Dog Behavior Training - Dog Training to Correct Behavior Problems

Have you ever wished that the secrets of dog behavior training were available to anyone who wished to take their dog obedience training to a new level? The truth is that proper dog training can be simple for anyone who is willing to educate themselves on the best way to communicate with man's best friend. In order to succeed at puppy training or adult dog training you must first understand why dogs do what they do. There are only two reasons why a dog performs any behavior:

1- To increase pleasure: Have you ever wondered why your dog pees on the floor, chews up your couch, and jumps on your guests? That's right, these activities produce pleasure for your dog. It's as simple as that. If these behaviors didn't produce a fun experience then your dog wouldn't do them. Any time you wish to correct behavior problems with your dog it is important to first realize that your dog is doing these things out of pure pleasure.

2- To avoid discomfort: Old school dog bejavior training prescribed a very harsh method of correcting behavior problems and fomented a dog obedience regimen that was very disciplinarian in it's root form. That type of dog training is unnecessary and will often do more harm than good.

Very skilled dog behavior training, though, should use humane corrections that merely provide an annoying deterrent to help correct behavior problems. Humane corrections can run the gamut from spray bottles to annoying noises all the way to training collars. Yes, used properly, a training collar can be a very valuable and humane tool for getting rid of unwanted behavior problems. It is recommended that you seek out the services of a qualified professional if you are going to use such a tool. These dog training collars are merely used to provide an annoying feeling and not a painful feeling.

In understanding these two concepts it is then much easier to formulate a training program that will fit your individual dog. With my own dogs or with the dogs of clients I always have a two-fold approach to training:

1- Obedience training must be mandatory. This is where the new school of dog trainers go wrong. The new school of dog obedience training uses lots of treats. The correction for an unwanted behavior is often a simple ignoring of said behavior. This style of dog training will never make obedience a mandatory endeavor for your dog. Think about it, if your dog has the option to come when called to get a treat or run wildly towards a busy street in the direction of a fleeing cat, which option do you think your dog will take? Likely he will head to the street and risk life and limb for the cat. This is because the owner never enforced their training efforts to the point where obedience is mandatory.

2- Obedience training must be fun. Just because something is mandatory doesn't mean it also shouldn't be fun. Dog behavior training is intrinsically fun for your dog because your dog gets to work side by side with you. Your dog is able to bond as he learns from you and learns a deep level of trust as you guide him along with his training. If you skip this step then you may have an obedient dog, but he sure won't enjoy it.

I have referenced old school and new school dog training practices. Old school training is harsh and rough. New school is all fun and games. To truly have the best trained dog you need to combine the best of both schools. From the old school we use corrections to get rid of unwanted behaviors. From the new school we use a great deal of motivation and fun. The end result is the best trained dog on the block.

When you understand dog behavior training and how your dog views his world you can truly accomplish amazing things with your canine companion. dog training can truly be made easy when you live these principles, rather than practice them at random intervals throughout the day. It's time to get to work!

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Guard Dog Training Tips & Tricks Revealed

People buy a href="http://dog-training-class.blogspot.com/search?q=guard dog">guard dog because they want protection. These pets can be very valuable and a great asset to any family. Their training takes special measures and people need to be aware of the best way to train them properly. Here you will find a short guide revealing some of the main considerations needed when training guard dogs.

The first thing you want to do is teach the dog when to bark. It might be when something unusual takes place. When the dog barks at the proper time, you can call it to your side and offer a treat. You might also try to offer a chew toy. You want the dog to understand that when something unusual happens and the dog senses this, it's good to bark and go to a family member.

Some people like to use what is known as " clicker training" to get their dogs to perform properly. When the dog behaves correctly, you make a noise with tiny clicking apparatus that lets the dog know it has done a good job. Give it a treat at the same time. The dog will soon understand that the noise and the action will get it a treat. After the dog gets the hang of this, you can replace the clicker with a treat and a verbal order like "Bark."

At the same time, there are dogs that bark too much. Then you will have to teach them a "quiet" order. When you want them to be quiet you might have to shake a can full of coins or say "Quiet" and squirt their mouth with some water. The dog will quit barking in order to suck up the water. Follow this by letting the dog have a treat. Soon the dog will learn to respond to the word "Quiet" and you won't have to give it a treat or squirt it.

Guard dogs may get aggressive about protecting their territory. You may need to put up a "Beware of dog" sign. Good guard dogs don't need to scare people. They can be trained to be obedient to commands.

