Dog Training Basics – Common Commands
A calm, obedient and faithful dog – it’s what we all want, right? To begin with, 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 – large dog breeds such as german shepherds and rottweilers to name a couple. And of course pit bulls are almost synonymous with aggression in many people’s minds. Now, I have a rottweiler myself, and she’s the soppiest thing out. So I don’t personally subscribe to the view that particular breeds are necessarily aggressive. But nevertheless, large dogs certainly do need to be adequately trained, just because of their size. Larger dogs can be very intimidating to people. 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: Ø 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. Ø Sit – Training your dog to sit on command is a vital part of any dog training program. Ø Down – Lying down on command is more than just a cute trick; it is a key component of any successful dog training program. Ø Stay – A well trained dog should remain where his or her owner commands, so Stay is an important command in dog training. (The Stay command is not used by all dog trainers. Some are of the view that the command to Sit means “Sit, and stay there until you’re given another command” – this makes a lot of sense. But many people do like to use the Stay command). Ø Heel – it is important that any dog learn to walk beside its owner on a loose lead, neither pulling ahead nor lagging behind 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 owner. 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…
read moreDog Training – Reinforcing the Dog / Owner Relationship
Finding the style of that works best for you is important for establishing the boundaries between dog and owner, and for training your dog to be an obedient, loyal and faithful member of your family. All dog training methods work to reinforce the relationship between you and your dog, and the foundation of any successful training program is getting the respect of your dog. Fortunately, dogs are wired by nature to seek out leaders, and to follow the direction of those leaders. You are your dog’s leader! One of the most popular methods of dog training is the so called leash/collar style of training. Both leash/collar training and reward training have been used for many years, and both have established their effectiveness over time. While it is important to remember that each breed of dog has its own unique qualities, reinforced by hundreds of years of selective breeding, the style of training that works best often varies from dog to dog, and from breed to breed. This is because personalities of individual dogs vary considerably, even within established breeds. You, as the owner of the dog, know better than anyone which style of dog training will work best, so it is important to work with the trainer you choose to achieve your goal of a willing, obedient and friendly dog. Leash and collar style training usually works well with larger, heavier types of dogs, particularly where the dog needs to develop a high level of reliability. Dogs who have an important job to do, such as rescue dogs, police dogs and guard dogs, generally benefit from leash and collar training. In leash and collar training, varying degrees of force can be used, ranging from slight prompts with the lead to very harsh corrections. The amount of correction used should be appropriate to the situation, since using too much correction, or too little, will be ineffective. So how does it work? In a collar and leash based dog training program, you will teach your dog a particular behavior, generally with the leash. After your dog has demonstrated that it understands the command, the leash is then used to correct the dog if it disobeys, or when it makes a mistake. The leash is the main form of controlling and communicating with the dog in leash and collar training. If you send your dog to a specialized dog handler for training, the leash and collar method is probably the dog training style which will be used. When using leash and collar training, the dog must be trained to trust the handler and accept his or her directions without question. In order for the dog to be fully trained, the handler must demonstrate the ability to place the dog into a posture or position he or she does not want to take. This does not mean using force, but it does generally require some level of physical manipulation. This manipulation is most easily and safely done using the main tool of leash and collar training – the leash. It is important for every would be dog trainer to understand that the leash is simply a tool. While the leash is an important tool in this form of training, it is important for the dog trainer to be able to eventually achieve the same results using whatever tools are at hand. Even when the only tools at hand are the owner’s body and skill, the dog should be willing to obey. Creating a leader/follower relationship between owner and dog is still very important, and it is important to use the leash as…
read moreStop Dog Barking
Stop Dog Barking! It really is possible to stop a dog from barking using totally humane methods. You can even stop a neighbor’s dog from barking with these barking deterrents! Just click on the pictures or the links below for further details of four great products which will stop your dog from barking in no time! The first of these four systems is a citronella dog collar – an anti bark collar with citronella as the substance that will stop barking dogs by spraying a short sharp burst of citronella at your dog’s face whenever he barks. This is effective for two reasons – because it is a liquid being sprayed at your dog’s face, that will cause the initial surprise and stop your dog barking, and secondly because of the smell. Your dog probably will not be of the opinion that the citronella dog collar emits a pleasant smell – so this will reinforce the desired effect. Click Here for details. The second and third bark control devices automatically detect dog barking and respond by emitting a high-pitched tone that humans can’t hear. Although the tone does not cause pain to animals, most dogs don’t like it and will stop needless barking! And what’s really special about this model is that it can be used both indoors and outdoors alike. Bark Free Noise Deterrent – covers a 35 feet radius – click here: Bark Free Noise Deterrent – Stop Dog Barking – Click Here for details Option 2: Super Bark Free Noise Deterrent – covers a 50 feet radius: Click Here (Does a similar job, but covers a larger area, has some additional features, and is for use outside only). Features: Automatic, silent ultrasonic bark control for outdoor use only Timed control lets you set the device to work only when you’re not home or at night Built-in counter shows how many times device has been activated Stop Dog Barking, Humanely and Safely! – Click Here for details Option 3: Or, if you’re after a portable anti barking device, the Portable Bark Stop may be exactly what you’re looking for. It has the following features: Correct your dog’s bad behavior Personal alarm provides audible protection Built-in flashlight included Portable Bark Deterrent – Click Here for details! And if you still haven’t subscribed to our Healthy Happy Dogs ezine, you can do so here!: Your Name: Your E-Mail: (We’ll NEVER use your details for anything other than to send you your free report and Healthy Happy Dogs…
read moreSmart Dogs Love Brain Work!
Smart Dogs Love Brain Work – and all dogs are smart! Did you know that it’s quite possible to improve your dog’s health and wellbeing with particular training methods? It’s true. Correct ongoing training of your dog can result in increased vitality so your dog will actually spend less time sleeping. S/he’ll be more alert, but also when your dog sleeps, s/he’ll have a really healthy, restful sleep! Have you ever noticed how some dogs seem to “listen” to their owners more than others? Is your dog like that? Or is your dog like most dogs – probably listens to commands some of the time, but sometimes tests you or simply takes no notice? Many dogs are like that unless they’ve been really well trained from the start, or they receive ongoing training from their owners. Most people assume that training your dog for a few weeks or months when s/he is young will be sufficient for life. But training as an ongoing process has great benefits for your dog. Dogs love training sessions. Can you guess why? That’s right – because you’re spending time one on one with your dog. And that’s what your dog wants most of all! The idea of giving your dog appropriate mental stimulation (brain work) is not well understood by the general public, or even by the majority of conventional dog trainers either. Traditional dog training has been developed from the assumption that dogs can be transformed into little more than robots – the basis of almost all training is to train dogs to respond automatically to certain command words, and to respond in exactly the same way each time to each command. Such training completely ignores your dog’s innate intelligence. If your dog is in “mental balance”, then s/he will be happier. And you can actually see when your dog is happy and content, can’t you? The object is to take care of your dog and train him/her on your dog’s own terms, while still maintaining ultimate control. (Of course, it goes without saying that you never want to lose your spot as the top dog). You can actually take all the tedium out of dog training, and you won’t risk boring your dog to tears in the process, either. Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? I was intrigued, anyway. Mogen Eliasen is a dog trainer from Denmark. He’s an expert in animal behavior, and has been studying dogs and developing better training methods for dogs for the past 30 years. Mogen advocates training which does take into account your dog’s intelligence, and this method really works. And as an added bonus, it also works to correct a lot of undesirable behaviors that some dogs seem to have. Happiness and mental stimulation are great for your dog’s health and wellbeing! For more information, click…
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