Dog Training Basics

Archive for December, 2009

Are you seeing the signs of dog separation in your pet?

Does he display unusual behavior like destroying your furniture or barking too loudly for no reason?

What really is separation anxiety?

Separation anxiety is a case wherein a dog gets stressed out whenever his master leaves him alone; typical signs of separation anxiety are frequent whining, pacing, chewing furniture, scratching wooden doors, raucous behavior that involves frequent barking and many more.

These are clear signs that your dog is suffering from stress and loneliness and these activities are their way of venting out to relieve the pressure.

Ideas to help deal with seperation anxiety:

Separation Anxiety in Dogs

• Spend more time with your pets

Dogs that experience separation anxiety can’t heal themselves, as their owner you have the responsibility to tend for them and make them well.

In preventing dog separation anxiety, it is important that you spend more time with your dog; this extra attention will make him feel loved.

• Give him a space of his own

Dogs that suffer dog separation anxiety want to be beside their masters at all times, they are very clingy and will follow their owners wherever they go.

You are not going to be able to spend an unlimited amount of time with your dog so changes will need to be made.

You can help your dog gain maturity and develop independence by setting up specific area wherein he can play and spend time alone.

Give your dog regular attention. This will show your dog that there is a proper time and place for everything.

• Train your dog

Dogs love to train; it gives him a notion that he shares a secure relationship with his owner as it enjoys having physical interaction.
Do some regular training routines; not only is it fun, it will also bring you closer to each other and will help your dog become confident and obedient, a key ingredient for a better relationship with your pet.

Canine Separation Anxiety

• Treat your dog with respect

One way of showing respect to your dog is to offer him a quick but meaningful goodbye.

Don’t exaggerate your goodbyes though; sad and over-sentimental goodbyes are very unnecessary and will only worsen your pet’s anxiety levels.

Make partings short, simple and quick.

No matter how frustrated you are never yell or be violent to your dog.

You should take into account that the problem is your dog’s anxiety and not the dog itself; most owners resort to violence and maltreatment but these methods just worsen the dog’s condition.

Dog Training Advice

When it comes to dog training, crate training is a safe, effective, and humane way to go.  It is as far from animal abuse as you can get.  Crate training owners are not negligent in any way, as is often the criticism.  They simply want the best for their dogs, and they recognize that crate training is a great method for teaching a variety of desired behaviors. 

Dogs crave security and tend to like spaces of their own.  When you use a crate, you are providing a feeling of safety and a great den.  In addition, they can be immeasurably helpful when it comes to curbing excessive chewing and trying to housetrain your pet.

Small dens have sheltered dogs for time immemorial.  Dogs feel safe and protected, and crates recreate this feeling.  It is as important for dogs to have their own space as it is for humans.

Because of this, your dog will be much less anxious when you are away from home. You will return home to find a happy dog instead of chewed on furniture. 

When you are away from home for short periods of time, you can put your dog in his crate.  Soon, you’ll find that he is less anxious and displays far fewer undesired behaviors even when he is not in his crate. Your dog will progress to the point where going into the crate when you’re gone or sleeping is optional.  But you may be surprised to find that your dog wants to go into his little space.

Because dogs are so resistant to soiling their own sleeping area, crates can help with the housetraining process.  If left in their crates for small increments, they will develop greater control over their bladders and bowels.  If you have a puppy, remember that they may be too young to hold it, so only keep them in the crate for little stints at a time. 

Puppies want to please you, but their bodies may not be developed enough yet.  When you keep your puppy in his crate at night and for periods during the day,  ample exercise will help with housetraining.  They need enough time and opportunities to relieve themselves.  They also need to stretch their legs and expend some energy. 

When training your dog, a crate can be your best ally.  If you use it correctly, you will help create a safe environment for your dog.  Do not use a crate as punishment, however.  It should be a safe haven, not a place for discipline. 

Here are some tips to get you started on your crate training process:

The first thing you need is a good crate, of course! You can choose from plastic or metal crates depending on your needs and preferences.  Whatever the material, make sure to choose one that is just big enough for your dog to turn around in. Learn puppy aggressive for more complete dog training.

If a dog has more space than that, he can create a separate area for going “to the bathroom.”  If he has room only for sleeping, the puppy housetraining process will be much more effective.

