Love and care for your sweet puppies…
Mar 8 2010
If your dog is acting aggressively towards anyone then this is something that you should not tolerate and be dealt with as soon as the problem becomes apparent. But in order for you to be able to find the right type of dog aggression training for your pet in order to bring the problem under control, one first needs to know what kinds of aggression your dog has.
In this article, we look at the various kinds of aggressive behavior, which dogs of different ages, breeds and genders may well suffer from. Also, what one should also remember is that a dog may actually show more than one type of aggression towards others at any time.
1. Dominance - This kind of aggression will occur in a dog who thinks that they are in fact the alpha member (leader of the pack) and will use this as a way of asserting their dominance over the others in the pack (you and your family). Most commonly, you will find that male dogs and certain dog breeds are likely to suffer from this kind of aggressive behavior more. But in order for you to control the situation, you need to quickly and fairly establish that you and your family are the leaders in the group and they are at the bottom of the pack hierarchy.
2. Fear - A dog who suffers from this kind of aggression will generally find even the slightest noise can trigger an episode. In most cases such dogs will generally only growl, bark, bare their teeth or snap at the thing, which they are afraid or unsure of. However, should a owner choose to ignore the warning signs that their dog is suffering from this form of aggression it could lead to much more serious problems in the future. If left uncontrolled such dogs could end up causing injury to others as they may retaliate to the situation by biting what they feel is a threat to them.
3. Over Protective/Territorial - A dog who suffers from this form of aggressive behavior is actually a danger to anyone who they come into contact with. Along with feeling territorial about the place in which they leave, this if left to continue will also become an issue for dog and owner when they are away from the home as well.
4. Possessive - This type of behavior can turn a loving pet into a real monster and will occur without any prior warning. Normally this kind of behavior occurs in a dog whose owner has allowed them to have their own way and is over something that they consider to be theirs. Such things that may trigger this kind of aggression in a dog is if when playing with them you choose to take away what they have or if you approach them as they eat their food. The only way to prevent this behavior becoming any worse is to immediately react to the situation as soon as you notice it happening.
5. Punishment - This kind of aggressive behavior occurs more often in those animals where punishment has been used excessively by their owners. Although initially when being punished the dog may not respond aggressively towards their owner, if over time the punishments become more severe then the chances of the dog responding in such a way is greatly increased.
In this article, we have looked at just a few of the kinds of aggressive behavior that dogs may suffer from. It is only once the owner has identified what kind of behavior it is they can then find the right kind of dog aggression training to use. As you will soon find when you search the internet there is plenty of advice and tips on ways of dealing with an aggressive dog.
Dec 2 2009
Dogs do want to be trained. They have an innate desire to please their master and this is accomplished through training. It is a win-win situation. The dog is happier, knowing how to please his master, and the owner is happy having a well-behaved dog. (To learn more, please see Dove Cresswell’s Dog Training Online.)
Whether or not your dog is smart, he still can be trained. Some basic strategies must be followed though. The first involves the use of rewards. Dogs must learn English but they do immediately understand rewards. A reward says to the dog, “You did exactly what I asked in that command.” A reward underscores good behavior.
Dogs must be trained with clarity and consistency. Clarity means that the command you want him to obey is clear and the same each time. Be as simple with a dog as you would be with a baby. For example, if you want the dog to heal, use that word each time. Perhaps at first accompany it with a pat on your leg or a shortening of the leash until he gets the idea. Then wean him so that he responds only to the word.
Consistency, say the best dog training books, involves making your expectations of the dog constant. For example, if the dog obeys a command three times and then doesn’t obey the fourth time, something different has to happen for him to get the message this was not acceptable. This may involve sad or harsh words and, of course, no reward. The dog must be expected to do the command every time it is given, without exception. If you don’t mean for him to obey, don’t give him the command.
Basic needs must be met first. These include exercise, approval, safety, and, of course, proper food and water. If the dog is hungry, don’t expect his attention on learning unless your rewards are his favorite food. If the dog needs to relieve himself, don’t expect him to be interested in learning how to roll over.
