly trained dog is a direct reflection on you the pet owner and how much care about your dog. In fact an untrained dog becomes a nuisance to its owner therefore the dog and owner become unhappy. Whether it’s a puppy or a fully grown dog you can teach them to sit with a little effort on your part.
Have you been putting it off because you think your dog will never be able to learn a new ‘trick’? Don’t put it off any longer. Start teaching your dog how to sit today.
Use some of these tips to teach your dog to sit:
You are going to need some treats; unfortunately this is always the best way to get a dog to do something you want! You can use anything you know your dog enjoys: biscuits, chewy treats or household items.
The main goal is to get your dog to sit when you use the word. One way you can gradually get your dog used to the word is by saying the word when the dog is sitting anyway. Dog sits down – you say “sit” and praise them.
You will also need to practice this every day by doing the following:
- Call your dog and offer them the treat. Let them sniff the treat and get excited first!
- Slowly move the treat until it’s over the dogs head. The dog will naturally move into the sitting position.
- It’s important that the dog associates the activity of sitting with the treat, the praise and the action of sitting. Try to get your timing right.
- Keep bribing the dog and gradually decrease the size of the treat. Keep enthusiastically praising the dog.
- Repeat this exercise a few times a day. Don’t overdo it – you want your pet to think of it as fun.
- Try to practice around mealtimes when your dog is hungry; this will make him keener for the treats.
- Have the treats easily accessible, don’t fumble around – the treat needs to happen as the dog is sitting.
- Don’t push your dogs bottom down; this won’t work because your pet will associate the action of sitting with having you push his bottom to the ground. If this really isn’t working you might want to consider obedience classes with other dogs.
- End each training session on a positive note.
Teaching your dog to sit using these positive reinforcement techniques will strengthen the bond between you. Consider it time well spent.
Once you have mastered the basic command ’sit’ it should be quite easy to train your dog the other basic commands. “Sit-stay”, “down” ‘heel’ and ‘come are some of the most useful commands. Use the treats in a similar way. Training your dog is an ongoing process. You want to keep praising your dog regularly and never associate anger with the dogs reaction to your command.
Make use of every new situation to train or put your training into practice. The most important part about learning how to sit – is that the dog sits under a variety of conditions. Sitting in new environments, around other dogs, around new people, when the doorbell rings etc.
Training your dog well is one of the most important things you can do for your dog. Besides having a well behaved dog you will also have an obedient dog. Dogs function as part of a pack – and you are the leader. Your dog will be better adjusted and happier if they know their place in the pack. Your dog is by nature keen to please you. Be a great pack leader and start teaching your puppy to sit today!
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Feb 09, 2010 | | Dogs
Dog Obedience: A Quick and Easy Way To Train Your Dog to Obey The WAIT Command!
How many times have you tried to teach your dog or puppy to obey the WAIT command, only to discover that your dog doesn’t want to WAIT?
Training your dog to WAIT can be very challenging because most dogs are easily distracted. Dogs are also naturally energetic and inattentive. Your dog may have difficulty comprehending the WAIT command because it necessitates inactivity.
As we all know, it doesn’t take long for a dog to become restless and bored! That is why the WAIT command is so difficult to teach! Here is an easy way to train your dog to obey the WAIT command:
1. Put your dog on a short leash and walk him to the front door.
Using a leash will allow you to control your dog better when he doesn’t respond to the WAIT command at first.
Open the door just enough for you to squeeze through and go outside, leaving your dog on the inside. Now your dog will be one side with you on the other and the leash hanging in between.
You might try giving your dog the SIT command at first. A dog that is in a sitting position will tend to be still a bit longer than if he were standing up.
2. Slowly open the door just a small amount.
Hold up the palm of your hand in a STOP position and say WAIT!
Don’t be disappointed if your dog tries to shove open the door and come rushing toward you! Your dog, not knowing this command, is probably going to scramble to push through the door.
3. Shut the door quickly as soon as your dog starts to move toward you.
This will halt the dog in his tracks.
Okay, now repeat step two. Now watch your dog closely. The first time that he doesn’t try to rush through the door may only last a mere second!
When your dog finally comprehends the WAIT command and pauses, lavish him with praise and give him a release command (OKAY!) to let him comethrough the door.
4. Practice, practice, practice!
Keep repeating the steps described above. Your dog will eventually learn that when he mellows out and WAITS that you will allow him to pass through the front door.
5. Once your dog learns to obey the WAIT command from the SIT position, try teaching him the command while he is standing up.
This is a much harder position for your dog to master the WAIT command from. He is going to want to move around or even SIT.
Be consistent with your training and practice this routine at every opportunity. Be sure to give your dog lots of praise and positive reinforcement. Soon, your dog will understand what you want and will easily respond to the WAIT command!
Training your dog to obey the WAIT command takes time, patience and practice. But the end result will be worth it! Eventually, you will be rewarded with a dog that no longer bolts out the door every time you open it!
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Feb 02, 2010 | | Dogs