Now, you have to acclimate your pet to his new crate.  If you keep it in the living room or kitchen, he can feel free to explore it while not isolating himself from you and your family.  Keep the door open so he can come and go.  Don’t force him in at this point. 

Encourage your dog to get into his crate by guiding him in with a toy or treat.  If he learns to associate positive things like this with his crate, he will be more likely to use it and enjoy it.  Try feeding him next to it, and remember to praise him when he goes in. 

Allow him to explore and get used to the crate.  Then, you can guide him in and close the door.  He may whine to be let out, but have him stay in for a few minutes.  He needs to get used to it; you are not abusing him, you are teaching him.  Babies fuss when they are put into cribs – this is the same type of situation. They will adapt very quickly. 

Like babies, puppies will want to get out and return to you.  If you cave in with a baby, he won’t learn to sleep on his own.  If you give in to your pet, he won’t learn to stay in the crate.  Ultimately, it is very beneficial to him, so stick with it.  When he stops whining, you can let him out for a walk or some play time.  Start with several minutes of crate time and progress gradually.  Always take him for a walk or let him out to play before and after crate time. Get aware, puppy potty training to realize more favourable results.

If your dog is reluctant to go into his crate, try encouraging him with a treat.  Once in, leave him for a few minutes while you go into the next room.  Let your dog remain in the crate while you are out of sight.

After a period of about ten minutes, come back into the room.  You can sit or stand by the crate to let your dog know you are back.  Work on this until you are away for about thirty minutes at a time.  He’ll quickly become used to you being gone, and you can put him in his crate when you leave the house.

Dogs are very adaptable, especially when they find something enjoyable.  While you may have to work a little to get your dog into his crate, you may find that he really likes it.  Many dogs even go in on their own when they want some down time.  It is worth it to invest some time now because the benefits are so great for you both. For more dependable results try out sit stay fetch to facilitate your dog training efforts.

Crate training is one of the most effective ways to train your dog.  Some people think this is cruel to pets because it is like keeping them in a cage, or it is a result of an owner neglecting the pet. 

If used properly, though, crates provide a sense of security and safety for your dog.  They also help with puppy “potty” training and keeping your dog from making a mess of your home when you’re not there.

Dogs have lived in small dens for centuries.  Having a “den” of his own will help your dog feel safe and secure.  Everyone likes a place of their own – especially dogs.

This will help cut down on separation anxiety when you are not at home, which means you will not find chewed up shoes or furniture after being away. 

As your dog begins to feel more comfortable with your home and with you being away, you may feel confident in leaving the dog out while you’re gone.  Some dogs, though, actually prefer the crate. For more respectable results sample sit stay fetch to help your dog training efforts.

It helps with puppy potty training because dogs do not like to soil their sleeping areas.  They will learn to control their bladders and bowels while in the crate. To help with this, make sure you only have them in the crate for short periods while they are learning. 

They cannot hold their bladders for that long when they’re puppies.  They should be in at night and while you are away from home.  Make sure you have a regular schedule of walking and going outside so the dog learns when he can relieve himself and have a chance to play. 

A dog crate can be a great tool in training your pet – just never use it for punishment.  It can really help your dog feel secure and safe while you’re away.

So how do you get started with crate training?

First, choose a good crate.  They can be plastic or metal and should be only large enough for your dog to turn around in.  If it is too big, then the dog will have enough room to eliminate and then return to his sleeping area. For more skillful outcomes examine puppy aggressive to aid your dog training efforts. 

For crate training to effectively help potty train your pet, he needs room only to sleep because dogs won’t soil their sleeping areas. 

Next, start introducing your dog to the crate.  If you keep it somewhere central, like the living room, he can go in and out while still being part of things.  Keep the door open and see if he starts to explore. 

Get him to go in by dropping treats or a favorite toy inside.  You can also try feeding your dog next to or in his crate so he will have good associations with it. 

Once he’s gone in and seems to feel comfortable, close the door.  He will probably whine to be let out.  This is perfectly normal – it just means he has to get used to it.  It’s like an infant being laid in a crib. 

They will whimper because they want to be picked up.  If you let your dog out, he’ll continue that behavior.  Stand firm and have him stay in there. Don’t let him out until he stops whining.  Start with short periods and let him out to play or walk.

