Agility Training For Your Dog

By : Stan Radlow
Dog training may not be a science but pretty much every aspect of dog training has been understood and catalogued. If you want to train your dog there are three basic weapons that your dog training arsenal should be equipped with the first is praise, the second is discipline and the final is bribery. Dog training is a combination of all three and a dog cannot be trained by employing just one of the above mentioned. Professional dog trainers understand when a dog needs to disciplined and when a dog needs to be praised. If you are thinking of training your dog on your own, then the first thing you need is patience. Dogs are not unlike children; they can throw tantrums, get depressed and be very naughty.
The right age to start training a dog is usually 12 weeks after birth, before 12 weeks the dog is too young to understand training and the best you can do is let the dog get accustomed to its surroundings. Once the dog is 12 weeks old you can teach the dog some basic commands and also start potty training the dog. Ideally you should start training the dog twice a day for fifteen minutes. However if your dog is impatient and lacks concentration then you should lessen the duration of your training sessions, remember the dog should be isolated and free from any distractions when it is being trained.
Before you start training your dog try and figure out what the dog likes, not all dogs like dog biscuits. You have to figure out what your dog’s favourite treat is. Once you know what your dog likes you can use the treat as a bribe and use it to treat the dog whenever it follows your instructions. Remember that not all dogs enjoy treats; your dog might enjoy petting more, if that is the case make sure you praise the dog and pet it whenever it follows your command.
Before you use a collar and chain on your dog, make sure the chain is not too tight and the dog is not in pain when you are using the collar during training. If the chain is too tight the dog might follow your commands but the dog will become very aggressive as it grows up. Like people, dogs too learn from their surroundings and respond to people the same way they are treated.
The first few commands that you should train your dog in are sitting, down and come. If you are looking for tips and tricks on how to train your dog, you can visit sites like www.masteryourdog.com. Although the general principles associate with dog training are the same, different sites have different methods and techniques.
The best option is to visit a couple of sites to get a better idea, also remember that different breeds of dogs react differently to training and you should look for a site that can offer advice on training that is specific to the breed of your dog. All in all dog training is not rocket science all it takes is a little bit of research and patience.
Knowing when to quit
Although training your dog is not a very difficult task, but sometimes it requires professional help to train a dog. Also if you simply don’t have the time but want a trained dog then a professional dog trainer is a good idea. Professional dog trainers usually require a couple of months to train your dog and are not very expensive. Since most sessions are only about half and hour at most a dog trainer can usually come over when you are available and train your dog. Also make sure you hire a dog trainer that is a member of the APDT (Association of professional dog trainers). If you are hiring a dog trainer make sure that you closely monitor the progress of your dog and explain to the dog trainer what you are looking for.

Article Source: http://articlem.com



Stan Radlow is the author of this article on Dog Agility Training. Find more information about Dog Obedience Traininghere.

Dog Training - Teaching Rover to Stay!

By : Bobbie McKee
learned to sit at your command is a natural step. The combination of sit-stay is one that will help keep your dog out of trouble or possibly save his life. See that he learns it.

Even though the pup can now sit without being restrained on the leash, snap on the leash while you are teaching him to stay. This will be a more difficult lesson, for the pup will want to move or race after you.

Hold the leash short in your left hand, give him the command or signal to sit, then follow with the command "Stay!" Show him the hand signal: palm of the right hand raised toward him. Keep repeating the command "Stay!" and at the same time emphasize the command by pushing your palm at the dog.

After the pup is staying (even though you are still very close to him), you can advance the lesson. Back away a few steps, give the command and hand signal, and hold him in position with the leash.

Remember, the further away you move, the more eager the pup will be to go to you. Hold him in place with the leash, repeating the command and hand signal. Give him some praise.

Once you have him staying a few feet from you, the next move is to increase the distance between you and the pup. Move backward to the end of the leash. Give him the command to stay and reinforce it with the hand signal.

If he breaks out of the sitting position and dashes over to you, reprimand him, give him a pat on the head, and take him back and start over again.

Gradually increase the distance between you and the dog. In a few weeks, you will be able to leave him and go out of sight. This will be the supreme test; if he sits and stays when you are out of his sight, he rates plenty of praise!

Article Source: http://articlem.com


Bobbie McKee loves puppies. From this passion she has written the book on Dog Training and how to take care of him. Discover how to make Rover sit, come and heel at www.DogTrainingSite.net.
Get your own completely unique content version of this article.

