Selecting The Best Dog Training Program

April 26, 2010 by · 1 Comment 

Have you just got a puppy and need some help?

It is important to ensure that you do your homework in choosing the best dog training methods, right from the start. Your main objective should be to convert your dog into a pet!

Hopefuly this article will guide you in the right place.

Be a Responsible Pet Owner!

The best time to start training puppy is when you first get your puppy and bring it home! Be a pro active and responsible dog owner by addressing all your dogs’ characteristics by training each area individualy.

While some dogs are submissive, others have a domineering nature and quite often challenge their owners to gain control. This can be very frightening.

Training your dog is the best approach.

Common Problems

The most frequently reported concerns are dog peeing in house issues, best dog training, puppy crate training, leash training puppy, dog bark control, how to stop dog digging, aggressive dog behavior,dogs separation anxiety and how to stop puppy biting.

Dog Training Tips

Sometimes dog training can appear to be a mean activity, because you are in effect teaching your puppy to become independent, whereas it is most likely in his nature to be more like a pack animal. At times you may feel that your pet hates being trained. But sooner or later if you persist with your efforts, he will most likely come to understand that he is part of your pack instead.

Best Dog Training Programs

You can’t beat a well reviewed step-by-step training program. These are some of the two best dog training resources that I have reviewed:

Hopefully you will find a suitable dog training program from the some of the options above and that you are able to train your dog to be a very happy member of your family!

Top Dog Stuff!

Aggression In German Shepherd Dogs

December 16, 2009 by · 1 Comment 

While German Shepherds may not inspire the ill-placed fear of such breeds as Rottweilers and Pit Bulls, they do land on many banned breed lists.

German Shepherds have, throughout the years, had a reputation of being aggressive. That reputation, while not entirely accurate, is based on some truth. While German Shepherd aggression is, in some small part, genetics, the main cause of ill manners is caused by the owner.

It is important to point out that not all (not even most) German Shepherds display inappropriate aggressive behavior.It is wholly unfair to let the misdemeanours of the minority result in the entire breed being labeled as “dangerous” or “aggressive”.That being said, it is vital for owners to learn to recognize the signs of German Shepherd aggression, so that they can immediately begin to work to bring them under control.

So, what forms can aggression take?Some German Shepherds will be aggressive only towards other animals. Some will display aggression only if they are approached whilst they are chewing a bone or eating. Others are aggressive toward strangers, and others even show aggression to some human members of the household in which they live.

Don’t discount even minor forms of aggression, say to a cat or the postman, because these could easily escalate into something more serious. At the first sign of aggression being displayed, or even before this, you need to embark on a course of proper training. Not only could is save injury to other people and animals, it could also save your own dog’s life.

Simply yelling at or hitting your dog when it acts aggressively is a faulty approach to take.For the most part, this makes the overall situation worse, as the dog becomes less trusting of humans.Also, a person is not going to win a “fight” with a German Shepherd. If he attacks you, you are going to be seriously hurt, and he is probably going to be put to sleep.

For German Shepherd aggression, the one course of action that should be taken is obedience training. It is best to begin at a young age before any bad habits are formed,however, no matter the age of your dog, obedience training remains the best option.

Learn More : German Shepherd Dog Aggression

Stopping Your Dog From Chasing

December 6, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

Most dogs enjoy chasing things, with cats, cars and people being particular favorites of theirs. Dogs generally see this as something fun to do, and don’t mean any harm by it, but, the fact is, that by chasing they invoke fear in others and can cause unintentional accidents.

Allowing your dog to chase anything is an irresponsible thing to do. Behavioral problems like chasing are more than just annoying. Solving this problem is possible though, but it will take some effort to correct.

It is not as simple as just yelling at or hitting your dog after it has chased something. You might think that doing this would make it less likely to do it next time, but it rarely does. It’s instincts will kick in again next time around and the pain it suffered last time will be soon forgotten. Taking a proactive approach, rather than a reactive one, is much better.

The very least that you should is not let your dog be in a situation that allows it to chase in the first place. Keep him on a leash or in a fenced yard if necessary. Keep your dog and those in the surrounding area safe until you learnt to predict his behavior and you have him trained to obey your commands.

