Wednesday, December 29, 2010

From Simple Dogs to Guard Dogs - How Guard Dog Training is Done?

Guard dogs, as the name implies are canines that guard and protect a person, objects or properties. Their being a guard dog can be by instinct or through training; they can be protective to companions but they are not intended to be companions. These dogs are also trained not to obey commands from strangers but only to his master.

Guard dog training is not as easy as teaching or training your dog simple obedience commands. It is a very complicated matter and you may want to enroll your dog in a dog training school where the professionals handle the training.
Before your dog can be accepted in the program they will be properly evaluated whether they have the potential to be guard dogs or not based on the temperament of the dog. It will dictate whether the dog is suitable to be a guard dog or not.

Once accepted, the dog training school may require that your dog reside at the training facility for the duration of the guard dog training program. Taking the dog home everyday after the training can hinder the intensive training process.

The dogs will be trained first in basic obedience. Though you have considered your dog to be obedient when he executes a given command on the second or third time, still it is not considered successful because guard dogs should obey immediately each and every command that you give. So, even if your dog has undergone basic obedience training or you already trained your dog for basic obedience it will still be reviewed by the trainer to ensure that the dog can respond appropriately to all the commands given to him.

The duties of a guard dog will be taught to the dogs under training. They are trained not to accept treats from anyone or obey commands from anyone except for their owner or handler. This training will be ineffective if the dog obeys even a simple command given by a stranger such as sit and stay or if the dog accepts treats from a stranger.

The dog will be trained under the guard dog depending on your specific needs. If you want to be alerted for a trespassing in your property your dog will be trained to bark and then return to you to alert you for the presence of strangers in your property. Until the owner acknowledges and understands the dog the process may be repeated several times. The dog will not stop unless he thinks he has completed his job successfully.

Guard dogs that are trained to protect the owner are trained to attack the intruder when a legitimate threat is present or on the owner's command. Guard dogs that have undergone this training, for this reason, should not be left unattended with visitors as they may attack when they sense a threatening motion or action coming from the visitors.

Dogs are also desensitized to loud noises to ensure that the dog will not be dissuaded by gestures or noises used by the intruder to prevent the dog from attacking him.

Finally, trainers also teach guard dogs respect to interact harmoniously with the other members of the family as well as other family pets.

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Thursday, December 23, 2010

Dog Training Career - How to Become a Dog Trainer

Do you love dogs? Do you like working with people? Do you have a lot of patience?

If you answer yes to all the questions, then a professional career in dog training can be tremendously rewarding for you.

However, at the same time, a career in dog training can also be very challenging and it is going to take you a great deal of time, patience and determination to become a successful dog trainer.

Therefore, let's first examine your motives and ask yourself a few questions before you go enroll yourself to become a dog trainer.

  • Do you love all dogs regardless of age, breed or temperament? Can you really work with them even if the dogs are behaving badly, stubborn and aggressive? Dog trainers must be kind and patient teachers since most dogs cannot be trained in a couple of minutes. Many hours of dedication and patience will be required to work with the animals to achieve the desired results.
  • Are you respectful and comfortable working with people? A dog trainer job is not just about training dogs. It is also about training people, specifically the dog owners themselves on how to handle their animals more effectively.
  • Are you willing to put in a lot of time and effort to become a successful dog trainer? In your dog training career, you will come across many different types of behavior problems with different breed of dogs therefore you will need to be committed to keep your dog training knowledge up-to-date by attending seminars, workshops and conferences. By understanding a wide variety of dog behavior, communication, conditioning, training techniques can help you become a well-qualified, knowledgeable and skilled dog trainer.

Let's say that you have decided that you are truly passionate about dogs and committed to make handling dogs a successful career, the next big question is how to do you start your dog training career?

A career in dog training can begin in a number of ways:

  • By volunteering at one of your local rescue centers or animal shelters, you can pick up lots of great hands-on and observational experience. Often dog shelters will also have some form of training program for their volunteers or you may also be assigned to help one of the trainers. As your experience progresses, you will be given more responsibilities to help out in the training.
  • While expensive and quite a time commitment, attending a professional dog training school or a K9 academy can give you a more formalized and complete education as a canine trainer. To get started, check with your local pet stores or veterinary hospitals for reference and recommendations.
  • You can also contact local breeders and dog trainers in your area and become an apprentice to take lessons from them directly. Alternatively, some guide dogs training centers offer apprenticeship programs for anyone interested in becoming instructors for the school.
  • Another way to start your dog training career is through self study. Read as many training books as possible and attend lots of seminars, workshops and conferences to learn about dog training and behavior modification. In addition, you may also want to volunteer to train your friends or neighbor's dogs to get some hands-on experience and improve your training skills with dogs.

