DogTrainster.Com

Article Source: AmericanChronicle.com
By Mailey McLaughlin

Whether your dog is just a puppy or well into adulthood, there are many things you, as a pet owner, need to be aware of. Training your dog is an important step in starting off on the right foot and teaching him obedience. All dogs - no matter how old - need some form of training so that they can be easily handled in all situations. A wise investment in your new best friend would be basic training or obedience classes that will help you to build a bond and learn to control your dog. TV shows, books, and articles abound on dog training, but tips that are truly effective are harder to come by if you don’t do the necessary research.

There are many reasons for training your dog. Training allows the dog to understand your expectations, helps him become calmer and more relaxed in all situations, in new places, and with new people, provides him with much-needed structure, makes him easier to manage, and perhaps most importantly, helps keep him out of the shelter. Unfortunately, the biggest reason that dogs are in or are returned to shelters is due to their lack of training and out-of-control behavior.

Dog Training Tips: The Necessary Commands

Because dogs thrive in packs and are naturally social, once they come to your home, they expect you to be the leader. Training your dog appropriately with a few highly effective dog training tips teaches him to follow you, understand your necessary commands, and learn to accept his place in your “pack.” To avoid problems later in life, it’s recommended that you enroll your pet in obedience and/or training classes early on, or at the very least, begin training your dog yourself, rewarding him each time he learns a new command. The following dog training tips are some of the more vital guidelines in ensuring your pet will be a well-behaved, functioning member of your family. If you have the patience and the time, here are some ways to begin training your dog at home:

* Always enforce your commands - don’t let your dog ignore a command, but most certainly reward him when he does follow it. If your dog does not follow it immediately, help him perform the command, then reward. Above all, however, do not call your dog to you and do anything negative to him when he comes. If he disobeys and you react with anger, your dog will learn to fear you and may not listen to you in the future. Attempting to integrate any other dog training tips after that may be futile.

* Reward your dog immediately when he listens. Positive encouragement in the form of treats or praise is always welcome and helps the dog learn that he is doing well at responding to what you say. During training, have treats in hand and deliver them quickly when the dog performs correctly. Don’t punish your dog or ‘rub his nose in it’ should he have an accident. When training your dog, these tips will help you avoid discouraging or even confusing your pet.

* Master one command at a time - go slowly and over time, your dog will learn the command. Don’t overload multiple commands into one training session as this approach will likely result in failure. Most experts recommend 5-10 minutes at the most for one session. You’ll need to be patient during the process of training your dog; chances are that your dog won’t respond to every command or even learn them in just a few weeks - it will take time.

* “Sit,” “Come,” “Stay,” and “Lie Down” - these are perhaps the four most important commands your dog needs to know, and all helpful dog training tips from books or your vet should cover these comprehensively. Once your dog masters them successfully, you will be able to manage him in all situations and control his behavior around other people and animals. For dogs that may like to run free, “come” is a necessary command should he manage to wriggle out of his collar and/or leash.

* Maintain solidarity with training - in family situations, make sure that everyone follows the rules with training your dog. If you’re the only one using commands and the rest of the family is ignoring certain behaviors that the dog exhibits and not re-enforcing the dog training tips you’ve been using thus far, then your one-on-one training sessions will largely be forgotten. Re-enforce commands each day as repetition is key.

* Keep it fun - this is a time to grow and bond with your pet; make training your dog fun for both of you. Once he masters the basics of these dog training tips, move on to the fun tricks, like “roll over,” “shake,” and “play dead.” Your dog will begin to look to you because you’ll have made your role clear.

Assume the Role: You are the Pack Leader

It is your responsibility to be aware and responsible for your pet - your dog relies on you to take care of him at all times. Providing him with a healthy diet, plenty of exercise, and one-on-one training will ensure that he has a long, healthy, and happy life with you. Don’t leave his behavior up to chance - you can ensure that your new best friend is obedient and happy just by integrating some of these simple dog training tips into his routine. Assume control as leader of your pack and your dog will look to you in all situations that may arise.

You are the best person when it comes to training your dog - he trusts you, after all. More importantly, training your dog will keep him safe and protected, which is something all dog owners should want.

Article Source: cooldoghalloffame.com

One of the most popular and basic dog training commands is the sit command. This is the kind of command that is commonly used among novice and professional dog trainers.

