dog training, puppies

5 Incredible Tips You Can Use To Train Your Puppies

by DOTBdrl • August 2, 2013 • 0 Comments

5 Incredible Tips You Can Use To Train Your Puppies

: paul+photos=moody / Foter / CC BY-NC

Puppy training requires starting as early as possible. Read this post to learn some effective puppy training tips and tricks that you can use as a guideline.

Having a dog as a pet in your house often brings joy in many ways. Basically, dogs are among the most common pets as a result of their many qualities, one of them being their loving nature. Puppies when properly trained at an early stage, can without hassle turn out to be the most obedient as well as loving dogs. Hence, before you grumble and mumble when your puppy chews your socks or slippers for no reason, make use of the tips that are mentioned in this article and train your puppy well.

5 Tips For Training Puppies

Here are some effective training tips that can assist you to not only train your little furry pet the intricacies of socializing and potty training, but enable you to also bond for a lasting relationship that is based on trust and love.

Tip #1: Socializing Your Puppy

This is a process by which the puppy will learn to recognize and interact appropriately with other people, dogs, and other animal species such as cats, as well as the different surroundings. Remember also that until your puppy is fully vaccinated, you must protect him or her from being exposed to other dogs that may be carrying diseases or dog urine and feces.

You can socialize your puppy hassle-free by carrying him or her to various places and allowing your puppy to be exposed to the new things that you happen to find in these places. Basically, whenever your puppy happens to display good behavior, ensure that you reinforce it by praises as well as treats.

Tip #2: Teaching Simple Commands

It is ideal that you start teaching your puppy simple commands such as “no” and “come” as early as possible. However, patience, again, persistence and consistency are requisite requirements. Basically, each time your puppy happens to do something undesirable like chewing up a mat, make sure that you use a firm voice to say “no,” removing the mat firmly.

The command “come” can easily be taught while you’re standing some distance away, calling out “come” in a very friendly way, while also giving visual clues. Also, you can squat down and then clap your hands till the puppy notices you’re calling him or her. It is always essential that you look and sound happy while training your puppy.

Every time your puppy responds as required, praise him or her. However, if he or she does not respond appropriately, be sure to scold him.

Tip #3: Potty Training Your Puppy
Potty training or house training is one of the most essential tasks; it requires a lot of patience, kindness, and a fair amount of time. First of all, you must know that while house training your puppy, you will not get immediate results.

Firstly, decide the specific place that you’ll want your puppy to use as a toilet and then take him or her there once every hour. You must ensure that you praise your puppy when he or she does what is needed in the demarcated area.

However, in case of an accident in the house, do not treat him or her harshly. Just thoroughly clean up the area so that there is no any remaining scent, and ensure that you make a note of the time. Usually, puppies sniff the floor or turn around in circles when they want to pass a stool or urinate. So, ensure that you keep a sharp watch for these signals and immediately take him or her outside once you note them.

Tip #4: Do Not Punish

Generally, positive training tactics, patience, and kindness are the only ways to train the puppy. If you’re harsh on your puppy, he or she will begin fearing you, and in the long run the puppy may be unable to master anything you want him or her to remember.

Tip #5: Using Firm and Friendly Tones

Modify the tone of your voice in accordance to the command you use. For instance, while giving commands such as “down,” “sit,” and “stay,” use a firm voice, whereas while teaching “heel” or “come” use a friendlier voice.

In conclusion, these tips combined with care and love will make the training of your puppy an enjoyable activity. Ensure that you make use of them to experience their effectiveness.

: basykes / Foter / CC BY

bonding with your dog, dog training

Dog Obedience Training – Tips to Create Great Bonding Moments

by DOTBdrl • August 2, 2013 • 0 Comments

Dog Obedience Training – Tips to Create Great Bonding Moments

: Carplips / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

Introduction

Dog obedience training is one of the best things that you can give for your loving pet and yourself. Dogs are social animals and without proper obedience training they will just behave like animals. Obedience training is nothing but simply training your pet dog to be obedient and well-behaved. This type of training is considered highly essential in order to teach dogs to learn basic commands, manners, and socialization skills. Obedience courses basically teach dogs basic commands like sit, stand, heel, lie down, and how to interact with other dogs and other people. Proper training does not solve just behavioral problems but lays a strong foundation for solving just about any type of problem.

