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.

Ideal Dog Training Iowa

by Leave a Comment

For anyone who is looking for assistance with dog training Iowa, That’s My Dog! can supply assistance with all your dog training needs. For dogs that struggle with good manners we have programs that teach you tips on how to grow to be a much more successful leader. By teaching your pet to come when called, walk nicely on a leash and listen whenever you need them to you will develop a considerably improved relationship.

Learning to have a better dog involves having the right instructors. Our specialty at That’s My Dog! of having high expectations calls for our trainers to have a variety of certifications and experiences. The balanced method to dog training Iowa can provide you with fundamental obedience and behavior modification programs. Having a balance in your dog training|coaching} instruction means you’ll learn tips on how to interrupt the behaviors you don’t want (like barking or jumping up) and tips on how to positively reinforce the behaviors you do want (like being quiet and sitting for attention) This balance gives you rapid results and assists your dog to learn the way to behave appropriately even in distracting environments. Even the most feisty Fidos have shown terrific improvement.

Dog training Iowa programs assist you to have a far better dog that you can delight in a lot more and be proud of their behavior. Our full service dog training facility is located in Dubuque, Iowa and we welcome dogs from around the state to train with us. You may choose private lesson packages, day school programs or our exclusive board and train option. The programs offer training for your dog in real world situations and around real distractions like other dogs, other people and plenty of activity. Having this balance in the training environment means you’ll have a dog that listens to you whenever you really need him to, not just when he wants to. When you are ready to have an incredible dog look to our Iowa dog training solutions; our evaluations are always free of charge.

The Right Type Of Communication For Dog Training Success

by Leave a Comment

The most crucial factor that can spell the difference between success and failure in dog training is attitude – both yours and your dog’s.

While your family dog may have some pretty serious difficulties, your dog’s right attitude toward dog training will help overcome even his most intolerable behavior.

However, control of your dog’s attitude rests entirely with you!

You need to mold your dog into the family member you want him to be – where obedience and instant response will allow a relationship for you and your pet that is free from stress and frustration.

————————————————————–

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

————————————————————–

This article will deal only with training dogs between six months of age and older. There is a difference in training techniques when teaching a dog below the age of six months, and that age group will require methods specifically intended for puppies.

Teaching a six-month-old dog with kindergarten methods would be an insult to his intelligence, much like a college student would be offended if his instructor talked to him using child-like teaching techniques. Similarly, a six-year-old child would achieve nothing sitting in a classroom listening to a professor explaining the theory of relativity.

Setting Positive Attitudes While Training Your Dog

If your dog’s training periods each day consist of nothing but commands, I can assure you that a negative attitude will develop from your pet. His daily routine is now being changed to include training sessions. It is up to you, his owner, to make these training periods something that your dog will enthusiastically look forward to.

You can achieve this simply by communicating verbally with the dog during training periods.

Here lies another key that will spell the difference between mediocre and excellent performance from your dog. By communicating verbally doesn’t mean the usual “Heel” and “Sit” commands.

Literally talk to your dog during dog training. Say something like “Good Boy….. You’re doing a great job… Come on boy, you can do it…etc.”

Although your dog has no idea what you are saying, two things are actually taking place while you’re talking to him.

First, your enthusiastic and warm tone of voice reflects your positive attitude and motivates your dog into doing a great job in order to please you.

Second, this motivation then triggers a positive attitude in your dog.

Commands, on the other hand, should be given in a completely different tone of voice. They should, in fact, sound like commands, and not requests.

They are then followed by enthusiastic and loving praise as soon as the dog follows the command or when shown what his correct response should have been.

Keep in mind that the most important key to the success of your dog training is communication.

Talk to him, reflect your positive attitude in the tone of your voice throughout dog training, and your dog will reflect his positive attitude in the excited way he welcomes each day’s training session.

Dog Training: Getting Your Dog’s Attention (Part 3)

by Leave a Comment

On the fourth day of dog training, as you repeat the procedures of the first three days, you’ll discover that there’s no more opposition and no games. This is simple enough, unless your dog happens to become momentarily distracted and forgetful.

And that is just exactly what you want to happen, so that he will learn to overcome momentary temptation and distraction and keep his attention focused on you. After all, dog training is needed particularly in time of emergency, and since you are going to build obedience as well as character into your dog, it is not too much to ask, that, at a time when other dogs would yield to distraction and temptation, your dog has his attention totally focused on you.

