The Best Dog Training Techniques – The Basics

November 21, 2008

Filed under: Dog Training Tips — Tags: , , — admin @ 4:13 am
John Williams Dog Training asked:


There are many different breeds of dog and choosing the right one for you or your family can be a difficult choice as there is several different aspects to consider. This article may help you decide on the one you want by naming the dogs with the best training abilities.

There are no guarantees with which dog breeds will behave in certain ways and there will always be exceptions in every breed of dog but there are many characteristics that you can look out for when finding the correct breed for you, here are some of the top dogs in order of ease to train and how quickly they pick up the different tasks and activities.

Labrador Retriever

The Labrador retriever is a very affectionate dog that takes well to unknown strangers, very friendly and the best of our choice of dogs that are easy to train.

Australian Cattle Dog

The Australian cattle dog is yet another easy breed to train and teach new tricks to due to their passion for learning, not so good with other pets and may be a bad choice if other pets are around at your home.

Sheepdog

Sheepdogs are renowned for being a good well behaved training dog on places such as farms and holdings. Although good and faithful to owners, these dogs don’t take so well to other people who are not familiar, if you have many visitors to your home it may be a choice of breed.

Australian Shepherd

This is again a dog with very high drive to learn new things and explore things further but is not as friendly as the Labrador retriever at the top of the list and is not as energetic either, but is a good protector of the home.

Border Collie

The border collie is not as trainer friendly as some of the breeds above but is a very hard working dog with lots of affection and energy. The border collie enjoys challenges and challenging training schedules. If you cannot spare at least an hour of intense exercise this might not be the correct dog breed choice for you.

There are many other dog breeds around, and you may prefer other training breeds so before getting a dog be sure to explore all aspects to make sure the chosen dog is correct for you.



Gabriel

November 19, 2008

Has anyone ever taken their dog to the PetSmart or Petco dog training classes? Did you like them?

Filed under: Dog Training Tips — Tags: , , — admin @ 9:20 am
25 or 6 to 4 asked:


Which one is better? Is your dog still exhibiting training?

Audrey

Filed under: Dog Training Tips — Tags: , , — admin @ 12:38 am
John Williams Dog Training asked:


Dog toys are essential to keep your dog occupied to stop barking problems, boredom issues and through teething times for your dog. Finding a good toy for your dog through these times is essential, leaving your dog with a bad chew toy that they don’t like will leave your dog with no option but to chew something else, there are many chew toys available so the choice is endless.

Dental health for your dog will be greatly improved by chewing toys so it is important to keep your dog interested in the toy choice you give them. Popular toys usually contain something that tastes good, smells good, some light up, and others make noises to keep you dog entertained. If the toy is fun for your dog then you can use it to reward your dog for good behavior or take it from them when they are bad.

Different Dogs enjoy different textures and tastes, you will need to find what your dog likes to chew and try your best to find a similar product but without it being as destructive to your house like their old toy, the table leg, was.

Avoiding tugging toys may be a good idea in some cases, more excited breeds of dog and puppies especially will get the message that tugging is fun for you as well as your dog, thus encouraging him to tug at you trouser legs when they’re in need of attention and curtains when they’re bored. Personally I would avoid theses toys.

When looking for a good toy for your dog, here are some good suggestions:

1. Look for a dog toy with something different like sound, taste, or lights.

2. Pick a dog toy that is tough enough to withstand your dogs chewing and biting

3. Choose dog toys that you think your dog will enjoy, using experience of what he normally chews is a good idea.

Remember that choosing a dog toy all depends on the dog in question, each dog will have different tastes and experiences of what they enjoy, something as cheap and simple as a tennis ball could be enough to keep your dog occupied for hours on end.



Virginia

November 17, 2008

Filed under: Dog Training Tips — Tags: , , — admin @ 8:47 am
John Williams Dog Training asked:


An overweight dog is something many owners should be very aware of especially after the middle age of about 7 years of age (depending on dogs’ size). A dogs weight can seriously put your dogs health at risk and cut their life short as well as causing a unnecessary painful ending.

Dogs tend to be able to eat as much as we choose to feed them at times and feeding your dog till he/she is full is a bad idea at the best of times. A set amount should be given to your dog each day and some notification next to your dogs bowl might help the confusion of who’s fed the dog and who hasn’t.

As your dog becomes older, you will need to check their weight more often as their metabolism will slow down and overeating will become out of control and a problem for your dog. Obviously dogs come in different sizes and shapes so there is not set amount of food that has to be given to your particular breed of dog and a small amount of research or a trip to the vets will be needed to see how much your dog should eat.

