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.

Considering a Dog Training Career?- Here is What You Need to Know

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Copyright (c) 2010 James Mahoney

If you love working with dogs, a dog training career may be just right for you. Dogs all the way from puppies to older dogs, need training, and their owners usually don’t know how to train them. They need a professional to do the job.

If you are considering pursuing this as a career, you could just start by practicing on your own dog. If you are good at training your dog, then you might be good at training other people’s dogs. But if you find that training your dog leaves you frustrated and drained, then a dog training career might not be the best choice for you.

A career can be very rewarding. Most people love dogs and more and more people are becoming dog owners. Also people are coming to realize the importance of training when it comes to their dog’s well being and overall happiness.

There are basically two types of careers since it field really consists of two different areas. These areas are pet and service dog training. These are both in demand, however there are far more opportunities in pet dog training.

For a successful dog training career however it is not enough just to love dogs. You have to be able to get along well with the people who own the dogs too, and when training the dogs, you are also training the owners as well.

So when the owners become distraught will you be able to deal with them in a way that iscalming, but firm and be understanding.

To found out more information about careers in dog training and how to get, check out the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT). They state on their web site that they are committed to becoming better trainers through education. APDT is a good place to find out more about dog training jobs, as well as networking with their members.

You can also find dog trainer training academies that provide those interested in dog training careers the basics of the business. Besides training, you can also find out about the running of your own dog training business before getting started.

There are many ways to get started in a dog training career. You could volunteer your services at a dog training class held by a local animal shelter. This will help to give you a feel for what is involved in pursuing dog training career. If you prove to be a good teacher than you could consider going to the next step in your training.

You could receive training at a school for those interested in a dog training career where you can get good hands on training. You should be able to find many schools and seminars available in your area.

But remember a career in dog training requires more than just knowing how to handle dogs, you must know how to handle their owners too. If you possess these qualities in addition to having good training, you could be well on the way to success in this field.

J. Mahoney is the owner of Dog Trainers Ideas.com. Just feel free to visit http://www.dogtrainersideas.com where you will find a resource providing you with advice on all aspects of dog training, house training and dog health. If you want to find more info on dog training Career Click Here!

Article Source: Considering a dog training Career?- Here is What You Need to Know

Dog Leash Training – Use Food Instead Of A Clicker

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Leash Training – Part 3

Though clicker training garners results with leash training, not everyone is comfortable with it. Personally, I do not use a clicker when training my dogs.

I prefer to keep the rewards mixed. A rub, praise, toy or food can be intermixed as rewards when you get the response you want.

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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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Food is great for luring a dog into behavior, but once the dog has the concept, humans have a hard time of getting rid of the treats. Be unpredictable in your rewards, make a game of it.

Always impress upon the dog that the fun stuff comes when the leash is slack. Learn how to use your voice and facial expressions so that your dog wants to be near you. These are training tools that you never leave at home. Practice different pitches and sounds to see which attract your dog’s interest.

Many trainers have concerns about using treats, but they must remember the significance of raising the criteria. This means asking the dog to do more before giving it a reward. Your dog may learn to walk beautifully by your side as long as you keep clicking and treating, but what happens when your pocket is empty? Try to make him do a bit more during each walk – go a bit farther between treats or ignore bigger distractions.

Despite its age, your adult dog will need the same considerations as a puppy during leash training. When the leash goes taut, help the dog understand why you stopped by using your voice to get his attention. If he is too busy barking or pulling forward something it finds particularly enticing, use treats or a toy to distract it from its mission.

Have these special rewards ready before hitting the known problem area and work to keep your dog’s attention. This will help your dog learn to ignore the bothersome barking dog or that tempting squirrel nest.

Understandably, we all would like instant results, but dog training seldom works that way. It may take weeks or even months to persuade the dog that pulling is no longer effective. Owners can become discouraged, concluding that they are doing something wrong or their dog is hopeless.

So in the end, even if the results are slow in coming, keep in mind that even 2 steps without pulling is progress, and you must praise, praise, and praise some more! Soon it will be 3 steps, then 4 steps, and so on.

The change won’t happy overnight, in a week, or even a month – it’s going to take time, fairness and consistency, which means practice almost every day, perhaps for months. Overall, it’s a relatively small investment to achieve years of benefit.

Leash training is a deceptively difficult aspect of training. Dogs learn to pull much more readily than they learn not to. For those who do dedicate the time and effort needed for leash training, the results are worth it.

Training Your Poodle

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All dogs, including the Poodle, need training to learn how to behave themselves. When your Standard Poodle learns to greet people by sitting still, he won’t jump up on them. When he learns what the word “stay” means, he will learn to be still and to control his own actions. Your Toy Poodle can learn to walk nicely on a leash instead of being carried all the time. In addition, once you learn how to teach your dog, you can train him to follow the rules necessary for good behavior.

