The Importance of Being Alpha

Everyone wants their dog to listen and obey commands. But many people struggle with this, thinking: "I do everything I can and have tried multiple dog training methods, but he still won't listen!"

There may be a reason for this. Your dog may think HE is the leader of the pack!

Dogs are instinctively pack animals. In a pack, there's a pecking order to the group, with the alpha dog being at the top. The alpha is the strongest of the pack; he sets all of the rules and maintains the order of the pack.

When you introduce a dog to your family, to him - it becomes his new pack. Whether you know it or not, he will be feeling out his role is the hierarchy. If he is a dominant dog, you might find yourself in stiff competition to establish who is alpha.

The pecking order is like a ladder, where the alpha is at the top, followed by a second in command and so on. If you're at the bottom, then you're not in charge of anybody, and your dog will seize the opportunity to be in control of the situation.

You don't want your dog to think he's above anybody in the family. So it would be a good idea to make sure your entire family understands this concept and follows it.

Here are some steps you can take to establish yourself as the leader of your pack:

      Dog Training Secrets.




Don't let your dog sleep with you! We all want our dogs to sleep with us, but if he sleeps with you, he'll consider himself apart of the litter and equal or above you. The alpha dog always sleeps alone, in the most comfortable spot.

Walk through doorways first before your dog. The alpha always enters the den first, and has control over the room. So tell your dog who runs the show when entering a room, especially the front door.

Always feed your dog after you eat. Make sure the whole table is clean and some time has passed, then it's OK to feed him. If you feed him about two hours before you eat, this should be all right as well.

The alpha dog is never indecisive; he makes decisions and sticks to them. If you reprimand your dog or give him a command, make sure you follow through with it.

If he is completely disobeying and being unruly, gently place him on his back, hold him firmly and look him in the eyes. Keep him there until he relaxes. This means he's submitted to you physically. Dogs fight, and when you do this you show him who's the boss and who calls the shots.

Under no circumstances should any of these methods ever be too rough or harsh. You don't want your dog to fear you; you want him to respect you.

There is never a reason to mistreat your dog to show him you're in control. Choose a dog training guide that teaches a method you're comfortable with and expand on these ideas

Dog Training Videos: How to Teach Your Pooch Accurately

Sometimes, it is not enough to read the things you need to do in training your dogs. Reading does not always result to effective application. You may overlook some details that can only lead your dog training courses to failure. It is after all impractical to pay for a dog trainer if you can actually do the task yourself.

Because we all live in a high tech world, all of the methods in getting several things done successfully are now shown in videos. A dog training video is also now available for troubled dog trainers who can not do things the right way.

These kinds of videos are best for amateur dog trainers who are not good in visualizing what they have read in books and helpful articles. Sometimes, even if the instructions are already clear, some owners still tend to imagine something slightly different from what is written. These training clips can guide you on how to react whenever your pet fails to do the correct thing or how to reward it with food treats and cheerful compliments.

The training videos will also show how some training equipment are employed. For instance, in dog leash training, the clips can show you what appropriate materials should be purchased for your pooch. If you are clueless on how to correctly utilize a retractable leash, then a dog training video can surely come to your rescue. These videos can also teach you the right tone for scolding your pets. A video can help you mimic the expert trainer's tones and gestures accurately. With training clips, the owner is guided well and problems brought about by dog training are lessened.

These clips are also best for people who are too stubborn to read books. A book which contains 30 pages about dog training can be shortened into one to two-hour dog training clips which are definitely a lot effective.

Dog training videos can be obtained from the internet. You can watch them through several sites which offer varying videos uploaded by different users. Sometimes, a how-to article is also accompanied by a how-to video, but you should be warned that not all videos are made by professional trainers themselves. Some dog owners share what they have discovered through these dog training clips.

If you want to acquire a copy of a canine training clip made by an expert dog trainer, then you should purchase one. These dog training DVDs are actually affordable. You may order these clips as a set, each containing specific dog training courses you should learn by heart. You can also buy one at a time if you find buying a DVD set expensive. These videos can be purchased via the internet or in your favorite media stores.

Make dog training easier by watching a dog training video. Not only are you spared from the boring task of reading a book, you are also saved from the possibility of getting things done incorrectly. Of course, you would not prefer doing the latter.

Article referenced from Go-Articles.com by Fatima Edris

Keep Your Dog Safe During the Holidays.