Recognizing what your dog does immediately before it starts chasing something is the most important step. It is common for dogs to give some indication, such as a prolonged stare or a lifted leg, before they set off after something. Once you know what it is that your dog does, you can act before it does. You should be able to find this out fairly quickly as dogs are creatures of habit.

The obeying of basic commands is necessary for a dog to stop chasing. At the very least, your dog needs to respond to two – sit down and come here. Once your dog understands these skills it will be easier to stop him from chasing.

So, how do you train a dog to obey voice commands? First obtain the toy or treat that it likes the best. Place your chosen item 10ft from the dog and wait for it to start approaching it. As it starts to move, command it to either sit down or come to you. When it obeys your command, speak in a warm tone to it and let it have the toy or treat.

After having done this with just you and your dog, ask a friend for their assistance. Your dog should be standing or sitting by you, then your friend should past waving a toy or treat in their hand. If it starts to chase then give the dog the command to either sit down or come. Once it obeys your command, give it the reward.

This might take some time and patience, but your persistence will pay off. Just stay positive, patient and stick with it and you’ll get there.

Learn More : Stop Your Dog From Chasing

How To Look After Your New Dog Or Puppy

May 19, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

There is a lot work to looking after a dog or puppy and he or she will take up a lot of time, you must be prepared to clean up dog poo every day, until your dog is house trained, or when you take him for a walk.

Training a dog can be hard, especially if you aren’t used to dog training. Simple acts can produce the best and quickest results. You have to understand how a dog would live if he were living in a dog pack. There is always a leader of the pack the alpha male, and you will have to become the alpha, so your dog will know you are in charge and will obey and follow you.

Don’t let any of this put you off, a dog is a wonderful companion and will give you lots of love, with the added bonus if needed, of protecting you. Remember they need plenty of love, attention, and petting as well, so enjoy your best friend.

The following tips will help you look after your dog properly and have a good relationship

Dog problems

Dogs like to dig, they like to bury bones, not good if you are a keen gardener. Being social animals dogs tend to dig when they are lonely. Spending more time with him or her should help if this becomes a problem. Sometimes when they dig they eat the soil, this can be because they are lacking in vitamins and nutrients. Check you pet’s health with a vet and if there is nothing wrong, buy a good dog vitamin pill, and this should help keep that digging at bay.

Potty Training

The best way to deal with doggie potty trainig, is to reward your puppy when he or she gets it right. It is important that you never rub his nose in it when he has an accident or hit him, he will know from your face and tone of your voice that he has got it wrong. If the occasional whoopsie does happen, remember urine stains do wash out and it isn’t the end of the world.

Discover the answers to your dog health and dog problems

7 Dog Obedience Training Tips to Help You with Your Dog

May 15, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

Teaching your dog good obedience training may be the most important step you should take in order to develop desirable habits in your puppy and at the same time stop unpleasant behaviors. After all, dogs are animals, and without correct obedience training, they will indeed behave like animals. Would you not teach your youngster the difference between right and wrong? Similarly, if you’d like to develop fascinating habits in your puppy and at the same time stop unattractive behaviors, you definitely need to provide your dog with good obedience coaching.

Here are 7 dog obedience training tips that can help you along the way:

1. Firstly, you want to get your dog’s attention prior to starting the training.

2. Begin your dog training sessions as quickly as your dog arrives at your house. Whilst you can teach old dogs new behaviors or tricks, remember that what’s learned earliest is usually learned easiest and fastest. In view of that, start training your puppy near the beginning.

3. Teach your dog only 1 command at a time, and do not move on until he understands the trick you are trying to teach him. A little while of dog training everyday is all that is required.

4. Train your dog with love, kindness and respect because this method will certainly create a good relationship between you and your puppy.

5. Reward your dog for his good performance over and over again. This is a valuable approach that you must follow when you are providing training to your puppy.

6. Reward your dog by treating him with lip smacking things, and by exclaiming to him “Good dog” in a satisfied voice. Recompense your dog each time he follows your command, particularly when he is learning a new behavior. After that, you only need to reward your dog’s best behavior.

7. Have fun with your puppy on a regular basis. This could actually make it simple for you to develop a deep bond between you and your dog.