Although guard dog training can work well with older dogs, it's best for the dog to learn these skills while they are young. That's because you don't want them to get training that might interfere with the guard dog training. For instant, if you teach your dog not to jump up on people, the guard dog might be hesitant to jump up on a trainer that is supposed to be an intruder.

guard dog training is something you can do yourself or let a professional trainer do. There are a couple of fantastic guard dog training guides available which you can read about in more detail using the links at the bottom of this article. If you prefer to let a professional trainer train your dog, you should be able to find a one by asking at your local vet clinic or pet shop.

In a good training program, the guard dog will first learn some basic obedience lessons. Those lessons will be very rigid. guard dogs must learn to follow each and every command instantly. These dogs also get trained to only obey commands or take treats from owners and handlers. This is important because nobody wants an intruder to have power over the guard dog.

When the owner wants a a href="http://dog-training-class.blogspot.com/search?q=dog">dog to alert them if an intruder enters the property, the dog must be trained to spot strangers. This is usually accomplished through barking and going back to the owner. Barking and returning to the owner's side can be repeated often, until the owner recognizes the stranger and the dog knows he successfully finished the job.

Sometimes the guard dog is actually trained to attack an intruder. This is done for protection purposes. After this kind of training, the dog shouldn't be left alone. The dog might perceive a movement by a visitor as a reason for attack. a href="http://dog-training-class.blogspot.com/search?q=dog trained">dog trained to protect owners are not as sensitive to noise or threatening movements. This is to help the dog respond properly to loud noises or strange gestures used by intruders.

The guard dog must be taught how to properly respond to all family members. The dog should know all the children in the family, as well as other family members. The dog should also be familiar with other household pets. This is how to make the guard dog an agreeable member of the family.

guard dogs make gentle and sweet companion dogs. They enjoy having company, but they will put up a fierce face when intruders arrive. Owners will feel secure having these dogs in the house. training them can the beginning of a fabulous relationship. Don't forget to praise them when they do a good job, and you will be rewarded with lots of love.

A couple of links are provided below which you can use to find out more information about dog training and in particular a href="http://dog-training-class.blogspot.com/search?q=guard dog training">guard dog training.

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A Long Tradition of Dog Training

For as long as people have kept historical records, we can find accounts of a strong bond between people and dogs. In primitive times when hunting was man's only way to survive, people realized that using dogs could make the hunt more successful. This partnership was more than just people dominating animals because dogs and humans worked as partners with a goal benefit both species. Dogs and their human companions developed an unspoken ability to understand each other. So throughout history, when dog training was designed, it was focused on the working relationship between dogs and people.

Historians have evidence of art and documents from ancient civilizations. They discovered drawings depicting dogs serving as guides and companions as far back in time as we have records. No doubt our ancient grandparents knew that the relationship that they had with their dogs served the people and the dogs equally and that their trusted canine companions were prized and cherished part of their families much as they are today.

It isn't a stretch to say that as long as there have been human culture and civilization, dogs have been part of it. When society was agricultural, dogs were important in protecting livestock and herding sheep and cows. But as people began to realize how easy it was to train dogs, they began to be used in other agricultural chores as well as in military and police functions. Then dogs were bred and trained for the very purpose of serving people's working need: Hunting, herding, protection and pulling.

• Turkish and British used the natural abilities of their local dogs for guarding and herding livestock.
• Inuits and other Northern culture used their dogs for pulling sleigh across the snow
• The Lasha Apso was bred to guard temples and palaces in Tibet
• The ChowChow one of the oldest breed originated from Mongolia and was bred for hunting, pulling, guarding and herding.
• The Roman Empire developed full battle ready battalions comprised entirely of dogs.
• Later, during World War I and II, dogs were vital to the war effort delivering messages and protecting military encampments and guarding prisoners as well. Along with these duties, dogs also pitched by serving as scouts, finding mines, tracking the enemy and delivering important military messages during battles.

The ability of dogs to help the blind has been going on since the first century as has been proved with ancient artifacts of the time. 1788 see the first ever training facility to teach dogs to aid the blind atles " Quatre Vingts" in Paris, France. Even though modern medicine has advanced significantly, dogs have more jobs than ever helping patients recovering from therapy, assisting people with disabilities including epilepsy and autism and even making contributions in cancer detection.

