Doggy Mentor

Archive for December, 2008

Crate Training For Dogs

To begin crate training your dog you need to let them get used to it before locking them inside. You could walk away from him or watch him as he calms down inside. Remember this is for training so if he begins to act up you should not let him out. Be patient and let him calm down and then you can let him out. Do this exercise for a couple of days until he has learned to enter the crate and leave it on his own.

Many people protest against crate training a dog because, according to them, it is similar to solitary confinement. Still, the benefits to crate training your dog mentioned in this article, and several other benefits that we will not take the time to explore, show this to be a good method for both the owner and their dog.

People who take the right approach to crate training puppies will help their dog or puppy realize it to be a safe place for them to rest and not something to fear.

Crate training is based on the instinct of the dog to find some security with den nesting places that are isolated from all distractions. For dogs, a den can serve as their home. Your dog will respond well to your patience and use of correct techniques when training them to use the crate.

Benefits of Using a Crate

a) For occasions when the dog cannot run around freely, placing them in a crate will be a good choice for controlling their movements.

b) Dogs will begin to feel secure inside the crate and appreciate the safety zone it provides when they are in an unfamiliar place.

c) The crate quickly becomes a familiar place to rest and retreat too from things that make them uncomfortable.

d) A crate could also be used to limit dogs with problem behaviors.

e) It is also a good place for puppies that are still untrained and might cause some trouble within the home such as biting.

f) This could also be good for dogs with separation anxiety.

g) It could secure the dog whenever the owner has to bring him outside.

h) It increases his confidence due to the security it provides.

i) Crates can enhance training by giving your dog a sense of consistency and guidance for routine activities.

Size Does Matter

The crate should be large enough to accommodate the dog on all fours, to let him lie down comfortably and to give him enough space to turn around without hitting the walls. It is also important to know that if you plan on traveling you will want to consider purchasing a slightly larger crate.

However, when a crate is used for just training purposes, they do not need to be so large that the dog can move around in it and maybe do something undesirable inside it.

How to introduce the crate to the dog

The best time to introduce the crate to a dog is when you feel that they are ready for it. After buying the right crate, you could place it somewhere in the house where it would catch the dog’s attention. Let him explore his crate first for the first week with the door removed.

Some dogs will not show any interest in the crate so you may want to perk their interest by putting a favorite toy or treat inside. After a couple of days, try feeding your dog inside the crate. This will condition his mind that the crate is for him and he can safely go inside it without fearing any harm.

Why Get Cheap Dog Training Collars?

Is it worth to invest in your dog’s training?

It is important to know you will devote a lot of time and need to spend some money to successfully train your dog.

It is perfectly okay to buy very expensive dog collars if you prefer doing so. There are a lot of choices for you. Collars range anywhere from fancy fashion dog collars, studded collars to a wide variety of others. Most owners do not like to spend the extra money on dog training collars and therefore choose to use one that will be more practical and meet the basic requirements.

Dog training could be stressful especially if your dog is highly independent and has a high level of curiosity which tends to cause problem behaviors.

After investing for your dog’s training without satisfactory results, many owners tend to cut down from spending too much on other things that contribute nothing to improving the behavior of the dog. An option for cutting back on cost would be the type of dog training collar you use.

If the dog you are training likes to chew on things you may not want to invest in a nicer, more expensive collar at least until he begins learning to respond well to training. What is more important to remember is the improvement of the behavior and not really on how expensive or sophisticated the collar and other accessories look.

Even though dog collars are instrumental in getting better control and correcting unwanted dog behaviors, expensive collars can quickly effect your budget. To help stay within a manageable budget you don’t have to sacrifice quality because there are a lot of good functional collars that will work well without the high cost.

To get a cheap collar with good value it is best to first evaluate the product before looking at how much it costs. Don’t get caught up in the mind set that if you pay more for a collar, that it is a good indication to determine it’s functionality.

However, cost can be a good way to determine if your looking at the right collar but it should not be the sole influence on your final decision. For example, an excellent collar could give the best value at its lowest possible price. Another thing to be aware of is that just because the price is low, don’t think the quality of the collar is low too.

