Teaching Your Dog the “Go to Your Spot” Command

The “Go to Your Spot” command is a great command to have in your arsenal for a well-behaved dog. For this exercise your dog should have the basic understanding of the “down-stay” command. You will need a blanket, rug, or portable bed to use as the “spot” for your dog.
Start by walking your dog to the “spot” and say “go to your spot”, put the dog on the blanket, give him the “down” and “stay” commands. Once he is in the “down-stay” you can release him. Repeat this process several times, increasing the duration of the “down-stay” as the dog understands the steps involved.
Once you can walk him to his “spot” and he starts to “down” automatically, it is time to begin omitting the word “down” from the above sequence. The new sequence will be: bringing your dog to his “spot” as you tell him “go to your spot”, then putting your dog into the “down” position (he may already go without you doing so) and giving him the “stay” command. Again, repeat this process several times, increasing the duration of the “down-stay” as the dog understands the steps involved.
Now it is time to tell your dog to “go to your spot” and expect him to lie down and stay there, without actually giving the “down” or “stay” commands. If he does not “down” or “stay” when he is in his “spot”, put him into position, and make him stay until you release him. Make sure to do this every day, in different places, so that your dog becomes reliable and can be left “in his spot” while you go about daily activities.
Long down stays are important in general, whether or not he is “in a spot”, because they help you to maintain control over your dog. By your dog having to work for you, it facilitates a relationship in which you are dominant (in charge or the alpha figure) in your and your dog’s mind.

Why Dogs Dig Holes – Seven Secrets to Stop Dog Digging Problems

It seems like every time you turn your head, your dog digs another hole in the yard. How can you stop dog digging before your lawn looks like an artillery practice field? In order to get your pup to stop digging holes, you need to understand why he digs in the first place.
Why Dogs Dig
Here are common reasons for this dog behavior problem:

• Certain breeds, including terriers, labs, and hounds are more prone to digging.
• He’s bored or lonely.
• He needs a cool place when it’s hot, or he’s trying to find shelter when it’s cold.
• Terriers especially like to hunt moles and other creatures that live in the ground.
• He’s attracted to the smell of the fertilizer you just used, especially if it’s manure.
• He can’t resist digging around in the soil you just turned over in your garden.
• If he’s digging under the fence, he may be trying to escape.
• Canines instinctively bury food. In the wild, they come back to eat it later on.

How To Stop Dog DiggingOnce you’ve narrowed down the reason for your dog digging problem, it’s easier to take steps to solve it.
1. Choose your breed carefully before adopting a new pet. Although all dogs will dig, you can avoid many problems by choosing a breed that’s less inclined to dig.
2. If your canine spends a lot of time by himself, he’ll more than likely figure out how to occupy himself, usually in ways you find annoying. It’s up to you to provide something for him to do while you’re gone to prevent a dog behavior problem like digging. You may want to consider hiring a dog sitter to spend time with him, or take him to a dog day care where he’ll have other dogs to play with during the day.
3. Provide adequate shelter for him. During the cold months, he needs a dog house or some kind of shelter from the wind. In the summer he needs a shady cool area so he can get away from the hot sun. You may even want to provide him with a wading pool so he can play in the water and keep cool.
4. When you’re working in the garden, put out a sprinkler. When your canine friend starts digging in the loose dirt, turn on the sprinkler. You may even want to put it on a timer so that it comes on when he’s not expecting it. This is very effective, because he thinks that the garden is doing it to him, not you, so he’ll be less likely to dig when you’re not there.
5. Mix some chili powder with water. Use this mixture to water plants and other areas you want to dog to avoid. Canines don’t like the smell of chili powder, so they tend to avoid the area. If this doesn’t work, try using ground red pepper instead.
6. If your pup is trying to dig under the fence, bury chicken wire a couple of inches under the ground.
7. Avoid giving him bones. Instead give him a toy that you can stuff with food. He’ll stay occupied for a long time trying to get the food out.
Stimulate Your Dog’s Mind
Spend at least ten minutes a day training your dog. You’ll enjoy the time spent with your pet, and he’ll enjoy learning new things. A good dog training course will help you teach your dog what he needs to learn.

House Training: Facts and Fiction

If your little dog has a potty accident, your best course of action is to clean the mess up and don’t shout at him. – TRUE
Punishing or scolding your puppy won’t help him learn the bathroom basics. That’s because he won’t remember that he’s the cause of the little puddle or pile that’s got you to upset. Clean up with no comment and promise to your puppy that you’ll keep a closer eye on your house trainee.
You can spend less of your money if you buy your puppy an adult-sized crate for him; no matter what his size is (if the crate is all you’re gonna buy.) – FALSE
A crate that’s too big for him will encourage your puppy to sleep at one end and eliminate in the other. Still, getting a crate for each stage of his growth can be expensive. To prevent in-crate accidents and to save your money, choose an adult-sized metal crate that comes with a divider. The divider will keep your puppy from using the entire crate and can be adjusted as he grows.
Crates are cruel and doesn’t facilitate in the house training. – FALSE
A properly used crate isn’t cruel at all and makes the house training process much easier. Crates appeal to puppies’ instinctive desire to get a snug, secure den to call their own. Your puppies’ desire to refrain from dirtying the den will help him develop the physical control he needs to become a dependably house trained.
Puppy house training should begin as soon as you bring him home. – TRUE
A puppy of any age can start learning proper potty protocol. Teach him to enjoy his crate. Feed him and take him out at regular intervals. Watch her carefully whenever she’s out of her crate. That said, he possibly will not be full house trained until she’s six months old or beyond.
Your dog will always tell you when she needs a trip to the outdoor potty. – TRUE
If only this were true… Most dogs take awhile to figure out how to tell their people that they need a bathroom break; and some dogs never learn how to get such a massage across to their people. But even if your dog doesn’t come and tell you she needs to do the doo, you can watch him for signals that a bathroom event may be imminent. Intense sniffing, pacing, and circling all may indicate that your pet download is coming.
Club soda can be an effective stuff to clean up your dog’s bathroom accidents. – FALSE
Club soda may get rid of the stain from a little puddle or pile, but it won’t get rid of the odor. Unless you remove the odor with enzymatic cleaner designed especially for this task, your dog almost definitely return to the scene of his crime and performs an encore. Don’t use ammonia, either; to your dog, it will smell like urine, which is an open invitation for your dog to come back to the spot he anointed before and do it again.
A dog rolls over his back and dribbles urine needs remedial house training. – FALSE
A dog pees while he is on his back does not have house training issues. Instead, he’s extremely polite and/or a little bit scared. This type of behavior is called submissive urination, and it occurs when a dog is showing respect or deference to another dog or person. If your dog greets you in this manner, adjust your body language to be a little less authoritative – ignore him for a minute or two when you first come home, don’t look directly at him and crouch down on the floor so that you’re at his level when you touch him.
You can consider your five-to-six-month-old puppy be house trained if he has not had an accident for four weeks or so. -TRUE
House training takes a while, but you can consider the process complete if you take your dog puppy is at least six months of age and has been free of accidents for at least a month. Younger ones do not have the physical capacity to hold their poop and pee dependably and a dog of any age that keeps getting accidents really can’t be considered fully house trained.
A puppy should be able to hold it for the same number of hours as months in his age, plus one. In other words, a two-month-old puppy should be able to refrain from eliminating for three hours. – FALSE
The old rule about a young puppy being able to hold his fire for the same number of hours as months in his age plus one does not square with reality. Some puppies may be able to follow his rule, but all of them won’t. A puppy younger than three months may need hourly bathroom breaks during the day, at least until he gets the hang of what he is not supposed to do in his crate and what he is supposed to do outside. Once your puppy is older than three months of age, you may be able to taper off the potty breaks a little bit, and by four months of age, she hopefully will be able to hold it for the night.
Dogs pee and poop just to spite their owners. – FALSE
Dogs are vengeful creatures. They eliminate in the house for one of these reasons: they may be sick, they’ve had to wait too long for the bathroom break; or their owners haven’t house trained them properly.

Dog Training and Separation Anxiety

Every dog owner must realize this fact that you as a human have lot of company around. You have friends, family, colleagues and you can easily communicate with others. On the other hand your dog only has you. He needs you to love him and understand his needs. Besides food, water and medication, your dog needs your attention the most. Most of the behavioral problems that you will come across in your dog are directly the result of your duration of time you spend with him.
Most dogs dread the moments when you leave for work with him alone at home. They feel dejected and lonely and the only person they want is you. In most cases your dog may not understand what you are saying but your voice and your presence around makes him comfortable.
For different breeds this is different. And this also varies from dog to dog. Some become aggressive to seek your attention while others start whining and barking after you leave. They become a nuisance for your neighbors who are there to listen to your dogs unending yelps till you get home. Some dogs take up chewing which can be a very annoying and rather destructive habit.
These all together are known as symptoms of separation anxiety. This can be corrected by dog training and lot of love. Through dog training you can make him understand that you have to go to work and in the mean while he is at liberty to do few things which can help him spend his time without you and without disturbing the neighborhood peace and sanity or cost you heavily in terms of damage at home.
Obedience dog training can be targeted to reduce and even eliminate separation anxiety altogether. This can lead to a healthy and objective companionship between you and your dog. Those dogs who are not trained or their owners do not understand their pet’s anxiety out of love end up in a dog rescue after being abused. This is not how a companion should be treated for showing love in his own way which you do not understand.
For more information on Dog Training Aids please visit http://www.MyDogTrainingAids.com which is an educational website devoted to helping people understand how to train their dog in the shortest possible amount of time.

