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.

What Experts Say About Positive Dog Training

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Do you need to do some dog training with your dog or puppy, but you don’t have a lot of time to spare and you want to do something that gets good results? Whether it’s for housetraining a puppy, teaching a dog not to pull on leash or jump up on guests, or for any of the many other training challenges that can come up when you live with a dog, do find out about the methods that use rewards for quick learning.


Positive Reinforcement Dog Training

Dogs love it, and so their enthusiasm makes the training go faster. You can use a very small bit of food as a reward, and that is perhaps most common, but you can also use some friendly rubbing of your dog’s body in his favorite spots, or you could play ball together. What you use depends on what you have handy… anything the dog likes can be used as a positive reinforcement.

It’s up to you whether you even touch the dog or not during training of this sort. Because some dogs have been trained in very forceful ways, they may have become wary of your hands.

Says positive training pioneer Dr. Ian Dunbar, “I have always taught people to never touch a dog to force him to comply, but rather, to touch him afterwards as a reward if that’s what he enjoys.” Dr. Dunbar, a veterinarian turned dog trainer, founded the Association of Pet Dog Trainers which is an international organization of dog trainers committed to using positive reinforcement dog training methods. Dr. Dunbar was featured in a book by Cesar Millan, Cesar’s Rules.

Other well-known dog trainers agree. “Training a dog using dominance causes the dog to respond out of fear, which results in psychological problems for the dog, does not identify or solve the root problem, and ultimately damages the owner-dog relationship,” says dog trainer and star of the television show It’s Me or the Dog, Victoria Stilwell.

So back to you and your dog. What do you want to work on next? Does your dog need housetraining? Does he need to learn to walk nicely on a leash when you go out in public with him? Do you want to teach him to sit reliably, to stay until given a release word like “Okay!’ or to come when called? If you would like to try easy, enjoyable methods with your pooch, learn more about positive dog training.

Why Does My Dog Not Listen to Me?

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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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.     
  3. 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. 
  4. 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. 
  5. 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.   
  6. 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. 

Teaching and Training The Puppy Dog Pet – Information About Dog Training versus Puppy Training

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Getting home a puppy is one of the greatest moment that a pet lover could ever have. Imagine, cuddling the cute and innocent looking puppy. Your pup’s loving appearance aside, you need to train him properly and follow proper dog care tips, so that he obeys your commands. Anyways, the overall behavior of a dog more or less depends upon the training that has been given in the pup stage. Every dog owner wishes their dog to be healthy, well-behaved and an obedient pet. Let’s take a look in brief about the difference between puppy training and dog training.

Puppy Training vs. Dog Training

Whether you are training a puppy or a dog, the basic dog training tips remain the same. It is true that some dog types are aggressive and need special handling. Whatever be the nature of the pet, the owner should train the puppy/dog, lovingly and regularly. This way, you can build that special bond with your pet dog. Being harsh to your pet will worsen the scenario. Then you will require a professional trainer to change your dog’s behavior.

A puppy, in comparison to a well-grown dog, learns quickly and obeys the trainer. There are certain puppy training tips that will help you groom your puppy well. For example, in the first two weeks after birth, you can teach your pup about simple association with the members of the family. In the next weeks, you can train the pup to socialize with other pets and people. In case of full grown-dogs, he will be obedient and behave well, as long as you appreciate and handle him carefully.



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How To Care For A Senior Canine

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Taking care of an old dog is far way different when compared to taking care of a puppy or a younger dog. The major reason behind this is associated with the older dogs’ health, as they are more prone to catching diseases or get injured. Due to this fact, you should increase the attention you give your dog as he ages. It is pretty painful for pet owners seeing their dogs suffer from any form of pain triggered by getting old. Because of this, you should prioritize giving your dog the optimum convenience he can get. Here are some factors that needs consideration for senior-dog owners:

Is your dog getting enough physical activities?

If physical activities are important to humans, the same goes with dogs. Deprivation of such will lead to the dog’s body’s regression and poor health. Likewise, physical exercises such as walking and running will not just give the dog a healthier body, it will as well provide enjoyment and fun for dogs in their senior ages.. Try placing yourself in a canine’s feet, apart from walking, what else can you do to enjoy? Pretty much none right? So give your canine enough exercise, for his wellness and for his leisure.

Does your canine show signs of arthritis?

Arthritis is the most common culprit of the pain felt by older dogs. Because of arthritis, a dog could no longer enjoy his usual habits. Mere getting up or moving places can be very painful. If you see that your pet’s usual routine seems very hard for him to follow, or he suddenly became weak and lazy, then he might be attacked by arthritis. In cases like this, bring him to a vet. Remember, a pet owner’s best friend would always be the veterinarian. With the help of a vet, you would get to find out the appropriate medicines for your pet. Common arthritis medicines for dogs would be Etodolac 400 mg, Rimadyl, and many more. Avoid rushing to give your dog any med you discover online. A vet’s prescription is an important thing to give your dog safe medicines. Arthritis is a painful condition for dogs and negligence to deal with it can result to difficulty in curing.

Is your canine getting enough attention and affection?