At first, if your dog continues whining, you will have to encourage him to get in with a treat.  When he is in, sit by the crate for a few minutes.  Then go into another room for ten or so minutes. 

Come back and sit by the crate.  Do this until you are out of his site for about thirty minutes.  Once he’s used to this, you can start leaving him for short periods when you’re out of the house.

Your dog should adapt relatively quickly.  Most really like the comfort of the crate.  Your dog may take to it right away or may need a little extra training.  Be prepared to spend some time working at it because it really will help with his overall training. Take puppy potty training for improved dog training.

German Shepherd dogs are generally very intelligent and learn fast so german shepherd training can be easier than it is with some other breeds.

Click If you are looking for more indepth help on german shepherd training

You will find that german shepherd training will give you much more enjoyment if you start it whilst the dog is young. An older dog can however still be trained.

One of the common mistakes that can be made is to try and control in a manner that befits the eventual size of the dog. This is a bigger dog but just like any other needs sensitivity in handling and kindly treatment.

German shepherd training should start early. Your dog will get large so get him used to other folks and other dogs especially.

Appreciate that this is a working animal with a considerable ability.This is a dog with lots of energy and should not be punished for bad behavior but rewarded for good like any other breed. This is a dog that is used by the police and security forces because it is powerful but intelligent.

Use that intelligence constructively when you start german shepherd training. This is a big dog who will need lots of exercise and you can start training when exercising.

Knowing your dog is intelligent, you have to show him or her who is boss at an early stage. Establish that you are the leader and this is a big part of the battle.

There are a number of training techniques you can bear in mind when thinking about german shepherd training. One technique that seem to be successful is clicker training. You could also try german shepherd agility training as part of the method to give some variety to a dog that is easily bored.

Whilst you should have training daily, you can introduce small changes gradually if you find a particular technique isnt working. This is a dog that gets bored quickly but as an advantage to that it learns quickly so you can introduce variety if necessary.

Much more help on training german shepard”

More traditional methods can work well in german shepherd training, such as command and reward, getting your dog into the desired position such as sitting and rewarding accordingly whilst taking care not to reward the wrong behavior which is a common fault in this method

Bear in mind throughout that you should look at one method of training and try it out, then move gradually to another if it doesn’t seem to be working.

German shepherd training should include socialisation at an early stage preferably as a puppy. This will get to be a big dog so it is important. You should get your dog used to other dogs in particular and also to other humans including children.

Sometimes you can struggle to get the training right but remember this is a great dog and one of the easier techniques is german shepherd shepherd training.

Click If you are looking for more indepth help on dog training methods

Online Dog Training

Online dog training has become more and more popular recently, and it’s easy to see why.

I’m sure you remember just a few short years ago when the only option you had was to invest hundreds of dollars in a trainer, stacks of DVDs, or a library full of books if you wanted to train your dog properly.

But thanks to modern technology, that’s different now.

Now you don’t have to worry about spending hundreds or thousands of dollars with a private dog trainer, since you can get the same level of expertise online much cheaper. And what’s really great is that everything you need can be accessed right over the Web.

But, not all online dog training classes are created equal.

Here are a few factors that you should think about whenever you are deciding between competing online dog training sites. In just a minute you are going to see exactly where to access one of the top online dog training courses, but first let’s cover this.

First, we need to cover a few of the major points you should consider…

1.The Skill and Expertise of the Trainer. Of course this is obvious, but it’s so important that I really want to reiterate the point. The biggest factor has to be the trainer — is the trainer who actually developed the course someone who can produce results in the real world.

One thing that is really useful to know is if the person behind the course really trains dogs for a living. Can they point to a long list of credentials? Do their former or current clients supply them with testimonials that attest to the results they’ve gotten following the trainer’s advice?

2.What’s Included in the Course. And here’s something else it’s very important — many of the training courses that you’ll find online are nothing more than a hastily concocted collection of outdated e-books.

Now, bear in mind that it is definitely going to be difficult for you to master what you’re learning if all you’re getting is a book or e-book. In my opinion, you should always look for an online course that includes video, since it’s so much easier to follow the techniques when you can actually see them being performed.

The best courses will contain “live action” video of the trainer working with real dogs and demonstrating the techniques and how they work.