Importance of Obedience Training for Your Dogs

Obedience training is considered to be a vital aspect as it lays the foundation for solving many other behavioral problems. To actually realize and feel the importance of proper obedience training one should take a look at the consequences of excluding it from your dog’s life – excessive barking, chewing, aggression, and most dangerous of all, biting. Untrained dogs will also soil your house, destroy your belongings, dig holes in the yard, and fight with other dogs. Obedience training opens up a line of communication between you and your dog. Training is important to establish a connection in helping you and your dog to relate to each other and thereby make living together fun and enjoyable. Yes, this special training not only teaches your dog to just sit and stay, but it establishes a positive interaction between you and your dog.

Essential Tips for Dog Obedience Training

Dog training is quite an intimidating and challenging task. It requires immense patience to overcome the difficulties that you may encounter during the training sessions. Dog training can be done at home or you can enroll your dog in an obedience training class. Before initiating dog obedience training, do some research and understand your dog’s behavior.

1. The first and foremost thing to consider is you should never rush the process. Proceed to the next step of training only when your pet has mastered the first one.
2. Begin the training in a place that is familiar to your dog with the least amount of distractions.
3. Start with the basic commands like sit, stand, come, heel, and lie down before proceeding to advanced commands. Use the commands frequently so that your dog will get acquainted with them and remember them well.
4. Special breeds have special traits. Hence, concentrate on honing these unique skills and capabilities as you advance through.
5. Positive reinforcement is an effective training method. Instead of punishing your dog for bad behavior, reward it when it complies with your commands correctly. Punishment only triggers violent or fearful responses and causes dogs to go into “animal” mode. Yes, punishment rarely works well–hence, praise your dog for his good behavior. If you don’t like a behavior, take rewards away. Clicker training is considered as the best way to teach your dog using positive reinforcement.
6. Keep the training sessions short so that your dog will be more attentive and engaged. Too long a session may make your dog lose interest in the training. Remember, their attention span is short and they become tired easily. Hence, keep training short and sweet.

7. Make sure to set a dog training routine for your dog. This will enable your dog to know the difference between play time and work time.
8. Patience is very important in teaching your dog to do what you want. Be very patient even when inevitable setbacks occur. Do not over train your dog and also expect it to learn very quickly. Never force your dog to obey instantly.
9. Make sure your dog is in a good physical condition and well hydrated before starting every session.
10. Never be overly strict with your dog but instead be very understanding that learning takes time.
11. Motivating your dog and praising him by giving his favorite toy or food is an effective approach towards good dog obedience training.

Conclusion

If you learn and apply the above basic tips, dog obedience training can be a fun and rewarding experience for you and your dog. The right type of approach will definitely develop a lasting mutual bond between you and your pet dog. With perseverance and positivity, the training process will be more enjoyable for both you and your dog.

dog training, K9, Police Dog Training

What It Takes to Train a Police Dog

by DOTBdrl • August 2, 2013 • 0 Comments

What It Takes to Train a Police Dog

: British Columbia Emergency Photography / Foter / CC BY-NC

Police dogs, commonly referred to as “K9,” usually undergo a specialized training to help the police in enforcing the law. Great care is taken when training these dogs. Police dog training basically focuses on instilling an instinct for protection. The most popular dog breeds for police training are Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd since they are strong enough to endure intense training. This article highlights how dogs are trained to work in law enforcement.