While there are also some mail and internet correspondence courses that claim to "certify" you as a "professional" in the field of dog training and behavior, you would do well to avoid any of them. Most correspondence courses at most can only offer you basic information on dog handling skills and you probably will learn as much from reading books on dog training.

As you make the transition from trainee to dog trainer, you can start your professional career in dog training working full or part time.

According to a recent survey, there are approximately 63,000,000 owned dogs in the United States. And as more dogs take on active roles in security, law enforcement, rescue operations and human assistance projects, employment opportunities for dog trainers are expected to rise more than 15% through 2012 - that means more and more opportunities for dog trainers.

As a professional canine trainer, the income that you could earn can be attractive. The salaries for full-time dog trainers are around $150 or more per hour depending on experience, reputation and location - and for part-time trainers $15 to $20 per hour.

As mentioned before, a career in dog training can be extremely satisfying and rewarding. If you truly care about dogs and can work with both dogs and humans on a daily basis, then becoming a dog trainer would be an excellent and fulfilling career choice for you.

If you would like to have more information about a career in dog training and how to avoid the costly mistakes that 90% aspiring dog trainers will make, check out Dog Trainer Handbook by Sheily B - The premier pet dog trainer education guide and among the best resources for learning more about how to become a dog trainer.

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Saturday, December 11, 2010

Aggressive Dog Training Made Easy

Dog aggression is a fairly common problem that many owners will face at one time in their dog's life or another. It is actually so common that there are hundreds upon hundreds of studies associated with aggression. Questions such as "Why does aggression occur," "Why are some breeds more aggressive," and "How can I use aggressive dog training to curb aggression in my dog," are asked on a regular basis. Before you actually begin aggressive dog training, it is important to understand the type of aggression that your dog may be experiencing. Believe it or not, there are actually several types of aggression and each one will need to be handled in a slightly different manner. The types of aggression are:

- Dog Aggression: this can be seen in many different breeds and it is actually aggression that a dog shows to other dogs. · Fear Aggression: Many people may not see fear as an aggressive behavior but if a dog begins to bite, bark, growl or bare his teeth when he is frightened than it has moved from simple fear to fear aggression.

- Dominant Aggression: This is a very serious type of aggression since the dog has many traits that you would see in a "bully." One of the biggest problems with dominant aggression is that it is not always seen as aggression, just an alpha personality doing what it does best, until the dog attacks someone or something. Another problem is that dominant aggression is very unpredictable.

- Possessive Aggression: To get a clear idea of this, watch your dog while he is eating and is interrupted by someone. If he is fine and continues to eat or even allows you to put your hand in the dish then there is no real aggression there; however, if he growls or bites then you know that he is being possessive about things he preserves as his. While this may seem appropriate, a dog should never be possessive.

- Pain Aggression: This is aggression that is shown when a dog is in pain. · Maternal Aggression: Seen only in female dogs, this is an aggression that is seen when a female is raising a litter of puppies.

- Territorial Aggression: There are several breeds of dogs that are prone to territorial aggression where they see an area such as the house, the yard, the neighborhood or all of the above as his. When other animals or people enter his territory, he reacts in an aggressive manner.

As you can see, there are a large number of aggressions and many dogs will experience one or the other at certain times in their life. While some forms of aggression are very serious and require aggressive dog training, some of them aren't and really only require some patience by the owner to overcome. In the case of pain aggression, it is important to find out why your dog is being aggressive. If he is hurt, take him to the vet to have the problem looked after. When the dog heals, the aggression should go away on its own but if it doesn't, you can move into training methods for it.

In addition, maternal aggression can be avoided simply by spaying your dog but if she does whelp a litter, the maternal aggression should diminish as the puppies are weaned and placed in new homes. In many cases, the easiest way to use aggressive dog training is to socialize your puppy and dog correctly. Many people see socialization as a process that is done when their puppy is young but socialization should be done throughout your dog's life. Exposing him to other dogs, people, places and stimulants will help curb many different areas of aggression such as dog aggression. Remember that when you do socialize your dog, especially if he has some aggression problems, that you do so in a controlled manner.

Make sure all the dogs are on leashes and introduce him to one dog at a time. Never allow your dog to be surrounded by a group of dogs since this can frighten him and trigger his aggressive response. If at any time your dog starts to indicate aggression, simply correct him by removing him a few feet away from the other dog and then praising him when he calms down. Another way to make aggressive dog training easy is to place firm rules in your house from the moment your dog arrives home. This means that he is not allowed on the furniture and that he understands that the home is yours. To battle dominance aggression, it is important to put yourself and everyone else in the role of dominate. Your dog should never eat before the family and he should never be allowed to find food for himself.

