Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

Dog Training – Teaching Your Dog “Come Here”

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Dog training does not have to be complicated, nor does it take enormous amounts of time to teach your pet the basics.

Speaking of basics, we all want our dogs to come to us when called. There are many ways to go about this dog training procedure, below is perhaps the easiest way.

The following instructions will have your dog responding to your “come” command in no time.

This easy technique revolves around luring your dog and then rewarding him. Please note that this will be a lot easier if your dog is hungry before beginning training. Also, have handy small dog treats that you will use as a training aid.

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Dog Training Tips To Get Your Dog To Obey!

If you’d love to discover EXACTLY how to get your dog to stop urinating on your carpet and actually ring a bell when he needs to potty. . .

Train puppies to NEVER chew on furniture or expensive rugs – even when you aren’t there to supervise. . .

Learn simple techniques for getting any dog to stop barking at strangers or from begging you to let him back inside –

Plus a TON more step-by-step dog obedience strategies THOUSANDS of regular people are already using, check out –

The Hands Off Dog Training Method

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1. For this dog training exercise, first stand in front of your dog and hold a dog treat in between your thumb and index finger so it can easily be seen. Your arm should be in front of you but resting on your leg.

2. Now simply get the atmosphere exciting to your dog by putting on a great big smile and with a sweet and fun tone of voice, say “Sparky, Come!”  Do not overdo the come command with too much excitement, just enough to get him to notice you and realize that you are happy.

3. Your puppy should start running towards you, especially at the sight of the dog treat in your hand. Most dogs come running at the first hint of food, but your puppy may need a little more motivation. If after a moment he does not respond, your next move is to squat down and reach out with the treat just slightly, while calling his name again and getting the “come” command.

4. Once your puppy does arrive at the treat and in front of you, try to lure him into the sitting position by stroking his neck and upper back with one hand and applying pressure on his hind for him to sit, while slowly moving the treat to his mouth with your other hand. Now is the perfect time to start praising him in a loving voice and creating a positive feeling that he will want to experience again when you call his name and ask them to come to you.

5. Eventually drop the dog treats altogether when dog training and repeat the above steps, but offering praise instead of food when your dog comes to you.

Nipping And Mouthing When Puppy Training

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Puppy Training Challenges

Mouthing and nipping are two different issues and can be difficult to overcome when puppy training.

Mouthing is a communication skill to get you to do a particular thing. Less pressure, less annoying, but still not particularly charming.

Nipping is a puppy thing; it is interactive and playful. Nipping puppies are bossy and manipulative and need a firmer regimen.

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Puppy Training Tips To Get Your Dog To Obey!

If you’d love to discover EXACTLY how to get your dog to stop urinating on your carpet and actually ring a bell when he needs to potty. . .

Train puppies to NEVER chew on furniture or expensive rugs – even when you aren’t there to supervise. . .

Learn simple techniques for getting any dog to stop barking at strangers or from begging you to let him back inside –

Plus a TON more step-by-step dog obedience strategies THOUSANDS of regular people are already using, check out –

The Hands Off Dog Training Method

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Mouthing is often an attention-getting behavior. If your puppy uses it to communicate a need to go out, respond.

If, on the other hand, your dog mouths you for a pat, ignore it. If he becomes too annoying, get a water spray and spritz him discreetly in front of his nose, hiding the spray in your hand and spritzing as you avoid all eye contact, comments, or pushing.

When you use the spray this way during puppy training, you are performing a cause-and-effect correction rather than interactive discipline.

Interaction involves eye contact and physical manipulation – not good. Cause-and-effect corrections result in unpleasant reactions that your puppy will try to avoid.

Nipping is another one of those puppy things that you need to refocus. When your puppy still hung out with his litter mates, he nipped during play and to determine his rank.

He also soft-mouthed his mother affectionately. When you bring your puppy home, this behavior continues so immediate puppy training is immediate to break these habits.

Fun With Leash Training

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Leash training should be fun, while puppy training. If the puppy is timid, walk him up and down indoors, pulling gently and coaxing to keep him in motion and in line with you. Then try it in the yard or up and down a quiet street. Never jerk violently, or choke him if he refuses to move. Let him wander off at will; if he sits down, pat and laugh at him a bit, and wait a moment  before beginning to get him going. He will soon realize that the leash is a tie between him and you.

Puppies learn more quickly from other dogs than from us. If you have a friend with an older, leash trained dog, walking together will soon put the idea over to your puppy. When he finds leash training means “We are going out!” it becomes a friend, not a foe.

————————————————————–

Training Tips To Get Your Dog To Obey!

If you’d love to discover EXACTLY how to get your dog to stop urinating on your carpet and actually ring a bell when he needs to potty. . .

Train puppies to NEVER chew on furniture or expensive rugs – even when you aren’t there to supervise. . .

Learn simple techniques for getting any dog to stop barking at strangers or from begging you to let him back inside –

Plus a TON more step-by-step dog obedience strategies THOUSANDS of regular people are already using, check out –

The Hands Off Dog Training Method

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Like the collar, it is a signal he soon learns, and will bring to your attention when he wants action!

You are teaching him this when you pick it up and say “Here is your leash, we are going for a walk!” At first, start him on a long leash.

Go as far away from him as the leash permits, then call “Come (dog’s name)!” As you do this, give the leash a little jerk toward you.