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

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Does your Poodle insist on being the center of attention? Does he bark at people outside your yard? If he gets out of the yard, does he refuse to come when you call him? Does he raid the trashcan? Does he jump on your guests? These are not unusual behaviors for a young, untrained dog, but they are unnecessary, potentially dangerous, and annoying behaviors that you can change (or at least control) through training.

With training, your Poodle can learn to control himself so that he doesn’t react to every impulse. He can learn to sit while greeting people rather than covering them with muddy paw     & prints or ripping their clothes. He can learn to restrain some of his vocalizations and to ignore the trashcans.

Ideally, training should begin as soon as you bring home your new Poodle. If you have an eight to ten-week-old puppy, that’s okay. Your new puppy can begin learning that biting isn’t allowed, that he should sit for treats, petting, and meals, and where he should go to relieve himself. By ten weeks of age, you can attach a small leash to his collar and let him drag it around for a few minutes at a time so he gets used to it. Always watch him closely, of course, so that he doesn’t get the leash tangled up in something and choke himself. Young puppies have a very short attention span, but they are capable of learning and are eager students.

Don’t let your Poodle pup do anything now that you don’t want him to do later when he is full grown. For example, if you don’t want your Standard Poodle up on your lap when he’s 45 pounds of rough paws and hard elbows, don’t let him on your lap now. If you don’t want your Toy Poodle growing up to be a problem barker, stop the barking when he’s a puppy. It will be much harder to change the habit later. Keep in mind as you begin your dog’s training that Poodles are an intelligent breed, responsive to training!

If you have adopted a Poodle who is an older puppy or an adult, you can still begin training right away.

Although your new dog will need time to get used to you and his new home, early training will help your Poodle learn what you expect of him, and as a result, will make that adjustment easier.

Dog Training: Correct Heel Methods (3)

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Dog Training 101

As you become more familiar with dog training you’ll discover there are two extremes of personalities in dogs – the introvert and the extrovert.

However, there are many degrees in between those two extremes as there are dogs in this planet.

Regardless of where your dog’s personality lies on that scale, once you have given the dog training command to heel you must start walking and continue walking. Encourage your dog to accompany you if necessary. Correct his heedless rush with absolute right-about turns if necessary.

But, you should never, ever give in during your dog training if your dog decides to not follow your command and just “sit this one out”.

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

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Dogs learn by associating their actions with a pleasing or displeasing result. Therefore, the dog who tries to take advantage of the new shortened leash by surging and keeping a strain on it comes to a sudden discovery that you still have the situation very much under control. As soon as he can cause the leash to tighten, he will take his eyes off you, only to feel the sudden jolt of your right-about turn.

By using the reserve slack in your hand properly, your dog will realize that the leash is no different than the long line, except that he must pay even closer attention since the six-foot leash gives him less time to react than the fifteen-foot long-line. He’ll realize how much more pleasing it is to walk at your side so that he can see which way and when you’re going to change direction. Your left hand giving him a pat on the head when he’s in the correct heel position is also more pleasing than the sudden jolt that he gets when not in the proper position.

On the other hand, your introvert dog, one that stands as if he had feet glued to the cement, suddenly feels the slightly displeasing effect of the short, sharp jerks of the leash. Hearing your enthusiastic tone of voice and seeing your left hand pat your leg invitingly will do wonders to make your pet choose the more promising alternative. The moment he does, he will discover the warm, affectionate praise and pat on the head to be far more enjoyable than the series of sharp jolts he experienced as a result of his initial reluctance to walk with you.

You may have to spend each of your fifteen-minute training sessions for the next four days in this simple leash introduction so the introvert-type will walk without any reluctance or fear and to stop the extrovert’s heedless rushes by your unannounced change of direction.

Don’t Be Afraid To Use Too Much Pull

Let me describe a scene of what an extrovert dog may do when prompted with a distraction. Picture a dog tied to a tree on a twenty-five foot rope lying in loose coils on the ground. He is sleeping comfortably under the tree when a cat walks by past the dog at a distance of about twenty-seven feet.

The dog wakes up, spots the cat and rushes recklessly to pounce on the poor cat. The dog will be stopped two foot short and very abruptly too. After regaining his composure, he will still strain and tug to try and get the cat. But, unless he’s a total fool, he will not make that reckless rush a second time – not while still tied to a tree. But does he blame the tree? Of course not.

You are not as firm as a tree, so don’t be worried about hurting your pet. Your objective during the dog training should be clear. Your dog should walk at your left side, neither lagging behind nor surging ahead.

Always remember that the leash should be slack. Eventually, you’ll be heeling your dog without the leash and you will realize the importance of that slack.

If your dog is used to feeling a tight leash restraining him in the heeling position when dog training, he’ll be long gone when you walk him without the leash later on.

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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