When he does eat, take the time to place your hands in the dog's food dish and feed him by hand. This teaches him that anyone is allowed in his dish and it will help curb some possessive aggression. Make sure that everyone in the house does this as well and never let the dog go around your hand to eat directly from the bowl. In many cases, aggressive dog training needs to start with owners. To make it easy, you need to look at how you are training your dog, how he is being socialized and what negative behaviors are being reinforced. For instance, if you nurture fright responses such as growling by coddling the dog whenever he is scared, then he will quickly learn that growling is the proper response to being scared, which may develop into fear aggression.

Ignore some behaviors and correct others with a firm "no," which is an important command with aggressive dog training. When you are using aggressive dog training, it is important that you do not correct your dog in a harsh manner. Although it may not seem like you are being abusive to your dog, a small slap can cause a large amount of damage and if a dog is already aggressive, it will just reinforce the aggressive behavior. After you have corrected how you train your dog, it is time to start aggressive dog training and it is very easy; simply break out the basics of training. Many times, basic training on a regular basis can really help with many forms of aggression and many different types of negative behaviors.

To battle territorial aggression, start by inviting people over to your home and correcting your dog when he begins barking with a loud noise to interrupt the behavior and then a firm "no." When your dog stops barking, praise him and treat. Increase the frequency that different guests visit as your dog becomes accustomed to people being in his space. If your dog is aggressive during walks, it is time to take aggressive dog training out on a walk. Start by taking different routes every time you take a walk. Since the route is different, your dog is less likely to imprint a route as being his.

When he meets people or other animals on the street, correct his negative behavior with a firm "no" and praise him when he doesn't react. As the aggressive dog training is advanced, gradually begin taking him to higher traffic areas until he can walk in a busy place without reacting in an aggressive manner. Although aggressive dog training is fairly easy, it does take some time and it is very important to watch your dog's stress levels and to take your time with training. Remember, your dog didn't become aggressive over night and you can't expect the aggressive dog training to work overnight either, so take your time and enjoy every success your dog has.

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Monday, December 6, 2010

Do You Make These 4 Common Mistakes in Dog Training?

Everyone begins training a dog with a number of unknowns. First, no one can truly know how a dog will react to training and even if you know the breed, there can be differences with each individual breed. Another unknown is the type of dog training that you use. Some dogs do well with food based reinforcement and some do not and owners will need to learn as they go along. While most of the unknowns with dog training can be overcome quickly, many owners make some pretty common mistakes while they are training your dogs. To avoid those dog training mistakes, it is important to be aware of them and that is exactly what I will be doing in this article; alerting you to common dog training mistakes that every owner has or will make at one time.

Mistake #1: Not Setting Firm and Consistent Rules: One of the most common mistakes that owners will make actually has nothing to do with the physical act of dog training and is actually a daily occurrence that usually plays in the background. As every parent will tell you, children require rules and dogs are no different. There should be rules set in place the moment that a dog is brought home. This means that if you have a rule for no dogs on the furniture, then you need to stick with it, regardless of how cute a puppy is. Not establishing those rules right from the beginning can lead to long term behavior problems and your puppy will quickly learn that he can ignore the rules and eventually simply ignore you. It is important that you avoid this dog training mistake right from the start and make sure that everyone in your house will follow the same rules with your dog to ensure the best success.

Mistake #2: Repeat, Repeat, Repeat: Okay, this may be a little confusing since dog training consists of the repetition of an action but while repeating an action over again is fine, repeating a command is not. When it comes to dog training mistakes, I would say that this is the biggest mistake that owners will make and I have been found guilty of this little offense myself. It is only natural to repeat a command when a dog doesn't listen but it is something that you should train yourself not to do. When you repeat a command, you are teaching your dog that he doesn't have to listen to a command every time. This means that a command stops having any affect on the dog and you end up having to retrain with a new command, which can take time and can be very frustrating for both you and your dog.

Mistake #3: Rewarding Bad Behavior: Although there are several types of dog training available, most trainers and owners will use positive reinforcement training, which consists of treating your dog, usually with food, whenever he does something positive. While this is an excellent way to train your dog, many owners make the mistake of treating the wrong behavior and end up reinforcing bad behavior. Bad behavior in dog training is anything that you don`t want your dog to do. So, for instance, your dog is in the kitchen while you are cooking a meal. At first it may not seem like he is doing anything but spending time with you and that may have been the case in the beginning but when you drop your first bit of food, or you toss him a little snack, he will quickly learn to beg whenever you are in the kitchen. Fast forward a year and you have a full grown dog under foot whenever you go to the kitchen simply because you have reinforced that begging in the kitchen is okay. To avoid rewarding a dog for a bad behavior, don`t praise him, comfort him or treat him when he is doing something you don`t want repeated. So if he barks at the door, don`t praise him for being a good guard dog and if you drop some food on the floor, pick it up yourself and take it to his dog bowl if you want to give it to him. By controlling the environment, you can quickly stop yourself from rewarding his bad behavior.