Police Dog Training Tips
Obedience Training
Obedience training is the first step in police dog training. A dog must be trained to follow every command given by the handler before continuing with further training. In fact, this would make the subsequent training steps easier. Some of the commands that a dog is required to follow are “sit,” “come,” “heel,” and “stay.” Obedience training is usually undertaken in both isolation and with distractions.
Agility and Strength Training
Agility and endurance training are an important part of training police dogs. As a matter of fact, police dogs should be stronger and more agile compared to other dogs. Police dogs are required to climb stairs or jump over walls and other related obstacles they may encounter. To undertake such activities, the dog should be agile and strong.
Training the Dog to Attack
Attack training requires an “agitator” and a trainer. The agitator acts as the target that a dog should attack. This training involves arousing and channeling the dog’s inherent aggression to perform the following activities effectively.

Chasing: The agitator provokes the dog to attack him and this stimulates the dog’s inner aggression. On the other hand, the trainer incites the dog to attack the agitator. If the dog responds to the command by chasing the agitator, it is praised for the action. However, the agitator stops teasing the canine when it becomes too aggressive. This training basically focuses on teaching the canine how to chase people and not how to attack.
Biting: This training focuses on driving the dog to attack the target. The trainer encourages the dog to attack and bite the arm guard worn by the agitator. The dog should follow all the commands of the trainer. The dog should stop the attack immediately when it is commanded to do so.
Chasing and Biting: This involves training the dog to chase and bite at the same time. To avoid getting hurt during this training, the agitator puts on padded clothing. At this point, the dog has already learned to follow the commands of the trainer. Therefore, it would be easier to control its behavior during this dangerous but important stage.
Exposure to different situations
The dog is trained to socialize with different people in different situations. Police dogs usually work in crowded places, hence they should not feel nervous and intimidated in the presence of many strangers. It must be accustomed to distractions, such as gunfire sounds, to make it tougher. In real life, police dogs usually encounter multiple distractions. The dog should be trained to sniff out bombs, drugs, and other illegal substances. With all of these characteristics in mind, one can see that the achievement needed in the training of police dogs is very high indeed.

: kenjonbro / Foter / CC BY-NC

dog training, Schutzhund

Improve Your Dog’s Skills with Schutzhund Training: An Introduction to the Schutzhund Approach to Training Dogs

by DOTBdrl • August 2, 2013 • 0 Comments

Improve Your Dog’s Skills with Schutzhund Training: An Introduction to the Schutzhund Approach to Training Dogs

: MikeHalesNZ / Foter / CC BY-NC

The Schutzhund dog training technique is simple and effective. In this process, your dog would be presented with different scenarios that require him to make a specific action. He would then be rewarded for making correct choices. The program is designed to motivate and give your canine recognition for being an intelligent, insightful creature that can work well with his master in any situation.

Through constant coaching, your dog would soon develop a happy and positive attitude. He would love to perform simple home duties without being coerced. Schutzhund works by stressing the innate drive impulse of dogs. It’s a procedural manual that teaches owners how to make their pets obedient. Some of the vocabulary that your animal would learn after completion of training includes:
1. Sit
2. Stand
3. Stay
4. Down
5. Fetch

How does it work?

The Schutzhund Approach is based on the principles of operant conditioning. The pet is taught motivational obedience, where following commands earn him an opportunity to fulfill his desire for good food and regular play. Ultimately, the animal should feel comfortable with training by being enthusiastic, alert, and focused.

This program is quite detailed and may also be used to teach your canine simple home manners, such as not barking aimlessly, reduced aggression, and toilet etiquette. Your pet will learn that it’s not okay to relieve itself within the living room. Moreover, owners also learn more about the drive theory and pack dynamics, including how they can be applied at home to make the dog calm, composed, and confident.

Advantages

The rate of violent home break-ins is constantly increasing. Therefore, it pays to coach your dog with Schutzhund for absolute protection. Pets trained with this approach are perfect for high-profile personalities, executives, and young families. The canines can be trained to protect your adorable family members and assets.

