6 Training Secrets Every Dog Owner Should Know

Now that you have a dog it's time to do some training. I'm going to share some training secrets that will make training Fido much easier and at the same time more enjoyable.

1. Exercise the Dog If He Is High Drive

If you have a dog that is bouncing off the wall with excitement then you need to wear it out a bit before you start your training. A good way to do that is to take your dog for a nice 15 or 20 minute walk. If it's easier take him out in the backyard and throw the ball for 15 minutes or so until he wears down a little bit. Hopefully after getting rid of some of his energy he will be much easier to work with for your training session.

2. Crate the Dog If He Is Laid Back

On the other hand if you have the dog that is laid back without much energy try crating him for about an hour. Then when it's time to train hopefully he will be more excited to come out and do something.

3. Always Do Something Special for the Dog After the Training Session

I tell people after you do your training session do something special for the dog. In other words if he enjoys going for a walk take him for a walk, if he enjoys chasing a ball, throw it and if he enjoys having his belly rubbed do it. It just gives the dog something to look forward to after each training session.

4. Keep the Session Serious But Fun

When I say keep the session serious I mean, you can't be doing a lot of laughing and giggling because then the dog thinks we are playing. So keep it serious and act as if you are an elementary school teacher who wants to teach her children well. I think the attitude to have when training a dog is to think of yourself as being firm but fair, not mean.

5. Only Give a Command Once

This is an important one. You should get in the habit of only giving a command one time. If you don't your dog starts to learn that you'll tell him four or five times before you get upset. We want the dog to learn that he only gets one command and he has to do it when he hears it the first time. That is the sign of a well-trained dog.

6. Don't Use the Dogs Name Just the Command

Using your dog's name with the command just sort of gets in the way. He really doesn't need you saying Fido sit, Fido down, Fido heel because he knows exactly who you're talking to. Using his name before each command is just sort of redundant and boring.

I think if you'll follow these six simple secrets of dog training you will find that it's a lot easier to train your dog and you'll have a lot of fun in the process.

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6 Warning Signs That Your Puppy Is Dominant

Having a dominant puppy can lead to all types of problems as your puppy grows into an adult dog. Being able to identify these dominant signals is important so that you will be able to correct the problems before they become habits. Training your puppy should start at 4 to 6 months of age and the earlier the better to keep from developing these bad traits.

Jumping on You

All puppies jump so don't let the fact that your puppy is doing it make you feel that you have a bad dog. Your puppy simply needs to be taught that this is not allowed. Teaching this at a young age will keep you from having a 90 pound dog jumping on you at will.

Demanding Attention

Your puppy may demand attention constantly. In fact he may bring you a toy or a ball and continue nudging you with the toy until you throw it for him. In the beginning it's such a cute behavior that we absolutely do what the dog is asking by throwing the toy. However over time this cute gesture can become a complete pain in the rear.

Humping

Humping can be very annoying and sometimes embarrassing. It not only happens with males but sometimes with females as well. You simply need to teach the dog this is not allowed by pushing it off of you and giving it the off command.

Mouthing

Mouthing can be very annoying and it starts at a very young age when the puppy's teeth are like little pins and needles that really hurt. The easiest way to correct this bad behavior without any confrontation is by using a product called Grannik's Bitter Apple it's available at almost all pet stores. Make sure that you are getting Grannik's because there are several other brands on the market that simply don't work as well.

Growling or Barking

We all find that growling and barking is kind of cute when your puppy is young. But usually what your puppy is doing basically is talking back to you. To avoid this type of attitude from your dog it needs to be obedience trained. Obedience training will help your dog understand what is allowed, what isn't and what the rules are.

Resource Guarding

Resource guarding usually starts with your puppy at a young age. To avoid your dog from guarding his food and toys you should start handling them and taking them away from him in the very beginning. We want your dog to learn that the food and the toys actually belong to you and you just allow him to eat the food and play with the toys.

One surefire way to avoid these dominant behaviors is to teach your dog you are the master. How do you do that? It's simple, with obedience training. Obedience training is a lot more than sitting, downing and staying. Obedience training is what establishes you as the master in the dog master relationship. Train your dog early and you won't regret it, you'll have a happy dog for the rest of his life.

