Old Dog, New Trick: Teaching Your Older Dog Not to Bark
August 4, 2008 | 2 Comments
Many people believe the old saying “You can`t teach an old dog new tricks. Fortunately, when it comes to old dogs that bark, you CAN teach them new tricks. Obviously, it is easier to train a puppy not to bark than it is an elderly dog, but this doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
Whether you have raised your dog from a puppy and missed teaching him to be quiet along the way or are getting an older dog from a friend or even the local pound, it`s important to teach your canine friend some dog obedience and not to bark needlessly.
Why Dogs Bark
There are several reasons why your dog is barking and not all of them are bad. While you don’t want the steady barking of a nervous animal, you certainly will want your pet to let you know if there is an intruder or if someone needs help. Understanding the method behind the madness will give you a far better chance of training your dog the right way.
Fear: Is your dog afraid of thunder? Perhaps he barks only around strange men, like the mail carrier. This is quite common, but it doesn’t need to be permanent. Letting dogs have a safe place to retreat to can really help with this type of barking issue. A safe spot to curl up with a favorite toy and a treat will help your dog relax and keep busy for a bit.
Lack of attention: Dogs are social creatures and they often live to please their humans. If you are out of the house for long periods of time, you dog is probably suffering from separation anxiety. To help him get over this, be sure to take him with you sometimes and to take it slowly. For example, just go outside the door for five or ten minutes while leaving some treats and new toys for your dog.
Boredom: Your dog could be barking simply for something to do. If you notice that your canine pal is extra active, scratching at the door or chasing silly things, chances are he needs something better to do. Giving your dog a chore will help him feel happy and useful and will get rid of that bark. Teach him a new trick or play fetch in order to keep him busy. New toys can also be used.
Change: Some dogs are more sensitive to change than others and if there has been a recent move, death in the family or other drastic change, your older dog may be barking for this reason. In this case, it is often a matter of letting your pet become accustomed to the new situation. If there is someone missing, it can be helpful to give your dog a piece of their clothing.
Teaching an Older Dog Not to Bark
Dogs that are over five years may be a little more difficult to train not to bark, especially if this is not a recent development. Many pet owners have unintentionally taught their dogs to bark by responding to them when they make noise, often from the time they are puppies. This just lets the dog know that if he wants attention, he only needs to start barking.
Patience will go a long way in teaching your older dog not to bark. Since this is an ingrained response, the longer your dog has been barking, the longer it will take for him to unlearn the behavior. Rewarding good behavior and teaching the command, ?Quiet? will help you get your dog to understand that barking isn’t a good thing to do. Over time this dog training will improve your relationship with your dog. Most dogs are happy to please their humans and once they realize that you want the behavior to stop, they will usually attempt to comply. Again, patience is key.
Reviews On Dog Training Books
July 20, 2008 | 2 Comments
Nobody likes a badly behaved dog. The dog owner is embarassed and passers by and visitors hate being troubled by a nuisance dog even if it not actually a dangerous dog.
You can do your own dog training or you can employ someone else to train your dog for you but it is far more rewarding and certainly a lot cheaper to train your dog yourself. This will also help create a bond between you and your dog that will never leave either one of you.
There are dog training classes available in most areas and this might be an option you want to consider. You will need to start training at the start of the course and that may not be for a while and you will need to go regularly each week with your dog for the weekly sessions.
When you are training your dog it is important to praise your dog when your dog is responding well to your instruction. If he, or she, does really well gives lots of praise and a little treat.
When you demonstrate to your dog how pleased with him, you are by telling him what a good boy he is and patting him and having fun with him it makes him happy. He will remember how happy he felt when he did things right and will try extra hard next time to do everything just right.
Having a pocket full of dog treats can help with your dog training. When your dog has done what you commanded particularly well give him a dog treat as an extra bonus for doing so well. He will remember and learn that by trying really hard to do as required he might earn an extra treat.
Avoid hitting or yelling at your dog as this is counter productive because all it does is confuse and upset him. Praise when he does well and just remain calm and quiet when things don’t go so well. Be gentle yet firm. Speak gently when you issue a command but do it in firm way. You must show him you are the boss but always show him your affection.
Short regular training sessions will be much more productive than occasional long and tiring lessons. Try to have a short training lesson each day and just focus on one command or action. Keeping your dog alert and happy will help him to learn much faster.
