Dog Training - Stray Dogs

By John Williams
Hundreds if not thousands of stray dogs are found each year around the world with no one in sight and nowhere to go. These dogs are often in great danger whether it's because of neglect on the owners' behalf, or because of unforeseen circumstances causing the dog to become lost and scared.

What can be done in these situations can be a tricky choice, and a choice that will need to be done quickly. Simply driving past a suspected stray dog on the side of the road could end in the death of the dog minutes later.

What to do when you find a stray dog is different in almost every case, but there are guidelines to follow to help save the life of a scared stray, and put the mind of the loving owner at ease.

To begin you should always be aware that the dog in question may be very aggressive due to being scared, lost, and possibly very hungry, so approach with care. If you feel the dog is not a violent one then you should still be very careful not to startle or scare the dog in any way, a scared dog could easily run onto a busy road or dangerous area.

A good way to reassure the dog you are not there to harm them and to get them close is to use a strong smelling food such as tuna or other dog favourites as well as speaking gently and calmly to the dog.

When you finally get the dog under control and have no fears of aggressive behavior, reassuring the dog by stroking and talking to them will make it easier for others to deal with them. If you have leash or any other form of dog control with you then try and secure the dog with them, still being careful not to scare the dog.

When you have successfully captured the dog or if you have had other problems making it difficult to capture then you should phone for help from the local animal care or control authority to ensue the correct procedures are met and the safety of the animal will be secure.




About the author:
John Williams website owner

For more information on dog behavior training visit the dog-behavior-training.co.uk website at this link...Dog Training.

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Dog Training - Dog Crate Training

By John Williams
A dog crate is a metal and plastic cage for your dog to sleep in or be in while you are away, the crate helps give your dog a secure place to live while in your home and a place to retreat to when things get a bit to hectic as they do in many family homes today.

Crate training is a very popular and effective technique for teaching your dog right from wrong; this method includes teaching rules of eliminating, sleeping arrangements, and keeping your dog from being destructive when you are out amongst many other benefits.

To crate train you must choose a correctly sized crate that your dog or puppy will be able to grow into with time and they will not be too cramped or have too much space. If your dog has a crate that is too small they won't want to live there or go there and if the crate is too large it leads to eliminating problems.

You should make your dog feel as comfortable as you can in their crate; this should include putting a bowl of water with your dog in their crate, a nice easily cleanable blanket and put them in an area that is widely used by the family so they always feel part of what is going on.

When you are out, your dog can be closed in their crate to ensure common bad behavioural problems don't happen while you are out such as chewing, biting and eliminating in the house. Be sure not to keep your dog in their crate for longer than about 4 hours and to let them go to the toilet on a regular basis.

Dogs will naturally not want to eliminate in their place of sleep so as you dog gets used to its new sleeping area it will want to go to the toilet only when they are let out so be sure to take them to their appropriate place for eliminating when they are let out, then reward them for behaving in the correct manner.

Always reward your dog for using the crate in the correct way and be sure all members of the family know that the dog should not be pestered in their crate. As long as this rule is followed then you won't go far wrong and you will begin to notice great improvements in your dog's behaviour immediately.






About the author:
John Williams website owner

For more information on dog behavior training visit the dog-behavior-training.co.uk website at this link...Dog Training.

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Here?™s How You Can Stop Your Dog From Pulling On The Leash During ...

By Jonathan Cheong
Pulling on the leash is one of the most common misbehaviors seen on all kinds of dogs. Puppies and adult dogs alike can often be seen taking their owners for walks, instead of the other way around. Pulling on the leash can be much more than an annoying habit. Leash pulling can lead to escape in the case of a break in the collar or leash, and an out of control, off leash dog can be both destructive and dangerous to itself and to others.



Leash pulling can result from a variety of different things. In some cases, the dog may simply be so excited to go for a walk that he or she is unable to control themselves. In other cases, the dog sees itself as the leader of the pack, and he or she simply takes the “leadership position” at the front of the pack.



If excitement is the motivation for leash pulling, simply giving the dog a few minutes to calm down can often be a big help. Simply stand with the dog on the leash for a couple minutes and let the initial excitement of the upcoming walk pass. After the initial excitement ahs worn off, many dogs are willing to walk calmly on their leash.



If the problem is one of control, however, some retraining may be in order. All dog training starts with the owner establishing him or herself as the alpha dog, or pack leader, and without this basic respect and understanding, no effective training can occur. For dogs exhibiting these type of control issues, a step back to basic obedience commands is in order.



These dogs can often be helped through a formal obedience school structure. The dog trainer will of course be sure to train the handler as well as the dog, and any good dog trainer will insist on working with the dog owner as well as the dog.


