DogTrainster.Com

Source from: uticaod.com

Spring is here. Everything is fresh and new, and many families will bring a new puppy into their home.

Before even looking, you should first start by:

● Recognizing the commitment of owning a dog: Consider every aspect including food, shelter, Vet bills, training costs, boarding for vacations, etc.

Owning a dog is a lifelong financial and emotional responsibility. If you can’t keep that commitment, don’t make it. And once you’ve made it, don’t break it. Your dog’s life depends on you.

● Choosing carefully: When you are considering buying or adopting a dog, choose one that fits your lifestyle. If you are high energy, look at a high-energy dog such as an Australian shepherd. If you are a couch potato, maybe a basset hound is better for you. Either way, you want to choose one that displays confidence and one that is not fearful of people or sensitive to noises or environment.

Do not choose a dog/pup because of size, breed or reputation. It is not fair to the dog when you mismatch. Please keep in mind, that no two dogs are alike. Far too often, we hear: “But I grew up with” or “I’ve had this breed all my life.”

Temperament, not breed, is important.

● Ensuring your dog is trained: Training your dog is equally important as providing food and water. Otherwise, your adorable little 10-pound puppy could turn into a 100-pound nightmare.

Training will increase the bond between you and your dog, helping you to communicate better and helping your dog understand what is acceptable behavior from the start. If the owner does not take the leadership role, the dog could develop unwanted behaviors and try to take that role himself, making your life, unbearable and stressful.

Any well-trained, well-socialized dog of any breed including mixed breeds can become loyal family companions with proper leadership, guidance and training from the start.

Source from: wnrmag.com

Training leads to happier pets and a more comfortable home. Dogs, like most people, view relationships as a social hierarchy. If you are continually at your dog’s beck and call whenever he wants a treat, affection or play time, he will soon believe he is in charge. Training sets some ground rules so you can have fun with your dog without worrying about aggressive behavior.

Training also requires time, but it’s an investment that pays dividends over your long-term commitment. It strengthens your bond by providing both of you with the tools to communicate effectively with each other. An obedient dog is also a safer dog. A dog that knows to come immediately when called is in much less danger if he escapes onto a busy street or gets into a fight than one who doesn’t.

By training your dog, you take on the role of teacher. Just as with a child starting kindergarten, the teacher’s attitude determines the student’s success. During training sessions, it’s imperative that you maintain a positive attitude. If you’re grumpy, your dog will pick up on that and won’t learn to trust you. Obedience training is an exchange—good behavior for love and affection. If you don’t hold up your end of the bargain, neither will he.

Make sure to be patient and consistent. If you only enforce commands some of the time, you will only confuse him. If your actions teach him that you’re only serious about commands when it’s convenient for you, he will only follow them when it’s convenient for him!

Start training when your puppy is young. Just like people, this is when dogs’ minds are ripe for absorbing information and they want your approval. Also, teaching your dog good habits before he’s had time to learn bad ones is much more effective than shaping ingrained bad behaviors.

Here are some tips for resolving common behavioral problems

* Chewing

Although the difference between your leather recliner and your dog’s squeaky toy may be obvious to you, your pet can’t distinguish his toys from your possessions without training. To make matters more obvious to your pet, don’t dote on your dog by providing tons of toys. Too many toys makes it more complicated for your dog to remember what is and isn’t ok to chew. Keep it simple.

* Jumping on people

As much as you may love that your dog is excited when you come home, jumping on people is a problem, especially when your dog shows the same enthusiasm for people who may be afraid of dogs, or jumps on small children or seniors who are not tall enough or strong enough to withstand it. Dogs naturally jump to establish dominance, hierarchy and submission. The key to preventing this behavior lies in gently but clearly establishing that people are the boss. You need to react consistently and promptly. If you return your dog’s enthusiasm when he jumps on you, he’ll never understand the behavior is unacceptable. Instead, teach your dog to sit using treats as positive reinforcement. Every time he starts to jump, tell him firmly to sit, provide hand signals and give him a treat if he obeys. Slowly phase out the treats until sitting at your command becomes automatic.

