You need to make sure your dog is getting the right balance of foods each day. The different considerations are protein, carbohydrates and good fats. Eating a well-balanced meal will ensure a long and happy life, a beautiful coat, and a lot of energy.
Many people are unsure of the proper balance for their dog’s diet. The general rule includes the following:
· 2-25% protein
· 20-35% fat
· 40-60% carbohydrates
In addition to those important elements; dogs also need vitamins and minerals. Their needs are a bit different than human needs, however. One of the most important needs is vitamin B1. This is one that dogs do not store well in their bodies and is not often found in dog food.
It is necessary to note that feeding your dog a diet of lean meat alone will not help them meet the requirements. Dogs in nature eat their prey whole, which does contain everything they need. It’s your job as a dog owner to come as close to nature as possible.
There have even been studies about the habits of dogs and what they eat. These studies have revealed that dogs prefer to have their food cooked and mushy rather than raw and meaty. Even so, dogs will likely eat most things that are put in front of them so you must do the job of differentiating for them.
Most people tend to feed their dogs commercially available food. These are often fortified with the necessary vitamins and mineral. Manufacturers know that these foods need to be easy for buyers to store. That is why they come in simple cans or bags and are a favorite of dog owners everywhere. The downside here is that this food can get expensive.
More and more people are starting to make their own dog food. It can be hard to balance the food just right, and you can’t base it solely off of what you eat. You need to extensively study the subject in order to make sure you’re giving your dog the best possible health.
There are some health issues that might pop up if pet owners are not careful. For example, putting too much milk powder in the food can cause scouring because dogs have a hard time digesting lactose. Instead of creating your own recipes it’s important to find ones that are time tested.
Another thing to consider is that while dogs enjoy chewing on bones it is important to avoid many of them. If they are small and have been cooked the bone is a lot more likely to splinter and cause problems. Avoid cooked chicken, lamb chop, and fish bones, as they are the biggest culprits. Be extra careful if you’re one who likes to feed their dog from the table.
You will live and learn about what is best for your dog. If he has a bad experience with a certain meal you will probably notice that he avoids it in the future. This is a natural instinct of survival that you should pay attention to. Following the unique diet requirements of dogs is the best way to ensure that they are healthy and happy for a long time to come.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Dog Training - Good Dog Bad Dog
Sadie ran circles around Ada while her hapless owner chased after her shouting. Alice and Ada continued to walk on, unbothered. There’s no question which dog owner has an easier life and enjoys her dog more.
A puppy offers immeasurable love and laughter, with the promise of years of devoted companionship ahead. But to make the most of this relationship, you will need to commit to the training necessary for your new friend to fit smoothly into your lifestyle and family. It will be a learning process for both of you.
The ability of you and your dog to communicate and understand each other is the foundation of dog training. It’s not simply a matter of teaching your dog a few commands. You must learn to understand your dog and how to most effectively communicate with her. A professional dog trainer can guide and advise you, but you are the one who must roll up your sleeves and take responsibility for training your dog.
Dog training involves no magic tricks, just time, patience and consistency so your dog’s natural desire to please you and her talent for reading body language and tone of voice can be developed. If you send your dog mixed signals, she won’t know what is expected of her, or what to expect from you. If you feed scraps from the table one night, she will of course come begging when you have company over for dinner.
The owner chasing her dog around in the first paragraph is making a few classic mistakes. She’s obviously rattled and her dog doesn’t know if she’s playing or angry. Remaining calm and confident with your dog will help her understand and learn what is expected of her.
But keep in mind that puppies and young dogs are naturally adventurous and curious. They are excited to discover the world around them. Like with children, this is a part of their growing up. They want to smell and taste everything they see or smell.
Many owners complain that while their dog obeys perfectly in class, once home her behavior deteriorates throughout the week until the next class. There are few probably causes for this common problem.
* Classes are designed to have minimal distraction, so dogs are more focused in that environment.
* You can’t compete with the more interesting things around in a busy household or park.
* Your dog sees you following the lead of the trainer and concludes that the trainer is the pack leader, so why obey you?
* If you aren’t doing your homework with your dog between classes, it’s only natural for you dog to forget the lessons.
Online dog training is an excellent way to solve this problem. No, it doesn’t involve Fido logging on! Online dog training is gaining popularity in today’s high tech, busy world for some very good reasons.
Advantages of Online Dog Training.
* Crazy work schedules can make it difficult to attend a training class every week, especially for families with children busy with after-school sports and clubs. But online dog training is available 24/7 – whenever it fits it into your schedule. While you need to practice with your dog regularly, you aren’t locked into a strict class schedule.
* Maybe Fido has difficulty with one lesson in particular. With online training, you can take it at your own pace instead of worrying about what you are missing if the rest of the class races ahead.