Everybody is coming and going, parties and dinners are in abundance and your dog is going crazy with all the activity. Keep your pet in mind when entertaining.

Here is the first scenario: Doorbell rings and people arrive. Your dog bounds to the door to greet them, jumps all over the guests and as they are filing in, your dog runs outside and into the street.

Second scenario: You have all these goodies out on tables awaiting the arrival of your guests. Chicken wings, chocolates, alcoholic egg nog, etc. You go to get dressed and your dog decides to be the taster.

Third scenario: Your dog is well behaved around people and loves to interact with them. You have no problem allowing him to join the party. However, your guests can't resist giving your pet a sample of what they are eating. Who can resist those big, soulful eyes?

The above examples show how a happy party can turn disastrous for you and your dog.

Food we humans find delicious (and so does your pet), can be fatal to your dog. Alcohol, chocolate, chicken or turkey bones and many more can cause a gastric nightmare or worse. Also, the decorations around your house can be a temptation to your pet, such as electric cords, Christmas tree water with preservative in it, tinsel, tree ornaments, live holiday plants, the list goes on.

So how do you keep your pet safe and enjoy holiday entertaining? Over the years we have encountered the above problems and our own home and at friends and family parties.

The best thing we have found is before your guests arrive and you put out the holiday goodies, sequester your dog in another room with water, a toy and some soft music to help soothe him. The music volume should be at medium level, to help distract him from the noise of the party.

If your pet is very well trained and use to the excitement of holiday activity, allow him to stay and celebrate with you and your company. However, let your guests know not to feed your dog any of the party food or drink. If they want to give him a treat, then keep a bowl of his favorite dog goodies handy so your guests can give them out to your pet.

After the festivities, clean up your house immediately or at least put all the plates and such on a high counter to take care of the next morning. If you do clean up after, make sure the trash is secured and not where your pet can get into it.

The holidays should be a happy time for all, including your dog. So practice keeping your pet safe this holiday season just as you would your children.

And don't forget to tell Santa what your dog would like under the tree. Our dogs enjoy unwrapping their presents Christmas morning (ripping the paper, actually) and then trotting away with their prize to chew or play.

We wish a safe and happy Holiday season to all our two and four legged friends and family. May the Season bring you peace and joy.

                            "Let's Get This Party Started!"

Many of our family and friends have asked our advice about their dogs and suggested we put together a website for tips, help and fun pages for dog owners. So we did. If you found this article helpful, you can view more information at http://the-best-dog-for-you.com.

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

Dog Obedience Training In Home: Dog Training Tips

A huge benefit of training your dog in home is that it saves you time. Taking the time to train your dog now, will actually save you time in the long run. For example, if you take the time to train your dog to behave properly inside the house, you will actually be saving time cleaning up mischievous messes that he or she could create in the future without proper training

Training your dog is a process that takes some time, some patience, and some professional assitance. You will find home dog training courses in the form of ebooks or videos, written and produced by professional dog trainers, that can be a great resource. Following them on your own schedule in the comfort of your own home, you can learn all the basic commands: sit, stay, heel, down, come. You will even find that such courses can help you to correct specific behavior problems you might be having, whether your dog is knocking over every visitor who walks in the door or barking through the night. Many offer consultations with the trainer so you can get professional advice on your own specific problems-all.

                               Do It Yourself Dog Training

Tips for Training Your Dog In Home are presented below:

•House training your dog calls for the support of your whole family member. Best dog training comes from consistency in you and your family conduct towards the dog by knowing and following the routines and understanding the rules set forth for the dog.

•Set time aside for your in home dog training "class" just as you would for a class with a professional dog trainer. Try to schedule your home training for a time when you are rested and not rushed.

•Exercise your dog before you begin your dog obedience training.
•Prepare some small training treats before you begin the training.

•Remove distractions, from cell phones to the kids. Turn the phone off, pop on a video for the kids, and turn your attention to the class just as you would if you were in a group class with a dog professional trainer.

•It is much easier to set up new good habit than breaking an old bad habit. So instill new habit instead of trying to remove your dog bad habit, it is surely takes a lot more effort, whenever you can always establish good habit from the start, when you can't dispose the old bad habit, try to replace the old habit with new and more exciting habit for your dog.

•Set aside consistent locations for your dog, such as potty place, sleeping place, etc. Don't change these location as it may confused your dog. Dogs not only need consistent schedule and command, they also need consistent place. This is the essence of best dog training for in home dog obedience classes.