Dog Training – 6 Cool Tricks to Teach Your Dog

Now that your dog has mastered all of the necessary commands to be well behaved, it’s time to have some real fun! It’s easier to teach your dog tricks once he’s learned how to respect you and you’ve earned his trust. Those necessary commands help him to do that.
Try these tricks to entertain both of you!
1. Fetch. It’s no fun to play ball with a person or an animal that won’t give the ball back. Teaching your dog how to fetch will make you both wish playtime would never end.
If your dog is a retriever, you’re ahead of the game. Your dog is hard-wired to want to fetch. But other breeds catch on quickly, too. You just have to be more patient and consistent. Train with your dog just a few minutes a day to be the most effective.
To teach your dog to fetch, you need a retrieving training tool called a dumbbell. You can buy it at the pet store. It will be a wooden or plastic tube with flanges on both ends to keep it from falling out of your dog’s mouth. Be sure to buy one that your dog can pick up easily and one that will allow him to close his mouth around the middle, not the flared edges.
You start training a dog to fetch by teaching him to open his mouth. Say “Take it” and offer him a food treat. Once he starts opening his mouth in expectation when he hears you say, “Take it,” slip the dumbbell inside his mouth. Leave the dumbbell there for a second, then praise him and give him a treat. Try this about four times, and then stop. Do this part of the training for a few days until your dog gets used to having the dumbbell in his mouth.
Now, start putting the dumbbell in your dog’s mouth and command, “Hold it.” Gently hold his mouth around the dumbbell for a few seconds. Then say, “Give,” and let him spit the dumbbell out. Be sure to praise him and give him a treat. Do this exercise for a few days until your pet will hold the dumbbell in his mouth.
Next, hold the dumbbell in front of your dog’s mouth and command, “Take it.” Pull his head toward the dumbbell if you have to. Be sure to praise and give him a treat, even if he just moves his head toward the dumbbell. Practice this until he’s used to taking the dumbbell in his mouth. All you have to do now is increase the distance slowly. Continue working on “Hold it,” and “Give.” It might be a good refresher course for “Come,” too. Before too long, your dog will put it all together!
2. Speak. This is usually a simple trick for your dog to learn if he’s vocal already. The trick is to entice him to do it on command and from distances.
First, choose a hand signal – some trainers make a twisting motion with a closed fist; others open and shut their hand using their fingers and thumb. Using your hand signal, command your dog to “speak.” When he barks, reward him and praise him. If your dog doesn’t bark automatically, continue to give the command until he gets frustrated and barks, then quickly reward him. Keep practicing and he’ll soon understand.
3. Shake hands or “Gimme five.” This is perhaps the easiest trick to teach your dog. Give your dog the “Sit” command. While you gently hold his paw with one hand, say “Gimme five” and hand him a treat with your other hand. You shouldn’t have to do this more than a few times for your dog to get the hang of it.
4. Give me a kiss. This is another easy one. Most dogs will kiss you whether you want them to or not! All you have to do is get them to do it on your terms. Command your dog, “Give me a kiss,” and then put your cheek in front of his mouth. When he licks your cheek, praise him and give him a treat.
5. Roll over. Start by giving your dog the “Down” command. Kneel beside him and gently roll him over on his side and command, “Roll over.” Keep rolling him until he’s upright again, and then give him praise and a treat.
A couple of caveats about this trick:
- Don’t keep trying it if it’s obvious your pet doesn’t like being on his back. Some dogs have stronger backs than others, and if you are successful in teaching your dog to roll over, it’s probably a trick you want to retire when he’s middle aged. Most elderly dogs have back and hip pain, and there’s no point in making your pet suffer.
- Be sure to only perform this trick on grass or carpet. Asking your dog to roll over continuously on a hard surface could hurt him.
6. Play dead. This trick produces gales from laughter from school-age boys, so if you have one of those, you might want to get him involved with training the dog on this one. A good time to practice this trick is you’re your dog has just exercised and is ready to rest. There’s a prerequisite, too – your dog must know the “Down” command.
Give your dog the “Down” command and notice what side he’s leaning on. Gently push him on over as you command, “Bang.” As he rolls over, praise him and rub his tummy. Repeat until you don’t have to use pressure to force him to roll to his side. Use the “Stay” command to stay “dead.” Add the hand signal, a pointing forefinger, as you command the “Bang.”

Housetraining a Puppy 101 – What to Do When Accidents Happen

Have you ever been over to a friend’s house when they were housetraining a puppy and seen their reaction to the puppy having an “accident” inside the home. It’s a fascinating study in human personality to see how different people react to this common occurrence. While some people respond in an understanding, gentle way, still others begin to yell or grab the puppy and forcefully drag it out of the house. In the latter case, you can’t help but wonder if those people discipline their children in a similar fashion.
The bottom line in housetraining a puppy is that accidents are bound to happen! We are talking here about very young animals that rely upon you to teach them everything that they must know to get along peacefully within your home. In order for their education to be as smooth and effective as possible, they need to know that they can trust you to be consistent and loving in your reactions to both the things they do well and the things that they do badly.
One common mistake in housetraining a puppy occurs when the owner punishes the animal for a mess that he or she did not catch it making. Your best bet in these cases is to simply clean the mess up and go on about your business. Since the dog won’t remember making the mess, rubbing its nose in the soiled area will probably leave the animal wondering when you developed a fetish for bodily excrement! It will also damage the trust that is so important to your training of the puppy.
You can, however, discipline your puppy if you catch it in the act of urinating or defecating – as long as that discipline is appropriate, and unemotional. As a general rule, try to discipline your puppy in the same way its mother would. Mother dogs that catch their puppies doing something inappropriate shake the fur at the back of the puppy’s neck to let it know that it is misbehaving. A firm shaking of the neck fur will send the message you want, especially when coupled with a firm “no.” Yelling and screaming at the animal will just frighten it.
Housetraining a puppy, however, should never involve punishment. Keep in mind that you are dealing with one of the most natural functions of a dog’s life – going to the bathroom. Your goal cannot be to punish the puppy for going in the wrong spot. Rather, your goal must be to teach the animal exactly what is expected of it. That takes time and, in some cases, a saint’s patience.
Yes, it can be frustrating when you are housetraining a puppy that just doesn’t seem to “get it.” It’s a little less maddening, however, if you can manage to keep in mind the fact that your puppy is in many ways no different than a small child. Just as you would not expect your human child to learn how to use the child potty on the first few days of training, you should not expect your puppy to do so either

