Archives for Dog Agility Training category
It’s a joy to have a puppy around. A puppy is cute, furry and squiggly all at the same time. However, taking in a new puppy would mean more responsibility for you as its care taker. That alright anyway a lot of people say that potty training a pet is easiest when they are young. Unlike if you are training an adult, there are some behaviors that need to be unlearned. So how exactly do you train your puppy? First, timing and routine are important. You need to setup a regular schedule for your little dog. How do you do that? Read more for you to know how to potty train your puppy.
Let’s begin with the basics. You need to consider the age of your puppy. A new-born is not ready for potty training but by three months, he is all set to learn how to cleanup.
First rule: Regular meals. Why? By having regular meals, you can take your pet out after he/ she has finished eating the meals. By having these specific times, you can make you dog more disciplined. Say no to irregular meals and late night whimpers!
Second Rule: You should avoid as much as possible to give him food and water while taking a walk outside. If you really have to, you should only give a little. Another important thing to remember is that you should not give your puppy water two hours before bedtime. This is to avoid late night accidents.
Third Rule: You should bring your puppy out on a leash after playing with him. This would give your puppy a hint that it’s time to relieve himself.
Fourth Rule: When you bring your puppy out to relieve itself, always bring it to the same spot so that is is able to recognize the spot where it should relieve itself.
Fifth Rule: You can use a word that would cue your puppy to relieve himself on your command. They will recognize that specific word as a command soon enough.
Last: Reward or praise your puppy if he relieves himself outside or followed your instructions on potty training.
With potty training, sometimes accidents happen. In case these accidents occur, here are some suggestions on how you can best deal with them.
If you catch your pet relieving itself at a place it is not supposed to, firstly, you should not scream or yell. Gently nudge your pet to go outside and after this continue the reward thing by praising your puppy.
I am sure it is frustrating seeng the mess left behind by your pet but you need to stay calm and clean up the mess. After that you should continue the potty training routine that you have made up. After cleaning put the soiled cleaning materials outdoors or where your puppy usually relieves himself, making it easier for your pet to recognize where he should go in the future.
So, what are you waiting for? Use this knowledge that you have acquired and put it to the test. All you need to do is to remember to stick to your schedule and soon, your puppy will get used to it.
Dog owners always find it difficult to train dog walk on a leash.
We interviewed certified dog trainers and owners on this topic. Here you will find simple but helpful dog walking tips.
Why training loose leash walking to your puppy is difficult?
1.It is not dog’s natural behavior to walk side by side with you.
2. It is a natural instinct of a dog to run whenever they see something exciting. Hence, teach a dog to walk on a leash is very important.
3. To train a dog walk on a leash is not easy because you consider only your agenda but you do not pay any attention what your dog wants.
How to train a dog or puppy to walk on a leash?
1. You need to train your puppy to wear collar. Initially, your puppy will feel discomfort but gradually your dog will accept it. You should not remove the collar because your dog is scratching it or barking. You should remove the collar only when the puppy is not trying to get out of it.
2. You puppy may confuse by an entire leash all at once. You should start initially with a short string and increase the length as your dog gets used to it.
3. Play with your dog first before you start training him on leash walking. You should start with some fetch game. You should reward your dog for a loose lease. Every time your dog does this, correctly praise him and give a treat.
4. Ignore bad behavior of your dog . You should never allow yourself to be pulled by your dog. You should stop whenever your dog pulls you. This will frustrate your dog and it will not pull you. You should practice your puppy walking on leash at least 6 minutes initially.
5. Choke collars is excellent to communicate your commands to your puppy. You should use this collar only for training and remove this type of collar after training. You must train your dog the appropriate action when it feels the collar tightens; slow down or stop.
6. As a dog owner, you need to be very careful because pulling on leash can cause damage to the puppy’s throat.
7. Your puppy is not responsible for pulling-on-leash problem. Most of the time, you hold the leash tight and it’s a dog’s natural response to tight leash is to pull.
8. You should communicate with your dog through your voice, body language and various motivators during walking on a leash dog training session.
How you can learn this technique at your home?
You have to know some basic dog training techniques to effectively communicate with your dog and train him. Although man has been interacting with dogs for centuries sometimes communication between the two can be confusing.