So all you have to do is model their behavior (that’s a nice way of saying, “copy what they’re doing”) to get the same outcome.

3. Interaction. I would also suggest that you try and find an online course that offers some level of interaction with the trainer.

Whenever you and your daughter learning something new, questions will invariably arrives that aren’t addressed in the course, no matter how good it is. If this should happen, it’s very useful to be able to contact the teacher and get personal answers to your questions.

Great, so now let’s get to what you’ve been waiting for, which is the link to a really outstanding online dog training course that satisfies all of the points mentioned above. Visit this online dog training entry on my blog, where you’ll learn about how to get access to a no-cost trial of the best obedience training that you’ll find on the Web.

And if you’re quick, there is a free dog training CD that you can also pick up just for checking out the site.

I hope you found this useful, and I look forward to hearing how you make out

One of the biggest problems encountered by the new dog owner is dog food aggression and other aggression problems. Shelters have behavioral tests and this is one of the most commonly failed. There are several reasons that a dog might express dog food aggression, and there are many things that you can do to work with him in order to change the outcome.

dog food aggression more help

If you have a puppy then start early with this. Let your puppy take the food but get him used to you taking the bowl away randomly.If he waits well for you to return it then give him praise. This can be dangerous with a bigger dog who is already aggressive so dont attempt it if your dog is already proving a problem.

If your pet has been in situations previously where it has met with abuse,then its dog food aggression might be understandable. It might be understandable but it still doenst mean that your dog should be allowed to continue getting aggressive with you and other dogs. If you see your dog getting tense around food when there are other people or dogs around, you should remove the food immediately and put procedures in place to deal with it.

Unacceptable behavior such as barking or aggression towards people is not ot be tolerated. Always feed your dog away from children and teach children the need to respect the dog’s space. Make feeding time a stress free time for the dog. You can make a start to cure dog food aggression if your dog knows that he is secure so take him to a quiet space and feed him small amounts of food several times a day.

Get rid of dog food aggression

Do not feed the dog table scraps or any other form of people food. Keep him away from meal time for the humans. He needs a direct distinction between his food and yours. Do not permit children to run around with food around the dog.

If he shows aggression, he must be stopped from eating. Correct him immediately by removing the food from him in a calm way but taking care.

Keep children and all people food away from the dog. If your dog is aggressive it is particularly important that he understands that the food your child is eating is not his. A child can often tease a dog quite unwittingly particularly at meal times so always supervise these times.

Make sure that you are not giving him mixed signals. The consequences of failing to deal with dog food aggression can be awful. You have to be the one to remain consistent and keep training him to behave for his food Over time you should start to notice that he understands that there is nothing for him to get worried about. If you are truly his leader, he will know that you will provide food for him

Get rid of dog food aggression

When initiating puppy housetraining, always keep in mind that until a puppy is 7 months old, its control over excretory functions is extremely limited. At least once per hour and possibly more often, it will have to relieve itself. After playing, eating and sleeping your puppy will have the urge to use its bowels. By keeping your puppy confined to a relatively small area lined with papers, it will not have the opportunity to make a mistake and necessitate a verbal reprimand. A puppy likes to keep its own bed clean and as a result will soil as far away as possible.

Take this cue and after it naps, eats or plays, place your pup on its papers, or outside in the yard. After your pup has successfully soiled where you have placed it, lavish it with sincere praise. Unconvincing praise doesn’t fool anyone, not even an eight week old puppy. People who have a limited house area, such as apartment dwellers, seem to be more successful due to necessity. It is not important where you live, the same rules apply to your dogs potty training.

Supervising your puppy at all times is required if you let it have the freedom of the whole house. Taking your pup out to the yard, or onto its papers has to be quick, if you see it lowering its head, sniffing and circling. When it relieves itself, praise is in order. Should you miss your pup’s signals and it soils inside, do not spank or rub its nose in it because it was your fault. A pup has a memory of a couple of seconds and if it soiled ten minutes before, it cannot relate your anger to its action that long ago and will not be able to understand why you are angry.