How To Train A Dog To Sit
July 19, 2008 | 1 Comment
Learning how to train a dog to sit is an important task for any new dog owner. Training can begin as soon as the puppy is in his new home. While it may not seem important to teach this to your puppy right off the bat, it is a cornerstone to developing a relationship with your dog. Here are some steps on how to train a dog to sit.
1. The first step is to get your puppy to sit on his own. Be observant and whenever you see him about to sit, say the word ’sit’; eventually he will come to associate the word with his action. This method is also useful in other areas of training.
2. Now comes the training part. Take his favorite treat and hold it in your hand. Make sure that it is small enough that the puppy can swallow it fast.
3. Get down to your puppies level. You will appear less threatening to the dog if you are on his level. More importantly, you can reward him faster if you’re sitting on the floor.
4. Get your dog to sit on his own by moving the treat over the puppy’s head in a very slow movement. He will get him to follow its movement with he’s nose because of the smell it emits. By doing so, he’ll have two choices: He could back up, or he could just sit down. Considering that sitting down is the easiest thing to do, he will do just that.
5. The instant the dog sits, say “sit” and offer the treat. The timing of the reward is the most important part of training. It must be given exactly when the dog does the behavior you want.
6. Sometimes rewards can be more than just treats so the next step is to praise him. Show joy with your voice and your body language.
7. These steps can be repeated about three to five times. Don’t do more than that because they you will take the fun out of it. Although, those same steps can be repeated at different intervals throughout the day.
8. Now try the same thing but standing up. See if you can get the dog to sit without the aid of a treat. When he does, heap on the praise. Be sure that you never punish him if he does not sit, but wait patiently for him to sit and then praise him.
Next, you should strengthen the word so that the dog sits regardless of any distractions. This is a never ending process and you should not cease training. Every new situation should be used to train him. Use new people, new dogs, and new surroundings as training opportunities.
Learning how to train a dog to sit on command is not that difficult. Start when your dog is a puppy and, not only will you teach it to sit, but you will find that they love to do other tricks with you as well. By training your dog as a puppy, you will get the dog used to hearing its own name, acting on your command, and being an active participant for other activities. This will get your dog use to having you in charge and make the dog more secure in being part of your family!
Small Dog Training Techniques
July 11, 2008 | 2 Comments
One of the most effective dog training techniques smaller dogs is reward training. Because choke collars and other aggressive forms of training are ineffective with small breeds like Poodles, Pugs and the Pomeranian due to their small physical stature, reward training has been commonly used as an alternative.
The use of reward training for your pet is an effectivr way of teaching obedience and good behavior. This training technique is use by both the police and military in training their dogs to perform various actions. It is also used by those who train animals for TV and movies. Reward training is a great way to teach all dogs whether they are a family pet or a working dog.
It’s pretty clear from the name that this type of training is based on giving some kind of a reward as a response for obedient behavior. However, the reward doesn’t have to be an actual thing even a pat or or a “good boy” can make your dog feel special.
Your dog can learn to do practically anything using these dog training techniques. Just remember to stay within the prescribed guidelines when training your dog towards the desired result, and to give him his reward as soon as he has done the job right.
For example, the best and easy way to teach your dog to sit is by way of dangling the treat above his head and gradually moving it towards his back until he sits on his own. Do this process while saying the command “sit”, and then commend and reward him right after he sits. Your dog will easily relate the command “sit” to the action of sitting and the treat that goes with it.
If you want to train your dog without the use of voice commands, then you can take advantage of the reward training method known as clicker training. With this method, a clicker is used (usually along with hand signals) to communicate the desired task to the dog. Just like with a voice command, once the dog performs the task he is rewarded with the treat. Over time, the clicker is all that will be necessary for the dog to respond.
You can teach your dog new tricks with decoy training. This is when you get the dog to perform the task naturally on his own (such as with the “sit” example used earlier). Once he has completed the trick, remember to reward him. This technique, widely used in the entertainment industry, does not require a trainer handler.
Smaller dogs respond well to a rewards based dog training techniques. This method allows you to bond with your dog and avoids harsher methods which might harm your four legged friend. Using this type of rewards based training, you can both enjoy your training sessions!