Is Your Dog Aggressive?

By : Bob Evanston
Humans and dogs have a long history of happy co-existence. For many people, as the old saying goes, their dog is indeed their best friend. Dogs can serve many roles -family member, guardian, jogging buddy, worker and countless others.

Sometimes, however, the canine-human relationship is not completely harmonious. Unfortunately, dogs can inspire irritation and even fear in people. What does a dog owner do when faced with an aggressive or downright vicious animal that he or she cannot seem to control?

Aggression is the most serious problem faced by dog owners. It can take many forms. Your dog may have a problem with other dogs, with children or with just certain people or in certain environments. So, first of all, you should narrow it down and pinpoint the exact issue.

The first step to take is to have a veterinarian you trust examine your dog, to make sure there is not a physical problem that is the cause of disruptive behavior. You should also try to control your dog's environment as much as possible, avoiding whatever tends to provoke problematic behavior.

Don't take unnecessary chances. If your dog is a threat to people or other animals, you have to make an effort to prevent any unpleasant situations from arising. If your dog is a biter, use a muzzle until you have corrected the problem. There can be serious consequences if a dog attacks someone.

In some sad cases, as when you have a dog who is a threat to a young child, you may have to give up the dog. In most cases, however, the problem can be remedied with some perseverance. One thing that often helps is to increase the amount of exercise your dog gets. Often, an aggressive dog is one who has too much unused energy.

While playing with your dog is a great thing to do, some owners unwittingly foster aggression by playing roughly, as in getting into tug-of-wars with a sock or toy. This is fine for some dogs, but if your dog is already showing signs of aggression, you don't want to increase this. Do play and exercise your dog, but don't encourage him/her to bite or growl if this is already an issue.

Another factor to consider is socialization. Dogs who are left alone for long periods, especially in uncomfortable situations (e.g. tied to a stake or tree or in a small pen) often develop behavioral problems. Dogs are social animals and are not happy being left alone for long periods. If you are away from home a lot, perhaps you can make arrangements to have someone else watch your dog for part of the time.

The above are basic suggestions and will not be enough to correct a serious behavioral problem. The truth is, an aggressive dog needs some serious attention. You will have to hire a qualified dog trainer to help, or take the time to work on your dog on your own, which will take some time, patience and education.

An aggressive dog is a situation you cannot ignore, hoping it will improve on its own. The fact is, most dogs are trainable and with some attention will turn out to be great companions. However, some dogs need more guidance and training than others when it comes to social behavior.

Article Source: http://articlem.com


There is a simple, affordable way to deal with the problem of disobedient dogs ;learn the most effective dog training techniques
Don't reprint this article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.

What To Do If You Have Trouble Training Your Dog

By : Alex F Nowell
Many people shudder at the thought of leaving their animals home alone. Like children, pets require love and attention during the day as well as at night. From this fundamental belief was founded the idea of pet day care. At day care your pet will be fed, groomed, trained and played with any time you are not available to do so.

The most popular are "doggie daycare" or "doggie boot camps", pet care programs very similar to child daycares. At a dog daycare, dogs are paired with trainers for an hour or two each day and taught basic obedience; sit, come, don't bite the nice salesman. Once the dogs have mastered that, more advanced training is often available.

The pet will be given their own sleeping space, feeding dishes and toys, and will be cared for daily as if they were home. Time is allotted for daily grooming, training, exercise and play.

Doggie boot camp is becoming increasingly popular as a way to deal with animals that have simply refused to be trained. A group of professional trainers will work with your dog daily, for several hours a day, teaching them to obey basic commands. Each facility's methods of doing this are different; some use punishment based techniques, while others use rewards and positive reinforcement. This may be a boarding program, where your dog goes to a separate facility for a length of time, sleeping there, or it may be done as a day school, where the owner drops the dog off in the morning and picks them up in the afternoon.

A highly educated staff works with the animals daily, using repetition to teach the dogs basic skill. A high level of success has been achieved through these programs, allowing the dogs to have more time and focus given to their training than is possible with an owner who works all day.

Play time and exercise time are both important components of a canine day care facility. Dogs are walked several times a day, and like children are often given a playground to play on, allowing them to run, jump and climb. Separate faculties are available for both large and small size dogs, with the separation being made at or around twenty five pounds. Puppies have their own separate area, where they are played with, housebroken, and loved.