Such punishment does not fit the crime and will only encourage bad habits such as stool eating and thereby re-infestation with parasites. By all means show your pup what it has done, scold it and place it on the papers. Remember, the accident was your fault for not supervising it properly, or not being aware of its warning signals. Be sure that the soiled area is carefully cleaned, deodorized and disinfected as any remaining scent will prompt your pup to return to that very spot when the urge next hits it. If you do give your pup freedom of the whole house while it is learning potty habits, your time will be taken up following your pup to avoid accidents and could develop into housetraining problems.

For the older dog, paper training is generally superfluous. Regular outings, timed to coincide with its peak urgency periods, after meals, naps and play periods should accomplish this in short order. No matter what age your dog is, praise should never be forgotten when it does the right thing. These are the simple rules to puppy housetraining as you show how pleased you are with praise and affection and they reward you with good behavior as they want to please you, their leader.

Stop Dog Pulling on Leash

Are you one of those dog owners who has to deal with the incredibly frustrating behavior of a dog who refuses to listen to you on your walks — who pulls on the leash until you feel like your arm will be pulled off, rather than simply walking quietly by your side.

A dog pulling on leash is a definite signal that they think they are in charge and that you’re only there to follow their lead. As a result, they’ll often pay attention to squirrels, other dogs, new smells, bicycles, kids on skateboards…basically anything other than you.

This is a very common issue, but it’s also very easy to fix.

If at all possible, you should really try and watch videos of experienced trainers and watch what they do so you can repeat their techniques.

More on this shortly.

First, we need to go over three very easy fixes for your dog pulling on leash issue.

1. The Pack Leader Harness. It’s unfortunate, but pretty much all of the collars that are available today make this problem worse, because they basically encourage your dog to want to pull even harder.

You might want to try using something like a Pack Leader harness, which makes it much more easier to correct a dog who pulls on his leash than a typical collar or choke chain. This device fits around your dog’s body and applies pressure when you tug on the leash exactly where it needs to be to refocus your dog’s attention back on you.

This type of harness is easy to find online. Simply do a Google search and you should easily find places where you can get it.

2. Learn what you can about training with a clicker. Clickers are a great tool, kind of like the duct tape of dog training tools. It can be useful in correcting so many different unwanted behaviors in dogs, that I encourage you to take a look at this training method.

Simply put, you teach your dog to expect something good to happen when the clicker sounds. The great thing about this is that you can train your dog to instantly focus on you whenever he hears that clicker sound.

We don’t have a tremendous amount of space in this article to go through the ins and outs of clicker training, but there are plenty of resources where you can learn the basics.

When correcting leash pulling, a clicker is useful because you can use it to stop a dog who is focusing on something other than you, and redirect that energy back to you, his handler.

3. Food reards. Dog owners know that behavior can be influenced with the use of food treats. When using treats to stop a dog’s leash pulling problem, what you basically want to do is introduce the food to your dog, and then let the dog use his naturally powerful sense of smell to direct his attention and his movements in the direction you want.

It’s obviously a lot simpler if you can just watch this in action, so let’s get to that now.

Stopping a dog from pulling on the leash is actually a very simple process. I’ve demonstrated some of the exact techniques mentioned above on numerous TV shows, and would like to share a step-by-step video with you that shows you exactly how to correct this behavior in around 30 minutes or less.

Right now, check out this dog pulling on leash video on my blog, where you’ll find a full video that shows you how to use a pack leader harness, a clicker, or food rewards (or all three) to teach your dog to walk calmly right by your side and always pay attention to what you want her to do.

“Secrets to Dog Training” Summary

The work, “Secrets to Dog Training”, was written by a professional dog trainer. The book details dog training methods in an easy to understand way. With the help of the book, people can make their dogs more obedient. You can put and end to dog aggressiveness, mind, eliminate excessive barking, even deal with separation anxiety. Also, Importantly “Secrets to Dog Training” helps owners understand how to communicate with their pets. The program in “Secrets to Dog Training” helps people teach their dogs and keep them trained.

Click HERE To Check Out Secrets To Dog Training For Yourself

Review

I don’t think I’m the only one with a dog they love that can drive them absolutely crazy. I really thought I had a dog that could not be trained. He wouldn’t listen, he jumped on company, and he would chew on anything he could get his mouth on. Needless to say, it was frustrating. “Secrets to Dog Training” changed all that. I decided that “Secrets to Dog Training” would be my dog’s last chance with me.

