DogTrainster.Com

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: 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?