DogTrainster.Com

Article Source: womansday.com
Article by: Melinda Dodd

Don’t be guilted by puppy dog eyes! Get the tips for taming bad pet behavior

Your puppy has broken into the pantry for a fifth time, and now he’s staring at you with those I love you eyes, trying to pretend that nothing has happened. As always, you find yourself thinking, I should take him to a trainer. But times being what they are, you hate to fork over the $200 (or more!) fee. Don’t worry. We’ve got everything you need to tame your savage beast.

Basic Training

Puppies have a natural curiosity and lust for life, so you have to channel that energy and make it work for you, says Kevin Behan, author of Natural Dog Training.

Step 1 Establish a solid framework for effective training. Make sure your home is a calm, safe space for your new puppy. Stroke and handle him as often as possible so he gets used to human contact.

Step 2 Start with the basics. First, teach him his name. Every time he responds to it, give him a treat. Next, get him used to the leash. “Carry him to a spot away from the house, and let him lead you back,” says Jack Volhard, head of Volhard Dog Training in Culpeper, Virginia, and coauthor of Dog Training for Dummies. If he tugs the leash, turn your body the opposite way. He’ll follow you, then bound ahead.

Step 3 Train him to sit, stay and heel by holding treats at waist height and moving them in a slow circle, mesmerizing him, advises Behan. “When you hold food above a puppy’s head, he’ll automatically sit or settle back on his hips,” he says. Gradually incorporate hand gestures and verbal commands. Once he’s mastered that, teach him to come by trotting backward quickly (leash in your left hand, a treat visible in your right) while repeating the word come, says Volhard. Reward him every time he obeys.

Dos and Don’ts

Don’t ever say your pup’s name in anger, as a reprimand. “It undermines the relationship you’re trying to build with him,” says Volhard.

Do create a “relax zone” (inside) and a “play zone” (outside). Many puppy problems (chewing furniture, peeing in corners) can be averted by reinforcing these zones. “Playing indoors winds dogs up,” notes Behan. “Let dogs loose outside, where you can shape their energy and enthusiasm to your ends.”

Don’t yell at your pooch when he makes a mistake. It can scare him and make him fearful of people, says Behan.

Do teach your pup the meaning of No, says Behan. Put food in a bowl and lower it to the floor. As your dog gets excited, say “No” calmly but firmly and pull the bowl away. Repeat a few more times. Eventually his excitement will fade and he’ll lie down. Now set the bowl down. The result? Your puppy learns that No means Stop, be patient.

Article Source: dailyamerican.com
Article by: Tiffany Wright

Whether dogs disobey their owners’ commands, chew on shoes or have issues with potty training in the house, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers tries to encourage positive reinforcement training with pets.

Officials at the association said because of the influx of clients using training services after the new year, it is important to start training pets early.

“It’s pretty common for dog trainers to get a lot of dogs at the beginning of the new year because many people got puppies as gifts for Christmas,” said Mychelle Blake, the association’s communications director.

That is also the case for Debbie Gary-Taskey, a dog trainer who owns BeeHaven Canine Coaching. She said more pet owners of puppies and younger dogs use her services.

“With training the sooner you start the better, because when a dog is older it’s harder to train them,” she said.

Gary-Taskey is also a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and a strong supporter of positive reinforcement dog training.

“The goal is to promote positive reinforcement training, which is pretty much new,” she said. “But more people are starting to use a nonaversive and positive method as a way of training dogs. Even if you want a dog to sit and push down its behind, you are using force, which is something we don’t want to do.”

Training pets is just as important as training children, she said.

“Training your dog is one of the best things you can do. Like with children, training is to teach them right from wrong in order that they can act appropriate in various situations,” Gary-Taskey said.

Blake said with many dogs coming from shelters it is imperative they are under control, and dog training can help make pets more obedient.

“There are millions of dogs that come from shelters every year and sometimes dogs get out of control because they never went through training,” she said. “Most people don’t realize how easy training is and how simple it can make their lives. It really makes your dog happier and you happier.”

Sally Urban, Somerset County Humane Society board president, said training pets from a shelter can help reduce the return rate of animals.

“We find so many people with a new puppy or dog or cat that don’t know what to do and they think it’s not working out,” she said. “If they get training the return rate drops dramatically. Owners just need to take the time in the beginning to get training. That’s always been our fight with adoptions - the return rate of the animals.”

Dog training can also help increase the safety of pets.

“Training can help keep your dog, as well as others, safe,” Gary-Taskey said. “A well-behaved dog is not likely to run away from you during a walk and can be taught on cue to ‘leave it’ when it approaches something that may be harmful to it. Keeping large dogs from chasing a child or animal could prevent an unintentional accident from happening.”

Gary-Taskey provides private, in-home training sessions for basic manners including learning to sit, stay, leave it and come.

