How to Start Training a Dog for Agility

An Irish Terrier in an agility competition. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As a rule, agility training should start while the pet is still a puppy. However, owners could still facilitate training with older dogs. The question "when is the dog considered old for agility training" is central to choosing when to start training the dog. 

Being "old" greatly varies from dog to dog, from the extent of a dog's experience to the innate and natural tendencies it has. In short, there is no specific age at which the dog should be restrained from training.

However, it is always far easier to start training with much younger dogs since their learned behaviors are still not rooted in their habits. 

For choosing old dogs for training, the handler should not create the impression that the dog would no longer learn so there's no need to waste time. The attitude of the dog as much as that of the trainer is both highly essential to faster learning. The more dedicated and patient the owner is the faster the dog learns. 

There are several approaches to starting training for agility. A few of which are discussed here briefly:

Physical exercise

The introduction to agility training should start with physical exercises. If the handler has enough interest to dedicate to training the dog, the age will no longer matter for it is the condition that will rule over. Simple exercises like jumping or hopping may agitate the dog and encourage him to move a little bit. For puppies, these exercises are much easier to do since they have enough energy to use. 

Let him play around

Like teaching little children, the easiest approach to agility training for younger puppies is to turn the exercises into a series of games. The majority of puppies are capable of passing through tunnels and chutes so take advantage of this chance and introduce the tunnels, obstacles and the training area itself as a huge playground.

This approach will create positive impressions on him which will also prepare him for future training. 

Promote his agility

If you don’t have a sufficient area for setting up obstacle courses, it is best to use certain games that also encourage agility. Simple equipment like improvised tunnels or walls could be made to augment training. 

Keep it short

Dogs don’t experience passion when it comes to activities but they have the innate desire to please their owners. This means that they don’t get devoted unless they are rewarded for good actions they have made and that you show your favor for their actions. Their attention span is also very limited so they could not continue training for extended hours.

If you want to start training your dog for agility, establish the rule that you should keep each training session and each lesson as short as possible. You don’t have to finish everything in one sitting. You should divide each exercise into sections that the dog could easily understand. Also never end on a negative note. Always ensure that the dog finishes each exercise with praise.  

Training your dog for agility does not lie on how old or young he is, it lies in the foundation of responsiveness, independence, drive to work alone and to follow the command, and your desire to work with him with enough patience and knowledge of his capacities. 

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3 easy to teach DOG TRICKS

Photo  by wantmorepuppies 

To teach your dog tricks even easy ones you need to have some small reward treats, be in a quiet suitable place and keep the training sessions to 10 - 15 minutes or your dog will start to get bored, remember when he gets something right lots of praise and a reward treat, just be careful not to get him overexcited or he will lose concentration.

Getting your dog to give you his paw, first get your dog to sit, then as you say the word 'paw' take your dogs paw in your hand, give the dog a treat, repeat this, after a few times do not take his paw so quickly, say the word, count to one then take it, you should notice he is bringing his paw up as you say the word if he does not go back to saying it at the same time, do it a few more times then slow your response again. After 2 or 3 sessions most dogs pick this one up quite happily.

The high five, like a lot of tricks the high five, is a progression of an earlier trick, in this cast the paw trick. Hold a treat in your fingers and raise your hand slightly higher than you would for the paw trick. Your dog will think you want to do the paw trick and will reach for the treat with his paw as we taught him earlier, as he reaches up you say “high five” and give him the treat. Once your dog has mastered the paw trick this one should be very easy to learn and with just a few sessions he will be doing it on hand signal rather than voice control.

Getting your dog to jump through a hoop before you start this one I would just like to ask you to be a little sensible and not hold the hoop too high as you do not want your dog to heart himself while doing the trick. Sit your dog on one side of a hoola hoop, get the dogs attention on your hand on the other side of the hoop take a treat in your hand and give the dog the command to release him from the sit, at first he may attempt to go around or under the hoop, if this happens to start again, your dog wants the treat and will soon learn that going around or under does not get it so he will soon start going through it, when he does say hoopla and give him the treat. 

He will soon be jumping through the hoop on the command of hoopla. When I started doing this trick I had a medium sized dog (a Labrador) so I started with the hoop 6 inches from the ground and slowly raised it to waist height, if you have a smaller dog you might want to start with the hoop touching the ground so the dog just goes through the hoop and then slowly raise it as he gets used to the trick.

