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How To Stop Your Dog’s Possessive Aggression

May 25, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

Possessive aggression is centered around a dog’s food, toys, treats, or any article that the dog may have stolen from you and this aggression should not be handled primarily with compulsion (negative reinforcement). It should be handled with positive conditioning.

The Scenario: A dog starts to growl when his owner approaches him while chewing his pig’s ear. You can correct this behavior when you are prepared to teach the dog to act in a less defensive manner around his pig’s ear. The technique requires you to first offer the dog his pig’s ear, then walk away. Get out one of your dog’s favorite treats, making it the best it can be, so it is much more appealing than the pig’s ear. Throw or drop the food directly in front of the dog and walk away. If the dog growls, however, as you approach him, walk away and leave no food. If the dog growled, you went too close to him and you should throw the treat from a distance, so as not to elicit any aggression from the dog.

You may decrease the space between you and the dog gradually. This process usually takes several weeks of slowly building the dog’s trust so that he understands you are approaching him to give, and not to take away from him. Generally, these sessions should be very short, but frequent. The treat is fabulous, but each repetition should only give the dog a small amount of food so as to keep him interested in learning how to earn greater rewards. Five or six repetitions per session with about four training sessions daily will generally do.

It is wise not to leave anything for the dog to “own” while you are training him. That includes toys, chews, beds, empty food bowls, and pigs’ ears. Provide the treats when you are practicing your approach conditioning. We will move along to the point where we drop the treats between his legs or have him directly take the food from your hand. We will proceed to the point where you can take his pig’s ear, give him a treat, and then return his pig’s ear to him to chew.

In this way you can functionally teach your dog to look forward to your approach when he has an object, and if necessary allow you to take the object with no anxiety or aggression from him. This will work only if you follow the procedure and do it slowly. After you have achieved success, continue this process intermittently forever. Also, note that a dog that knows how to drop something out of his mouth on command tends toward less possessive aggression.

It is critical that all members of your family participate in this program in order for the dog to generalize his correct behavior. Always be aware that this possessive aggression may arise again if an unforeseen incident provokes defensive actions on the part of your dog. Your dog’s aggression is an action that occurs in hopes that the target of his aggression will exhibit avoidance behaviors and walk or run away, therefore allowing him to fulfill his defensive drive.

When It Comes To Dog Training, There Is No Such Thing As A Perfect Dog

May 18, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

As any reputable trainer or dog training book will tell you, canine learning is based largely on repetition. When a behavior is repeated enough times, dogs develop habits, or conditioned responses. Assuming that those habits are positive ones such as eliminating outside, coming when called, lying down and staying when told, and others – you will have what you want: a trained dog. That’s because dogs are creatures of habit. Once you set up a routine of various signals and conditioned responses (sit, down, stay), the dog will do exactly what you tell him every time. Right? No exactly…

No conditioned response is infallible. Creatures with advanced brains can think. They can defy conditioning. They also can make mistakes. Think about two of your own conditioned responses. You have a habit of answering the telephone when it rings, but one day you decide not to take any calls. The telephone rings but you keep reading your book. You know what you usually do, but today you decide not to do it. You also have a habit of stopping your car at a red light. But one day you are tired or distracted and you roll through an intersection. Even the most experienced drivers sometimes make mistakes.

Similarity, there will be times when even the best-trained dog will either defy conditioning or make a mistake. Therefore you must avoid becoming complacent or overconfident about learned behavior. Do not rely on conditioned responses in potentially dangerous situations. For example, you should never unleash even the best-trained dog near a busy road. One mistake could result in injury or death to my dog.

Owners need to reinforce their dog’s conditioned responses. Certainly the more practice and proofing you do with a dog, the more reliable his response will be. Skilled human beings, from tennis pros to typists, need practice to stay in top form. This is because all learned skills need reinforcement.

When you feel you have achieved a well-trained dog, continue to practice obedience exercises once in a while. It can be fun for both you and the dog. Plus it reinforces the good behaviors you worked so hard to achieve. When you need to call on those skills in real situations, such as doing a stand-stay at the veterinarian’s office, you will be more confident that your dog will comply. Your dog will be more confident by doing something that is familiar – and for which he can earn your praise.

Puppy Training: Tips And Tricks

April 22, 2010 by admin 1 Comment

Puppies and dogs are such caring and loving beings; their biggest goal is to make you, their master, happy. By nature puppies want to do what you want them to do. The biggest problem with this is the communication barrier.

Dogs can not speak nor can they understand our spoken language. However, through body language, observation, our attitude, and the sounds we make (or words) he will begin to understand what it is we want him to do.

So how do we use this to our advantage? We must do the same things over and over. Repetition will of the same words, body language, and action will help your puppy understand what it is you want him to do.

Plus if you reward him with anything ie lots and lots of praise, a belly rub, a scratch on the head, or a small biscuit he will begin to want to do those things for your attention.

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Now how to we take this and apply it to our training? Simple, decide on a plan and STICK to it. I am amazed at how many pet owners decide on a puppy training plan only to dismiss it and begin another repeatedly, until the puppy is so confused that it will take longer and a lot harder work to train him.

Does it matter what technique or plan we choose? Yes and no. It does not matter because as long as you choose one and stick to it you will be able to train your puppy.

However, it does matter because if you decide on one that requires you to be home 24/7 but you work 8 hours a day, then that plan will not work for you or your puppy.

What are some different techniques I can use? Let me share some basic training techniques with you that should help train your puppy.

But remember not all of these techniques will work for all of you. You must take a look at each plan and then at your own personal situation and see if it matches well.

Technique #1: Potty training

This technique does not actually refer to training your dog to use the toilet (we wish) but is actually teaching him where to go potty.

First you need to decide on where you want him to potty, I am a big fan of outside, but if you are in an apartment you can choose elsewhere.

Then all you need to do is after you pooch eats or drinks, and I mean every time, you need to take him to this designated area until he relieves himself.

Then give him lots of praise and release him.

Technique #2: Sitting

This one is a favorite of mine to teach, it does not take too much work and just about anyone can do it. Your puppy probably already knows that certain things taste better then others, so for this you will need a few tasty treats for him.

Then you let him sniff the treat for a second.

Then you lift the treat about 6 inches over his noise and say sit. Most of the time your puppy will sit in the process of following the treat, then you want to praise him making sure you mention sit again and give him the treat.

After doing this a few times a day, for a week or so, your puppy should be ready to sit without a treat and will eventually sit for you when ever you ask.

For more tips visit Training Puppies for house training techniques or crate training.

Article Source: ArticleSpan

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