* Constant barking

Dogs bark when they feel isolated, lonely, territorial or fearful. Don’t reinforce this behavior by giving him the attention he seeks. Instead, distract your dog from barking by dropping a few coins into an empty can and shaking it gently. This will surprise your dog and temporarily stop the barking. Then, reward him with affection and a treat for being quiet. React consistently because you make or break your dog’s behavior.

Source from: canada.com

By Bernhard Pukay

Digging comes naturally to most breeds of dogs and, in fact, certain breeds have been genetically selected over the years specifically because of their inclination and abilities to dig. This includes most terrier breeds (hence, the name terrier, from the French word terre, which means earth or ground).

Unfortunately, as with all good things, when digging is done in the wrong place or at the wrong time, it becomes an undesirable trait. Most dogs that dig inappropriately do so because of boredom or barrier frustration. Dogs that spend a lot of time by themselves or are confined to a restricted area such as a house or yard for long periods of time without supervision tend to use digging as a means of combatting boredom.

The classic example of this is when a dog is “let” out to amuse himself, rather than being “taken” out for active pet-owner interaction. Digging due to boredom can be resolved simply by eliminating boredom. First, make sure you spend lots of time with your dog. Make sure he is well-exercised in order to burn off energy, by running, playing, fetching, and walks.

As well as exercise, you will also need to obedience-train him so that he will respond to your “No”whenever you catch him “in the act.” Redirecting his energies to other activities when he wants to dig cannot be accomplished if he does not obey your basic commands. Obedience training also serves to further reduce boredom.

If the digging behaviour is due to barrier frustration (i.e. he wants to escape from your property), providing him with plenty of exercise and walks will certainly help. However, at those times when he is not supervised, you must either crate him or provide a run with a concrete floor for him.

Once he has been trained to stop digging, he can be permitted the run of the property again. If all else fails, you may need to give him his own digging area where he can dig to his heart’s content without fear of reprisals. If this becomes an alternative, you will first need to train your dog to use this area. This can be accomplished by encouraging him to dig in the digging area and rewarding him when he does so. To encourage digging, you can try burying some of his favourite toys so that he can be rewarded when he digs them up.

At the same time, he should be reprimanded when you catch him digging elsewhere, then be taken to the digging area and rewarded when he uses this area instead.

By teaching him to dig where and when it is appropriate, spending more time with him, preventing boredom, and providing lots of exercise, inappropriate digging can be controlled.

Source from: mcalesternews.com

By Joyce McNally

It’s time to talk about impolite behaviors again. Do you know that many dogs and cats end up in shelters because of various behavior problems like jumping up on people, scratching the furniture, not coming when called, constant barking, and getting into the trash. Puppies are so cuddly and loveable, but they need basic skills training. There is a saying that “there are no bad ones, just untrained ones”. According to the American Humane most dogs just need a little patience and understanding — and some training and most cats just need a few modifications in their routines.

When dogs jump up on people it’s rude, so how do you teach your dog to not jump up do it? When dogs meet other dogs they may jump all over each other in a happy, boisterous greeting. Your dog may want to greet you the same way. The best way to stop jumping up on people is to teach the dog to sit when it wants attention. According to the Dog Bible, this is a more effective and easier way of training. If the jumping is persistent, you may need to start by keeping the dog behind a fence or gate. This will also teach your dog not to jump against gates when people are entering your yard or home. Put your dog behind the gate and tell it to sit. Then reward your pal with a treat and pet him. If he jumps up, step back and wait calmly until he sits down again. You may need to use “sit” if he doesn’t do it on his own. Don’t forget to reward with another treat when he follows the command. If he remembers not to jump up a few times in a row, leave the area for a few minutes and return. Your pal will get excited again and you’ll be able to see if he is learning this part of the training. If he sits when you approach, praise him and give him a treat. If he jumps up, you’ll need to continue the training. You family members will need to agree on the training approach for you pal and be consistent with the training.

For good manners with visitors, you might teach your dog to sit on a mat. Place the mat where you want the dog to be while your visitors are arriving. You may also need to train your visitors. When they enter your yard or home, ask them to not make eye contact or talk to your dog when they first arrive. The dog will want to greet the visitor, but if it has learned the “sit” command, it will wait until you give the word to “come”. Don’t forget to praise your pal.