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House Breaking Your GOLDEN RETRIEVER

A male Golden Retriever named Tucker. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To properly train housebreak your Golden Retriever, you must stick to a routine regarding your crate, and ensure that he doesn’t spend additional time outside of his crate.  When he is outside of his crate, you should watch him at all times.  If you don’t keep an eye on him when he is outside of the crate and he has an accident inside the house, you can’t blame no one but yourself as you didn’t correct him the second it happened.

To help your dog learn the right way to relieve himself, you should always praise him when he goes to the right location.  You can crate him at night, then take him out when he wakes up in the morning and show him the correct spot.  Give him some time, then praise himself once he starts to go.  If you avoid accidents, you should be able to train your Golden without any problems.  Once accidents begin to happen though, it can be extremely hard to break the pattern.

When you housebreak your dog, you should never give him any freedom.  Getting it right is a lot of work for him, and chances are he’d rather be doing something else.  If you are tolerant of him and allow him to make mistakes, you’ll find yourself needing to be a lot more stern to break him of the bad habits that you have tolerated and allowed.  If you start when your Golden is young and enforce the rules, he’ll be a happy member of your family in no time at all.

When you housebreak, you should use confinement as much as possible.  Confinement basically means that until you have housebroken your Golden Retriever, he isn’t allowed to freely move around the house.  You should always keep a watchful eye on him and make sure that if he’s outside the crate - you know where he is at all times and what he is doing.

If you happen to take your eyes off of him even for a second, he could easily relieve himself on the floor.  Once he starts to go on the floor, it can be really hard to break him of this habit.  The smell will be there, and he will smell it the next time he is in that area.  Each time he smells it, he will instantly go to the bathroom in that same area.  The best way to prevent this from happening is to watch him at all times and ensure that he only goes in the area you have for him.

To housebreak your Golden Retriever, you should also allow him a way outside.  Normally, a doggy door is the best way to do this, as your puppy can go outside and relieve himself when the time comes, without disturbing you.  You should also use puppy pads or a litter box inside as well so that he always has somewhere to relieve himself.  During times when he can’t make it outside, he needs somewhere else that he can go.

Housebreaking your Golden Retriever can take you some time, although it will be well worth it once your Golden is properly trained.  He’ll be an essential member of your family, and not use the bathroom anywhere he takes a notion.  He will only relieve himself outside or in an area that you have trained him. Golden Retriever’s need interaction with people, and if you are going to keep them inside - you’ll need to ensure that they have been properly housebroken.

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How To Master DOG OBEDIENCE

Photo: Pixabay

Dogs are no doubt man's best friends. They are definitely fun to be with and make great companions. Sometimes, they are even considered as part of the family. It certainly feels great to be walking with a dog around either just within the neighborhood or along the beach. But if you happen to have a dog as worse as Marley, the dog in the movie "Marley and Me", perhaps you're more stressed than the usual because of your dog's naughtiness. But why live up with a dog like Marley if you can turn your pet into a well-trained dog? The solution –master dog obedience. Here are some steps on how to do it:

First, be considerate. You have to remember that a dog is an animal, so unlike humans, it has a shorter attention span. You may be able to get its attention now, but a couple of minutes or so it will go back to what it finds interesting. So, try to put yourself into its situation and imagine how frustrating it could be to undergo a dog obedience class instead of doing more fun activities. Take note that most animals are trained easily when given treats before the training. So, before you enroll your pet in a dog obedience class, prepare some really good treats as rewards. 

Next, be consistent. It is not good to give your pet so many instructions at the same time or worse, give up on teaching it a trick just because it is not able to get it at first. Try to be very consistent in such a way that you will start with the easiest command first like the "sit" command before going for more difficult ones. Once it learned the "sit" command, proceed to others like the "stay" or "come" command.

When giving instructions, make sure that you repeat them from time to time until your dog realizes and understands what you are trying to communicate. Again, do not give too many instructions at once for this will confuse your pet more. Take your time. Now, once your pet learned the trick that you've been teaching, give a reward or treat and make sure that you review the trick before jumping into another.

And lastly, of course, be the boss. It is important that your pet recognizes you as its leader; otherwise, you'll end up having a dog that is as hardheaded as Marley. Once your pet recognizes you as the boss, it will be easier for you to make it follow your commands. However, you have to remember that being the boss does not necessarily mean that you have to be harsh to your dog whenever it fails to follow your instructions. Be gentle as possible because this is the most effective way to gain dog obedience.