In 1939, when WWII started, young servicemen were taught the military method of training service dogs, which used the choke chain and harsh training method. When the war ended there were a group of young ex-military trainers available to help civilians train their dogs. By now the original trainers and their method of training had pretty much disappeared.

It was in the 1970's thanks to TV that Barbara Woodhouse was able to bring her method of training to the masses. Choke chains became as popular to dog training as moon rocks had become to fish bowls. By this time the use of physical correction was widely accepted in dog training.

By the 1980's the buzz was dominance, not by the dog but by you over your dog. This method led to all kinds of pack leadership ideas. It was decided that if you didn't dominate your dog he would dominate you, and that there was simply no other way to train a dog than using the pack leader method.

And just like politics that swing back and forth like a pendulum, by the 1990's we had swung the other direction.

This was when animal behavior experts and psychologist started to understand dog's behavior and their body language. More interested by the overall well being of the dogs and how they communicate with each other, experts such as Turid Rugaas, Patricia McConnell, Karen Prior and Ian Dunbar opened a new door to dog training, behavior and psychology.

The focus became more about teaching owners how to understand their dogs better and enhance the positive natural abilities of the dog rather than dominance and other forceful methods.

As the population of dog lovers responded to these new techniques, more and more up to date dog training courses have become available. The number of dogs entering human homes continues to rise. It seems there are more and more dog owners looking for companionship in our four legged furry friends.

TV shows with popular Cesar Millan have create an awareness around dog training. Like him or not, now more than ever, people are taking their commitment to well trained dogs very seriously and more dogs than ever before are being trained because of the dog whisperers popularity.

It can seem a little bit strange to be able to train your dog at home in the comfort of your living room or backyard but when you think about it isn' t dog training about educating the human first?

From a partnership for survival to online courses, dog training has evolved with our society and technology.The number of dogs entering human homes continues to rise. It seems there are more and more dog owners looking for companionship in our four legged furry friends. No matter how the training is delivered, dogs are here to stay and always be an important part of our society.

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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 training 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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Small Dog Training - Searching For Dog Training Courses Online?

Bringing home a new puppy is like adopting a new member into your family. Dogs are friendly, loving family members that make great companions. One of the first tasks you'll undertake is to train your puppy as soon as possible. Puppies learn quickly so now is the best time to find a good small dog training course online that you can stick with. Your pet depends on you for everything and is happier if he knows what the house rules are. Here are some of the top dog training courses online.

SitStayFetch:

SitStayFetch, written by Daniel Stevens, is a top rated dog training course among several online dog training courses. He gives easy step-by-step instructions on training your dog, so easy that he welcomes all the novice trainers out there. Also included is information related to proper feeding and breeding of your new puppy. You can upgrade your subscription and buy the training videos. This dog training/obedience course has been rated 5 stars and is the most effective small dog course available online.

Dog Training Online:

Dog Training Online, by Dove Crosswell, is an excellent choice for any novice trainer. A dog training course with audiovisuals has captured the attention of pet lovers and is the reason dog training online courses are successful. The multimedia and slide shows used in this training course are very easy to learn and makes this a good choice when training your puppy. An optimistic approach is used in this book and it is suitable for problem-free dogs.

Dog Training Mastery:

With a four star rating, Dog Training Mastery is one of the more popular online dog training courses used by puppy lovers. Many tips and tricks for small dogs are included in this course which can apply to bigger dogs as well. This online dog course comes with the longest refund period which is 90 days. If you are not satisfied with your results, you'll get your money back while keeping the guide. Unlike other e-books, this training is a 7 part email course.

When searching for small dog obedience courses online, look for a program which suits your dogs breed and the amount of time you have available to train your dog. At least one of the above mentioned programs should work for you and your dog.

Since training your dog is essential, it's easier and cheaper to search for small dog training courses online than to hire a professional trainer. You can spend several hours of quality time training your dog whereas you may see a trainer only once a week.

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Things to Consider Before You Go For a Dog Training Career

While a lot of people will become dog training careers because it's something that a lot of people do, there are others who actually do it because they love dogs and feel that this is a career that they want to pursue.

Are you one of those people that go for a dog training career because they heard someone saying that it's a good career, or are you someone that actually loves dogs and wants to be around them more?

Basic principles to follow

Loving dogs isn't the only motivation you should have to pursue dog training; you will also need the skills and knowledge to discipline dogs, to handle them and to understand what motivates their behavior. In most cases, people that become dog trainers have previous experience with dogs, and an understanding on how they usually handle pets.