* Because dogs are so attuned to body language and vocal tones, you must be too. And online dog training means you can see and hear the instructor demonstrate specific techniques.
* Because Fido can’t log on herself, she won’t see the trainer and she won’t be confused about your role.
* Busy families often struggle with consistency in dog training. Generally only person takes the dog to class every week and the others may or may not really follow what is being learned. With online dog training, everyone can log on whenever it suits and follow the same lessons, which means more consistency and less confusion.
Every single member of the household must be on the same page with dog training to avoid confusing the dog. If one person is giving the dog a set of rules and everyone else is ignoring this, it’s a recipe for doggy disaster.
Owning a dog is a big responsibility. Commitment and consistency when your dog is a pup will be rewarded with years of love, fun and companionship. No one wants to be walking the dog everyone hates to see coming. While dog training is a responsibility, it shouldn’t be seen as a chore. It’s should develop your relationship with your dog and foster better communication between you. And the payoff is a dog you will be proud to take anywhere.
A puppy offers immeasurable love and laughter, with the promise of years of devoted companionship ahead. But to make the most of this relationship, you will need to commit to the training necessary for your new friend to fit smoothly into your lifestyle and family. It will be a learning process for both of you.
The ability of you and your dog to communicate and understand each other is the foundation of dog training. It’s not simply a matter of teaching your dog a few commands. You must learn to understand your dog and how to most effectively communicate with her. A professional dog trainer can guide and advise you, but you are the one who must roll up your sleeves and take responsibility for training your dog.
Dog training involves no magic tricks, just time, patience and consistency so your dog’s natural desire to please you and her talent for reading body language and tone of voice can be developed. If you send your dog mixed signals, she won’t know what is expected of her, or what to expect from you. If you feed scraps from the table one night, she will of course come begging when you have company over for dinner.
The owner chasing her dog around in the first paragraph is making a few classic mistakes. She’s obviously rattled and her dog doesn’t know if she’s playing or angry. Remaining calm and confident with your dog will help her understand and learn what is expected of her.
But keep in mind that puppies and young dogs are naturally adventurous and curious. They are excited to discover the world around them. Like with children, this is a part of their growing up. They want to smell and taste everything they see or smell.
Many owners complain that while their dog obeys perfectly in class, once home her behavior deteriorates throughout the week until the next class. There are few probably causes for this common problem.
* Classes are designed to have minimal distraction, so dogs are more focused in that environment.
* You can’t compete with the more interesting things around in a busy household or park.
* Your dog sees you following the lead of the trainer and concludes that the trainer is the pack leader, so why obey you?
* If you aren’t doing your homework with your dog between classes, it’s only natural for you dog to forget the lessons.
Online dog training is an excellent way to solve this problem. No, it doesn’t involve Fido logging on! Online dog training is gaining popularity in today’s high tech, busy world for some very good reasons.
Advantages of Online Dog Training.
* Crazy work schedules can make it difficult to attend a training class every week, especially for families with children busy with after-school sports and clubs. But online dog training is available 24/7 – whenever it fits it into your schedule. While you need to practice with your dog regularly, you aren’t locked into a strict class schedule.
* Maybe Fido has difficulty with one lesson in particular. With online training, you can take it at your own pace instead of worrying about what you are missing if the rest of the class races ahead.
* Because dogs are so attuned to body language and vocal tones, you must be too. And online dog training means you can see and hear the instructor demonstrate specific techniques.
* Because Fido can’t log on herself, she won’t see the trainer and she won’t be confused about your role.
* Busy families often struggle with consistency in dog training. Generally only person takes the dog to class every week and the others may or may not really follow what is being learned. With online dog training, everyone can log on whenever it suits and follow the same lessons, which means more consistency and less confusion.
Every single member of the household must be on the same page with dog training to avoid confusing the dog. If one person is giving the dog a set of rules and everyone else is ignoring this, it’s a recipe for doggy disaster.
Owning a dog is a big responsibility. Commitment and consistency when your dog is a pup will be rewarded with years of love, fun and companionship. No one wants to be walking the dog everyone hates to see coming. While dog training is a responsibility, it shouldn’t be seen as a chore. It’s should develop your relationship with your dog and foster better communication between you. And the payoff is a dog you will be proud to take anywhere.
Dog Training - Essential Tips for Every Dog
Behavior Discipline
Have you ever seen a dog that misbehaved all the time? You probably assumed that the pet owner didn’t take any time to train their dog! You don’t want that to happen to you. Take the time to discipline and train your dog in order to prevent behavior problems down the road.
It will take a lot of hard work but the end result will be a well-behaved dog that you feel a lot closer to. If your dog is untrained you will feel hints of annoyance and regret toward your dog. Start as early as possible for the best results.
