Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Dog Obedience Training

It's important to learn the basics of dog obedience training
and teaching your dog to sit, stay and come. You need to learn
how to socialise your dog, what to avoid in obedience training
and the best methods to use to help your dog learn to obey.

Article

Getting frustrated that your dog jumps up on people
when you are visiting friends? Can’t understand why
your dog runs away from you at the park while everyone
else’s happily comes back? The simple answer is have
you tried dog obedience training? It is simple, effective
and very fun to do if you have the right attitude and
patience.

The basics of dog obedience training and teaching your
dog to sit, stay and come. These basic training commands
will be extremely beneficial to you later on in your
dog’s life. When you take your dog out you don’t want him
to be running muck in the street, you want to show him off
for the perfect dog that he is! Dog obedience training can be
achieved in a matter of weeks with the right attention,
dedication and patience.

There are a lot of obedience classes available. So if you can't
teach your dog by yourself there is plenty support at the
class, there are also other dogs there. Not only are you
training your dog you are socialising him to which of course
is the next step after sit, stay and come. Dogs are kind of like
children to an extent, except with a lot of fur, they need
to be taught right and wrong.

I always find that treats are a great method of dog obedience
training; you award them with a special treat when they have
done something you have asked them to. If they don’t respond
they don’t get a treat. There is no point shouting at your dog
as he will only become scared of you and you don’t want that,
you want to form a happy relationship with him. Dog’s are a
man’s best friend!

When teaching your dog obedience try and teach him away
from distractions like his toys, take him to an empty field
or park where there aren’t any people, only you and him.
Tell him firmly but nicely that you want him to sit, then
take your hand and place it on his back and gently guide
his bottom down, when it is down say sit and tell him he’s
a good boy then award him with a treat. Repeating this over
and over again will make him realise that when you say sit
you mean for him to sit and he gets rewarded, soon enough
he will know to sit when you tell him to and the treats are
no longer necessary.

Getting him to stay is another matter, you’ll probably
need another person for that. Get him to sit (once he has
learned how) and get a friend to hold him. Walk away
from him telling him to stay, using your hand hold it up
firmly (doing this will make him realise that when you hold
your hand up in the future you want him to stay as well,
not just when you tell him to) then give it a few seconds
and let your friend release him, when he comes to you make
him sit and tell him how clever he is! Don’t forget to
reward him. While using this technique you are also teaching
your dog how to come to you as well, so don’t forget to say
"come" to him, not just his name.

When dogs are born they are like soft clay, they need
to be moulded and shaped. You can teach your dog from any
age and the younger you start the easier it is. Like they say:
you can't teach an old dog new tricks!!!

*************************************************
Ron learned the importance of dog training through his
own experience with four loyal canine companions -
Peter (Golden Cocker Spaniel), Chow Mein (Pekinese)
and Bindy & Cindy (Golden Retrievers):
http://www.squidoo.com/freedogtraininginfo

Free resources on training your Golden Retriever:
http://www.squidoo.com/goldenretrieverdogtraining


********************************************

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

D.I.Y. Dog Training

Do-It-Yourself dog training - simple, step by step
ebooks and audios that show you how to train your dog.
Practical guidance to help you regain control, overcome
aggressive behaviour and learn basic dog obedience
training. Learn the tricks of training your dog and
develop a new positive relationship.

SitStayFetch Dog Obedience Program

SitStayFetch helps you overcome 25 dog obedience
problems
. Designed to achieve quick results with
specific dog behavior problems. Put an end to the
stress and frustration that dog disobedience causes
you. Start right now to make yourself and your dog
a whole lot happier.

Herbal and Homeopathic Remedies for Dogs

Natural remedies to overcome emotional and
psychological problems of your dog
. Powerful
herbal and homeopathic remedies for dogs and their
physical ailments.

*******************************************

Kennel Training for Your Dog

Controversy surrounds dog kennel training. It is important
not to kennel your dog for the wrong reasons as this
reinforces inappropriate behavior. Identifying the problem is
the first step but you need to know how to proceed from there
or you will undo all your good work.

Article

There is great controversy about dog kennel training.
Many believe that cages, kennels and crates are today’s
answer to quick convenient punishment. Although not as
much controversy as there is about dog collars that choke
a dog and give them electric shocks. Many dogs find
comfort in their own place and some find quite strange
places to call their own- the washing basket, the tumble
drier, the bottom drawer…..