What is your "canine division"?

If you want a career that revolves around dogs, there are two options at your disposal: dog training or pet service training. They're both highly looked after jobs, but a pet dog training career can bring you more opportunities.

Pet training is usually done on pet dogs, just like the name suggests. Its purpose is to help dogs become better companions for humans, both at house and in outdoor activities. Basic training includes agility training, obedience training, potty training and even training to prevent the dog from biting or barking.

If we're talking about service training, you should know that it's made specifically to prepare a dog for helping someone that has a disability or is going through some form of therapy. Other service dogs are trained to sniff bombs, drugs or to chase criminals, hunt or rescue people.

This type of training is very intensive, and the trainer needs to be well prepared in teaching the dog how to do his functions.

Canine psychology understanding

What do you want to know about a dog? How they behave, think or how they react to outside stimulus? What training actually does is making a dog modify his behavior, so they respond in certain ways. Associative conditioning is one of the fundamentals of dog training, so you should know this as well.

What about dog training education?

Like any other career, canine training needs you to have some basic skills, in this case in the area of handling and dog training. But, this isn't a career that you can learn at a university or college, so a degree is out of the question. There are schools however, and some academies, which you can go to in order to learn dog training. In most cases though, dog trainers have a natural inclination for their job.

While some have a natural feeling on how to train dogs, other have been apprentices with great dog trainers. And if you want some extra information, you should contact a dog training organization, which can offer it to you.

Comparison of working attitude with people and canines

When you train dogs you also have to teach the dog handlers how to use them. Besides training dogs, if you plan to make a career out of it, you will also need to have some people skills, to teach the handlers.

Some dog owners don't have the patience to wait for their dogs to learn, expecting for it to be a fast and simple process. You need to be able to deal with this type of dog owners, and to let them know how the process works. That's why you need people skills as well, not just experience with dogs.

Miscellaneous

Besides the normal aspects of training, other things you need to know are nutrition, canine hygiene and grooming.

Other fields of interest include accessories, competitions and training ads. You should also learn about the differences between dog breeds, as each one behaves differently.

You can be a great trainer without being a guru. You only need a number of skills that will teach you how to handle canines.

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Dog Training Leads And How To Start Dog Training Products Business?

What you need to Consider?

For most dogs, there is a need for dog training leads especially younger dogs. There are two major things that need to be considered when you get dog training leads for your dogs. The very first thing to consider when buying training leads is the size of the dog that you have.

Dogs grow quickly so you might try to anticipate the actually size of your dog when it matures when you think of buying a dog training lead. If the puppy is still too small for a large sized training lead, get an ordinary leash for the puppy until it grows enough to be trained.

The best use Of dog training Leads

Many people ask why we need dog training leads. Actually, these are a safety precaution on top of the fact that it trains our dogs to stay close to us.

It is a safety precaution for times when the dog is still not well trained enough and might lunge after people or other animals. Leads for dog training keep dogs in check and keep you away from any liabilities if you are vigilant.

You can also make money with products

You can can you make money selling dog training Products, if you run it as a business!. If you are a stay at home parent, that does not mean that you cannot earn income to contribute to the family coffers.

There is a lot of stay at home parents that are actually earning full time income working in the comforts of their homes. If you are a dog lover, one of the best ways for you to earn income while staying at home with the kids is to sell dog training products online.

Are Dog training products are some of the most salable items?

Sure it is. These products are some of the most salable items online so you have a fair chance of earning money. Moreover, selling dog training products online does not really need a huge start-up capital on your part.

You do not really have to keep an inventory of dog training products if you are selling them online. As long as you have access to these products, you can already put these things up for sale on your website.

How to start dog training products business online?

You have to think before you start building your website. You need to find the right dog training products to sell online.

You need to do some research on the different dog training products available in the market. Study each product carefully and make sure that these products are really what they claim to be. Once you are sure which products you want to sell online, find a good supplier who can provide you with these products anytime you need them.

How to drive Traffic To You Site?

Having a good website is not really a guarantee that you will be able to sell some dog training products. Note that there are thousands of other websites out there that are selling dog training products so you need to work hard to attract customers and beat your competitors.