Studies show that pets perform better in protection than security guards. This is because they are always alert and obedient to their owners. In addition, burglars would rather go for an unprotected home than that with a vigilant dog. Animals that successful pass through this program are well-tempered, social, and only react when necessary. The Schutzhund approach has been tested and officially registered by canine authorities. In essence, this technique would prepare your dog to be a trusted family companion and loyal protector. Practical guard dogs don’t require any unconcealed stimulation for them to engage potential intruders. Your pet would be equipped with skills necessary for addressing different situations such as:

1. Burglary prevention
2. House invasion
3. Car jacking
4. Manifold threat neutralization

Furthermore, most Schutzhund canines are taught using the popular agitation method. This helps your animal inculcate the ability to handle various stressful situations at once. During the training process, an agitator raises his hand while flaunting a stick. Meanwhile, the dog perceives this action as an impending threat and charges the person. Dogs in training are only trained to bite on the arm so as to bring the aggressor down but not hurt him. The canine would hold and release its victim only on your command.

dog chewing, dog training

5 Tips for Stopping a Dog from Chewing the Wrong Things

by DOTBdrl • August 1, 2013 • 0 Comments

5 Tips for Stopping a Dog from Chewing the Wrong Things

: Tambako the Jaguar / Foter / CC BY-ND

Dogs are vital animals, at the head of the list as pets in most parts of the world. There are various classifications of dogs across the world, among them the sporting dogs, the non-sporting dogs, the working dogs, and the hound breed dogs. Common domesticated species of dogs in society include German Shepherds, Chihuahuas, British Bull dogs, Akitas, American Eskimo dogs, and many others. Human beings have partnered with dogs for various reasons. For instance, in traditional society, the partnership with dogs has aided with herding and hunting, service to the blind and disabled, and security against intruders. However, most people who are domesticating dogs in current society do it for companion purposes, that is, as pets. For whichever reasons a person ought to domesticate a dog, it remains a primary need that they must learn their behaviors, and most importantly how to communicate with them.
On an attempt to ensure a mutual relationship and understanding between humans and the dogs they domesticate, there are a number of training lessons to be included. For example, there are a number of steps that dog trainers use in order to prevent dogs from chewing. Inappropriate chewing is often a problem among puppies as they use their teeth to explore their surroundings. In as much as chewing is a usual characteristic in young dogs, it is as well true that the practice is undesirable, especially when channeled to valuable objects such as furniture, shoes, or human body parts like the hands and feet. Failure to timely control this practice consequently leads to extreme destruction of property, development of bad attitude towards the pet, and at times even medical problems.
There are a number of procedures that one should take in order to control bad chewing habits among one’s dogs. The first step is providing proper medication to the dog, which must adhere to the guidelines of the animal’s veterinary. The medications should be accompanied by good feeding, as nutritional deficiencies brought about by intestinal parasitism often results in pica, which is usually mistaken as inappropriate chewing. Furthermore, the situation may lead to nausea, and this triggers chewing as a coping mechanism.

Secondly, one should conduct a thorough dog proofing around his or her home. Despite how much you trust your dog around your home, dogs will just be dogs, and they love exploring the world using their mouth. As such, one must take control of their possessions at home, and the most appropriate way to do dog proofing is by keeping important things that you do not want to be chewed out of reach. However, there are some factors that you need to consider when moving the possessions, for instance how high your dog can jump. Mostly, dogs like chewing objects like shoes, garbage, and clothes, among other things. It is important to keep food far away from the dog’s reach.

Thirdly, as a pet owner inappropriate dog chewing can be prevented by avoiding confusing your dog. As such, it means that when you are out playing with your dog, never give objects like shoes, clothes, socks, or books to your dog. It is unfair and unrealistic for you to expect your dog to differentiate between when it is okay to chew on a shoe during playtime and when it is not okay at other times.

Fourthly, to avoid this inappropriate habit, the dog should be given other alternatives for chewing that are relatively tasty. By doing this your dog will eventually leave your personal things alone. If your dogs have fewer alternatives to chew on like toys, then don’t blame them when they end up with your possessions. Remember, dogs need to chew, especially puppies and dogs less than three years old, so make sure they have adequate chew toys to play around with when at home.