When you have small children in the home, sometimes the dogs knock them down, just wanting to play. If you start with basic skills such as sit, come, and stay, you will have a trained dog and a much better experience. So many times, these are the dogs that get taken to the shelter. It’s not the fault of the dog because you haven’t taken the time to do the basic training. What do you think happens to these untrained dogs that are surrendered to a shelter? If there is no space available at the shelter, they will probably be euthanized immediately. Don’t give up on the dog or puppy, just do your job and get the basic skills training started. PAWS has dog training DVDs available if you have a dog with behavior problems. You can call PAWS at 470-7297.

Many times, especially when pets are adopted, the background of the animal is unknown. There could have been abuse or neglect involved and to save its life, the animal just needs a loving person who has the patience to work with it. It takes time, a lot of effort, and lots of praise to build trust with a new person or family.

Remember that you can help eliminate pet overpopulation by having your pet spayed or neutered. Call PAWS 470-5433 for information.

Source from: goerie.com

by Steven M. Sweeney

Caylee sat obediently, her wide eyes on her owner as she waited for her next command.

Mike Lesniewski didn’t make his pug puppy wait long.

“Caylee, come,” he said. And the little dog wiggled over.

“It’s a lot more enjoyable experience to have a pet that’s listening to you,” Lesniewski said. “The biggest thing is not so much training the dog, but training the owner how to train the dog. … I don’t know if it’s puppy training or owner training.”

Either way, Lesniewski decided to get help with teaching the 4-month-old pug to sit, stay and come, in a kindergarten puppy-training class at Proud Land the Pet Place in Fairview Township.

Training a puppy correctly is one of the first steps in responsible dog ownership, experts said.

But being a responsible dog owner doesn’t start with puppy training — or end there, they added. It means making a good match of dog and owner, having your pet spayed or neutered, and making sure it has regular veterinarian care.

“You need to choose the right dog, and you need to give them a lifetime of training,” said Isabelle Wolf, who teaches basic obedience classes at Camboro Veterinary Hospital in Edinboro. “It’s a big commitment.”

She and other authorities said responsible dog ownership would cut down on the number of dog bites and the number of animals euthanized at shelters each year.

Highlighting the importance of being a good dog owner was so important to the American Kennel Club that the organization named September as Responsible Dog Ownership month, which will be recognized Saturday in Erie at an event at Frontier Park.

“Great dogs come from great dog owners,” said Pat Van Zandt Christianson, the founder of Therapy Dogs United, which organized Saturday’s event. “Our goal is to try and change as many human behaviors as we possibly can through awareness and education.”

Creating a great dog takes routine discipline, she said. That’s why she believes formal training classes, regular socialization and quick recognition of bad behavior — such as growling or other aggression — is important.

Wolf said she often sees pet owners wait too long before attempting to correct an aggressive behavior.

“The problem with aggression is that it works really well, and a dog figures that out,” Wolf said. “Once they realize it makes people back off, it creates a cycle, one that can be dangerous.”

Joe Grisanti, executive director of the Northwest Pennsylvania Humane Society, said one of the most common times dogs become aggressive is during meals. He said that’s why he suggests that owners of a new puppy sit next to the dog while it’s eating, so it becomes accustomed to human contact during feeding time.

“It’s simple training that people overlook, things like being involved in a puppy’s feeding,” Grisanti said. “Doing something like that is very effective in avoiding problems later on.”

Finding the right match
But while training is important, Grisanti and the other experts said the most important thing a pet owner can do is choose the right dog.

Potential pet owners need to research a breed before taking a dog home, Grisanti said.

“You see all the time people who have fallen in love with the appearance and personality of an animal, but they don’t understand the genetics of a certain pedigree demand certain things or suggest certain things,” he said.

Weimaraners, for example, were very popular a few years ago. It was easy to see why the beautiful gray dogs had become a favorite.

But soon, the Humane Society began seeing more and more Weimaraners abandoned.

“They’re a dog that requires much more time and exercise than the average dog,” Grisanti said. “They’d be great pets for someone who had that time and energy for them, but like any animal, they can be destructive when their needs aren’t being met.”

Joan Wienczkowski, the owner of Proud Land, said an impulsive pet purchase based on a favorite four-legged character in a movie or TV show is the wrong way to go.