Mastering dog obedience is not as difficult as you think, right? With all these steps in mind, you are off to a successful dog obedience training. Remember: be considerate, be consistent, and be the boss.

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Preparing Your DOG For A Walk

Photo   by MarkScottAustinTX 

You are not alone if it feels like your dog is walking you rather than you walking the dog every time you head to the park. If dogs drag their owners along or darts here and there sniffing and exploring, many find going for a walk with them to be an irksome experience. You can train a dog to walk properly to let you be the guide and let your pet have a great time.

Your relationship with your pet is associated with your dog's leash-walking habits and you might be surprised to learn about this. Instead of owners setting the pace and guide the experience, dogs control the walk and have to be dragged away from bushes and trees. During the walk, the dog is unaware of its owner for the most part. Dogs consider the leash to be an impediment which keeps them from going at whatever pace they want and where they want.

An experience that is pleasant for both the dog and the owner is what all of us really want. You don't want to keep untangling yourself from the leash as your dog wanders about, neither do you want to be dragged along. What that said, training your dog how to walk properly while on a leash is required. It's up to us to provide this dog obedience training since they are not born knowing how to do this.

With the number of different dog leash training methods available today, it is important to find a method that truly teaches you how to understand your dog's very specific personality. If both of you can learn to understand each other, it will be a lot easier to adjust to the training. Additionally, spending time playing with your dog is ideal prior to the walk. The main exercise of the day is often found by walking them and if you burn off energy before your training walks then your dog is more apt to follow along. Spending time before walking them by playing fetch or running around in the house makes the dog feel more relaxed and less resistant to training.

Proper dog training is one of the best investments you can make. Not only will you learn how to teach your dog to behave properly, it will improve the bond and relationship between the two of you. Often one of the main reasons why people forgo dog training is that they simply don't have time to attend a class. With work and family obligations it's often difficult to fit in a scheduled dog training class. For these people, it might be best to opt for a DVD training system, such as The Dog's Way.

Spread over five DVDs are 12 lessons with a workbook that follows along with each lesson with reminder cards that you can take on walks and access to a private, students-only website with extra problem-solving tips is what consists of this obedience training systems. All types of basic behavior such as training a dog to sit and stay walk loosely on a leash, coming when called, staying quiet and much more are included in these dog training video lessons.

About the Author: Garrett McMahan Garrett McMahan loves watching a dog show. To get more info on how to train a dog on a leash, or to find other dog training videos such as obedience training DVD online, please check out the TheDogsWay.com website now.

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General Steps to Start DOG AGILITY TRAINING

An Australian Shepherd doing agility
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you are planning to commence agility training for dogs, there are certain considerations that you have to carefully look into. This is important to ascertain that the training will yield good results. Agility training practically offers a rewarding experience for both the handler and the dog being trained. To effectively get started with the training, it is of the essence that you take note of the following information.

Above anything else, it is critical that you pay careful attention to the overall health of your dog. Before you begin with any types of agility regimen, it is crucial that the dog is fit to participate in such activity. That being said, it is highly advised that you consult the dog's veterinarian so he/she can provide you with a comprehensive physical and mental assessment of your dog. This is important so you can devise a training course that fits your dog's capabilities.

The way dogs respond to the training will vary greatly depending on their breed, size, personality, as well as their overall energy. For instance, smaller breed of dogs is more energetic than larger breeds of dogs, like Mastiffs or Great Danes. If you have a puppy, it is best to wait until it reaches at least 9 months old before you expose it to the training.

After preparing your dog for the agility training, you should now decide whether to enroll in agility classes or set up your own agility training course. There are various agility training clubs that provide extensive training programs for competing dogs. Most of the agility classes are geared towards teaching novice agility competitors. Seasoned handlers, on the other hand, prefer to build structured dog agility practice courses on their own. Since they have more experience, they are capable of training their dog independently. Typically, handlers decide to enroll in agility classes due to these reasons:

* To acquire proper training in a more appropriate environment that is away from all kinds of distractions

* To gain access to various types of agility equipment that are hard to build and require lots of space

* To seek guidance from trained and experienced handlers

* To expose themselves to enjoyable social venues that are normally provided by many dog agility training facilities

For those who decided to independently train their dogs, it is a must that you invest in useful and functional agility training equipment. You can either construct them from scratch or you can purchase pre-made ones. However, remember that a significant amount of money is needed to buy ready-made agility equipment. So, if you have a crunched budget, it will be more practical to design your own training equipment. You can research the net to find the official size and dimension of agility obstacles used in actual competitions.

