Showing posts with label Obedience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obedience. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Dog Obedience Training


Image : http://www.flickr.com


Too many times people have seen that puppy in the window, and purchased on impulse and not logic. While the affection for your pet will be the same whether it was well thought out or not, sending your pooch to Dog Obedience School can make the transition easier for the whole family. A well trained dog is not only easier to manage, but is a more secure pet. Why should you send your pet to Puppy School? Here's a few reasons that make it important.

Perhaps you have seen the show "It's Me or the Dog". This is a program that demonstrates in real life what can happen when a dog has not been sent to Dog Obedience School. The lessons learned can help your family avoid the feeling that the dog has taken over the house and make sure you stay in charge.

Dogs learn best through body language. The best way to train your dog is to speak their language. Most novices don't have this fully mastered, and working with a professional at a Puppy School can help you learn. A qualified trainer will be able to guide you through the process of proper tone of voice, reward systems, and your overall body language with your new dog.

By working with a professional, you can get feedback on how well you are doing. Your Dog Obedience School teacher can point out small changes that will make a big difference. Once you have learned how to communicate, then you can begin to work together with your dog.

Dog Obedience School also allows your dog to learn in an environment that has distractions, such as other dogs. When learning commands such as "stay" and "sit", it is much easier to get results in a familiar setting if the commands have been mastered with distractions around.

Puppy School is also good to teach your dog to socialize properly. When you take your puppy out for that morning walk, you don't want any surprises as he lunges for another dog or tries to run away. Being familiar with other canines is a healthy way to keep your dog happy. Your dog isn't the only one who might benefit from the social interactions - pet owners are known to live longer and be happier.

Having a well trained dog makes your dog happier. Dogs are genetically "pack animals" and have a pecking order. Someone has to be in charge in order for your dog to function normally, and you want that someone to be you. Sending your dog to Puppy School or Dog Obedience School can help you learn how to make your dog safe and happy.

Dogs will learn best with a "reward" system and not the punishment method. Going through dog obedience training with your puppy will help you learn how to properly give out praise so that it doesn't turn into a bribe. Dogs are incredibly intelligent, and knowing how to outsmart them will keep you ahead of the training game.

Dog obedience training isn't just for the canine. Dog owners have to learn to anticipate a dogs reaction to things, and by learning the basic thought process, you can ward off bad behaviour with a few modifications around your home. Prevention is often the key to your sanity. It may go without saying that you shouldn't leave your nice shoes sitting out, but what about your furniture?

It is possible to train your puppy yourself. If you decide to do this, make sure that you read up on methods and that you are seeing positive results. It's much easier to avoid behaviour problems than to modify them later. Dog Obedience School is the preferred method for training your new pooch.

Learning to balance life with a new dog is much like becoming a new parent. You and your dog will continue to figure out the rules and boundaries together, while developing a close and rewarding relationship. Now that your new dog is home, get Puppy School finished so you can enjoy watching your little fur ball grow into a loyal companion for years to come.




Find out more:
Dog and Puppy Training - Article: http://www.squidoo.com/Dog_Obedience_School
Dog Obedience and Puppy Potty Training for well behaved and well trained dogs - Website: http://www.puppypal.org/

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Obedience Training For Your Dachshund


Image : http://www.flickr.com


Always use rewards when training your dog. Watch professional trainers. They use rewards constantly to reinforce positive behavior. The reward should also be accompanied with verbal praise. I have watched the Westminster Dog Show numerous times, thinking that the number of treats handed out was way overdone, but you can't argue with the success they have achieved. So, join the pros and reward your dachshund.

Reinforce the positive praise with the command. Don't just say "Good Boy". Include the command, as in, "Good Boy, STAY". Much positive praise leads to much success.

One valuable key to success is good timing. Your dog will associate your actions with the action he last committed; therefore, an immediate reward for the desired action is very important. Otherwise, your dog will think you are giving the reward for some other action. If you ask your dog to "SIT", give him his reward immediately along with strong praise, such as, "Good Boy, sit."

Do not punish your dog during the training routine. If your dog does not do a command correctly, do not shout at him, or punish him. The fault is probably in your teaching technique, not in his behavior. You may be pushing your dog too hard or rushing too much. Perhaps it is time to take a break. When you return to the training session, go back to the point your dog understood and slowly progress from there.

Keep the training sessions simple. Always use the same method of teaching. Dachshund training needs consistency in order to work. I am a teacher in middle school, and this rule applies to pre-teens as well as dogs. Most dogs, like young children, have a very short attention span, and dachshunds are no different.

Finally, use very simple, one-word commands whenever possible. Do not confuse your dog by changing the command. For instance, if you want your dog to get off the chair, use the command "OFF", not "DOWN". Down should be used when you want the dog to lie down. And don't use "LIE DOWN" when "DOWN" will suffice. The simpler the command, the more success you will achieve.




Training your dachshund should be fun and rewarding, both for you and your dog. Make sure to relax. Dachshunds each have their own personality, individual from all others. So get to know your dog on a very intimate basis. Know what his likes or dislikes are, and if the training method suggests something that you know your dog will not respond well to, change it or substitute for it. There is more information, along with photos and video about Obedience Training for Your Dachshund, which I consider a fascinating subject, at http://www.squidoo.com/obedience-training-dachshund You can also feel free to go to http://www.dog-training-online.info, where you will find a fabulous training guide by a professional dog trainer.