DogTrainster.Com

Article Source: articlecat.com

By: Bob Evanston

Humans and dogs have a long history of happy co-existence. For many people, as the old saying goes, their dog is indeed their best friend. Dogs can serve many roles -family member, guardian, jogging buddy, worker and countless others.

Sometimes, however, the canine-human relationship is not completely harmonious. Unfortunately, dogs can inspire irritation and even fear in people. What does a dog owner do when faced with an aggressive or downright vicious animal that he or she cannot seem to control?

Aggression is the most serious problem faced by dog owners. It can take many forms. Your dog may have a problem with other dogs, with children or with just certain people or in certain environments. So, first of all, you should narrow it down and pinpoint the exact issue.

The first step to take is to have a veterinarian you trust examine your dog, to make sure there is not a physical problem that is the cause of disruptive behavior. You should also try to control your dog’s environment as much as possible, avoiding whatever tends to provoke problematic behavior.

In other words, do not tempt fate. If your dog tends to fight with other dogs, until you can get a handle on the situation, you really need to isolate your dog from other dogs. The same, of course, is true for dogs who are aggressive towards people. If necessary, use a muzzle. Be sure to warn people not to approach a potentially dangerous dog. You do not want to deal with lawsuits, or other repercussions of your dog attacking someone, whether human or another animal.

There are rare cases when the only choice is to give up the dog. This may be, for example, when you have a young child in your household or in those unfortunate cases when you have a truly vicious dog who is beyond help. But in most cases, behavioral problems, including aggression, can be corrected. One of the first remedies you can try is exercise. If a dog has too much unused energy, it can become aggressive.

A note about exercise –playing with your dog is great, but make sure you don’t play too roughly and unknowingly encourage aggression. For many dogs, it’s fine to play rough, but if your dog has an issue with aggression, you should not be playing in ways that foster this.

Sometimes the problem is isolation. Dogs are social animals who do not like to be left alone for long periods. Tying a dog to a stake in the ground all day is not going to make him/her happy, and in some cases it may cause behavior problems. If you are away from your dog for long periods, try to make an arrangement so the dog isn’t alone all the time. At the very least, make sure the animal has some room to move around.

These are fairly basic suggestions and will often not be enough to solve the problem. The fact is, if you have an aggressive dog, or one with other serious behavioral problems, you are going to have to take some action. This means either hiring a professional dog trainer or taking some time to learn how to train your dog yourself. The first solution can be expensive, the second requires a commitment in time, as well as patience.

The issue of an aggressive dog is serious and cannot be overlooked. Fortunately, most dogs can be cured of aggression and almost any other behavioral problem. Some dogs, just like some humans, need extra help in getting past whatever problems they may have acquired.

Article Source: articlesfactory.com

By Daniel Waser

Dog training is the responsibility that YOU signed on for when you brought your dog through your front door for the first time. The whole dog training experience can be pleasant for BOTH you and your dog. Dog training does not have to be hard or frustrating. It is therefore vital that you adopt the ideas from the dog training tips that strive towards long term success, and not temporary satisfaction.

When dog training we must respect, understand, and use the rules Mother Nature has imposed upon the system we experience as a developing individual. Using only proven methods that are psychologically sound for DOGS during dog training is so important because it makes the process natural, with quick results and eliminates subtle dog training mistakes that very often sabotage all your efforts. By applying gentle and proven dog training principles you can easily prevent behavior problems and promote a loving, cooperative bond between you and your dog. Whether this is your first dog or one-hundredth, dog training will prove to be an invaluable resource in the education of your new canine companion.

Use The Right Body Language So Your Dog UnderstandsDogs are highly intelligent animals and many dog owners do not give them enough credit when it comes to the way they can read and understand our body language. The body language that we display has a major impact on how well a dog will obey our commands and listen to us. You can also quickly stop your dog from displaying an improper behavior if you are using the correct form of body language.

An overexcited dog who likes to jump on every guest that comes to your door. We all go through this with our puppy or adult dog at some point in time and let’s use that as our example. As soon as the guests arrive your dog is overwhelmed with excitement and happiness about who is at the door and whether or not they are going to play with him.

What do they smell like? Do they want to play? Do they have dog treats? How about I just jump all over them and see? If we were to decipher his emotional behavior, this is exactly what your dog is thinking.

And meanwhile, to get your dog to stop being so excited and jumping on everyone, you are giving every command possible. One thing that makes him more excited is, when you try shouting. Maybe you try to shout even louder or you try giving harsh and loud “Off” commands but that it’s not working too.  Eventually, you are getting so stressed with trying to pull your dog off that and yelling it turns into one big chaotic party.