Before learning other basic dog training commands it is important to learn all the fundamentals before emerging your dog to acquire the most complex orders. The sit command is considered a sign of obedience that should be taught as soon as your dog becomes acquainted and comfortable with the name given to him.

There are a lot of ways in giving out this command yet, what an owner should know is the value of proper timing. Proper timing is very vital; though practicing frequently few dog training commands without having to consider other circumstances is not a bad idea after all, however, proper timing alongside your dog’s frame of mind is very salient factors to consider when you want your dog to catch up easily with your teachings.

It is also imperative to be knowledgeable of moments when dogs are gleaned at their best. A dog is considered responsive to training methods and instructions usually before meals or when a dog is starving and is yearning for something. Knowing this will help you focus on the appropriate ways to make them be in their utmost attention in the course of the training.

Afterwards, make certain to reward your dogs for a good deed or for something they’ve done that is considerably appropriate. Avoid making them hang around for a longer period of time for this will only propel confusing points to your dogs. This will greatly affect his behavior and would result to disobedience in the long run.

Once you are able to get fully aware of all the information you need to know, it is now time to begin with the actual training. Before doing so, have yourself fully equipped with the treats especially when your dog performs well. You should also start in a quiet place so as to avoid any disturbance and distraction from outside sources. Then, try to gradually move the treats above your dog’s head, take notice that while doing this kind of trick; your dog would logically fall back into a sitting position by means of bending their legs when they try to aim for the treat or the target above his head.

When you get satisfactory results upon accomplishing a task, give your dogs some reward. This task might probably take several days or even weeks to be completed yet, it can be perfected as you try to instill those dog training commands regularly. If your dog refuses to stay in one place while doing the exercises, it is best to try using other disciplinary procedures that can be accessible on the net.

It is important therefore, to take note of appropriate dog training commands whenever you employ different tips and techniques. A general understanding of different dog commands as well as their basic needs will greatly help in ensuring an amenable and submissive dog.

Have a great dog training day,

Dr. Alfonso

Article Source: examiner.com
By Jeff Millman

Training a dog to walk nicely when on leash can be very frustrating and can seem daunting. My job as a dog trainer is to break down goals into small chunks for my clients to focus on.

One of the important strategies that I recommend is to be more interesting than the environment. When a dog pulls she is often interested in investigating something that is in the distance. If you make yourself really interesting and fun and games start when she appears by your side, then she will be more motivated to walk next to you.

Understanding motivation is critical to being a great dog trainer.  What entices or motivates a dog to do something? That understanding is key to success.

There are many ways that you can motivate a dog to walk nicely next to you. Here are some strategies that you can try with your dog to be more interesting so she is motivated to walk near you to see what other fun activity is going to happen!

1. Bring an outside-only toy with you. If your dog is not thrilled with toys, read this post about teaching a dog to like toys more. Keep a toy near your front door that your dog LOVES. Only use it on walks, and only give it to your dog when she is walking nicely. Gently take it away when she pulls.

2. Talk more. Enthusiasm is a way to keep your dog focused on you as well as provide information to her that she should continue doing what she is doing because she might get a treat or a toy.

3. Quick, gentle changes in direction. Occasionally turn quickly and go the other direction when your dog pulls. Never jerk or be rough with your dog. The changes in direction combined with enthusiasm when she is in the right position is a way to keep her focused on you.

4. Change speeds. If your dog wants to run, run with her for short spurts when she appears by your side. The goal is to make it worthwhile for her to walk in the “reward zone” because sometimes it results in toys, treats or quick sprints might occur.

5. Change your tone and volume of voice. Did you know talking really softly is one way to sometimes get dog’s attention? Try something like, “Hey. What’s over there? Let’s go check it out” and then start running towards something as soon as your dog looks at you. What are you doing? You are motivating your dog to pay attention to you. The more a dog pays attention to the person holding the leash, the less she is scanning the environment for something to pull towards.

6. Toy exhanges. Teach your dog to drop toys on cue and then practice toy exchanges on walks by  asking for “Drop”, and then throwing another toy within the length of the leash. You can continue this periodically on walks to give your dog exercise and mental stimulation. If you need to learn how to teach your dog to Drop, see my Puppy Biting and Rules of Tug video and see more leash walking strategies in my Intermediate Leash Walking video.