Training Your Dog to Overcome It’s Excessive Barking

All dogs bark and for a variety of different reasons. They may bark in response to a threat, either perceived or real , boredom as a result of being left alone, excitement when playing, to elicit attention or in response to some other form of stimulus, for example the telephone ringing. In other words, a dogs bark forms part of a wider context of communication that is better understood in relation to other signals, such as the individual dogs body language for example.
Having understood that a dogs bark is quite natural and therefore expected to a large degree, a dog who barks obsessively however, not only causes great stress to it’s owners but can become a wider social problem, leading to frayed relationships between friends and relatives and in some cases to legal action against the dogs owners.
Obsessive barking is usually a symptom of an underlying problem, therefore before you can help your dog overcome this unwanted behavior, it is important to address the motivation of his barking first of all.
Frustration and stress can be a major cause of barking, especially due to a dog spending too much time alone or not receiving adequate exercise or mental stimulation. If you think this may be the cause of your dogs constant barking, then regular daily exercise suitable to your dogs needs, plus stimulating games such as ‘fetch’ and ‘hunt the treat’ for example should remedy the problem. This is especially true for working breeds, for example the Boarder Collie and German Shepherd.
Separation anxiety or an exaggerated reaction to being left alone can cause your dog to develop a problem of constantly barking. In order to help your dog try to make both leaving the house and returning as uneventful as possible. To begin with, when getting ready to leave the house do so a good 20 minutes before you actually leave. While preparing to leave don’t talk to your dog or make eye contact with him, continue go about your business normally. When you are ready to leave don’t say goodbye, just calmly leave. When you return act in a similar manner, don’t talk to your dog, settle yourself down and after several minutes quietly call your dog to you and pet him gently and quietly. The key is to help your dog understand there is no big deal with you coming and going. In time your dog should get the idea, and his barking should dissipate naturally.
If your dog barks obsessively to stimuli such as a telephone or doorbell ringing for example, try teaching him commands such as ‘speak’ and ‘quiet’ for example. To do this attach your dog to a lead so you have more control over him and ask a helper to ring the door bell, When your dog hears the sound of the bell and begins to bark, give him the command ‘speak’, wait for a few seconds, then give him the command ‘quiet’ If he continues to bark, tug on his lead; the tug on the lead is not meant to be a punishment, but more to break dogs fixation on his barking. When he responds by becoming quiet, give him a treat and praise him profusely. Keep practicing this exercise until your dog can speak and become quiet on your command.
In some cases a dogs barking can stem from dominance or aggression due to him being highly territorial. This may be due to his personality, or his breed type for example. If this is the case with your dog, try managing the cues that elicit his barking behavior. If your dog goes into barking mode when he hears the mail delivery person arrive for example, try putting him in another room before your mail is delivered. If your dog dashes to the garden fence when a stranger passes by, remove him from the garden all together. If he has no reason to bark, then his unwanted barking should extinguish naturally after a short period of time.
Many owners who indulge their dogs, especially toy or miniature varieties often find their dogs become quite vocal in an attempt to get their attention. In order to counteract this unwanted barking, refuse point blank to be manipulated by your dogs behavior. When your dog barks to get your attention, simply turn your back on him and refuse to respond to him until he quiet. When he becomes quiet, give him a treat. Again try teaching him the ‘speak’ and ‘quiet’ commands.
Occasionally poor heath can be the culprit behind a dogs excessive barking; Arthritis, and problems with teeth and ears,can bring about unexpected bouts of barking, especially if the dog is getting older. If you think may be causing your dogs problem barking, make an appointment with your vet as soon as possible to have your dogs health checked.

Stop Dog Digging

Digging can be a hard problem to fix. Dogs dig for many reasons, including boredom, a desire to cool down and a desire to bury a treasure. It’s a natural instinct and is often done when no one is looking. Because of this, the most effective approaches rely on managing the environment. Here are some suggestions.
1. Eliminate Unsupervised Time Outside
The quickest way to end the problem is to stop giving him unsupervised access to the yard. Keep an eye on him when he’s outside and correct him any time he starts digging.
2. Bury Chicken Wire
If your dog has a favorite spot, you can try burying chicken wire under the surface. This will frustrate his digging efforts and may convince him to stop.
3. Provide Interactive Toys
Give him toys to play with when he goes outside. An item such as a Kong toy stuffed with treats will keep his attention focused on it instead of on digging.
4. Provide More Exercise
Take him for more frequent and longer walks so that he won’t have as much stored up energy.
5. Prevent Access
Prevent him from getting to his favorite areas to dig. If he enjoys destroying the garden, block off the garden. Lawn furniture usually does the trick.
6. Keep Him Inside on Hot Days
When the weather gets warm dogs will dig to get to the colder dirt underneath. Keep him inside when it’s uncomfortable outside (this is something you should do regardless of whether he digs).
7. Provide Mild Corrections
If you catch him in the act you can startle him with a noise or spray him with a water bottle. For some dogs this will solve the problem, though others will either fail to generalize and simply dig elsewhere, or keep better track on whether you’re home.
8. Set Up a Safe Zone
If you can spare some territory that he can dig in, guide him over there and reward him for digging in an appropriate spot. Just as with potty training, teaching a dog what to do is much easier than correcting all his different errors.
To solve digging problems you have to manage the environment and increase the amount of exercise your dog gets. Prevent access to areas where he digs, walk him more often and provide him with interactive toys

Solutions for Your Dog’s Digging Problem

Some dogs love to dig and it can be a difficult habit to break them of. It can also be frustrating for you, after all you probably don’t want your yard or garden to be a mess. Training your dog to stop digging, just by scolding them may take a very long time, so here are some other solutions that may help fix the digging problem fairly quickly.
1. Hide little balloons in the holes that your dog usually digs and cover them with dirt. The next time your dog goes to dig in the holes the balloons will pop and scare your dog.
2. Put some kind of deterrent on the certain spots where your dog favors digging. Some deterrents include cayenne pepper, or things that are bitter smelling.
3. Put your dog’s poop in its holes and cover it up with dirt. Some dogs do not like the smell of their own feces and will stop digging. Be aware that this won’t work with all dogs. Some will actually eat it, therefore do not continue this technique.
4. Set up a sprinkler near the holes your dog digs in your yard, turn it on every time you catch your dog digging, this will also startle them and prevent them from digging in the future.
5. If you have a garden that your dog digs in, choose plants that are unappealing to your dog, such as roses with thorns. You can still have the flowers you want, but here and there plant roses or any other plant that your dog will not want to touch or smell.
6. If your dog just digs everywhere and nothing else works, you can give your dog a designated digging area, such as a sandbox or a small fenced off area that is out of sight or away from your gardens. Scold your dog for digging in your lawn or garden and praise them for digging in their designated area.
If one of these solutions does not work for your dog, move on to the next one. Be persistent with trying to break them of their annoying digging habit.

Why Dogs Love Clicker Training

Clicker training is a type of dog training that uses operant training to train your dog to be obedient by using the sound of a click, which becomes known to the dog as a sound that promises a reward. This type of dog training is innovative and a great way to train your dog to obey you on command. A clicker is used to make a clicking sound so when you actually give your dog a reward, he understands that the reward is for being obedient. Both owners and their dogs love this kind of training for a variety of reasons.
They Understand
Other methods of dog training may be difficult for a dog to understand, but once they start to associate the clicker with their actions that gets them a treat, they begin to understand how the system works. Other methods of dog training may be confusing and leave the dog wondering what he did wrong or right. This method leaves no doubt when your dog obeys you like he should and helps to make your dog happily obedient.
Positive Reinforcement
Many other dog training programs use various methods of negative punishments to try to make dogs do what you want, and many times, the dogs do not even understand why they are being punished. Clicker training for dogs uses only positive reinforcement to train the dog the way you want. Negative punishment has no place in this system and dogs learn much faster with the positive reinforcement that is used in the clicker program. Another reason that punishments are not used in this training program is because, many times, dogs may even look at punishment as something good since they are getting your attention. It is much better to make them realize that when they do well, they are rewarded, and soon enough their bad behavior will cease.
Dogs Want to Please
Most dogs love to please their masters, especially when there is a treat at the end of the road for them. This type of dog training takes the pleasing nature of dogs and helps them turn it into obedience, which makes their masters very happy. Dogs begin to realize that when they please their master, not only will they get approval, love, and affection, but they also get a treat as well. The combination makes a powerful training tool.
Signals are Used with Behaviors
Another reasons that dogs do so well with clicker training is because the trainers always make sure that the dog understands the command by using it and showing the dog what is wanted. Only after the dog learns the behavior and the signals that are associated with the wanted behavior do the trainers require the dog to perform the commands on cue. This makes it very easy for dogs to understand exactly what is wanted so they can do it quickly. Once they understand the behavior, then they start having the behavior reinforced by the trainer with the clicks and the treats.
Bad Behaviors Disappear
Not only do dogs learn that good behaviors get rewards, but through lack of positive reinforcement they learn that their bad behaviors are unwanted. If dogs behaving badly, after going through the clicker dog training program they will find out that their bad behavior is not rewarded with a treat. After some time, the dogs will eventually stop the bad behavior because they realize that they are not rewarded for it.
Focus on Relationships
Many dogs love this program because it focuses on the relationship between the dog and the owner, building a bond that is strong and lasting. When their good behavior is reinforced by the owner, the dog feels wonderful for having pleased their master. Dogs and owners have to work together on this kind of training and they are able to spend more time together as well. Dogs learn that they get the attention of their owners when they are obedient and they are on good behavior.
The clicker training program for dogs is a great program for both the dogs and the owners. If you are considering a way to train your dog that will last forever, the clicker program is for you. While obedience school and other dog training programs may wear off, the clicker training program builds a bond and a sense of achievement with a dog that they will never forget. Positive reinforcement is the backbone of this dog training program, and it truly works in a way that dogs love

