DogTrainster.Com

Source from: examiner.com

By Jeff Millman

Do you want to prevent destruction, prevent separation anxiety, housetrain your puppy faster, train your dog faster and lessen overall frustration? Use a crate!

There are so many statements, misconceptions and questions about crate training that I hear all the time that I wanted to help clear up some of the confusion.

“I feel guilty about using the crate, it looks like doggy jail.”
One of the important strategies for acclimating a puppy to your environment is teaching her to be comfortable with your schedule. If you are able to be with your puppy 24 hours per day and are never going to leave your puppy alone then don’t worry about using a crate. But, this is not realistic. The crate provides a safe, humane place to keep your puppy safe and prevent some of the big issues like separation anxiety and destruction. Learn how to prevent separation anxiety.

“Since I am at work all day, I never use the crate when I am home because I want to be with my puppy.”
Puppies need to learn how to be in the crate in any situation they might be exposed to. What happens if you never teach your puppy to be in the crate when you are home and then have a few guests over for dinner? If your puppy is not comfortable in the crate your only options are to keep her out for the entire time or have a puppy barking and disrupting everyone the entire evening if she isn’t comfortable in the crate or another room. This may not be a problem when puppies are young and sleep a lot, but flash forward to an older puppy that is running around, chewing and getting into mischief when you want to visit with your guests.

As long as you are actively training and exercising your puppy when she is out of the crate, there is a good chance she will be tired and sleeping in the crate when she is in there. All dogs need the appropriate physical and mental exercise and the crate should not be used in lieu of providing your puppy with her needs. Read about how much exercise to give to a dog. A rough rule of thumb for 7-12 week old puppies is to provide 60 minutes of training and exercise after going potty and then using the crate for 2-3 hours. Puppies can generally hold their bladders one hour per month of age, so you can adjust these numbers based on your puppy’s age. If you play and train your puppy for a period after going potty and then use the crate until the next potty break, this ensures that you are using the crate sufficiently. As your puppy gets older, she might be out of the crate for 2 hours and then in the crate for 2-3 hours. Eventually as her bladder gets stronger you can adjust these numbers accordingly. Want to know how to transition a puppy out of a crate? Read how old a puppy should be before he gets run of the house.

“I never use the crate as a punishment; I don’t want my puppy to have a bad association.”
This is a very common statement I hear, and there is no basis to this. A timeout is used to teach a dog that the behavior that she did resulted in her getting taken away from where she wants to be. If you put her in the crate for a timeout, do so for a short period of time immediately following the inappropriate behavior, such as jumping on you, biting, or chewing on furniture. Then, take her out after 5-30 seconds as long as she is calm and then reward her for anything but the offending behavior. If she performs the inappropriate behavior again say, “Timeout” and repeat. As long as you make sure to reward good behavior and use a timeout for inappropriate behavior, she will learn not to do the inappropriate behavior because it doesn’t benefit her. She won’t hate the crate itself, she will not like the fact that she was put in there and taken away from all the fun. That is an important distinction. The only caveat to this rule is that dogs that already have separation anxiety often do not like being in crates and can have a panic attack. These dogs are not good candidates for using this timeout strategy. Learn about timeouts and teaching a dog to stop certain behaviors.

Other Crate Tips

* For housetraining, the crate should be just big enough so your puppy can walk in, stretch and lay down
* Move the crate around your house, if possible, to provide different scenery for your puppy. This will help her get accustomed to being at different houses and being kenneled when you are away.
* Do not take your puppy out of the crate if she is scratching, whining, barking, digging or jumping on the side of the crate. You don’t want your puppy to think these behaviors get rewarded or she might do these behaviors for extended periods of time when alone and possibly acquire separation anxiety.
* Use stuffed Kongs or other stuffed toys to keep your puppy occupied and happy in the crate.
* Be cautious of bones, toys or rawhides that can be choking hazards. I never recommend leaving anything besides Kongs in crates to avoid choking risks.

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: 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: 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.