Dog Training Uncovered
July 10, 2008 | 2 Comments
Training your dog is no easy task; any pet owner can tell you that. While many dogs are very eager to please their owners, the bottom line is that they really don’t always understand what it is that you are saying and they have very, very short attention spans. These factors can make things difficult for even the most patient of owners, but before you are tempted to throw in the towel, let us consider some simple and basic dog training aids that you can use to help you along the way.
One of the best dog training aids that you can employ is to emphasize rewarding your dog for what he or she does right rather than simply punishing your dog when he or she does something wrong. Dogs crave attention and approval from their owners and will do just about anything to get it. If you want your dog to learn potty training, reward her when she goes in the right spot in the yard just as much as you scold her for going anywhere else. Many people neglect to include this positive reinforcement as part of their dog training aids arsenal, but that approval and affection can go a long way toward getting your dog to do what you want her to do!
There are some actual items you can purchase that can be used as dog training aids and some are more effective than others. Choke collars and chains are being discarded by dog training experts as not only abusive but downright ineffective. However, a good leash and a sturdy collar can be counted as dog training aids because dogs will respond to their owner when he gives them a slight tug. This shouldn’t be anything that would hurt the dog, just a gentle reminder of how she needs to respect a stranger’s boundary, when she needs to stop barking, and so on. Some may also want to add a muzzle to their list of dog training aids, but these should be used sparingly and only in certain situations. Some dogs just will not stop barking no matter what you do, and keeping in mind that barking is just a part of their instinct the way humans have an instinct to talk to one another, an owner may not be able to do anything other than muzzle their dog when she’s out in the yard or if the dog is kept in an apartment where the neighbors may be bothered.
Another weapon in your arsenal of dog traing aids is the good old fashioned grooming brush. Most dogs just love the time when they are groomed, and they also love having a toy to play with. Give them a chewy top and you will keep them happy for hours, and they won’t be looking to chew the furniture or get up to mischief. Another basic aid is you, yes, your playing with your dog is not only great fun for both of you, but it will make sure that he or she has little energy left to get into trouble. It does not cost anything to play, so make sure you do.
Let me say in conclusion a few words about the bathing of your dog which although at first sight might seem rather an onerous task, can actually be quite enjoyable for both of you. Treat it as a training excercise, and in time you both will come to look forward to it. Number one priority is to make sure you use only shampoo designed for dogs,do not be tempted to use your own shampoo, and then complete the excercise by useing a conditioner which again must be designed for dogs. Have fun, and your dog will enjoy it too.
Positive Dog Training Produces Faster Results
July 9, 2008 | Leave a Comment
When using a positive dog training approach, one must be sure to keep in mind that this type of training is based on rewarding your dog for good behavior.
However, scolding your dog is something that needs to be done on occasion. While a positive approach is most effective, there are times when your pet needs scolding in order to distinguish right from wrong. Like humans, dogs respond better to positivity and frequent scolding will only serve to hinder his performance. It is extremely important to know when to use each during training.
Be prepared to reward your dog each time he performs well during the training process. Orders that are obeyed such as sit, stay and fetch should be rewarded each time the task is performed.
You can reward your do in many different ways- treats, rubbing his belly, patting on the head or praises and kind words.
Your dog really wants to know that he is making you happy, and this is why a positive dog training approach is most effective. However, don’t keep on giving him treats when he doesn’t listen to what you say.
Don’t ever be harsh with your dog unless there truly isn’t any other alternative. Only such behaviors as growling, chewing things up, or pulling on the leash justify a reprimand.
Something that you will need to remember is that if you don’t catch him doing something, you mustn’t scold him for it. If you do, he will have no idea why he is getting into trouble. The dog will get your point with a short yet sharp “no!” or “bad dog!”
Be crisp and quick when your scold, being sure to maintain an angry and condemning tone. If you scold too frequently, your dog will end up ignoring you. You should never hit the dog, this will only lead to problems in the future.
If you are using a positive dog training method, one important thing to remember is when you should scold and when you should praise. Remember, your pet has just begun learning, and is trying. So be patient with your new friend. With a loving and understanding approach, your dog will find training easy and it will be a wonderful experience for both you and your dog.
Start With These Basic Dog Training Techniques
July 8, 2008 | Leave a Comment
The easiest way to successfully train your dog is always to start with some basic dog training techniques. Still not fully understood, the relationship between man and his best friend goes back in time many years. Although many people will say that humans are smarter than dogs, after carefully watching you might wonder if your dog still might have the edge!
dogs interact with the world differently than humans do. While they understand and respond to people about the same way a two-year-old would there are major differences in how they experience reality. The sensory differences include a highly sensitive sense of smell as well as the differences in responding to the visual stimulus of reds and greens. An understanding of these differences will help reduce human frustration and misbehavior by the dog.