If he resists, pull gently, and the moment he is within reaching distance, pet and praise him, this reinforces good behavior throughout leash training.

Avoiding Stress In Training Your Puppy

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The main purpose in puppy training is to build a communication system between the two of you. You are teaching your dog how to learn. In contrast to the positive approach of puppy training, many obedience classes use a lot of leash jerking and a certain amount of punishment if the dog is not performing well. There is a fine line between the two attitudes and it is a vitally important difference.

With a young puppy, if you are forcing him to perform perfectly and punishing him even mildly if he does not, you may be asking for trouble later on. After a puppy is six to eight months old, he can usually begin to handle corrections and accept much more firmness when training your puppy but not at three, four and five months of age.

————————————————————–

Training Tips To Get Your Dog To Obey!

If you’d love to discover EXACTLY how to get your dog to stop urinating on your carpet and actually ring a bell when he needs to potty. . .

Train puppies to NEVER chew on furniture or expensive rugs – even when you aren’t there to supervise. . .

Learn simple techniques for getting any dog to stop barking at strangers or from begging you to let him back inside –

Plus a TON more step-by-step dog obedience strategies THOUSANDS of regular people are already using, check out –

The Hands Off Dog Training Method

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Stress should not be a specific part of training your puppy. That comes later when the pup is six to eight months old and ready for a more formal training. Of course, it is not possible or necessary to completely avoid stress because there is often a small amount in any of a puppy’s activities.

However, stress should be eliminated as a planned part of the actual puppy training.

Leash Training: Your Leash Training Questions Answered

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Leash training is hugely underestimated by new dog owners. The process of getting your puppy or adult dog used to being on leash is fairly simple and just takes a little bit of your time. Trust me, this small investment of properly training your dog to walk politely on his leash will pay high dividends in the near future, especially if your puppy will grow up weighing 50 or more pounds.

Leash Training Questions

I get at least a dozen or more questions each week from new dog owners that ask me about leash training. They want to know what type of leash is best, what type to avoid, how long they should walk their dog,  how to get the dog to stop pulling, etc.

————————————————————–

Training Tips To Get Your Dog To Obey!

If you’d love to discover EXACTLY how to get your dog to stop urinating on your carpet and actually ring a bell when he needs to potty. . .

Train puppies to NEVER chew on furniture or expensive rugs – even when you aren’t there to supervise. . .

Learn simple techniques for getting any dog to stop barking at strangers or from begging you to let him back inside –

Plus a TON more step-by-step dog obedience strategies THOUSANDS of regular people are already using, check out –

The Hands Off Dog Training Method

————————————————————–

Below I have listed a few of these common leash training questions for your benefit.  Remember, there is no one best way to do anything so when it comes to dog training, whether it involves leash training or other lesson, it is okay to mix in your own training ideas so long as you keep it 100% positive.  Negative dog training is not recommended and highly discouraged.

Having said that, here are a few basic leash training questions:

1. How much room should I allow the leash to extend when walking my dog? According to most dog trainers, your puppy or adult dog does not need anymore than 5 to 6 feet of distance to roam when you are walking him. This is plenty of room for you to keep control of the situation, while at the same time giving your dog a chance to sniff out small areas along the way.

2. What type of material should my leash be made of? If you walk into any pet-specific store you’ll find that the majority of leashes for sale are made of nylon.  Nylon is easy to wash and comes in all kinds of pretty colors.  However, they will burn your hand if the dog suddenly pulls and the leash moves through your fingers.

My recommendation is to use a leather leash. In fact, a 6 foot leash made of leather is the perfect size and material. It will last a long time and you will not experience any type of burning sensation if it is pulled. The grip is firm and your control is increased.

3. What about using chain leashes? Chain leashes are practically indestructible and will last a very long time, but just like nylon material, a chain leash can hurt your hands if the dog yanks hard and your grip slips.  In fact, the injury could be much more severe than a nylon burn.

4. How wide should the leash be? This answer is very simple. A leash that is approximately ½ inches to ¾ inches  is ideal. Try to avoid heavy, bulky leashes, when leash training.

Dog Training – How To Train Your Dog To Shut Doors

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When dog training, teaching you dog to begin shutting doors requires the “Touch” command.

It’s best to use a clicker or some other device when dog training.

1. Hold out a greeting card or an index card to your dog and say “Touch.” Click, treat, and praise.

2. Move around the room, holding the card in various locations, giving the “Touch” command.

3. Tape the card to a cupboard door and open the door slightly. When you tape the card, position it at your dog’s chin level. Nothing too high, nothing too low.

4. Command “Touch” and reward the slightest effort, even if your dog doesn’t shut the cupboard completely.

————————————————————–

Dog Training Tips To Get Your Dog To Obey!

If you’d love to discover EXACTLY how to get your dog to stop urinating on your carpet and actually ring a bell when he needs to potty. . .

Train puppies to NEVER chew on furniture or expensive rugs – even when you aren’t there to supervise. . .

Learn simple techniques for getting any dog to stop barking at strangers or from begging you to let him back inside –

Plus a TON more step-by-step dog obedience strategies THOUSANDS of regular people are already using, check out –

The Hands Off Dog Training Method

————————————————————–

As your dog catches on, open the door and command “Shut It” as you point to the cupboard door. Reward only those touches that snap the cupboard tightly closed.

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