When dog kennel training you must ensure that you do
not put your dog in there when he has been bad as
tempting as it may be. Also dogs can’t be in the kennel for
more than four hours due to the fact that they will need
to stretch and need to the toilet. Many dogs start to feel
uncomfortable after four hours and then they begin to
get anxious. Sometimes the kennel isn’t the godsend some
think it is. A lot of people aren’t using kennels properly
and therefore end up with more problems then they had
started with.

You firstly need to identify the problem that you are using
dog kennel training for, it is for housebreaking? Chewing?
Making a mess? Once you have identified the problem you
then need to utilize the cage to your advantage. All dogs
should feel at home when they enter their cage. Food and
water should always be available to them and comfortable
bedding. For chewing problems chew toys should be available
in the kennel and no where else and if he is caught chewing
show him his chew toy instead don’t shout at him.

Housebreaking is a little bit harder. Most dogs will not do
their business where they sleep. So once you notice your
dog start to get uncomfortable in his kennel take him out
and let him do his business, once he has praise him and
continue to repeat. Dog kennel training needs a lot of
attention and probably aimed at dogs that are very
stubborn and hard to train.

You may think caging up a dog is cruel but in truth its not,
what happened to us when we were small? We were left
in our cot or playpen to play, that is what you are doing
to your dog, nothing cruel or inhumane just practical.
Kennels are a little bit expensive to buy so make sure
that you want to follow dog training kennels methods
to the end before purchasing one.


*************************************************
Ron learned the importance of dog training through his
own experience with four loyal canine companions -
Peter (Golden Cocker Spaniel), Chow Mein (Pekinese)
and Bindy & Cindy (Golden Retrievers):
http://www.squidoo.com/freedogtraininginfo

Free resources on how to train your Golden Retriever:
http://www.squidoo.com/goldenretrieverdogtraining


********************************************

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

D.I.Y. Dog Training

Do-It-Yourself dog training - simple, step by step
ebooks and audios that show you how to train your dog.
Practical guidance to help you regain control, overcome
aggressive behaviour and learn basic dog obedience
training. Learn the tricks of training your dog and
develop a new positive relationship.

SitStayFetch Dog Obedience Program

SitStayFetch helps you overcome 25 dog obedience
problems
. Designed to achieve quick results with
specific dog behavior problems. Put an end to the
stress and frustration that dog disobedience causes
you. Start right now to make yourself and your dog
a whole lot happier.

Herbal and Homeopathic Remedies for Dogs

Natural remedies to overcome emotional and
psychological problems of your dog
. Powerful
herbal and homeopathic remedies for dogs and their
physical ailments.

*******************************************

Behavior Training for Your Dog

Dog behavior training can overcome problems such
as biting, chewing and barking. This article addresses
these problems and offers dog training hints to help
you avoid the undesirable consequences of poor dog
behavior. Dog training becomes increasingly important
now that there are stricter laws about keeping a dog.

Article

Does your dog keep you and your neighbors awake
all night with his constant barking? Is his nipping and
biting a matter of concern to you? Do the only items left
in your house that he hasn't chewed actually belong to him
and were given to him for the purpose of chewing? If you
answered yes to all or even one of these questions it may
be time to invest in some dog behavior training.

With regard to the barking problem - if you shout at him,
he will only respond with a louder bark. Take a look at
what may be causing him to bark in the first place. Is he
afraid? Is there someone hanging about outside? Is he
barking because he is happy? If there is no apparent
reason then he is barking because he is unaware that
it is wrong to do so and this is where dog behavior training
comes into play. There are several products on the market
to stop dogs constantly barking, one of which is a collar
that gives the dog just the smallest possible electric shock
when they bark, telling them that their behavior is
unacceptable.

With the recent tightening of the laws about keeping
a dog, biting is a habit you need to quickly bring to an end.
If your dog should bite someone other than you, you have
a serious problem on your hands and a possible outcome
is that you may be required to put your dog to sleep.
Therefore, showing him he must not bite is probably one
of the most important training exercises you will ever have
to teach your dog. You need to be firm and totally
unswayable. The reason dogs nip or bite you when playing
is because this is how dogs play, with their mouths. So the
next time your dog attempts to nip you, stroke him with
one hand whilst offering him something you don't mind him
biting, like one of his toys, for example, with your other hand.
It will not take long before he realizes that biting your hand
is not an option. Repeat this training for however long it takes
to get him to understand he must not do this.

Experienced dog owners know all about the need for
dog training, but it is a brand new subject for someone who
has just taken on their first dog and they will need all the help
they can get. Getting your hands on good dog training
resources, such as videos, CD's or e-books is a good way to
speed up the training of your dog. Most of all remember you
are not the only one who has a dog who does not behave
perfectly. The key, of course, is finding out how to improve
your dog's behavior and putting an end to all the unnecessary
barking and biting and chewing things that do not belong to him.