And yes, the term “party” is a great way to explain it because to your dog you are just joining in on the fun and excitement that he is feeling. Can you see now how your body language and the way you are communicating with her voice comes across to your dog? You are only adding to the situation as opposed to changing our dog’s behavior.

Communicate better with your dog by using the following body language tipsIn the above example of the overexcited dog who can’t seem to stop jumping all over the house guests, you understand now that your body language and excitability only made your dog feel more enthused about what it is he was doing. Therefore, regardless of what action you are trying to communicate with your dog you must take a different approach to the situation. A few basic body language tips that you can use are below:

1. Do not chase him around the house, when you’re angry at your puppy or adult dog.  You may be upset with them, but to your dog, he thinks you’re playing a game and he will run around forever.

2. Display a very bold and upright body position, when you give your dog a command.  Stand up, chest forward, and head back. Your dog will have more respect and a slight bit of intimidation, which can help with training him.

3. Do not add to the problem by getting feisty if your dog is extremely excited. Instead, move slowly and talk in a soothing tone of voice.  Display the same behavior you wish him to use.  Doing so will calm him down and it will be much easier to change his behavior.

Article Source: articlebiz.com

By: Scott Williams

As we all know,training dogs has never been easy. If not for the tools that we use in dog training we may have gone nowhere and probably rats became man’s best friend. As a dog lover, I actually shudder at the thought. And if that were the case, then there would never have been a domesticated dog and they would all be in the wilderness living like wolves. Thank God for the training tools.

One of these tools happens to be the Dog Training Treats, also known as doggie treats but for this purpose, are to be used as a training tool. Using dog training treats is also known as the reward method in dog training. Training treats are very effective in the learning phase of the training.

A pat on the head may be sufficient for some dogs who has shown good behavior, other dogs may need a little incentive to consistently respond to our commands. Treats thus become an excellent way to reinforce desired behavior if they are used properly.

Using dog training treats is one of the most positive and encouraging ways to train your dog to behave in an acceptable manner. This is a better alternative to other training methods that use violence and physical punishment. The dog training treats method is used together with a lot of praising for something the dog has learned and done well.

Using training treats also gives your dog something to look forward to during these training sessions. They are always happy to receive these treats from you and they don’t even know it’s a learning process.

It is important to note that in using training treats the reward must be given to the dog immediately. Otherwise the dog might believe that it is being rewarded for another thing that he has done rather than the behavior that we want rewarded.

Consistency should also be practiced by the owner and all members of the family that interact with the dog. The same commands should be used by all so as not to cause the dog some confusion. It also means that we should reward the desired behavior and not the unwanted ones.

For the dog training treats to be fully effective, always use treats that your dog really likes. Something enticing and irresistible to him. It should be small and soft, something that he could gulp down immediately. Something from your refrigerator can be used as treats like small pieces of hotdog, cheese, cooked chicken and beef have proven effective. While others prefer to purchase small soft commercial dog treats that are readily available.

Most dogs prefer the food treats but some of them respond to toy treats rather than the former. In the same way, give your dog their favorite toy every time he has done good in the training process.

There are two ways in using training treats. First as a reward for a desired behavior, and second as a motivator, in the class of the carrot and stick method, to induce a certain behavior.

Using training treats is an enjoyable learning experience for the dog and his owner/trainer. But full knowledge of using training treats is essential. If used in an improper way, the dog might develop some unwanted traits like always expecting treats before doing something desirable or even begging.

Dog Training Treats is an important tool in training. It also strengthens the bond between the owner and pet more than any other training method because it is not based on fear. Trust and respect grows between them and the experience is something that cannot be forgotten easily. Training treats make the training process fun for both dog and owner simply because the dog gets a reward and the owner gets so much satisfaction in getting the desired behavior from the pet.

As pet lovers, we all know that, that feeling is priceless.

Article Source: articlebiz.com

By: Oscar Jones

For someone new to owning a dog being able to handle the excessively loud barking of a new puppy can take its toll and be quite an experience. The majority of new owners are not really ready to cope with the intense amounts of yelping and barking that a perfectly normal puppy will enter in to as soon as it arrives at its new home. Although usual sometimes the puppy will not even give the new owner the pleasure of a quiet night.

Reaction To Fear

One of its biggest hurdles to overcome in its young life will be to get over the fear of being alone. This does not mean being away from you when you leave the house but going “off the deep end” as soon as you isolate them from you i.e. going to a different room. Just remember when and where you got your puppy from. They are used to being surrounded by their brothers and sisters and having their mum there all the while.

How Do You Deal With The Barking Problem?

