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.

Major Dog Training Problems

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Dogs are not easy to train. You will have to dedicate time and effort in order t train the dog. Remember that dog training is better when done by professionals. But if you really want to train your dog at home, you will have to make sure that you have learned a few things before beginning.

One you have learned enough to begin, you can start with curing the basic problems. All the dogs have some common issues which you will have to solve. If your dog barks a lot, you will be in trouble. You will have to cure dog barking to start with. You will keep on doing the other things like the dog social training and dog obedience training along with all this.

When you are trying to stop your dog from barking, keep it in mind that dog barking is natural. You can not ask your dog not to bark. But yes, you can reduce it. Your dog will bark as this is the only way a dog knows to express himself. You should start by understanding why your dog barks. If you will know this, you will be able to train him more efficiently.

One important thing to keep in mind is never to reward your dog for his barking. The is all about making the rules and then following them. You will have to make it clear to your dog that you will not be allowing any behavior which breaks those rules. Keep the same rule going with the . Tell your dog clearly that you are not going to reward him when he barks. This will help you to train him even better.

The other major problem with the dogs is digging. Many dog owners are worried by this habit and they want to get rid of it. But the proper time to teach your dog not to dig unnecessarily is the first few weeks. You will have to teach your dog to learn alternatives. The dogs love digging and they should do it. But you will have to make them understand that they can not dig anywhere they like. You can specify a time and a place for them to dig. Most of the good dog trainers take their dogs out and give them time to dig. This helps the dogs and they do not do it in the home.

You dog will behave properly if you are training him well. There are various training methods which you can use. You can learn these methods and see what works best for you and your dog. Some times the same method does not work on all the pets and you may have to find an alterative according to the nature of the animal.

When you are trying to stop your dog from barking, keep it in mind that dog barking is natural. You can not ask your dog not to bark. But yes, you can reduce it. Your dog will bark as this is the only way a dog knows to express himself.

The Right Way To Play With Your Dog

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Believe it or not, many dog owners do not know how to play with their dogs. During the first session in most puppy classes, a good trainer makes each owner play with his or her dog for a couple of minutes so they can observe their interaction. The usual scenario seen is the puppy jumping up on the owner and the owner not knowing how to respond, or else the puppy runs away from an owner because the owner isn’t playing with her. Few owners get down on their knees and play with their puppies.

This stems from social conditioning. As adults, we don’t allow ourselves to be kids. We inhibit the childlike qualities within us. Did you ever see a child play with a dog? Kids have no problem playing with dogs; they are always willing to have some fun. People always ask what kinds of dogs are good with children. My response is that any dog is great as long as the dog is properly integrated into the family.

Children are ideal playmates for puppies because they have such natural enthusiasm and energy. Pups pick up on that. Observe how kids play – they laugh, they giggle, their actions and faces are full of animation, and their voices full of joy. Such positive energy always draws a puppy’s attention.

Using structured games also keep the activities between pups and children more organized. It avoids the roughhousing that can happen between kids and puppies if left to their own devices.

Use Your Home As A Training Area

Your house is a rich training ground – you can use your chairs, table, area rugs, hallways, living room furniture, bathroom and bedroom doors, and stairways to create all kinds of games and challenges. For example, teaching your puppy to wait at the bottom or the top of a stairway before taking her up or down creates a pattern she will use later when you want her to wait at a curb on a busy street. Be creative with the use of your home.

All games should be played no longer than five minutes at a time. If your pup gets bored in less than five minutes, then don’t force her to play. Remember, she is a puppy and will be easily distracted by almost everything around her. Let her explore and be distracted; this is how she experiences the world.

10 Tips For Dog Owners With Disabilities

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If caring for your dog has become difficult because of weakness, here are some suggestions for strengthening your physical resources:

1. When it comes time for your dog to visit the veterinarian, investigate mobile veterinarians who will come to your house to see your pet. Mobile veterinarians are especially helpful if you have large dogs or several pets. The mobile veterinarian can check on all of the pets at one time and give each one his annual vaccinations in one visit. Check the Yellow Pages of your telephone directory under Veterinarians for listings.