About the Author:

Obedience Training for Your Dog – Who’s the Leader of the Pack?

May 12, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

One of life’s genuine joys is the companionship of a dog. However, if your dog exhibits major behavior problems, that joy may be compromised. Destroying household items, piddling on the carpet, excessive barking, aggression, and other unacceptable behaviors can usually be eliminated through effective obedience training.

Dogs are most content when they know their place in the “pecking order” of the pack.

When your dog believes that you are not a very strong leader, he will most likely take over the role of “alpha dog”. His bad behavior will only get worse since, as the leader of the pack, he will assume that he can do anything he wants, paying little attention to your commands.

Until you establish yourself as the alpha member of the pack your efforts to teach proper behavior to your pooch are destined to fail. By providing high quality obedience training you will teach your dog that you are the leader and that he must follow comply with your wishes.

When you begin obedience training try to make the activity fun for your dog. Be sure to reward your dog when he does well. Rewards can take the form of tasty treats, petting, giving him a favorite toy or vigorous praise.

Never punish your dog when conducting obedience training. If he associates obedience training sessions with punishment he will do everything he can to avoid it. When you need to correct a behavior problem, try to make it a penalty instead of a punishment. A penalty can be anything from a “time out” (stopping an activity that he enjoys), a quick tug on his leash, or simply ignoring him for a few moments.

Remember that rewards are usually much more effective than penalties. Try to discover what your dog really enjoys and use it as positive reinforcement when training. The old belief that you can use either a carrot or a stick to train an animal should be entirely forgotten. Instead, try of use a variety of “carrots” to convince your dog that obedience is a good thing, and just throw away the stick.

If you are not sure about specific training techniques you may benefit from studying the tactics used by professional dog trainers. There are several terrific training courses and guide books available online that you may want to consider to help you in your quest for the obedient dog.

About the Author:

Dog Obedience Training – Are You the Leader of the Pack?

May 12, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

The companionship of a dog can truly be one of life’s under appreciated joys. However, that joy can be seriously diminished if your dog exhibits excessive behavior problems. Aggression, inappropriate barking, jumping up on you or visitors, destroying household items and other unacceptable behavior can usually be eliminated through effective obedience training.

Since dogs are, by nature, pack animals, the are most content when they are assured of their place in the social hierarchy.

If the dog’s perception is that you are not a strong leader, he will most likely assume the role of “alpha” dog. Bad behavior will worsen since, as the pack leader, he will believe that he can do as he pleases without regard to your wishes.

Unless you impress upon your dog that you are the “alpha dog”, your efforts to teach appropriate behavior will most likely fail. However, effective obedience training will teach your pooch that YOU are the leader of the pack and that he is expected to comply with your wishes.

When you begin obedience training try to make the activity fun for your dog. Be sure to reward your dog when follows your commands. Rewards can take the form of yummy treats, petting, giving him a favorite toy to play with or vigorous praise.

Never punish your dog when conducting obedience training. If he associates obedience training sessions with punishment he will do everything he can to avoid it. When you need to correct a behavior problem, try to make it a penalty instead of a punishment. A penalty can be anything from a “time out” (stopping an activity that he enjoys), a quick tug on his leash, or simply ignoring him for a few moments.

Remember that rewards are usually much more effective than penalties. Try to discover what your dog really enjoys and use it as positive reinforcement when training. The old belief that you can use either a carrot or a stick to train an animal should be entirely forgotten. Instead, try of use a variety of “carrots” to convince your dog that obedience is a good thing, and just throw away the stick.

If you are not sure about specific training techniques you may benefit from studying the tactics used by professional dog trainers. There are several terrific training courses and guide books available online that you may want to consider to help you in your quest for the obedient dog.

About the Author:

7 Dog Obedience Training Tips to Properly Train Your Dog

May 9, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

Training your dog is perhaps the most important thing you should do not only for your puppy but also for yourself. Obviously, dogs are animals, and without proper obedience training, they will indeed behave like animals! After all, wouldn’t you teach your child the difference between right and wrong? Likewise, if you want to develop desirable habits in your puppy and at the same time prevent undesirable behaviors, you definitely need to provide your dog with good obedience training.

