Dog training - dealing with house training issues

By : Barry Gilbert
The best house training uses the dogs own instincts to
avoid soiling its bed to train the dog where and where
not to eliminate. That is the basis behind crate
training, in which the dog is confined to its crate in
the absence of the owner, and den training, in which the
dog is confined to a small area of the home. In essence,
the crate, or the room, becomes the dog's den. Dogs are
naturally very clean animals, and they try their best to
avoid using their dens as toilets.

This type of training usually works very well, both for
puppies and for older dogs. Problems with this type of
toilet training are usually the result of not
understanding the signals the dog is sending, not being
consistent with feeding times, or trying to rush the
process.

While the house training process can be sped up somewhat
by consistently praising the dog and rewarding it for
toileting in the proper place, some dogs cannot be rushed
through this important process. It is always best to
house train the dog properly the first time than to go
back and retrain a problem dog.

If the dog continues to soil the den area after house
training, the most likely reason is that the owner has
left the dog in the den for too long. Another reason may
be that the den area is too large. In this case, the
best strategy is to make the den area smaller or to take
the dog to the toilet area more frequently.

If the dog soils the bed that has been provided in the
den area, it is most likely because the owner has left
the dog there for too long, and the dog had an
understandable accident. Or it could be that the dog has
not yet adopted this area as the bed. In addition,
urinary tract infections and other medical conditions can
also cause dogs to soil their beds. It is important to
have the dog thoroughly checked out by a veterinarian to
rule out any medical problems.

One other reason for house training accidents that many
people overlook is boredom. Dogs who are bored often
drink large amounts of water and therefore must urinate
more frequently than you might think. If you notice your
dog consuming large amounts of water, be sure to take the
dog to the established toilet area more often, and
provide the dog with toys and other distractions to
eliminate boredom.

Boredom is the root cause of many dog behavior problems,
not only house training issues. Chewing and other
destructive behaviors are also often caused by boredom
and separation anxiety.

Other problems with house training can occur when the
dog's den is not properly introduced. In some cases dogs
can react to the den as if it is a prison or a
punishment. Those dogs may exhibit signs of anxiety,
such as whining, chewing and excessive barking. It is
important for the dog to feel secure in its den, and to
think of it as a home and not a cage.

The best way to house train a puppy or dog, or to re-
house train a problem dog, is to make yourself aware of
the dog's habits and needs. Creating a healthy, safe
sleeping and play area for your dog, as well as a well
defined toilet area, is important for any house training
program.

House training is not always an easy process, but it is
certainly an important one. The number one reason that
dogs are surrendered to animal shelters is problems with
inappropriate elimination, so a well structured house
training program can literally be a lifesaver for your
dog.

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House training your dog

By : Barry Gilbert
House training is one of the most important elements of
creating a well trained dog and trusted family member.
Problems with house training and similar issues are the
number one reason that dogs are surrendered to shelters,
so properly house training your dog can literally save
his or her life.

House training a puppy does not need to be difficult,
but it is important to take the process seriously, plan
ahead and take things slowly. Some dogs will be easier
to house break than others, so it important to work with
your dog. Rushing the process can be counterproductive
and cause you to have to start all over again.

When it comes to house training a new puppy, it is
important to know what to expect. Unless the owner is
able to supervise the puppy round the clock, it is
difficult to complete the house training process until
the dog is at least six months old. It is important to
know this ahead of time so you can be prepared. Young
puppies have bodies that are constantly changing and
growing, and puppies younger than six months often have
not developed the bowel and bladder control they will
need to be properly house trained.

When the owner is not at home, the puppy should be
confined to a small room and the entire floor should be
covered with paper. Of course it is important to puppy-
proof the room, that is removing any items on which the
puppy could be injured. In the beginning, the puppy will
most likely eliminate anywhere within the room.

In addition, the puppy will probably play with the
papers, chew them, etc. This is perfectly normal and
should not be grounds for punishment or distress.
Cleaning up each day should simply be part of the routine
of living with a new puppy. Simply clean up the soiled
papers and put down new ones each day.