Don’t give into the mind set that pricing equals quality. You do not need to be in the mindset of thinking’s items at the lower end of pricing are of less quality, while those having expensive tags have the best quality. This can indeed be the truth for certain brand names but is not always the case. So be sure to find the best bargains at their best prices.

When advanced technologies are integrated into the collar, they are often retailed at much higher prices. The popular electronic dog collar is a good example. The price of this collar runs anywhere from $100 to $999 depending on the types of features installed in the item. The more advanced technologies used within the dog training collar, will determine how expensive they are.

Since dog collars can cost hundreds of dollars many people find it impractical to spend that much money on it, because it is a training accessory. With a little research you can find the type of collar you want and in the price range your willing to spend.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Career in Dog Training

Some people choose a career in dog training simply because it is a popular choice, however, there are those who are really passionate about canines in a way that their life’s direction has led them towards loving dogs even more.

Before you look at a career as a dog trainer ask yourself if you are someone who loves dogs and wants to love them more, or, are thinking about it, just because someone brought it to your attention as a possible option?

Back to Basic Principles

Before choosing a career in dog training you should know it not only requires a love for dogs, you also need knowledge about their basic behaviors, and you will need the skills on how to handle and discipline them properly. Dog trainers usually have a long history of experience with dogs and interaction with many dog owners, handlers and their pets.

Do You Know your Dogs Division?

There are two types of careers in the dog world: the pet service training and the dog training. Both have relatively high demands in the market but there are a lot more opportunities in pet dog training than in service training.

Pet dog training usually involves dogs that function merely as pets and as companions therefore, most commonly they are taught obedience training, agility training, potty training and training to eliminate unwanted behaviors like barking and biting.

Service training, on the other hand, involves specified training on services required by people with disabilities and those undergoing therapy. Some service dog trainers teach dogs to be search and rescue dogs such as the ever important police dogs or even hunting dogs.

Each of these take a large amount of dedication and patience on the trainers part as they are very intense fields of specialize divisions.

Canine Psychology – What is It?

Learn all about dog behavior – their thinking, their behaviors and their reaction to stimulus. Training adheres to conditioning the thinking of the dog to make specific responses. You should also know well the fundamentals of associative conditioning.

What about Dog Training Education?

Careers in dog training require you have the skills to train and handle dogs. There are no degrees in dog training yet, for there are no colleges and universities offering such. However, there are dog “academies” or “schools” that could provide basic training. Still it must be said the best dog trainers have a natural abilities with dogs and are often self taught on how to be successful when handling them.

Some have apprenticed with excellent dog trainers while others simply have a natural talent for training dogs. There are also a number of dog training organizations that could provide the latest information on dog training.

People and dogs both have attitudes and a good dog trainer will need to work with both.

Dog training involves training the handlers of the dog as well Since you will be working with all kinds of people, you will need to have good people skills and be able to work with all personality types.

There are impatient owners who expect fast learning from their dogs, and they are reluctant to taking advice openly, however, others are relatively open to suggestions. During your career in dog training you will be working with both types of dog handlers and many other personality types too. In short, a career in dog training is not only limited to dog training but also an experience of people training as well.

Dog training is not limited to “training” alone; there are also certain aspects that you should be knowledgeable of, like the maintenance of proper dog hygiene, nutrition and grooming.

Having a vast knowledge of what accessories to use and training aids that are available will help during dog competitions. You will also need the ability to distinguish different types of dog breeds and know what the fundamental differences are.

You don’t have to be a master in dog training to be an excellent trainer; you only have to develop certain skills necessary in working with dogs and their handlers, by using sufficient knowledge on theories, then have the capacity to use them in a practical way.

The Australian Shepherds can provide good companionship. You should lead an active lifestyle to appreciate this kind of breed. These animals are full of zest and very athletic and therefore can be a handful if one is not properly armed with a good dose of knowledge on how to train the Australian Shepherd. Find out the basic information about this breed.

Quick Facts

The Australian Shepherd or Aussie as it is commonly called from the US was used to herding in ranches. Robustly built medium sized country dog, has triangular shaped ears that is slightly rounded at the tip. {Typical Aussie has a distinctive docked bobtail}. Aussie has deep robust chest and stands evenly on all fours. Masculinity or femininity is discernible in Australian Shepherds.