The basis of teaching the dog to walk calmly on the lead is teaching it to calmly accept the collar and lead. A dog that is bouncing up and down while the collar is being put on will not walk properly. Begin by asking your dog to sit down, and insisting that he sit still while the collar is put on. If the dog begins to get up, or gets up on his own after the collar is on, be sure to sit him back down immediately. Only begin the walk after the dog has sat calmly to have the collar put on, and continued to sit calmly as the leash is attached.



Once the leash is attached, it is important to make the dog walk calmly toward the door. If the dog jumps or surges ahead, gently correct him with a tug of the leash and return him to a sitting position. Make the dog stay, then move on again. Repeat this process until the dog is walking calmly by your side.



Repeat the above process when you reach the door. The dog should not be allowed to surge out of the door, or to pull you through the open door. If the dog begins this behavior, return the dog to the house and make him sit quietly until he can be trusted to walk through the door properly. Starting the walk in control is vital to creating a well mannered dog.



As you begin your walk, it is vital to keep the attention of the dog focused on you at all times. Remember, the dog should look to you for guidance, not take the lead himself. When walking, it is important to stop often. Every time you stop, your dog should stop. Getting into the habit of asking your dog to sit down every time you stop is a good way to keep your dog’s attention focused on you.



Make sure your dog is looking at you, then move off again. If the dog begins to surge ahead, immediately stop and ask the dog to sit. Repeat this process until the dog is reliability staying at your side. Each time the dog does what you ask him to, be sure to reward him with a treat, a toy or just your praise.



Remember that if your dog pulls on the leash and you continue to walk him anyway, you are inadvertently rewarding that unwanted behavior. Dogs learn whether you are teaching them or not, and learning the wrong things now will make learning the right things later that much harder.



It is important to be consistent in your expectations. Every time the dog begins to pull ahead, immediately stop and make the dog sit. Continue to have the dog sit quietly until his focus is solely on you. Then start out again, making sure to immediately stop moving if the dog surges ahead.


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Simple Solutions With Dealing And Overcoming Dog House Training ...

By Jonathan Cheong
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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The Technique To Test Whether Your Dog Is Ready To Train And ...

By Jonathan Cheong
Coming when called is a vital skill that every dog must learn, both for its own safety and that of those around it. A disobedient dog that refuses to come when called could easily be hit by a car, get into a fight with another dog, or suffer a variety of other bad experiences.



A well trained dog that comes when called can safely be taken out to play in the local park, at the beach, on the hiking trail, or anywhere else the owner and dog may wish to go.



Basic training to come when called is relatively easy and straightforward, and involves providing praise, treats and other perks when the dog does as his owner wants. After these basic come when called training exercises are mastered, there are a number of fun exercises that can be introduced to challenge the dog and pique its interest.



Making training into a fun game is one of the best ways to motivate dog and handler alike. It is easy for training sessions to become routine and boring, and it is important to keep them from degenerating into this state.



Before beginning any food based training exercise, it is important to make sure that the dog is properly motivated and ready to respond to treat based training. Testing the dog is simply a matter of taking a piece of his regular food and waving it in front of the dog’s nose. If the dog shows great enthusiasm for the food, it is ready to start the training. If not, it is best to wait until the dog is in a more receptive mood.



The treats that work best for treat based training games like hide and seek are cut up quarter inch or smaller pieces of chicken, cheese or liver. In other words, something your dog will love. It is best to use very small pieces to avoid overfeeding the dog during he training sessions.



One great game for you and another family member or friend to play with your dog is simply back and forth recall. This is a great exercise for teaching your dog to come whenever it is called by a member of the family. Dogs often learn to only respond to one person, and this can be a problem when other people are watching the dog.



That is one reason why professional dog trainers always insist on working with the owner as well as the dog. A well trained dog must learn to respond to whoever is in charge, not just the owner or usual handler.



In the back and forth recall game, two or more people stand approximately ten yards apart, in a safe place like a fenced in yard. One person calls the dog and asks him to sit and say until another person asks the dog to come.



When the dog responds to the command to come, it is rewarded with a treat. Most dogs respond wonderfully to this exercise and love playing this game. When playing the back and forth recall game, it is important that only the person who called the dog be allowed to give the dog a treat.



After the dog has mastered the back and forth recall game, the humans in the game can start to spread further out, thus turning the back and forth recall game into a fun game of hide and seek. The hide and seek game starts with two or more people in the center room of the house. Every time they call the dog to come, they spread out further away from where they started.



As the game continues, one person will be at one end of the house, while another may be at the opposite end. What makes the hide and seek game so much fun for the dog is that he must seek out the person to get the treat, instead of simply running up to a person in plain sight.



This type of seeking behavior appeals to many of the dog’s natural instincts. After all, dogs are naturally hunting animals, and seeking out food is second nature to them.


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