Dog Training

How to Train  Your New Puppy or Dog

                 

First to know .. It is important to start training your new puppy as soon as you bring it home. Training can be done yourself or a professional can be hired. Local dog training classes are often available. Ask your veterinarian to recommend a trainer or look in your local newspaper for a trainer in your area.

There are two types of training: behavioral and obedience.

Behavioral training prevents and or corrects bad habits that your puppy or dog may develop or already has developed. Jumping, car chasing, begging, climbing on furniture, and chewing are just a few. It is very important to be consistent during the training process. For example, do not let your puppy on the couch unless you are planning to allow it on the couch when it is full grown. This will confuse it, causing problems. Taking the time to learn natural dog behavior and satisfying the dog's natural instincts along with proper exercise will help you communicate to your dog and can mean the difference between success and failure.

Obedience training is training the dog to obey certain commands such as sit, stay, come and teaching it to heel. Training sessions should be frequent but short to prevent your dog from becoming bored; ten to fifteen minute sessions, two or three times a day will be sufficient.

Tip : training your dog right before meals will help them associate their meal with a reward for the training and also make them more interested in the food treat you use in your training session.

Before giving a word command to your dog, speak its name to get its attention; then speak a one-word command such as "stay," "sit," "come" or "heel." Do not get impatient. You will probably have to repeat the command many times. Never use negative reinforcement. Do not call your dog to come to you for punishment because this will teach your dog not to come on command. Be sure to keep any frustration out of the tone of your voice. If you feel yourself becoming frustrated, take a break. Your dog can sense this and will start to associate training with your unhappiness. You cannot hide your frustration from a dog. You cannot pretend. Dogs can feel human emotion, so stay relaxed, firm and confident.

Some of the specific commands are "sit," "stay," "come," "down" and "heel." When speaking the commands, say them loudly and clearly, repeating them often. The dog may have to hear the commands over and over, but will soon begin to associate the word with its meaning. Always remember to praise your dog when it responds correctly. This will encourage your dog to perform correctly the next time. You may either use food, or affection such as a belly rub, a pet or verbal praise as the reward or both.

A lot of puppy and dog training classes teach the heel command only in the advanced classes. The heel command should actually be one of the first things you teach your puppy or dog. They need to learn how to follow. Once you establish this all other aspects of training will be easier and their behavior in general will be better as the dog will learn to respect you as the leader.

When teaching your dog to sit, hold your hand high over its head with a reward in it. Your dog will look up at the reward. Use your other hand to gently push the dog's behind into a sitting position, and say in a clear, firm tone, "SIT" while still holding the reward in the air above the dog's head. When your dog sits, give him the treat and verbally praise him. Do not allow your dog to jump up and grab the reward out of your hand. Say firmly, "NO." You will have to repeat this over and over. Eventually your dog will associate sitting with the reward and will sit without your assistance. Remember the training sessions should be short but frequent. Repeat this method periodically throughout the day. If you get frustrated, stop and try again later.

Tips on teaching your dog or puppy to stay and come:

It is usually best to teach your dog to sit before you teach it to stay. The reason is your dog will have an easier time staying if it is in a sitting position. After your dog has the sitting command down, and has been correctly sitting for a couple of days without assistance, it is time to teach your dog to stay and come. Tell your dog to sit. Have two rewards in your hand. After your dog sits, give it one of the rewards.

Hold your empty hand up like a stop sign in front of your dog's face and back up slowly saying "STAY" clearly and firmly. Be sure to stay facing your dog and remain looking at him. Go a short distance and say with some enthusiasm, "COME." When your dog comes to you reward him again. If your dog gets up and runs to you without the "COME" command, say "NO" and start all over again. Remember to verbally praise as well as provide a food reward when he gets a new command correct. Start off only backing up a short distance from your dog. As he begins to understand what you want of him, you may back farther away and eventually you may be able to walk out of sight and have your dog still stay until he hears the "COME" command. Remember to be consistent and stop if you become frustrated. Your dog can sense frustration and it will confuse him. They want to please you. If they sense your frustration, they may learn to dislike the training sessions as they associate them with a negative feeling coming from you.

Tips on teaching your dog to lie down:

After successfully teaching your dog to sit, stay, and come—without assistance, it's time to teach him to lie down on command. Tell your dog to sit. Show him the reward you have in your hand. Hold the reward up and then bring it down in front of the dog to the floor and say "DOWN" in a firm clear voice. Only give the reward if he lies down to reach it. Do not give it to him if he stands up to reach the reward. Again repeat this throughout the day as much as possible, keeping sessions short and frequent.

Each training session should include any new commands you are trying as well as old commands the dog has already learned—so the dog does not forget them. Always be consistent. Important: If you become frustrated, stop and try again later.

Staying positive and taking the time to play with your dog during sessions will teach him that following commands is happy and rewarding.

Among the many important responsibilities dog owners have, training a dog is among the most important. Well-trained pets are easier to care for and love, cause less damage to your home (and theirs), and live happier lives. In this article, we cover many of the basics of dog training. But we also cover some important facets of dogs themselves -- which you need to be familiar with in order to communicate with your pooch.These include how dogs communicate to you through body language and noises. Dogs send myriad messages with their bodies and their voices -- this is one reason why they're so fascinating and beloved. The more you understand their messages, the more you understand them and how your own messages are being understood. Read this entire article carefully -- there are three sections after this one -- and then put the wisdom into practice. Here's what we'll cover:

Understanding a Dog's Body Language

Dogs use their entire body to communicate. Their eyes and ears are especially dynamic, and they give sure-fire clues to dogs' emotions and impulses. How dogs tilt their heads, move their legs and torsos, wag (or raise or drop) their tails -- all these things contribute to the messages being sent. In this section, we cover many of the silent messages your pooch will give you, from his nose to his tail.