Height: Male 20-23 inches.) Bitches 18-21 inches (46-53cm)

Weight: Dogs 50-65 pounds (25-29 kg) Bitches 40-55 pounds (18-25 kg.)

Personality

Aussies are intelligent animals, hardworking and has an innate herding and guarding instincts. They can be easily trained and love performing tasks. You will not likely find them in one corner just sitting around for a long time. Aggressive and attentive, they can be a good guard dog. Their animated quality makes them popular with children who love to play and run around. Though they are friendly and affectionate with their human family they are actually reserve and cautious around strangers. Typical Aussies would be happy with constant activities going on around them. Schedule a lot of activities like walking, running, jumping and playing around to keep their general well being in a balance.

Training

The great qualities that make these animals so endearing can also be damaging if they are not properly trained since this could result to undesirable behavior like nipping, chewing and digging. Obedience training for Australian Shepherds is highly recommended since they are quick learners and this will make them realize what are expected of them early on. It is best to develop their social skills by exposing them to people and other animals for them to discern between a friend and foe. Very loyal and affectionate with their masters, they suffer from separation anxieties so it is not advisable to leave them alone for a long period of time. Poorly socialized Aussied could become aggressive without proper training.

{The life expectancy of an Aussie is 12 years and up}. Higly active Aussies results to big appetite so be sure to sypply a big amount of quality food to supplement their energy level. it is important for an owner to have time for this dog and be committed to nurture this special breed. With proper care and training of Australian Shepherds, a life with them will be enjoyable and rewarding.

Popular Commands for Dog Training One of the first commands to teach your dog is to “Come”. Then you can teach your dog to “Heel” upon command.

People are amazed at watching a well trained bird dog in action. These finely trained bird dogs never fail to heed their owners’ commands. Then we think – How could this be possible? You may wonder if bird dog training will help bring out the best in your dog.

Training them to be a bird dog will bring out the best in your dog if you are willing to work consistently with them.

There are some breeds that have a natural lineage, giving them the ability to becoming a good bird dog. Teaching them to obey basic commands is the best place to start. Dog training professionals acknowledge the fact that dogs need to understand what command is being used in order to make them respond. In this type of training, there are main commands that should be mastered by both the owner and the dog.

The “Stay” Command

The most basic command is “Stay”

Dogs that follow their masters command without hesitation will demonstrate obedience and respect to his owner. Dogs will express obedience to their master by doing whatever they are commanded to do, even if their master walks a great distance before giving the command.

Using the command ’Whoa’ or ’Easy’ is very useful for dogs that get excited about flushing out birds, because they may begin to get out of control, and start mouthing or playing with the birds. Once they obey your command it would be good to go to him and praise or reward them for a doing a good job.

Teaching them to ’Come’

This is a simple command used to train your dog to come to you every time you give it. The uses of this command are rather simple. Say for example, retrieving would be a lot easier if the dog would come to you the instant you tell him to do so. Some dogs can be stubborn and may want to play or even begin to go off in another direction. Teaching your dog to ’Come’ will help keep him within the range you need, for them to obey any additional commands.

The ’Heel ’Command

If you want your dog to walk by your side, the right command to teach your dog is, ’Heel’.

It is normally matched with another one-word command such as “okay”, or “go” to signal his release. This will let him know that he has performed favorably and he is again allowed to hunt for you.

Each and every time your dog performs correctly for you as he was instructed, always reward or praise him generously. Dogs are born with the desire to make their owners happy. When you begin to reward your dog in this way, let him know he is behaving correctly and that you want him to continue that type of behavior. Overtime, he will learn to repeat the same desirable actions as long as you allow him to do so.

Bird dog training takes dedication and persistence. This is the reason why there are not many bird dogs around. However, if you really want to turn your dog into a really good hunter, you should be ready to invest some time and patience in perfecting the basic commands used in his training.

Do you have a dog chewing problem ? A dog that loves to chew on anything he sees interesting and you can’t seem to figure out why he has this kind of passion? Have you ever come home from work only to find your most favorite pair of shoes being chewed upon—or worse, almost halfway around the throat of your, cute, sweet and innocent, little pet ? If this is a familiar scenario to you, I suggest that you continue to read on.