Obedience Training
It is also important to do some obedience training with your dog. There are different levels of this ranging from the very basic to highly advanced. The basics of obedience training are things you absolutely must do. These are things like house breaking, leash training, and simple commands like sit and stay.
You don’t have to stop there because a more advanced level of training will mean having a more cooperative dog. You can train away behaviors like barking, whining, digging, growling, chewing, and aggressive behavior. Find a program with solutions that gets you results.
Puppy Training
Puppy training is something that you should do at a very early age. There are some people who wait far too long to train their puppy and then it gets a lot harder and more frustrating. This is understandable as there is a commonly held notion that it is impossible to train a dog that is younger than six months
Thankfully, this is not true. While there are certain skills that are beyond the reach of a puppy you can get started with their training as soon as you get them. You do need to do as much research as you can to make sure you are following the correct methods.
There are many different dog-training books, ebooks, websites, and other tutorials you can follow. An alternative is hiring an experienced professional instructor. Ask friends and family if they have any referrals for you.
Professional Trainers
Find a professional trainer in your area who has the experience to do the job. You do not need to find one that specializes in your breed. A good trainer with experience will be able to help any dog. An experienced trainer will know every trick in the book.
Don’t worry if you have a dog that is hard to train, there are methods out there for all of them. This will be hard work but the results are well worth the effort.
Onward!
It is a huge responsibility to own and train a dog. As long as you go in with the right attitude you’ll find that it is a very rewarding experience. When you and your dog work together you’ll start to trust one another and enjoy each other’s company.
Have you ever seen a dog that misbehaved all the time? You probably assumed that the pet owner didn’t take any time to train their dog! You don’t want that to happen to you. Take the time to discipline and train your dog in order to prevent behavior problems down the road.
It will take a lot of hard work but the end result will be a well-behaved dog that you feel a lot closer to. If your dog is untrained you will feel hints of annoyance and regret toward your dog. Start as early as possible for the best results.
Obedience Training
It is also important to do some obedience training with your dog. There are different levels of this ranging from the very basic to highly advanced. The basics of obedience training are things you absolutely must do. These are things like house breaking, leash training, and simple commands like sit and stay.
You don’t have to stop there because a more advanced level of training will mean having a more cooperative dog. You can train away behaviors like barking, whining, digging, growling, chewing, and aggressive behavior. Find a program with solutions that gets you results.
Puppy Training
Puppy training is something that you should do at a very early age. There are some people who wait far too long to train their puppy and then it gets a lot harder and more frustrating. This is understandable as there is a commonly held notion that it is impossible to train a dog that is younger than six months
Thankfully, this is not true. While there are certain skills that are beyond the reach of a puppy you can get started with their training as soon as you get them. You do need to do as much research as you can to make sure you are following the correct methods.
There are many different dog-training books, ebooks, websites, and other tutorials you can follow. An alternative is hiring an experienced professional instructor. Ask friends and family if they have any referrals for you.
Professional Trainers
Find a professional trainer in your area who has the experience to do the job. You do not need to find one that specializes in your breed. A good trainer with experience will be able to help any dog. An experienced trainer will know every trick in the book.
Don’t worry if you have a dog that is hard to train, there are methods out there for all of them. This will be hard work but the results are well worth the effort.
Onward!
It is a huge responsibility to own and train a dog. As long as you go in with the right attitude you’ll find that it is a very rewarding experience. When you and your dog work together you’ll start to trust one another and enjoy each other’s company.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
If Dogs Really Are Man's Best Friend, How Come You're Afraid of Dogs?
Dogs are said to be man's best friend. We've got a long history of dogs helping us - either to round up sheep, look after our property or just generally wag their tail in appreciation at the slightest opportunity. Which makes it hard to work out why some people are afraid of dogs.
But the fear of dogs is a very real phenomenon.
A lot of people are worried by these creatures. Some people balk at the idea of ferocious looking dogs whilst others only have to be in the same road as a dog for their fear to manifest.
Although it's easier said than done, the best thing to do is to not show your fear. Animals have a much more developed instinct on this kind of thing than we do as humans. They can sense or even smell your fear. Which puts you at a distinct disadvantage before you begin.
So practice putting on a brave face rather than instinctively crossing the road at the merest hint of canine approach.
Next up, see if you can find a friendly dog to meet on neutral territory. You don't want to meet in the dog's house as that would give it "home ground" advantage. Maybe a park or other public place. Get used to being within a few yards of the dog without actually touching it. This will allow you to build up a small bond with the creature and is more likely to end with a good result.
When you're ready, which may not be for a few days or weeks, approach the dog. Keep eye contact so minimise the risk of showing the animal you used to be afraid of dogs. Let the dog smell you so that it's not worried either. Then, if you're up to it, stroke the dog. Watch for signs of appreciation - a discrete wag of the tail is a good sign, bared teeth less so (and a good reason for keeping the owner not too far away either).