To begin the agility training for dogs, you should introduce an appealing and comfortable training environment so that your dog will be at ease. Remember to always begin your training with basic commands, like sit, come, stay, and lie down. The dog being trained must appropriately respond to these commands to ascertain that it understands you.

By Benn Parlett - Article Source: EzineArticles

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CRATE TRAINING From a Dog's Perspective

A greyhound lying in his wire dog crate
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When we look at dog crates through our human eyes, we may see a lot of different things: a cage or a place where we lock dogs up, something we can use to help transport dogs safely when they're travelling by car, a dog bed or in some unfortunate cases dog's bathroom... the list goes on and on. Crates have been used for many different reasons and purposes; however, in more recent years there have been those that do not agree on whether we should or should not be using them. The majority of professional dog professionals say that crates are an extremely useful tool for training dogs, while there are some people that believe that placing a dog inside a crate may actually be cruel.

The Canine Perspective:

But if we wish to understand what creates really represent for dogs, we must look at them through their world and not our human perspective. This is not to say pets are not part of your family, but rather only that your dog has different needs than its human family members. These feelings may come up after new pet owners buy a crate and start to train their puppy, only to stop short of seeing the benefits because they cannot bear the perceived suffering or unhappiness that their new pet is displaying.

Imagine this: you're a young puppy. You live in a strange, noisy world and you're surrounded by these strange creatures who make funny noises and want to grab you and touch you all the time. All of the sudden, they place you in a cold, scary place and close the door. You're stuck in that place and all you want to do is to get out. But you can't. Naturally, you whelp and try to get out. You stay there for hours, you feel like you've done something terribly wrong and, therefore, you are being punished. You do not understand why and are very confused. You continue to cry out, bark, and beg for these strange creatures to "let me out! Let me out!", but they ignore you. What a horrible scenario, isn't it?

Human Empathy:

When people say crates are cruel, they're visualizing this scenario. That all crating is done in this fashion and that dogs would prefer not to be caged. If dogs had a human understanding of the world than it certainly would be cruel as it is certainly clear that humans do not thrive when caged. This is not the same as a dog's perspective. Please note that care should be taken to buy the right dog crate sizes so that they have adequate space to lie and sit down, but not so much that it encourages using it as a potty. Most models come with a divider that allows the space to grow with the puppy.

In the end, these thoughts act to put a real human face, with human emotions on their dog's experience when in reality this scenario is nothing more than poor crate training. This scenario contradicts the whole purpose of dog crates as a valuable training tool and is not how a puppy should be introduced to their crate.

Proper Dog Crate Training:

When the dog crate is correctly used, here's an example of what will happen: the strange (but incredibly nice) creatures place a weird box in front of you. Since you're a curious puppy, you sniff it and when you do so, they offer you the most delicious treat. Wow! You take a step forward and, oh! Here comes another treat! You start to understand that when you show any interest in that strange box, good things happen. So you decide to explore a bit further and you get inside the box. In there, you find a very comfortable blanket, as well as a toy stuffed with puppy food. This is amazing! You lay down and start to play with that chew toy; you feel warm, safe and relaxed. With time, you start to look at that strange box as a safe place; where you can sleep, relax and feel great. And when something scares you or makes you feel unsafe, you know you will always have your crate: nothing bad could ever happen to you while you're in there because it has become your den!

Crates should mean this to dogs and your training should be driven towards this objective. They should look at crates and see a safe, calm, enjoyable place to be and sometimes escape to... We just need to know how to use them and perhaps most importantly, be patient.

Curious about how you can accomplish that? Keep your eyes out for our next article!

By Joseph Isaac Pet Crates Direct is a local American business that offers North American-made pet crates and accessory products like beds, kennels, and cages. For more information on dog crate training please visit http://www.petcratesdirect.com/pages/dog-crates-101. Article Source: EzineArticles

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Eliminating Fear From Your PUPPY

Beagle puppy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A puppy is a like a new member to our family, when we get a puppy we get a ton of responsibilities and things that play a huge role in how our dog will behave as it grows. Dogs can be aggressive, shy or very friendly and any of those three are connected to the environment the puppy lives in. We are going to talk about a few tips to make sure your puppy is not afraid of the world.