As with a child care facility, guidelines are established for feeding and napping, with food bowls and sleeping space provided by the day care. Any nutritional or physical needs the dogs have are observed, with any problems discussed with both the owner and a veterinarian. In this way, all parties are involved in a dog's care, and the chances of a dog being cared for improperly are greatly reduced.

Along with playground time, all dogs are given plenty of one-on-one playtime with staff. This time is essential for the dogs happiness, and illustrates the most important benefit of placing a dog in daycare. Dogs, like children, require love and attention throughout the day to be happy and well adjusted. Dogs that receive this love and attention are less likely to develop common misbehavior problems, and these happy dogs will make happy owners.

Article Source: http://articlem.com


Information supplied and written by Alex F Nowell is the owner of the site about Daycareand how you can Place Your Dog In Daycare
Feel free to grab a unique version of this article from the Daycare Articles Submission Service

Dog Training: What Is Dog Training?

By : David McFarlane
The term “dog training” can mean many different things – this is an important fact to remember when deciding what exactly you need to do with your dog.

First, there is "behavior training”.

This is the kind of dog training in which a dog is taught to be good. Usually this would include house training, good behavior around other people and dogs, and other small things that make a dog a much more pleasant companion. A well-behaved dog attracts no special notice from members of the public (apart from occasional comments about their good manners).

Next, there is "obedience training," which is teaching the dog how to perform specific activities.

This can include traditional obedience exercises such as heeling. The emphasis here is on prompt and precise performance. While there can be many overall benefits to this kind of dog training, the training is not necessarily used in order to improve the dog's behavior.

Dogs that have been obedience trained will perform tasks when their owners ask them to do so. (Although, some obedience trained dogs may well behave poorly!)

"Activity training" refers to dog training for specific activities – this could include hunting, herding, search and rescue or any of a number of activities designed to show off the abilities of the dog and his handler. These days, such activity also includes sports such as frisbee, flyball and agility.

At times, these dog training methods can cross over somewhat.

A certain amount of obedience training will help with behaviors, for example. A dog that is heeling will not pull on the leash.

You will still want to keep this in mind when selecting a training class, however, so that it best matches your needs. For many pet owners, the behavior-oriented classes are the best way to learn how to understand and control your dog. For those of you who want to enjoy a sport or compete in an activity with your dog, you will need to move along to more complex dog training.

You need to be fully aware of whether or not your dog needs behavior modification (where you will have to find out the underlying reason why your dog digs holes) or obedience training (to understand commands).

The two may be related: a dog that digs because it is bored may become less bored with obedience training and stop digging. It is important, however, to understand that the dog stopped digging because it was no longer bored not that it now knows how to heel. You will need to modify your approach, or select a trainer to help you, with behavior vs. training in mind.

Please also remember not to punish the dog whilst training.
Punishment is not a training aid. It does little to foster willingness to learn and achieve. Limit yourself to a firm “no” and to using your hands to block the dog’s negative actions. Refrain from hitting or physically abusing the dog.

Display extreme levels of patience and persistence, and never give up; if you do, you are relinquishing your status as the dominant one. The dog is bound by nature and genetics to test how far he can push you or get away with disobeying you. You must display a stern and stoic attitude and do not pat, praise, or reward the dog if he does not pay attention or refuses to do as you have asked. Only yield once your commands are followed. If you “heel” instead of your dog then he will soon know who is the boss.

Use rewards and praise as often as required. Praise should immediately be forthcoming when a dog responds to any command. The pet will associate responding to commands with praise/rewards (treats) and will try and respond quicker to reap his rewards. Once a command/trick has been mastered then the treats can be withdrawn. You will find that obeying a command becomes second nature to your dog.

Keep the lessons simple. To begin with, the lessons should be fairly easy and such that the dog can complete it within two-three actions. As his level of learning increases the lessons could be more complex. Just as our children go, at first to play school, then to kindergarten, and then to the first grade so also in the case of our pets.

Whether you are a first time dog owner or a seasoned veteran, your learning never stops as far as it comes to training your dog. Each and every dog presents different training challenges, and the more equipped you are to handle these training issues the more likely you are to prevent any permanent and long term future behavioral problems.

Article Source: http://articlem.com