Training involves a regular schedule. Daily training for five or six days a week is better than trying to teach him whenever you get around to it. Also, keep the training sessions to a reasonable length. Most recommend 15-20 minutes at a time of concentrated training. Each session would involve one focus though review is in order as well.
Don’t expect too much of your dog. Patiently go over the same command daily until he catches on. Advanced tricks may take months to master. It will be worth all the work for him to learn.
Practice these religiously. No matter what trick your dog needs to learn, the training will demand that you follow these points. It will result in both you and the dog being pleased with the result.
Sep 1 2009
Dog training should be your primary thought, even prior to bringing home a new dog.Most settling in problems with pets are because of a lack of planning on how to help them adjust.Take these wonderful ideas to get you started with house training your dog.
Prior to moving on, read this article on Online Dog Training Information .
1.The earlier, the better.Clearly, you’d be in better position with your dog if you begin training early on.The more youthful, the more ideal, too.Obedience training is more effective with young pups than adult dogs with set ways.It’s easier to handle misbehaving by a 10-pound pup than control a bulky 70-pounder.
2.Consistency is important.Some dog owners make the grave mistake of letting their cute little pups go unpunished for cute - but definitely unacceptable - behavior.That is a serious mistake you should avoid.Don’t mind your dog jumping on your bed now and admonish him later for doing the same thing and you’ll get the dog very confused.Be firm, be consistent. This is the key when training, regardless of size or age of your dog.If you don’t like your dog chewing socks, don’t let him do that ever, period.
3.Be the boss.Pack animals, dogs follow a leader - whoever that is.As the dog owner, you’re supposed to be the head.Ownership means responsibility; you should train, feed and look after your dog.It’s part of your responsibility to ensure every household member enforces your doggie rules.
4.Employ various aspects of several dog training methods.The most popular methods are the leash training and the positive reinforcement training.In other people’s opinion, collar/leash training is too harsh. However, it’s required for taking a dog out for a walk.Reward training is the soft method, effective in drilling obedience and housebreaking new dogs.
See Best Dog Training Products to get more information.
Dogs Have an Assortment of Needs.
To curb the innate aggressive tendencies of some dog breeds, drilling socailization skills on young pups is more important for some than for other kinds so as to have them behave well in public.Inherently small dogs unfortunately manifest insecurity by incessant barking.You don’t want any trouble; change that barking pattern as early as possible.
Inspite of these general rules for dog training, each dog has its own needs.Because each owner is as unique as dogs are, their training style, effort, time input and effectivity would be different from person to person.Getting to know your dog’s breed is an essential first step to training; read about your dog’s breed-related characteristics.It’s important to know what to look forward to and be ready to handle things as they happen.You training schedule gets better organized as you give more focus on things you want to emphasize.
Find more on Dog Training Tips .
Aug 24 2009
When you get a puppy, you might not think straight awayabout dog training, but you should. Having a well trained dog can mean the difference between a settled household and a chaotic one.
Dog behavior is directly impacted by how much training he has. He needs to have structure and limits in his life. If you don’t provide this, he will, and that can create significant behavior problems in your dog.
Why Train Your Dog?
No matter your dog’s breed, he is descended from wolves and it is his instinct to be part of a pack. In the dog pack, there is a hierarchy, with clear dominant roles and submissive roles. If you don’t make yourself the leader of the pack, your dog will make himself the leader. That’s not good and creates all kinds of dog problems.
Training establishes and reinforces the hierarchy concept for a dog. It teaches him that someone in the household is in control and that he must submit to that person.
Although some people say they prefer to not provide any dog obedience training, that’s a mistake. Puppy training – it’s best to start them young – can do much for your young dog, and will only help him as he gets older.
Where to Get Training?
You have a few choices:
1. You can hire a professional trainer to come to your house
2. You can attend dog obedience training classes
3. You can buy an online ebook and CD or DVD (the cheapest and the preferred option)
Whatever you do, it’s important that your dog’s first (and future) experience with training is successful.