Once the puppy is part of our family, and the animal knows the environment and has all vaccines, it's time to walk out to the street. We can boast of dog freely but always with a series of care to prevent the spreading of parasites and avoid excessively polluting areas that may affect their health, such sites can have other animals that can carry viruses and can be transmitted to our dog.

It is important that you trained your dog as soon as possible to get used to all situations that are possible outside because if a dog has never seen another dog, a car or has heard a certain noise once the time comes your dog would be frightened. It's not recommended that you keep your puppy in the house all day because your puppy could be easily frightened by any noise that doesn't recognize.

In its first months of life, we must encourage socialization. We recommend visiting different sites. Training can be done one day at a time. For example, one day taking your dog on a car ride, another day among many people, another day among other animals and so on. When you reach this well-socialized adult dog your dog will be without fears, psychologically will live a more comfortable life and be more willing to play, learn and interact with its owner.

Keep in mind that training your dog, especially as a puppy takes time. You must have a patience, keep in mind there are those who are unable to take care of their dogs because they don't have the time or don't want the responsibility. You should only have a puppy if you can provide a positive environment and have the time and resources to make sure that dog becomes more than just a pet in your family.

About the Author: Manny Rutz

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'Sit Up' Buddy: TRAINING Your Dog To Sit Like You

A sitting dog in Madrid (Spain) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The trick of “sitting up” is easily taught to small dogs, but should try not be included in a big dog’s education, as it is difficult for them to preserve their balance.

The training of sitting up is one of the first tricks to teach and forms the groundwork for many other dog tricks. To train a dog to sit up, prepare some treats as a reward, and set your dog on his haunches in a corner, so that he cannot fall either backward or sideways and has very little or no space to lose balance.

Keep him from pitching forward by holding one hand under his chin and with the other hand hold the treat above his nose and keep repeating distinctly and deliberately say, “sit up.” Do not make him sit up too long at any one time, but repeat the lesson frequently and reward him often with plentiful of praise and treats.

During his first lesson he will require considerable assistance from your hand to prevent him from pitching forward, but as he gets control of the balancing muscles and understands what you want, he will depend less and less upon your hand to keep him in position and you can gradually render him less assistance until you will only have to keep one hand in position two or three inches from his neck or chin, so as to be ready to prevent him pitching forward; later on you can withdraw this hand entirely and simply hold the treat just above the level of his head.

By constant practice he will sit up well after you set him up; then he should be set up against the wall, so as to afford him a support for his back only, and after he has been well schooled at this and can keep his position easily, practice him against chair legs, cushions or other objects that afford him less and less assistance, until finally he learns to preserve his balance and sits up without anything to lean against.

During all these lessons the words “sit up” have been impressed upon his mind by frequent repetition, and now comes the final lesson to teach him to sit up as soon as he hears the words, and the chances are, if he has been diligently drilled, it will be necessary only to call him out in the room, show him a treat, hold it up a suitable distance from the floor, say “sit up” and he will do so, when he should be given the treat while still in position.

The only necessity to perfection is to practice him several times a day until he will sit up at the word and without being shown a reward; that can be given him after he has obeyed.

You have now a foundation for many other tricks. He can be taught to beg by moving your hand up and down just in front of his paws, which he will move in unison with yours. He can also be taught to salute by bringing one paw up to the side of his head, or to hold a wooden pipe in his mouth, or to wear a cap on his head or other articles of wearing apparel.

In teaching a dog to submit to being dressed up, do not attempt to get him to wear too many things at once; try him at first with a cap and after he becomes accustomed to that you can put on a coat and gradually accustom him to the other clothing articles.

Enjoy teaching your dog the “sit up” trick and most importantly have fun along the way!

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• Take A Dog To Work
• The Pet Sitting Dog Fight

How A DOG OBEDIENCE School Changed My Life

A German Shepherd Dog being trained to retrieve over a small A-frame (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A few years back I took my dog to an obedience school because it was acting crazy most of the time. After attending a couple of classes I realized that it was not my dog who was acting crazy, it was me.

When you join a dog obedience school you learn how to train your dog to behave appropriately. In the first stages of training puppies, it is very common that their owners take them to a dog obedience school.