DIY Dog Grooming – What You Need

Many pet owners are discovering that it is far more convenient to do their own dog grooming at home. Not only do you save on grooming fees and gas, but you save time as well by not having to commute to take your dog to the groomers.  DIY grooming also has several other benefits.  You`ll get to bond with your dog and get to know him better through the grooming process.
Having everything you need on hand is very important since you want to be able to do each grooming step after the other while avoiding distractions. This is easier on the dog and will keep you organized, as well.
Here are the things you will need:
Tub: If you are planning to do your own dog grooming long term, it really is worth it to have a raised tub for your dog. Rather than bending over a tub, you`ll be able to wash and groom your dog at an easy height. Smaller dogs can be bathed in a baby bath set on a table (of course, be sure that it`s stable).
Nail Clippers: Important for clipping those overgrown toenails that click on the floor as your dog walks. Just be sure to clip far enough back that you don`t get the quick, which can cause bleeding and pain for your pet. A good set of nail clippers combined with proper lighting can make nail clipping a breeze.
Brushes: A good brushing should be a regular thing. It stimulates the skin and helps to remove loose hair, so you can keep the house relatively fur-free. There are plenty of different brushes available on the market, but you should look for one that is appropriate for the size of your dog and that has rubber tipped bristles to protect the skin. A soft brush in a smaller size is also useful for ears and face.
Rake: These are stiffer tools meant to get rid of matted hair that tends to form on dogs with longer hair. It can really help ease the entire grooming process if you remove matted hair before it has the chance to get worse. A proper dematting rake will make the entire thing easier. You can also use a comb, but it tends to be more painful for the dog and take longer.
Natural Shampoo and Conditioner: Bathing your dog should definitely be a regular part of the grooming process.  Keep in mind however that human shampoos and conditioners aren`t meant for pets and can cause allergies and dry skin. Instead, look for specially formulated hair products that contain all natural ingredients and are meant for dogs.
Towels: Set aside some towels specifically for your pet. These are invaluable when it comes to drying him after a bath or after a long romp in the rain.  Chances are you won`t want to use the same ones you use personally, so be sure to mark them.
Power Clippers: While you can certainly trim your dog`s coat with regular trimmers, it will take a long time and tends to be less accurate. A good set of power clippers will allow you to trim that hair quickly and easily to get the look you want for your pet. Power clippers will make this a lot easier, too, for the inexperienced home groomer.
DIY dog grooming can be a very rewarding experience. It definitely helps strengthen the bond between you and your canine friend. Not to mention the amount of time and money saved just by doing this relatively simple process at home.

House Training an Older Dog

If you had a big enough heart to take an adult dog into your house that’s never lived with a family before then you will likely have the patience that is needed for house training an older dog. This shouldn’t take more than a few weeks, but as they say old habits die hard to don’t be surprised if there are a few accidents before you are able to train them.
Remember that your dog thinks with its nose. It will remember where to relieve itself by where it smells the last place it urinated. If that happened to be on your Persian rug that is probably where it will go once again. With this in mind you can begin potty training your new canine companion.
If you have a backyard it’s much easier. You can purchase a bottle of urine scent, which is often used to train puppies, from any pet store. You must simply find a spot where you would like your dog to go and spray that area. He will smell it and will understand that is where he should go. Do this a few times and before you know it your dog will be house broken.
If they do happen to go in the house and you don’t clean it up right away then they will think that is the appropriate place and will likely urinate there again. Whenever you clean up a mess you should not use ammonia as that is one of the scents the animal picks up on to begin with. There is a spray called “natural essence” or any other doggie deodorizing cleanser that you can find at your pet store will do.
If you dog should happen to have an accident then you should only scold them if you catch them in the act of doing it. If they’ve already gone then it’s too late to punish them as they won’t understand why they are being punished. It is important that you don’t hit your dog, but simply take them by the scruff of the neck, put their nose near the urine or feces and in a stern tone say “No.”
Make sure to walk your dog at a regular time and on a consistent basis so that they will not need to go. At least twice a day and 30-45 minutes each time depending on the breed should be good enough. Note some animals will require considerably more exercise.

I Love Dogs...................

Eliminating Shedding Problems Through Proper Grooming Tools

1. Have you ever noticed what when your dog comes back from the groomer his coat is shiny and he does not shed very much for the next few days or, if you’re lucky, the next week?

Many people wish they could achieve the same results that their dog groomers deliver – You’ll be happy to hear that you can!  It all starts the kind of tools and equipment you use to groom your dog.
Here is a list of equipment a professional groomer will use:

1. Slicker brush – used on shorter haired dogs and some non-shedding breed.
2. Rake – These are great for use on long haired dogs and those with a heavy undercoat.

All this equipment is very useful. If you have a long haired dog, or one that has a thick undercoat, you have probably  experienced some serious shedding problems. The rake is the most useful tool for you to use to combat this.  It pulls out massive amounts of hair. It actually does not “pull” out the hair or even cut it. What it does is grab the loose hair in the undercoat that you do not see in your dog but falls out periodically as he or she moves around.  This tool is the best weapon you have against shedding problems – If you remove this hair before it falls out on its own, you will not have to deal with it on your floors and clothes.  Sounds logical right?  Many pet owners fail to realize the effectiveness of this simplistic thinking.  Give it a try and be consistent about it, and you will notice less shedding the first time you use it.
Keep in mind that some of this equipment may be difficult to find at a discount department store but you may be able to find it at a pet shop or specialty store or through online retailers.  Once you use them though, you’ll wish you had found them a long time ago!

How to Potty Train a Dog – House Training a Puppy Techniques

How to potty train a dog is one of the most challenging things you’ll face as a pet owner. However, its not impossible and anyone can do it.
Do you have an adorable puppy that you are trying to potty train? Is your dog using the bathroom in the house despite your best efforts? You love your pet, but you want to teach them to respect your house. I’ll guide you through some common dog training information that will give you the tools you need to properly train your puppy.
The most important thing to consider when training your puppy is to establish the relationship properly. Communication is the deciding factor when dealing with your new companion. Being upbeat, positive and enthusiastic reinforces your position with your puppy. Puppies love praise and they love to please their owners, by communicating with your dog in this manner you reassure them that they are doing what you want.
Some of the key factors to remember when training your dog are, Establish the Relationship – Proper Communication – Patience through Repetition.
Puppies are not born with instincts that tell them they need to go to the bathroom outside. You have to train them to go outside to use the bathroom. Dogs love praise and this type of communication maintains positive for your pet. Rewarding your dog with praise and treats helps to reinforce that you are pleased with what they have done.
Be sure to realize that training a dog requires patience and repetition, don’t get frustrated with your dog if you think they aren’t progressing, realize that it takes time to teach them. They aren’t going to learn what you want to teach them over night, but they will progress.
A very important thing to remember is that potty training a dog is just the beginning. Properly training your dog to be obedient and to respect your family and belongings will maximize the enjoyment of having a dog in the family.
If you want to learn how to teach your dog the most common training techniques and questions you need to visit my How to potty train a dog information guide.

Tips for Training Newborn Puppies – Guidelines for Puppy Potty Training, Puppy Biting & Socializing

What could be more irresistible than a cute, cuddly puppy?  But puppy grows up fast so the training side of having a puppy is one aspect that you need to get a handle on quickly and start implementing as soon as she comes home.
For both you and puppy, the training sessions should be fun, so much so that puppy won’t even realise that she is having a lesson. Above all, the commands that you use to teach puppy need to be consistent.
The trap that you can fall into when you first bring puppy home is that the very behavior that can be so problematic in an adult dog is often so cute and engaging in a little puppy. So she pooped off the edge of the paper; she had such a cute look on her face while she was doing it! So she chewed up grandma’s slipper; when she finally fell asleep with her head buried in the slipper we all burst out laughing.  But this kind of behaviour, left unchecked, simply becomes much harder to deal with later on as puppy becomes a “teenager”.
So what are the key areas of puppy training that you need to address?
Puppy Potty Training
Probably on the top of your list will be, or should be, house training your puppy. If you are busy at work during the day, then it is even more important to start this training early so that puppy is not relegated to a newspaper-lined laundry for the rest of her puppy life.  Some tips that will help with this part of your puppy training include:

• Be consistent with where you want puppy to “go”. Take puppy to that spot on a regular basis and reward her when she obliges.
• Make it a habit to go outside with puppy after she has eaten and wait with her in the special “poo corner” so that you can praise her immediately after the deed has been done.
• Use consistent verbal responses so that puppy comes to recognize this special phrase as reward when she has in fact done it in the right spot.

Socialization of Puppy
You will have a dog that is a delight to be around if she has been socialized from an early age and subsequently views other dogs as possible playmates rather than threats or aggressors. This will also mean that it will be easier for friends and family to look after her when you are on vacation. The best ways to socialize puppy include:

• Puppy School. This is a wonderful idea and usually takes up only 1 night a week for 5 to 7 weeks. This will be so much fun for puppy that she won’t even notice the lessons.
• Try to introduce puppy to your neighbor’s dog after she has had her shots but only if the neighbor has a friendly dog of course.
• Look to other dog-owning members of your extended family to find opportunities to provide an afternoon of puppy interaction.

Puppy Biting
You can teach puppy from an early age that you are the leader of the pack and won’t tolerate rough, aggressive biting.

• You can use verbal commands followed by a substitute toy when she releases her biting grip.
• You can stop being the playmate and exit the room when she crosses the line with her needle-like teeth.
• You can also use a growling-like voice to show that you don’t approve. Follow this with a pleasant-sounding voice that heaps praise on her when she does as you ask.
• You can use a tin with items inside it that rattle to make a loud noise when puppy persists in biting.