Determine the weight of your dog is correct by checking that your dogs’ ribs can be easily felt with little pressure, and are not visibly noticeable. Your dogs’ hips should be easily felt and not are surrounded by too much flesh and fat, and from looking down on your dog the body curves inwards after the rib cage slightly.

If these are all in place then your dog appears to be a healthy weight and this should be maintained throughout their life. Always ensure your dog has plenty of exercise and play time to maintain a healthy dog. If your dog becomes too thin then a vet should be contacted for advice and support as well as if your dog is very overweight.



Samantha

what is a good web-site that can give dog training info on tricks?

Filed under: Dog Training Tips — Tags: , , — admin @ 7:22 am
HelpMePlease asked:


I would like to teach my dog some cool trick such as dance, roll over, sit, stand, lay down, play dead, and all the other cool tricks dogs can do. I also would like to train my dog to walk with me without a leash, and so on. Does anyone know a really good web-site that is free and provides good training methods? Thanks!

Beth

November 16, 2008

Filed under: Dog Training Tips — Tags: , , — admin @ 12:47 pm
Allen McDaniel asked:


A good book or reference guide is the most important piece of equipment that a dog trainer can have.  There are all types of gizmos and gadgets that are suppose to make dog training easier, from clickers, do retractable leashes, to bark collars, and more…

Most people would never buy a DVD player that didn’t come with a manual on how to get it functioning properly.  But, many people buy a dog but have no reference material to know how to treat their pet and have an obedient and well-trained dog.

What to understand when searching for a dog training ebook.

Regarding the subject of dog training, things can be complicated. A well-made dog training ebook can be a dog owner’s most important piece of material. Having a dog is a responsibility, and ensuring the dog gets correct training is incredibly important. Most people make the mistake of thinking that dog training is common sense. It can be normal for someone to spend hundreds of hours and lots of dollars on a dog’s food, health, and equipment. However, these people neglect to provide their pet decent training. They will mistakenly count on their misguided “common sense” methods.

Just about every dog training ebook that is sold today will come with some form of satisfaction guarantee. These guarantees can vary from 30 days to occasionally over 90 day money-back guarantees. If the dog training ebook you are considering buying does not include some form of a satisfaction guarantee , think carefully about ordering that dog training ebook. If it doesn’t have of some type of quality guarantee probably means that the authors of that specific dog training ebook do not have very much faith in the content of their material.

Many a dog training ebook will include free bonus material . This extra dog training material can make less difficult things from grooming and health, to aggression training and others. Be sure to look over the bonus features that are contained in the dog training ebook. To receive the most value for your buck, find an e-book that offers the most bonus features.

There are different ways in which a dog training ebook can be bought. PDF files are like online books. Some e-books take the form of a .pdf file. PDF files can contain text or images and are available for instant download, and they can be used on your computer, or printed out and taken to read anywhere. Other dog training ebook, and some of the bonus material can be presented in video form. Videos are helpful to ensure that you are training your dog correctly. Videos will give you the bonus of watching someone else act out the motions of good dog training, so you know you are doing it correctly. Some dog training ebook can take the form of audio. Audio books can be convenient for someone that doesn’t have much time to spend reading or watching a video. An audio dog training ebook can be downloaded, burned to a CD, and listen to in the car, on an iPod, or with any other convenient audio method.

It is necessary that any dog gets good training. Dog training is one aspect that can not be neglected when being a dog owner.  Good dog training reference material, like the kind found at www.DogTrainerPro.info can be a big help in this regard.  A correctly trained dog is obedient, non-aggressive , well behaved, and will make a happier environment for both the dog and dog owner. 



Tamara

November 15, 2008

Filed under: Dog Training Tips — Tags: , , — admin @ 8:49 am
John Williams Dog Training asked:


Before I begin, the ‘good boy’ name is only an example for ease of writing in this article and ‘good girl’ or any other words of praise may be used in place of ‘good boy’ throughout this article.

The god boy command is not so much a command as a general consistent learning or rewarding exercise, the aim of this exercise is to get your dog to associate ‘good boy’ with times when he has done something well and is rewarded, this will make your dog happy and glad that they have done good for you.

A lot of dog breeds actually enjoy performing tasks for their owner and it’s what they are used to and aim to achieve, these dogs are generally dog with a working background and breed past, such as sheepdogs and collies, this makes the good boy command a lot more rewarding for them and a good reason to perform well.