Finally, proper supervision of the pet must be carried out to ensure this inappropriate habit is stopped. It is always more productive to provide a correction the moment an infraction occurs, rather than after the fact. After finding an inappropriately chewed object when you come home at the end of the day after work is not the best time to correct. Many dog owners have benefited from the use of crate training, as long as the dog is not confined for too long of a period. By teaching your dog the proper boundaries, your expectations will be made known and both you and your dog will be happier.

: OakleyOriginals / Foter / CC BY

dog training, hand signals

Understanding Hand Commands Can Save Your Dog’s Life!

by DOTBdrl • July 31, 2013 • 0 Comments

Understanding Hand Commands Can Save Your Dog’s Life!

: drukaman *andré ferreira* / Foter / CC BY-NC

There are many different hand signs and verbal commands used in obedience training for dogs. However, no signals are official, and professional trainers differ in their methods. It is important for any dog owner to use whatever method they are most comfortable with and to find the easiest to follow. In order to get the best response from your pet you must connect with him, so it is vital that you remain relaxed and patient throughout the training session. If you are not relaxed, your pet may sense this and become frustrated.

Being consistent with obedience training of your dogs and training them to understand hand commands is vitally important to any dog training. You can train your dog by using a combination of both verbal and hand signal methods. Dogs use their nose, ears, and eyes to experience the world around them. A dog will understand the intention of their owner by their display of body language. A dog will always look to his owner for guidance. He will watch for hand signals and follow your lead. If you are an owner who would like to fine-tune your dog to engage his senses in order to obediently follow your commands, hand signals are the greatest foundation. Hand signals are able to reinforce commands you give your dog when they are in a noisy environment and unable to hear your verbal command. They are also essential to police situations where silence may be important. In this article, we will explore some of the more commonly taught commands for training your pet in this way.

Sit

“Sit” is the easiest and simplest command to teach and the most natural signal action. While holding the dog’s favorite treat or toy, you should lift your hand from your side directly to just above your dog’s nose. Your dog will naturally sit when following this lure. The dog should then be rewarded as soon as his bottom is on the ground. This command should be done with great patience, in short sessions each and every day. Extend your arm forward slowly and lift your hand with your palm up, without a treat. You must highly praise your dog, giving him the thumbs up sign once he sits.

Down

For a “down” signal you must turn your palms downwards while lowering your hand. You can place a treat in between your fingers as a lure for your dog, while slowly lowering your hands to the ground. Reward your dog with verbal praise and a treat immediately when he lies down. After accomplishing this, you should graduate by extending your arm, palm facing downwards, and then lowering your hand. Do not forget to give your dog the thumbs up as a reward for good behavior.

Come

“Come” is a command that is able to protect a dog from trouble and danger, making it probably one of the most important of the hand commands. This signal is carried out by extending your arm straight out and then placing your palm over towards your heart. You can also teach this command with rewards following the same process you previously used with other commands. You should first do it at a short distance. You can get your dog to consistently obey at long distances by practicing this command with a leash; a long lead can be especially helpful for graduating to long distances.

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You will then be able to practice in an enclosed area without a leash, at a later stage.

Stay

Another one of the commands that will protect your dog and keep him back until you need him, is “Stay.” Make a stop sign with your palm while holding your arm in the upright position. Without touching his muzzle, hold your palm close to it. Reward him with a treat after only a few seconds of obedience. You can slowly increase the time length and distance by gradually moving away from your pet until you are successful for a period of five minutes. Take this opportunity to teach the OK signal. Release your dog from the command by using the index finger and thumb held in a circle. This must be followed by the “come” signal for the dog to approach you. This is the time to pet and praise your dog, and have a brief play time.