7. Reward eye contact. Read this post about teaching eye contact on walks. The more your dog is motivated to look at you, the less she will pull towards other distractions.

These are just a few of the many ways you can be more interesting than the environment to keep your dog focused on you. With practice, you will discover what works best to keep your dog interested in you.

Source from: stabroeknews.com

By Eileen Cox

The Guyana Society for the Preven-tion of Cruel-ty to Animals has kindly provided an article on ‘How to be a responsible Pet Owner.’  This is not the be-all and end-all of the subject.  As is stated in the article, there are books and material on websites for those who wish to derive the utmost benefit from owning a dog. Here goes:

How to be a responsible pet owner

Owning a dog brings many benefits, including, as some studies have found, a healthier and happier life for the owner. However, becoming a dog owner can also add many responsibilities to your life. A pet needs proper food, veterinary care (when necessary) and a safe environment to live in. This safe environment is one that has no place in which your dog can get hurt (by getting stuck or falling), and should also ensure that your dog is not able to roam freely in the public domain. If you own a dog or are thinking of doing so, make sure you can meet your responsibilities as a pet owner.

Preparing a safe environment for your pet

Before bringing a pet into your home, prepare a special place for it to eat and sleep. At first, try to maintain the animal’s daily schedule for play, eating, and answering the call of nature. You should pet-proof your home just as you would child-proof your home to avoid accidents. Harmful cleansers, plants, electrical cords, and breakable objects should be removed from potential contact with your pet.

Housebreaking

Housebreaking should be started as soon as a puppy arrives in your home. Young puppies cannot suppress their need to urinate or defecate for long periods of time. Therefore, as soon as they can walk properly, they should be taken out multiple times during the day (almost every hour at first and especially after periods of play, naps, and mealtimes. You should take the puppy to the same area each time and praise it immediately and enthusiastically when it eliminates. Do not play with, or talk to, the puppy until after it has urinated or defecated.

Obedience training

One of the first steps a responsible pet owner should take is to train his or her dog in basic obedience.

Many times, a dog exhibits “bad behaviour” simply because it did not receive basic obedience training. Pet owners can work with a professional dog trainer or can even train their dogs themselves.

Dogs are social animals and will display certain instinctive behaviour like digging holes in your yard, soiling your belongings and even biting people and other animals. While this is all normal behaviour for a dog, it is possible to prevent or treat certain canine behaviour problems so that they become acceptable in the usual domestic setting.

It is very important that the owner establishes a social hierarchy with the dog in which the animal understands that it plays a subordinate role. This may be done by teaching your dog to show submission through various obedience “tricks” like shaking hands (raising a paw), rolling over and the “sit” and “stay” commands. A properly trained dog will also go to its owner when called.

While some puppies may be at the age where they are easily distracted (and harder to train), most dogs will learn at any age. However, be warned that training a dog takes lots of patience and does not involve hitting the animal or any other violent techniques.

It is beyond the scope of this brief article to impart dog training skills. However, there are lots of good books written on this topic and many websites with good material for you to use. In the end, a well-trained dog is a joy to own and it is easier to control than an untrained one.

Source from: examiner.com

By Jeff Millman

There are certain topics in dog training that come up at least once per day. I find myself saying “Change the pattern, change the behavior” in many situations and I realized that this is a powerful concept that you might find useful when working with your dog.

My dog training philosophy is based on changing a dog’s behavior, and not focusing on what the dog might be thinking. Many people fall into the trap of making assumptions about why the dog performed a certain behavior and then run the risk of basing their training strategies on murky hypotheses. Examples of murky hypotheses include:

* “My dog jumped on me because he was being dominant.”
* “My dog urinated on my bed because she was being spiteful.”
* “My dog bit me because he is trying to take charge.”

I get many questions about why dogs do things and I often say, “I don’t know, but I do know that your dog did the behavior. That we can all agree upon, so let’s start there.” Once you move past the “why” and focus on changing behavior, your world may very well open up to a whole new way of looking at animal behavior. Keep in mind that this is not limited to dogs. You can use these strategies on any animal, including the two-legged variety that roam freely around the streets.

