Showing posts with label dog training methods. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog training methods. Show all posts

Monday, December 14, 2009

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

Importance of Dog Training Video

Dog training videos are created to assist owners and trainers to better train their dogs. With the help of visual aids and a step by step guide, training your dog should be easy. Training dogs in general requires a lot of time, effort and patience. Just like humans, some dogs learn faster than others. Make sure that your program is suitable for your dog. With the help of modern technology, dog training videos are also available through the internet. Some trainers or owners try to download these videos so that they can effectively train their dogs. Some dog training school offers a dog training video after the whole session so that the owner can do some follow up and recap with their dogs personally. Recap is important so that your dog will constantly remember the trainings.

There are so many kinds of dog training video and that is why it is important for you to determine as to what kind of training your dog needs. Some training might only cover the obedience training, tracking, agility and the likes. Some dog training videos even come with the basic background of dog's behavior and makers of these kinds of videos believe that learning some basic background on dog's behavior will help trainers understands the nature of dogs better. Make sure that your dog has fully mastered the old tricks or trainings before you continue teaching your dog some new tricks again. Dog training videos are only created to assist trainers in doing a step by step training. However, the hard work and determination will have to come from the trainer himself. Do not get swayed by the entire offer, stick to your desired programs for your dog. Remember one step at a time. You cannot bombard your dog with tons of lesson each session.

                                                 DOG TRAINER PRO

In order for you to properly select as to what dog training video suits your dog best is to determine the strengths and weaknesses of your dog first. This way you can start enhancing your dog's strengths and follow through his weaknesses. If you happen to own a toy dog, do not expect the dog to be as agile and as aggressive as the guard dogs. Although all dogs may have some common traits, you still have to understand that each breed of dogs have their own uniqueness, strengths and weaknesses. Some dog training video also teaches the appropriate attitude to dog owners when it comes to teaching their dogs. Most of the dog training videos will advice all trainers and owners not to hit their dogs because this will not help at all. Rewards prove to be the most effective means or approach to training dogs. Dogs are like kids. They like being rewarded. Dogs are very sensitive and are keen to their owner's feelings. If you are a good owner or trainer, the dog will forever stay loyal to you. Another dog training advice on how your dog can enjoy each training session is to include some play time.

Article referenced from Go-Articles.com by Fatima Edris

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

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: 3 Big Mistakes.

Puppies are cute, but unless they are trained well, they can grow up to be very disagreeable. Responsible dog owners need to invest time in training their pup. Oftentimes most people make the same mistakes when training, especially with their first dog. Below you will see the top 3 most common mistakes that uninitiated dog owners make when training their new puppy.


1. You do not have to assert your Alpha role by always "punishing" your dog when you call him. I refer here to doing something to him that he does not enjoy doing. For example, it is not a good idea to call your dog, and then clip his nails. Another unpleasant thing for the dog is to have his leash strapped to a post. When you call your dog, let him associate this with something pleasant. Use a cheerful voice, pet him, and tell him what a good dog he is. Let him associate good things with your call, and he will come to you every time. He will also be trusting of you during unpleasant tasks like having his nails clipped.

2. Do not presume that a dog will eventually grow out of bad behavior; it is simply not going to happen. You are the Alpha, and you must assert that. A dog wants to be trained, and he wants to live comfortably in your home. This is best possible when he knows the house rules. So from the start, take time to teach your dog what is, and is not acceptable behavior at home.

3. Do not hit your dog as a method of training. This will only make your dog aggressive, or at the very least, a submissive wetter. Instead, focus on reinforcing good behavior with doggie pats and rewards. The best dog is a happy dog.


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

Friday, November 13, 2009

Dog Obedience Training - Punishment is Not the Answer for Bad Dog Behavior!

Some people mistakenly think that kind and firm solutions reward their dogs for bad behavior and that the only way a dog can learn is to suffer. More often than not, the "solution" for the dog's misbehavior is really misplaced anger or a desire to hurt the dog for hurting you. That's what happened with Francie, who left her new puppy Cody, an American Eskimo dog (a very attached breed who needs attention), home alone for long hours while she went to work. Her little dog was bored and teething, so he entertained himself by chewing on Francie's shoes. Little did he know that his entertainment would make his mom so angry. When Francie walked in and saw one of her $200 shoes in Cody's mouth, she saw red. She pulled the shoe away from him and hit him with it over and over, yelling, "No, no, no! Bad dog, bad dog!" Cody slunk away with his tail between his legs and hid under a chair. Francie grabbed him and threw him outside saying, "You think about what a bad boy you've been." Right!

If Francie thought her dog training methods would stop Cody from chewing on her shoes because she "taught him a lesson," she was soon disabused of the notion when, the next day, he chewed another pair of her best shoes. No amount of yelling and hitting seemed to get through to the little pup.