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Effective Communication in Dog Training

Dogs are amazing creatures. They adapt to countless situations. They are phenomenal at associations: including learning the meaning or implication of many sounds, such as human language. A dog's "vocabulary" can reach upward of 150 distinct words! However, regardless of how smart, how skilled, and how adaptable they are, dogs will never be verbal animals. Their first language, so to speak, is not words, but body language. Because of this, it's only natural that your dog will interpret your words though a "filter" - of body language, facial expression, tone of voice, even your attention. And if one or more of these "disagree" with the words you are using, most dogs will "obey" your body language!

In my experience, most snags in the dog training process result from miscommunication, not willfulness, stubbornness, or dominance. While this article is geared toward training the family dog, the fact is that whether your dog is strictly a family pet, a competitor in canine sports, or a full-time working dog, getting the most out of your training time means learning to communicate effectively with your dog.

Communication Begins with Attention

Possibly the most fundamental form of communication is your attention. This is true whether you are teaching some new skill, practicing an old one, or refining an advanced behavior. When you give your attention to something your dog does - through touch, voice, eye contact, smiling, or laughter - you draw attention to the behavior. This tells your dog that you find the behavior worthy of interest. Dogs, being sociable creatures, find most interaction and attention reinforcing. They value it, and will work to get it - and this is not even considering whether or not the dog finds the behavior reinforcing in and of itself. So when training, keep in mind that you don't have to actively reward a behavior to reinforce it.

Bring yourself into a training session committed to focusing on your dog to the same extent that you are asking him to focus on you. Avoid training when you are distracted or pre-occupied. This is basic respect and consideration, no more than you would give any good friend! To be attentive to your dog, you don't need to stare at him, but you should be aware of him. An effective trainer is aware, present, and "in the moment" while training, ready and able to note and reward any and all good responses, as they happen. And if your dog gives a response you weren't hoping for? Instead of drawing attention to it, verbally or otherwise, ignore it and move on! Drawing attention to poor responses often simply cements them in the dog's brain, and makes it more likely that he will offer it again. Focus your energy and attention on behaviors you want to see again.

As you practice this approach to working with your dog, you will soon find that your dog will be working to gain your attention by doing those things you like. As your dog's behavior steadily improves, voluntary cooperation increases, your relationship with your dog gets stronger, and you both have more fun training. Kind of hard to find a down-side to that, don't you think?

The Body Language of Effective Dog Training

Training your dog is the ultimate expression of leadership: you are taking the initiative to teach, guide, and direct your dog. Your body language, therefore, should reflect your role as teacher and leader, communicating a calm self-confidence and composure. Let's look at the components of non-verbal communication as they affect your dog:

Invite learning with your facial expression and demeanor. Your body language begins at the top, with your face. Training should be a positive, pleasant experience for you and your dog. Before you begin, and periodically throughout, consciously relax your facial muscles. Smile gently. Soften your eyes. Take a deep, relaxing breath, and keep breathing! When you are relaxed and happy, you present a safe haven for your dog's attention. (And there is nothing to be tense about, right? This is dog training, not world peace!) A soft eye will invite your dog to seek out your face, whereas a hard stare may intimidate your dog into breaking off eye contact, reducing your ability to communicate clearly.

If you find yourself becoming flustered, frustrated, tense, or anxious, your may find that your dog reflects your emotions:

• He may seek calmness elsewhere, by avoiding looking at you, or even trying to move away from you. Some dogs become exaggeratedly slow and sedate, or even show submissive behaviors, as they try to calm you.
• He may "act out" in an attempt to distract you or diffuse the situation. This type of dog may become generally agitated, or even resort to silly antics to distract you from yourself!
• If you become nervous, many dogs will reflect that nervousness, either distracting themselves from an uncomfortable situation, or looking around to find the source of your tension.

If any of these happen while training your dog, before you direct your frustration at him, look to yourself first. Take a deep, steady breath, relax your face and your body, smile, and try again!

Communicate confidence. When training your dog, especially a dog new to you or new to training, your movements and body language should give off an air of calm, relaxed confidence. As much as is realistic, remain upright without being rigid. (Remember your facial expression? Your body language should also "invite learning".) As a rule, an upright but relaxed posture helps communicate confident authority - an excellent teaching posture. If your body needs to bend, keeping your shoulders relatively back will help maintain a bearing of self-assurance. While this is more important with a dog beginning its training, and with naturally effusive or assertive personalities, any dog can become confused by too much bowing, bending, ducking, and bobbing. He may naturally assume that you are playing, acting submissive, anything but training! Any hand signals associated with commands should be clean, simple and definitive. They should be free from excessive, meaningless motion, and should never be used to threaten or pester the dog.