Behaviors can be innate (hardwired) such as breathing, yawning or blinking, or they can be learned such as sitting for a treat or responding to one’s name. Often dog behavior problems such as jumping are rooted in learned behaviors over time. How does a dog learn? A dog, like any animal learns through repetition. A situation presents itself, the dog responds in a certain manner and there is a consequence to his actions. If he enjoys the consequence, then the motivation kicks in and he wants to do that again!

Examples of learned behaviors include:

* Dog puts paws on person’s leg, dog gets petted
* Dog barks at person, person moves away
* Puppy grabs sock and runs, person chases, dog has fun

In each of the previous examples, the dog interacted with the environment in a certain way and, in turn, the environment responded in a certain way.

* In the first example, the dog put paws on the person’s leg and he got petted. What happens if he is never, ever, ever allowed to put his paws on the person’s leg? He doesn’t have an opportunity to learn that this might result in getting petted.
* In the second example, what if the dog was kept at a distance where he never felt like barking and never learns that barking causes a person to move away?
* In the third example, what happens if  the puppy is never left alone near socks and never learns that grabbing a sock might result in a fantastic game of chase?

I can tell you with certainty what would happen. The dog would never have a chance to decide if the consequence of his actions are enjoyable and these behaviors would not become strong, well-rehearsed “habits”.

So, how do you use this information with your dog?

Stop behavior patterns quickly when you see them developing. Make sure that you think about what you do not want your dog to do. If you don’t want your dog to dig holes in your nice garden, watch him like a hawk and prevent him from ever learning that digging holes is fun. Stop him as quickly as possible when it does occur, and redirect his behavior into a more acceptable behavior such as playing fetch or playing tug. If you can’t watch him, bring him inside.

Manage your dog’s access to the environment. Don’t be an absentee trainer. If you can’t watch your dog, manage him in a crate or dog-proofed area so he doesn’t learn that the couch tastes yummy, or it is fun to bark out of the window all day long and build barrier frustration in the process.

Change the chain of events.
For a dog that jumps on guests, the current chain of events might look like this:

* Dog sees person
* Dog runs towards person
* Dog puts paws on person’s legs
* Dog play bites hands of person

My recommended chain events looks like this:

* Dog sees person
* Dog doesn’t jump
* Dog sits to get petted

How to you change the pattern? First of all you need to stop the undesired chain of events from “going down the wrong path”. In this example, the situation degrades when the dog starts running towards the person, so that is where the focus should be placed. To prevent this from happening, the easiest thing to do is to have the dog on leash and prevent the dog from learning that he can run to the person and then jump and then get petted.

Friendly guests can derail great training by petting a dog for jumping. So, you need to take charge and make sure your dog never learns to do this behavior.

Do this:

* Have your dog on leash
* AS SOON as he sees your guest say, “Yes” or ‘click’ if you are using a clicker and give him a treat
* Move him a bit farther away if he is too interested in the events in front of him and continue the exercise
* As his interest moves from the events in front of him to getting a tasty treat, you can try and drop the leash (it is still attached to his collar) and continue working
* If that is too much for him, pick up the leash and try again
* At this point you can also ask for a “Sit” and reward that by giving a treat and also allowing your guest to come closer for petting
* If your dog jumps at this point, move him away and continue the exercise
* You can also redirect his attention by tossing his favorite toy down the hallway as soon as he sees your guests so he chases the toy instead of jumping on your guests

If you focus on stopping the chain of events before your dog starts the inappropriate behavior, you can change an infinite amount of behaviors including barking, digging, destruction, and even aggression.

Source from: canada.com

By Joan Klucha

As a trainer for over 15 years I have been fortunate to work with a wide range and number of dogs.

This time in the saddle, so to speak, has given me the opportunity to observe similar patterns in canine behaviour. These patterns of behaviour are not the equivalent to wild dogs or wolf behaviour but are actually behaviours you would never see a wild dog or wolf express in their natural environment. These behavioural patterns are a direct result of human interaction and handling.

One very common pattern is the “All about me” complex. These dogs have had a great deal of coddling, fussing, and cuddling as puppies, given whatever their whining and jumping has gotten them as adolescents and as adults they are obnoxious, demanding, and often labelled as out-of-control, as they have little or no time for training. They are the epitome of the spoiled child that throws a temper tantrum the first time their parents say the word “No!”