Overview

When you have the “Secrets to Dog Training”, it is like having your own dog whisperer in your house. The program teaches people how to communicate with their dogs, and through communication, they change the behavior. 

The Benefits

I’m an animal lover and a pushover, and my dog always knew that. That’s why he was able to run the house over me. But I didn’t have to feel mean because “Secrets to Dog Training” taught me how to train my dog without being harsh. With this book I figured out that I could make my dog happier if I trained him and that he wouldn’t love me any less.

Since I’m not a professional dog trainer, I was a huge fan of the step by step training information. The easy style really helped me in training my dog. I read the book, watched the videos, and I was able to have a well trained dog.

One of my favorite parts of the program was learning how to deal with separation anxiety. Every time I left the house alone my dog would flip out and ruin the furniture. The noise was so bad that I could hear him all the way to the end of the drive way and I felt so bad every time. “Secrets to Dog Training” helped me stop all of that.

“Secrets to Dog Training” taught me how to control and stop his habit of chewing everything in sight and even how to get him to calm down around other dogs.

I was able to do all of this quickly. I was ready to invest a lot of time into the process, but it wasn’t necessary. My social life remained in tacked despite training my dog.

The Final Statement

The “Secrets to Dog Training” have changed my relationship with my dog for the better. Now he is trained properly I can tell my dog is happier and I am able to spend a lot more quality time with him. He was acting out due to our lack of communication, and now that we are communicating, he is behaving so much better.

To Find Out more about secrets to dog training review, please visit our site at http://www.bestonlyreviews.com

It is a natural thing for a dog to bark and whine but it can be slightly annoying when the dog continously do it.When your dog is barking at youcontinuously, he might be telling you that something’s wrong.As this happens, your dog’s behavior needs to be changed and controlled.

It is impossible for any owners to teach their dog to stop barking totaly and you should never think about doing this because the dog can never inform you of danger or even alert you.

It takes plenty of time and effort to control the dog’s barking but you can’t totally stop this.The steps below explain to you have to manage the dog’s barking behaviour:

If you like to read more about controlling your dog barking behaviour, click here stopping dog barking

Petting the dog while barking

Many owners pet and phraise their dog while barking mainly when owners arrive home from work as a way of saying “i’m glad you are ok”.As the dog is being phraised and rewarded with treats, he thinks to himself that he should bark more frequently in order to get more phraises and rewards.

To stop the dog from continuous barking, you repeat the command ‘Quiet’ until your dog stops. You must say this command in a firmly way.As soon as your dog stop barking, you must shower the attention to the dog as this helps the dog to see a relation between the command and the action..This technique is good to train your dog.

Citronella Collar

There are two types of collar that can stop your dog from barking, which are citronella and anti-bark collars.These collars contain a spray however, the sray can be quiet horrible since it’s bad for the dog’s nostrils as it sprays on the dog’s face.Before you use the collar, investigate the cause of the dog’s barking. The problem can be anything such as excessive energy.

Exercises and Toys

Anxiety or frustration are another reasons for your dog to a lot bark..As a owner, you need to control your dog’s behaviour in a right way since dogs are very hyperactive.In order to control this behaviour problem, you ought to spend time with your dog by talking a one short and two long walk in the park and playing a nice game of catch.It is very important for you to do this as your dog will end up with anxiety and frustration if you don’t spend this quality time with your dog.

If you like top stop your dog from other behaviour problems such as jumping, whining, licking, etc click here stop dog problems

Creating a distraction

With lack of attention and caring for your dog, the dog will not stop barking.The dog may bark at you to get meals, toys, etc for him, which is a way for your dog to dominate you.You should not listen to your dog’s whining.You merely give your dog attention if you feel like it.As soon as your dog stops barking, this is the time to show attention.This helps the dog to understand that the only way to get attention is by being silent and not barking.

Change in environment

If your dog has a good knowledge of a place where people pass through the house, your dog will think that these people are invaders and will continue to bark to scare them away.To prevent this from happening, you need to close off the area to stop the dog from seeing people passing by.

As there is no other way for the dog to tell you he want something, he will carry on barking.By being patient, you can control the dog’s behaviour and always remember you cannot take a bark away from the dog!

I hope this guide helped you to control your dog’s barking. I also included a product Secrets Dog training to help you become dominate to your dog and listening to every command you say.