Which is the right training program for your dog?

Any search of the web will reveal a multitude of different courses, ideas, concepts, videos, and programs aimed at obedience training for young and old dogs. Many are cutting edge and some are out of date and no longer accepted by experts as being the right way to do things.. How do you go about finding one that is right for training teaching your dog?

For many dog owners there are some very basic reasons for wanting to mold the behavior of their pet. A dog without some basic dog obedience training can be like that annoying uncle in the family who has none of the social graces, always loud and obnoxious, makes a mess of the house, always adding his opinions into other peoples business – you know the sort. You still like him but you just wish he wasn’t there so often.

Well, you should always want to be around your dog. Isn’t that why you introduced him into your home in the first place, to be your faithful friend and companion? This will happen when you find a reciprocal level of respect and understanding. This in turn grows out of discovering the right way to communicate with your dog  to make sure he fully understands what the rules are and what you expect from him or her.

Common to all good dog obedience programs should be the understanding and acceptance of the following basic principles, though they may be explained slightly differently:

* It’s essential to understand that dogs are pack animals and are much happier when there is clearly defined leadership and they know what is expected of them. This is important for you to understand how a dog’s mind works.

* It is your job to be the pack leader – consistently, repetitiously, persistently, and patiently.

* Tied in with patience is the tone of voice you use. Commands should be given firmly with no ambiguity, but with patience and with no shouting. Your dog must not be confused once he knows what it is you want him to do. There can be no refusal or ignoring of your commands.

* Rewards and corrective actions are also important concepts in any dog training or obedience course. Rewards should be in the form of praise a treat, or a ‘click’ (clicker training) while corrective action could be in the form of holding back praise, treats, a scratch, or a firm ‘No.’

It’s always good to start with the basics. Look for a program that starts with these fundamental concepts and commands:

The Come or Come Here  command is very important for control of your pet. Nobody wants a dog that ignores them nor do you want to have to mount a search party every time he is outside and off his lead.

Stand and Stay, Sit and Stay, and Down and Stay commands are very helpful especially in situations where there are groups of people and activities where your dog needs to be kept away or out from underfoot.

Walking on and off lead, sometimes called ‘heeling’ is very important training as there is nothing more unpleasant then having an uncontrollable dog pulling and tugging on the leash and lunging at other dogs, animals, and people.

In addition to these basic commands many methods will include turns, fetch and carry, back up, crawl, shake hands, catch, climb ladders etc., and all of these with hand commands as well as verbal commands.

Other behaviors or problems that will be dealt with in a well organised dog training for obedience program are house training, excessive barking, biting and nipping, chewing, digging up the yard, aggression, and jumping up on people and furniture. There may also be some discussion of the best dog obedience training equipment to use.

This is a basic idea of the things to look for in a reputable dog obedience training program. Of course a good method and system for training are key to the welfare and safety of your pet, but also to your peace of mind and enjoyment of your canine companion.

How good is your dog on the lead?

A while ago I came to the stage whilst training my dogs, that my alsatian was as good as gold when off the lead, but a nightmare on it.

Off the lead he would happily trot beside me or just in front of me without running off, never being nasty at all, and would respond to every command I gave him.

Then, on the lead he would pull like mad and drag me around wherever we went. This was a problem that had to be corrected quickly. He was still not nasty to people or other dogs, but he would not just walk alongside me, he had to pull like his life depended on getting somewhere fast.

I know I am not the only person who has come accross this problem, I see plenty of people being dragged around by their dogs every day. Although I am strong enough to restrain my dog and prevent him from dragging me in another direction I still had to sort this problem out quickly.

Do you recognise this problem? Do you have the same problem with your dog?

The answer was quite simple, but took a little bit of patience on my behalf to sort out. Before long he was happily walking alongside me without trying to drag me anywhere. Now my wife and son can also take him for a walk, whereas they never could do before.

For a simple solution to this problem and other new dog training issues, just click on the ‘please train me’  button below:

Teaching your dog the lie down command

The lie down command is a very useful command and is fairly easy to teach your dog. After teaching the sit command, this command should be a breeze for you. Getting your dog to lie down and wait while you go into a shop or walk away is a very useful command and is also good for gaining trust and a good relationship with your new dog.