Training Methods

Commonly, there are three types of training techniques that are widely used. These are in the form of electrical shocks, compulsion with a choke collar, and the giving of positive rewards. Compulsion-style stimulants are the most commonly used training methods and the demand for them has increased because of obedience problems experienced with dogs. Do some experimenting to see which style works best for you and your canine friend.

dog training, selecting a dog trainer

Starting Your Dog Off Right: 5 Tips for Selecting the Best Dog Trainer

by DOTBdrl • July 31, 2013 • 0 Comments

Starting Your Dog Off Right: 5 Tips for Selecting the Best Dog Trainer

: lynnefeatherstone / Foter / CC BY-ND

Having a dog as a companion is an amazing experience. However, for the best experience your dog will need some training to become a well-mannered dog that is welcomed almost everywhere. An untrained dog might bring joy to your family but at the same time be avoided by everyone else. It can be difficult for a new dog owner to choose the best dog trainer. The purpose of this article is to help you in the process by providing 5 tips for selecting the best dog trainer for your pet.

1. Do Research

Before choosing a dog trainer for your pet, do some research and get references from pet owners who have previously hired the dog trainer that you are considering. It would be helpful if the breed of your dog is similar to that of the other pet owners. Remember to ask technical questions about how this trainer deals with the dogs. A good dog trainer should not gain authority over the dog by yelling or brute force. Steer away from dog trainers who have many negative reviews and those who cannot train dogs with more controlled and quiet methods.

2. Certifications and Qualifications

Though being certified does not necessarily ensure a good dog trainer, it would mean that the dog trainer is qualified and trained. Do check out your local certifications for dog trainers and make sure that the dog trainer that you are considering is well equipped with certification. A well-trained dog trainer should understand the psychology, behavior, and health of dogs. He or she should be the best person to read the dog’s behavior and know what is the best way to convince and train your dog.

3. Group Training

It would be best to choose a dog trainer with group classes for dogs. The advantage to training your dog in a class is that your dog will be forced to learn how to behave and interact with other dogs. This is especially important as a well- mannered dog in other circumstances may misbehave when in the presence of other dogs.

4. Observe

Many dog trainers offer one trial lesson for your dog. Take the opportunity to sit in the class and observe the dog trainer in action. This is the best opportunity to assess whether this dog trainer is the best for your pet. Pay close attention to details like the trainer’s personality and patience towards your dog, whether the trainer is someone you can communicate and work effectively with to train your dog, and whether the trainer trains your dog in a gentle method or by using choke collars (which is not necessarily bad, but see if you are comfortable with the approach). Within one lesson, you should be able to tell whether this dog trainer suits the job.

5. Experience

Find out more about the dog trainer’s experience. As dog training and behavior varies according to breed, the dog trainer should have experience with the same breed as your dog. An experienced dog trainer for guard dogs may be totally clueless about the training technique for small indoor puppies.

To give the best training to your dog, it takes some effort and time to select the best dog owner. Give careful consideration in this selection, as the training of your dog will directly impact your life.