She uses a clicker method to train animals, which she said has been proven to make training quicker.

“It’s a tool used to communicate with the dog. As much as people like to think their dogs can understand them, they can’t. Dogs don’t know our language,” she said.

With the method good behavior is marked with a click proceeded by a reward for the dog. Dogs are more likely to repeat good behavior with the clicking method, she said.

Regardless of the size or breed of the dog training is recommended, but there is more than one way to work with dogs to succeed, Gary-Taskey said.

“The goal for all training is the same - to be sure that you have a safe, happy and well-behaved family pet,” she said.

Article Source: examiner.com
Article by: Carla Kinney

Are you skeptical about taking your dog to social gatherings because you’re afraid he may attack other pets or people? Does your dog show an aversion to small children? Does he jump on guests when they visit your home? When you take your dog for walks, does he pull you down the street instead of walking at a leisurely gait beside you? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, you may want to start thinking about obedience training for your dog.

When it comes to dogs, most people choose to overlook their dog’s bad manners. They are willing to accept their dog as he is and they assume that his behavior is just a part of who he is, but there is much more to it than that. Like children, dogs sometimes need to be taught how to behave and if you allow your dog to get away with misbehaving, he will take it for granted that it is okay to misbehave not only at home with you, but out at social gatherings as well.

Introducing your dog to new environments, people, and other pets should be a pleasurable experience for both of you and not one that you should have to approach with trepidation and foreboding. You should be confident about introducing your dog without having to apologize for his behavior. Enrolling your dog into a good obedience school now will alleviate any insecurities you might have when presenting him to others later.

Most people think that obedience schools are too expensive and out of the way, but a simple internet search can put you in contact with several inexpensive obedience schools and most of these schools have certified trainers who are willing to come to your home to teach your dog how to behave on his own familiar territory. You will have the satisfaction of watching your dog learn right from your home and you will also have the opportunity to take part in his training.

Lets face it, you’re already spending money for quality food, top veterinarians, and professional grooming for your dog. Why not invest a little money to see that he is properly trained as well? A well trained dog is an asset to a household and to a relationship. Obedience training for your dog can be a lot of fun for him and it is also a learning experience. You might be surprised at how much you and your dog can get out of an obedience school. It is definitely something worth looking into because in the long run, it will prove to be a rewarding experience for both of you.

Article Source: mcalesternews.com

By Joyce McNally
Special to the News-Capital

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.

Article Source: seattletimes.nwsource.com
By Deborah Wood

Behavior problems are the No. 1 reason animals are turned over to shelters, and the leading cause of death for dogs under 3 years of age.

The good news is that almost all these problems are preventable. Spending a little bit of time and effort today is relatively painless. And it can avert a sometimes sad, always difficult and usually expensive problem later.

Here are seven simple rules to observe if you want a dog that is a pleasure to live with:

Rule 1: Start early. Every Wednesday night, the puppies take over Dog Days Dog Training in Vancouver, Wash. There is equipment to play on, new friends to make during structured playtime, basic commands to learn and plenty of potty breaks.

“It’s important to get a puppy socialized in a safe, controlled environment,” explains Julie Wilcoxson, co-owner of Dog Days and trainer of the puppy kindergarten class. Puppies grow into calmer adult dogs if they’re exposed to noises, people of all ages and other dogs while they are still young.

In a good kindergarten class, the dogs have supervised play with other puppies that match up well for their size and temperament. They learn simple commands and learn to be still in their owners’ arms.

While socialization is important, it’s also vital to use common sense with puppies that are still getting their vaccinations. Don’t take puppies to places such as public parks where unvaccinated dogs are likely to be. Look for safe, clean environments where careful owners take their dogs.

Your veterinarian may be able to recommend a good puppy kindergarten class. Another place to look for puppy kindergarten and other dog training is the Web site of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers: www.apdt.com.

Rule 2: If you didn’t start early, train your dog now. One study showed one of the biggest differences between dogs that are given to shelters and those that aren’t was obedience classes. Dogs that know such simple skills as sit, come and walking on a leash are better companions than those that don’t. And dogs can learn at any age.

Rule 3: Exercise your dog. Barking, jumping and constantly nagging his owner to play ball are signs that a dog isn’t getting the exercise it needs. A tired dog is a good dog.

Walking your dog is a good start. Dogs bond with the people who walk them, and it’s great for both of you. For most dogs, all it takes is a pleasant daily walk to feel calm and bonded.

For other dogs, a long walk is just a warmup. Siberian huskies and border collies were bred to run hours a day. Riding your bicycle with your dog, playing fetch or taking your dog to doggie day care can all be alternatives for these high-energy dogs. Don’t let size fool you: Many little breeds, such as Jack Russell terriers and even some tiny papillons, may need more exercise than large dogs.