Leash Training
At first puppy will object to something around her neck. So make her first little collar quite loose and introduce the leash-walking lessons in short bursts.
You need to make sure that your puppy training begins while she is still a puppy, or before long you will have a pup with selective hearing and not long after that, a young dog that is too boisterous to calm down and too hard to handle.

Supporting Dog Digging Behavior

It is in the nature of dogs, especially younger ones, to dig. In fact, there are dog breeds that with their peculiar digging habits, owners would tend to think they are just made for digging. Puppies that belong to the terrier breed, sporting and Nordic group are examples of such.
There can be many reasons behind this behavior but basically, puppies have fun when they dig. Dogs may also dig to find a cool spot in the ground during summer, a warm spot underground during winter, get over anxiety related to moving or having new members in the family, and or to just get over boredom.
Whatever the reason however, there are certain ways you can control or diminish your pet’s unfavorable digging habits. By doing so, you can lessen the destruction that your pet causes in your lawn or backyard. Consequently, you punish or scold your pet less for a behavior that he loves doing.
Foremost, a pet owner should find out the reason for the puppy’s excessive digging behaviors. Boredom caused by less physical activities or attention can easily be resolved with fixed regimes that will divert the dog’s attention from digging.
Below, are also a set of instructions that will help you support your dog’s digging habits. Eventually with these steps, you will be able to give him his own enjoyable spot for digging and also train him to stay in his area away from your lawn.
1. Designate a digging area. Find a spot in your lawn or backyard where your puppy or dog will be free to dig to his hearts content. When you don’t have the luxury of owning a lawn or backyard, find a suitable place in a nearby park or somewhere inside your house. You may set up a digging pit similar to a child’s sandbox.
2. Encourage your dog to dig in his own area. By making it more fun for your dog to dig, he will have more reason to stay in his own digging pit and away from your belongings.
You can accomplish this by burying his favorite toys underneath the digging area so that after finding it, he would feel he just dug a treasure. You may also insert a bone in the digging pit for him to chew on when he finds it. Otherwise, play with your dog by digging alongside him.
3. Create a regime. Commanding or instructing your dog to dig on a regularly basis, will also help him keep to his digging pit. Everyday, you may command you dog to “dig” in his area. Eventually, your dog would love nothing more and start clawing on the ground for a hopefully good find.
4. Correct unfavorable digging. Whenever you find your dog digging someplace other than his digging pit, make sure to correct him with a firm “no” and guide him back to his designated pit.
These steps won’t immediately solve dog digging problems, but eventually with regular training, your puppy should create less destruction on your property and create the habit of digging in his own little place.

A New Puppy In The Family

A new puppy in a family of dog lovers brings in a lot of warm feelings. But along with those warm and fuzzy feelings, a puppy can also cause a lot of puppy problems. But if the puppy is well trained as soon as it arrives in the family, then things will go a lot smoother. And so puppy training is a very important aspect for any puppy owner. Puppy training is not as difficult as it sounds. There are a lot of puppy training tricks available on the internet which can be used to train the puppy. The owner can start by training the puppy to sit, stay and fetch. These commands can be repeated until the puppy learns and understands them well. Training a puppy can take a lot of time and patience. The owner should be patient and repeat the commands until the puppy learns and understands them. Whenever the dog sees the owner angry it cannot follow instructions from the commands. It is always important for the owner to remember that the puppy is not as intelligent as humans and is different from humans. One more important thing is that the puppy should not be scolded while at training. This would confuse the puppy.
Obedience training for puppies is very essential to ensuring that they behave appropriate. If the puppy is not trained, it may result in misbehavior. For example some dogs may have the habit of biting strangers. In this scenario, the owner will need to teach the puppy that it is not a good things and such a behavior would not be accepted by the humans. This can be done by executing some common commands whenever it does this. After a while, it will learn by itself by recognizing the commands. Another common misbehavior is biting the owner. This can be eliminated by screaming and shouting whenever the puppy does it. Let the puppy know that biting is not ok, but try to remain calm and collected while doing so.
Dog obedience training can be sometimes easy and sometimes tough. If the dog is already trained, the owner can repeat the instructions and no new training is required. But if the dog has not previously been trained, good training is required for the dog to behave well. Training also depends upon the nature of the dogs. Sometimes it goes on smooth and sometimes it doesn’t. Different breeds have very different personalities, intelligence, and tolerance for training. The training should be consistent for the dog to be trained well.
Find out how dog obedience training can help you prevent misbehavior in the future. Also check out the information on obedience training for puppies that helped me train my puppies to be the lovely adult dogs they are today.

How to Stop a Dog Digging Problem

If you are having digging problems with your dog, don’t worry it can be solved!
Dog naturally like to dig and where better then in your own backyard! Of course this is not so great for you or your garden.
Have you tried yelling, slapping the dogs rear or tying your dog up with a chain or rope? Many think that these methods will stop digging problems but they don’t work.
Dogs start digging because they are calling for attention, they can feel lonely and know that by digging you will come to them. Other dogs may just be bored and starting digging to play or dig up their toys.
Here are a couple of steps to stop your dogs digging problem.
First of all, if you do have an “allowed” digging area, keep your dog in that area by making a small fence. When you see your dog digging in the allowed area praise it and let it know that it is being a good dog.
If fences do not work then you must invest a bit of time and be on the lookout for whenever your dog starts to dig in the wrong area. As soon as you catch your dog make a loud noise by placing rocks in a coffee can and shaking it in order to get your dogs attention. Or you could also have a squirt bottle near by and squirt some water in its face. Of course for this you have to be attentive to when your dog starts to dig.
However, by doing this persistently you will notice that your dog will learn and understand that it is not supposed to dig in the garden.
Also, make sure that your dog isn’t digging because it is anxious or bored. Take your dog out for a walk every day or have at least an hour or more of playtime with your dog.

Dog Health Care – How to Keep Your Dog in Tip Top Shape?

Proper dog health care is, in many ways, the same as proper human health care. Balanced nutrition with fresh food and plenty of clean water and adequate exercise will keep your dog healthy and happy. Dogs, like humans are subject to a host of health disorders that can be caused by obesity, lack of exercise and ingestion of ‘bad for you’ foods and drugs. In other words, if your dog is slovenly, lazy and gluttonous he will face the same host of physical problems as his master – heart disease, joint problems, canine diabetes etc. On the other hand, if your dog has a healthy diet and gets plenty of exercise he will have a longer life, improved muscle tone, suffer fewer ‘late-life’ diseases and overall have a happier life.
The first, and perhaps most important thing you can do to ensure proper dog health care in the home is to provide a clean water supply. Keep a good sized water bowl made of porcelain or metal that will hold a proper amount for your dog’s breed and size. Alternatively, use a filtrated bowl with an auto fill feature so that your dog always has fresh water available. Also, be aware of the additives that have been put in the water if your water comes from a municipal supply. Basically, the same chemicals that are harmful to you will be harmful to them. When in doubt filter their water.
The next most important thing you can do to ensure your dog’s health is to feed them good quality ‘real’ food. Just like in humans, good nutrition is a key to dog health care. Try to avoid heavily processed foods filled with preservatives and additives. Definitely avoid any dog food with heavy amounts of fillers and grain. The concept of ‘dog food’ is a human invention anyway. What dogs need to eat is food that supplies the proper level of vitamins, minerals and protein – just as you do. Try and avoid your dog’s exposure to table food, raw fish and eggs, dairy products and cheese.
Finally, when you have ensured that your dog has good quality food, fresh water and plenty of exercise, the final step you will want to take for proper dog health care is to get them regular check-ups and veterinarian visits. A good insurance policy will help with the costs of preventive care and provide emergency cover if it is ever needed.