The training is usually done in small groups, where in addition to train the dog itself, it also teaches the dog’s owner how to train, scold and praise the dog.

Actually, a professional dog trainer does not really train the dog; he is training the dog’s owner how to do the training. You can, though, send your dog away to a dog training school alone. But you as the owner must still learn skills to reinforce what the dog has learned on the dog school. If you attend a class together with your dog, you and your dog have a much better chance of learning more about each other as a team under professional guidance.

Every person who has to handle the dog should take part in the training to ensure consistent methods and commands. Or else the dog can get very confused.

I felt like quitting a lot of times because it was harder to change my own behavior than changing my dog’s behavior. I had to learn how to praise my dog more than scolding it. I was amazed.

The strange thing is that, because I started to look at myself in a new perspective, it suddenly came very clear to me that; it was not just my relationship to my dog that needed to change. It was my attitude towards other people as well. A huge eye-opener, that was hard to swallow. And when I look back I can truly say that attending that dog obedience school really changed my life. I would not be the person I am today. And that counts both towards dogs as well as people.

If you are in doubt about whether you should attend a class with your dog or not – don’t be.

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Therapy Dog Training – The Benefits of a Visiting Dog

Therapy Dig - Photo: Wikimedia

Sometimes when people are sick their need for love, support, and attention just don’t go within what most understand as normal. They need a lot more. Unfortunately, not all people have the time or the patience to deal with people who are sick, ill or disordered. However, dogs when well-oriented to dog therapy training could augment the emotional and physical support that most people could not provide.

Therapy dog training requires specializations that are rooted in fundamental dog training. As such, training for this work entails the need to form behaviors in the dog that are of great help to people who are undergoing therapy. Therefore, basic dog training will not suffice if the dog needs to demonstrate other obligations like performing various roles and interacting well with the patient. 

Therapy dogs are used in hospitals were mostly the patients are the children and the elderly. The handler and the dog will provide the patients with sufficient attention and activities that will let them drift away from the present problems in their lives.

However, therapy dogs are not only valuable in hospitals, the comfort they give are also necessary components in other therapy centers like nursing homes, schools, mental institutions and retirement homes.

The type of training that therapy dogs undergo are specially created and modified from various other training to fit the needs called for in situations that usually occur during hospital visitations. Their training will equip them with the appropriate skills to allow strangers to enjoy their company. To provide enjoyable experiences, most therapy dogs are trained to do tricks and performances that the audience will enjoy. 

Most dog breeds could undergo therapy training. However popular choices for training include breeds that have high temperance since they have to work with people that they are not familiar with.

Training of therapy dogs vary from state to state however, it is a general rule that a therapy dog should have certification of good citizenship before it can enter into the formal training and service. Certification, as well as training, could be obtained from local therapy dog training classes or animal shelters. After obtaining this certification, therapy training for the dog will begin.

This kind of training will condition the dog to ignore things like hospital equipment, people who are not the subject of therapy and noise. They are also trained to help with basic tasks like simple activities. However, they must not be confused with service dogs.

These are the dogs, which are under the law, help people who have disabilities. More often than not, they work on a continuous basis. Therapy dogs are more like visitors to patients and not really dogs that will accompany and help people with disabilities with their daily tasks. 

A visiting dog will also help in changing the routine from time to time. Therapy could be quite boring for many people thus the need for a change of pace will always contribute something positive to the therapy.  Animals could also make the patient feel less depressed or lonely since they create distractions from the unproductive thoughts of the patients.

Dogs could also encourage the patient to become less passive and more responsive and active during and after visitations. Therapy training will also help the dog entertain the patient; they may either provide fun or diversion from the pain and suffering currently experienced. 

Therapy dog training is relatively unpopular but the services of the dog for this purpose have been used for so many years. 

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How to HOUSEBREAK a Dog

Zaguate puppy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What is housebreaking? Basically housebreaking a dog is training the dog whether it is a puppy or an older dog not to go to the bathroom inside or training it to go in the proper place. A simple concept in theory but it does take some patience.

Housebreaking a dog is one of the most challenging aspects of owning a dog, especially if you're a first-time dog owner. It is best accomplished when he is a puppy, but even if you adopt an older dog that is not trained you can still housebreak him.

Housebreaking an older dog is not complicated and, in some cases, will even take less time than housebreaking a young puppy. Housebreaking a dog is a lot of work, but not as hard as you may think, and if you get a faithful friend out of the deal, it's worth it, don't you think.