But the fear of dogs is a very real phenomenon.
A lot of people are worried by these creatures. Some people balk at the idea of ferocious looking dogs whilst others only have to be in the same road as a dog for their fear to manifest.
Although it's easier said than done, the best thing to do is to not show your fear. Animals have a much more developed instinct on this kind of thing than we do as humans. They can sense or even smell your fear. Which puts you at a distinct disadvantage before you begin.
So practice putting on a brave face rather than instinctively crossing the road at the merest hint of canine approach.
Next up, see if you can find a friendly dog to meet on neutral territory. You don't want to meet in the dog's house as that would give it "home ground" advantage. Maybe a park or other public place. Get used to being within a few yards of the dog without actually touching it. This will allow you to build up a small bond with the creature and is more likely to end with a good result.
When you're ready, which may not be for a few days or weeks, approach the dog. Keep eye contact so minimise the risk of showing the animal you used to be afraid of dogs. Let the dog smell you so that it's not worried either. Then, if you're up to it, stroke the dog. Watch for signs of appreciation - a discrete wag of the tail is a good sign, bared teeth less so (and a good reason for keeping the owner not too far away either).
Taking Care of a Puppy For the First Time
If you're a new owner of a puppy, you should be aware that puppies are curious and active animals. They'll run around for hours, eating or chewing anything that looks interesting to them.
A puppy's curiosity can also cause it to be injured easily, so it's a good idea to puppy-proof your home, just as you would do with a baby. While the puppy is growing and learning how to interact with the world, his lack of coordination can cause injury.
Dogs in general make active and sometimes rowdy pets, and puppies can be especially so. That's why any puppy owner should make the household and the yard safe for the puppy to play in. Many puppy owners find a dog pen to be a great investment in keeping the puppy safe.
Outdoor pens can be quite useful in keeping a puppy in one place so that the dog doesn't go running around the neighbors' yards.
These pens are designed for outdoor use, so they're sturdier than indoor pens. They can withstand the poor weather and temperature conditions outside, which makes them a must if you're looking for an area to keep your puppy.
You may be able to find quite a few useful dog pen designs if you look hard enough. The cost of the pens will vary with their size and construction quality. There are also add-ons that can extend the functionality of a dog pen; you may find these useful, depending on your situation.
In addition to providing shelter from the weather for your puppy, a dog pen will also give him an area to play. These pens can be useful in housebreaking a puppy, as well.
Most dog pens can be assembled by just one person, and sometimes you may even be able to move the pen by yourself. Any dog pen will come with all the required parts; it's just up to you to actually put it together.
A puppy's curiosity can also cause it to be injured easily, so it's a good idea to puppy-proof your home, just as you would do with a baby. While the puppy is growing and learning how to interact with the world, his lack of coordination can cause injury.
Dogs in general make active and sometimes rowdy pets, and puppies can be especially so. That's why any puppy owner should make the household and the yard safe for the puppy to play in. Many puppy owners find a dog pen to be a great investment in keeping the puppy safe.
Outdoor pens can be quite useful in keeping a puppy in one place so that the dog doesn't go running around the neighbors' yards.
These pens are designed for outdoor use, so they're sturdier than indoor pens. They can withstand the poor weather and temperature conditions outside, which makes them a must if you're looking for an area to keep your puppy.
You may be able to find quite a few useful dog pen designs if you look hard enough. The cost of the pens will vary with their size and construction quality. There are also add-ons that can extend the functionality of a dog pen; you may find these useful, depending on your situation.
In addition to providing shelter from the weather for your puppy, a dog pen will also give him an area to play. These pens can be useful in housebreaking a puppy, as well.
Most dog pens can be assembled by just one person, and sometimes you may even be able to move the pen by yourself. Any dog pen will come with all the required parts; it's just up to you to actually put it together.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
5 Tips For Training Dogs Successfully
Training dogs is not a hard. You just need patience, dedication and some simple tactics and you will teach them successfully.
Here are five top tips on how to train your dogs successfully:
1. To avoid your dog getting confused and so that they can learn to recognize commands easily only one person should be responsible for training the dog initially. If too many people are trying to train the dog at the same time this can stop progress in its tracks.
2. You should use positive reinforcements. If the dog does something good, you should reward this behavior so that he will know that what he did was right. If the dog cannot understand or follow your commands, never push him. Dogs are not as intelligent as humans, they make mistakes. What you should understand is that they won’t easily understand your commands in just one teaching, it takes repetition to train a dog successfully. Do not scold your dog as he might develop fear which will hinder his learning and willingness to be trained. You can use treats in order to encourage your dogs, although don’t overdue it.