Interpreting Dog Barks and Noises

Dogs are probably the most "verbally" expressive of all domesticated animals, and this only adds to their charm. From the whine of a puppy to the angry growl of an adult, dogs mean what they say. The more you understand these signals, the happier you and your dog will be. At the same time, it's important to know which noises constitute an annoyance, and how to train your dog to stop making them. We'll offer suggestions on teaching a dog to stop barking in this section.

Dog-Training Tips

It's important to know not only how to train a dog, but what to train it to do. Puppies have no sense of correct behavior, so they offer a million things you could correct; which should you address? In this section, we'll cover what to correct as well as how to train a pooch. We'll also discuss dog obediences classes -- also known as puppy kindergarten -- and specific thing you can teach your dog if you plan on traveling with it. Life tosses up myriad challenges to a dog's sense of obedience, and the more he's trained to understand, the happier you both will be. Finally, for fun and practical benefit, we'll cover a few basic tricks you can teach your dog. They're a wonderful way to bond with your pet and to entertain the both of you, while teaching it how to behave and react to your commands. Everybody wins!

we all know a wagging tail means a dog is friendly, right? Not necessarily. Dogs say lots of things with their tails -- and not all of them are nice. A dog who is wagging her tail might be happy, interested, or confident, but she also may be scared, confused, or ready for a fight. In this section, we'll tell you how to understand a dog's body language. If you learn this skill, it will make communicating with a dog much easier. And that, in turn, will make training a dog much easier.

When you see a dog whose tail is wagging wide and fast, the message is almost always, "Glad to see you!" This is a happy, excited dog. On the other hand, a dog holding her tail loosely but horizontally wants to know a bit more about you. She might not be ready to welcome you with a big lick, but she's not going to challenge you either. The same is true of a dog whose tail is wagging slowly. She's still deciding whether you are a friend or foe. Watch out, though, for a dog whose tail is bristling or is held high and stiff, wagging fast. This dog is agitated and probably aggressive -- and boy, does she mean business.

The position of a dog's tail tells a lot about her, too. A dog with her tail erect is confident and in control. The exact opposite is the dog with her tail tucked between her legs. Whether she's talking to you or to another dog, the message is the same: "I give up!" Just because a dog's tail is down doesn't mean she's frightened, though. A relaxed dog may keep her tail lowered, although not between her legs.

Dogs communicate with both ends of their bodies. A cock of the head or twitch of the ears indicates interest or alertness but sometimes fear. When a dog hears or sees something new or exciting, her ears will go up or forward. Because the canine sense of hearing is so sharp, your dog often knows about the approach of a person or car long before you do. That's what makes her such a great alarm system. Her ears are built in such a way that they can be pointed in different directions, allowing the dog to quickly figure out where a sound is coming from.

Is a dog's head down and her ears back? She's scared or submissive. Sometimes, the fur along the neck and back of a frightened or submissive dog will bristle, too. Be especially careful approaching a dog in this mood. She might be timid or shy, but if she feels cornered, she's capable of launching an attack in self-defense.

A dog's pack instinct makes her a good observer who pays close attention to everybody and everything around her. You might not realize it, but your dog watches and listens to you all the time and learns your patterns of behavior. Sometimes it seems as if she can read your mind, but her ability to predict your every move is really just good observation skills at work.

Watch your dog's facial expression for more clues on how she's feeling. You might even catch her smiling -- pulling the corners of her mouth back to show the teeth. Don't confuse this look with the snarl, a raised upper lip and bared teeth. A snarl is a definite threat gesture, but dogs probably smile for the same reason we do: to let folks -- or other dogs -- know they don't mean any harm.

Sometimes a dog uses her entire body to deliver her message. Rolling belly-up, exposing her neck and genitals, means "You're the boss!" An especially submissive dog may also urinate to express her deference to you or to another dog. The play bow is the classic canine invitation to fun and games: down on the front paws, rear end in the air, tail wagging. She may even paw the ground or bark in the attempt to lure you or another dog into play. The best response is to play bow back and then pull out her favorite toy or ball.

Body language is one thing. A dog's barks, yelps, growls, and other noises are yet another -- full of meaningful messages for dog owners.

Training a Dog to Stop Barking

There are as many reasons for a dog to bark as there are things for her to bark at. To correct unwanted barking, first you have to find out why she's barking. For some dogs, barking is triggered by the doorbell, a passing car, or other common sound. Often this behavior can go on for quite a while. Try a simple little homemade device called a shake can to curb your dog's barking. It's safe for the dog, easy to make, and often works like a charm.

Take an empty aluminum soda can, put a few pennies inside, and tape the top shut. When unwanted or excessive barking happens, toss the shake can in the direction of -- not at -- the dog. Do not try to hit her with it. The sudden loud rattling noise is often enough to surprise her into silence. This is your cue to jump in and tell her what a good dog she is now. Try to work it so the shake can appears to come out of nowhere. This way, your dog will connect you with good things (praise) and the shake can with bad things (barking).

If your dog is barking for attention, you can handle the situation two ways. The first is to ignore her until she stops barking. Don't pet her or yell at her. When she finally stops, praise her for being quiet. The alternative is to give the dog more attention than she wanted. As soon as your dog starts barking, put a leash on her and take her through a routine of sits, downs, comes, and stays. Continue this for a couple of minutes, then just walk away. Your dog will soon learn the sound of silence gets her the attention she wants.



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