family-friendly dog breeds

Best Family-Friendly Dog Breeds

by DOTBdrl • July 31, 2013 • 0 Comments

Best Family-Friendly Dog Breeds

: StuffEyeSee / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

Choosing a pet is one of the most exciting adventures to share with your family. Just like the arrival of a child, choosing the right dog breed can bring much happiness to the family as a whole. There is much that involves choosing the right dog breed that each of your family members will want to love and appreciate. The dog is “man’s best friend,” and one must choose the breed that is most liked by the majority, either as a playmate, hunting companion, or guard dog. Some dogs need a lot of grooming while others do not. Each breed of dog has unique physical properties and personality as well as behavior. Thus, upon selecting a dog breed, one must choose a breed that fits the preferences of the household. There are questions that one must ask himself or herself before choosing the new member of the homestead who will share a lot between the family. Here are some tips that can help one in selecting the right dog breed that fits the family as well as friends:
Border Collies- these are one of the best companions in case you are looking for very smart dogs. These breeds like to have something to do always as they like to be busy. They can keep chasing animals around the homestead just to be busy. They are also good at looking after your children, and you should feel comfortable about them hanging out with the children.
Boston Terriers- these dogs were named this way because they were used as carriage dogs in Boston. They are cute little dogs and they have a perfect size as well as disposition. You can select them for your family as they have a popular “family” size.
Boxers- these dogs are one of the best choices for your family and friends as they are super friendly dogs that are always looking for a scratch or a pat behind the ears. They are a good size with little maintenance as well as grooming. But just like the pug, their snoring can be annoying to some people.
Beagles- these are cute breeds especially when they are puppies, as they have long ears and their eyes are sad. They are great pets for the family as they are tolerant with people and easy to get along with. One must make sure that he or she holds them securely during walks as they are hunting dogs and may want to chase any squirrel or rabbit that comes in their way.
Bulldogs- they are a perfect breed for the family, characterized by powerful bodies and wrinkled faces–get ready to see them come into a room just like a steamroller. They require very little exercise and this makes them a favorite in case you like just hanging out with dogs wherever you go.
Pugs- these are cute dogs that you can choose for your family and friends with a high level of confidence. They are cute little characters that are just like big dogs. They are able to withstand abuse by a toddler as well as playing with a teen. They are a great addition to the family as long as you are able to tolerate the snoring.
Labrador retrievers- these dogs come in several flavors that include black, chocolate, or yellow. This breed can be your best friend for life as they are known to be exceptional companions with great intelligence and loyalty. Be prepared that they can also be a little rambunctious when they are pups.
Golden retrievers- these dogs have a great personality similar to the Lab, and they are one of the world’s most popular breeds, as they are loving and smart and always looking for you. They will chase the ball for hours and watch after your children.

Doodles- this is a relatively new breed that is called the Goldendoodle, and it can give you personality galore. They are wonderful dogs as they are unique with minimal shedding, though they need more grooming. In case one is looking for a guard dog, it is better to look for another breed as they would rather run away from trouble instead of meeting it head-on.

As you can see, there are many wonderful breeds from which to select a family-friendly dog, including others not mentioned in this article. May your family be enriched by your new four-legged friend!

dog training, dog walking, walking on leash

Training Your Dog How to Walk Beautifully on a Leash

by DOTBdrl • July 31, 2013 • 0 Comments

Training Your Dog How to Walk Beautifully on a Leash

: colorblindPICASO / Foter / CC BY-NC

Training dogs how to walk beautifully on a leash brings about a good relationship with them. Dogs need to be trained to get used to the leash as they were not born knowing whether they should pull or lag behind. Teaching your dog leash manners may be challenging as they naturally move fast as compared to us and always want to explore their surroundings. Leashes constrain a dog’s behaviors naturally as they do not move as freely as they normally would. There are dogs that will want to keep running around, urinate, sniff, or even stop wherever they want. Thus, it is very important to train the dog on how to behave when you are walking with them by using the leash. It is very essential to make sure that you don’t allow them to pull, as they will almost always try to do. Here are some tips on how to train your dog to walk beautifully on a leash:

Getting started- you may need a slip collar to use together with the leash in case the dog has a pulling habit. This is because he may be able to slip out of the leash. Collars are ideal to help you in training your dog to get used to walking when on a leash. This will help keep them walking loosely on the leash. This is because slip collars look like regular flat collars although they have an extra loop that pulls them tightly in case the dog pulls. This keeps them from slipping out. There are actually many different styles of collars, and you may want to experiment to see which works best for you and your dog.

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Always give the command- when you are training your dog, always make sure that you choose a phrase that makes your dog know it’s time to go. Something like, “let’s go” can be a nice phrase to get used to. Start by moving yourself as you say the words to the dog. It won’t take long for your dog to recognize this phrase.

Stop and go- in case your dog pulls at the leash, stop immediately as you wait. You should not budge or allow the dog to move forward when lunging or pulling. This will train your dog that in order to reach the destination he wants, he will need to leave some slack around the leash and not pull. When there is sufficient slack around the leash, then you can start moving. Always make sure that you are the one giving the command to move. When the dog tries to control the movement, always make sure that you stop.