If you decide that you are going to go running to your puppy as soon as its starts to cry and/or bark then you are in affect training a reaction. Unfortunately what you are training and rewarding is the behavior of barking/crying and you end up with a spoiled dog. Alternatively you can just leave your puppy until it cant physically bark anymore, in which case the rest of your family will probably have something to say about it!!

Do you feel as if you are therefore in a no win situation? Well, don’t panic I do have some useful tips on how to get your dog to stop barking:

No. 1. First thing you should try is to try and ignore your puppy’s action(s) i.e. barking, if you can. Don’t be tempted to keep shouted “quiet” are anything harsher as this will just scare him/her, the puppy will not want to then come near you, anxiety levels will increase and, you guessed it, the barking will increase.

No. 2. You can try using a “teaching lead”. This is a product which will allow your puppy to be around you all the while whilst in the house. Using this type of tool will give your puppy some independence while keeping you close enough to not build anxiety.

No. 3. If, as invariably you will, you have to go out, try to ensure that you are not gone too long. I totally understand that on leaving the house you will want to cuddle your cute puppy and say goodbye but bewarned, this will only go towards creating stress within your new little friend as it will begin to associate this type of behavior with you about to leave the house. If you think about this it will make sense to you.

No. 4. There are various different training aids which can be used to quiten your puppy when barking. A quick jet of water, or a streaming spray can do the trick if used immediately when barking commences. Using a tin filled up with metallic objects can be used to make a startling noise if barking commences as you leave your puppy’s side. It will probably make them jump and divert their attention from the action of barking.

Article Source: articlebiz.com

By: Kristi Carter

It is terrible that there is still the belief that puppies must feel pain, discomfort, or fear in order to learn good behavior. It is not uncommon for an owner to smack, hit or even kick their dogs in order to try and get the dog to understand something. In fact, many people believe this is the way to teach their dogs tricks and good behavior. It is not. Because people hear and see these falsities, they continue to punish their animals in this way; even between 5 and 16 weeks. Even some who call themselves professionals still believe and practice these abusive techniques. This is absolutely a barbaric thought process and the only thing accomplished is a loss of trust between you and your dog.

In 1998 a case was brought to light in Animal Behavior Consultant Newsletter, describing the ‘professionalism’ of an obedience instructor. She was attempting to correct a puppy who nipped, and she stuck her fingers into the pup’s throat to touch the gag reflex. After doing this, she took the puppy in her hands and shook it. The puppy then fell down and remained still. Upon taking the puppy to a veterinary hospital, the instructor and the owners learned that the puppy had died.

Unfortunately, this kind of practice is all too commonly suggested in popular training books. The problem is that by the time an owner gets to a puppy to punish it in this way, the puppy has no idea what behavior has brought on the abuse. If the punishment was for using the bathroom on the floor, half the time the dog has moved on to something else. If he is now chewing on his toy and is being spanked for peeing on the floor, he is not going to realize what he is being punished for. While the puppy’s owner should be a consistent and trustworthy owner, it seems unpredictable to the puppy.

One example is when the owner comes home and the puppy is torn between excitement and displaying shamed actions. Most people realize and appreciate that their puppy is happy to see them instead of quickly reacting to a pair of shoes that have been chewed up. The result of physical punishment often means the puppy will not come to the owner when the owner calls. This makes sense. If you were being called to someone and didn’t know if you were going to be hit or petted, wouldn’t you hesitate as well? When puppies know that their owner will not hit them, but instead pet and provide pleasure, they are less likely to exhibit hand shyness, aggression, or submissive urination.

When puppies are trained with a positive reinforcement method, they are healthier and more stable than those who are punished. This is true especially in puppies who are excitable. Outlining the positive and getting rid of the negative in puppy training will require a person with patience and self-control. However, the benefits are most definitely worth it, especially when training. Puppies are more responsive and learn faster. When a veterinarian explains this kind of thing to their clients, they can get rid of the false thinking that has been widely spread about punishment and puppies.

Article Source: articlebiz.com

By: Bravo Seo

Probably one of the biggest concern in looking for the perfect way to train your dog is to inquire in an institution that can be able to provide you with the most up-to-date, integrated and common sense approach to dog training. California has many dog training schools featuring a variety of approaches and philosophies.

Dog training is one of the most important aspects of owning a pet dog and dog training obedience is something that owners can do for their dogs or puppies by themselves. The most necessary factor in instructing your dog is through effective communication. The trainer should clearly what does he want to transpire to his pet dog. Simple lessons like telling your pet dog to “stay,” to “sit” and to “off.” Remember that almost all dog breeds can be trained, only if you are armed with the right knowledge in dog training. A good reason for obedience training is the establishment of a foundation wherein the owner and his dog can learn to effectively relate to one another. The first thing obedience training does is to create a common language for the owner and the dog. This, in turn, lets your dog know the proper response – or behaviors - that you expect in place of socially maladaptive behavior. This process can also be effectively called as dog behavior training.