Dalmatians had their day, thanks to the Disney film “101 Dalmatians”; pugs were posh after “Men In Black”; and Jack Russell terriers became popular because of the loveable Eddie on “Frasier.”

Wolf said she’s seen several instances of people who bought a Jack Russell terrier without doing research about the breed.

“They see they’re small and cute, and so (mistakenly think) that must mean they’re easy,” she said. “But they’re bred to hunt rodents all day. They’re wound up, and they’re a lot to handle.”

Ron Mangine, of Fairview, brought his 3-month-old golden retriever, Isabella, to Proud Land for an obedience class.

He said he hopes to instill in her the discipline needed to become a search-and-rescue dog.

He knows it will take a lot of work. But he’s seen what can happen if he doesn’t consistently train Isabella.

He frequently notices problems between dogs and their owners during his daily walk.

“Is the dog walking the person, or is the person walking the dog? It’s easy to tell which dogs have the proper discipline,” he said. “Is the dog all over you? It’s an indication that the dog is really the master.”

DogTrainster aims to educate dog owners on how to be a better owner to their pet and so we have authored a mini-series entitled “Train Yourself To Train Your Dog Mini-Series”.  If you would like to check out our mini-series click here.

Source from: examiner.com

by Jeff Millman

Providing clear instructions is critical in dog training. Have you ever thought about the cues we give our dogs from their perspective? Over the years I am sometimes completely amazed that a given dog is able to understand the trainer at all. All trainers present many different signals to their dog without knowing it. Have you ever said, “Sit” at the same time you are moving your hand in the “Sit” hand signal that you have taught your dog? That is called “blocking”, which is presenting a dog two signals at the same time. The dog might learn one signal, both, or neither. In that case, is the cue for “Sit” the verbal cue, the hand signal, or the combination?

If you want your dog to learn BOTH the hand signal and the verbal cue, try this: say the verbal cue with a quiet body (no extraneous movements,) and then after one second, help your dog with the hand signal. If you have not established a hand signal cue, work on that first.

Lesson learned:  Don’t expect your dog to learn two things at once. Separate the two with a slight pause.

Next I want you think about specific language. What does “Sit Down” mean? Does it mean “Sit” or “Down?” People have a tendency to speak in synyonyms, colloquial speech patterns and slang. That is fine if you teach your dog all of those specific terms. But if you have not, don’t expect her to know them. Use “Sit” or “Down”, but don’t use them together.

Lesson learned: Be specific with your language.

If your dog is having trouble with something, ask someone  to watch one of your training sessions to determine if you are being clear with your instructions.

One of the most common confusing messages that I see all the time is when people say, “Down” to their dog when she is jumping on people or on furniture that is off-limits. I recommend teaching “Off” to mean “keep your paws off that person or object”. “Down” should be reserved for lying down. One reason that I am such a stickler about this point is that the meaning of the cue gets diluted over time. Think about asking your dog to “Down” off of your guests and furniture many times a day and then expecting them to lie “Down” when you want them to? You have defined one cue to mean two very different things.

Lesson learned: Define each cue to mean one behavior.

The last example is the common usage of “Leave it” and “Drop” used interchangeably. The lesson is the same as “Down” and “Off”, but there is a more noticeable and dramatic reason for making sure you are consistent. You could save your dog’s life by paying attention to this rule. If you need your dog to “Drop” something that may hurt her, you don’t want her to pause to interpret what you mean. You want her to do the behavior as a reflex response. Many people use “Leave it” to mean both: “Move your mouth away from that object” and, “Drop it” to mean, “Open your mouth”.

Getting snappy, consistent responses requires conditioning through repetition of behaviors paired with a cue many, many times. Think movements in sports, responding to orders in the military, and typing as three examples. Why do athletes at any level practice for hours and hours? It is to get muscle-memory of behaviors and achieve a level of comfort with the action so there body easily does the movement without a lot of thought. This allows them to refine their movements, think about strategies, work on their role and not get bogged down in the details.

Have you ever asked your dog to do something and then gotten a really delayed response, or none at all? Of course you have. I have, every trainer has. That is part of the learning process. If you define “Leave it” to mean two different things, will your dog have a snappy response? Possibly, but you are leaving too much room for interpretation. Teach, “Leave It” to mean “Move your mouth away from that” and, “Drop it” to mean “Open your mouth”.

