Dog Training Basics

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To stop dogs from digging,try and understand why and by doing so you have a chance of solving the problem and reducing your own stress levels as a result.

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Traditional training techniques don’t seem to work in controlling dog digging behavior.

Training doesn’t work well on digging, because it’s a behavior that is hardwired into your dog’s instincts. Certain things trigger the impulse to dig; once triggered, it won’t stop. Not, that is, unless you remove the thing that triggered it.

From our point of view its pretty hard to understand as your dog doesnt seem to be getting anywhere with it apart from destroying your garden possibly. Sometimes figuring out the motivation behind the digging is difficult for us, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one.

But even if his digging seems pointless, it isn’t. There are several reasons digging is such a powerful urge. It’s connected to many of a dog’s natural survival instincts.

For example, if you dog’s digging seems to be concentrated along the edge of his fenced play area, or at a gate, the instinct that’s driving him is that to escape. It doesn’t necessarily mean he’s afraid of something inside the fence, or wants to “run away, ” though–dogs also try to dig out simply to explore, or because being enclosed just triggers the urge to have more space.

There’s another instinct that can cause the impulse to dig. That is the desire to hunt. Some dogs are more likely to respond to hunting impulses this way. Terriers, for example. However, any breed of dog may manifest hunting instincts through digging. To pinpoint this cause, watch your dog’s behavior and location while digging. If he seems excited and inspects the hole often, sniffing and wagging his tail, that’s probably what’s happening.

Digging has proven a versatile behavior for survival, so there are other instincts linked to it as well. These include hiding and hoarding impulses–like when your dog buries bones, and seeking protection from the elements.

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There are a few things to understand which can help you reduce or eliminate all types of digging. The first is that punishment for digging does not work. Giving your dog a reprimand may stop him digging, then but its not a long term solution.

Secondly if you can remove what it is that causes him to dIg or make it less fun, he will stop.If he is trying to get out then put some large stones where he digs or some fencing.If he digs for some sort of protection, don’t leave him outside for too long or provide him with some sort of shelter

Lastly, boredom and anxiety make digging behaviors escalate. These can result from spending too much time alone. Be sure you spend time together training, and playing. Teaching him games that provide mental and physical exercise helps too,games like fetch or catch.

Digging is all part of a dogs character and it cannot be taken away totally. But you can outsmart them, and with proper strategies, you can stop dog from digging.

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To stop dog from jumping, there are four tricks to master, but you have to understand why your dog jumps

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Your dog can cause an embarrassment when he jumps up ,but he isn’t usually being aggressive. Also, it can be dangerous, especially if you have a large dog. His jumping habits could easily knock someone over, and it frightens people.

Even if he’s well trained in other respects, he might seem particularly stubborn about jumping

This is because it’s a natural inclination, so it’s difficult for him to comprehend that you’re upset by it. He may know you’re upset, of course, but can’t figure out that the jumping is the problem. Dogs like to be at the same level when they say hello, to sniff each other’s face. Subordinate dogs want to show their respect by licking, too.

To your dog, all human beings are dominant. So his need to express both his happiness and his subordination is strong, but of course, human beings are considerably taller than dogs. So he ends up jumping.

A contributing factor to this problem is your dog’s excitement when you arrive home or when he meets someone new. Not only is he excited and happy to see the person, all that jumping around gets him even more excited. Just as children have a harder time listening and obeying when they’re very excited, so do dogs.

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Firstly you should concentrate on lowering his excitement levels when he sees another person. If you can help him make a habit of being calmer, he’ll be much better able to focus on your instructions.

Do this by being an example of calmness yourself. When you arrive home, don’t make a big deal out of an immediate greeting. Instead, wait a few minutes, and when his excitement is less, praise him for patience.

The second helpful trick is to reduce his worry over not being able to reach your face. Bending down to greet him helps. He won’t feel it’s up to him to close the distance by jumping. When he begins to understand and waits for you to stoop down, instead of jumping, praise him.

The third step is to extend this habit of calm behavior. Keep rough-housing to a minimum. Teach him to play more gently, so he won’t think there’s a connection between being rough and being happy all the time. Wrestling and tug of war are over stimulating; try fetching or playing hide and seek with toys.

You must finally concentrate on teaching your dog to sit. Not only that, use the command every single day, whenever it is appropriate. Praise him enthusiastically when he obeys. It’s easier sometimes to teach a dog to do one thing, rather than to teach him not to do something else. He might understand that “No” means you’re unhappy, but remember, he’s a dog: He can’t figure out causes the same way a person can. But if you give him a command that he does understand, two things happen. First, the bad behavior stops, because he’s sitting down. Second, he can pay attention better because he’s calmer.

The key to changing a dog’s behavior is to understand why he is misbehaving; along with these four techniques, you’ll succeed.

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