DogTrainster.Com

Article Source: examiner.com
Article by: Jeff Millman

I always joke that I “think about dog training 36 hours per day.” This is not far off. Whether I am working with my dogs or working with a client, there are frequent times that I will explain something a bit differently than I have in the past, or I will try something just a little bit different and get an “Ah Hah!” moment.

They are not necessarily profound, “Wake the children” ideas, but still might be helpful to you.

I had one of those moments tonight. I try and do a few training sessions throughout the day with my dogs and today was no exception. I planned on training them for a few minutes and then giving them their dinner. I worked with them for bit and then asked them for a “Down Stay” in another room while I loaded the dishwasher from our dinner and then fixed their dinner as well.

I set the timer on the stove for 10 minutes instead of just guessing how long they were in their stay. It is amazing how time seems to  go faster than it actually does. If I thought they were staying for 10 minutes without the timer, I probably would have released them after only 5 or 6. The timer kept me on track. 10 minutes is just an arbitrary time, sometimes I will do more or less. I think the longest I have asked them to stay is 30 minutes.

I  sometimes also set the timer when I am doing training to keep track of how long the session lasts. I try and do at least 5 minute sessions a few times a day.

I hope this is helpful to you and your pooch.

Article Source: buzzle.com

Owning a dog provides a great deal of personal satisfaction and whether you are the most hardened character or not, you are going to experience a great deal of love and companionship with your dog. Dogs are social animals by nature and they want to please who they are with as well as providing companionship and attention, dogs are great protectors of family and property not because they think these are your things but precisely because they feel this is their family and their home.

Training a dog benefits everyone and even if it is the most basic of behavior that is being taught, it will hep immensely with how a dog behaves and its own happiness and well-being. Dogs are hierarchical animals, they believe in everyone in their place and want to know constantly where they are in the pecking order and will seek reassurance in this; this is dog behavior and perfectly natural and when this is disrupted the dog will inevitably become stressed which may manifest itself in unwanted behavior.

Training your dog is a process and this will not produce immediate and instant results from just an initial session; training is part of a lifelong process which underpins the relationship you will have with your dog and them with you and your family as well as the world around them.

Training never stops.

Use these tips to help you with training:

Tip #1 Be Patient

Be patient; your dog will not always understand what you are trying to get it to do and will have to work it out but they will instinctively try to please you. They will quickly learn but so will you and losing your temper will harm the relationship you have with your dog and create adverse consequences down the road which will slow more advanced training.

Tip #2 Act Like a Team

Dog training is a misnomer to describe what we are doing here; in truth we are training the dog and the owner as you are a team and this is exactly how the animal is viewing the activity. Professional trainers rarely undertake training a dog directly when they are consulted; watch the TV programs which are popular at the moment and you will see that the professionals are actually training the owners in how to train their animals.

Tip #3 Be Gentle

Losing your temper, shouting at the dog and being angry, hitting or humiliating the animal are very big “No’s!” for owners. Negative reinforcement may produce a short term impact in stopping unwanted behavior but the effect tends not to be lasting and severely damages the way the dog views the relationship with the owner. Dogs are pack animals and look to the pack leader for guidance and protection; they do not react well to a pack leader which hurts them and you will see this in the wild with lots of friendly licking and play between members of the pack, including the leader.

These three pieces of training advice are all essential to forming a positive and constructive relationship where the dog understands its place in the family hierarchy and learns very quickly what is expected of it. A well trained dog is a credit to the owner but also a source of a great deal of satisfaction and enjoyment for years to come.

Article Source: examiner.com
By: Jeff Millman

Have you ever gotten bored working on “Sit, Down and Stay?” Sometimes it helps to have some suggestions for ways to make training a bit more interesting. Here are some simple ways to keep it fun for you and your dog.

* Reserve top tier chew toys, bones or treats for a point in the training session when your dog improves his performance. For instance, when he holds a Stay for a longer time than the last session, give him his chew toy as a reward.

* Hide Kongs or other stuffable toys around the house filled with your dog’s dinner. Work on a training session and then allow him to search for his dinner after he does something outstanding.

* Work on improving criteria. For instance, the criteria for Come When Called include speed of the behavior, avoiding distractions, the position of your dog after he comes to you, etc.

* Work on basic training exercises on walks. Many people don’t work on periodic sits, downs and stays on walks. This will improve reliability by providing your dog practice training in a variety of locations.

* Work with a friend on two-dog training goals such as working on attention around distractions, coming when called running next to each other, and come up with creative two-dog tricks.

* Practice a 5-minute training session without using any verbal cues, and just use hand signals.

* Move away from treats and use more verbal encouragement.