3. Teach commands one at a time. Try to teach him one command after the other. If he cannot absorb it, try to stay on that command only because adding additional commands will just confuse the dog. Start with the basics.
4. In executing commands, you should keep your voice cheerful so that the dog will happily follow your commands. Dogs will respond to a low and coaxing voice. If you shout out loud, he may become startled and unresponsive.
5. Train your dog in various places. If you keep your dogs in a certain place like your home, he will not be able to adjust with the environment new people. Take him to the park or through the neighborhood. This will help your dog associate with other dogs and people.
Training your dog can sometime be tough, but it will be worth it. In the end, you will be the one to benefit when your dog is trained. You don’t know he might even save your life one day and pay back everything you taught him.
Here are five top tips on how to train your dogs successfully:
1. To avoid your dog getting confused and so that they can learn to recognize commands easily only one person should be responsible for training the dog initially. If too many people are trying to train the dog at the same time this can stop progress in its tracks.
2. You should use positive reinforcements. If the dog does something good, you should reward this behavior so that he will know that what he did was right. If the dog cannot understand or follow your commands, never push him. Dogs are not as intelligent as humans, they make mistakes. What you should understand is that they won’t easily understand your commands in just one teaching, it takes repetition to train a dog successfully. Do not scold your dog as he might develop fear which will hinder his learning and willingness to be trained. You can use treats in order to encourage your dogs, although don’t overdue it.
3. Teach commands one at a time. Try to teach him one command after the other. If he cannot absorb it, try to stay on that command only because adding additional commands will just confuse the dog. Start with the basics.
4. In executing commands, you should keep your voice cheerful so that the dog will happily follow your commands. Dogs will respond to a low and coaxing voice. If you shout out loud, he may become startled and unresponsive.
5. Train your dog in various places. If you keep your dogs in a certain place like your home, he will not be able to adjust with the environment new people. Take him to the park or through the neighborhood. This will help your dog associate with other dogs and people.
Training your dog can sometime be tough, but it will be worth it. In the end, you will be the one to benefit when your dog is trained. You don’t know he might even save your life one day and pay back everything you taught him.
Proper Training For Dogs
Dogs are probably most intimate to human beings and have capacity to imitate them in many ways if proper training is given to them.
Thus Dogs training needs to begin at the very early stage when the tender puppies are welcomed at your home. The training could be successfully started by teaching them key words like their names, yes and no to make them react according to your stimuli. These days group classes for dogs training are available all over and skilled trainers provide training to them. So if affordable send them to these classes.
Dogs’ training demands you to be very meticulous in planning lesson programme for them. It should not be too rigorous for tinier pups that are in formative stage of their lives. The famous proverb is fit to quote here that slowly and steady wins the race. Learning load could be gradually increased as the dogs mature. But there are certain dogs that take time to attain maturity so more dogs training is required in their case.
Taking dogs out on a walk is not only beneficial to their physical fitness but also for their behavioural customisation. Outing brings them in contact with other breeds as much as to different surroundings which require them to react more seemingly. If no outing is provided they might receive shock at sudden encounters with those breeds and set ups and eventually cause or receive damages.
Most dogs training programmes include playing with good, lasting and chemical safe chewy toys which keep them amusing for longer span of time and refreshe them when feeling fed up of loneliness. This at the same time inculcates in them a habit not to chew costly foot-wears or other leather made households.
Teaching dogs how to greet is an important item of Dogs training. They need to learn not to leap up to the visitors with their dirty paws leaving dirty and filthy impressions on their dry-cleaned cloths. Therefore one should not applause his puppy when it jumps at others rather fire it. But as and when it keeps itself footed on ground one should never miss opportunity to appreciate it. This encourages it and breeds love.
Dogs’ training also emphasises to teach your puppy to go out to ease its bowls and not to mess in the living rooms. You need to define a place that it will use as its toilet and ask it to move there as soon as you think it is feeling uneasy. Initially you have to watch it at its timings but eventually it will learn to go there by itself.
Thus Dogs training needs to begin at the very early stage when the tender puppies are welcomed at your home. The training could be successfully started by teaching them key words like their names, yes and no to make them react according to your stimuli. These days group classes for dogs training are available all over and skilled trainers provide training to them. So if affordable send them to these classes.
Dogs’ training demands you to be very meticulous in planning lesson programme for them. It should not be too rigorous for tinier pups that are in formative stage of their lives. The famous proverb is fit to quote here that slowly and steady wins the race. Learning load could be gradually increased as the dogs mature. But there are certain dogs that take time to attain maturity so more dogs training is required in their case.
Taking dogs out on a walk is not only beneficial to their physical fitness but also for their behavioural customisation. Outing brings them in contact with other breeds as much as to different surroundings which require them to react more seemingly. If no outing is provided they might receive shock at sudden encounters with those breeds and set ups and eventually cause or receive damages.