A dog’s understanding can be compared to that of a two year old human child. However, a dog’s senses are not like ours. Not only do they perceive shades of red and green differently than humans, but their noses are extremely sensitive in comparison. A dog’s mind also processes information in an entirely different manner. In order to limit a trainer’s frustration and misbehavior on the dog’s part, it is critical to remember these differences.
By instinct, dogs are still pack animals. They are actually descended from wolves, also pack animals, who are social animals and work best within a hierarchy where all members interact with each other appropriately.
Training can start as early as possible. For some breeds, four weeks is a good time to start. For the first several months, you should allocate at least thirty minutes per day, though a full hour is preferred, for training.
While housebreaking your dog is a bit more complicated (and we will discuss this in another article), there are a few basic dog training techniques that all training should follow.
When training your dog, you want to make it clear that you are the dominant one as early as possible. Dogs are pack animals by nature, and every pack has a natural pecking order. The top dog is the alpha. It is followed by the beta dog and so on. If you want sanity in your household and you want a happy dog who knows where he stands, you need to step up and be the alpha of his pack.
Depending on the breed of the dog, or sometimes the individual dog, the training technique that is used will be either more difficult or possibly easier. Some dogs are more outgoing, similar to humans. Attitude is what counts the most, though training tools like collars and leashes, and commands are also useful. Your dog should never be allowed to think he is in charge.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that you have to use physical force to assert that you’re in charge. Occasionally you’ll need to use proper physical restraint, but being firm and confident will usually be sufficient for training your dog.
When they are young, try putting them on their backs with your hand firmly on their chest. When their paws go down they are signaling that they recognize your authority. Sometimes doing this in combination with close eye-to-eye contact helps, since this is the language in which dogs speak.
Begin by using a short leash which will hinder the dog’s natural tendency to run and play. It is essential to allow some free time for the dog to run in order to promote good health however. Initially, this time should be scheduled before or after training but not during.
Use single word commands like sit, stay, down, in a firm tone. Always keep your voice the same or each command but make sure each of the different commands sounds different to your dog. You should avoid using double-word commands like ’sit down’ or ’stay down’ as these words are similar and can confuse your dog.
Use the same tone, look and hand gesture with each verbal command. Eventually these can be used independently of one another. It is essential, however to provide the simplest, most consistent form of communication when beginning the training.
Remember that dogs have a word understanding roughly equal to a toddler so you need to keep your meanings simplistic. For example, don’t use the verbal command “Down” to mean lay down as well as to indicate not to jump. This will just confuse your dog – stick to 1 meaning per word.
Using these basic dog training techniques, along with a firm hand, some patience and a lot of love will help you have a happy and obedient pet for life!
All dog owners know how difficult it can be to train your dog, and although on one hand your favourite pet is keen to please you, on the other hand they do not always understand what it is that you want from them. This can I know at times be very frustrating, but before you think about giving up let us consider some things that can help you.
Now tell me something, which do you prefer, to be rewarded for something, or to be punished? Well its obvious isn’t it, we all like to be praised and rewarded, and your dog is no different. They want us to love them, and approve of their actions, so if, for instance you want them to toilet in a certain place then praise them and reward them when they do, and they will want to do it there again. Believe you me, praise and reward can work wonders.
Are there any training aids that we can purchase in order to help us with our dogs behaviour? Yes there are a number, and a visit to your local pet store will be quite an eye opener. Some of course are much better than others, as you would expect. Take for example dog leads. Nowadays, the experts tell us that choke chains and collars are not a good idea because they are of little benefit when training, but, a good study lead and collar on the other hand can work wonders when trying to get your dog to obey an instruction. Muzzles are another aid, not something that I like, but some people say that it help control a dogs barking both indoors and out.
One of the things that I find very satisfying is to sit down and groom my dog with a simple grooming brush. They do not cost much at your local pet store but they can give big rewards. Not only will your dog look good, but it will help them to develop a calm nature. Give it a try and see what I mean. While you are at the pet store purchase a couple of chewy toys, you will be amazed at how much fun both of you will have playing with them, and the bonus is a tired dog that does not get into mischief!