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7 Tips to Make Your Dog Walk More Enjoyable

Getting out and going for a walk is not only good for your health but it's also a great way to enjoy spending time with your dog. In this article I want to give you a few tips on how to make that walk safer and more enjoyable.

1. The first tip is to make sure you have the right collar and it is adjusted properly. Quite often I see people that have their collar on too lose and the dog can actually slip out of it and possibly run out into the street in front of a car. Another possibility is the dog slips out of his collar and gets into a fight with another dog. The collar should be adjusted so that it's tight enough that it cannot come over the dog's head but yet you can stick two fingers under the collar.

2. The next thing is to make sure your dog has been trained to walk nicely on a leash beside you. There is nothing worse than going for a walk and having your dog drag you down the street. So take the time to teach your dog to walk nicely with a loose leash.

3. This tip involves your leash. Make sure you get a comfortable leash, ideally a leather leash. Chain leashes hurt your hands and nylon leashes burn your fingers when the dog pulls, but getting a nice leather leash is like wearing a nice leather glove. You can see that I didn't mention using a retractable leash in fact I suggest to all my clients that they take their retractable leash and throw it in the trash. I've seen so many of those break and allow the dog to get loose which can create a real nightmare on a busy street or an area with other dogs.

4. Make sure you take plastic bags to pick up the dog poop while you're on your walk.

5. Water is always important especially on hot days. But it's a good idea to have a bottle of water with you on cool days as well to help keep you and your dog hydrated.

6. Breaks are important and depending on how far you plan on walking you may need to take several breaks for your dog's sake and well-being.

7. Last but not least make sure that you and your dog are healthy enough to be taking walks. Take in to consideration your general health as well as that of your dog, and the outside temperature. Taking long walks in the heat of summer can be rough on man and beast, so be careful.

Taking walks with your dog can help build a bond between the two of you. It also can be a great time to work on your training exercises because it allows you to be around and see all types of distractions. This makes it an ideal situation to proof your dog's obedience training.

If you will follow these simple tips I know you'll enjoy those walks with your dog.

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How To Teach Your Puppy Not to Bite

As a dog trainer that helps people train their problem dog's one of the things I hear most often with puppies is how do we get the biting to stop. As cute as those little puppies are their teeth are like little tiny razor blades and they hurt. I'm going to teach you a way to eliminate the biting problem without any confrontation.

Before I tell you how to eliminate the biting I'm going to tell you some ways that don't work. I'm doing this so you won't waste your time.

The first method that doesn't work is reacting negatively when the puppy bites, in other words letting out a little ouch when the puppy bites you.

The next one is praising your puppy when you tell them no. You will be saying no for ever before the biting stops.

The last one I am going to talk about today is giving him a toy when he bites you, in other words substituting the toy for your hand or fingers. These methods sound good, but are not effective.

Grannicks Bitter Apple

Okay now let's get down to business and let me tell you the method that does work. You want to go to the local pet store and buy a small bottle of a product called Grannicks Bitter Apple. This stuff is fantastic. Now let me warn you there are a lot of other bitter apple products out there that do not work. So make sure you get Grannicks, it's available at all the major pet stores.

Now how do we use it? Simple, let me tell you how. You're going to keep the bottle with you, that's why we bought the small one which is easy to carry around in your pocket.

When your puppy starts mouthing on you you're going to simply reach over and grab your bottle of bitter apple and spray it all over your hand. Your hand should be dripping wet. Then give your hand back to the puppy and watch his face, because he won't like it.

Okay here's another example. You are eating breakfast this morning and all of a sudden you realize your puppies chewing on your shoelaces, no problem. Reach over and grab your bottle of bitter apple and spray some on your shoe laces and give them back to the dog.

This method is so simple and so effective that I've never seen a puppy go past one bottle of Granniks Bitter Apple. In other words before that bottle of bitter apple is gone your dog will have stopped chewing on you, your shoes, and even your jeans. It simply learns that these things don't taste good.

