I was out walking my dogs the other day and came across this poster which is a great piece of dog training advice and outlines what to do if you’re out walking your dog, they go to the toilet and you don’t have a poo bag on you:
This made my laugh and I thought it might amuse you too… Enjoy!
Jun 22, 2010 | 0 | Dog Training Advice
Now that you have your own dog you need to start to think responsibly, you may want to start taking your dog to a dog school. Dog obedience schools are great for not only training your new dog or puppy from a very young age but you can also have some problems with an already existing dog in your family, even one who is a few years older.
You, like most dog owners, will start to consider your new companion as part of the family almost like a surrogate son or daughter or even a Brother or Sister however you may not like their behavior. Obedience training for dogs and puppies via well ran and well established school will probably be the best way forward for you, as the people who run these schools already have had a lot of professional training themselves and have probably seen far worst behaved dogs than yours.
So how do I choose out of all the dog obedience schools near me?
Good question, and what I recommend you do is go by reputation. Word of mouth and examples of dogs that have already been to an obedience school are paramount in the decision of who you decide to go with. Get a list of the schools who you are willing to travel to and arrange to be able to sit in on a class one evening. Some professional dog trainers will probably ask you to come down to their school outside of their normal class time for a one to one session to determine how much work will probably be needed.
Some school will offer either a group session with 8 – 10 other dogs and this is a good opportunity for your dog to interact with some new faces (both people and other dogs) however be very wary that some of the other participants will also be there because of problems with their dogs and some may even be aggressive dogs. All in all the group session is a good chance for you and your dog to socialize with other like minded people and you’ll learn something which is always a bonus.
The other option you will most probably have is to book a one to one session with the instructor. This will most probably be more expensive than the group session however you will get the instructors full attention for at least an hour or so and they may even use their own dogs to help establish how much training your dog will need.
The other option to dog obedience schools is to train your dog yourself however without any guidance this will be nearly impossible. Some professional dog trainers have taken what they do in their classes and provide step by step instructions.
As my title states positive dog training is definitely the right way for you to train your dog and here I’m going to give you an overview and a dog training tip to get you started;
Many years ago the only form of dog training was by using scare tactics and punishment. Although this barbaric method worked in controlling the dog through delivering harsh commands and physically man handling it only resulted in a dog that was so full of fear and low self esteem that they don’t act like a lot of the dogs we know today.
Luckily we’ve come to know that this isn’t the best or ethically right way to train dogs and a lot of new methods have been developed, such as positive dog training, to help with obedience training for dogs which cause less harm both physically and psychologically to the dog been trained.
One of these methods is by teaching the dog commands through positive reinforcement by helping the dog learn how they should behave by rewarding them with lots of positive praise and attention. You can even use on of their favorite toys as the reward.
Most puppy training classes will both use and promote positive dog training because it protects each and every puppy from been hurt by frustrated owners who can’t get their dogs to do what they say. And it makes it more fun for both the dog and the owner.
Positive dog training is great for housebreaking puppies and can even be used when crate training dogs. This is because if you have already been using this form of dog training then you can quickly associate the crate with something that is good in the eyes of your dog. It’s even easier to do when crate training puppies because they are so young and naive they will think you’re playing a game and won’t notice that you’re introducing them to their new bed. Remember keep playing with your dog and make your training sessions a game and use them as a good opportunity to bond with him.
Another good aspect of using positive dog training for obedience training for dogs is to help get rid of aggression in a dog. If you are unfortunate to have a dog who is unpredictable and lashes out uncontrollably then you’ll need aggressive dog training and using positive reinforcement works well but it may take a little longer because you are attempting to alleviate an already existent problem with your dog, you need to build trust and confidence with him and you can achieve this with this strategy.
So whether you are starting with your Labrador puppy training or if you need German Shepherd dog training use positive dog training to help reinforce your commands and you will soon see how quickly your dog will learn your instructions while at the same time spending a lot of time with you and having some fun. I can tell you from experience that this method works extremely well with Labrador training.
Good luck and remember dog training should be enjoyable!!
Jun 07, 2010 | 0 | Obedience Training For DogsObedience training for dogs is something you can either do yourself or pay someone else to do with you however it’s a requirement if you want your dog to respond to your commands. Most dog owners put off training or find it too much hassle putting in the time and effort into training their dog. As a result the owner ends up with a dog that will never obey them and they can’t trust when they are out of the house. Nipping this problem in the bud is the best route to take.
But when should I start?
If you get yourself a puppy you should start training from around three months old; anytime before this and they may not fully understand what your trying to do with them however keep in mind that it’s never too late to begin. Also don’ let owning an older dog put you off as its never too late to start any kind of obedience training for dogs.
You don’t have to look too far for a local, professionally ran dog school where they teach dog training for a living and where they have the experience, equipment and their own dogs for assistance to help teach you how to command your dog. This is also a great way to socialize you and your dog with other dogs and dog owners in a controlled environment. This will not only help you and them learn the commands but will also help you and your dog get used to other people being around, which also helps them gain socialization skills.
Some of these dog obedience schools may not give you the attention you need especially if your dog is a more problematic one and needs that extra work. Don’t worry a lot of these professionals will offer one to one sessions where you can discuss your individual needs with them and decide on the best course of action for your dog. If you want to get the most out of these sessions for your dog, then having one teacher to the dog is the best way. These professionals will usually offer both on an off site sessions around their core classes.
Although this is a great way to train your dog these sessions can be expensive, you may also forget what you learn as you may only go once a week, your dog may behave differently outside of the training environment as well as many other problems which could come up.
The alternative to hiring a professional is to get yourself some obedience training for dogs training material that a professional has put together and follow their step by step instructions on how to train your dog. I personally think a video tutorial is a great way to learn as we learn by watching others.
Jun 07, 2010 | 0 | Obedience Training For Dogs