Lesson learned: Snappy responses require repetition of behaviors paired with a cue many, many times.

I am very excited about my next two videos, Stop and Puppy Biting. The Puppy Biting video also includes teaching a soft mouth using the game of tug, as well as teaching “Drop”. Look for both videos in the new few weeks.

Source from: travelguy.typepad.com

Just About Dogs
By J. Foley

Most people today are aware of the fact that obesity is becoming an epidemic worldwide.  The problems that this condition bring about have nothing to do with how one looks, but rather the fact that obesity is associated with diabetes, sleep apnea, arthritis, and a myriad of other very serious health problems.  And what is truly sad about this epidemic is that it seems to actually be affecting pets as well!  No doubt the type and amount of dog training treats that owners indulge their pets with has a lot to do with this problem.

Many owners, especially those with a new dog or new puppy, are far too eager to reward their dog with an edible treat or with table scraps, and most have very little knowledge of how dangerous this can be to a dog’s health.

If you’re an owner that may be guilty of overindulging your pet with dog training treats, what are some things you need to consider when it comes to the type and amount of treats, and what are some of your other options for rewarding your dog?  Let’s take a look at the subject of dog training treats and see what other choices you have.

For one thing, remember that dog training treats are not your only option when it comes to rewarding your dog.  Pets respond to positive attention from their owners just as much as anything else, and perhaps even more so.  Petting your dog, giving her reassuring words, and playing with her are just as rewarding as any fattening treats!  Choose some favorite toys that you and the dog can play with for a few minutes, such as a ball you can toss around or a rag that she can tussle with while you hold it.  This means that you can play with your dog for a few minutes in place of those dog training treats without having to spend hours at the dog park.

Positive attention and rewarding your dog can also mean petting and grooming as well.  Dogs enjoy being brushed if it’s done properly, and this type of physical attention when used in place of dog training treats can keep a dog calm and soothed, as opposed to making her fat!

This doesn’t mean that you need to stop using dog training treats altogether; they simply need to be used more sparingly.  Also, consider the ingredients of the treats you choose.  Some these days are nothing but fat and sugar, but if you do some shopping, you’ll find other brands that are leaner with protein and very little fat.  Dogs enjoy the taste of protein as much as they do anything else, so finding dog training treats that are made with lean meats such as chicken and turkey are just as enjoyable to your dog as any other.

If you find that your dog is becoming overweight then it’s time to rethink how and when you use dog training treats and think about other rewards instead.

Source from: examiner.com

Jeff Millman - Dog Training Examiner

Did you know that there are training tasks you can work on when you are with your dog without even much thought? I always stress to my clients to “put the trainer hat on” a little more frequently throughout the day to achieve their goals. If you just think about training a little bit more every day, you can work on a list of goals whenever you are with your dog and he will be better trained before you know it!

Dogs (and people) learn through consistent patterns. Here are some examples of patterns that you can teach your dog every day. The key is to SAY THE CUE ONCE and then gently help your dog understand the meaning.

Turn right, turn left. When you are walking your dog, say, “left” or “right” a half-second before you turn that direction and then gently guide your dog that way. If you work on this whenever you walk your dog, eventually he will turn the correct direction on his own.

Stop. Say this every time before you stop your dog at a curb or before he hits the end of the leash if he is forging ahead on a walk. A more advanced exercise is to do the same while you are running. Make sure you don’t jerk your dog when stopping.

Excuse Me. My dog, Ranger, used to lie down in front of the refrigerator all the time when he was a puppy. He would seemingly read my mind and do it right before I needed something out of there. All I did was say, “Excuse me”, pause for a moment and gently opened the door. The small movement touched him and he got up and walked away. Now, all I need to do is say, “Excuse me” wherever he is and he understands I need him to move out of my way.

These are just three examples of training strategies you can use every day. What do you do with your dog to work on training on walks, during mealtimes, or other times?