When most of us think about dog training, we think first and foremost about dog obedience training. Dog obedience training is really about the basics of training and includes learning commands like “sit,” “stay,” and “heel.”
Even if your dog only learns the most basic of dog training commands, his knowledge of just these basic commands is immensely useful to you as the dog owner.
A dog that’s received some dog obedience training is also much more pleasant to strangers and other dogs. You can control his behavior when necessary and he will also develop the inner discipline that will help him make right decisions even when you’re not around.
Dog House Training
Dog house training is something you can do yourself. You don’t need the experts for this, though a little advice from a dog training expert certainly can’t hurt.
Your dog should be house trained so that he can understand the basics of his needs. That is, he should understand, through some consistent dog house training efforts on your part, that there are certain needs he has that must be met appropriately.
If you have never done any puppy training before with potty issues, you might look in the following places:
* Books, online ebooks and CD or DVD
* You Tube videos
* Friends with more experience than you
* Dog training experts
Crate Training
The concept of crate training is lost on many dog owners, but it’s a concept and a behavior that should be encouraged.
Crate training dogs gives them a sense of safety and security. While initially, many dog owners will use crate training as a puppy training method, the older dog benefits greatly from using a crate as well.
Crate training can be used to reinforce house training, or it can be used as a tool to teach a dog to sleep in a particular place at night, to keep the dog away from strangers, or transport the dog in the car.
There are so many essential uses for crate training, in fact, that dogs suffer from not having this kind of dog obedience training in their lives.
Basic Dog House Training
Dog training tips run the gamut from “be sure you use a firm voice” to “let your dog lead the way.” The reality is what works for you might not work for someone else and a different dog might respond differently to training.
Find your own path with your new dog. Keeping in mind that:
* He needs structure and discipline and dog obedience training gives him that
* He will respond to firm direction from you that its given lovingly and consistently
* Both you and he will be happier in your relationship if your dog has even the most basic understanding of dog obedience training.
Dog training is an essential part of owning a dog. It’s worth whatever effort you are willing to give it.
Jul 29 2009
Are you having problems with your dog behaving badly? Don’t just put it with it. It’s time to begin some serious dog training. This means you should be persistent and consistent with your training. However, make sure your training is always fun or your dog may get bored!
The Basic Needs of A Dog
Having a dog is a responsibility. If you don’t satisfy your dog’s basic needs, you shouldn’t be surprised if your dog behaves badly. What are the basic needs? Here are the main ones:
The main point in training your dog is to adopt positive and negative reinforcement. When your dog engages in a behavior that you want to encourage, you should reward him with a treat or affection. The treat or affection must come as soon after the behavior as humanly possible in order for it to be effective.
It’s best to concentrate on positive reinforcement for desired behaviors rather than negative reinforcement for behaviors you want to stop. This has been found to be a more productive way of training.
Physical punishment is not productive or humane way to train dogs and will only lead to a fearful and neurotic dog. You can say a firm “No” in a growling tone of voice to stop him engaging in an unwanted behavior. Ignoring your dog and turning away from him is the most productive thing for you to do when he does something you don’t like. Dogs want your attention and being ignored is negative reinforcement enough.
An important aspect of training is to understand that a dog is a dog, not a human being. Don’t humanize him. Dogs have their own way of communicating which you will not understand unless you study it. You read about what their body language means. They have various ways of communicating: with their tail, head position, ear position, mouth and teeth and vocally with various kinds of barks, growls and whines.
Being pack leader or alpha dog is vital if you want your dog to behave well. If your dog is the alpha dog, he is never going to be well-behaved for you because he thinks you are one of his pack. Some advice on setting yourself up as pack leader:
-eat a a little snack in front of your dog as he waits for his food. The alpha dog always eats before the pack members.
-don’t let him to onto the sofa or bed. The pack leader sleeps on higher ground.
-don’t allow him to go through the door before you.
This is an introduction to some important points in obedience training for dogs. I recommend you look into the most systematic of training methods: clicker training.