This is such a simple way to teach your puppy not to bite without any confrontation but before I finish I wanted tell you one last thing. Bitter apple contains a lot of alcohol and it evaporates very quickly. So you may have sprayed your hand 30 minutes ago but now it's evaporated and the puppy may come back for another bite. If he does simply spray again and keep in mind that when it evaporates it doesn't have the same punch so simply reapply.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy this simple trick to eliminate puppy biting.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Teach-Your-Puppy-Not-to-Bite&id=8331866

Is It Separation Anxiety or Boredom?

Separation anxiety is a serious problem that can create many problems for dogs and their owners. I have been helping dogs and owners for years with separation anxiety; in fact I have several vets who send me clients regularly.

The first thing you have to figure out is the dog suffering from separation anxiety or just plain old boredom. I get calls from clients quite frequently who feel their dogs have separation anxiety but they don't. They are simply badly behaved.

With genuine separation anxiety a dog can't stand to let you out of his sight when you're together in the home. He probably follows you from room to room. He may chew on things that have your scent, especially when you're gone. Your dog may become so stressed by your absence that he will use the bathroom in the house when you're not there. Your dog will cry, whimper and whine every single time you leave him alone in the house, even if you leave him for periods less than 30 minutes. This can even occur when there are other people in the home. He may ignore them and cry for you. These are signs that your dog may have a genuine psychological problem.

Other behavior is often mistakenly called separation anxiety. When your dog follows you to the door or barks and cries in the house when you first leave, this is sometimes mistaken for separation anxiety. However, this behavior usually subsides almost as soon as the owner is gone. It may be undesirable behavior but it is not true separation anxiety. Your dog may sleep while you're gone or, in some cases, pursue destruction in the house. Most of the time your dog acts out in destructive ways not because you are gone but because he is bored.

If you feel your dog is suffering from separation anxiety there are a few techniques that may help. Here are the things you can do.

1. Start of with obedience training. I feel that this gives the dog confidence and a job.

ADAPTIL (DAP) Collar - Dog Appeasing Pheromone

2. D.A.P. (Dog Appeasement Pheromone) collar. It comes in different forms but I like the collar since it stays with the dog.

Start changing your behavior. Examples include:

1. When you leave your home, give your animal something that smells like you. An old t-shirt, a pillowcase or a towel you've used will all work.

2. Be sure not to make a big deal out of departures and arrivals from the home. Ignore your dog for the first few minutes when you get home and the last few minutes before you leave, even if it is difficult.

3. Practice "Sit/Stay" and "Down/Stay" as frequently as possible, thereby teaching your dog that you can be in different places and be happy and calm.

4. Find the dogs trigger... like grabbing your keys or purse. Do that over and over to desensitize the dog. Do some exercise where you walk outside and then come right back in. We are trying to make the dog realize you are coming back.

5. Leave a radio talk show on so it sounds like somebody is home.

6. Leave the television on.

If the dog is not responding you should talk to your veterinarian about medication for your pet. One of the medicines used for this problem is Clomicalm. Clomicalm merely "takes the edge off" so the dog can relax.

One thing to keep in mind is that a lot of dogs that suffer from separation anxiety can not be crated. They simply go crazy and try to destroy the crate sometimes hurting themselves. Other dogs with this problem enjoy their crates. I always suggest the plastic airline type crate because it gives more of the den effect.

I hope this information will help you solve some your dog's separation anxiety.

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The Top 7 Reasons to Crate Train Your Dog

Quite often I hear people say that they don't want to use a crate because they feel that it might be cruel. I must say that there are situations where that crate could be a cruel thing to do to your dog. However if done properly it's the most wonderful thing your dog will ever get from you. Let me give you some reasons why using a crate will be good for you and for your dog.

The Greatest Gift You Can Give Your Dog

When I have people tell me that they think it might be cruel I tell them that they're absolutely wrong because a crate can be the greatest gift you can give your dog. It provides that special place where they can go when they want to get away from everything else. You know what I mean, the kids are being noisy and the TVs up to loud for your dog, the crate is a place where it can go to get away from it all.

