dog obedience training

Dog Training Advice – Puppy Obedience Training

February 10, 2010 · 0 comments

Dog Training Advice 101: There are many reasons to train your pet, but the most important is obedience. If your dog is well behaved, he will be easier to handle. Dogs that are well trained will also have a lot more opportunities than dogs who are not. This is because it would be too dangerous to take a dog that is not trained, and does not obey, to a lot of places. So, it is very important that your dog has these skills, so it will listen and stay safe. There are several key dog training tips that can be used in puppy obedience training.

The most common commands for puppy obedience training are sit, stay, come, and lie down. Teaching your pet to sit can lead into a lot of positive behavior. If the dog will sit on command then it is less likely to jump on strangers and potentially hurt them.

It is a simple process to teach your dog to sit. Start by being ready with your puppy’s favorite kind of treat. Stand in front of your dog, facing him. Hold the treat above his nose and lift it slightly over his head. When the dog lifts his head, his shoulders will lift as well, causing his bottom to rest on the ground. When he gets into the sitting position, praise him, giving the “sit” command and give your pet a treat. It may take several times to get it right, and you may need to gently touch his bottom to give him a physical signal of what to do.

Teaching your dog to stay is an excellent lesson. This command can keep your dog from running into traffic or even following you were you do not want it to go. The stay command can be performed in any position, but it must be learned in each of those positions. Starting off easy with staying in a sitting position is one dog training tip for this command.

First, have your dog get into the sitting position put your hand in front of his nose, palm down. Step away from your pet, taking only a couple of steps, then turn, standing directly in front of him. Repeat the word stay several times. Then, wait a few seconds and return to his side. When you have finished, say “Okay” and get your pet to move while praising him.

Getting your dog to come to you on command can sometimes be difficult. It is much easier to teach this command when the dog is very young. The best method at the puppy stage is to play a game with your dog. Puppies like to follow people around. Using this behavior, you can teach your pet to come one command. Try running around the house or yard using the puppies name often. While doing this, use words that help teach him what he is doing, like saying “come” and praising. Remember to be enthusiastic.

Another recommended dog training tip is teaching your dog how to lie down. The easiest way to do this starts by having you dog or puppy sit or stand. Allow your dog to sniff at a treat that you are holding, but don’t give it to him. Slowly lower the treat and put it on the floor. As you do this action, your dog should be following it down. Make sure that you are enforcing the command by saying lie down while your pet lowers himself. Eventually your pet will be lowered to the floor and the treat should be held between his paws. Once your dog is on the floor, give the treat to him.

While you are training your dog it is always important to remember consistency. If you use a command for a specific action, make sure to use the same command every time. If you switch between multiple commands, it can confuse the dog. Also, the dog is learning. Be patient and do not punish him for not learning the tricks right away. It may take some time.

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Advanced Puppy Obedience Training

February 10, 2010 · 0 comments

Your puppy knows basic obedience commands like sit, stay and come, so all you need for the next level of puppy obedience training is an effective recipe for success. Here are some techniques you can use for more advanced puppy obedience training.

Go To Your Spot. Useful whenever you want a bit of space, Go To Your Spot could mean “go to your bed,” “go to your rug” or some other place you select. The first thing to remember when teaching this command is that it should never be used as punishment — going to his “spot” should be always be fun and rewarding. As with any type of puppy obedience training, Go To Your Spot should be taught step by step, with lots of repetition and reinforcement when your pup does well. Choose a nice, comfortable place as his spot, give it a name, and then simply follow these steps.

Stand with your dog just a short distance away from the spot you selected. While pointing at the spot, toss one of your pup’s favorite treats there and say “go to your spot” (substitute the name you picked). The treat is a lure and he’ll run right to it. When he does, lavishly praise him because he went to his spot. After you repeat this many times he’ll make the connection and you can gradually increase the distance, still using the treat as a lure.