The 7 seven dog obedience training tips below will help you train your dog like a pro:

1. Firstly, you want to get your dog’s attention prior to starting the training.

2. Start your dog training sessions as soon as your dog arrives at your home. While you can teach old dogs new behaviors or tricks, keep in mind that what is learned earliest is often learned easiest and fastest. For that reason, start training your puppy early on.

3. Teach your dog only 1 command at a time, and do not move on until he understands the trick you are trying to teach him. A little while of dog training everyday is all that is required.

4. Train your dog with love, kindness and respect because this method will certainly create a good relationship between you and your puppy.

5. Praise your dog for his good performance time and again. This is a very important practice that you need to follow when training your dog.

6. Reward your dog by treating him with lip smacking things, and by exclaiming to him “Good dog” in a satisfied voice. Recompense your dog each time he follows your command, particularly when he is learning a new behavior. After that, you only need to reward your dog’s best behavior.

7. Have fun with your puppy on a regular basis. This could actually make it simple for you to develop a deep bond between you and your dog.

About the Author:

7 Dog Obedience Training Tips to Help You Train Your Puppy

May 7, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

Providing good obedience training to your dog may be the most important thing you need to do not just for your puppy but also for yourself. Dogs are animals, and without proper obedience training, they will indeed behave like animals. In fact, would you not teach your kid the difference between right and wrong? Similarly, if you’d like to develop desirable habits in your puppy and at the same time stop unattractive behaviors, you definitely need to provide your dog with good obedience coaching.

Here are 7 dog obedience training tips that can help you along the way:

1. First off, you must get your dog’s attention before you start training him.

2. Start your dog training sessions as soon as your dog arrives at your home. While you can teach old dogs new behaviors or tricks, keep in mind that what is learned earliest is often learned easiest and fastest. For that reason, start training your puppy early on.

3. Teach your dog only one command at a time, and do not move on until he understands the trick you are trying to teach him. A few minutes of dog training on a daily basis is all that is required.

4. Train your dog with love, kindness and respect because this method will certainly create a good relationship between you and your puppy.

5. Reward your dog for his good performance over and over again. This is a valuable approach that you must follow when you are providing training to your puppy.

6. Reward your dog by treating him with lip smacking things, and by exclaiming to him “Good dog” in a satisfied voice. Recompense your dog each time he follows your command, particularly when he is learning a new behavior. After that, you only need to reward your dog’s best behavior.

7. Engage in recreation with your dog frequently. This will surely make it easy for you to build an excellent relationship between you and your puppy.

About the Author:

The Importance of Dog Training Basics

May 1, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

Training your dog is very worthwhile for both you and your dog. Before you start training, there are some dog training basics that you need to know in order to make training easier and more pleasant for you as well as your dog.

The first thing you must remember is that you are the boss. Dogs are pack animals by nature and will adhere to the ‘leader’ of that pack. To train your dog properly, you first need to establish that you are the leader early in your relationship.

Some breeds of dog are much more forceful in their need to be the leader, however, you must not let that happen. If you allow him to dictate what happens in your relationship, you are in line for a negative relationship and nothing but problems. To be in control does not mean that you have to be unkind to your dog, in an abusive way. Absolutely the contrary, yes your dog may be scared of you, but he does not respect your authority.

Consistency is key when it comes to dog training basics. Set aside some time each day to work on training your dog. It is important to note that training can be started at any age. If you have an older pet, it is not too late.

This is about the basics and it does not get much more basic than teaching your dog to sit. But it’s a good place to start because it will lead on to other commands from that position that you will want to teach.

Be firm during training and use the same word for each command. Say the word clearly, and never punish your dog if he doesn’t want to do what you want. Use positive reinforcement when your dog does do what you want him to do. Punishing or scolding your dog will only confuse him, so have patience while you are training him to behave the way you want him to.

Training will always be a part of your special relationship with your dog. You can plan to take a day off formal training, but you will always be aware that he must be given the proper commands all the time.

The relationship that develops between dog and owner when the training is done properly is something to be proud of and cherished.The time and patience that you have shown will be rewarded with a lovely calm and well behaved dog that you can be proud of.

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