2. If you must have your dog groomed, contact a groomer who operates a mobile facility and, like mobile veterinarians, will come to your home to conduct the necessary grooming.

3. If you need help giving your dog medicine, fluids, or shots, ask your veterinarian if he or she knows of anyone who will make home visits. If not, contact local pet-sitters to find ones who will assist you. Many pet-sitters are trained to perform these functions for the sick pet for owners who cannot perform them for themselves or for owners when they are away.

4. When feeding and watering your dog, use large bowls so that you don’t have to refill them as often.

5. Ask a friend or neighbor to divide your dog’s food into smaller containers so that you can lift what you need more easily.

6. To play with your dog, use flashlights or laser pointers. Dogs love chasing the light, and you won’t have to make a move.

7. If you have difficulty performing basic functions for yourself, investigate the use of a service or assistance dog. Assistance dogs are trained to help people with physical limitations perform their everyday functions. Assistance dogs are accepted in public places just as guide dogs and hearing dogs are.

8. If you are planning to get a dog, find one with an activity level that is less than yours. Dogs do a great job forcing their owners to get exercise and fresh air each day, but an overly active dog can be a handful when your energy hits bottom. Before adopting or purchasing a dog, investigate the breed characteristics and think twice about bringing home one of the more active breeds.

9. A dog, even a small one, may be able to pull the leash out of your hand or even pull you to the ground if you suffer from weakness. Walking your dog in ice or snow may be completely out of the question. As an alternative, use a radio collar as a virtual leash when your dog needs to go outside to potty In time and with practice, you may not have to activate the radio collar because your dog will know the spatial boundaries you have set.

What Type Of Leash Is Best For Your Dog?

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What type of leashes are best for your dog? Well personally, I prefer leather leashes. Nylon leashes have a tendency to cut and burn your hand. They also slip through your hands more easily if your dog suddenly pulls at you. A leather leash gives you more comfortable control. A good dog trainer can look at a leather leash and tell how much the dog owners are working with their puppies. The more they practice, the softer the leash becomes.

Some owners don’t like leather leads because they are more expensive and puppies have a tendency to chew on them during a walk. There is nothing more cute than a puppy carrying his leash while you walk him. If your puppy puts the leash in his mouth during a walk, then let him carry it for a while, but maintain control of it. If he bites too hard on it or really starts to chew, then this is a good time to practice the “Drop it” command. With a firm voice say, “Drop it,” and substitute a stronger motivator to satisfy his needs.

I do not favor chain link leashes. They are hard on your hands when you move up and down the leash to control your dog. The only good purpose to link leashes is if you’re tying your dog outside for a while – dogs can’t chew through them.

I am also not a fan of retractable leads. I feel the owner has little control over a dog or puppy with such a lead. Some owners feel they are giving their dog more exercise and freedom with a retractable lead, since the dog can move ten to fifteen feet ahead of the owner. But accidents easily happen – a biker or runner can quickly go by and if your dog moves toward them, a person can trip on this long lead. Also, it is very difficult to control a dog and gain back the leash quickly if someone is coming toward your dog or if your dog is moving toward them.

A retractable lead is made of wire and you cannot grab on to it. I think the best use for a retractable lead is when you are in a field and want to give some extra lead to your pup so he can run about with a little more freedom. Otherwise, on city streets, I only see it as a nuisance for other people.

Retractable leads also create a problem if your dog gets loose from you. The plastic housing at the end of the lead will bounce along as it trails behind the dog. This can frighten some dogs, particularly noise-sensitive dogs, and they will run that much further away trying to flee from the very sound that they can’t escape.

Considering a Dog Training Career?- Here is What You Need to Know

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Copyright (c) 2010 James Mahoney

If you love working with dogs, a dog training career may be just right for you. Dogs all the way from puppies to older dogs, need training, and their owners usually don’t know how to train them. They need a professional to do the job.

