How To Train Your Dog

Training your dog will require some basic commands like the Sit Command, Stay Command, Sit-Stay Command, Fetch Command etc. Whatever commands you use to elicit action from your dog should be clear concise and consistent. The commands can be in the form of a verbal command, a snap of your finger followed by a hand signal or a whistle.

The rules for teaching any behavior are as follows :

• Decide on your cue (a specific word command, finger snap and signal, whistle or hand signal used every time, but only for that particular behavior)


• Decide on how to elicit the desired behavior (enforce the Sit command, for example, by pulling up on the collar and pushing downward on the dog’s rear)


• Give the cue as you elicit the desired behavior

The 12 basics for all commands :

• 1. Define your intent. What do you expect the dog to do?


• 2. Define the cue. What clear visual or auditory signal will you use to initiate the desired action?


• 3. Use the cue while you appear confident yet pleasant.


• 4. Preface verbal commands with the dog’s name. The name and the command should sound like one word (“Betsy, Heel”, rather than “Betsy….. Heel”). The only exception to this rule is when giving the Stay command, since this tells the dog not to move.


• 5. Say the command only once, so your dog learns to listen to every command.


• 6. Instill an association between the command and the conduct. While teaching, give the command as you make the dog do the action (for example, say Sit as you pull up on the collar and push down on the dog’s rear).


• 7. Give commands only when you can enforce them so you don’t risk teaching disobedience.


• 8. Decide on reinforcement. How are you going to show the dog what to do? Unlike the other 11 steps, this will change depending on your dog’s stage in training.


• 9. Show appreciation with praise. As you see your dog learning, “Good, good, good!” should become a reflex.


• 10. Release the dog from every command with the word Okay.


• 11. Test your dog’s understanding. Before progressing to the next level, make sure your dog can work around distractions.


• 12. Never take obedience for granted. Dogs forget, get lazy, become distracted and inevitably fail to respond to familiar commands. Correct your dog so that she understands that the rules haven’t changed and neither should her behavior-especially if she rarely makes a mistake.

The Release

You need two cues, one to begin an action and one to end it. Release your dog from duty with a word like Okay or Free. You may pair this word with an outward stroke under the dog’s chin. Dogs who rely on a physical release cue are less inclined to “break” their commands. For the first three weeks of training, step forward when you deliver the Chin Touch-Okay to make the dog move off the command on cue.

In the next article I will talk about the common dog commands. Meanwhile have a happy tail-waggin day... Cheers!!

Dogs Obedience Training

Housebreaking

Now that you have chosen the dog breed that suits you and brought him home, the first thing you may want to do is to housebreak your dog so that he does not treat your house as his potty.

The key to training your dog to eliminate outside (where you want him to) is to prevent accidents, and to reward success. Adult dogs have better bladder and bowel control, and can 'hold it' for a longer periods of time than puppies. The rule of thumb with puppies is to take their age in months and add one to arrive at the number of hours the puppy can 'hold it' during the day (i.e. a 4 month old puppy can be expected to be clean for up to 5 hours during the day).

• Feed your dog on a schedule (he'll eliminate on a schedule, too)
• Keep his diet simple and consistent (avoid table scraps and canned foods; a high quality dry kibble produces the least waste).
• Choose an area, about ten square feet, outside, where you wish your dog to potty.
• Take your dog on leash to the area, pace back and forth movement promotes movement) and chant an encouraging phrase ("hurry up boy, hurry up boy...")
• Do this for maximum 3 minutes:
o if he eliminates, shower him with huge praise and play
o if he doesn't eliminate, keep him on leash, go back indoors,keep dog on leash with you or confined in a crate.
• Try again in an hour. Eventually your dog will eliminate appropriately and you can give huge praise and play
• After each success, allow 15 minutes of freedom in house, before placing dog back on lead or back into crate
• After each 3 consecutive days of success, increase freedom by 15 minutes.
• If there is an accident; decrease freedom by 15 minutes for 3 days
REMEMBER! DO NOT PUNISH ACCIDENTS! IGNORE THEM, AND REWARD SUCCESS.
More useful tips on housebreaking your dog can be obtained from "Housebreak Your Dog in 7 Days" by Sadie Dal


It’s Neither too Late nor too Early to Start training your dog!

Your dog begins training the instant you bring him home, so if you can, start teaching him good behavior. On the other hand, don’t despair if you’ve had your dog for a while; it’s never too late to start training. In fact, dogs from 6 to 14 years of age regularly start training programs and make great progress. Anytime is a great time to start training, and today is definitely better than tomorrow!

Dog Training
Before you begin training your dog, you need to note the following key points that will unlock the door to successful dog training.

1. Make sure that your dog is healthy, fit and well groomed.
2. Say what you mean and mean what you say.
3. Take the time to learn how to train, and then practice with your dog diligently.
4. Concentrate while practicing the assigned lessons, and your dog will concentrate on you.
5. Focus on your goals, not your rate of progress.
6. Use one command for one action so that your dog won’t be confused.
7. Recognize that dogs have far more potential than limitations – and that your dog’s potential is limited only by your dedication.
8. Remember that dogs live for the moment; instead of correcting bad behavior after the fact, recreate the situation and correct at the proper time, in the proper way.