Owners of the “all about me” dogs are often confused about why their dogs are so “bad.” When in fact the dogs aren’t bad at all, they have simply been given far too many liberties and freedom and very few boundaries and limitations. This is because the owners have allowed their emotions to get involved with the training of their dogs.

When it comes to training dogs, there is no place for emotion. Emotions give dogs confusing messages about our intent because we are often confused about our intent. As a result the dog sees us as an unstable leader incapable of controlling a situation and they take over, often reluctantly.

An example of emotional training is when a dog is asked to sit. The dog refuses by ignoring the command, which in many circumstances is a natural first time response. The owner then raises the voice and the dog begins to show a healthy and normal submissive gesture towards the human by dropping its ears and tail. The resulting emotion from the human is that they have either scared their dog or have hurt their feelings somehow and thus discontinue the training. The dog then learns very quickly how to manipulate the situation and continues to defy the owner’s direction and play on the emotions of the human.

The appropriate step would be to ignore the dog’s attempts to manipulate the situation, but not ignore the dog and discipline the dog by forcing a sit. The dog then learns that there are consequences for its behaviour and is more likely to comply the next time to avoid the conflict of discipline and to incite praise and affection from the owner.

I want to stress that I am not advocating punishment. Punishment and discipline are two completely different things. Discipline means a form of consistent training that produces obedience and self control. Punishment implies severe treatment as a penalty for an offense.

In some cases the problem with a dog’s behaviour may not be as a result of over-affectionate owners but because the dog has not had any adequate dog-to-dog discipline. You are a lucky person these days if your puppy is raised by its natural mother and the mother understood the value of discipline.

But often this is not the case. Puppies are brought home early and then encouraged to limit dog-to-dog interaction due to fear of disease. As a result the puppies miss a valuable stage of learning that can only be had by interacting with other dogs at that particular period of their lives. The result is an adult that confuses other dogs with their lack of self control and often instigates conflict due to a lack of social cues.

Discipline should not be overlooked when it comes to training, and emotions should be left out, but I’m not implying that affection should as well.

Rather that the training should supply plenty of both but at the appropriate times.

Source from: americanchronicle.com

By Kenneth Elliott

Getting a new pet dog and the joy of having a new companion around comes with a lot of responsibilities. Of course you must feed your new pet, take care of its health with regular visits to the vet, groom him, and give it lots of love and attention. Many animal lovers do not think any further than that, but dog training is also a very important part of owning dogs. Dog training ensures a healthier and more fulfilling life for you and your pet.

Behavior Problems

Proper discipline can help prevent dog behavior problems later in your pets´ life. And proper behavior starts with first house breaking your dog. This is usually the most common form of dog training that most owners take on when first purchasing a dog, but a caring owner will often go a lot further than the basics. Your pet’s obedience will lead to a stronger bond between you, as well as meaning less frustration and annoyance. Your pets start learning and shaping behaviors early in life, so that is the best time to start with dog training basics.

Obedience Training

There are many aspects to dog obedience training, and not everyone looks to get the same experience out of it. Some people will be content with house breaking, leash training, and basic obedience to simple command. Many dog owners do not realize that they can change or prevent problem behaviors such as barking, whining, digging, growling, chewing, and aggression. Yet all these behaviors can be addressed with proper teaching. Decide what tutelage is most important for you and your pet, and make sure you are willing to invest the time and energy into a program that will yield the desired results.

Puppy Training

You can never start too early with puppy training. Many people hold the mistaken belief that puppies under six months are too young to train, but this is simply not so. You can start shaping their behavior the moment you acquire them if it is done in the proper manner. If you do some research, it is easy to find plenty of dog training books, websites about pet training, and obedience training tutorials. Some people may even consider hiring a professional instructor. Ask your veterinarian or friends if they know of any reputable trainers in the area, and shop around for the person who is right for you.

Professional Trainers

If you decide to use a professional trainer, be sure you keep the breed of your dog in mind when shopping around. Some breeds may be harder to train than others, so some trainers may prefer not to work with them. Alternatively, some trainers may specialize in certain breeds, so they will have more success with your pet than another trainer may have. Even if you are teaching your pet yourself, there are books and information geared toward certain breeds. Do not get discouraged if you are told your breed is hard to train, just look for proven methods to use. The hardest work always yields the greatest rewards.

