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.

5 Tips To Choose Effective Dog Training Courses

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It can be confusing figuring out the best way to train your dog, and there are a lot of options available. How can you decide what the best dog training courses are? There are certain things to look for when determining where or who to take dog training courses with. Here is a list of tips to help you in your search for the best dog training courses for both you and your dog.

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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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Tips for selecting effective dog training courses:

1. Ask your local veterinarians, groomers, and shelters who they recommend the most. Someone who is a dog training professional is probably known around the local area, and chances are, the other dog service professionals will know about them.

2. Do an internet search for dog training courses in your area. Some pet stores hold classes, although they are not always the most conducive to learning. National professional organizations, like The Association of Pet Dog Trainers, have membership directories you can browse through. You will also be able to locate any dog kennel clubs in the area that might have training.

3. Once you have a list with a few names on it, it’s time to begin contacting. Always speak with a trainer directly to ask questions about their experience, how the classes are run, and in what manner they train. You might even ask for references. It is also important to ask a trainer if they are comfortable working with your kind of dog or its issues. Do they mind having your breed in class? Have they worked with it before? If your dog has special issues, you definitely want to get a sense of how they feel about it and how they would deal with it. Is your dog shy or scared or dog aggressive? What are the techniques they will use? You never want to get to a class and find out your dog won’t really get the kind of attention and education it needs.

4. Ask to watch. A reputable dog trainer or kennel club will not mind allowing you to watch a class in progress before deciding. You want to make sure you are comfortable with the trainer and the dog training courses themselves. How well is the information conveyed? Is the trainer able to control the class?

5. Group Size: How large a training class is should be a big consideration. You want to know that you will be able to ask questions and receive appropriate attention with your dog. dog training courses should never be larger than 10-15 dogs, but in small spaces, less than 10 dogs should be in a class. Selecting effective dog training courses requires you to do a little homework to find a training professional with a good reputation. Ultimately, speaking with the dog trainer and watching his dog training courses personally will help you decide if you are comfortable both with the trainer and his style of training.

Always speak with a trainer directly to ask questions about their experience, how the classes are run, and in what manner they train. You might even ask for references. It is also important to ask a trainer if they are comfortable working with your kind of dog or its issues. Do they mind having your breed in class? Have they worked with it before? If your dog has special issues, you definitely want to get a sense of how they feel about it and how they would deal with it.

Nancy Richards has been involved with http://www.trainpetdog.com dog training for several years. Her website offers free training courses on http://www.trainpetdog.com/dog-potty.html dog housebreaking, http://www.trainpetdog.com/dog-training.html dog obedience training, grooming, diet and care for.

Article Source: 5 Tips To Choose Effective dog training Courses

7 Effective Dog Training Tips

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Many people feel that dog training is a challenge. They try to prepare for the many obstacles they feel lay ahead. The good news is, dog training can be an easy, fun, and positive experience. Just follow these 7 effective tips, and you will see.

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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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1. When training your dog, give him praise when he does it right. When you show your dog that you are happy with his efforts, he will be more inclined to want to please you. As you progress and reach harder milestones, you may want to wait a little longer to give the praise. In the beginning, however, it is good to do it right away.

2. Use treats. After he has worked hard, has done a few tricks, to sit or to lay on command, or has been a good sport, it is fair to reward your dog with a treat. Like people, dogs need incentive to work.

3. Do not yes or hit your dog. This is extremely ineffective and will not produce the results you want. Like people, dogs respond negatively to such abuse, and it will more than likely increase the chances that your dog will rebel. This will only make for a frustrated owner and an angry dog.

4. Be firm but gentle. Give the commands firmly while gently moving your dog into the position that you want him. The firm but gentle tactic shows your dog that you are the boss: but, it also shows that he is loved.

5. Train your dog for a couple of minutes each day: but, do not go for too long as it will overwork the dog and cause him to feel stressed. Like people, dogs need repetition in order to grasp a new concept and can become stressed when overworked. Not to mention, if you work with your dog a couple of minutes a day, this will strengthen your friendship.

6. Help your dog to associate action with command. The way this can be done is as soon as you see your dog sit, say the word sit. Do the same thing if he is lying down. This will help him to know that these certain words are associated with these actions. Do this until he gets the hang of it.

7. Do not pay attention to your dog if he is misbehaving. If you give him attention only when he is running with toilet paper in his mouth, getting in the trash, or causing any other mischief, then this is letting him know that he can get your attention when he is doing something bad.

When you train your dog, this allows your dog to feel safe and secure. Also, when your dog knows you are his leader, this can prove to be a happy environment for both you and your dog!

Are you worried about your dog’s health? Make simple and healthy dog food at home with free dog food recipes at http://www.doggypuppyguide.com. For more dog food recipes, go to http://www.doggypuppyguide.com/dogfoodrecipes.htm.

Article Source: 7 Effective dog training Tips

Measuring Your Dog’s Intelligence

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Some dog owners and dog trainers expect their dog’s level of thinking and smartness to be the same of humans, when being trained.  This mistaken assumption about dog psychology can be devastating to the expectations of both the dog owner and the dog itself.

Trainers shouldn’t assess canine intelligence against human standards. Each individual canine may possess his own unique talent. If the occasion does not arise for the animal to display this talent, it doesn’t mean he’s dumb. For centuries, behavior experts have been trying to devise a test that measures all aspects of human intelligence and have failed miserably. With this success rate in mind, how can canine experts profess to measure the dog’s intelligence when we do not even speak the same language?