Source from: examiner.com

Jeff Millman - Dog Training Examiner

If you are a savvy trainer, you can teach your dog to do behaviors on cue that are initiated by a change in the environment that happens naturally or that is part of your normal daily pattern. Unless you are working on a sophisticated trick, the reason to implement this strategy is to alleviate the need to ask your dog to a cue. You will instead “ask” your dog to do the cue with your body or something else that happens naturally. This strategy can be extremely helpful to you and your family and can also make your dog’s life better by creating consistent expectations and house rules.

Often this strategy comes into play to help a dog stay safe or to teach your dog to do something automatically that you routinely ask her to do.

Examples of Environmental Cues

Sit at curbs. Why ask your dog to sit at curbs every time. Wouldn’t it be better if she sat every time you stopped walking?

Lie down when you sit down to eat. If you have a dog that bugs you when you are eating at the dinner table, wouldn’t it be great to teach her to lie down as soon as you sit down at the table?

Sit when a guest approaches. What a slick way to avoid this annoying dog behavior.

Do not run out of the gate when it is open. I have a client that has an amazing garden around the perimeter of his house. His gates open up to the street and he is often in and out of the gate working on his garden. I taught his dog to lie down before she crossed a certain point whether the gate was open or not. The only way she could cross a specific line was after she was given a cue by my client. This way, if he inadvertently left the gate open, she would not run out after him.

Lie down when you put your baby on the changing table. It is understandable that you want some space when you are changing diapers and that your dog might also be a bit interested in what is going on. What a great way to avoid problems.

See the pattern? I call these Environmental Cues because changes in the environment cue a dog to something. Your are part of the environment. So, if taught correctly, your behavior can cause yoru dog to do something that you want her to do — without even asking her! Cool!

Here is an example of how to teach a dog to lie down when she sees a baby get placed on a changing table. You can adapt this to anything that is helpful for your training needs.

Teach the Environmental Cue - Lie Down When Baby Gets Placed on Changing Table
This is a fairly complex task, but it can be fun if you break it down into small chunks. With any behavior, don’t worry about teaching the entire behavior in one session. It could take weeks or months before you can expect a reliable behavior. Speed of success depends on how much time you train, how good of a trainer you are, and how quickly your dog learns new behaviors. I recommend that you focus on being a good teacher each session. What this means is that you are completely focused on your dog. Turn off the phone, give your kids some coloring books and be a good teacher. It is not fair to your dog to expect great results if you are not putting in quality teaching time.

Besides using this for diaper changing situations, this is a great exercise to counteract begging at the table, pestering you or your guests during social gatherings and when you are trying to get some work done. To expect this to work during “real life” moments such as cooking, you must practice a lot before you add those distractions.

For baby situations, it is smart to identify a location in each room that you would like your dog to go to on occasion and work on each location separately. This a great way of pre-planning for times when you need a bit more space and need your dog to move away from the activity.

Please note: C/T means to either say, “Yes” and give a treat or ‘click’ and give a treat. Want to learn more about clicker training? Read my posts about What is Clicker Training? or How to Use the Clicker.

This is called a “chained behavior” and is a way to teach really complex tasks. This behavior has 4 links in the chain. When you say, “Go to bed” the links that your dog needs to understand are:

1. Find the bed
2. Walk over to the bed
3. Lie down
4. Stay

I use Backwards Chaining to teach this, so I actually teach steps 3 and 4 first. The rationale is that if you teach the final two links (Lie down and Stay) then when you add distance, point to the bed and say, “Go to bed” the dog has had a lot of repetition with lie down and stay, so once she starts walking towards the bed the links start falling into place. Once she is near the bed, she naturally lies down and stays because she has done those behaviors numerous times and the muscle memory kicks in to complete the behavior.

Even though there are 4 links in the chain, each link can have multiple steps. For instance, one of the links is Lie Down, but I first teach paw on the bed, sit on the bed, and then lie down on the bed. The main aspect to keep in mind is that you are teaching your dog to interact with the bed and helping her with each of the steps if she needs your help. Don’t worry if you have to help her do the behaviors such as “Sit” or “Down” by luring with a treat or saying the cue. Just make sure if you say a cue, you only say it once.

Step One
This is taught first using the leash. Stand right next to the dog bed, walk your dog over to the bed and every time she touches a paw on it, C/T. Say “off” every time you leave the mat and lead her off the mat.