Dog Training School – Teaching the “Sit” Command

Complex dog training is based on a foundation of the successful carrying-out of simple commands. A search and rescue dog does not begin with searching and rescuing, and a well-trained gun dog does not instigate his education with quartering a field and retrieving shot birds. Before a dog can carry out these more difficult tasks they must establish a rapport with their coach and develop a sense of self-belief in their ability to complete the job they are asked to do.
Dog training school begins with fundamental obedience commands; ‘come’, ‘sit’ and ‘stay’. This lesson is on the second I teach a pup, ‘sit’.
By now he comes when called and in learning that command the pup has accomplished two things. First, he’s learned that he can learn; sounds simple, perhaps even redundant, but before learning to come when called he had no concept of “learning”. It’s important that he comprehends this notion because he’ll likely be doing a lot more of it!
Second, he’s learned the value of pleasing you, his master. You’ll notice that in my dog training school there is minimal use of “treats”. Food is for nourishing the body; praise nourishes the soul. Watch your dog’s reaction to being fed. He’ll wag his tail and pant enthusiastically, then dive head first into his kibble. But give him lavish praise and generous petting and he’ll nearly pass out from all his delight. Nothing, and I mean nothing, please a dog more than knowing he’s pleased the most important being in his life.
Teaching the “Sit!” Command
Successfully teaching the ‘sit’ command gives you control over your dog. There is much she does not, and will not, appreciate about the world around her and it is your duty to fend on her behalf. Your family and friends do not wish to be in the company of an unruly dog; when she sniffs, licks and runs helter-skelter in their presence tell her to ‘sit’.
When walking your dog and then stopping, you do not want her wrapping her lead around your legs; command her to ‘sit’.
Call your dog to you and tell him to ‘sit’; you now have his attention and are ready to continue with today’s lesson.
Okay, hopefully I’ve established that teaching your dog to sit on command is worth your time and effort. Here are several ways to make it happen.
The easiest technique simply involves paying attention. Your dog does a lot of sitting on his own; when you see him beginning to park his rump on the ground say “Sit!” Not “sit down” or “take a seat” or anything else fancy; just “Sit!” (As I’ve mentioned before it is okay to say the dog’s name first, i.e. “Gracie, sit!”) Go to your dog and be liberal with the praise.
The second technique is usually taught by using a treat but works as well without. Stand in front of your dog (who is also standing at this point) and hold you open-palmed hand in front of her nose. As she begins sniffing it move your hand up and back over her head. She’ll raise her head and hopefully begin to lower her butt; as she begins to sit give her the command; “Sit!” If necessary, gently push her rump toward the ground.
The third technique is a variation on the second and the one I use most often. With your dog standing, move to his side, put one hand under his chin and the other on his back right in front of his tail. Support his head and push his rump toward the ground while commanding “Sit!” You may also support the head with your dog’s collar and leash. Lavish with praise, pause and repeat. Do these exercises only for a few minutes and always end the lesson on a successful ‘sit’.
Bonus!
Here’s a bonus for you that only the bigshots teach. Once your dog comprehends sitting on command (and that should happen rather quickly) introduce a hand signal. When you command “Sit!” show your dog your open palm like you were a cop stopping traffic or Superman stopping a speeding bullet. In no time at all Gracie will hit the deck with the hand signal alone and you will become the envy of all the dog owners in your neighborhood.
Happy training to you! See ya’ in the next Dog Training School lesson and please; spay or neuter your dog!

Quiet Excessive Barking With Dog Training

Dogs bark for many different reasons. Here are just a few of them; sights, smells, not enough exercise, hungry, lonely, and bored. Barking is a dog’s primary form of communication but sometimes this communication is taken to an unhealthy level. There are many great dog training tips out there that will help in this area, but it is vital that you first discover the main reasons for your dog’s barking. Knowing the probable cause will go a long way towards fixing the problem. It will also help you decide which dog
training tips are most likely to work for you.
The dog training tip that dogs love!
Probably the most enjoyable method that you can use to stop excessive barking is through the use of treats. Your pet will love this dog training tip! When your dog begins his marathon of barking, immediately hold a treat in front of his nose. Most likely, he will snap to attention and focus on the treat. Calmly give him the command “quiet”. Then give him the treat. Over time you can increase the amount of time that he has to remain quiet before receiving his treat.
Remember never to yell at your pet for barking. Your elevated tone and energy will only serve to put fuel on the fire. Your dog might even get the mistaken idea that you’ve decided to join in. Keep a calm demeanor while dealing with a barking dog.
Dog training will help you sleep at night!
Many pet owners keep their young dogs in some sort of designated area over night. This is always a good idea as it keeps the pet out of trouble and danger. The problem is that many pets are none too happy about being separated from their owners at bed time. Their frustration can result in hours of nonstop barking.
Save some of your old pop cans and rinse them out. Place 5-7 pennies inside and cover the hole with plenty of duct tape. Once you’re out of sight and the barking begins, toss one of the cans in the general area where your dog is. Never throw the cans at your pet! The purpose of this exercise is to distract the dog from their unwanted behavior. All of the clanking is an unpleasant sound and after a while the dog will associate barking with the objectionable racket. Sometimes it only takes 3 cans to quiet a dog that is used to barking for hours! Using these tips is sure to create a peaceful atmosphere in your home

Dog Training Tips – How to Train a Puppy – the 10 Most Important Principles

Training Your Puppy
How to train a puppy is one of the most common questions raised by new dog owners. You have just brought this new creature into your lives and before too long you realise that unless you do something about it, his boisterous, carefree puppy ways are going to turn into a real headache when he is five times his current size and weight.
With that in mind, the following are what I consider the ten most important principles to take into account when training a puppy.
The Ten Principles of Puppy Training
Beginning Training
1. Utilise the first three months of the puppy’s life to shape the puppy’s behaviour. This time should be spent teaching the puppy where it can and can’t go in your house, getting the puppy into a routine so that it knows its boundaries and potty training the puppy.
2. Don’t start formal obedience training with your puppy until it has reached at least three months of age. Your puppy goes through drastic change during his first three months where the central nervous system is developing. A puppy will not be able to understand or cope with formal obedience training before then.
3. When you do start formal obedience sessions at three months of age do not make the sessions any longer than four to five minutes long. Break the sessions up so that your puppy never becomes bored and ensure that you make the sessions happy so that your puppy is left wanting more. This is crucial.
The most important commands
4. At 3 months of age concentrate on the three most important commands, ‘down’, ‘stay’ and the command that I consider is by far the most important-‘come’. (The come command is crucial, it can save your dogs life). The way to introduce these commands is as follows: “When ever your dog sits or goes into the down position on its own free will, simply state the command ‘sit’ or ‘down’ to coincide with the action”. Likewise, when ever you walk away from your puppy and want the puppy to remain where it is, simply state the command ‘stay’.
You can even do this before the puppy is 3 months old because you are not putting any pressure on the puppy. When the puppy is 3 months old it will then be ready to associate the command with the action in formal obedience sessions.
Praising and Rewarding the Puppy
5. Never yell at, hit, punish or scold your puppy during obedience sessions, this will only hinder your puppy’s learning by having a negative effect on his confidence. Instead concentrate on positive reinforcement i.e. giving praise and/or a reward for completing the command. If the puppy does not do as you wish, simply withhold the praise and/or reward and move on.
6. Use food rewards 100% of the time when you start formal obedience sessions with your puppy. However, slowly withdraw them to around one reward for every twenty commands over the coming six months. That way your puppy will always be motivated because he will never know when the next reward is coming and he will be looking for it.
The two steps forward-one step back Principle
7. Do not make each training session progressively longer and harder for your puppy. Concentrate on the ‘two steps forward -one step back’ principle. This means, progress over two training sessions, then regress and make it easier on the third session. For example, you are teaching your puppy the ‘stay’ command. On Monday you have your pup stay for twenty seconds, five metres away from you, Tuesday thirty seconds seven metres from you and Wednesday forty seconds ten metres from you and so on. When you consistently progress like this you are de-motivating your puppy by making it harder for him every time that you teach the command. The correct way to go about this would be as above for Monday and Tuesday, however on Wednesday take the exercise back to fifteen seconds at three metres. Then progress again on the following day.
The Retrieve
8. When ever your puppy brings an item such as a ball, stick or any toy to you, do not immediately reach for the item. Instead pat the puppy on any part of his body except his head and ignore the item at first. If you immediately reach for items that your puppy brings to you, he will always feel threatened when ever he has an item in his mouth. This will hinder progress with retrieve exercises and even with games such as retrieve with a ball or stick.
The Collar and Lead
9. During the first three months familiarise your puppy with the lead and collar. Do this by introducing the collar first. Show the puppy the collar and let him smell and investigate it before you place it on him. Do this in a positive environment, for instance when you are outside playing with the puppy. After he has investigated it, simply place the collar on the puppy with minimal fuss, give a food reward so that the puppy has a positive association with the collar and continue playing with the puppy as if nothing has happened. If the puppy becomes distracted and starts pawing at the collar etc. distract the puppy with a toy or food item to take his mind off the collar. Very soon, your puppy will have forgotten that the collar is there. After two to three days of wearing the collar, introduce the lead. Again, do this under positive circumstances. Allow the puppy to investigate it and then clip it onto the collar then give a food reward. Allow the puppy to run around an area where he cannot get tangled, with the lead dragging behind him on the ground for around five to ten minutes. Extend this to around thirty minutes over the following week and then start picking up the lead for short periods while slowly walking around with the puppy following you.
Enjoy your Puppy
10. Lastly remember to enjoy your puppy. Make learning as stress free as possible. Accept that when you are training a puppy that things will go wrong and when they do move on with minimal fuss. Obedience Training is your responsibility as a dog owner. It is well worth the time and effort because the result is a companion that is always under your control and a pleasure to be around.

