Building Respect Through House Rules
Your puppy/dog doesn’t come to you automatically trusting and respecting you just because you are “human”. To earn his trust and respect; you must set and enforce a consistent set of rules. Consistent means the same rules with the same consequences enforced by all members of the household.
Dogs need 4 things in order to be happy, obedient and mentally well balanced: essentials (food, water, shelter), exercise (structured), clearly defined and consistently reinforced rules and love
If there are no defined rules in your household, your puppy will either become confused due to the inconsistency of rules/consequences or become completely out of control, following perfectly normal behavior for the dog world that does not fit into the human world. This will lead to frustration and anger from you, creating frustration and/or aggression from your puppy.
When your puppy becomes frustrated, that frustration will manifest in one or more of the following:
Nipping Biting Chewing Barking Digging Aggression
Although all of these behaviors are natural and normal for your puppy, they can escalate very quickly into a frustrating and potentially dangerous situation for your family. Here are some tips to help him stay happy and well behaved.
- Setting the house rules: Make a list of rules for your puppy. Put this list together with every member of your family’s input. List everything he is not allowed to do (i.e. jumping on people, bolting through doors, nipping, pottying in the house and anything else your family decides on). After each rule, write down what consequence you will give him if he breaks that rule. Decide together, and then post it on the refrigerator where everyone can see it. This will help your family to be consistent and make your dog’s training progress at a faster rate. See example below.
- Walking: Dogs have an instinctual need for walking and this is one of the best ways to burn off some energy, add in some training, as well as give your puppy much needed mental stimulation and happiness. This is not a “potty” walk, it is an exercise walk. Using the proper equipment is very important; use a leather or nylon leash and either a buckle collar or no pull harness. There are many different equipment options on the market, so if a buckle collar or no pull harness doesn’t work for you and your puppy talk to a positive reinforcement trainer for additional suggestions. Walk your puppy at least once a day (preferably two times a day) for at least 20 minutes.
- Nothing in life is free: Your dog must work for everything he likes! Food, walks, attention and play all need to be controlled by you. Your dog must sit and wait or at least be calm before he gets to eat his food, before you put the leash on, before you pet him and before you begin play. If your puppy seems to be bossy, you should be the one to instigate all play. If he brings you a toy, ask him to sit first and then you can pick up the toy and engage him in play. Your puppy demanding that you play with or pet him may be cute at first, but it won’t be so cute when he is bigger and more demanding.
- Decide whether your puppy will be allowed on the furniture. If you don’t want your puppy on the furniture, NEVER allow him on it, don’t make exceptions – your puppy will not understand when it is ok and when it is not. If he is allowed on the furniture, attach the Nothing In Life Is Free program to it, he must sit before you give him the ok to jump up on the furniture. For pups that are having dominant, bossy or aggression related behaviors or if you just don’t want them on the furniture; they should not be allowed on the furniture at all – even when you are not there. If this is the case, you will need to block his access to the furniture when you are not home.
- Teach your puppy not to invade your space. He should not be allowed to jump on you. When he jumps on you, use as little physical contact as possible; ignore him completely until he calms down and then give affection.
- Stay calm and confident: Dogs read and feed off of our body language. If you show uncertainty, frustration, nervousness, confusion, anger or stress, your puppy will pick up on those feelings and become stressed, confused, aggressive and/or nervous. If you are calm and confident, he will be calmer, balanced, happy and more obedient.
I believe dog training should be fun, rewarding and exciting for both the dog and the human. I take a scientific approach to training and train through love, kindness and respect with clearly defined rules and boundaries and get fabulous results. I have been a trainer for 20 years, graduated from Animal Behavior College (ABCDT), I am certified through Association of Professional Dog Trainers (CPDT-KA) and the International Association of Canine Professionals (CDT). I am the founder and president of HEARTland Positive Dog Training Alliance; a group of pet professionals and dog owners dedicated to positive reinforcement training.
The Right Crate For Your Dalmatian Puppy
The moment you decide to own a Dalmatian puppy, you need to start planning for his arrival in your home. Both you and your new family member will find the transition period much easier if your home is properly equip in advance of the arrival.
One of the first thing you need to prepare for the arrival of your new Dalmatian puppy is a crate. Every Dalmatian should have a crate of his own from the very beginning, one that he will come to know and love as his special place where he is comfortable and safe.
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The crate will provide an ideal setting; when you want him to be free, you can just leave the crate open. Otherwise, you can securely latch it and know that the Dalmatian pup is safely out of trouble. Also, if you travel with him, his crate can fit nicely in the car. A crate therefore is a very sensible and sound investment in your puppy’s future safety and happiness and for your own peace of mind.
The crates that are most preferred are the wooden ones with removable side panels, which are ideal for cold weather where the panels in place to keep out drafts and in hot weather where the panels are removed to allow better air circulation. Wire crates are all suitable in the summer, but they give no protection from cold or drafts. Aluminum crates, due to the manner in which the metal reflects surrounding temperatures, are not recommended. If it is cold, so is the metal of the crate; if it is hot, the crate becomes very hot.
When you choose the puppy’s crate, make sure that it is roomy enough not to be outgrown. The crate should have sufficient height so the dog can stand up in it as he gets older and sufficient area so that he can stretch out full length when relaxed. When the puppy is young, you can give him shredded newspaper to use as a bed; the papers can be replaced with a mat or towels when the dog is older.