If you think that if you love your dog and he loves you, he won’t be unruly. Think again! Love has nothing to do with your dog’s ability to obey, but understanding does. Your dog has to understand what you expect through the way you communicate. Your message may seem obvious to you. But unless you convey it in the terms that he understands, he will misinterpret and fail to please you – no matter how devoted he may be.

A lot of dog owners may be quick to evaluate their dogs and consider their dog as “untrainable”. Every dog deserves the opportunity to learn – even if we believe that he lacks great potential, effort is more important talent.


Designate a Trainer

Sometimes too many people are initially involved in training a dog and what starts out as everyone’s job may quickly become no one’s. Without proficiency or consistency, dog can’t learn. End results – frustration on the part of the owner and confused canines that are usually and unfairly labeled disobedient. Always designate a dog trainer or if a few people are involved, designate a primary trainer. Once you’ve trained your dog, remember that he may not listen to everyone. Smart dogs obey only those who know :

1. how to give the right commands at the right time in the right tone of voice,
2. what reaction to expect from the dog,
3. how to enforce commands.


Sending the Dog Away for Training

Sending your dog away for training is, in the long run, not advantageous. Professionals can turn out a well-trained dog quickly, but they cannot teach your dog to bond with you. The bond is only achieved through your work with your dog.

If you don’t have time to train your dog in the basics of obedience then you don’t have the time for a dog. The best shortcut to training is to arrange private lessons with a professional who will show you, step by step, exactly how to train efficiently. “How to be Your Dog’s Best Friend: The Classic Training manual For Dog Owners” by Monks of New Skete is also a good reference to have for dog training tips.

The Pros and Cons of Using Dog Treats in Training

Most dog trainers want their dogs to obey them out of love rather than because they were beaten or bribed. But, because most dogs love tasty treats, food has long been used as a training aid. There are basically 3 ways to use dog treats in training :

1. as reinforcement for behaviors offered by the dog (operant conditioning),
2. as a reward for completing an already learned task,
3. as a lure to get the dog to perform a task.

The consequent of using dog treats is that the dog may learn to follow the food without understanding that he is to perform a task on command. Offering of food must be accompanied by body language. If the hand holding the treat is lowered to the floor to get the dog to go down, he will probably go down even though there is no treat in-hand. But if you gave the command without a hand gesture, he would have no understanding. By using treats combined with body language, the dog will do a lot of tasks quickly. However, he will probably fail to notice the thing you ultimately want him to respond to – your command. So, if you decide to train with treats, learn how to enforce your commands without them.

The Right Dog Training Equipment

A good dog trainer will start with the right dog training aids . As a start, you will need:

1. a well-fitted collar
2. a 6-foot leather leash
3. a 15-foot long line
4. a tab – short nylon rope,
5. a 50-foot light line.

Well... dog lovers! That's it for now happy training!

Naming Your Pet Dog

You would now want to name your new pet dog. Based on a survey of 100,000 pet owners, the following are the 50 most popular names for pets with MAX being the most popular. You may want to select a name from this list.

MAX, BUDDY, MOLLY, MAGGIE, JAKE, SHADOW, BAILEY, SADIE, LUCKY, GINGER,
BEAR, LADY, SAM, LUCY, CASEY, DAISY, SMOKEY, PEPPER, BUSTER, MISSY,
ROCKY, BRANDY, CHARLIE, RUSTY, TOBY, PRINCESS, CODY, MISTY, DUKE, SAMMY,
SANDY, BANDIT, ABBY, SASSY, ANGEL, BABY, KATIE, ANNIE, TIGGER, SAMANTHA,
TIGER, SASHA, PATCHES, HARLEY, MURPHY, HEIDI, MUFFIN, SHEBA, SHELBY, SPARKY,
JACK, GIZMO, SOPHIE, CHELSEA, DUSTY, CHLOE, PENNY, DAKOTA, SUGAR, NIKKI.

Having selected a name for your dog, it will be advisable to provide it with a dog tag with its name and if possible your house address or contact number engraved on it. In this way should your dog get lost, anybody finding it would be able to get in touch with you. Never take the need for a dog tag lightly as it may be the only way of getting your dog back if it is lost.

Bringing the Puppy Home

When the big day finally arrives and you have made all the necessary arrangements and set down the rules, make sure the day is clear of all other commitments. Remember this puppy is coming into a totally new environment, away from anything familiar. The worst thing you can do, is to bring the puppy home and then leave it alone for two or three hours.
It is important for you to understand your puppy, as it does not understand you. Put yourself in its place for a moment. The only way it will learn, is by constant demonstration and repetition of words. The puppy will no longer have any mother, brothers or sisters to run back to, for comfort and reassurance, if the going gets tough. Therefore you must be all things to it - provider, friend, companion, teacher, and playmate. So with this in mind, TRAINING SHOULD NOW BEGIN.