One last thing to say and that is about bathing. If you start this when they are quite young then it can be an enjoyable activity for both of you. Make sure you only use proper dog shampoo, and follow up he bathing with dog conditioner as this make it easier to comb your dog later on. Use a good size towel for drying them, and be prepared to get a bit wet yourself!
As a dog owner, it’s your responsibility to learn the training methods for teaching your dog not to bite anyone. This is a critical part of pet ownership, in fact, The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that more than 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs each year. These bites result in unwanted medical bills and law suits, and, in some cases, the dog has to be put to sleep. With a little training, none of these negatives have to happen to you or your pet.
There are many common techniques that can be used to assist a dog to decrease, and eventually eliminate, biting behavior. The effectiveness of these techniques will vary from breed to breed, but with patience and repetition, puppies and adult dogs can learn to not bite.
Puppies have the tendency to always mouth and nip and it’s best to nip this behavior in the bud when they are still young. Even though you might think it is cute when your little pup plays by nibbling at you, if you encourage this behavior, you will end up with a big problem when your pet is grown.
Puppies as young as five weeks old can begin to respond to simple commands. For biting behavior, a gentle, firm “No!” and a slight squeeze of the muzzle can be a good place to start.
It is important not to squeeze the muzzle too hard or too high up. Doing so can cause the puppy to bite its tongue or damage the delicate odor receptors that are high up in the snout. A dog’s ability to smell is one of its most important assets!
Squeezing your dog’s muzzle isn’t intended to punish him, but to let him know that the behavior isn’t acceptable. By squeezing, you associate the verbal command with something the dog can readily understand: discomfort. Regardless of their age, dogs find having their muzzle squeezed uncomfortable.
Another dog training technique that might help eliminate biting is to socialize your dog since dogs that are not used to people or other dogs do tend to bite. You want to socialize your dog eat an early age to develop his calmness and confidence. Your dog will be more friendly to your guests, other animals and even strangers if socialized properly.
It’s a good idea to let your dog get to know other dogs, as long as they’re not aggressive themselves. This allows your pet to become aware of a variety of smells and appearances that might otherwise arouse his suspicions, and tends to negate his normal territorial reactions.
While it is natural for a dog to nip and bite, the know enough not to do this too hard to their littermates. They will nip each other while playing, but they learn early on not to press too hard. This natural instinct can be used in training dogs not to bite by teaching them to extend the scope of the pack to include family members, frequent visitors and other pets.
When your pet first meets an animal from another household, begin by restraining them both. Slowly, allow them to meet each other and sniff, or do whatever seems natural for them to get tot know each other.
You must be aware that some usual indicators of oncoming dog aggression are body tension, snarling, and erect ears. You can prevent possible aggression by ordering your dog to sit, back stroking, and or reaching out your hand to the other animal. If you have conveyed the smell of your pet to the other animal, let them interact naturally.
At the age of four and a half months, dogs normally learn to inhibit biting. But for some dogs, the learning process may take longer time. Dogs behavior and their ability to learn varies with the breed, age, and other factors. Training of dogs will be more easy if they are started young.
While most dogs can be trained not to bite, there are some that still bite despite being trained. Pet owners should also be trained how to handle their dogs properly. If your dog still bites, make sure it cannot interact with other people or be expose to other animals.
If you apply these dog training techniques with patience and persistence, your dog should gradually let go of his tendency to bite. While it may take some patience on your part, it’s well worth it in the long run.
When training one’s dog there are some particular details which should be remembered. Using positive dog training methods is the best way to get your dog trained in a fun and efficient manner. This means that you should reward your dog for positive behavior instead of punishing him for negative behavior.
However, scolding your dog is something that needs to be done on occasion. While a positive approach is most effective, there are times when your pet needs scolding in order to distinguish right from wrong. Like humans, dogs respond better to positivity and frequent scolding will only serve to hinder his performance. It is extremely important to know when to use each during training.
Every time he obeys while you are training, your dog should get a treat. IF he sits, reward him. If he stays, fetches, or goes to the bathroom in the proper place, or any other commands, he should get a treat.
You can reward your do in many different ways- treats, rubbing his belly, patting on the head or praises and kind words.
Training your dog properly is quick and easy if you do it positively by giving him some sort of reward every time he does something good. Your dog will quickly learn the tricks and just want to please you.