Mistake #4: Saving it for a rainy day: The last common dog training mistake that I am going to mention is the desire to put off training. Many owners feel that dog training should be done after a certain age but it has been shown time and time again that the longer you wait, the harder it will be to train your dog. Dog training should begin as soon as you bring your puppy home. It starts with establishing rules and house training first and then it quickly moves to basic training such as sit, down, stay. Puppy socialization class usually begins around 11 weeks of age and from there you will quickly start dog training. Never leave training until your dog is 6 months of age or older since many negative behaviors are established by that time. In the end, if you are aware of the dog training mistakes that you can make, you will find that you are less likely to make them and your dog will quickly respond to dog training with only a small amount of fuss.

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Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Some Obvious Benefits of Dog Training - Help For Owners of Older Dogs

Wonderful...rewarding...terrific...fantastic...very good...okay...not bad...could be better...let's change the subject. If you were asked how your experience at dog ownership is going, where on this word spectrum would be your response? Well, if it's anything less than fantastic, please read this article in its entirety.

Nothing I can think of has the same potential to make such a tremendous contribution to the quality of your life than opening your home to a dog or puppy. And, nothing has the potential to make your life completely as miserable than opening your home to a dog or puppy.

What makes the difference between the first experience and the second? TRAINING! Every experienced dog owner will tell you that training your dog in obedience and socialization is the absolute best gift you can give your dog, your family and you.

A properly trained dog will provide you with unconditional love, countless hours of enjoyment, and genuine, devoted friendship. While an untrained, non-sociable dog can wreak havoc in an otherwise stable, happy home.

The most frequent excuse I've heard why dog owners don't train their dogs is lack of time. Sure, we're all time-deprived, but the hours you devote to training your dog will come back to you ten-fold in wonderful experiences, fun times, and the benefits that come from having a truly appreciative friend and companion who will stick by you in good times and bad.

The Benefits of Dog Training

It'll help you establish a lifetime relationship with your dog

When you decided to become a dog owner, you took on a responsibility to provide for your dog and make his life the happiest it can be. And, since the most important mission in a dog's life is to please his owner, obedience training will help your dog achieve his lifelong mission.

Whether or not you are aware of it, training begins the moment you bring your dog into your home. Your dog will observe everything you do. How you react to his actions, how you interact with the others in the household. Eventually he will look to you for guidance. He wants only to please. Your lifelong mission should be to help him. He'll very quickly depend on you for food, shelter, and companionship.

While there are many very qualified trainers to help you train your dog, I believe with a passion that you would truly be missing out on such a wonderful experience if you didn't take the task of training your dog on yourself. Many resources are readily available that will help you train yourself to train your dog. And, when you consider the fact that dog training is a lifelong process that continually strengthens the bond between dog and master, it only makes sense that you provide that training.

As you and your dog train together, your bond grows stronger, your relationship becomes closer and an attachment will be established that you'll feel just by being with your dog. Your dog likewise will learn so much about you he'll be able to know what is expected of him, just from your gestures, your facial expressions, your tone of voice.

And don't think it will all be work. You'll find it to be an enjoyable experience. Especially when you move from obedience training to trick training (if you decide to take it to that level). Trick training can be fun. You'll find yourself laughing a lot. And that can only be good for you, for your dog and for your deepening relationship.

It will correct behavioral problems

Let's face it, gone unchecked, a dog can be a furry bundle of bad behaviors. Barking, chewing, digging, running away, jumping up, growling, or even worse, biting, are behaviors no responsible dog owner should tolerate. And basic obedience training - the sit, stay, come, down, heel commands -- will go a long way to correcting the vast majority of those anti-social behaviors. A trained dog will be a joy to you, your family, and even strangers. Your dog will be welcomed in more places which will further strengthen his social skills.

Another advantage to conducting the training yourself is that training should continue throughout your dog's life. Learning keeps your dog's mind vibrant, focused, and active. The alternative is boredom, which fosters bad behavior.

Many of your dog's bad behavior problems are actually normal canine activities that happen to occur at the wrong time, or the wrong place, or directed at the wrong thing. Without training, your dog will soil your carpets rather than eliminate outside; he'll chew your furniture instead of his toy; he'll bark at nothing all night instead of just at the intruder. With proper training you will teach your dog to perform his natural behaviors at the right time, place and in the proper doses.

It will stimulate your dog's intellect

Dogs are by nature very curious. They love to investigate. Smells, sights and sounds all become the subject of investigation. This attribute will help contribute to the success of your obedience training. The other attribute is the capacity for your dog to exhibit exceptional intelligence. But, before a dog has the ambition to learn he needs stimulation. If not a sound, sight or smell, then it can be you providing a challenge with obedience training. Your dog will become smarter, and as a result learn more and learn quicker as your lifelong training progresses.