Most dogs training programmes include playing with good, lasting and chemical safe chewy toys which keep them amusing for longer span of time and refreshe them when feeling fed up of loneliness. This at the same time inculcates in them a habit not to chew costly foot-wears or other leather made households.
Teaching dogs how to greet is an important item of Dogs training. They need to learn not to leap up to the visitors with their dirty paws leaving dirty and filthy impressions on their dry-cleaned cloths. Therefore one should not applause his puppy when it jumps at others rather fire it. But as and when it keeps itself footed on ground one should never miss opportunity to appreciate it. This encourages it and breeds love.
Dogs’ training also emphasises to teach your puppy to go out to ease its bowls and not to mess in the living rooms. You need to define a place that it will use as its toilet and ask it to move there as soon as you think it is feeling uneasy. Initially you have to watch it at its timings but eventually it will learn to go there by itself.
How to Stop the Dog from Licking People randomly
Licking is the dog's nature performance of expressing its obedience and warmness to people. But if the dog licks randomly, it will lead to friend's repugnance, particularly the feminine friends. Therefore, you must correct the dog's behavior.
You must teach your dog not to lick people randomly since its childhood. If the dog licks your face and hand, you should reprimand it softly and not let the dog continue to lick. But do not punish it severely, because licking is the dog's expression of obedience, too severe punishment or blame can let the dog feel helpless, and maybe it will give you more licks to express its apology.
Besides, when the dog jumps to you warmly and licks you crazily, you should first push it away, let the dog calm down, and then fondle it. If the dog insists on licking, you may push it away by pulling its collar. When the dog stop licking, you may pat the dog and show it your affection. If necessary, you can also give it a small toy to express your praise!
Moreover, when the dog doesn't stop licking, you may use training orders, for instance, command the dog to "sit down", "don't move" and "down". If the dog has obeyed the order, give proper reward immediately, and let the dog form conditioned reflex that it will get reward if it doesn't lick its owner.
You must teach your dog not to lick people randomly since its childhood. If the dog licks your face and hand, you should reprimand it softly and not let the dog continue to lick. But do not punish it severely, because licking is the dog's expression of obedience, too severe punishment or blame can let the dog feel helpless, and maybe it will give you more licks to express its apology.
Besides, when the dog jumps to you warmly and licks you crazily, you should first push it away, let the dog calm down, and then fondle it. If the dog insists on licking, you may push it away by pulling its collar. When the dog stop licking, you may pat the dog and show it your affection. If necessary, you can also give it a small toy to express your praise!
Moreover, when the dog doesn't stop licking, you may use training orders, for instance, command the dog to "sit down", "don't move" and "down". If the dog has obeyed the order, give proper reward immediately, and let the dog form conditioned reflex that it will get reward if it doesn't lick its owner.
How To Train a Puppy - 14 Important Steps
How to Choose Your Dog Breed
German shepherd in a 500 square foot city apartment? Poodle on the farm? Maybe not! Your personality, your environment, and your habits and schedule - all these will be factors in your dog's life. Choose the dog that will make you happy, and the puppy that you can provide the best home for, with this information.
Teach Your Puppy to Stop Mouthing and Biting
Just like a baby human, a puppy thinks everything is supposed to go in its mouth. Nipping at people when annoyed, biting during play, and slobbering on everything - these are normal in the dog world, but you'd rather wean your puppy off this behavior. Here's how.
House-Training Your Puppy
Training your puppy to communicate that he or she needs to go outside and "go potty," is usually the most important first step. It can be dirty business, but somebody's got to do it!
House-Training Your Puppy for an Indoor Potty
Your puppy will probably be inside and alone some days, while you're at work, or on vacation, or out visiting. On those days, you'll need your puppy to be trained to know what the paper, or the litterbox, is for.
Crate-Training Your Puppy
Aside from keeping them safe during travel, the crate helps you and your puppy around the house, especially during early training. Teach your puppy to enjoy a little indoor solitude, or to show them what to avoid.
Puppy Socialization
If your puppy grows up without proper socialization, they might grow up to fear unknown dogs, humans and other animals. Puppy socialization training shows them how to make friends, instead of acting out when strangers are near.
Leash-Training for Puppies
The leash isn't supposed to be a tug-of-war with your dog. A well-trained puppy will obediently stay by your heels, and rarely, or never, force you to restrain them. This keeps everyone safer, and it's the sign of an obedient dog who enjoys a relaxing walk. Learn about leash-training your puppy here.
Training Puppies for Basic Obedience to Verbal Commands
Dogs are smart enough to learn hundreds of words. Starting early, train your puppy to obey the basics: "sit," "stay," "no," "down," "outside," etc. Start simple with the essentials, and your puppy will expect to learn more as he grows.