After he masters going to his spot from a distance, begin using the treat as a reward instead of a lure: don’t throw the treat onto his spot before he goes there; instead, give him the treat and some affection after he obeys your command. The final step is to use this same method to train him to go to his spot from other rooms and while distractions are present. As with all puppy obedience training, repetition, persistence and patience are key.

Down. The “down” command is another handy lesson in puppy obedience training, but because it goes against a dog’s nature, it can take some extra repetition and practice. Some pups resist learning the down command because it puts them in a submissive and vulnerable position, but if you’re persistent and follow these steps you’ll eventually convince him.

Place your pup in a sit. Then hold a treat a short distance away from his nose. If you move it straight down to the ground, he’ll follow it and lay down. As soon as he’s in the down position, give him the treat and praise him. Repeat this exercise many times over a few training sessions. When your puppy reliably does well, he’s ready for the next step, which involves saying “down” or “drop” just before you move the treat down to the ground. Make sure you reward him when he drops on your command, and after many repetitions you won’t need the treat anymore.

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Dog Training Tricks

February 10, 2010 · 0 comments

When you are a dog owner, you know how much work it is to have a dog, but on the other end of that you know how rewarding it is. Having a dog is a lot of work, but it can be a lot of fun too. There are simple ways to make this happen.

Dogs are naturally loyal to there pack and once you become a dog owner you essentially take over as the pack leader. So, your dog will look to you for guidance and will also want to interact and make you happy. This is where you can have fun. When you’re training your dog to do tricks, make it a game. Keep your dogs mind stimulated and in turn your dog will not only be having a lot of fun, but will be learning new tricks as well.

One of the more common dog training tricks is fetch. Some dogs are naturals at fetch. Their breeds were created to run after things, catch them, and bring them back to their people. However, some dogs need some teaching in this. The easiest way to do this is create a treat ball for them.

Take an old tennis ball and cut a slit into it. Put your dog’s favorite treats in it, show it to your dog and take a treat out and give it him. Next, throw the ball. The first couple of times, you will need to run with your dog to the balls location to get the ball. Take out a treat and give it to him. After that, throw an empty ball, and when your pet brings it to you, give him a treat and praise him.

Another one of the more fun dog training tricks to teach your dog is shaking hands. It is easy enough to teach. First, get your dog to sit. Then say, “Shake” or “Shake Hands” and take your pets paw in your hand. Hold it and praise your pet, then let go. Do this a couple of times a day.

After a while, give the command, but do not take your dog’s paw. If your dog raises it’s paw, praise it and give it a treat. If it does not, show your pet again by repeating the teaching method again. Remember to make all of your training sessions fun for your dog.

Teaching your pet to crawl can be a fun way to get your pet to follow you as an example and get some exercise at the same time. Start off by having you pet lay down. From that position, take a treat and hold it in front of him and tell him to crawl. Pull the treat away slowly while you do this. If your dog starts to stand up, tell him “no” and to lay back down and try again, keeping the treat as low as possible. When your pet moves forward, even if it is a few inches, praise your pet and repeat the steps.

Another of the standard dog training tricks is playing dead. First, have your dog lie down on their stomach. Then, as you roll them over gently, tell them “play dead” or “take a nap”. Encourage the pet to stay put for several seconds then tell him to wake up. When your pet is standing up, give him a reward and praise him.

Also, dig can be a fun game for your dog, but may not be a good idea if your dog is a digger and likes to dig in the yard or garden. For the dogs that are not troublesome diggers, you can teach your dog to dig for a treat by putting a few treats under a towel making sure that your dog is watching. Do not let the pet use their nose to nudge under the towel. Instead, encourage them verbally, showing that the treats are under it. Eventually, your pet will start to paw at it. When they start to dig for the treats, reward them.

Teaching your dogs tricks can keep them from being bored. It will also strengthen the relationship between owner and dog. Dogs are pack animals and they perceive their owner as their pack leader. Keeping them entertained and showing them that they are loved can ensure that your dog continues to obey you as the leader.

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