Dogs can not only be taught to go outdoors, but they can be taught to go in a specific area. Dogs are actually quite reliable when it comes to timing their bowel movements and urinating. It is very interesting that like humans, dogs appreciate a spot where they can relax and feel safe and protected. Dogs are extremely eager to please especially their owner which is why when done correctly, housebreaking almost always has successful results.While some dogs are housebroken much faster than others, how you treat accidents will affect your dogs overall learning curve.

The key to housebreaking a dog is to remember that a dog is eager to please you.Remember also that positive reinforcement promotes faster and more consistent housebreaking training.

There are slightly different methods when starting a housebreaking method.One being crate training which is a great approach to housebreaking a dog.This approach to housebreaking a dog is based on the fact that the dog crate simulates a dog's den which he should naturally want to keep clean.

Another method I have used with great success is paper training, whereby the dog is trained to go on the paper.And then take the dog directly outside... The one piece of advice I would give anyone trying to housebreak a dog is when they're ready to start going outside, designate a certain spot and take him out there every time.

Potty training or housebreaking a dog is perhaps one of the most important training pet owners should give his/her pet dog. You must begin housebreaking your dog as soon as you bring your new pet home and the key to successfully housebreaking a dog is to never let it make a mistake in the house without being corrected.

For everyone who believes that dogs truly are mans best friend, proper housebreaking is a key to a happy well-adjusted dog and owner.

Any kind of training including housebreaking should be a solution to destructive, aggressive and unwanted behavior, housebreaking issues, socialization problems, issues with kids, other dogs etc.

It just so happens that housebreaking is a good start!

By David Cormier - Article Source: EzineArticles

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AGILITY DOG Training And Pit Bull Terriers

An American Pit Bull Terrier muzzled.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Spending time training your Pit Bull can be very rewarding and fun for you both. It helps build a stronger bond between dog and owner that is important for the happiness of both parties. There are many different types of training that you can choose to do with your Pit Bull, one such is agility training.

Agility training is the process of teaching your dog to successfully navigate an obstacle course. If the training is successful, your pet should be able to do it by only listening to and obeying your commands. During an event, the dogs are timed and to win must not make any mistakes and must have the fastest time. It takes a lot of practice for a dog to be successful at this, but can be quite fun for both dog and trainer. This activity is especially good for Pit Bulls because it gives them a good outlet for all the extra energy they seem to have.

Most experts recommend not starting agility training until your dog is at least one year old, at least not to enter into a competition before that age. Many owners who train their dogs to participate in these events will purchase their own equipment to have at home so that they can begin training the dog at an earlier age. Agility training equipment can be quite expensive, so some trainers prefer to build their own equipment. Instructions can be found online and in books that should be available either in your local library or bookstore. Owners should be careful to watch the dog for any signs of injury because occasionally working on agility training while the puppy is still growing will put a lot of strain on joints and bones that are not fully conditioned yet. It is recommended to have your dog cleared by a veterinarian before beginning any type of agility training.

The dog should also understand and obey basic commands before beginning any other type of training. Any type of training helps dog and owner to build a better relationship with each other, allowing them to work better and better together as time goes on. You should also work on any behavior or aggression issues your Pit Bull may have before considering agility training. The results will be less satisfactory and take longer to achieve if the dog is also working through other issues.

Most Pit Bull owners that are serious about their dog competing in agility competitions will enroll him in a training class, at least to help teach him the basics, then work with the dog on their own to enhance what he has learned. Being in a class will also help your dog work on his socialization, which will make him behave better around other dogs. Pit Bulls tend to want to fight when around other dogs, especially those of the same gender.

The most important thing to remember is no matter what type of training you do with your Pit Bull, you both should enjoy it. Spending time together will help build a better bond, leading to a lasting relationship. Whether you want your dog to compete or not, the benefits for both you and the dog are many.

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Insights On DOG OBEDIENCE

Photo  by Ferlinka Borzoi (Deb West) 

A dog is said to be man's best friend. Most people like to keep them as pets because they are capable of guarding their possessions as well as keeping them safe at all times. However, what most pet owners fail to understand is that their dogs need to go through the so-called dog obedience training. It is very important because the training itself will educate your pet as to the proper behavior. Chances are, you will be taking your dog for a stroll or to some trips and it will never be helpful if he is wild and unruly. To ensure that he is not going to cause troubles, obedience training is definitely a wise choice!