If you are considering pursuing this as a career, you could just start by practicing on your own dog. If you are good at training your dog, then you might be good at training other people’s dogs. But if you find that training your dog leaves you frustrated and drained, then a dog training career might not be the best choice for you.

A career can be very rewarding. Most people love dogs and more and more people are becoming dog owners. Also people are coming to realize the importance of training when it comes to their dog’s well being and overall happiness.

There are basically two types of careers since it field really consists of two different areas. These areas are pet and service dog training. These are both in demand, however there are far more opportunities in pet dog training.

For a successful dog training career however it is not enough just to love dogs. You have to be able to get along well with the people who own the dogs too, and when training the dogs, you are also training the owners as well.

So when the owners become distraught will you be able to deal with them in a way that iscalming, but firm and be understanding.

To found out more information about careers in dog training and how to get, check out the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT). They state on their web site that they are committed to becoming better trainers through education. APDT is a good place to find out more about dog training jobs, as well as networking with their members.

You can also find dog trainer training academies that provide those interested in dog training careers the basics of the business. Besides training, you can also find out about the running of your own dog training business before getting started.

There are many ways to get started in a dog training career. You could volunteer your services at a dog training class held by a local animal shelter. This will help to give you a feel for what is involved in pursuing dog training career. If you prove to be a good teacher than you could consider going to the next step in your training.

You could receive training at a school for those interested in a dog training career where you can get good hands on training. You should be able to find many schools and seminars available in your area.

But remember a career in dog training requires more than just knowing how to handle dogs, you must know how to handle their owners too. If you possess these qualities in addition to having good training, you could be well on the way to success in this field.

J. Mahoney is the owner of Dog Trainers Ideas.com. Just feel free to visit http://www.dogtrainersideas.com where you will find a resource providing you with advice on all aspects of dog training, house training and dog health. If you want to find more info on dog training Career Click Here!

Article Source: Considering a dog training Career?- Here is What You Need to Know

The Basset Hound And Dog training Advice

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Training a dog should be an enjoyable and easy task both for you and your dog, but things can be different in Basset Hound training. It is because Basset Hounds, just like any other hounds, are extremely hard to train. They tend not to obey commands given to them because as scent hounds they prefer to follow what their noses tell them. Low desire to please its owner is another reason why a basset hound is hard to train.

When it comes to dog training, especially obedience training, a Basset hound is less likely to be chosen by most dog owners and trainers because of its characteristics towards training. However, it is not impossible to train a Basset hound if you really want to. Some have been successful in training their Basset hounds but only a few of them. Patience, together with your great love for your Basset hound is essential in order to have a well behaved dog.

Training tips are just few clicks away when searching a web and you can also learn through seminars from dog experts. But the best method in Basset Hound training is to know and listen to your dog. Discover what exercise or activity your dog enjoys and start your way from there. Let him understand that training is fun! Be artistic and create fun and exciting training methods and as much as possible, vary it from time to time so as not to bore them. Limit the training session to only 10-20 minutes. Slowing down and showing resistance to work is an indication that he has become bored or he doesn’t like your training method.

Using training tools such as crate and rewards are ideal partner in every training session. Most Basset hounds obey command when offered reward, but will forget the training when reward is being offered. To do away with this, hide the reward from the dog before giving a command. Show him the reward only until he has complied with the command so as to come up with a Basset hound who follows command with or without the presence of a reward. The point here is to give him the idea that you may have a reward for him even if he can not see it.

It is also important to know the right time to start training. Making mistakes in the beginning of the training may delay the process and may not guarantee better results. Begin the training with something he enjoys so that he will be convinced to do it. Avoid being harsh and force your dog to do something which you think he doesn’t like. Consistency and determination is much more helpful.

With these tips, you will surely be able to come up with nicely trained dog. You can now aim higher levels of training such as obedience and agility training, and prove others that it is not impossible to train these stubborn four legged friends.

For more information on the Basset Hound or a full list of dog breeds take a look at this dog training website.

Article Source: The Basset Hound And dog training Advice

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