Owning a pet is a big responsibility, but the right attitude can make it fun and rewarding. Do not think of your canine companion as an object for your amusement, but as a living creature that can become a treasured friend. Dogs are motivated by their owner’s pleasure, so if you work together, the dog training process will be an important step in your relationship. You will learn to trust one another, which will allow you to enjoy the pleasure of each other’s company. Teach your dog what you want and expect from him, and he will give you that and more in return.

Source from: canada.com

By Joan Klucha, Special To North Shore News

I remember a few years back I had a dog owner ask if her daughter could participate in the training of the family dog.

“Sure,” I said, as this was nothing new. I have parents and children in the classes all the time. But what was unique is that the mother dropped her child off at the dog training class, and she then proceeded to make her way down to the local pub where she spent the next hour and a half while her daughter trained the dog.

This went on for six weeks and at the end of the session I reminded her that my business was to help train her dog not mind her children. Her daughter did a fine job despite her mother’s lack of interaction, which is why I didn’t speak up sooner.

But it was after that incident that I began requesting — nope, insisting — that parents not only be present in the classes with their child but participating in the class as well.

When the dynamics of a family are working well children can do an amazing job training the family dog. This is because if they have made the decision on their own to train the dog, rather than it being a forced condition by the parents upon getting a dog, they are more often than not 100 per cent committed to the training. When they are in the classes they listen intently to instruction and follow it perfectly with little need for assistance.

I encourage parents to bring their child to training as the obedience classes are a great place for a child to establish a form of leadership over the dog. They can be taught how to get Fido to follow their direction and have their four-legged companion respect them.

But obedience classes are not the only place a child can learn how to be a good leader to their furry friend. Proper training and lessons on how to interact with a dog at home are essential as well, and with the parents’ help this training can be implemented for greater training success.

Most families with children get puppies. The idea is that the puppy and child can grow up together and develop a strong bond and friendship. This is often the case, but it can be a bit tumultuous when the child begins to treat the puppy like a living teddy bear or their best friend.

Often I hear parents say that the leadership rules of no sleeping on couches or beds is being followed, except by their son or daughter, and then they are confused as to why the dog is not following direction from them during the obedience classes.

This is because the dog is confused. Everyone in the home has to be on the same page so this means that Fido can no longer be snuggling with Timmy at bedtime or sharing Happy Meals from the back seat of the car.

Smaller dogs tend to get the most confusing treatment as they are often carried around like stuffed toys by children. And the dogs love it.

Whenever there is a problem the dog will often run to the child, the child picks up the dog and presto Fido, the 15-pound pug that is normally nine inches off the ground, has now grown four feet taller and become the instant boss of the house. What a great ego boost children are to those little dogs. Even large dogs will wander over to a child and invade their space and passively demand attention.

The child does not understand that the dog is being pushy and obnoxiously, underhandedly usurping power from the adults by sneaking unsolicited attention from the child. The child just thinks the dog loves him or her and wants to be shown more love.

Having a child train the family pet is a great experience, but the parents need to gently teach the child how to interact with their dog so that training can be successful for everyone.

Source from: americanchronicle.com

By Kenneth Elliott

Dogs are said to be mans best friend. But I will take it a little further than that. A well trained dog will become your best friend. Beyond being well socialized, a well trained dog removes the stress of the likelihood of biting someone. They also tend to stay calm in distracting environments. Not jumping up on people and being much more curtious on household furniture.

Also, well trained dogs are more likely to stay with the same owner, as opposed to being abandoned to the pound. Owners with well trained dogs are more satisfied with their decision on owning a dog. One research report from the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found that 96% of shelter dogs had never had any training.

Training your dog helps to teach them boundaries, thus making them more comfortable around humans. There are many different dog training programs and many professional dog trainers. However, just because someone has a business card doesn’t mean they are a qualified trainer.

Finding a qualified trainer does not have to be a lot of work. If your friends have well trained dogs, ask them if they know of a good trainer. Also, take advantage of networking at your local park. While walking your dog ask other dog owners who they recommend.

Once you have found a trainer, ask them what method of training they teach. There have been dozens of different training methods for dogs that have been in and out of fashion over the years. Ask the trainer what method they use, why they use it, and what the benefits of it are. Also ask for references.