Dogs are naturally pack animals. They are descendants of the wolf which is a social animal and functions best with interactive play and a strict hierarchy. The idea of the ‘lone wolf’ seems out of character based on the social habits of the wolf.
Beginning training at a young age is best, even four weeks is old enough depending on the breed. Devote a half hour, or better yet an hour, each day for training during the first few months.
While housebreaking your dog is a bit more complicated (and we will discuss this in another article), there are a few basic dog training techniques that all training should follow.
When training your dog, you want to make it clear that you are the dominant one as early as possible. Dogs are pack animals by nature, and every pack has a natural pecking order. The top dog is the alpha. It is followed by the beta dog and so on. If you want sanity in your household and you want a happy dog who knows where he stands, you need to step up and be the alpha of his pack.
The ease with which this is done depends largely on the breed of your dog, as well as the individual temperament of your dog. Just like people, some dogs act more assertively than others. Tools like leashes, collars, commands, and other training material are nice to have but the thing that influences successful training is your dog’s attitude. Don’t allow him to take charge of you.
This does not mean that you need to be dominating by using your physical strength, although you may need to when it is appropriate. Most of the time a firm hand and patience to wait for the dog to comply is all that is needed.
For puppies, try placing them into a position of submission when they are still young. Roll them onto their backs, and put your hand firmly in the middle of the chest. When they lower their paws, this signals a sigh of submission. You can go further by placing your face directly in front of theirs, emulating dominant dog behavior.
In the beginning it is best to keep the dog on a short leash to help curb the dog’s inherent desire to run and scamper. Time to run freely is an important component of a dog’s health and well-being, but, at the outset, this should only be allowed prior to or after the training, instead of during the session.
Use single word commands like sit, stay, down, in a firm tone. Always keep your voice the same or each command but make sure each of the different commands sounds different to your dog. You should avoid using double-word commands like ’sit down’ or ’stay down’ as these words are similar and can confuse your dog.
A constant tone, look and hand sign should be included with every verbal command. Later we can separate them, but initially it is important to offer simplest and most stable type of communication.
Remember that dogs have a word understanding roughly equal to a toddler so you need to keep your meanings simplistic. For example, don’t use the verbal command “Down” to mean lay down as well as to indicate not to jump. This will just confuse your dog - stick to 1 meaning per word.
Using these basic dog training techniques, along with a firm hand, some patience and a lot of love will help you have a happy and obedient pet for life!
Finding a Certified Dog Trainer
July 4, 2008 | Leave a Comment
All dog owners know just how amazing these animals can be. They love to run, play ball and stretch out on your lap and just relax. They will run and play with you or stand and protect you. dogs love all the attention you can spare and more. They can fill your life with excitement and lots of pleasure. They are there for you when you are happy and sad. So why use a certified dog trainer. Even with all the great features that your beloved pet has to offer they can still benefit from the qualities that one of these trainers has to offer.
To spite all the great character possessed by these loving animals they can be quite stubborn. This is why certified dog trainer qualities can make a significance difference when it comes to teaching your dog obedience. They have the patience, kindness and firmness that are needed to teach your pet how to behave. Their qualities include having confidence and they understand what your dog needs to learn what they are teaching. All breeds of dogs learn in different ways, so what will work for one, will not be so great for another. A certified dog trainer can tell which method will work the best. They will also put the safety of your dog before all else.
A good dog trainer is one who appears cool and relaxed and lets the dog progress at its own pace.
Finding a certified dog trainer means finding one with enough experience to provide your pet with the best training possible. You can depend on their performance and know that your pet is in good hands. They keep up with all the latest research and take time to study and understand all the new findings that are being released. They will perform in a professional manner and always be honest in all areas of their profession. You won’t have to worry about your dog while he or she is in their care, because with the qualifications that these trainers have they will take good care of your beloved pet.
Certified dog trainer qualities will help to improve your overall dog’s behavior. You will find that they get along with humans and other dogs better than ever before. If you tell them to sit you will only have to say it once. You can tell them to stay and not worry if they will listen or run off at the first opportunity they get. Having your beloved pet disobey your commands will be a thing of the past. Your dog will be a lot healthier and happier when they are trained properly. You will be able to enjoy all the benefits of having a wonderful dog for a companion without the stress that many people have to endure.