* Use toys as rewards. If your dog likes to play tug or fetch, do quick training sessions and reward with a quick game of tug or fetch.

Hopefully these ideas spark some other ideas for training. Often simple changes can keep things interesting.

Article Source: just4thedogtraining.com

If you are like most dog owners, you spend considerable time training your dog and you could use a few quick and simple dog training tips. Dogs don’t normally misbehave without having a good reason. After all, they are incredibly smart and they don’t understand English so they can’t explain it to you. Here are three easy tips about dog training basics that can be useful for new dog owners as well as experienced owners.

Tip #1 – Imagine that you’re a dog and think like one.
Get in the mood and think like your dog. Easy? Well, now you know what it’s like to expect your dog to think like he’s human. If you forget all other tips but remember this one, you may do well with your dog training. In order to address misbehavior, you must understand the reason behind it. The next time you hear your dog bark a little too much, keep in mind that it’s in his primitive nature to bark when he perceives a threat or danger. You could have the best muzzle in the world or be the best communicator but nothing beats addressing the cause of the barking. You can also try to place your dog in more social situations so that it becomes less skittish around strangers. You can also give him more room to run in the backyard so your dog doesn’t feel threatened.

Tip #2 - Reward your dog’s good behavior.
If you want to be a successful dog trainer, don’t emphasize punishments but rather give your dog the positive attention they crave from their owners. Positive reinforcement always provides better results in the long run. Keep in mind that dogs can’t reason the way humans do. For example, if you punish your dog for chewing on your shoes while you’re home, he may stop for now but what will happen when you leave? The dog will get bored again and start chewing on your shoes again. If you were to toss them a toy instead or punishing them, he gets attention from you and gets to play with his toy, both of which are seen as rewards for the dog. When you’re away and your dog gets bored, he may just reach for that toy instead of your shoes. Always try to reward good behavior instead of punishing bad behavior.

Tip #3 - Remember their very short attention span.
You may not be aware of it, but dogs have no attention span. Ignore the dog training tips that tell you how to address a mistake your dog made a little while back. Going back to the shoe example, waiving the chewed up shoes in their face will not mean a thing to your dog, even if they did it less than 5 minutes ago. You must catch your dog in the act in order to give a meaningful punishment and get your point across.

Keep these three easy dog training tips in mind and you’ll be successful.

Source from: independent.co.uk

By Chamois Rose-Wood

1. Research your breed

Before your canine companion puts a paw across the threshold, you need to research the most suitable breed for your family and lifestyle. People often choose a pooch that’s wrong for them, which is very stressful for both dog and owner. For instance, if you are looking for a dog to take on long, vigorous walks, don’t get a Pekinese!

2. Have clear goals

Know what you are aiming to achieve. Do you want a super-obedient dog or just one that doesn’t snap at other dogs’ heels? Good dog-training is all about making your dog understand its place in the hierarchy of your household – if a dog thinks it’s in charge of you, it’s much more likely to behave in a neurotic and undisciplined way.

3. Timing is everything

Take into account which breed you have. Springer spaniels would be excellent for field or nose work and need lots of stimulation, so you can make your training sessions longer. On the other hand, if you have a Pug, a more companionable dog, you should make your sessions short and sweet.

4. Treat ‘em right

Find out what motivates your pet: verbal praise, toys or food treats. Most dogs respond to positive reinforcement. When the dog does something correctly, give it a reward, such as a biscuit or some playtime.

5. Have patience

Owners can get frustrated or angry when a dog doesn’t complete a task correctly, but dogs can sense negative energy and completely shut down. Give your dog time to process the information you are giving it.

6. Get some help

There has been a sharp increase in people turning to the services of professional dog trainers in the past few years. Personal recommendations are always preferable. If the trainer runs a class, go along and see it before you commit. A lot of owners think they cannot confront trainers because they are supposed to be the experts, but remember: it’s your dog.

7. The right equipment

Make sure you know how to use your tools correctly, otherwise they can be very dangerous. Buy from reputable retailers who can demonstrate how your accessories should be used. I have seen owners using head collars and flexi-leads together, which in extreme cases can break a dog’s neck.

8. Be consistent

When you are teaching something new, be consistent. If you want your dog to hold back when you go out of a door, make sure you go first every time.

9. The perfect setting

Start by teaching your dog basic commands in a quiet, calm situation away from noise and other distractions. With the sit command, teach your pet indoors first, then outside, only gradually progressing to busy locations.

10. Have fun!

Above all, try to make the experience enjoyable – if training sessions are fun, then your dog is much more likely to want to learn. Remember, a dog’s basic instinct is to please its owner.