This exercise can be taught as soon as you get your puppy or dog and can be a natural reaction to good behavior by many already, also making the command easier to remember and be consistent with.

The good boy command is easy and is taught along with rewards you give your dog, if your dog behaves well you should praise them to get them to do the same command again, this is common sense in dog training and the ‘good boy’ command only ads to this so you are able to give your dog a different, emotional type of praise on the rare occasions when you haven’t got treats on your person or to hand (although not recommended but it does happen).

So when your dog behaves well and has deserved a treat or other form of reward, recite ‘good boy’ to them in an excited and impressed voice and give your dog cuddles and love. This over time will be seen as another form of reward that means just as much to your dog as treats do.

The good boy command gives more emotion to your rewards and gives your dog a new form of praise to aim for thus enhancing the relationship between you and your dog, making this a very important command or reward.



Thelma

November 14, 2008

Filed under: Dog Training Tips — Tags: , , — admin @ 3:37 pm
John Williams Dog Training asked:


There are many choices when it comes to rewarding your dog with a treat for obeying your commands, and these treats make a big difference in your dog’s attitude towards you in learning new tricks, and why wouldn’t they? To get anything in life you have to give something back and dogs are no different, you help them and they’ll help you. Simple.

But what are the best rewards and treats to give your dog in times of good behavior? Well for starters you won’t be short of treats to try, the markets as it is now is full to the brim of all the fancy rewards and treats you could ever think of.

One of the favourite for dog owners is to treat their dog to homemade treats from recipes that can be found across the internet in many places, some of my favourites and personal recommendations are listed in the products page of www.dog-behavior-training.co.uk along with other tips on dog training there.

Consumer products are also a good choice when rewarding your dog; these include chewing toys which can be very rewarding for puppies and dogs alike. Saving one of their favourite toys for when they behave well makes everything more exciting for your dog and causes them to want to perform more for this reward.

If a chew toy is not to your dogs liking then they may instead enjoy a tug toy, tug toys are good for your dog’s teeth the same as chew toys are and it enhances the relationship between you and your dog as you play with them. Be careful while using these toys as some dogs may think of this game as good behaviour and will start tugging on trousers or other annoying or destructive things.

The last toys I am going to talk about are the throwing toys; these are good to calm your dog down when they are over active or if you just want to reward your dog with quality playing time for their good behavior. These toys range from a simple tennis ball to special durable dog Frisbees and help you to react with your dog wile also training playing the ‘fetch’ game.

There are lots more dog toys available, probably at your local pet shop. It is a good idea to keep in mind what textures and current toys your dog likes to play with or chew before making your choice but as long as your dog enjoys it, it can be used as a good reward and training method.



Greg

Filed under: Dog Training Tips — Tags: , , — admin @ 2:58 am
John Williams Dog Training asked:


One of the most important commands for dogs in their early years or as an untrained dog for safety is the ‘come’ command. If your dog breaks the leash and runs free, this command could save your dog from running in front of a car or into any other of the many dangers untrained dogs face.

In this article I will guide you through the different steps needed to control your dog using the ‘come’ command and how to do it in the easiest and least confusing way for your dog and you. This command is best learnt when the dog is a puppy or very young and has not yet picked up too many bad habits or actions.

To start you should get someone else weather it is a friend or neighbour to lightly restrain your dog from being able to run after you as you show it one of their favourite treats and show them you have something of interest that they will want.

Start this exercise by keeping yourself not too far away from your dog or puppy to start with until they get the idea of the game. Once you are the correct distance get your friend or neighbour to let go of the dog so they come running at you, as they do this you should say the command ‘come’ and move back slightly so they have to travel slightly further.

When the dog gets to you, reward him with the treat or ‘good dog’ and a hug. After the first success it should get easier as you retry the game from further and further away. After a few times of playing this game your dog will get familiar with the way things are done.

When you feel comfortable with this training method, try playing hide and seek with your dog and let them find you when you shout ‘come’, rewarding still after every success. When your dog is comfortable with this method your training is complete and ready for the next time your dog darts for the road.



Edna

November 12, 2008

Filed under: Dog Training Tips — Tags: , , — admin @ 3:34 am
Blair Stephens asked:


Editor’s Note: We had the pleasure of watching Toni Drugmand and her group of happy, well-trained dogs at an Arizona RV show at the Civic Plaza. Seeing the happy, well behaved dogs, it occurred to us how much more pleasurable it is for boaters, RVers, and anglers to have well-mannered dogs as their “Good Company” on outings around the state. Consequently, we at Sit Means Sit decided to share a bit about our innovative training techniques with our readers.

