My Rescue Dog Was Great for Two Weeks

If you have ever rescued a dog you may have said this exact same thing after you had it 10 - 15 days. However don't be alarmed it's really normal and it does not mean that you got a bad dog, it simply means that it is time to start some training.

This same scenario can happen with humans so let me give you an example. You invite some friends to come spend the week-end at your place. Everything goes well and you hardly know they are there. In fact every morning they make the bed and but up there dirty clothes, perfect.

However the week-end visit turns into a 30 day stay for some reason and everything changes. The guest room is a mess and there are dirty clothes everywhere.

This same thing happens when a new dog comes into your home. They don't know where they are, even though they are grateful for being there. However after a few days they realize that they are here to stay and they started getting sloppy just like those guests.

So how do you fix this dilemma? It's easy, with training. Simply find yourself a great trainer that can come into your home and teach you how to train your dog.

Of course housetraining is a must so be sure to start using a crate and teaching the dog that outside on the grass is the proper place to do its business.

Your trainer will be able to guide you through all the steps to have a well- trained dog that you can take for walks without it dragging you down the street. Walks should be enjoyable and something that you look forward to not dread.

Your trainer can also help with all the other exercises that a well-trained dog should do like sit when you tell it one time. It should also do the down, the sit-stay, the down-stay and even the recall so it comes when you call.

Along with the obedience training your trainer should be able to help you solve any annoying behavior issues like jumping, barking, and maybe even mouthing or chewing that your dog is doing.

Adopting a dog can be very rewarding and with a little effort I think you will have a companion that you will be able to enjoy for many years to come.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?My-Rescue-Dog-Was-Great-for-Two-Weeks&id=9137340

Is Your Dog Showing Aggression In The Home?

Aggression in the home has become an epidemic. What I mean by aggression in the home is where your dog has possibly bitten the kids, the adults and even the other dog in the house. Sometime it hasn't gone that far yet however the dog does growl at you when you try to get it off the couch or the bed.

Quite often the dog that is showing aggression in the home is great with strangers in or out of the home. The good thing about this problem is that about 95% of the time it can be fixed with some training and some behavior modification. The hardest thing is finding a trainer or behavior specialist that has experience solving this type of problem.

When we see this type of aggression it is because the dog has gotten to a point where it thinks it is the alpha in the home. It does not want to be corrected by somebody else in the pack that is not above it.

Almost every time that we see this problem we are dealing with an untrained dog. When we talk about a trained dog I am referring to obedience training. Obedience training is what establishes you the owner as the alpha in the home. Without obedience training the dog doesn't know who the alpha is so it assumes the position.

The obedience training exercises you will need to do include the sit, down, sit-stay, down-stay as well as the recall (come). You will also train your dog to walk nicely on a loose leash (heel) so it does not drag you down the street.

Along with the obedience training you will be doing some behavior modification. What type of behavior modification depends on your dog and the extent of the aggression problem.

Usually this problem will not appear until sometime between 12 and 24 months of age and will actually get worse as the dog gets older. The sooner the problem is corrected the better chances you have of correcting the problem. The longer your dog shows this aggression then it starts to be a learned response and is harder to correct.

If you have aggression in the home with your dog find a good trainer and/or behavior specialist in your area that has experience with this specific problem. Remember start the corrective action early before it is too late and before someone in your home is seriously injured.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-Your-Dog-Showing-Aggression-In-The-Home?&id=8419475

Train Your Dog To Go To Bed (Place Command)

It can be very helpful to teach your dog to "go to bed" or to learn the "place" command. Many times a dog may hang around the door when you have visitors going in and out, or he may be under foot in the kitchen or when you're doing something else. Being able to send your dog to "his place" is a good way to handle these situations.

Here is a way to approach training the "go to bed" command. With this method you'll need a good bed or mat for your dog. With this method, your dog needs to know the down-stay before you start teaching "go to bed."

Working near the mat, put your dog in a down-stay on the mat. If your dog already knows this command, this should be easy. You simply need to work at keeping him in the down-stay for a few seconds and gradually ask him to stay for longer periods of time with you in the room with him. Once your dog can stay in this position for a couple of minutes (without whining or fidgeting) then you are ready to try leaving the room for a short time. Once you can do this successfully, start adding the command "go to bed" when you put your dog in the down-stay on the mat. Then start sending your dog to bed from a short distance away. Gradually increase the distance away - try sending your dog to bed from the next room, and so on. Your dog should be "going to bed" on command in just a few days.

Of course, you should use lots of positive reinforcement to teach your dog using this method. Treats go a long way with most dogs.

Naturally you will need to do this training over sessions in different days. Don't be afraid to back up to something your dog already understands if he's having trouble with something new.

As you can see, it's not hard to teach your dog to "go to bed." But it does take some practice with your dog. If you work on one of these methods with your dog he should be able to do this exercise in just a few days.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Train-Your-Dog-To-Go-To-Bed-(Place-Command)&id=8149665