The Pup Parenting Plan was very simple for Francie.


The dog behavior that bothers me: Chewed up shoes.

Why change is needed: Shoes are expensive and I can't afford to keep replacing them.

The mistake I am making: Every one of them. I am reactive, disrespectful, punitive, and I talk too much. When she stepped back and looked at the problem objectively, she knew that chewing a shoe is not bad dog behavior. It is normal dog behavior. The faulty behavior is leaving the shoe in the dog's reach in the first place. Francie could see that it does not make sense to punish a dog for normal dog behavior, nor does it make sense to assume a dog will learn from punishment. Have you noticed that most pooch parents initially respond just the way Francie did? They punish their dogs for chewing the shoe instead of simply removing their shoes from the dog's path.

A list of possible solutions: I don't have to brainstorm for a list of solutions. It's obvious that I must keep my shoes out of sight and provide appropriate chew toys. Instead of brainstorming, she acted:

She went to the store and found a shoe rack that hung on the back of her closet door and put all of her shoes in the rack.

She also bought a lot of soft stuffed animals at the secondhand store and set them out for Cody to chew. Each animal cost 50 cents — a bargain compared to her shoes. Francie tried rawhide strips, but Cody never liked chewing on them. He preferred something soft, like the shoes, so the stuffed animals were a great substitute and a much better solution than releasing all one's anger at a dog.

Choose a solution and follow through: Having a well-thought-out plan made it easy for Francie to follow through. She kept her shoes out of Cody's sight, and she never lost another shoe.
Try to imagine what your dog is thinking while being swatted with the shoe. Do you think he is thinking, "Thank you for caring about me so much that you want to hurt me to teach me right from wrong"? It is more likely that your dog is hurt and totally confused -- but amazingly, still loves you.

Francie didn't feel good about hitting Cody and yelling at him. She shook her head at how much she and Cody had suffered because she didn't take the time to think the problem through. She liked herself a lot better when she was less angry and had a respectful plan. Kind and firm proactive pooch parenting was much more her style.

If Cody could talk, what would he say? "I loved the game that Francie used to play with me. I would chew her shoe, she would give me lots of attention, I got to go outside and play in the yard, and when I came back in, she had already left another shoe for me to chew. Oh well, now I have my own special toys to play with.

Please Don't Bite My Blue Suede Shoes!












Excerpt from the book Pup Parenting
by Lynn Lott, Jane Nelsen and Therry Jay

Dog Training Tips: Dealing with Dog Separation Anxiety

Dog separation anxiety is a major problem with many dog owners. Out of all of the dog behavioral problems out there, anxiety forms a big chunk of the pie. Why do dogs become anxious and what can we, as owners, do about it? The answer requires some study and research, but in a summary, here is what I feel that you can do to help your dog's problems. Good luck and follow these steps.

Got an anxious dog?
You won't if you just...A dog that is left alone for long periods of time is obviously going to be lonely. This is very easy to combat. Do not leave the dog alone for so long. There, that didn't take rocket science did it? If you are not able to keep your pet company throughout the day, simply leave the television or radio on. The animal needs to know that something is there other than itself. Loneliness is one of the easier issues with anxiety.

Many pets cannot comprehend that your leave will mean a return (hopefully). For dogs and cats, an owner who has left is a very fearful thing, until they learn your routine. How can you train your dog to know that you are only going for a short period of time and that it is ok to be left alone? I will touch upon that in a second but first, what are some other signs your dog is anxious?

Signs of separation anxiety include a number of other related behaviors. Chewing, peeing on the rug, trying to dig under the door, and barking are normally the most found side effects of dog anxiety. If you come home and can see any of these signs, you will know that your dog is becoming anxious. Take the steps needed to prevent the behavior from getting worse.

You can train your dog to live on its own for a while by not being so cozy with the pet whenever you leave the house. What I mean by this is to not have a long drawn out good-bye session with pooch. It will make the dog think that you are praising it for whining and being anxious. Leave the house without saying a word. Make sure to leave food and water for your pet, as well as a couple of its favorite toys. Toys can keep an animal occupied for longer than you may think.

It is also suggested to confine the dog to a certain portion of your house. The reason for this is that you do not want an unruly dog to have the rule of the house. Upon your return, you may not recognize the place. So with that said, make sure to leave the dog in a room or in a crate. I would suggest a room if that is possible.

These are just a few tips that you can use to help combat this behavior your dog may be experiencing. It is also very important to practice leaving the room, house, or place where your dog stays, as a dog training method. The more your dog realizes that it is alright to be left alone, the less anxiety you will see from it (if this is the only problem). Give your dog training time a few weeks and you should see a great improvement in your pet's behavior.

Excerpted from DogTrainingGuide.Org