Having a dog as your companion can be a true joy. However, you don’t want your beloved buddy chewing your new shoes or going to the bathroom in the house. Therefore, you need to create a dog training plan to help your new puppy or dog understand the rules of the house.

What things should you focus on in dog training when you want your dog to understand the expected behaviors and even some fun tricks? Should you take dog training classes or complete dog training all on your own? The answer to these questions is that it depends. Take a look at the following dog training options to determine what type of dog training you want to provide for your canine best friend.

Possible dog training options include: a beginning obedience class that you can take through your local human society, dog supply stores such as PETCO, community recreation departments, and local colleges. These dog training classes can vary in price, time commitment, and personal attention. They are usually affordable and meet once a week at a community park. It is a great way to not only have your dog experience basic dog training, but socialize with other dogs as well.

If you have the financial resources and time you can hire a personal dog trainer. This type of trainer may be necessary if your pooch is having a hard time in basic classes and your dog training efforts aren’t making a difference. Before you invest in a private dog trainer it is important to make an accurate assessment of your dog training methods. Often times a dog that is not following directions is the result of the poor dog training by the dog’s owner.

A private dog trainer might be necessary if you are going to show your dog at dog shows. You can hire a dog trainer/handler or you can become one yourself. If you do, you must know the proper dog training techniques. You don’t want to have Fido jump up on the judges during the competition so he must be trained thoroughly and correctly.

You can also search through dog training books, guides, and various resources. There are products that will help you complete dog training such as special collars and muzzles. You can effectively go through a dog training regime with your canine if you follow these eight dog training tips.

Tip #1: Many people start their dog on the path to dog training success by enrolling them in a basic obedience class. This is a great idea because you will learn how to teach your do basic commands such as “sit”, “stay”, and “heel”.

You can teach these dog training commands by using verbal commands and physical actions. For example, right after you say the word “sit” you gently push your dog’s bottom down onto the ground and put them in the sit position. Immediately say “good” and smile. Give them a tasty treat as well. Basically, you want to do as much as you can to reinforce the action of sitting when you say “sit”.

Tip #2: Dogs act like absorbent sponges when it comes to learning proper behavior and tricks. If you do your job properly then dog training should be a hit. Your dog is ready and eager to learn proper behavior. They want to please you. Therefore, if they aren’t following your instruction it might not be their fault. You might be giving confusing dog training instructions.

Tip #3: Dogs thrive on positive reinforcement and encouragement. Positive reinforcement such as acting excited and petting your dog when they do the right behavior help with your dog training efforts. It is a dogâ™s nature to want to be close to you and make you happy. Showing encouragement and praise will help your dog much farther, much faster in their dog training. Make sure to encourage a dog through each dog training accomplishment, no matter how big or small.

Tip #4: Food is a powerful motivator when it comes to dog training. You will be hard pressed to find a dog that passes up food or a tasty treat. Dogs are always hungry and welcome any situation where food is involved.

Tip #5: Dog training should be a gradual process with regards to skill level and learning more complex commands. Give your dog time to understand new commands. They most likely won’t learn it the first day you teach them. You will have to review the commands and proper behaviors often.

Tip #6: Have dog training sessions at various times throughout the day. Your dog needs periodic training to reinforce the proper behaviors. You dog’s attention span can wane, so make sure to keep the training sessions to five to ten minutes long.

Tip #7: When you first start dog training work in environment that is free from distractions so your dog can focus on their behavior. Once your dog understands the basic commands you can try to use the commands in a busier environment.

One thing you may find is that your dog is distracted and seems to have forgotten the commands. Don’t fret. This can happen because dogs tend to be situational learners and your dog just needs to work on the commands in the busier environment.

Tip #8: Too many treats equals an overweight dog. Dog training is a process that involves tasty treats, but too many of these treats can be a bad idea for your dog’s waistline. Use small treats and wean your dog off treats as they understand the different commands. They will then rely on your praise as the positive reinforcement for each behavior.

These eight dog training tips will set you on the road to happy, healthy, obedient pooch.

Visit the dog-breeds-infosite.com” target=”_blank dog products website to research dog breeds & get free tips on dog training, dog health, dog grooming & how to find dog sitters & dog walkers.

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Origin

Do you know that the adorable little puppy you bought home last week could possibly be a descendent of a wolf? It may well be true! In fact, many theorists believe that wolf is the direct ancestors of domestic dog. Nevertheless, there are just as many who argue that it seems impossible to have over 400 varieties of dogs descended from just one species.

-Anatomically, the make-up molecules of the wolf over the centuries have remained unchanged, and research revealed that the DNA of wolf and dog are almost identical! The general pattern of dogs’ skeleton is still very similar to those of wolves in terms of their components, but significant changes can be detected, most obviously in the shape of the skull and the length of some of the limb bones.

The divergence in physical appearance could possibly be the result of mutation or even during cross breeding. Today, breeds such as the Alaskan malamute still retain a strong affinity with the wolf, in terms of their facial appearance and underlying skull structure.

-Behaviorally, both dogs and wolves bury bones; turn in circles before settling down for sleep; howl at the moon and frequently leg lift to mark territory. Both gestation periods is 63 days each, and the birth and development of their young is also almost identical

-Structurally, dogs and wolves are also extremely similar. Both also live in a pack-like hierarchal system where they are comfortable with a top dog, or Alpha role model. With regards to domestic dogs, Alpha (leader) role should belong to the owner they live with.

Whatever the theory, it isn’t difficult to spot the similarities between dog and wolf. Although, in some cases, the appearance of the domestic dog has diverged significantly from that of its “suspected” ancestor, most dogs still retain many of the traits of their ancestor.