Nick Wilson is an author, a former Police Dog Handler, and the owner of K9Koncepts, based in New Plymouth, New Zealand. He focuses on teaching owners how to train their dogs with a simple and forthright approach. He also specialises in teaching owners how to overcome issues with problem dogs, and helps them understand the importance of the Canine Dominance hierarchy in dog training. You can obtain his free report Canine Dominance and the Five Key Factors to Dog Training from http://www.train-your-K9.com/ If you really want to understand canine dominace in more detail, and how it effects dog training, then his recently authored e-book “Train Your K9″ is also available from the site.

Common Dog Diseases and Parasites

A good diet and plenty of exercise are important to a dog’s health, but they can’t make a dog totally immune to illness. Early detection is the key to helping your dog overcome any health problem. If your pet’s stools become very loose, or you notice a marked decrease in your dog’s appetite and/or that she is very lethargic, she may just have a short-term “bug.” On the other hand, if any symptoms continue for more than a few days, you should have your veterinarian examine her for parasites and infections.
Diarrhea is a common symptom in dogs, especially puppies. It can be triggered by stress or a sudden change in food, but also by a virus, bacteria or parasites. Diarrhea causes dehydration, which can be deadly to dogs. It is extremely dangerous in puppies, because they dehydrate faster than mature dogs.
If your dog has diarrhea for more than a day, contact your veterinarian for further instructions. You will probably be asked to collect a sample and bring it in so they can examine it to determine the cause and proper treatment.
Coughing, sneezing, and discharge from your dog’s nose and/or eyes often indicate a respiratory infection. A lethargic dog with no appetite is likely fighting an Upper Respiratory Infection (URI). URI, caused by airborne viruses and bacteria, is highly contagious among dogs, but is not transmitted between dogs and humans. Early detection of URI is important; ignored dogs suffer from severe dehydration and risk developing pneumonia.
Bortadella, also called ‘kennel cough” is another contagious respiratory disease commonly contracted in animal shelters, boarding kennels, or anywhere groups of dogs have close contact with one another. It is a short-term disease, and most dogs get over it with a few days of rest and tender loving care from you. It is possible to have your dog vaccinated against Bortadella – a good idea if you plan on boarding her or placing her in “doggie daycare.”
Vaccinations are also available to protect your dog against more deadly diseases such as rabies, distemper and parvovirus. Most municipalities require that all dogs are vaccinated against rabies; some include distemper and parvovirus as well. Making these vaccinations mandatory protects the health of all dogs, and, in the case of rabies, human health as well. If your dog was vaccinated as a puppy, she’s off to a good start. However, without yearly booster shots, your dog is at risk of great suffering from one of these diseases.
Dogs serve as hosts to a number of parasites. You will probably be asked to bring a fecal sample to your dog’s yearly vet appointment, so that the staff can check for the presence of internal parasites. If you notice small, rice-like granules on your pet’s bedding or around her anus, she is suffering from an infestation of worms and needs to be seen by your vet to get proper treatment. Other parasites take up residence on the outside of your dog’s body. Mange and sarcoptic mites live on the hair follicles and skin of dogs, while ear mites live on the inside of the ear. These parasites are so small you might not see them, but they cause your dog extreme discomfort. Head shaking and pawing at ears are signs of ear mites. Frequent scratching and skin-biting can indicate either skin mites or a dog’s worst enemy: fleas.

Dog Training Tricks – Cool Dog Tricks To Teach Your Dog

Dogs are smart animals that can learn fun and cool tricks easily when properly trained. Teaching your dog tricks does not only make your dog smarter, it’s also a fun thing to do for the owner. Good news is that training a dog is not really that difficult. You can begin with simple dog training tricks before proceeding with advanced dog training. Here’s how owners can start with simple training:
Giving treats. Dog food is one of the most helpful things that trainers can use for simple dog training because these pets react easily to food. The trainer can begin with giving treats for dog behavior training until the dog becomes more obedient to commands even if there’s no more treat.
Repetition. When teaching dog tricks the trainer has to be patient because pet dogs understand better from repetition. In this way, there is more consistency and the behavior or actions that they have learned become more solid.
Regular training. Like regular exercise for optimum results, dog agility training should be done every day so the pet will not forget the tricks they are taught. Doing this will make the lessons such as the training process, the commands and the dog’s obedience stick with them and continue on.
Dog clickers. Using a clicker to teach dog tricks is also very helpful especially because the hearing sense of dogs is very sensitive. They respond to the sound that the clicker makes and it will be easier for them to familiarize the command and the sound so clicker dog training tricksare essential.
Hand motions. Aside from using dog clickers, the trainer can also use hand motions to teach fun dog tricks. When they see physical commands such as rolling over, they can associate the verbal command with the hand movements.
Basic commands. One way of curing dog aggression or unwanted behaviors is to teach them basic commands like sit stay fetch. They serve as the fundamental ways that make toilet training dogs easier to achieve. Moreover, the basic commands also pave the way for advanced dog training for more difficult or impressive tricks.
The Benefits of Teaching Dog Tricks
It is important for trainers to keep in mind that training your dog to do tricks should be safe for the pet and any training technique that may hurt them is not advisable. Training your dog should not be too stressful also which means you don’t need to spend the entire day to do the training. Keeping it short will make the pet more focused and willing to get back to it the next day.
Some trainers may want to enroll their pets in group trainings so their dog can socialize with other pets while some prefer individual training. Both methods for teaching dog tricks are highly effective so the owners can choose whichever suits them.
The importance of simple dog training and teaching dogs the basic commands is that it improves their behavior and trains them to avoid doing unpleasant behaviors such as chewing on shoes or carpets or peeing on the wrong places. While training your dog to walk on a leash, you can also teach them proper toilet training. Further, basic training and teaching them to come, sit, stay or stand can promote bonding and play time between owner and pet. Treats can also be used to lure the dog to do the commands and should be given to pets every time they do a trick successfully
Advanced dog training often makes performers out of dogs and people become more impressed or entertained with them because of this. Learning the basics will prepare the dogs to do more complicated tricks such as backing up, catching something, crawling, dancing, playing dead or shaking. Compared to basics commands, training your dogs to do tricks like these also require more persistence from the trainer and the training doesn’t need to be every day.
If they teach dog tricks to pets, trainers can develop better communication with dogs and in return, the pets will open up more to trainers. The pet may also gain more confidence from the training and their high energy can be put to good use. Moreover, some people are afraid of dogs and one way to make them feel less threatened around these pets is if they see the dogs performing impressive and fun dog tricks.
Dog training tricks can be quite a lot of work, require a lot of patience and need sufficient time but returns rewarding experiences both for dogs and trainers or owners.

Clicker Training Your Dog – Are You Making a Big Mistake?

Most people know that clicker training your dog can be a fun and rewarding experience. However, some dog parents give up on clicker training too soon because they don’t understand the basic fundamentals behind operant conditioning (the science behind how clicker training works).
In order to clicker train your dog effectively you need to avoid these common mistakes:
1. Not Using the Correct Treats
Commercial dog treats or pieces of kibble are ineffective training tools. If you knew your paycheck was going to be worth $25 at the end of the week, how motivated would you be to go to work? What about $1000? These treats rank pretty low on the totem pole in terms of “excitability”.
“Real” human food is worth much more to your dog than boring pieces of treats and kibble. Just don’t get too crazy. We’re talking pea-size portions of food like cooked chicken, cheese, Cheerios, etc.
Plus–most commercial dog treats take way too long for your dog to chew. By the time he finishes eating the treat, he’s already forgotten how he earned it!
2. Training a Dog on a Full Stomach
After you finish eating a spaghetti dinner do you order out for pizza? Hopefully not! This one should be pretty self-explanatory. If you expect your dog to work for food he’ll be a lot more excited about the idea if he’s hungry.
3. Using the Clicker to Fix a Problem
The clicker is used for teaching a new behavior, not for stopping a behavior the dog has already learned how to do. Does your dog jump up on people? Then you need to teach him this trick: Sitting When People Come to the Door is More Rewarding Than Jumping.
4. Using the Clicker as a Remote Control
The clicker should never be used as a remote control to get your dog’s attention or to get him to come to you. Yes, that works pretty well at first but eventually the clicker will lose it’s great power as a source of information for your dog.
Instead, the clicker should always be used a camera, capturing the exact moment in time when you see your dog doing something right.
Unfortunately, these common mistakes are just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, 9 out of 10 “professional” dog trainers do not understand the science correctly! It’s no wonder so many dog parents have become frustrated with clicker training!