Exercise needs generally decline with age, but not always. Some dogs crave a high level of physical activity their whole lives.

Rule 4: Make your dog earn his dinner. Feeding your dog two meals a day — and making him work for his food when you feed him — may transform your dog. Ask him to do a simple command (such as “sit”) that he knows well before you put the bowl down. Wait patiently until he does what you ask before you feed him.

Ask your dog to do a command before giving treats, too, and even before petting him. If your dog doesn’t do what you ask, just turn away and don’t give the treat or the petting. Soon, your dog will do the simple command when you ask.

This is a gentle, calm way to show your dog that you are the kind and benevolent leader. You may be stunned at how much closer your relationship with your dog becomes just from this change.

Rule 5: Teach your dog impulse control. Lots of dogs know “sit” or “come” but become wild and crazy when something exciting happens. The star of the obedience class may jump on guests when they arrive at your door.

“A dog that has good impulse control learns that being polite is what gets him what he wants,” says Suzanne Malick, training director for Pup-A-Razzi in Beaverton, Ore.

She recommends selecting a behavior that comes naturally to the dog, such as sitting or lying down, and rewarding the behavior every time the dog does it. That behavior becomes a way for the dog to communicate back to you. When he wants something, he’ll begin to offer the default behavior — and you’ll have a dog that is calm, rather than excited, when he’s hoping for something fun.

Rule 6: Deal with little problems before they become big problems. If you have a puppy, don’t allow him to do anything now that you won’t allow when he’s full size. If you don’t want a 70-pound adult dog jumping up and licking at you, don’t let the 7-pound puppy do it.

Deal with irritating habits when they start, before they progress to dangerous behaviors over time. For most dogs, ignoring the bad behavior and rewarding the good behavior quickly shapes a happy, well-behaved dog.

Rule 7: Ask for help if you need it. Even in the best families, sometimes there are troubled kids. The same thing happens with dogs. If your dog is aggressive or has other behavior you don’t know how to deal with, ask for help now. The longer a dog practices bad behavior, the harder it is to change. Talk with your veterinarian about whether your dog might need a referral to medical intervention by a behavior specialist.

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: 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: 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.

Source from: huliq.com

To acquire a puppy is a joyous as well as memorable event as the puppies are the cutest friends and companions of humans, but puppy and dog training requires knowledge and expertise.

Supple fleece, puppy kisses and the cutest faces in the world, all these good things mix together to create a sensitively charged experience. The moment a puppy enters your custody; motherly instincts begin to develop in you, and before long you will accept the puppy a member of your family. It is really a very tender feeling to have a pup at home. It also mixes up with everybody nicely.

Love and softness are the most vital ingredients as you raise your puppy, but only love is not enough to train your puppy. If you feel and wish to train your puppy in a better manner you must take proper initiatives to do so. Initially you may practice a few days of bliss with the new member of your family but soon after the first date has ended you will understand that your ideal puppy is far from faultless. Almost all the puppies come with in-born faults. They defecate indoors, chew almost everything, use their teeth as playful weapons and cry loudly when they are left alone. The puppies are almost like little children and they also have the tendencies to disobey you and your instructions.

Therefore it is very much essential for you to make proper and immediate arrangements to start training your pup. As said earlier, the pups are like little children and they have the tendencies of testing boundaries, avoiding rules and do whatever they like to do. Therefore they need guidance for adopting correct habits.

Training is training, and it should be done in the true meaning of the term. Your idea of training the dog must be to develop good eating habits as well as behavioral habits in him. It means that you should adopt an appropriate training style that will treat your puppy as you want him to be.

Before you start thinking of training your puppy, decide what exactly you are looking for in your puppy. It is important that you seriously think and decide what you want the end results to be. As far as the present status of training methodology is concerned, many suitable methods are available for your dog to get train in. You should look for the correct trainer or training school only after you do your thinking part.

It is always advisable to train your dog by yourself (Consider purchasing our e-book “Train Yourself To Train Your Dog”. You must take care of the following things before you start the training process:

Do not get aggressive in your behavior even if your pup is not able to perform according to your commands.

Do speak in a consistent manner and don’t use harsh voice while giving commands.

Speak continuously with your dog and repeat words you like him to understand and follow. So you should utter words like ‘Stand up’, ‘Sit’, ‘Come’, ‘Go’ etc and also show him the possible response which he could show to these words.

Don’t forget to reward him if he follows you correctly. If he is not able to follow one command properly, do not repeat it right then.

Take your dog for a walk and let him develop the habit defecating outside. In a few days, your pup shows the correct response to your commands and makes you a proud owner.

Save yourself a lot of time as a dog owner and train your dog to be obedient. It gets so much easier for both you and your dog when you have trained your dog´s obedience.