Chewing is one of the worst habits that any dog can pick up. Besides it being destructive to your property, a a dog chewing might get injured by breaking its teeth or swallowing harmful material. Worse, , some dogs gnaw on themselves! This kind of unpleasant behavior may cause hair loss and even serious infections to areas of their bodies like their tails, legs, and feet. If you have a problem with dog chewing, instead of dismissing the act as a typical dog behavior, work to immediately correct the situation.

Chewing is a known behavior of puppies . However, their choices of what to chew on will be depend on you and how you train your dog. If you are welcoming a new puppy into your home, be sure to supply it with adequate toys to prevent your pooch from destroying your home, car, or wardrobe. Moreover, be sure to choose toys that cannot be mistaken for those “out of bound” items. Many dog owners prefer to grant their pups with cast off shoes to somehow redirect its attention from the new pair they have just bought, but to their surprise the puppy would still chew up on their brand new pair instead. Look for bones and toys that are meant to be used as a chewing toy that will not splinter, break, or split and potentially cause a choking hazard. Also, provide your puppy with several different toys in various areas so that he does not become bored and opt to gnaw on your beloved items and furniture as an alternative.

Yes, there are simple steps that can help you prevent your dog from chewing up your possessions! For starters, the easiest way to stop this routine is to keep an eye on your dog. Dogs cannot chew up your house and home while you sit watching them. Vigilance is a huge part of dog ownership. Furthermore, consider confining your dog to a room or area of your home until you can trust him to have free rein of your abode. More than vigilance , cleanliness is a large factor in what a dog has access to chew. Simply put, your dog cannot chew your shoes unless they were left accessible. If you find your dog chewing something, if possible, place it out of his reach. In all fairness, the dog will continue chewing the same item until it is either removed or completely destroyed.

“But what about the larger things like furniture, doors, or appliances that will be hard to move”, you say? For these structures, apply a thin film of Bitter Apple. Like its name suggests, this solution is quite bitter and very unsavory for dogs. Available in a spray or cream, Bitter Apple will not damage the finish of your furniture and can easily be wiped away once the dog learns not the chew. Don’t be alarmed if your dog does ingest the material, it will not make him sick, as the contents of it are non-toxic.

Lastly, be the protector of your own items . Teach your dog commands like “leave it” and instruct him to cease and desist the gnawing of your items. Use a spray bottle or a shaker device rather than physical punishment, which can sometime cause dogs to become more destructive in protest. If your dog is chewing on himself more than your home, immediately visit your veterinarian. There are a lot of skin conditions, including parasitic infections that can cause a dog to chew on his own skin in order to find relief. Turn to a cooling spray that will provide relief as the area begins to heal. Also, use an antibiotic cream to prevent infection.

worry] is the destruction a dog can make on their furniture and other stuff. There is hope nonetheless. There a lot of advice about preventing your dog from chewing on the furniture that is readily available from a variety of materials . There are also tons of ways to practice that advice about your pet chewing on furniture and apply it for your particular breed.

And it is most excellent to begin controlling the behavior at an early age. . Part of the reason to start early is that chewing tends to be a result of teething, and when left unchecked, progress into a more destructive adult furniture chewing. If you have adult dogs, you can still practice to control your dog from chewing on your furniture.

Redirecting your dog’s chewing is one useful and amazing bit of advice on preventing your dog from chewing furniture. You should take a toy and redirect your pet’s attention on the toy as you discover your dog chewing on your pricey furniture . If they turn their attention to the toy and stop on chewing on the furniture, praise them immensely. Sooner or later, your dog will discover to enjoy the praise from chewing properly.

What people need to understand about dog chewing is that chewing is a very common dog behavior. A lot of people tend to think that you need to prevent chewing altogether to keep your dog from ruining the furniture. This only means that your dog needs chewing toys; the more active the toys are, the better. It is very likely that your beloved pets incessantly chew out of boredom, frustration, anxiety, and/or loneliness. When dogs have active toys , they find other things to do other than chewing on your furniture.

Plush toys and tennis balls are all great toys but active toys are things that stimulate your dog and let them play on their own. One of the best active toys available in the market is GoDogGo, which allows your dog to play fetch on their own. The famous Kong and snack activity balls or squares are good for your dog too because it lets your dog look for food in an exciting way . Hide-a-toy plush toys, where smaller toys are hidden inside a larger toy, is also a great example of an active toy. To prevent them from chewing on your furniture, let your dog be active by using these great toys.