Dog Tricks Made Easy – 2 Important Techniques

If you’ve been having difficulty teaching your pet a new trick, you may just need to employ a couple basic strategies to get yourself on the right track. The number one strategy in making dog training effective is a technique called “progressive ordering.” Basically this means you want to break a trick down into the simplest, most basic components and teach your dog these components one-at-a-time. Once he or she masters one element, reward them with praise and continue on to the next part of the trick. Each new component builds on the previous one and the trick will come naturally to your pet. It’s a good idea to limit the amount of time you spend training, though. Five to ten minutes per session with no more than 2 or 3 sessions a day is more than adequate. Show your pet attention and praise throughout and be sure that training is in no way an unpleasant experience for them.
Let’s illustrate this technique using a very basic example: Playing fetch. First, we want to chunk this down into the basic parts. You throw the stick, your dog chases the stick, picks it up, and returns it to you. You will want to be sure to reward your pet every time he completes one of his actions. So when you throw the stick, give praise to the dog when he runs over to it. Repeat this several times so that the dog begins to associate this behavior with the reward. Eventually you will want to cut down on the reward for this part until your dog learns his next part of the trick- Picking up the stick. Repeat the reward cycle for this as with the first part until you feel your pet has a good understanding and then move on to having them return the stick to you. This provides your dog a natural and safe way to learn new behaviors.
Another great strategy is to use a clicker. These can be purchased online or at pet stores very inexpensively and are highly effective at reinforcing positive behavior. The clicking sound that these training aids make works so well because it is a sound that your dog doesn’t normally hear. While “good boy” or “good girl” can let your pet know they’ve done something well, the simple fact is that our words don’t sound all that distinctive to a dog’s ears. We are talking all day long and most of the words we speak have no significance to our canine counterparts. The click, however, is a unique sound that your pet will only hear after he does something praiseworthy, and he will quickly associate the sound with a reward.
There are just 3 steps to training your pet using a clicker:
1. When your pet performs a trick (or part of a trick if they are still learning), click right away after it happens.
2. Give your dog a treat ASAP after the click. A small piece of people food or his favorite treat will work.
3. Show some affection and praise! Show your pet that you are pleased after rewarding him with the treat.
That’s it! Put these two strategies to work and you might be surprised at how quickly your four-legged friend adapts and learns some fun new tricks.

Clicker – A Great Dog Training Aid For Dogs and Owners

Come to think of it, training a God is not just converting your dog to simple following your instructions and commands. When you start training your dog for obedience and anti aggressive behavior you actually increase your interaction with your pet. In the course of training, your dog learns a few tricks, but at the same time you also get to learn a lot about your four legged companion.
There are numerous ways and means to train a dog, but one of the most effective dog training aids is an electronic clicker The essence of clicker training is that the dog is guided, not forced, into the desired behavior.
The clicker works on the principles of conditioning behavior and association of actions with sounds as experimented by Ivan Pavlov (a Russian Behavioral expert) long ago. He researched and established a relation between sounds and sight. He determined that even in the absence of the actual situation we can condition an intelligent animal such as a dog to react for a situation on hearing a sound even in the absence of the actual situation and associating sounds with events and required actions.
Pavlov had trained conditioned his dog for associating the sound of a bell with food and the dogs even started producing additional saliva when the bell rang and food was not provided as they had over a period of time associated the sound with food.
In the similar way you can train your dogs to act and behave in a required manner to the sound of a clicker. It takes a lot of patience, but is entirely non-confrontational. If you learn and understand clicker training you will not only be more effective in training dogs, but you will probably also improve your people handling skills.
Clicker in my opinion is one of the greatest dog training aids developed till now and suitable for dogs of all sizes and breeds.

House Training a New Puppy

When you buy a puppy for sale and introduce it to your home you will need to start housetraining the animal which will take time and patience. Here is some advice to ease the process and have your puppy housetrained as quickly as possible. Some pups will learn quickly while others need a little more time to adapt. They will get there eventually, so keep encouraging them and be patient.
When a puppy is looking to do its business it’s only concerned with going to the toilet as soon as possible and in a choice location, which will be away from food and his or her bed. For a little while you will find it on your bedroom floor and all around your house so it’s up to you to show the puppy a better spot.
The key is looking out for signs that the puppy needs the loo. These are holding its tail high, sniffing around a particular region or continually circling an area. Puppies will need to go to the loo frequently, the most likely times for them though are after they been eating or drinking, immediately after waking up (like us all!), and if they are exciting they have a tendency to go.
How to train a puppy
Spotting when the puppy is about to go is a good start. You should have a nearby spot in the garden where you can take the puppy to make it, its toilet area. Remember if you have chosen to buy one of the newly born puppies for sale then its warning system won’t be very good so the spot should be quick and easy to reach from where the puppy’s bed is located and food and play area.
Show the puppy encouragement
Make sure you always show the puppy where you want him or her to go and stay with the puppy and encourage them. Chose a command word so the puppy starts to understand what you are asking of them and ensure you praise the puppy when he or she gets it right!

How to Train a Puppy to Sit and Stay - How To Train Your Dog

Don’t Forget This Vital Dog Grooming Step

As dog owners, we understand grooming is part of caring for our four-legged family members.  We brush them, bathe them, and clip their fur but when was the last time you brushed your dog’s teeth?  Humans brush their teeth everyday – most of us do it twice daily as well as visit the dentist at least twice a year. Generally, our dogs only get their teeth cleaned when they hit the six or seven year mark and by then it can be too late to correct serious problems.
Dogs suffer from the same mouth diseases as humans. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, more than 80% of dogs suffer from periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is a serious gum problem and a step up (worse) from gingivitis, which can lead to a host of health issues.
Health issues that can arise from neglecting your dog’s teeth:

• Multiple Infections

• Heart Disease

• Bad Breath

• Tooth Loss

There are several ways to combat the issue of brushing your dog’s teeth.  The first is to make dog dental care part of your grooming process every week.  When you start brushing teeth, starting young is best. Older dog’s, no matter how enticing the dog toothpaste flavor, do not enjoy the process and would rather eat the dog toothbrush than let you actually brush their teeth.
For most owners, the latter is the case and if this sounds like you, try using dental treats in between dog dental care during your professional grooming appointments. Using one treat a day, will reduce the chances of disease. Although these treats are a little pricey, the cost is nothing compared to the cost of a full day at the vet for a teeth cleaning and scraping.
Second, for those do it yourself dog groomers, the dog toothbrush on the market that works great with one stroke is a three-sided dog toothbrush. It looks like something made for someone not of this planet but, it makes the job of dog dental care faster and easier giving you the opportunity to do a thorough job.
Regardless of whether you brush your dog’s teeth, have your groomer brush, or take your dog to the vet for cleaning, brushing your dogs teeth is one of the most important components in dog grooming. One of the wonderful aspects of dog ownership is being greeted every day with those sloppy kisses, wouldn’t it be perfect if their breath was always fresh. Extend your dog’s life by taking an interest in dog dental care.
Michael, a dog owner for over 25 years, has amassed an extensive knowledge of several dog breeds. Follow this link to read more dog articles from temperament to health and to shop the Discount Pet Supply Store by visiting the collection of Dog Grooming Supplies at Remarkable Dogs.com.

Dog Barking Control Made Easy – How to Stop Excessive Barking Immediately

Now that we are living closer together in apartments, condos or houses built close to each other, there is a growing need for owners to control their barking dogs. Consistent or excessive barking can be annoying to both the owner and their neighbor. The ideal way to control the barking is by training the dog when it’s appropriate to bark and then to stop on your command. However, with owners working long hours or who just have hectic schedules just don’t have the time to train the dog. Training not only takes time but it also takes consistency and patience. Training is not an immediate solution and you will not get overnight results. Please note: If your dog is a fear barker i.e. barking and running with its tail between its legs and ears flat back or your dog is aggressive please consult your veterinarian or a professional before trying any type of bark control!
This article describes immediate solutions to control a dog’s barking habits. There are many products on the market today to stop a barking dog. The three main types are bark collars, stand alone systems and devices where you are in total control of when the dog gets a correction. All these devices are either ultrasonic, spray or electronic.
Based on my research of reviews of all these products the ultrasonic collar doesn’t seem to work very well for most dogs but the ultrasonic systems can be effective. The ultrasonic systems are stand alone devices and are made for either indoor or outdoor use. You simply place the device in your home or yard and when the dogs barks it emits an ultrasonic sound humans can’t hear and it distracts the dog from barking. A lot of people use the outdoor systems to control the barking of their neighbor’s dog. There are also handheld ultrasonic devices where you simply press the button when you want to deliver a correction. This can also be useful if you are bothered by barking dogs when you go for a walk, jog or cycle.
The most effective collars are either the citronella spray collars or the electronic bark collars. The citronella collars emit a spray when the dog barks. It distracts them plus they don’t particularly like the smell of citronella. People have had good success with this type of bark collar but it really depends on the dog’s personality. If your dog is the happy go lucky type and really wants to please you then you have a good chance this collar will work for you. If your dog is hard headed and stubborn, barks at anything and everything, then you’ll probably have more success with an electronic bark collar. Great strides have been made with these collars over the past few years where you have much more control over the amount of correction the dog receives when he bark