Communicate composure. Be still. Whether you are working on a stationary exercise (such as a sit-stay), or a moving exercise (such as heeling, or a recall), focus on keeping your body language "quiet". Don't bury your cue in a gush of confusing, meaningless gestures or activity. Allow your dog to focus on your words and any intended hand or body signals; don't put him in a position to have to sort the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. Once your dog is more advanced in his training, you may wish to teach him to respond to verbal cues despite unrelated body language. But for now - first things first. Walk before you run!

More than Just Words

Communicating clearly and effectively to your dog includes becoming aware of how your tone of voice, and delivery of cues, affect how your dog learns and responds. When training your dog, keep in mind that your voice conveys more than just the command itself.

First, be consistent. Dog owners new to training often vary their cue delivery, switching back and forth between, for example, a nice, straightforward "sit", a loud and forceful "SIT!", and a sing-songy, not particularly confident-sounding "si-yit?" To a dog, each of these sounds is very different, not like the same cue at all! Again, dogs are not verbal animals. Delivering a command that varies in tone, pitch, and length can and will confuse your training partner. Do yourself and your dog a favor: keep the sound of your cues consistent. In other words, pick a sound and stick with it!

Promote cooperation. When you give your dog a verbal cue, your voice, like your body language, should be relaxed and even. Speak in a normal tone. As you give your cue, picture your dog performing the exercise nicely -- this confidence will come through in your voice. Avoid tones that are whiny, questioning, or pleading. Trying to train your dog in these "lost puppy" tones will be an exercise in frustration. They will not gain you acknowledgment, much less respect! Remember, you are a teacher, a coach, a mentor - not a servant. At the other extreme, you don't need to assume a loud, tough-sounding "command voice". This is for two reasons. First, aggressive, intimidating tones tend to introduce resistance in more confident dogs, and unthinking subservience in less confident ones. Neither is conducive to learning, cooperation, or teamwork. Second, your dog is perfectly capable of listening and responding when you speak in a normal, pleasant, everyday tone of voice. Assuming you plan to utilize what you've taught your dog in your everyday life, you will be instructing your dogs here and there all day long. So, why in the world teach your dog that you have to play "drill sergeant" in order to have him do as you ask? It introduces unnecessary stress into training, is not particularly productive, and certainly doesn't reflect a relationship of willing partnership. The fact is, your dog is much more likely to respond calmly, willingly, and thoughtfully if your voice and demeanor are relaxed and conversational. The bottom line: to promote cooperation, teach your dog his cues in a voice that is reasonable, comfortable, and normal for you.

Sincere appreciation is key. All too often, we get so caught up and focused on teaching our dogs that, just when we need to relax and enjoy the moment of success, we end up giving praise that is hollow, rehearsed, and frankly, not very praise-like at all. Keep in mind that the words are not important; it's your demeanor that counts. Praise doesn't need to have a certain tonal quality or pitch nearly as much as it needs to convey that you are sincerely pleased and happy at that moment. In other words, your dog should feel truly appreciated for a job well done - regardless of whether the success was a long sought-after quantum leap, or one of the many baby steps to success along the way.

Feel free to "test run" different happy sounds on your dog, to see what kind of reaction you get. But again, the most important thing is that your dog knows, from your voice and your demeanor, that you are pleased. Don't think you can fool your dog - he lives with you and is fully aware of how you sound and look when you are happy, sad, mad, and indifferent. Mentally appreciate your dog as you give your praise, and it will come through in your voice.

If you do need to use your voice to indicate that you don't want a particular behavior - whether you say no, or ah-ahh, wrong, etc - the sound should be dismissive, not angry or frightening. The point is to educate, not intimidate. Remember, as you work with one another, both you and your dog will make mistakes. The point is not to make him feel badly for his mistake, but to learn how to best help him be right. A dog trained this way will understand your message, while continuing to want to work with you.

Putting it All Together

So, when working with your dog, make up your mind to relax, smile, be calm, and have fun. Can you do it another way? Sure. But this article is about helping you make the most of your communication with your dog, and maximizing the effectiveness - and enjoyment - of your training time together. Remember, both you and your dog will make mistakes as you go along. It's not only okay, it's natural and a to-be expected part of the learning process. Now get out there and enjoy yourselves!