A Part of the Family

As loyal companions and members of the family, dogs give so much to us and touch us deeply while bringing us comfort and joy. Our pets deserve to have the best we can give them in terms of happiness, freedom, safety and security. Our dogs show happiness when we come home, when we say nice things to them, and especially when we spend time with them. They seem to express sadness when we are gone or get upset, and they even seem to sense when we are not feeling well. It is hard to imagine that dogs really don’t know instinctively how to behave in our world. Despite all of the time we spend with our dogs and love we give them, we may not be able to effectively show them how we want them to behave in any given situation. A dog’s way of communicating, though it shares similar virtues, is very different from ours. We, as owners need to learn how to communicate with our dogs. The Sit Means Sit dog training method is fast, effective and produces a happy, healthy dog. When it comes to training your dog you want to select a method of training that makes sense for you and your family. We understand that the outdoor recreational lifestyle that hikers, campers, horseback riders, boaters, anglers, and RVers love is greatly enhanced when the family pet is able to be a part of the experience. Having a well-mannered pet ensures the pleasure and enjoyment that both dog and owner get to experience together.

Dogs Are Social Critters

Because dogs are naturally social beings, they want to be with us. Often referred to as pack animals, dogs have an instinctive need to be part of a pack or group of other dogs. To ensure survival, dogs in the wild have a very strong need to have order and boundaries established by the pack. If they don’t have these hierarchies and boundaries their ability to survive is weakened. This innate trait makes dogs easily trainable and also provides us with a strong case for why we train dogs- because having order and structure is something the dog naturally needs.

Dogs are amazing animals, but they do not arrive in our homes understanding the rules. No one has told him the mail carrier shouldn’t be chased down the block, or Granny should be treated with gentleness and not jumped upon with love, the lovely garden that mother just planted needs to stay earthed, and the sprinklers are not something to be killed. Your dog, with all his creative exploration of behavior options like the counter surfing, chasing cars, chewing your favorite leather shoes and so on, is really just that dog looking for a job, and if she doesn’t find one they are sure to create one. Your dog is looking for someone to show him about how things are, to keep him safe, to prepare his meals and most importantly, someone to spend time with them. All he really wants to know is what are the boundaries and rules. Dogs of all types, temperaments, and breeds will behave in this manner without a strong base of training and discipline from their owner.

Innovative Training Methods

Training a dog gives your canine friend a job and helps him understand what his boundaries are while providing him with a sense of safety and security, and it allows both of you to enjoy the freedom that comes from hard work and good training. Our training here at Sit Means Sit Training uses the No Limitations system of dog training developed by Fred Hassen. This dog obedience training approach utilizes an electronic dog training collar ( www.sitmeanssit.com). This collar allows us to train our dogs in a very effective, quick, and gentle manner because of the instant communication we are able to share with our dog. Our clients all receive a free training demonstration so they can see the initial response of their dogs first-hand. We demonstrate the training method in the face of all of the normal distractions that occur in the real world and allow you to see how your dog responds to our training with the collar.

Because many people are new to the electronic dog training collar, we ask our clients to feel the collar in operation. Many clients tell us that the pulse feels like a Tens Unit, or like other electronic pulse treatments used by physical therapists, chiropractors, and other medical professionals. In fact, in a conversation with a Tens Unit Sales representative, I was told that our remote dog training collars were not as strong as the feel of the portable Tens Unit he was selling. Innovation has always brought about controversy, and the idea of using a collar that promotes an electronic pulse can be an emotionally loaded and controversial subject for some. The controversy however, should pale, in comparison, to the results of our training method. Seeing your dog happy, confident, obedient and safe is a great result.

Making the Right Training Decision

One of the first questions a person new to dog training asks is, “Where do I start?” We know that with so many training methods available it can be overwhelming to find the best possible training method. Fred Hassen’s innovative method using the remote electronic dog collar combined with traditional techniques produces fast results. You will be able to communicate effectively with your dog, eliminating the frustration of a difficult and disobedient dog.

At Sit Means Sit, our hands-on approach means that we evaluate your dog as an individual. Remember the safety and security of knowing that your dog is trained and able to face any situation with confidence will go a long way to help ensure a memorable and relaxing time on your outdoor adventure. If you are interested in a free training demonstration by a Sit Means Sit professional dog trainer please visit our website to find a location near you!



Lawrence
« Newer PostsOlder Posts »

Powered by WordPress