Potty Training Your New Dog
July 4, 2008 | Leave a Comment
It’s a joy to have a puppy around. A puppy is cute, furry and squiggly all at the same time. However, taking in a new puppy would mean more responsibility for you as its care taker. That alright anyway a lot of people say that potty training a pet is easiest when they are young. Unlike if you are training an adult, there are some behaviors that need to be unlearned. So how exactly do you train your puppy? First, timing and routine are important. You need to setup a regular schedule for your little dog. How do you do that? Read more for you to know how to potty train your puppy.
I shall start by explaining the basics to you. You should first consider the age of your puppy. A puupy which is at least three months old is ready for potty training and learn about cleanup.
First rule: Regular meals. Why? By having regular meals, you can take your pet out after he/ she has finished eating the meals. By having these specific times, you can make you dog more disciplined. Say no to irregular meals and late night whimpers!
Second Rule: Do not overfeed your pet while taking him for a walk. Only feed and give your puppy a little water. As much as possible, do not give water to your puppy two hours before sleeping. Trust me, it will save you the trouble of having to wake up in the middle of the night to clean up unnecessary mess.
Third Rule: After playing with your puppy, you can now bring him outdoors with you on a leash. This would give your puppy a hint that it’s time to relieve himself.
Fourth Rule: When you bring your puppy out to relieve itself, always bring it to the same spot so that is is able to recognize the spot where it should relieve itself.
Fifth Rule: You can use a word that would cue your puppy to relieve himself on your command. They will recognize that specific word as a command soon enough.
Last: I am sure you like rewards. Well, same goes for you puppy too. You should reward or praise your puppy if he relieves himself outside or followed your instructions on potty training.
With potty training, sometimes accidents happen. In case these accidents occur, here are some suggestions on how you can best deal with them.
If you catch your pet relieving itself at a place it is not supposed to, firstly, you should not scream or yell. Gently nudge your pet to go outside and after this continue the reward thing by praising your puppy.
I am sure it is frustrating seeng the mess left behind by your pet but you need to stay calm and clean up the mess. After that you should continue the potty training routine that you have made up. After cleaning put the soiled cleaning materials outdoors or where your puppy usually relieves himself, making it easier for your pet to recognize where he should go in the future.
So, there you have it. All you need to do now is to stick to the routine that you have drawn out for your puppy. Trust me, with some patience you puppy will be very well discipline. Good luck!
Permanently Training Your Dog
July 4, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Owning a dog is probably among the best experiences a human being could possibly have. It can also become a nightmare if you let the dog behave in anyway it wants. Bad habits are easily developed, and dogs are no different to children in this aspect. You’ll have to train the dog to cooperate with you, whether it’s feeding, walking, playing, sleeping or toilet training.
Having a well-trained dog can be a great pleasure, but getting there is not very easy. It is a journey that you and your dog have to make together - trite as that sounds, it is true. First of all, make sure that everybody in the family has something to do with the dog, and is familiar with it.
Next, make sure that everybody agrees on exactly what the dog’s role is going to be. There are a few questions that need to be settled - where will the dog sleep, what are the places in the house the dog is not allowed in, when will the dog be fed, where will it be fed, who will take it for walks? For the dog to develop an attachment for everybody in the house, and the other way round, it is a good idea to involve everybody in these things.
Once all the details are worked out, stick to it and make a routine out of it all. Dogs are habitual creatures and when they know what’s to be expected, they are more secure and happy.
The dog’s feeding times are significant to it’s proper training. While an odd treat is alright, don’t encourage it. Appoint fixed times for everything. Having a fixed schedule is the best way to train a dog correctly, because the moment you deviate from the routine, none of the messes can be blamed on the dog.
After the fundamentals are established and the dog is properly trained accordingly, you can move on to teaching it simple tricks and improve its obedience. Give the dog a treat when it does something right and shower some praise.
Every time your dog does something right, encourage and pet it, and let it know that it did something right.
A dog will make mistakes during the training period, but don’t lose your temper at that. You can’t train a gentle loving creature like a dog by putting in fear to it, so focus on treating it with love and respect and you’ll have a well-trained dog forever.