Unless it is absolutely necessary, scolding should not be used. Events which may require reprimanding include jumping, barking, growling, pulling at the leash, destruction, or accidents.
Remember that if you scold a dog after the fact he will have no idea what is going on. You must catch him in the act, and then be sure to keep the reprimand short and direct. A stern “bad dog!” should be all that’s needed for your dog to realize that you aren’t pleased with his behavior.
It is important that you never ever hit the dog, as this will cause problems further down the road. Make sure your reproaches are crisp and quick, with an angry condemning tone in your voice, but do not be too frequent with them or your dog will eventually start ignoring you.
If you are using a positive dog training method, one important thing to remember is when you should scold and when you should praise. Remember, your pet has just begun learning, and is trying. So be patient with your new friend. With a loving and understanding approach, your dog will find training easy and it will be a wonderful experience for both you and your dog.
One of the most effective dog training techniques smaller dogs is reward training. Because choke collars and other aggressive forms of training are ineffective with small breeds like Poodles, Pugs and the Pomeranian due to their small physical stature, reward training has been commonly used as an alternative.
The use of reward training for your pet is an effectivr way of teaching obedience and good behavior. This training technique is use by both the police and military in training their dogs to perform various actions. It is also used by those who train animals for TV and movies. Reward training is a great way to teach all dogs whether they are a family pet or a working dog.
Reward training is based on giving a treat or reward when your dog performs the behavior you desire. Most often it means a special treat, but simply telling your dog that he was a good boy and patting him on the head can be construed as a wonderful reward for your dog.
You can teach your dog nearly everything by using rewards based dog training techniques. All you need is consistency in training, and your dog will eventually do the desired task.
For example, dangling the treat over your dog’s head and moving it backwards, repeating the word “sit” over and over, until he naturally sits on his own will teach the dog to sit. After he sits, give him the treat and praise him. It won’t take long before he knows to sit down and he will be rewarded when he hears the word “sit.”
One type of reward training is clicker training which allows you to teach your dog without using voice instructions. A simple clicker is used to communicate with the dog. The dog will eventually learn the meaning of the click sounds and associate it with the reward. The trainer just snaps the clicker every time the dog does his job, and then gives the dog a treat.
Reward training can do great wonders for your dog and will make your training a fast process. That key is to get your dog to perform the action on his own and then reward him consistently.
Smaller dogs respond well to a rewards based dog training techniques. This method allows you to bond with your dog and avoids harsher methods which might harm your four legged friend. Using this type of rewards based training, you can both enjoy your training sessions!
The cause of shyness in dogs may be simply its personality. Sadly though, a dog that has been abused, will demonstrate behaviours that are ultra- submissive, such as excessive urination. As dogs are sociable animals, they do like to know where they stand in relation to the rest of their immediate social group: they are naturally part of a hierarchical pack; therefore any activity that involves socialisation will help to boost confidence.
Dog Training Activities
As dogs are sociable, logically any activity that involves positive forms of socialisation will go a long way to improve confidence. Classes in obedience and agility are ideal for this, particularly as exercise is a great stress reliever for both pet and owner. Whilst training for agility does involve a lot of equipment, it need not be expensive as this can be improvised using household items. The purpose is to improve confidence, and this will be achieved through the positive system of praise and treats that is generally associated with these types of actives. Set aside regular times for this; at least 30 minutes broken into 10 to 15 minute bursts.
Shy of People?
If the dog has problem with people-interaction, then perhaps a friend can be employed to assist with this side of the socialisation process. Calm, quiet stance and in effect, ignoring the dog, will allow the animal to approach in its own time. If the friend then makes their physically appear smaller by crouching or lying on the floor this will be less of an apparent threat; also the friend might have their back to the animal but have treats in their hand, which the dog should be allowed to investigate. Once this small amount of confidence is built, the friend can then speak quietly to the dog before finally looking and gently petting.