Dogs Need Social Skills

Generally, dogs are held to be social animals. Thus, their behavior should be shaped. They often get too excited when they see people and other objects so the tendency is for them to get wild when they are able to get out of their homes. The dog obedience is, therefore, a must for them. Dog training is not only composed of physical exercises but also some mental activities that will sharpen their minds.

When to do Obedience Training

Most owners ask when the right time is to employ obedience training. Ideally, a new pet needs to be trained. The younger the dog is, the higher chance of shaping his behavior.

Hence, for those pet owners who have not taken the right move as early as possible, you should identify the high time when to have your dog undergo the training. Well, dogs are very playful and they often associate it with ripping or destroying things. What if your valuables fall as the victims? You will surely go berserk!

Obedience training is the solution to turn to because it is known to solve almost all behavioral problems that your pet may have.

Necessary Skills in Obedience Training

One of the most essential skills that obedience training calls for is no other than effective communication. The commands such as stay, stop, come, and so on are among the basics to learn. Ensure that the training sessions will not be boring for the dog to take or else there will be very minimal learning on his part.

Type of Training to Get Your Dog

Professionals suggest the use of two of the most essential training styles. The first one is called the reward training and the second one is known as the leash or collar training. The reward training is somewhat less forceful compared to the leash or collar technique. It, therefore, makes use of praises and rewards for any good behavior displayed by the dog.

Even if you intend to do it on your own, you can still get the help of the professionals by reading a couple of dog obedience guides online or taking the advice from the published books sold by your local bookstores.

Dog obedience training doesn't actually cure all types of misbehaviors but it is able to resolve most of the problems. The most important secret is that of directing his attention towards other things and activities so he will forget about his tantrums. After all, a busy and happy dog is never a source of trouble!

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Hunting Dog Training – Some Things to Consider

Hunting Dog - Photo: Maxpixel

Men rely on hunting dogs to retrieve their kills. Without them, the hunter will have to do all the work with no the assurance that they will be bringing something home at the end of the day. To make the work easier, the hunter requires the help of a well–trained hunting dog.

However, not all dog breeds could be adapted to hunting works and only specific training that promote hunting capabilities would bring out the best in a hunting dog.

But hunting dogs are not garden varieties that you could have whenever you want. They are trained and trained well for the demands of hunting. And oftentimes, training for the hunting dog breeds is a tedious and extensive process that requires knowledge and patience from the trainer and appropriate attributes from the dog.

What is the right breed?

As said earlier, not all dogs are fit for dog hunting. There are actually dog breeds specializing in this work and have a long history of the particular service for men. In short, they are well adapted to the kind of works usually needed in hunting. 

A hunting dog which will respond best to training are breeds like retrievers, spaniels, and pointers- each of which has capacities that are unique to their breeds. It is up to the trainer to hone their capacities and use them for their right purposes.

In general, hunting dogs have an excellent sense of smell for tracking purposes. Also, hunting dogs should be fit for outdoor activities and could easily be conditioned for training. The best candidate for dog training on hunting is a dog that has all of the said characteristics. The most common choices as hunting dogs are Labradors, Beagles, Bloodhounds, and Dachshunds. 

What dog to get?

One just can't get a full grown dog and expect him to respond well to training. The best choice is a puppy since it has just started forming its behavior. Also, you need a dog that has an affinity to his handler. This would not develop on its own. So you have to personally train your dog or at least train alongside your dog with a professional trainer.

What tasks are usually involved in the training?

There are six basic tasks that a good hunting dog should master. These are as follows:

a) Retrieving

b) Marking

c) Quartering

d) Shaking

e) Following hand signals

f) Steadying

What about gunfire and scent?

There are dogs that are sensitive or scared at hearing gun fires. So it has to get acclimatized through training. Typically, this is accomplished by conditioning the dog through a procedural way of introducing gunfire along with game birds.

This training will let the dog associate gunfire with a game. If the gunfire is heard, the dog will know that there is a game. After retrieving the game, the dog will expect the next gunfire.

On the other hand, tracking is based on following the scent. There is as much scent as there are games so be sure to train your dog on a particular scent. If you want him to hunt deer you should get him used to deer scent. 

Dog training for hunting is much harder than other forms of dog training. However, if your passion is hunting you would undoubtedly require the services of a well-trained hunting dog.

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