Labeling a dog dumb can be as unproductive and damaging as labeling humans. If an animal is labeled dumb, the owner usually gives up trying to teach the dog. The label then becomes self-fulfilling because if his owner won’t train him, the dog really won’t know anything.

On the other hand, labeling a dog smart may create unrealistic expectations and disappointment if he doesn’t respond as expected. Perhaps all these “dumb” dogs are just clever enough to make their owners think they are dumb to avoid the effort of obeying! A very frustrated Basset Hound owner complained to his instructor that he had spent a month trying to teach his dog to sit on command and the dog just didn’t get it. As the owner was explaining his dilemma, the instructor was mindlessly playing with a piece of liver that she had not put away after working with another dog. The Basset noticed the liver and began nudging the instructor. From pure habit, she told the dog to sit. The Basset plopped his rear end down as fast as Bassets do. This is a good demonstration of learning theory proven long ago that a lack of response does not mean that learning is not occurring. This dog was learning, the owner just hadn’t found the right motivator to get him to respond.

Perhaps canine intelligence is not measurable, particularly when the criteria for intelligence are measured on another species’ yardstick. Fortunately, regardless of breed, the great majority of dogs are intelligent enough to grasp basic obedience commands when training is intelligently presented. A trainer armed with motivating training methods and a good understanding of the principles behind canine learning can shape a dog’s behavior into desirable conduct.

Dog Training: Correct Heel Methods (1)

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Dog Training 101

Once you have reached the level in training your dog where he is not fooled by distractions or temptation, you are then ready to proceed to the next level of dog training – how to heel correctly.

If your dog cannot walk comfortably at your side, there is no way you’re going to teach him anything about being obedient. He must learn to heel properly and focus his full attention to you.

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Click Here Now – -and watch Chet’s Free Dog Training Video.

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You will be using a six-foot leather training leash for this phase. During this stage of training, you will teach your dog to walk beside you like a gentleman. He will learn to automatically sit at your side when you stop.

A Dog Training Must – No Punishment Needed

The right attitude cannot be achieved if your dog is mistreated or abused. To restrain or choke the dog on a short, tight leash, to hit him in the chest, or to smack his face with the end of the leash while trying to teach him to heel will result, among other things, in a completely negative attitude in the animal.

Your Starting Position When Dog Training

To begin, you will notice that your leash has a loop in one end. Place your right thumb through that loop. With your left hand, grab the leash at the middle section and place it in your right hand. Notice that the dog is on your left side, but that the leash is held in your right hand. This will seem a little awkward at first, but your left hand will be doing other things.

Do not form the habit of trying to restrain your dog at your side by holding him up close with the left hand on that leash. Remember, you want to train your dog, not restrain him. Forget about everything that you were told or read about restraining a dog tugging at your side in the hope that he will get the idea that this is where you want him to walk. That idea will never occur to him.

There is an important characteristic of an untrained dog on a leash that will become obvious to you during this stage of training. This dog wants to feel a tight leash! If there’s a slack in the leash, he has no way of calculating its exact length. On a tight leash, he can lunge and pull and go through all kinds of twists and turns, because he has the security of feeling where the other end of the leash is.

Therefore, it is very important from a dog training perspective that you don’t give in to your dog’s wishes by walking him on a tight leash.

Dog Training: Train Your Dog To Become A Good Neighbor

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Their world may not extend beyond a couple of blocks – but nevertheless, dogs are an integral part of society and as a dog owner, you have a serious responsibility when it comes to dog training.

You must mold your dog into a good neighbor – not a nuisance or a menace. Left to its own devices, a dog naturally might enjoy destroying someone’s precious lawn, chasing other animals or having a loud dialogue with the midnight moon.

These and lots of other behaviors your neighbors will hate, of course, never strike your dog as anything but fun, unless you have employed dog training and supervised.

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Click Here Now – -and watch Chet’s Free Dog Training Video.

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This is your responsibility. Certainly you don’t want your dog’s behavior to become a point of contention between otherwise compatible neighbors.

To begin with, no dog should be allowed to roam indiscriminately. Most people are reluctant  confront the owner of an offending dog, but no one appreciates canine trespassing.

You must use some form of dog training  because dogs lacking human supervision will often leave destruction in their path, and you are liable for your pet’s activities.

Don’t let bad feelings start because you have given your dog a free rein.

Furthermore, you put your dog’s life at risk every time you allow it such freedom. Your pet may attack or be attacked by other animals – wild (think about rabies) or domesticated. Chances are, at some point, the dog will be hit and perhaps killed by a car.

A free-roaming dog is more susceptible to picking up parasites and disease. And it may simply disappear one day, leaving you to wonder whether it has been abducted or killed. Sadly, these are common occurrences.

If you want to keep your dog outdoors, an exercise run or a sturdy fence around your yard is mandatory. Hopefully, if your dog is a barker, your neighbors live a good distance away. However, in the densely populated urban and suburban areas in which most of us live, it is simply unacceptable to permit a dog to bark endlessly. You are going to have extremely unhappy neighbors. Breaking the barking habit can be a real problem; you can try working with a trainer to come up with a solution, or you may simply have to keep the dog indoors. Certainly, it is unfair to make other people suffer while you’re away.

Remember, barking is both natural for dogs and a learned behavior in certain situations. To correct unwanted barking, you must catch the dog in the act and administer a stern, forceful correction.

You cannot correct undesirable behavior via dog training unless the dog is actually caught in the act of performing it.

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