If you own many dogs, aged and young, always deal with them all equally. Canines can be sensitive and when they get smaller attention, they feel bad. When dogs feel bad, their wellness might get affected. If they lack love and attention they could possibly result to having bad behaviors just to capture your focus. They could possibly likewise lose their appetite in eating, therefore resulting to poor wellness and lifestyle. So give your canine enough love and attention. For your younger canine, reading Secrets to dog training review can help. But with your senior canine, mere caring and continuous attention will be enough.

Having a senior canine is a challenge. In dogs’ senior years, more meds and different maintenance will come as well. This is the time that you say hello to a lot of issues like home treatment medicines such as aspirin for dogs and much more vet checkups due to a lot of random issues such as arthritis. But as a whole, attention and love will turn out to be the basis of your canine’s healthier and longer life.

Incredible Dog Training Tips That Work!

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In dog training, the most simple acts often produce the best results. In any dog pack, the alpha sets the rules and the rest follow. Therefore, by establishing yourself as the alpha, you can be sure that your obedience training sessions will be that much more productive. The following is a list of 8 simple things you can do to teach your new puppy or unruly dog that you are the alpha in your pack.

1. Never feed your dog from your plate while you’re eating. A dog must learn that your are the alpha and that it can only eat when you are finished with your meal.

2. Never allow your dog on the sofa or on your bed. And if your dog sits on your path, gently shove it out of the way with your foot. By setting boundaries, you will instill in your dog that it must obey the alpha.

3. Never allow your dog to chew on your towels, socks, shoes, or clothing. Use bitter apple to discourage these behaviors.

4. NEVER HIT YOUR DOG FOR MISBEHAVING. Instead use the tone of your voice and a collar/leash to teach and make corrections.

5. Never allow a puppy to chew on your fingers. Otherwise, it will become a habit that will be very hard to break when it becomes an adult. Spray you hands and fingers with bitter apple and then allow the dog to proceed. The dog will learn not to bite your fingers without associating any negative thoughts about you as the alpha.

6. Never leave a hyper dog unexercised. Playing ball before you leave for work and after you return can help alleviate your dog’s pent-up energy.

7. Never keep your dog alone in a yard for days at a times. Without proper socialization your dog will become aggressive towards other dogs as well as other humans. A dog needs contact with its own species in order to learn how to behave in a dog pack equally as well as it must learn to behave in a human pack. A dog left alone for long periods of time will believe itself to be the alpha and try to dictate to its master instead of the other way around.

8. Never allow your dog to jump on you or your guests. Its fun when your dog is a puppy, but it isn’t fun when it becomes a 100lb behemoth. Practice with a collar and leash and set up situations where a neighbor rings your doorbell while your dog awaits their entrance. Make a sharp correction and command your dog to “sit” when as your neighbor enters the house. And, of course, don’t forget to praise the dog as soon as it follows your command. Once the dog knows what to do, try the same thing off leash, but this time use a water spray bottle and spray your dogs face with water as punishment for jumping with a stern vocal correction of “NO”. Proceed to praise your dog once again when your dog obeys your command. This way, it will learn to associate praise with correct action.

By following these steps, you will establish yourself as the alpha. And, you will have a head start in training your dog because it will have already learned to respect your authority as its leader.

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Article Source: Incredible dog training Tips That Work!

Dog Leash Training – The Golden Rule

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Leash Training – Part 2

The majority of dog owners address the issue of leash training only once it becomes a problem. In the beginning, when walking their dog, they initially think it’s “cute” that a puppy pulls away the entire walk to the park because, they think, that the dog “just can’t wait to play with its ball”. But once this pattern of pulling in ingrained, it take patience to retrain.

No matter what equipment and training method you choose, experts will tell you to abide by one golden rule when leash training: any pulling by the dog means all forward motion ceases.

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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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As soon as your puppy or dog puts tension on the leash, you stop – every time! Ah, but rather than just stand there and make this a battle of wills, we humans outsmart our clever dogs and convince them that putting slack in the leash really works on their favor. Therefore, leash training will include treats, praise and other positive payoffs.

Add A Clicker To The Leash Training Mix

Help your dog learn that it’s a good idea to stay close to you, that good things happen when you’re nearby. To achieve this goal, we suggest that you use a clicker, which is a small, handheld device that makes a “click” sound when pressed.

The click marks the desired behavior the second it occurs and is immediately followed by a treat. A clicker is a good way to cut through the environment clutter that is a part of most leash walks, and helps your dog to focus on you and what it’s doing to get “paid”.

The clicker helps teach your dog to ignore tempting distractions because you become more interesting to your dog than anything else.

Not surprisingly, a young pup that has never had a chance to develop the habit of pulling is the easiest to teach. First, gather up your training tools and snap the leash on the buckle collar. Start walking and talking to the puppy in a happy, friendly voice. As he turns to look at you and the leash goes slack, CLICK!

This interaction teaches your dog that you are, indeed, an integral part of being walked.

Note: Frequent clicks and treats while walking will help teach your dog that the big payoff usually happens within a one-foot radius around you. When leash training, most pups will begin to stick around in hopes of another reward.

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