It will encourage inclusion

Even though you will be the primary trainer, you need to involve the entire family in the process. This promotes inclusion which contributes to the feeling of security for your dog. He'll feel very comfortable in his place in the "pack's hierarchy". When properly trained, you will be able to take your dog on family outings, for walks, car rides, even vacations. This is all quality time that further strengthens bond between dog and owner.

It saves time

Proper training that begins on day one will avoid so much future aggravation as well as the time you will spend disciplining your dog, cleaning up the messes he makes, straightening out trouble he may cause neighbors, repairing the holes in your yard, or arranging boarding instead of simply putting him in the car for the weekend trip. Yes, dog training will eventually prove to be a short cut to a very happy experience.

Training your dog is simply the right thing to do. All involved benefit greatly and directly -- you, your dog, your family, your neighbors, and strangers whose path crosses your dog's.

As I mentioned above, I recommend that you afford yourself the opportunity to provide the training yourself. And, I also recommend below an excellent resource that will help you accomplish just that. Best of luck.Article Source:


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Saturday, November 27, 2010

Dog Training Problems: Diarrhea

One of the hindrances in housetraining a dog is due to his health conditions which cause him to lose his attention and eagerness to learn. Diarrhea is just one of these conditions that commonly attacks dogs. It is considered as symptoms instead as the disease itself, because there are still underlying causes of why diarrhea in dogs occur. Frequently, diarrhea subsides after few days. But if the case lasts for more than three days, you should be alarmed about your dog and immediately consult an animal doctor.

In order for you to understand more of the diarrhea that pesters your dog, the causes are enlisted below. We hope that this will help you to make some pereventive measures to save from him from the suffering this disease brings:

Bacterial: Infections include clostridium (not the same one that causes tetanus), E. coli, salmonella and Campylobacter. Affected dogs often experience diarrhea in increased amounts and frequency, with mucus or blood sometimes present in stools, states Keven P. Gulikers, D.V.M., Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Animal Diagnostic Clinic in Dallas, Texas.

Viral: Viral infections including parvo and coronaviruses. "These two very serious infections often result in profuse, extremely watery diarrhea and relentless vomiting, both of which lead to severe dehydration, "Gulikers warns. "They can debilitate and kill dogs, especially younger puppies with inadequate vaccinations."

Cancer: "Diarrhea caused by cancer usually is associated with poor absorption of nutrients, leading to marked weight loss," Gulikers says. "Occasionally, vomiting may be linked with the diarrhea, and the stool can be dark black in color, indicating digested blood."

Inflammatory bowel disease: This immune disorder of the gastrointestinal tract can cause black diarrhea (suggestive of digested blood), with dog experiencing vomiting, weight loss and a poor appetite, Gulikers says.

Metabolic: liver dysfunction, kidney failure, and pancreatic inflammation

Parasites: "Contact with an infested area can occur very easily. Some parasites require a water source to survive," Gulikers explains. Another parasite is the Gardia which is responsible for Giardiasis in dogs. Gardia is a unicellular protozoa that lives in the intestines of humans and animals like dogs and other wildlife creatures.

Foreign objects: If a dog has swallowed materials not meant for his tummy, this will cause upset. It can be toxins like pesticide or something that comes from the garbage like plastic or wood. His system will eradicate that foreign object through induced defecating.

Unacceptable foods: One reason can be eating a human food where he dog's digestive system cannot tolerate. They usually get diarrhea when owners give them leftovers that contain more salt or fat.

Stress: Have you observed your new dog when he first stepped in your house? It is normal for him to feel stress when moving to a new environment. And it is common for a dog to catch diarrhea when he is stressed.

Medications: There are medicines for dogs in which the adverse effects include diarrhea. An example is the prednisone. When administering drugs to your pet, take note of label first to avoid matters become worse.



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Friday, November 19, 2010

Dog Training Fundamentals - 5 Key Dog Behaviour Factors That Affect Training

Whether you already have experience of dog ownership, are a new dog owner or are about to be a dog owner, then training your dog is one of the most important aspects you need to consider. Likewise if you currently have a dog with behaviour problems, then dog training is essential.

However, knowing you need to train your dog and actually training your dog are two entirely different things. Just where do you start?

To successfully train your dog, you need to consider and understand some key facets of dog behaviour. Knowing and understanding these 5 facets will greatly improve your dog training.

1. The origins of dogs. Dogs are in essence descended from modern day wolves. While domestication has dampened or eliminated many traits, some key natural instincts still remain. Like wolves, dogs are pack animals. What does this mean?

Well, there are several traits that derive from being a pack animal. The important ones when it comes to training are dogs are naturally sociable, they are used to routine and they are used to a social structure (i.e. the famed alpha male).

