Is it possible to train your dog from a DVD? Can you begin with a young puppy with sharp teeth and wild energy yet somehow end up with a well-trained member of your family? Or if you have an older dog in need of some training, can you teach it all the basic things you want it to learn: sit, stay, come, and so on?
The answer is evident: maybe.
If you are willing to work a bit, you can do it. Dogs really love to learn new things, and you can get an excellent DVD on how to train your dog. So it’s up to you: if you want to do it, you can. The DVD will show you what to do — and it can also help keep you motivated!
Here is what to do. Think about when the training will fit into your schedule. The best is if you can do three to five sessions most days, but even two sessions a day — likely before you feed the dog breakfast and dinner — are useful. Several sessions are better than one long one because studies have shown that dogs learn better this way.
So if planning and following through don’t bother you, chances are excellent that you can train your dog by using a DVD.
DVD or Class?
In deciding whether to train your dog with a DVD or to take him to a class, one of the main factors is whether you can find a trainer nearby whose approach you like. Positive, pain-free methods work more effectively in training dogs, but many trainers learned their methods years ago and haven’t made the switch to the newer techniques. Also, of course, consider the cost and the timing of the classes.
If there is a dog training class in your vicinity that uses positive methods, it’s a good idea to take it if you can. This doesn’t rule out using a DVD as well. There is always more to learn about dog training. Most dogs really enjoy the positive form of training, and you can deepen your bond with your dog by continuing to train.
Selecting the Best Dog Training DVD
The best DVD that I have seen on the topic is Train Your Dog: The Positive, Gentle Method, featuring experienced trainers Nicole Wilde and Laura Bourhenne. Now, You Can Finally Get the Money You Want!
http://true-money.com/carfan5 It’s inexpensive yet has everything you need for a great start for your dog.
Posted on 2008 under Dog Potty Training, Dog Training |
31
May
Potty training a puppy is one of the first projects to begin once you bring the pup home. The basic steps are easy to understand, though following them will take some patience. The steps are: Keep the puppy close to you whenever you can. At particular times, quickly get him to the place where you want him to potty. Do any clean-up in a calm manner. Repeat the first three steps many times. Eventually your puppy will be potty trained!
Here is more information on each of these four points:
1. Keeping your puppy with you as much of the time as possible gives you the best chance of catching him just before he starts to pee or poop. Even if you catch him in the act, it helps the potty training — just say NO and take him to where you want him to do his stuff.
One way to keep your puppy with you is to attach his leash to a belt around your waist. That way, whatever you are doing around the house, you know right where your new best friend is. This method is excellent for bonding between you. Very young puppies really want to be right with you all the time anyway.
However you do it, stay close to your puppy. Crate training is also very useful for the times you can’t be together. That is beyond the scope of this article but I discuss it at length on my website.
2. As you potty train a puppy, he will gradually come to understand what it is you want. You want him to go to his pottying spot and do his business there. He will learn this faster if you take him to his place whenever he may need to use it. This includes:
Every single time he wakes up, whether first thing in the morning or after a nap.
Every time he eats or takes a big drink.
As you will soon discover, he wakes up, eats, and drinks many times in the course of a day! It’s also a good idea to take him out just before you go to bed.
A word about his pottying spot: If you have a fenced yard, that is great and you can even take him to a particular part of it if you wish. If you will be walking him on leash in your neighborhood, take a plastic bag or two for cleanup. You can also train him to use papers or even a litter box indoors, and this can be the best choice if you live in a high-rise apartment, for example.
3. Cleaning up his messes is a big part of caring for your puppy before he is fully potty trained. Don’t yell at him or express your displeasure in any way. He really won’t understand. Even if you think he looks guilty, he is just upset because you are. Would you expect a human infant not to need diapers for a long time? Well, potty training a puppy takes way less time than potty training a human, but still be patient!
4. As the saying goes, “Wash, rinse, and repeat.” That is, just keep going through these steps repeatedly. The more you keep up this process, the easier it will be for the puppy to understand what you are asking of him. We all learn by repetition, and this is very true of dogs.
So these are the essential points in potty training a puppy.