*********************************************
Article written by Ron Passfield. Ron learned the importance
of dog training through his own experience with four loyal
canine companions - Peter (Golden Cocker Spaniel),
Chow Mein (Pekinese) and Bindy & Cindy (Golden Retrievers):
http://www.squidoo.com/freedogtraininginfo

Gte your free Golden Retriever training resources:
http://www.squidoo.com/goldenretrieverdogtraining


********************************************

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

D.I.Y. Dog Training

Do-It-Yourself dog training - simple, step by step
ebooks and audios that show you how to train your dog.
Practical guidance to help you regain control, overcome
aggressive behaviour and learn basic dog obedience
training. Learn the tricks of training your dog and
develop a new positive relationship.

SitStayFetch Dog Obedience Program

SitStayFetch helps you overcome 25 dog obedience
problems
. Designed to achieve quick results with
specific dog behavior problems. Put an end to the
stress and frustration that dog disobedience causes
you. Start right now to make yourself and your dog
a whole lot happier.

Herbal and Homeopathic Remedies for Dogs

Natural remedies to overcome emotional and
psychological problems of your dog
. Powerful
herbal and homeopathic remedies for dogs and their
physical ailments.

*******************************************

Friday, April 11, 2008

Basic Dog Training - sit and heel


Photo credit: I Got My CGC (Certified Good Citizen) by Laertes on Flickr


“How does your dog sit when you tell him to and mine doesn’t?",
“How can your dog heel to you like that?", “Wow! He comes when
you tell him to” - Sounds familiar? If it does, you need to
invest some time into a little bit of basic dog training.

Starting to train your dog from a young age is crucial as the
first few months of his life is when you will have the greatest
influence on him; this is where he is shaped into the dog he
is going to be when he is all grown up.

The most basic of dog training is to get your dog to sit and come.
Teaching him those commands are essential for him to learn.
These commands are used for various different reasons, if you are
in competition, if your dog jumps making him sit will immediately
get him off and "come" is the all important one. If you take your
dog for a walk, you let him of the leash and you expect him to
come back to you, not run around the park with you chasing after
him shouting at him to “get here right this instance”. That would
be just down right embarrassing!

To teach your dog how to come requires only the most basic of
techniques but a lot of repetition. The simplest way to get him
to come is have a toy in one hand and a treat in the other, when
you are in the house simply walk away from him, hold out the toy
and excitingly call him to you, when he comes over give him a treat,
always use the command for come that you are going to use in the
future. Doing this several times a day is a great way to teach him,
but remember to have lots of long breaks so he doesn’t get bored
and stop enjoying it, and don’t forget the treats!

Getting him to sit could be a slight bit harder but again only
requires basic dog training. When you have mastered the come
command call him to you, place your hand on the end of his back
and say "sit" while gently pushing down on his backside, when he
sits his bottom down give him a treat and a lot of praise. If you
want him to sit longer just delay giving him the treat and the
praise, get him to sit but take your time bending down to him
and feeding him his tit bit.

Basic dog training is simple and very effective. It should also
be fun for you and your dog, it doesn’t have to be hours and
hours each day just may be 5 minutes or so. Don’t forget to
reward your dog and yourself for all the “hard” work though!!

*************************************************
Ron learned the importance of dog training through his
own experience with four loyal canine companions -
Peter (Golden Cocker Spaniel), Chow Mein (Pekinese)
and Bindy & Cindy (Golden Retrievers):
http://www.squidoo.com/freedogtraininginfo

Get your FREE Golden Retriever training resources here:
http://www.squidoo.com/goldenretrieverdogtraining


********************************************

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

D.I.Y. Dog Training

Do-It-Yourself dog training - simple, step by step
ebooks and audios that show you how to train your dog.
Practical guidance to help you regain control, overcome
aggressive behaviour and learn basic dog obedience
training. Learn the tricks of training your dog and
develop a new positive relationship.

SitStayFetch Dog Obedience Program

SitStayFetch helps you overcome 25 dog obedience
problems
. Designed to achieve quick results with
specific dog behavior problems. Put an end to the
stress and frustration that dog disobedience causes
you. Start right now to make yourself and your dog
a whole lot happier.

Herbal and Homeopathic Remedies for Dogs

Natural remedies to overcome emotional and
psychological problems of your dog
. Powerful
herbal and homeopathic remedies for dogs and their
physical ailments.

*******************************************