Time for paper training

During the time that the puppy is confined in its little
den, it will begin to develop the habit of eliminating on
paper. After a little time has passed, the puppy will
begin to exhibit a preferred place to eliminate. After
this preferred spot has been established, the area that
is papered should be slowly diminished.

The first papers to be removed should be those that are
furthest away from the "toilet". Eventually, the owner
will have to lay down only a few papers. If the puppy
ever misses those papers, it means that the papered area
has been reduced too much and too soon.

After the puppy is reliability doing its business only
on the papers that have been left, the papers can be
slowly and gradually moved to a location of your choice.
The papers should be moved only gradually, as little as
an inch a day. If the puppy misses the papers, again it
means that they have been moved too soon and too far. In
this case it will be necessary to go back a few steps and
start over. It is important not to become discouraged.
The puppy will eventually understand the concept, and you
will be able to choose your puppies toilet area and move
on to the next step.

House training when the owner is home.
Obviously the more time you can spend with your puppy
the faster the house training will go. The objective
should be to take the puppy to the toilet area every time
he needs to do his business. In most cases this will be
either every 45 minutes, right after each play session,
after he first wakes up or right after he eats or drinks.
It is important to provide effusive praise for the puppy
when he eliminates in the established toilet area.

As the puppy becomes more used to using his toilet area,
and as he develops improved bladder and bowel control, he
will be able to begin spending more and more time outside
his den with his owner in the rest of the home. It is
important to begin this process by allowing the puppy
access to one room at a time. It is also important to
allow the puppy in the extra room only when he can be
supervised. When you must leave the room, be sure to put
the puppy back in his den.

Article Source: http://www.articledestination.com


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Dog training - the basic commands

By : Barry Gilbert
There are of course many reasons for owners to want a
calm, obedient and faithful dog. For one thing, obedient
and trained dogs are happier dogs, less likely to get
into tussles with people or with other dogs. Another
reason is that many communities require that the dogs
living in their neighborhoods be well trained. This is
especially true for many breeds thought to have
aggression and behavior problems - dog breeds like pit
bulls and rottweilers for instance.

And of course, training your dog well will also make he
or she a much better family companion, especially in
households where there are young children. Many studies
have shown that proper dog training makes a big impact
when it comes to cutting down the number of dog bits and
other behavior problems encountered by dog owning
households.

When considering training your own dog, or having
someone else help you train it, there are certain basic
commands that must be mastered in order for a dog to be
considered truly trained. These basic commands include:

Heel - it is important that any dog learn to walk
beside its owner on a loose lead, neither pulling ahead
nor lagging behind.

Respond to the word No - the word no is one word that
all dogs must learn. Training your dog to respond to
this important word can save you a ton of trouble.

Sit - Training your dog to sit on command is a vital
part of any dog training program.

Stay - A well trained dog should remain where his or
her owner commands, so stay is a very important command
in dog training.

Down - Lying down on command is more than just a cute
trick; it is a key component of any successful dog
training program.

Dog training does much more than just create an
obedient, willing companion. Training your dog properly
actually strengthens the bond that already exists between
dog and handler. Dogs are pack animals, and they look to
their pack leader to tell them what to do. The key to
successful dog training is to set yourself up as that
pack leader.

Establishing yourself as pack leader is a very important
concept for any potential dog trainer to understand.
There is only one leader in every pack of dogs, and the
owner must establish him or herself as the dominant
animal. Failure to do so leads to all manner of behavior
problems.

A properly trained dog will respond properly to all the
owner's commands, and will not display anxiety,
displeasure or confusion. A good dog training program
will focus on allowing the dog to learn just what is
expected of it, and will use positive reinforcement to
reward desired behaviors.