Carpet remnants are great for the bottom of the crate because they are inexpensive and can be easily replaced in case of accidents. As the dog matures and is past the chewing age, a pillow or blanket in the crate can provide warm and comfort.
If you live in an apartment , a baby’s playpen for your Dalmatian puppy works great. For an older Dalmatian puppy use a portable exercise pen which you can use later when traveling with your dog or for dog shows. If you have a yard or an area where he can be outside in safety, it should be fenced in prior to the dog’s arrival. This area does not need to be huge, but it does need to be made safe and secure.
If you live in a suburban area where there are close neighbors, stockade fencing works out best. If you are out in the country where no problems with neighbors are likely to occur, then regular chain-link fencing is fine. For added precaution in both cases, use concrete blocks or railroad ties inside against the entire bottom of the fence; this reduces the chance of your Dalmatian digging his way out.
How To Evaluate Dog Food
Evaluating Todays Dog Food
Evaluating a dog food is a simple and straight-forward procedure of comparing certain characteristics of one food with those of other types of foods that are available to feed your dog.
Regardless of whatever procedure you learn and use in order to effectively evaluate your dog’s needs should have enough built-in flexibility that innovative dog feeders can adapt it to best fit your own situation and further reduce their margin of error.
When making an evaluation, the four characteristics of a satisfactory dog food, discussed below, should be used as the minimum standards that any food must meet. These four basic standards are:
1) A dog food should contain sufficient energy for daily activity.
2) A dog food should contain adequate nutrients, in proper relationship to each other.
3) A food should contain ingredients that are usable by a dog.
4) A food should be acceptable in a sufficient quantity to fully supply items 1 and items 2 above.
Evaluating a dog food is a simple and straight-forward procedure of comparing certain characteristics of one food with those of other types of foods that are available to feed your dog. Regardless of whatever procedure you learn and use in order to effectively evaluate your dog’s needs should have enough built-in flexibility that innovative dog feeders can adapt it to best fit your own situation and further reduce their margin of error.
When making an evaluation, the four characteristics of a satisfactory dog food, discussed below, should be used as the minimum standards that any food must meet. These four basic standards are:
1) A food should contain sufficient energy for daily activity.
2) A food should contain adequate nutrients, in proper relationship to each other.
3) A food should contain ingredients that are usable by a dog.
4) A food should be acceptable in a sufficient quantity to fully supply items 1 and items 2 above.
Evaluating a dog food is a simple and straight-forward procedure of comparing certain characteristics of one food with those of other types of foods that are available to feed your dog. Regardless of whatever procedure you learn and use in order to effectively evaluate your dog’s needs should have enough built-in flexibility that innovative dog feeders can adapt it to best fit your own situation and further reduce their margin of error.
When making an evaluation, the four characteristics of a satisfactory dog food, discussed below, should be used as the minimum standards that any food must meet. These four basic standards are:
1) A food should contain sufficient energy for daily activity.
2) A food should contain adequate nutrients, in proper relationship to each other.
3) A food should contain ingredients that are usable by a dog.
4) A food should be acceptable in a sufficient quantity to fully supply items 1 and items 2 above.
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Watch For Pain Or Symptoms When Training The Aging Dog
Dogs very often tell you when they are in pain, although not always. Should you find the down placement very painful for your dog, and should he find it painful to lie down apart from his obedience lesson, then it may be more beneficial to dispense with the DOWN command altogether.
These conditions vary with the individual dog, so that ultimately you have to trust in your own evaluation of the situation and then follow your inclinations.
In no instance do we want to obedience-train an older dog at the expense of his reasonably physical and mental comfort. The Down-Stay serves to keep the dog out of your hair, and your company’s lap, for longer periods of time than a Sit-Stay.
With an effective Down-Stay, you need not shoo him away in a strategic retreat to the basement or bathroom. Chances are that your older dog is fit enough to pester company. If this be so, then he is certainly fit enough to learn the down.
In obedience training you must behave like a cool, calm machine. You will be able to hold out longer, with less exhaustion, and your dog will learn more easily and more rapidly, realizing that you have the situation under control.
Dogs will take advantage of their owners’ weaknesses, even at an older age, and this will only mean more difficult, resentful training, with more discomfort for both of you. Speak and act calmly, slowly, deliberately, rationally, and consistently if you want to maximize your training potential and the subsequent benefits that accrue both to you and to your older dog.
The older dog is no longer as efficient at regulating his body temperature. Fats are responsible for this. The older dog often tends to lose weight and some of the fatty components of his body.
In effect, he is not that well insulated anymore. So, when obedience training the older dog, you must take care not to work him in extremes of heat and cold. This holds true for any dog, but more so for the older dog.
Constipation and incontinence can also be problems. It is important to allow the dog to relieve himself before and after an obedience session. If a dog suffers incontinence during the course of training, just ignore it and clean up later. Don’t allow a small puddle of urine to interfere with your training session.
It is also important not to feed your dog just prior to or after an obedience-training session. Feeding before can upset his digestion, and feeding after can not only cause indigestion but can be interpreted as a bribe. This we never want to do. Don’t work your older dog to exhaustion. Several short sessions are always preferable to one long one.