To properly train your dogs for obedience, you can try the following training styles. The main types of training are leash/collar training and reward training, whereas the leash and collar training considered a hard training and traditional style developed from military dog training and reward training to be the soft training style which dogs are rewarded using food for every job well-done.

There are some basic dog training ideas that may come handy to every trainer. Training your dog requires a good deal of persistence to be both an enjoyable and successful for you and your four legged friend. Including in the list is giving your dog small jobs like sitting for dinner, lying down before doors, or teaching your pooch down/stay sessions for five to twenty minutes at a time teaches your dog control and gives him something to do when around other people or things that would otherwise distract and putting away dogs and puppies on your beds and furniture to give them a sense of limit. Ensure that training your dog is never too stressful or tiring for either of you, and it will always be easier and more effective training your dog if he is happy and contented.

If you have an aggressive dog, don’t minimize the seriousness of the situation. Standard training techniques will probably prove ineffective with an aggressive dog. One-on-one help with a professional trainer may be required to see results with aggressive dog training. Training aggressive dog first requires some basic understanding of why dogs become aggressive. There could be several reasons that accounts for your dog’s aggressive behavior. It is hard to train an aggressive dog but with the right techniques; it becomes less of a pain.

Article Source : DogTrainster.com - Ultimate Resource and Tips for Dog Training

By Joanne Kok

Learning new things can be stressful for your dog especially in the beginning when concepts and teaching methods are new. If your dog refused to eat during the early stages of training, stop the program and have a play session or calm your dog until it is relaxed and begins to accept treats again. This process may require 3 to 4 sessions but it is worth going through it to develop your dog’s positive attitude towards obedience.

Conduct 3 training sessions a day, each session lasting approximately 20 minutes while allowing at least 1 hour rest in-between sessions. In a 2-week period, there should be a total of 30 sessions.

Week 1 And Week 2

1) Teach your dog the “heel” command. Repeat a series of 3 to 5 circles and perform 5 series of 4-step “heels” per session.

2) Teach the “sit” and “release” command. Command your dog to “sit”, let it stay in the sit position for a moment then give the “release” command to release your dog from the “sit”. Repeat this series 5 times per session.

3) For each session, work on a series of 1 exercise and move to another exercise (i.e., work on one series of 4-step “heel”, then a series of “sit” and “break”, and finally a series of 4-step “heels”’).

Although dogs need repetition to learn a skill, you need a variety of exercises to keep them interested as they bore easily.

Week 3 And Week 4

1) Reinforce the “heel” command. Test the “heel” command from lessons learned from week 1 and week 2.

2) Reinforcing the “sit” and “release” command. Begin training your dog to hold the “sit” position starting from 5 seconds and gradually stretching the time to 10 seconds.

3) Begin teaching your dog the “down” command (use treats to lure your dog to teach it the command). Repeat the series 2 times per session in week 3 and 3 times per session in week 4.

Week 5 And Week 6

1) Continue to reinforce and test the “heel”, “sit” and “release” commands. Begin to include distractions when training “heel” and “sit” to train your dog to continue focusing on you even there are distractions.

2) Extend the concept of holding position to build patience by extending the “sit” from 5 – 10 seconds to 30 seconds – 1 minute before releasing the “sit” command.

When you test your dog, you should repeat each test until it passes the test 3 consecutive times.

3) Start to reinforce the “down” command in week 5 by removing the treat and shoulder help. During week 6, begin reinforcing without any bodily assistance. You can reintroduce treats as the reward but do not tempt your dog. Only reward your dog after it has successfully completed the “down” command.

Training sessions may become more stressful for both you and your dog as you progress from the teaching phase and enter into the more difficult reinforcing phase. If you find a particular test too tough for both of you; stop the exercise and continue to practice the skills individually, you can repeat that particular test a few days later.

While the length and regularity of the sessions remain unchanged since the first week, the sessions are becoming less predictable and require varieties to make them as interesting and effective as they can be.

Week 7 And Week 8

1) While continuing to reinforce and test the “heel”, “sit” and “release” commands, don’t forget to reinforce the “down” command as well. In 1 of every 3 sessions, add distractions to your basic commands. Improve “down from a stand” exercise with the “down” command.

2) Extend the time-span of the holding position and begin teaching the “stay” command.