As sociable animals dogs thrive on the interaction with other dogs. A dog does not consider you as a human but rather a funny looking dog. Therefore, dogs thrive on the interaction with you. Just like a wild wolf, rejected by the pack, if you starve a dog of this interaction, they will become unhappy and very agitated.

When it comes to training, you can use this to reward or punish your dog. Interacting with your dog (e.g. patting, encouraging/excited talk, etc) can be as much of a reward as treats of food. Similarly, ignoring your dog (e.g. turning your back, stern talk, putting them in another room, etc) can be a harsh punishment for a dog. Its definitely better than smacking them.

As with all animals (including humans), dogs thrive on routine. If they know what and when they are likely to be doing certain things, then they are relaxed and comfortable. They know what to expect and are not confused by ever changing circumstances.

Training should also stick to a routine. Decide when the best time of the day is best for you to train your dog and stick by that time as rigidly as possible. Your dog will soon get into a routine of expecting to be trained at say 3pm every day and will be prepared for when training time comes. If your dog is ready and expecting to be trained, then it goes without saying that they will actually train better.

Within a pack there is always the alpha male. The dog that leads the pack, protects the pack and ultimately ensures the pack is fed and survives. As mentioned, a dog sees you as a funny looking dog and not a human. To be a good dog owner you absolutely need to be the alpha male. How many nature programs have you seen where the alpha male is being challenged by one of the other would be alpha males? Likewise, your dog will be challenging you to be the alpha male - this is a natural instinct for them.

You must establish yourself as the alpha male from the beginning. Providing food, interaction, punishing bad behaviour, body and vocal language all go towards asserting yourself as the alpha male. If your dog does not consider you as the alpha male, then they will not listen or act on your training instructions.

2. A dog's memory. We all know that goldfish have short memories. However, you may be surprised to know that dogs also have short retention memories. If you could tell your dog something, it is likely that by the next day or a few hours later, they will have forgotten. On the other had (or paw) dogs do have incredibly good associated memory. This basically means that if your dog can associated something with what you tell it then it will likely remember what you told it for years to come.

For example if you told your dog (assuming you could speak doggy language) that the chocolate biscuits were in the cupboard your dog would probably forget this within a few hours. However, if you showed your dog where the chocolate biscuits were, repeating the words 'chocolate biscuits', every time you said 'chocolate biscuits' it would probably go straight to the cupboard. It may also search the cupboard every few hours for the rest of its life looking for the chocolate biscuits but that's not the point.

Therefore, when training your dog you need to associate the training topic with something. For example: if you are teaching your dog to sit. If you associate the word 'sit' by getting your dog to physically sit and then giving them a reward. Repeat this a few times and soon your dog will associate your command 'sit' with it physically sitting and then getting a reward. The difficult bit is disassociating the reward - ask yourself why almost every dog will naturally sit when you have food in your hand?

3. Doggy language. Despite comments above, we cannot speak doggy language and dogs cannot speak our language. This is important when it comes to training. You have to choose words for commands that both you and your dog will remember. Be careful not to choose very common words or else your dog will be easily confused when this word keeps appearing within the middle of a sentence. A common word often used in training dogs is 'come'. For this example, it may be better to use a slang version or combine 'come here' into a single short word.

The important thing is that when you decide on a word for a command to stick with it and be consistent, otherwise your dog will become confused.

I know it can be difficult, especially if you come home to your new TV pulled off the cabinet, to always use pre-selected words when talking to your dog. Your dog does not speak human language and will only know what those few words you have trained it with are (and the tone you have used). So if you start using other words or different tones your dog will not understand.

For example: imagine someone speaking to you in a foreign language asking for directions to the city hall. You can't understand a word they are saying yet they get more and more frustrated, talking in a louder and quicker language. Is it your fault you can't understand them? Why are they getting angrier when you have no idea what they are saying? What is their problem? What will I do? Similarly, if you haven't trained your dog to understand what 'sit' is and you start shouting 'sit', 'down on back legs', 'down', etc is it your dog's fault it is looking at you confused and increasingly scared.

4. Puppy behaviour. Just like babies, puppies do not know how the world works or how they are supposed to behave within that world. They need to be taught and learn what is good, bad, right or wrong.

A healthy and happy puppy will be a bundle of energy, desperate to explore as much as they can as quickly as they can. Dogs do not have good eyes that can see things or hands that can feel the intricacies of objects. Instead they have noses that can smell things and mouths that can chew objects.

While this can come through training and general maturing, the importance of this is that you must be patient and understand where your dog is coming from and why it does what it does.

5. Structure and enjoyment. While I have in a round about way touched on these two above, no dog training information would be complete without mentioning these two aspects on their own.

However you decide to train your dog, as with routine, you must have a structure to your training. If you have never trained a dog before, how do you know when your dog can start learning to sit, stay, etc and when it can run down to the local shop and pick the paper up for you?