Good Owner Behaviour
However, all this will be as naught if you do not recognise your own bad behaviour. A dog is a dog; Fido cannot be blamed for raiding the bin if you leave the lid off. Do not blame Fido for chewing your favourite shoes if you leave them where he can get at them. Also be aware that dogs communicate strongly through body language: upright postures are read as very domineering, so get down to Fido’s level. Always talk in calm and measured tones as extremes pitch are upsetting for sensitive dogs. Above all, never be abusive: if you don’t like to be beaten and shouted at, imagine how it feels to poor old Fido!
Conclusion
A dog’s confidence may have been shattered in the first place by abusive instruction. Dogs will respond costively to praise and firm but gentle instruction. By following this method, your dog will display more confidence.
Having a dog can be one of the most rewarding experiences you can ever have. It can also be one of the most frustrating experiences of your life. That adorable bundle of love can easily develop plenty of bad habits if you indulge him too much. All aspects of the dog’s life must be carefully planned beforehand, to establish sleeping, eating and play times etc.
Owning a well-trained dog will be a great experience, but the process won’t be a breeze. It’s rather clich, but the training is a journey you and your dog have to take together, in gradual steps. Firstly, you must ensure your family is involved in the training and plays an active part in the process.
Next, make sure that everybody agrees on exactly what the dog’s role is going to be. There are a few questions that need to be settled – where will the dog sleep, what are the places in the house the dog is not allowed in, when will the dog be fed, where will it be fed, who will take it for walks? For the dog to develop an attachment for everybody in the house, and the other way round, it is a good idea to involve everybody in these things.
Dogs rely on routine. They need a good, solid routine to feel secure, and a secure pet is a happy pet. It is much easier to train a happy pet, after all. For starters, decide where the dog will sleep in advance, and take it there at bed time. And do not let those big eyes blackmail you into letting it sleep in bed just for once – once it is established, a habit like that is very hard to break.
The dog’s feeding times are significant to it’s proper training. While an odd treat is alright, don’t encourage it. Appoint fixed times for everything. Having a fixed schedule is the best way to train a dog correctly, because the moment you deviate from the routine, none of the messes can be blamed on the dog.
After the fundamentals are established and the dog is properly trained accordingly, you can move on to teaching it simple tricks and improve its obedience. Give the dog a treat when it does something right and shower some praise.
Dogs love to be petted and shown love, so each time your dog does something right, let it know it did the correct thing by giving encouragement and lots of love.
When your dog does something wrong – and it is bound to – do not lose your temper. A dog trained with love is a treasure to have in the house. A dog trained with fear will have its spirit broken, and a bundle of joy that thinks the world of you does not deserve that
Prior to entering yur dog in an agility trial or fun match, try and attend one on your own. This will enable you to see how the event is organized and what is required as an entrant. As this will be your first time, do ensure you visit the Novice ring. Is your dog up to the standard of the others? If not, then maybe it would be wise to spend some more time on training your dog on the commands required. The majority of dog trials are held in the open with no fenced areas. If your dog cannot respond to the basic “Come” command, that could cause problems. It is far better if you are confident of your dog’s obedience.
Before entering make sure that you get a copy of the official rules and regulations. Ensure that you understand and can comply with them. It would be a pity to find yourself disqualified from your first trial because you were unaware of a condition.
You can find out about agility trials and fun matches by talking to your dog trainer. Maybe there is a local club in your town or neighborhood where you could find out more. If they have a website there will be announcements made, maybe even join an online forum and gleam more information.
Trials and fun runs are long events that can last anywhere from eight to twelve hours. If your dog is competing, he or she will only be performing for about five minutes of that time, so you will need to have their pen or crate ready to keep them safe and relaxed. You will also need some sun protection of your own (a canopy-type tent is perfect) and a comfortable folding chair. It should go without saying that you will need a good supply of water (for both of you) and dog treats (you’d be surprised how many competitors forget them).
If you can, see if you are able to volunteer at the event as a pole setter. You’ll learn a lot of the tips and tricks of agility trials, and you’ll get to see the obstacles and courses up close. There will be a lot of information to learn, but don’t forget your dog. Make some time for you and your dog to relax, play a game and maybe meet some of the other dogs.
Keep a journal of all the agility runs you and your dog perform. Include your total points, any faults, and the times for the course. Make sure you keep track of whether it was a qualifying run. If possible, see if you can get a copy of the course map to keep. This will help you evaluate problem areas and determine what you and your dog need to work on.