Den Animals

In case you've forgotten dogs are den animals and the crate becomes your dog's den. Now that may not be the case if you choose the wrong type of crate. I'm talking about the

plastic airline type crate, it is the best. On the other hand the wire cages that some people use don't resemble a den at all. In fact if you are sitting inside of one you would say that you felt like you were in jail with all the bars. A good crate is darker and more confined that's the benefit of the plastic type carrier.

Like Tight Places

If you ever noticed most dogs like to get in tight places. You know what I mean under the couch or between that big chair and the wall. They like a place that makes them feel like they're in a den. So when selecting a crate make sure that it's the right size. The crate should be big enough for your dog to stand up and turn around and lay down. It should not be big enough for him to invite his friends over for a party.

Becomes Their Special Place to Go

The crate becomes your dog special place to go when everything is hectic and noisy. Heck in fact I bet you have a place to go in that kind of situation as well. The crate becomes that special place for your dog

Great for Traveling

Crates are great for traveling and they keep your dog safe in the car. In fact if you take your dog on trips with you you'll find that a lot of hotels will even allow your dog in the hotel as long as you use a crate.

Safe Place to Keep Your Dog When You Are Gone

Having a crate for your dog is a safe place to keep your young dog when you're gone. With your dog in the crate your furniture is safe from his destruction and he's not able to swallow anything that he could choke on. Of course as he matures you probably won't need to use a crate anymore because he's gotten past that destructive stage without developing that habit.

Housetraining

Last but not least the crate is the perfect way to house train your dog. The thing that makes it so effective is that your dog learns not to do his business in his crate because that is where he sleeps and you can house train your dog in no time flat using this method.

As you can see there are many good reasons to use a crate so stop thinking of it as a cruel place to keep your dog, instead think of it as the greatest gift you can give your new best friend.

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5 Things To Avoid When Adopting A Dog

Adopting a dog from a shelter or a breed rescue is an excellent way to get a dog and in the process you're saving a life. However there are a few things that you should avoid when adopting that new dog for your family. This article is going to touch base on some of the things that you should avoid and watch out for.

Aggression With People

If the dog shows any type of aggression no matter what its age pass on the dog. I will probably find some people who would like to argue with me on that subject but this is from decades of experience that I'm giving this advice. There are just too many sweetheart dogs out there that need good homes without taking on the burden of a dog that you already know is aggressive.

The Fearful Dog

Quite often I find new dog owners that have adopted a dog that appeared to be fearful. Perhaps it's even a puppy. I've had clients tell me they went to look at a litter of puppies and seven of them ran up to them and wanted to play and be with them. However there was that one little scared puppy sitting in the corner that didn't interact with the other puppies or with them. You'd be amazed how many people take that puppy.

Again this is a dog that I would pass on. Can you bring this dog around to be a normal dog, it's possible. However it's more unlikely. So my suggestion is to pick one of those happy outgoing puppies so that you can have a happy home for the rest of its life.

Dog Aggression

If you already have a dog at home and want to add this new dog to your pack then adopting a dog that is not dog aggressive is a must. It's always a good idea to introduce your new dog to your existing dog in a strange environment not at your home. So keep in mind that the first meeting should be at the local park or out for a walk. Make sure that the adoption agency is willing to take back the new dog if he shows any aggression with your existing dog at home.

Sick Dog

Needless to say you do not want to accept a sick or unhealthy dog especially if you already have a dog at home. I do realize that there are those of you who are real rescuers and nurturers that will accept this sick dog and nurse it back to health. However for the average pet owner that may be more of a task than they want to take on.

The Unsocialized Dog

When adopting your dog keep in mind that the period of socialization is from birth to 20 weeks old. If you are adopting a puppy you have to accomplish that before the five-month mark. If you are considering a puppy that has been at a shelter its entire life and has not been properly socialized that could be a mistake that you will have to live with for years unless there is still time to do it before the 20 week mark..

On the other hand if you're choosing an older dog you'll be able to tell if he's been socialized properly by his attitude around people and dogs.

Adopting a dog can be a fantastic way to select a new best friend. Just take your time and find the right dog that suits your lifestyle and your expectations. If you'll follow this simple information you'll both have a happy life together.

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