DogTrainster.Com

Article Source: iconsclub.com
By Lee Dobbins

One of the most effective dog training techniques smaller dogs is reward training. Because choke collars and other aggressive forms of training are ineffective with small breeds like Poodles, Pugs and the Pomeranian due to their small physical stature, reward training has been commonly used as an alternative.

Reward training is one of the most common types of obedience training. It teaches dogs to help with police work and military work. This is also the method commonly used to train dogs used in films and advertisements. It is equally effective to help your own pet master basic instructions in obedience.

Reward training simply means a treat for your dog after a job well done. Treats may mean many things for your dog, may it be food or just a few pats on the head and an enthusiastic “good boy”.

You can train your dog to do nearly anything with reward based dog training techniques. In order to succeed with this training method, you just need to use a specific group of tactics to get your pet to do what you want him to do and then reward him right after he does what you want.

For example, the best and easy way to teach your dog to sit is by way of dangling the treat above his head and gradually moving it towards his back until he sits on his own. Do this process while saying the command “sit”, and then commend and reward him right after he sits. Your dog will easily relate the command “sit” to the action of sitting and the treat that goes with it.

If you want to train your dog without the use of voice commands, then you can take advantage of the reward training method known as clicker training. With this method, a clicker is used (usually along with hand signals) to communicate the desired task to the dog. Just like with a voice command, once the dog performs the task he is rewarded with the treat. Over time, the clicker is all that will be necessary for the dog to respond.

Reward training can do great wonders for your dog and will make your training a fast process. That key is to get your dog to perform the action on his own and then reward him consistently.

Training your pet should be a fulfilling tasks for both you and your animal. The use of reward based dog training techniques will allow you and your pet to achieve your goals without the use of aggressive techniques which may injure or scare your small dog.

Article Source: americanchronicle.com

By Kenneth Elliott

The variety of dog species is so great that sometimes it´s better not to think of them all as part of the same species at all. Biologists do because they can interbreed. Dog owners have different purposes, so it can be better to emphasize the differences over the similarities.

A Jack Russell terrier looks, thinks and behaves much differently from a Great Dane. The latter are generally very calm. A Golden Retriever is a very different animal than a Collie. Golden Retrievers are fun loving, but excitable. A German Shepherd and a Chihuahua have little more in common than the name ´dog´.

As a result of these differences, training should be tailored to the breed you´re attempting to train. Patience is required for training all dogs, but more is required for some than for others. German Shepherds are intelligent and take to obedience commands readily and with pleasure. Jack Russell´s are also very smart, but much more willful and will require a different technique.

With terriers, for example, distraction techniques are very handy. Terriers are high energy, highly active dogs. They have evolved to spot movement in an instant and go after the animal producing it. Keeping them focused is a real challenge, so make sure at all times that their eyes are on you. Use treats, toys or other objects and wiggle them to see that the terrier´s eyes are on you.

Collies are equally trainable, but much more mellow. They´re extremely loyal and protective, which is great. But it presents its own kind of challenges. A collie will spontaneously bark and chase any stranger who appears to threaten the family. That can be desirable for a watch dog guarding the house at night. But it can be annoying if carried out every time a child walks by along the sidewalk during the afternoon.

Bark collars are sometimes necessary under these circumstances, but remove the collar when the sun goes down. That way the dog may only associate the discouragement with daylight and still continue to function as a watch dog when it counts.

Dalmatians make for excellent companions, but they are ultra-energetic and very strong. That can be a troublesome combination for one that spends all its time in a small backyard with no one to play with. If you plan on owning one of these excellent dogs, be prepared to spend time working off some of that excess vitality.

Dalmatians need a large area so they can run at top speed - the only speed they know. They´ll work best with someone who can toss a ball far away, and has the presence to command them. They can be extremely loyal, but they need a strong hand. Being the alpha dog when faced with a Dalmatian requires a forceful owner.

Tailor your training regimen to the actual nature of your dog, including both those aspects derived from the breed and the unique characteristics of your specific dog. Just like humans, dogs are individuals.