————————————————————–

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

————————————————————–

Your job from day four until your pet learns to ignore temptation is to use distraction and temptation during your fifteen-minute training sessions. The procedures will be nearly the same as the first three days, except that you will walk in the direction of the distraction or temptation and hope that your dog will rush recklessly toward it.

You will of course have chosen that precise moment to wish him goodbye on his journey, turn, and walk fast in the opposite direction. And, as you may expect, his journey will be short (fifteen to twenty feet) before he turns around and walks toward you. Your dog will not hate you for having to turn around because he won’t associate his abrupt change of direction with you at all.

What Your Dog Will Know For Sure

The last four days have shown him that you will move whenever you choose, and in whatever direction you choose without first checking to see if it’s alright with him. Your dog knew this. What happened was his fault because he took his attention and eyes off you for a moment and gave in to temptation. It was just “coincidental” that you decided to move, at that same moment, and in the direction opposite to that in which he was heading.

You know that the move wasn’t really a coincidence, but your dog doesn’t know this, and will never know. What he will come to realize is that when a distraction or temptation appears, that is the exact moment that you will choose to reverse your direction of travel.

If you do your work well for the next few days, your dog will come to consider every temptation or distraction as a reminder and a cue to keep his eyes and attention on you. Distractions and temptations include people and things such as a skateboarder, a strange cat, another dog, a rolling ball, or a plate of food.

The list can go on and on, depending on your dog’s personality. However, to have someone call your dog by name in an attempt to distract him must be considered unfair. You must stick to other situations and things.

In Conclusion

To conclude this part of training, remember to always walk briskly in a straight line, with confidence in your movement. If you hesitate or walk slow, your dog will not develop the necessary confidence. Never give your dog training commands when working with him on the long-line. You’re not teaching him to heel yet.

For now, you’re teaching him four things. First, when tied to a person, he must move with that person. Second, your determination, will, and status are such that you will walk anywhere and at any time without first checking to see if it’s alright with him. Third, in order for him to be aware of your movement, and in which direction you’ll be walking, he needs to pay attention to you during dog training because you won’t let him know in advance. Fourth, when distraction or temptation appears, they are not excuses to be inattentive. On the contrary, that is the stage in dog training when he must be the more attentive and focused on you.

Examples Of Working Dogs (Part 1)

by Leave a Comment

Boxers: A well-bred boxer is a wonderful family dog. They have a coat easy to care for, are not too large, and tend to be well behaved with children. The boxer is an easy breed to train. Although generally friendly, it commands respect because of its size and square face. This is a very jumpy breed of dog, so if you choose the boxer be prepared. The naturally active boxer needs quite a bit of exercise in order to maintain a relaxed demeanor.

Bullmastiff: Bullmastiffs are just plain nice, easily cared for, slow-going, beautiful dogs. Most examples are tight lipped, so the saliva is not all over the place, as is true with other mastiff dogs. Trainers have never had reservations in recommending the bullmastiff to any family that had the space to house them properly.

Doberman Pinscher: The Doberman is a dog that has suffered from an unearned reputation of aggression. The fact is that they are almost everything but. Dobermans train as if there were some genetic predisposition toward the training itself. They are extremely sensitive and at the same time more defensive than the German shepherd dog. They have a very warm and responsive character. They always seem to have their heads somewhere on your body, or at least one part of their anatomy is touching you.

Giant Schnauzer: The giant schnauzer is a large, very classy, and elegant breed of dog that carries itself proudly in conformation and character. The giant schnauzer needs grooming to maintain the coat type, They are a bit stubborn yet are very bright and train well with consistent handling.

The male can appear a little sharp at times, showing his readiness to react to any adverse situation. Trainers who have trained this breed in obedience has found them to be quite responsive to consistent training. This breed may possess enough initiative to run a household. Although they are nice, they are best housed by experienced enthusiasts of giant schnauzers.

Great Dane: There are many problems that life has to offer the poor Great Dane, both physical and behavioral. The sheer size of this breed brings with it orthopedic and systemic medical trouble. When there is an aggression problem in the Great Dane it is further complicated by the dog’s size. Obviously, if you are bitten by a dog of this size you are likely to have severe injuries.

Many trainers have very successfully trained many Great Danes and they are a pleasure to work with. Not a breed for the first-time owner; this is a prince of breeds when the genetics are correct and the dog is in the hands of a capable owner.

Recent Blog Posts