Step Two
Then, increase the criteria and treat her for sitting on the bed. Walking on the bed becomes, “Good girl” and the C/T happens when she sits. Do five repetitions.

Step Three
Walk over to the bed and ask your dog to “Down” and C/T. So, putting her paw on the bed and sitting results in “Good Girl” and she gets a C/T for lying down.

Quick note: This is a tremendous mental exercise activity because your dog will have to figure out what you want her to do. Provide help in the form of asking her to “Sit” or “Down” only if she needs it. Many beginning trainers don’t realize that you can actually wait a dog out and see if she will figure out what is expected of her before you ask her. My rule of thumb is I will help a dog out if she doesn’t do the behavior in 3-5 seconds, or faster if she seems frustrated.

Step Four
After she is reliably lying down on the mat, stand next to it, point to it and say, “Go to your bed” (or whatever you would prefer) and point to the bed. Make sure that once you say the cue ONE TIME you get the behavior. If she doesn’t move there on her own, gently help her by luring her with a treat, guiding her with the leash, etc. Do multiple pairings of this and then increase the distance between you and the mat. Reward every time that your dog successfully goes to the mat and lies down. Eventually, you can move farther away, point to it and your dog will happily go to it and lie down.

Step Five
Stay is a separate component of this exercise and you can start working on it anytime after your dog lies down on her bed. After she lies down, , ask for “Stay” give verbal encouragement “Good girl, you are doing great, and periodically give her a treat. If she gets up, tell her that she shouldn’t get up yet, “Eh! Eh!” and ask her to lie down again and continue reinforcing her behavior with verbal praise and treats. At some point when she is firmly lying down, say, “OK” and lead her off the mat.

Note: For a solid “Stay” it is important that you release her when she is in the middle of the stay as opposed to just about to jump up. Get in the habit of releasing her before she wants to get up.

Step Six - Add the Environmental Cue
This is when it gets really interesting. I recommend expectant parents practice with a doll months before the baby arrives to have a really solid behavior when they really need it. To create a cue, you just need to teach your dog a pattern. In this case, you want your dog to go to her bed when she sees the baby placed on the changing table. So, put the doll on the changing table, wait a moment, turn to your dog and say, “Go to bed” and point to the bed. Wait a moment, and if she needs help, gently grab the leash and lead her over to the bed and C/T when she lies down. Repeat the act of placing the doll on the table until she does the behavior on her own.

Troubleshooting and Strategies

* Make sure you only say the cue ONCE, pause for a moment and then provide help, whether you ask your dog to Sit, Down, or Go to Bed. If you repeat cues, your dog will learn to ignore you.
* If there is a long delay after you say, “Go to Bed” before your dog starts moving towards the bed, do a few repetitions where you gently guide her over to the bed right after you say the cue. You will help initiate movement and muscle memory this way, so she reacts more quickly to the cue. Always use gentle guidance.
* Stop training before your dog wants to stop. One of the important strategies is to teach your dog to WANT to do behaviors. The best way to do this is to not overtrain. Stop training when she still wants to “play”. “What do you mean we are stopping? I was having fun getting attention and treats! Ask me to do something else!”
* Often dogs will lie down right next to the trainer instead of walking over to the bed. This occurs because the dog is used to getting a reward by lying at the person’s feet and has not made the connection with the need to go to a specific location. If your dog lies down next to you after you have said the cue, gently get her up, walk her over and reward her when she lies down. Next time if you see her start to lie down too soon, say, “Eh! Eh!” before she lies down and walk her over to the correct location.
* Give a lot of verbal encouragement for the beginning steps such as paw on the bed, and sitting, but stop treating once they do it reliably. You want your dog to “go to the next level” and be motivated to do more behaviors such as lying down or walking to the bed. “Good girl” is used to tell a dog that she is on the right track, but needs to do more for the treat.
* Combine this activity with finding Kongs or playing fetch. She will learn that good things happen when she lies down. You will increase the motivation of this behavior.
* Ask for this cue periodically throughout the day such as before walks, mealtimes or games. “Go to bed”. “Good girl, let’s go for a walk!” In this case, the walk is the reward and you have increased the motivation for her to perform this behavior.
* Work on adding multiple locations and naming each one. Examples include rug, bed, back door, fireplace, bedroom, etc.

Source from: 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.