Make it rewarding- when you are leaving the house, you should keep in mind that your dog will be competing with you for control of the walk. Thus make sure that you are close to your dog as much as possible. Use treats as well as praise to keep his focus on you. Whenever your dog turns and looks at you, make sure that you reward the attention that the dog has given to you. You can use a clicker to help this process; when the attention turns to you, click and treat your dog. Speak to your dog in a nice tone whenever he turns his attention to you, as well as when he obeys the command that you give about the leash. This will improve your dog’s manners, and he will know that you are the one who is commanding and not him. As long as the dog keeps walking on the leash, give him some rewards for good behavior. At the beginning, you should give him a lot of rewards, which must be reduced continuously as he goes on to learn more about how to walk on the leash.

Troubleshooting- sometimes you are unable to control the attention of your dog and his interest may be more on what is going on in the neighborhood. Your sweet talk and treats may not be good enough for him to pay attention to you. In such cases, you must stop until the dog has lost focus on the interest he has. Make sure that you don’t move until his interest is gone and the leash is loose. Give him the command and wait as you look in the opposite direction. Your dog will have no other choice but to follow your command. Remember, you are the pack leader, and it is up to you to display leadership to your dog.

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benefits of dog training, bonding with your dog, dog training

4 Awesome Benefits That You Can Reap Through Dog Obedience Training

by DOTBdrl • July 31, 2013 • 0 Comments

4 Awesome Benefits That You Can Reap Through Dog Obedience Training

: h.koppdelaney / Foter / CC BY-ND

Dogs are naturally man’s best friend. And this has been a proven fact that every dog owner knows to be true. 🙂 Dogs have been known to accompany humans through good and bad times, and their loyalty cannot be equaled. However, in order to achieve that certain level of loyalty and bond, there has to be a time when the dog and its master build that trust and loyalty starting at the lowest level and then gradually increasing that level until you have your dog’s utmost loyalty, trust, respect, and love.

Reaching that certain level is not a walk in the park itself. In fact, it requires a lot of dedication, hard work, and patience in order to build a very effective dog and master relationship. With that in mind, a process called obedience training has to be done. And written below are four of the most awesome bonding benefits that you and your dog can achieve through obedience training for your dearest pet dog.

Understanding Your Pet Dog

One of the good things about performing obedience training with your dog is that you will be able to understand how your pet dog acts and reacts to different kinds of stimuli and cues that you give him. This way you will be able to know whether your dog is in a good mood or not, when your dog is hungry, sad, or mad. Understanding your pet dog’s mood will help you figure out the best time to conduct obedience training.

Elimination of Behavioral Issues

Dog obedience training, as broad as a topic it may be, can be useful in eliminating different kinds of bad behavior that your pet dog can have while it is still a puppy or even at a mature age. Behaviors such as frequent biting, incessant barking, aggression, lack of focus, and a whole lot more can be addressed in the course of the dog obedience training period. This can greatly increase you and your dog’s bond as the training progresses.

Proper implementation of daily tasks

The first few days and months of having a puppy or a pet dog have some slightly problematic moments of their own. The painstaking task of having to follow through your pet dog’s urine and feces is quite a common problem when your pet dog hasn’t had the proper training yet. During the course of the obedience training, your pet dog can learn different instructions that you would want your pet dog to obey such as where to pee and poop, which can greatly diminish the problems of having to clean up after your pet dog or puppy when it wants to eliminate its wastes.

Strengthening the Bond

Initially, your pet dog will not be as obedient and playful as it would be after a few weeks or months of you being its companion. But as time goes on, your pet dog’s attitude towards you will change after it sees you as the one providing and taking care of all its doggy needs. With dog obedience training, this bond becomes even stronger as you and your pet dog work towards a greater goal.

As you can see, the benefits of dog obedience training are many, and both master and canine will be happy with the results of such training.

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