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

Personally providing your dog with proper obedience training has some very obvious benefits -- establishing strong bonds with your dog, you'll correct bad behaviors, it stimulates your dog's intellect and desire to learn, it encourages inclusion between your dog and the rest of your household, and, in the long run, it saves you time that otherwise would be dedicated to cleaning up your dog's messes, smoothing over offended parties, and repairing damaged property.

Here, I'd like to bring to light some of the less obvious, but no less important, benefits of obedience training. Hopefully you'll be further encouraged to make obedience training an activity you and your dog will embark on immediately, if not sooner.

It's a fun, enjoyable experience

Don't look at dog training as a chore. View it as an opportunity for you and your budding best friend to begin forging a deep, mutually beneficial bond and relationship. Approach it as just one of many enjoyable activities you and your dog will share. Follow up your obedience training with trick training and you'll be sure to have a great deal of fun. While some of the tricks will present a challenge for both of you, just make it a pleasurable experience. Be patient, be kind, and be generous with your praise when your dog achieves those little successes.

You'll be rewarded with a much happier dog

Obedience training is one of the most important aspects of raising a dog. In fact, a well trained dog is by far a happier dog! Why? Because a trained dog requires fewer restrictions. The more reliable the dog, the more freedom he is given.

For example, many stores and businesses that normally won't allow dogs on their premises will make an exception for a puppy or a dog that will heel nicely by his owner's side, or will do a sit-stay or down-stay without hesitation.

And when company arrives in your home, there's no need to banish a well-behaved dog to another room for fear that he will be a royal nuisance. Moreover, because a well-mannered, obedience-trained dog is both appreciated and welcomed, he receives more attention and interaction from family members, visitors, and passers-by, than does the ill-mannered dog.

Dog training may someday save your dog's life

Am I being a bit melodramatic here? Not so. Envision this scene. A young lady, we'll call Sarah is walking Buster her dog on a nice suburban neighborhood sidewalk. Trees line both sides of the street, cars are parallel parked on both sides as well, and the old twin brick homes all have white porches. Its early morning, not much foot traffic or autos on the road, so Sarah is pretty relaxed and her mind is wandering. Well, where there are trees there are squirrels. And one pops out in front of Sarah and her pooch. Startled, the squirrel makes a bee line for a tree across the street. The dog, also a bit startled by the sudden appearance of the squirrel right in front of him, takes off in hot pursuit. Being relaxed as Sarah is, her grip on the leash is also relaxed. Buster's sudden thrust easily pulls the leash from Sarah's hand and now both squirrel and dog are heading between the parked cars towards the other side of the street.

And, against the odds, a car is heading down the street on a collision course with Buster's path. The jerk on Sarah's hand jostles her back from mind-wandering to the scene unfolding. Fortunately she collects her thoughts quick enough to yell, "BUSTER...HEEL! BUSTER COME!" "Good Lord", Sarah thinks out loud, "whodda thought the hours Buster and I spent on obedience lessons would end up saving his life?" But that's just what happened. Sarah's voice control over her dog was the only impetus Buster needed to drop any thought of catching that squirrel, and simply do what he's done so many times before - obey his owner's simple commands.

And that's just one of many possible scenarios where a simple obedience command could save your dog's life. He could slip out of his collar or bolt out an unattended open door. Enough said. Point made I hope.

Your training may save someone else's life

Also not too far fetched, especially if your dog is one of the so-called "at risk" breeds, known for their capability and proclivity to inflict injury or worse on people if provoked or if threatened. Or, more likely, if they perceive their owner is being threatened. Humor me and picture another scene. A man is relaxing at home with his Rottweiler Manfred, watching the weekend football game. He hears a knock on the front door, but before he can even get up, walk towards the door and open it, in walks his lumberjack uncle from Vancouver whom he hasn't seen in more than twenty five years.

He's big and burly and one of those touchy-feely boisterous types. He opens his arms, strides towards the man with a bellowing voice to give him a big bear hug. Manfred, who followed his owner to the door, sees his master about to be mauled by this loud, huge, human stranger and he instinctively attacks the uncle. A powerful Rottweiler protecting his master versus a perceived human threat. My money is on the Rottweiler. Unless of course, the dog received proper obedience training by his master, who could then quickly diffuse the life-threatening attack with an authoritative "MANFRED...HEEL!". Again, I'm sure you can envision dozens of ways a similar scenario could play out that could result in serious injury or worse. Large, poorly behaved, disobedient dogs can be much more than an annoyance; they can be dangerous. Obedience training is imperative. Especially for owners of big dogs. That's all the stories, I promise.