Making sure your dog stays usy when you are out is also a key method to keep them from chewing on your furniture. Much of this chewing habit occurs just right before you get home. To avoid this, you might want to train your dog to a pre-meeting activity, like making him greet you with a certain toy which he would have to look for right before you arrive. Coach your pet to welcome you with a definite toy in his or her mouth just before you arrive. This exercise starts by helping your dog to seek out the toy, and not greeting your dog until he or she has the toy in his or her mouth. Your dog will likely to grasp the idea after few more days and start bringing this toy to your doorstep, and that only means that your dog will spend some time right before you get home looking for the toy rather than chewing.

The majority of ideas on having your dog from chewing on furniture will remind you that punishment will not curb chewing, but can actually enhance the behavior. Training and redirecting will always be more helpful. You may need to keep your dog left with toys for a while to prevent them from chewing while they are alone. Moreover , many experts suggest that you spray your furniture with chewing deterrents, like Bitter Apple, which can be bought at pet stores.

Doesn’t matter what advice on how to keep your dog from chewing on furniture you choose to follow—what matters more is your determination and patience to stop your dog from chewing on furniture. Moreover, using the advice to keep your dog from chewing on your furniture will control the behavior and keep your furnishings as good as they ought to be.

Why do dogs bark? That’s easy: dogs bark because they are telling you something, interacting with other dogs, or showing an emotion. Almost certainly, you have noticed your pet with another dog at some point while they’re interacting. Dogs bark at each other when they play or are just hanging out together. Sad to say but we are only able to guess the cause for your dog’s barking behavior. The implication of their bark is easier to understand when dogs communicate with humans. A simple way to understand barking as it relates to human beings is to compare it to a crying baby.

Babies cry when they are hungry, gloomy, bored, lonesome, need to be changed, or sick. When asking yourself, “Why do dogs bark?” the answer is just the same. Your pet’s bark will notify you when they are ready to have their meal, when they want to go outside, when they’re feeling something, when they would like a treat, and so on. It’s understanding to decipher just what that bark means that could take some time. Having your dog for quite a while, you’ll start to appreciate of what the barking means much more clearly.

Why do dogs bark at nothing? The answer is they don’t. It may look like there is no reason for barking profusely, but that is not always the case. When you think that your dog is barking for no reason, begin to consider the possibilities. Is your dog in pain, hungry, excited to go for a walk in the park or they have spotted someone outside your home? We may not notice some of these smaller things going on around us, but your dog will. If your dog is barking at the walls or at something non-existent, there is a possibility of psychological or health reason fro the barking, so you may want to have your beloved dog checked out by the vet  .

Why dogs bark nonstop? To figure out the reason for barking, try observing your dog. Most of the time, if you observe them, a dog will likely point their nose in the direction of whatever it is they want while barking at the same time. If you notice that your pet is barking nonstop and standing just beside the cupboard where you keep your doggie biscuits, then you’ve just figured out what he or she wants! To figure out what a dog’s bark is telling you, it’s up to each owner to pay close attention to their beloved pet, since dogs normally show their behavior. Barking incessantly means that there is a need not being met. In some situations, to control the behavior, regular exercise is a must, because that need may not be met at all.

Why dogs bark when you are telling them not to do something? Not all dogs do this, but if your dog does, you can probably relate it to a teenager talking back to a parent. How to know if your dog is communicating back to you? You would hear them barking at you or making noises when you. It’s their way of being disobedient towards you.   To instruct and train your pet that you are the boss to restrain this rebellious behavior, you should definitely use some respect training.

Understanding why your dog barks is the key to controlling the behavior. Some barking behavior is a lot easier to control by meeting their easy needs like feeding them, water, or a walk outside. Nevertheless, barking behavior is a result of parting anxiety, fear, or dominance needs to be curbed with exercises before it escalates into more hostile or detrimental behavior.

Are your dog aggression problems too much and are now crying out for obedience training help? Then you’re in the right place. Here are four side-by-side reviews of the four best dog aggression training sites in the net today.