Tips on Shopping: The Best Dog Food
Different dogs have different lifestyles, and you'll want to know how to feed them for the best health. Start your puppy out right - read about different feeding formulas here.
Tips on Shopping: Puppy Training School
The right obedience school helps you and your puppy with many of these issues I've discussed. If a professional trains your puppy in basic obedience and social behaviors, it solves many of these issues perfectly by laying the best possible foundation. Get advice on choosing a dog trainer here.
German shepherd in a 500 square foot city apartment? Poodle on the farm? Maybe not! Your personality, your environment, and your habits and schedule - all these will be factors in your dog's life. Choose the dog that will make you happy, and the puppy that you can provide the best home for, with this information.
Teach Your Puppy to Stop Mouthing and Biting
Just like a baby human, a puppy thinks everything is supposed to go in its mouth. Nipping at people when annoyed, biting during play, and slobbering on everything - these are normal in the dog world, but you'd rather wean your puppy off this behavior. Here's how.
House-Training Your Puppy
Training your puppy to communicate that he or she needs to go outside and "go potty," is usually the most important first step. It can be dirty business, but somebody's got to do it!
House-Training Your Puppy for an Indoor Potty
Your puppy will probably be inside and alone some days, while you're at work, or on vacation, or out visiting. On those days, you'll need your puppy to be trained to know what the paper, or the litterbox, is for.
Crate-Training Your Puppy
Aside from keeping them safe during travel, the crate helps you and your puppy around the house, especially during early training. Teach your puppy to enjoy a little indoor solitude, or to show them what to avoid.
Puppy Socialization
If your puppy grows up without proper socialization, they might grow up to fear unknown dogs, humans and other animals. Puppy socialization training shows them how to make friends, instead of acting out when strangers are near.
Leash-Training for Puppies
The leash isn't supposed to be a tug-of-war with your dog. A well-trained puppy will obediently stay by your heels, and rarely, or never, force you to restrain them. This keeps everyone safer, and it's the sign of an obedient dog who enjoys a relaxing walk. Learn about leash-training your puppy here.
Training Puppies for Basic Obedience to Verbal Commands
Dogs are smart enough to learn hundreds of words. Starting early, train your puppy to obey the basics: "sit," "stay," "no," "down," "outside," etc. Start simple with the essentials, and your puppy will expect to learn more as he grows.
Tips on Shopping: The Best Dog Food
Different dogs have different lifestyles, and you'll want to know how to feed them for the best health. Start your puppy out right - read about different feeding formulas here.
Tips on Shopping: Puppy Training School
The right obedience school helps you and your puppy with many of these issues I've discussed. If a professional trains your puppy in basic obedience and social behaviors, it solves many of these issues perfectly by laying the best possible foundation. Get advice on choosing a dog trainer here.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
The No 1 Secret of Positive Dog Training
Positive dog training, clicker training, positive reinforcement dog training..etc..they are all really talking about the same thing. Words like command aren't used so much as cue and marker. The idea behind this method of puppy training is to reward when your puppy does the correct behavior and correct or ignore them when they do an unwanted behavior.
Lets take an example of training your puppy to sit. Sit is one of the first commands/behaviors most people teach in puppy obedience training. First the reward, food is a great motivator for dogs so we'll use food for a reward. Instead of giving them the cue/command to sit, we lure them into a sit by holding the food close to their nose and raising it up and back until they sit. When they sit you use your marker, be it a clicker or a word like "good" or "yes", and give them the reward. You have not given the cue/command yet. Now repeat repeat repeat. It won't be long before your puppy is sitting on their own in anticipation of the reward. What has just happened is secret to positive dog training.
The secret is to train your puppy to offer good behaviors to you rather than you commanding them to do a behavior, like in our example of sitting. Your puppy will start looking for chances to be rewarded. When they are eager to try a behavior that gets them something good, like their reward, your puppy training will become fun for both of you and they will learn faster.
Dogs can be motivated by other things also besides food. Some like to chase a ball, or go for a ride in a car. The reason food is used often by dog trainers is that they can be given their reward and it's gone in a second or two. Now they can focus on the next thing in your puppy training schedule. A toy or something like that as a reward takes time and it will be harder to get the dog back on task.
Whatever you use as a marker, it can be a clicker, a clap, a word, etc.. get your puppy used to hearing it and immediately getting a reward. In the beginning they don't have to do any particular behavior, what you want them to learn is that the marker means good stuff is coming. It won't take long before their eyes light up at the sound of your marker.
The timing of the marker is critical. Whatever behavior they do that you are working towards, you have to mark and reward immediately so that they associate whatever they did with the reward. Once they have learned the behavior, every time they do it start using a word, the cue, in our example it would be "sit" and soon they will learn to associate the cue with the behavior.