In addition to making the dog a good member of the
community, obedience training is a great way to fulfill
some of the dog's own needs, including the need for
exercise, the security that comes with knowing what is
expected of it, a feeling of accomplishment and a good
working relationship with its handler. Dog training
gives the dog an important job to do, and an important
goal to reach.

Giving the dog a job is more important than you may
think. Dogs were originally bred by humans to do
important work, such as herding sheep, guarding property
and protecting people. Many dogs today have no important
job to do, and this can often lead to boredom and
neurotic behavior.

Basic obedience training, and ongoing training sessions,
provide the dog with an important job to do. This is
especially important for high energy breeds like German
shepherds and border collies. Training sessions are a
great way for these high energy dogs to use up their
extra energy and simply to enjoy themselves.

Incorporating playtime into your dog training sessions
is a great way to prevent both yourself and your dog from
becoming bored. Playing with your dog helps to
strengthen the all important bond between you - the pack
leader - and your dog.

Article Source: http://www.articledestination.com


Barry Gilbert
Our Dog Obedience Training Secrets TRANSFORM Your
Dog’s Behavior Problems! "And puts an End to the
Stress and Annoyance of Your Dog's Behavior!
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Dog training basics - training the new puppy

By : Barry Gilbert
Bringing home a new puppy is always an exciting time for
the entire family. Getting that new puppy off the right
start with proper training is very important to making
that puppy a valued member of his human family. There
are a number of talents that every new puppy must master,
including going up and down the stairs, and how to accept
a new collar as if she's worn it her entire life.

It is best to introduce a new puppy to the household
when everyone in the family is present, and when the
household is as calm as possible. That is why animal
care experts discourage parents from giving puppies and
kittens as holiday presents. The holiday season is
typically much too busy, with far too many distractions,
for a young puppy or kitten to get the attention it
needs. It is best to wait until the holidays have passed
before introducing the new family member.

Once the puppy is part of the household, there are some
things he or she will need to learn. One of the first
challenges of a multi-story home will be learning to
climb up and down the stair. Many puppies are afraid of
stairs, and that usually means that they do not know how
to climb them properly. It is important for the puppy's
owner to slowly build the confidence of the dog, starting
off at the bottom of the stairs. In general, a wide
stairway will probably be less frightening to the puppy.

To build confidence, the owner should go up the first
step, then encourage the puppy to join them, using their
voice, treats or a toy. After the puppy has joined you
on the first stair, go back down and repeat the process
until the puppy will go up that step on his own. It is
important to build confidence slowly and not rush the
process. Taking a one step at a time approach is the
best way to teach the puppy to not be afraid of stairs.

Another thing every new puppy must learn is how to
accept the collar. Learning to wear a collar is
important to every dog, but many puppies are baffled,
frightened and bewildered by this new piece of equipment.
Many puppies constantly try to remove their new collar by
pawing and pulling at it.

Fit is important when choosing a collar for your new
puppy. A properly fitted collar, chosen for your puppy's
size, is more likely to be comfortable and accepted.
While choke collars, slip collars and training collars
can be good training aids, they should never be used as a
substitute for a sturdy buckle type collar. And of
course that collar should have an identification tag and
license attached. This identification will be vital in
having your puppy returned if she becomes separated from
you.

The best way to introduce the puppy to the collar is to
simply put the collar on and allow her to squirm, jump,
roll and paw at the color to her heart's content. It is
important to not encourage this behavior by trying to
soothe the puppy, but it is just as important not to
punish or reprimand the puppy. The best strategy is to
simply ignore the puppy and them her work through her
issues with the collar on her own. Introducing
distractions, such as food, toys or playing, is a good
way to get the puppy used to the color. Getting the
puppy to play, eat and drink while wearing the collar is
a great way to get her used to it. After a few days,
most puppies will not even know they are wearing a collar.

Article Source: http://www.articledestination.com


Our Dog Obedience Training Secrets TRANSFORM Your
Dog’s Behavior Problems! "And puts an End to the Stress
and Annoyance of Your Dog's Behavior!
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