Sourced from: Squidoo.com
Author: Sean Whitton

Dog Obedience Training - Not As Hard As People Think.

Many dog owners have the impression that dog obedience training is difficult to do and that is best left for professionals. What they have to realize is that it will be so much better for them and their dogs if they will conduct the training themselves. You do not have to be a master in animal psychology or have years of experience in order to train a dog. With a good guide on dog training that you can get online, lots of patience and of course your time and attention, you can easily train your dog to become the obedient companion that you want him to be.

For dog obedience training to work, you need to be familiar with a dog's learning process. The common mistake of many dog owners is that they expect their dogs to learn the way humans do. When training dogs, you need to repeat the lessons over and over. This is the reason why it was mentioned earlier that you will need patience in training your dog. The whole process of dog obedience training is centered on repetition. You should also strive to conduct the training sessions at around the same time each day. This will help develop consistency.

It is also important to stick to a lesson until the dog catches on. If you will drop out in the middle of an important lesson, then it may become harder for your dog to understand the lesson, if you decide to come back to it again another time. Apart from patience, you also need commitment, when it comes to dog obedience training.

These are just some of the things you need to know about dog obedience training.

For more information on handling dog obedience training, as well as a great deal of detailed information on a host of other common dog behavior problems, check out "Secrets to Dog Training". It's a complete owner's guide to owning, rearing, and training your dog, and it deals with all aspects of dog ownership. Go to: => http://best-dog-training-book.info/ for more information on the "Secrets to Dog Training" and to get your FREE 5 "Dog Training Myths' Report.

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SERVICE DOG TRAINING: CAN YOU TEACH YOUR DOG TO BE A HERO?

Service dogs are used in many capacities from helping individuals gain greater independence in their personal lives through assisting workers in the important roles of their daily jobs. Dogs are used to guide the blind and deaf. Dogs are also used in support therapy for people in nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, day care centers and special needs schools to bring comfort and companionship to the young, elderly and disabled. "Cell Dogs" are trained in prison for the purpose of inmate rehabilitation. Canines are used as guard dogs, rescue dogs, police dogs, and military dogs and in many other services.

Working Dogs Guide (CA)

Just about any dog of good disposition can become a service dog. However the most common breeds selected are German Shepards and Labrador Retrievers. In some instances shelter dogs can make very good candidates. Whatever the breed, each dog must demonstrate certain abilities such as friendliness, staying calm, sitting on command, behaving well with other people and animals and ignoring distractions.

At a minimum, service dogs must have four-to-six month of basic dog obedience training and leash training. From there each dog goes through twelve-to-eighteen months of service-specific training for their projected role. Dog training is labor-intensive for both the dog and the trainer. When the training is complete placement is still not guaranteed. The final training phase is with the potential owner and can last from two-to-four months.

Service dogs provide many benefits to their human counterparts. Guide dogs to the blind and deaf assist people with daily living including grooming, mobility, household tasks and emergency alerts. Therapy dogs who visit the disabled and infirmed have been shown to bring relief from boring routines to the residents, add a distraction from pain, illness, depression, and homesickness; and lower blood pressure. Police, Military and Guard Dogs and all other dogs that fall under the category of protection dogs are trained to defend their handlers and territory.

While appreciating the value of service dogs espoused in this article, you may be asking what does the training of service dogs have to do with the dog obedience training of my pet? Your dog has more in common with service dogs than you think… If raised in the proper environment your dog should be trained in basic dog obedience commands and leash trained.

In many instances families have trained their dogs in basic service: barking at the sight of strangers, alerting parents if babies cry, ringing a bell at the door to go in or out of the home, fetching beverages from the refrigerator and some heroic acts such as calling 911 in a crisis situation. People can get quite inventive at what they train their dogs to do …

Many of us have trained our dogs to be our heroes. This website gladly welcomes you to share your story. Let us know what your dog has done to save you or at least help you on a daily basis. Our pets serve us in many ways everyday and we don’t realize it. Take a look at your dog and his/her contribution to you family and share it with us today!

If you would like to read more about the role and training of service dogs there are a few good websites: Working Dogs and Working Dog Web. For videos related to traditional dog obedience training programs there are some quality online resources. One such resource is "Secrets to Dog Training" which comes in digital download format. Another top-selling resource available in digital download format is "Dog Trainer Pro". For a complete training and nutrition regimen for your dog you may want to purchase "Dog Food Nutrition Guide" which is available in e-book and audio format.