The command should be firstly taught indoors or in a comfortable place where your dog is used to learning and doing commands for you, such as its regular walk place if suitable. Then as time goes on and your dog gets better with the command, you should take it into a public place with lots of interests and new smells to distract them. This should test the strength and commitment your dog has for obeying commands.

When to start training your dog

To start with, you should begin the training process before mealtimes when your dog is hungry and where they will be more than happy to please you if it means they get a treat, this will encourage training and will help the progress of your dog.

When you are ready and you have your dogs favourite treats to hand, start by getting your dog to sit for you, followed by a reward .Then let your dog know you have another treat in your hand for him and slowly lower it in front of him, going lower and lower, as the treat gets lowered closer to the ground your dog will be forced into the down position with their belly firmly on the floor and paws ahead of them.

As soon as your dogs belly touches the floor, the command ‘down’ should be said and you should reward them with praise, encouragement and their favourite treat. This makes the dog associate the command with the action and the action with a reward. Dog training, especially new dog training should be an enjoyable experience for your pet for best results.

If your dog steps out of line during the exercise, gently punish them accordingly and do not give any reward. After you have learnt this command and you now think you’re ready for the next step, try taking your dog into a distracting place or area, or playing with their favourite toy around them. When you have your dog under control at all times using the down command it is time to move on to more advanced dog training and you have now got a new trick to show your friends and family.

New dog training, obedience training, and toilet training can be difficult,  but can also be very rewarding.

Nobody enjoys coming downstairs first thing in the morning to find that your new dog has left a little (or large!) calling card on the living room floor or in the kitchen.

And don’t forget it is not just puppies or dogs newly introduced to a household that can have problems with toilet training. Adult dogs who have lived with you for several years can also develop problems, or keep the bad habbits from when they are young.

Dog toilet training can be something you may have to do with any dog of any age, some dogs just don’t learn as quickly as others or have other underlying problems that you need to identify. You need to become the dog trainer for your own dog.

Find the  best way to toilet train YOUR new dog

How to identify the best way to toilet train YOUR dog, or discover any underlying problems that he may have, can be very tricky. Many of the popular stories of how to punish dogs for fouling, or shouting to show displeasure, are just plain wrong. Toilet training for your dog is something you need to learn how to do in a more effective manner.

I have had many dogs over the years, and faced different challenges with each one of them. I spent lots of money and time toilet training and obedience training my dogs, I used dog training aids, obedience collars, I joined a dog training club, and still didn’t get everything right with most of them.

Now, with my current dog, I have ironed out the problems and have a happy and well trained dog as part of my family. I did this by following advice that I wish I had found many years ago! This has been the first time I have properly understood the dog mentality and this makes training so much easier.

Get your new dog training right and you and your dog will be much happier. Grab a copy of the information I used from the link below.

Click here for full new dog training details

Dogs are naturally pack animals. You have to understand that major point before you even consider new dog training.

When you bring that puppy or older dog from the rescue place back home don’t assume they will settle right in and just become a family member and obey the family rules. What the dog will be looking for right away is the pack structure. Who is the pack leader?  Where is the dog’s place in the pecking order? What are the rules that the pack leader insists on?

New dog starts at the bottom of the pack

Your new dog will be happy enough to understand that he is at the bottom of the pack order, it isn’t a problem to the dog,  he just wants to understand where his place is and he will be happy enough there.

Establish the pack order early on, and make sure the dog understands that you, or whoever else will be primarily responsible for his training, is the pack leader to be followed. When that is established it will make your new dog training much easier and quicker.

How you establish who is leader doesn’t have to be complicated, and it doesn’t need to involve any shouting or punishments. Dogs will often get the opposite message to the one you are trying to give them if you do not understand the way they think.

The quickest and easiest way I have found, after many years of mistakes with various dogs, is in a new dog training guide written by Dove Cresswell. She has appeared on TV and is one of the most popular and famous dog trainers in the world. Her guide is simplicity itself and will make your life so much easier, and your dog’s life so much happer.

I have included a link to Dove’s website below:

Click here for full new dog training details