You need to know what it is you actually want to train your dog to ultimately be able to do and what steps you need to take to get to that point. Personnel dog trainers, dog training classes and dog training guides can all do this. Personally, I prefer to train my own dogs and believe that in the end you develop a much stronger bond with your dog. Also, your dog is more obedient to you rather than the trainer. However, at the very least, and particularly if you have never trained a dog before, I would recommend purchasing a dog training guide.

The small amount of money for a dog training guide, compared to the time you would waste searching for free online tips that will be a mix match of training and will not provide the structure, is just not worth it. More than that, the time saved in training and the end result of a properly trained dog for the rest of its life (around 15 years) is worth many times more than the cost of even the most basic training guide.

If you, and more importantly your dog, do not enjoy training then you will never properly train your dog. Training will take longer and be much harder. When you start training your dog remember they are most likely to be a puppy and at that age all they want to do is run and explore their new world. Be flexible with the time you plan to spend training. Try and keep training short but if your dog appears to be really enjoying it then be prepared to train for longer. Likewise if your dog will just not focus, then maybe leave it for a bit before going back to it. With a routine and structure to your training, your dog will soon learn that when it comes to training they need to focus for a short length of time and will be better able to do so.

I hope the above has been helpful in your desire to train your dog. By knowing why and how your dog does what it does, you should be able to understand it's behaviour much better. By using this understanding you can better bond with your dog and train your dog. A good training routine and structure as well as plenty of patience and eventually you will have a well trained dog. Always always always make sure training is enjoyable for both you and especially your dog.

If you found this dog training advice article helpful, please feel free to visit my website for more information. As well as dog training guidance such as the best dog training book you will also find lots of information on being a good dog owner and how to keep your dog healthy.

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Thursday, November 11, 2010

Dog Training Tips And Techniques

Pets and pet owners can enjoy the benefits that are associated with dog training. There are a number of techniques that can be utilized in training the dogs so that they become obedient. All dogs should be taught the most essential trait which is obedience as this makes it easy for the owner of the pet to have control over the pet. This reduces the likelihood of the dog engaging in severe situations and assists in preventing the dog from being involved in severe accidents. By commanding the pet to stay close to the owner especially when some dangerous situation is seen to be developing, ensures that the dog is not involved in any serious incident.

The experience of training a dog can be a fun filled event for both the dog and the owner. Training the dog on basic commands such as come, sit and stay is crucial and can be taught with ease through applying techniques of training pets that are easy. The exercise of training pets creates an instantaneous connection between pet owners and their pets due to the harmonious interaction between the two in addition to the way that the two work together in training. These ways are only achievable through adoption of techniques that are appropriate for dog training.

Pet dogs that bark excessively at other pets as well as people can be quite a nuisance to neighbors and pet owners as well. Barking excessively can on occasion escalate into instances in which the dog becomes aggressive plus it may also cause the dog to attack if it becomes anxious or excited. Through using proper techniques for pet training, one can ensure that their pet dogs do not bark unnecessarily at other people and pets.

During training of the pet, ensure that you use positive methods of reinforcement in addition to giving the pets rewards when they accomplish certain tasks that they are instructed to perform. Methods for pet training that require the owner to punish the pet are being looked upon as old-fashioned and cruel. Many pet trainers are encouraging the use of the dominance theory in pet training; nevertheless, techniques that utilize positive reinforcement, at present, are gaining popularity at an alarming rate plus are recognized by many veterinary officers specializing in animal behavior as methods that can rarely cause violent behavior in dogs.

The application of positive techniques for corroboration in training in addition to behavior modification may perhaps assist significantly in caring for dogs that may be ailing from behavior disorders got from being separated. Dogs are submissive pets and will essentially adhere to instructions given to it by the master; however, on occasion the pets may prove to be difficult to control and may need harsh action so that they may become submissive once again. It is at all times imperative to bear in mind that training pets will realize better results if it is done while the dog is still at a tender age. Training should include both indoor and outdoor etiquette.
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Sunday, November 7, 2010

Natural Balance Dog Food Reviews

Dogs have their own way in giving more life to every household. They are loyal friends, trusted guardians and dependable buddies. Thus, giving them the best food is one of the ways wherein they will feel important and loved.

What better way to feed them with Natural Balance food? Coming from the world's trusted leader in dog food, you are assured that your dogs are being fed with only the best. How your dogs would like to nibble at their foods which come in a canned and dry variety. Above all, there a lot to choose from that will suit your dog's discriminating taste.

One good thing about this food is the ingredients that they use. Everything is duly approved by the USDA. From the meat to the grains used, you will be assured that you are feeding your pets with quality meals.

Natural Balance dog food comes in many varieties. In fact, there are 9 available different flavours and recipes for your dogs to enjoy. You will be surprised to know that they even have a line of foods that cater to dogs who have special dietary requirements such as reduced calorie, low allergy, organic and vegetarian varieties.