3) Begin combining the different commands when training. Teach “sit” and “down” from your front and testing motion “down” and motion “sit”.

4) Start teaching the “come” command. Put your dog on “sit/stay” position, while walking backwards monitor the position holding skills. Body language plays an important role in teaching this command and sending the wrong signals sometimes causes your dog not to hold the position.

Week 9, Week 10 And After

1) Reinforce “stay” and “come” command. Always practice a short leash recall to reinforce the final finish position. Repeat at least 10 times per session. “Come” is the most important command but the least practiced of all the other commands.

2) Conduct test and reinforce all obedience commands. Practice all commands equally, working on each command as little as 1 or as many as 5 repetitions per series though you should avoid creating patterns.

Make exercises targeted towards your practical obedience application. Include distraction training in at least 1 out of every 3 obedience practice sessions.By Joanne Kok

Learning new things can be stressful for your dog especially in the beginning when concepts and teaching methods are new. If your dog refused to eat during the early stages of training, stop the program and have a play session or calm your dog until it is relaxed and begins to accept treats again. This process may require 3 to 4 sessions but it is worth going through it to develop your dog’s positive attitude towards obedience.

Conduct 3 training sessions a day, each session lasting approximately 20 minutes while allowing at least 1 hour rest in-between sessions. In a 2-week period, there should be a total of 30 sessions.

Week 1 And Week 2

1) Teach your dog the “heel” command. Repeat a series of 3 to 5 circles and perform 5 series of 4-step “heels” per session.

2) Teach the “sit” and “release” command. Command your dog to “sit”, let it stay in the sit position for a moment then give the “release” command to release your dog from the “sit”. Repeat this series 5 times per session.

3) For each session, work on a series of 1 exercise and move to another exercise (i.e., work on one series of 4-step “heel”, then a series of “sit” and “break”, and finally a series of 4-step “heels”’).

Although dogs need repetition to learn a skill, you need a variety of exercises to keep them interested as they bore easily.

Week 3 And Week 4

1) Reinforce the “heel” command. Test the “heel” command from lessons learned from week 1 and week 2.

2) Reinforcing the “sit” and “release” command. Begin training your dog to hold the “sit” position starting from 5 seconds and gradually stretching the time to 10 seconds.

3) Begin teaching your dog the “down” command (use treats to lure your dog to teach it the command). Repeat the series 2 times per session in week 3 and 3 times per session in week 4.

Week 5 And Week 6

1) Continue to reinforce and test the “heel”, “sit” and “release” commands. Begin to include distractions when training “heel” and “sit” to train your dog to continue focusing on you even there are distractions.

2) Extend the concept of holding position to build patience by extending the “sit” from 5 – 10 seconds to 30 seconds – 1 minute before releasing the “sit” command.

When you test your dog, you should repeat each test until it passes the test 3 consecutive times.

3) Start to reinforce the “down” command in week 5 by removing the treat and shoulder help. During week 6, begin reinforcing without any bodily assistance. You can reintroduce treats as the reward but do not tempt your dog. Only reward your dog after it has successfully completed the “down” command.

Training sessions may become more stressful for both you and your dog as you progress from the teaching phase and enter into the more difficult reinforcing phase. If you find a particular test too tough for both of you; stop the exercise and continue to practice the skills individually, you can repeat that particular test a few days later.

While the length and regularity of the sessions remain unchanged since the first week, the sessions are becoming less predictable and require varieties to make them as interesting and effective as they can be.

Week 7 And Week 8

1) While continuing to reinforce and test the “heel”, “sit” and “release” commands, don’t forget to reinforce the “down” command as well. In 1 of every 3 sessions, add distractions to your basic commands. Improve “down from a stand” exercise with the “down” command.

2) Extend the time-span of the holding position and begin teaching the “stay” command.

3) Begin combining the different commands when training. Teach “sit” and “down” from your front and testing motion “down” and motion “sit”.

4) Start teaching the “come” command. Put your dog on “sit/stay” position, while walking backwards monitor the position holding skills. Body language plays an important role in teaching this command and sending the wrong signals sometimes causes your dog not to hold the position.

Week 9, Week 10 And After

1) Reinforce “stay” and “come” command. Always practice a short leash recall to reinforce the final finish position. Repeat at least 10 times per session. “Come” is the most important command but the least practiced of all the other commands.

2) Conduct test and reinforce all obedience commands. Practice all commands equally, working on each command as little as 1 or as many as 5 repetitions per series though you should avoid creating patterns.

Make exercises targeted towards your practical obedience application. Include distraction training in at least 1 out of every 3 obedience practice sessions.