Sit Stay Fetch is the most excellent dog training website and we highly recommend it as it has lots of helpful advice to end your dog problem. Daniel Stevens discussed everything there is to know about fixing a dog’s aggression issues with over 100 images to make learning easier and interesting. Next, Dog Training Secrets is very educational; although the downside is that it doesn’t have supporting photos to illustrate instructions. The third is Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer. There are also some great tips given.

Sit Stay Fetch – Dog Obedience Training, covers all points of dog aggression training and helps answers many dog problems, for example, your dog being usually disobedient, your dog being over-aggressive, being quirky off-leash or even on-leash, not appropriately housetrained, etc. It has over 100 step by step photos and is a very informative. It also includes the latest do training secrets used by professional trainers, which are not available in other books, such as dog whispering, advanced behavioral training and the like.

Dog Training Secrets by Charlie Lafave, shares to you the significance of training your dog and what may happen if you don’t. Has everything you need to know with step by step commands, including 7 common behavioral problems and how to improve them. For those who have left they’re dogs untrained, there’s a chapter for training adult dogs as well.

Starting from how to choose and purchase a dog, Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer covers all possible about training dogs. It’s really long and boring but it has very useful tips. Warning for the visual person: there aren’t any pictures at all and you might find it hard following certain instructions. It incorporates frequently asked questions of people wanting to train their dogs. There isn’t a table of contents.

How To Train Your Dog in One Evening, covers 10 most frequent problems. Helping you appreciate the reasons why your dog may be having these problems is first and foremost. It goes on with detailed instructions telling you what to do to solve each problem. This ebook is direct and easily understandable. Although correct, obedience training your dog in one evening is very unlikely.

Popo, a Pomeranian dog has an excessive fear of loud noises. Popo turns his fear into aggression when he hears loud noises, and has already bit his owner Lindsey twice. Additionally, Popo fled when some guests began firing small fireworks during a Forth of July celebration. Good thing, The following week, Popo was found by a neighbor and was safely returned to Lindsey. Moreover, Lindsey is concerned that Popo’s {relentless trauma | severe phobia} and aggressive approach is leading him on to tragedy.

Lindsey sought expert advice from her vet on how to stop dog fear aggression. The veterinarian believes that Popo’s fear of loud noises originates from his petite size. In order to stop aggressive dog tendencies, the veterinarian suggests the operation as view of the fact that the dog has yet to be neutered. In the past, Lindsey has considered the procedure and consent of the operation. Popo have a reduced aggression after the treatment, but what’s left was his fear.

She then visited a veterinary behaviorist because she’s concerned about her dog’s behavior. The veterinarian’s plan was agreed upon by the behaviorist, but the professional feels that a lot should be made to address the fear prior to dealing with the dog’s fear successfully. Popo’s fear is starting to lessen after working closely together with the behaviorist for quite a few sessions. And for the dog to feel a source of comfort and security, the behavior specialist asks Lindsey to hold Popo. The dog is also restrained so that he will not be able to harm anyone in the clinic. Little by little , the dog is exposed to numerous different volumes of sound. The stimulus is removed and Lindsey continues to pet, commend, and comfort once Popo exhibits any sign of fear or aggressiveness. In the long run, Popo’ fear of loud noises slowly diminished and stopped acting out in aggressive behaviors in order to protect him.

Although the dog’s anxiousness lessens , poor dog is still afraid of thunderstorms. During these instances, the behaviorist gives prescription that will calm the dog. Upon giving the anti-anxiety medication, Lindsey observed a big change in his actions when the fear-causing stimulus is present. Furthermore, since Popo has started taking the anti-anxiety medication, he has displayed no signs of aggression, even when the fear causing stimulus is present. Popo is no longer afraid of thunderstorms and today parties without the need of confining him, giving both him and Lindsey to breathe easier.

stopping dog aggression is a long process since the origin of the problem must be addresses in order to cure the aggressive actions. Popo lost his aggression and once again serve as a cheerful and healthy member to society after the fear had been surpassed through methods including prescription and behavioral adaptation. Though Popo is a small dog, Lindsey is worried his bite and felt the need to stop the aggressive behaviors before it worsens. Lindsey proved to be a responsible pet owner and consider Popo’ situation to heart in the search to find a cure for the problem.