Did you know that other than the benefits of feeding your dogs with quality foods, you can also save much if you use coupons when you buy your dog food? You can stretch you budget by using these coupons which you can get online. If you buy your dog food from an online store you can get them to ship it directly to your front door saving you time and money. Generally you will be able to find online coupons available and promo codes allowing you to save ten to twenty percent on the price of a bag of dog food. You can also sometimes get free shipping with your order. If your looking for a good site to buy your food at check out PETCO they usually offer great deals. You can also get even more savings when you purchase your dog food from any grocery store. Most brands including Natural Balance offer online coupons that can be either printed off or applied for and the company will mail the coupons to you.

True to its commitment of providing dogs with "food for a lifetime" Natural Balance dog food has never failed to realize its thrust as evidenced by its many customers and good reviews.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bryan_Rupke

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Monday, June 7, 2010

Best Dog Behavior Modification Tips

This guide is going to teach you some sincerely seriously good dog behavior modification tips that will help you in training your dog. If you're set I'll begin...

When you set off teaching your dog then you will have to make certain that you speak to your hound clearly. Your better bet is to use very short, sharp sounding words with very few syllables. And you want to make sure you use several sounding words for each and every command.

Make sure you in no way shout a lot of several words at your hound because this will only confound your dogs train of thought and won't help him to carry out the command. A lot of people who try to train their hound normally come a cropper with this problem. So this is the first thing you must get right.

Next you want to inform your dog that you are the pack leader. To begin instructing your pooch that you're in charge you control what he does and what he gets, on no account let him demand his food or his walk from you.

If you are needing to train an older pet then a first-rate way to get him into a daily program is to disrupt his everyday daily program first. You do this by dominating and changing his now known daily schedule. Once you get a handle with this dog behavior modification you'll relish owning your canine a whole lot more.

When its time to eat you must make sure your hound eats after you. When you go for a walk you must go through the door first and when you want to play with your pet you must incite the game and on no account let him do any of these things first. Also make sure all your household do this too. Don't give your dogs little treats out of sympathy or even let your pet get away with any bad demeanor, mark everything all the time.

Please use this dog behavior modification guide and you will have a better behaved pooch. If you found this to be useful then you can get a boat load more from my website.

By: Steve Rankin

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com


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Friday, June 4, 2010

Keep Dog’s Dental Health

Dogs need regular dental care as well as their human companions. Dental problems, cracks or broken teeth and periodontal goals are among the most important health problems in dogs obesity. In line with the American Veterinary Dental Society, eighty percent of our companion dogs have some evidence of dental disease by three years. In his life, dogs have two sets of teeth. The first, "teeth" number 28, by a complete set was to last the life of an adult dog, numbering 42nd

We can laugh when we are told that a primary defense in maintaining good dog dental health of your dog's brush. As the animal used to having their finger in the mouth is easy if you start at an early age. Begin gently massaging the dog's face and mouth outside. Gradually work your way into the mouth. With each short session, be sure to encourage with positive comments and end up with a small gift for you, have a good feel for the next time. This is something you can teach your dog.

You'll see, not only humans, dogs also need to brush your teeth. Why? Of course, because dogs use teeth to chew and destroy the food into the mouth. Just like for humans, plaque is not good for dogs. I'll explain a bit about it here plaques. Plaque consists of 80% bacteria and 20% food and saliva. Consisted of bacterial plaque 80% and 20% of food and saliva. If plaque is not removed every day, it mineralizes and form tartar on your dog's teeth. The best thing you can do to maintain the health of a good dog dental care is to brush your dog's teeth with toothpaste made for dog’s enzyme. Dogs have teeth must be specific to this treatment. So you must know the right toothpaste for your dog.

Like toothpaste, most of these products help kill plaque by using enzymes. Rinses and sprays may also help in periodontal disease. Rinse designed for your dog is safe for them to swallow and is usually easier for your dog to tolerate than brushing your teeth or tissue. While dogs do not brush my teeth rinsing replacing them is better than doing nothing for your dog's teeth. Begin to treat your dog's dental health. Always look at his teeth and watch what he eats food.

Finally, use human toothpaste for canines, that cause severe stomach discomfort. They are specifically for dogs, designed in toothpaste taste different choices chicken with parsley, mint and fennel
Teeth and dental health is very important for your dog through every age and stage of your life. If you take preventive measures and see how to care for your dog's teeth, Pearly Whites will last a lifetime.

Brush up on how to care for your dog friend's teeth. There are a number of commercial products are available in flavors to please every dog.

When it is completely resistant and that his teeth cleaned, regardless of everything I've tried not to give up. Instead, remember that it addresses a number of dog and naturaldogsupplies can to keep your dog healthy.

By: dailyy artikles

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com


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