Lets take an example of training your puppy to sit. Sit is one of the first commands/behaviors most people teach in puppy obedience training. First the reward, food is a great motivator for dogs so we'll use food for a reward. Instead of giving them the cue/command to sit, we lure them into a sit by holding the food close to their nose and raising it up and back until they sit. When they sit you use your marker, be it a clicker or a word like "good" or "yes", and give them the reward. You have not given the cue/command yet. Now repeat repeat repeat. It won't be long before your puppy is sitting on their own in anticipation of the reward. What has just happened is secret to positive dog training.
The secret is to train your puppy to offer good behaviors to you rather than you commanding them to do a behavior, like in our example of sitting. Your puppy will start looking for chances to be rewarded. When they are eager to try a behavior that gets them something good, like their reward, your puppy training will become fun for both of you and they will learn faster.
Dogs can be motivated by other things also besides food. Some like to chase a ball, or go for a ride in a car. The reason food is used often by dog trainers is that they can be given their reward and it's gone in a second or two. Now they can focus on the next thing in your puppy training schedule. A toy or something like that as a reward takes time and it will be harder to get the dog back on task.
Whatever you use as a marker, it can be a clicker, a clap, a word, etc.. get your puppy used to hearing it and immediately getting a reward. In the beginning they don't have to do any particular behavior, what you want them to learn is that the marker means good stuff is coming. It won't take long before their eyes light up at the sound of your marker.
The timing of the marker is critical. Whatever behavior they do that you are working towards, you have to mark and reward immediately so that they associate whatever they did with the reward. Once they have learned the behavior, every time they do it start using a word, the cue, in our example it would be "sit" and soon they will learn to associate the cue with the behavior.
Easy and Simple Dog Behavior Training Tips
You will find a similarities between many proud dog owners, which is the fact that they've managed to successfully behavior trained their dogs! Many first time puppies owner will quickly realized that it seems impossible to get your puppies to do what you want them to do, it is as if they have a mind of it's own and their ultimate goal is to annoy you. While training your dog's behavior is a long and complicated process, it should not be more difficult than that! Understanding some of the training principal listed below can save you a lot of time as well as frustration, so if you're looking to train your dog, read on!
Fair Rewarding System
Much like dishing out appropriate punishment when they misbehave, you should also include a rewarding system for your pet every time they do an action that is desirable. Much like humans, your pet need affirmation and approval from you, by rewarding them you're essentially telling them that you like what they've just did, this positive reinforcement will work better especially when you're trying to get your dog to learn a new trick, as punishment is a little too vague for your dog to understand if they do not perform the action that you want them to do.
Step By Step
Of course you are excited to begin your training journey with your dog, and so is your dog! But bear in mind that dogs are simple animal and can only retain so many things at one sitting, therefore you should teach them one trick at a time, as overwhelming them with tons of different tricks will usually do them no good. The best way to go about this is to be patient with them, you might need up to two weeks for them to fully understand your command, but it is far better than teaching them new things every other day, as it will just confuses them as to what they should really be doing.
Make It a Positive and Fun Filled Experience
If you ever find yourself losing your nerves and lashing out at your dog due to training, you need to take a step back and ask yourself why you are doing this in the first place. If your answer is to have fun with your dog, then do so by taking a break to simply enjoy your pet's company. Your training should not affect the way you connect with your dog and when you start finding this whole training as a chore, then perhaps it is better to take a break rather than forcing your way through!
Fair Rewarding System
Much like dishing out appropriate punishment when they misbehave, you should also include a rewarding system for your pet every time they do an action that is desirable. Much like humans, your pet need affirmation and approval from you, by rewarding them you're essentially telling them that you like what they've just did, this positive reinforcement will work better especially when you're trying to get your dog to learn a new trick, as punishment is a little too vague for your dog to understand if they do not perform the action that you want them to do.
Step By Step
Of course you are excited to begin your training journey with your dog, and so is your dog! But bear in mind that dogs are simple animal and can only retain so many things at one sitting, therefore you should teach them one trick at a time, as overwhelming them with tons of different tricks will usually do them no good. The best way to go about this is to be patient with them, you might need up to two weeks for them to fully understand your command, but it is far better than teaching them new things every other day, as it will just confuses them as to what they should really be doing.
Make It a Positive and Fun Filled Experience
If you ever find yourself losing your nerves and lashing out at your dog due to training, you need to take a step back and ask yourself why you are doing this in the first place. If your answer is to have fun with your dog, then do so by taking a break to simply enjoy your pet's company. Your training should not affect the way you connect with your dog and when you start finding this whole training as a chore, then perhaps it is better to take a break rather than forcing your way through!
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