Whether you train your dog yourself or find a professional, teaching your dog commands and socializing it is important. Areas to cover in training include:

1. Socializing to strangers: This is easy to accomplish while out walking your dog around the neighborhood and introducing them to people.

2. Socializing with other dogs: You can do this at dog parks, or even better in a dog training class.

3. Leash walking at a steady pace: You can start this training as soon as you get your new dog.

4. Crate training: This is important, especially to build up a tolerance to stay in a kennel environment for several hours.

5. The sit command: This is usually the first command new owners teach their dog.

6. The down/stand command: These commands help develop boundaries for the dog.

7. The stay command: This command is important for your dog to master, especially in an environment with a lot of distractions.

There are many benefits to having a well trained dog. But it doesn’t necessarily mean the dog will not develop behavioral problems down the road, like separation anxiety. Simply put a well trained dog is a joy to be around and strengthens the human-animal bond.

Source from: dailynewstribune.com

By Linda Lombardi

The weather’s fine, and you’d love for your dog to get the kind of exercise and socialization that can’t happen at the end of a leash. Maybe you even have a new dog park in the neighborhood.

You’ve got just one problem: Once your dog’s off leash, you’re not sure you can get him back.

The traditional obedience method of teaching a recall starts from a sit-stay, the command dogs learn to sit and then stay put.

But for the average dog owner, the stay is a huge bother to train, and it’s the long way around. You just want your dog to come back; you don’t need him to sit first.

And a dog that responds to “come” in a class or in your yard might not do so in the park. Dogs can’t generalize the same way humans do. To a dog’s mind, you’re not asking for the same thing.

“So first you have to train it. Then you have to generalize it,” says Pat Miller, trainer and author of “The Power of Positive Dog Training.”

To train your dog to come:

First, figure out what is really rewarding to him, such as getting a treat or playing tug with a toy or being petted. Observe, don’t assume. Some dogs, for example, don’t really like being patted on the head.

Now start on the command. “Start with the dog next to you and run away from him and say ‘come’ in a cheerful tone of voice,” says Miller. Get him really romping, says Miller. You want the dog to learn that “come” means “I’m having a party and you’re invited!”

Next, start at a short distance from the dog. If you have help, have someone hold and then release the dog when you say “come.” Otherwise, Miller suggests leaving a small handful of treats on the ground. Back away as the dog eats them, and then as he eats the last one, call him to come.

Reward the dog when he comes to you. Gradually increase the distance, and don’t just stand there as you call, move! Turning and running away is inviting to a dog, but standing and looking at him can be intimidating.

Once he responds reliably to your call, it’s time to start generalizing, step by step. First, add distractions in the place where you’re already training. A friendly dog is the perfect distractor if you’re planning to head for a dog park eventually. Let them play till they start getting tired, then train as above.

Next you’ll want to work on the command in a new place without distractions, then add distractions in that location. Keep your tone cheerful, Miller says, don’t get more commanding. And never punish the dog if he doesn’t come in the new situation - that means you’ve moved too fast. Go back a step and try again.

“Progressing from one step to the next requires that you get good at understanding and reading your dog,” says Miller.

Don’t rush the process, you’ll probably need to spend a few days on each step.

Some other general pointers:

* If you don’t have fenced areas in which to train, you can work with the dog on a long line. But be wary of the generalization problem: “Come on a long leash” and “Come off leash” are not the same thing. So Miller recommends gradually switching to a lighter line, then leaving it dropped on the ground instead of holding it, to work up to being off-leash.

* Once you’ve trained your dog, be careful that the call to come never leads to anything unpleasant. Go and get your dog if you need to cut his nails, don’t call him to come.

* If you have to use “come” to leave a park or playtime, make sure that you sometimes call, reward, and let him go back to playing, so “come” isn’t always associated with “play’s over.”

* If your dog starts to hesitate or look uncertain when you call him, you’ve probably accidentally “poisoned” the command, says Miller. Pick a new word and retrain him to come to that; it’s faster than trying to “fix” the word that’s gotten a bad association.

Remember that he doesn’t speak English, so any word will do: what’s important to your dog is what happens when he responds, and it should always be positive.