You'll lay the foundation for a very happy home

I think it would be safe to say that obedience training benefits everyone. Dog, dog owner, dog owner's family, neighbors, visitors to the home, strangers and other dogs met on walks and family outings, the dog's vet and her staff, the folks at the boarding facility and the groomers, the mailman. You get the idea. There's just no downside to having a well trained dog. Done properly, the process will be enjoyable and the results will be well worth time and effort expended.

A well-behaved, obedient dog is a pleasure to have around. No worries about damage to the home. No need to disrupt daily family living with constant disciplining the dog for behaviors that may be natural to the dog, but very upsetting to the family. No worries about children playing with the dog. No concerns when a visitor stops by the home. Walks are leisurely and a pleasure. No need to take detours should you see another dog approaching. No fretting about a well-meaning child reaching down to pet your dog. Car rides with your dog are uneventful.

Now how could all of this not contribute to a very happy home?

Conclusion

Now that you've decided to begin training your dog, your choice becomes a dog trainer, or do you train yourself to train your dog. For anyone who has read other articles of mine, know my choice is to self-train your dog. It's just a tremendous opportunity for you to build such a fantastic relationship with your companion.

You'll need a training manual that covers all aspects of obedience and trick training. And provides you the opportunity to get your unanswered questions answered through direct and real time correspondence with professional trainers. The manual I most recommend, and use regularly is available through the link below. Best of luck.

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Dog Training Clubs - A Great Way to Help Train and Socialize Your Dog

Dog training clubs are a great way to get help with obedience training and continued socialization of your puppy or dog. There are many different dog training clubs, and with a little research you can find one close to your home.

The people you will meet who are involved in the Club are people like you, who are very fond and proud of their own dogs, and also want to make sure their pets are trained well enough to be sociable and well behaved in any situation-even among crowds of other people and their dogs.

Each club will have scheduled weekly or bi-weekly classes, and you should choose the class you want to sign up to, according to the level of training your dog has (or has not) already received. The trainers in the course will have lots of helpful advice and should be experienced themselves.

Many clubs are affiliated with the National Dog Owner's association. The N.D.O.A. has occasional meetings and get together-which also offer a week of training qualification courses for dog owners who are interested in qualifying as obedience trainers.

There are several types of dog training clubs, but most of them offer a variety of classes ranging from the beginning obedience training class (teaching your pet to sit, stay, lay down, etc) on through intermediate training classes and finally to more advanced types of dog training. The more advanced courses may teach your dog how to do dog show competitions, protection training or tracking training, to name a few.

You can practice the exercises you and your dog learned during the previous lesson at home during the rest of the week-your puppy or dog's homework-and be prepared to learn the next step the following lesson. In addition to learning obedience training, the socializing that your pet gets from being trained in a group setting, along with the interaction with other people and their pets, is a terrific way to keep your dog friendly. Often dogs that turn out aggressive are dogs that have had no chance to interact with other people or dogs and learn how much fun it can be to have canine as well as human friends to play with.

While the dog training clubs do have members who are interested in show dog competition, many of the members just enjoy having a well behaved pet, and the social aspects of the dog training clubs. For those interested in the dog show competitions, they should check with the American Kennel Club for dog show events schedules. The AKC dog shows are for pure bred dogs only, with each breed of dog competing with other dogs of breeds with similar characteristics.

If you have a special breed of dog, such as a German shepherd, often there may be a club of fellow German shepherd (or Labrador, etc.) enthusiasts near you. However, any well run dog training club will offer training course suitable for any breed of dog you may have. Any type of dog will respond favorably to correctly applied positive training techniques. It is a good idea to try to get some feedback from a friend or fellow dog owner about the particular club you are interested in joining in order to make sure it is right for you and your pet.

For dog owners who want to really push the limits of dog training, there are Schutzhund training clubs for dog owner's of very specially trained dogs, usually( but not limited to) German shepherd dogs, that are trained to perform tracking, obedience, and protection trials in order to attain at rating of Schutzhund I, II, or III, depending on the level of difficulty of the trial. This is the highest level of dog training, and is not part of a regular dog training club's itinerary. These dogs are suitably qualified to be police dogs or search and rescue dogs.

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