Man’s Best Friend

Early cave drawings show us that wild dogs and wolfs were with humans even in prehistoric time. One of the earliest documentations of man and canine was noted more than 12 000 years ago on an ancient site in Egypt when the fossilized remains of a man and a small puppy were found in a grave in hugging position. Although, it is doubtful whether the puppy was that of dog or wolf, this is not an important issue.

Today, Scientists recognize and agree that the process of domestication of the dog has existed for 14 000 years, however they are not in agreement as to how domestication occurred:

-Some believe that man adopted offspring of the wolf and through natural selection chose to keep those that were less aggressive and that craftily begged for food.

-Others believe that wolves adapted themselves in following man because they could get a good meal.

Whatever the case, it’s hard to distinguish if wolves just tagged along or if they were invited. From ancient time till today, man and dog are inseparable who lived together and changed together.

In earlier times man was only concerned with gathering food. However, over time he began to become involved in hunting for food, turning his canine to “friend” as he helped immensely in hunting activities, this occurred some 12 000 years ago.

Later, man realized that not every animal should be his prey, but that some should be kept alive in order to domesticate for his purposes. At that time, domesticated animals needed to be protected from predators, this responsibility was taken up by dog becoming the guard dog, and this new role occurred some 7000-9000 years ago.

Dog Breeding

Dog breeding began when humans started to emphasize certain characteristics in dogs. Long-legged dogs, for instance, could be used to chase prey, heavy-set animals made better guard dogs. Several types of dogs emerged at the time of the New Kingdom in Egypt (circa 1570 B.C.) and drawings began to show dogs with drop ears, curly tails, straight tails and many coat patterns. Soon people all over the world were breeding and using dogs to suit their own needs.

The Greeks and Romans were training heavy-set dogs for sports, the Far East saw the toy dogs as prized possessions and the Europeans were developing sporting dogs for particular uses – smaller dogs to go to ground, stronger dogs to hunt. Dogs started to be grouped by appearance or function for convenience and were then even further divided into workers, herders and sports.

By 15th & 16th centuries, dogs began to gain popularity, not only for being functional, but by becoming a popular pet. The commercial importance of dogs and dog breeding escalated quickly as they became fashionable. During the 19th century, the number of new breeds grew quickly, with the first dog shows beginning in the 1850s.

Today, although there are roughly over 350 different breeds of dogs acknowledged by the FCI classification, all of them have one common quality that follows them throughout history and that is their unconditional love and loyal relationship to man.

This is without a doubt the oldest friendship recorded in history!

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. ~Roger Caras

Moses Chia is the webmaster of DogsObedienceTraining.com. He provides more helpful information on dogsobediencetraining.com dog obedience training, dogsobediencetraining.com/dog_training_books_review.htm dog training book reviews and dogsobediencetraining.com/dog_health.htm dog illness symptoms interpretation that you can learn in the comfort of your home on his website. You are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

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Training your dog is a time-intensive project that requires patience and solid strategy. Most inexperienced dog owners ultimately fail at training their pet because they either lack the knowledge of what to, or they become frustrated when their dog does not respond. This failure leads many to turn to the plethora of dog training books available on the internet. There are a number of excellent resources available, but what exactly makes up a good dog training book? Here are some important things to research before buying any training product.

Navigation In order to successfully implement a training program with your dog, you need to understand the concepts behind it. A well-written dog training book starts with the basics and slowly guides you through the more advanced techniques. There should be clear step-by-step instructions for each task, and the chapters should be organized by skill level. Too many inferior books lump broad categories together, which can confuse amateurs on where to begin. Ideally, it should be easy to continually reference topics in the book since it is unlikely you will memorize everything after one read.

Beyond Puppies Some books can lose their value after the first year of a dog’s life. They guide you through potty training and other behavior issues prevalent in puppies, but they don’t offer enough information on dealing with older dogs. This can be a big void, especially since it is much harder to break the habits of an older dog. Thus, it is important to choose a book that spans the life of your pet. A well-trained dog may never demonstrate obedience issues, but there are other bad habits such as aggression that may need to be dealt with later in life.

Illustration As humans, we learn more efficiently through reinforcement, and this is why the best dog training books feature a number of pictures and illustrations. Training your dog is a rather precise science, and there is simply too much room for misinterpretation without giving a visual reference. Some of the more premier dog training guides offer video instruction in addition to their books. This can be useful bonus that provides another way to learn the material.

Support No matter how confident you are in your abilities, you will probably reach a point where you have a question. Finding a training resource that offers email support or a learning forum is a great way to ensure you can find an answer. This is one of the benefits with the dog training ebooks available online, as a handful of them provide email support with the cost of their product. Having access to a support network makes it less likely that you will give up when you reach a difficult point during the training process.

Training your dog can be a fun experience that builds a strong bond between you and your pet, but it can also become a nightmare if things aren’t going well. A good dog training book will teach you what methods to use and how to implement them over the course of your dog’s development. But for every good book available, there are a hundred others have limited value. The best way to protect yourself against the inferior products is to do your research and look for product reviews. Choosing the right book from the start will ensure success with your training regimen.

Find out which

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Tags: dog training, dog training book, potty training

Dogs mature and age at much different rates, usually according to size and breed. It is commonly held that dogs live 7 years for every year that we man does. However, this serve as only a rough guide when converting and calculating your dog’s age as dogs grow up very rapidly in their early years and then slow down.

For example, a 1 year old dog is comparable to a 15 year old kid, at age 6, he is comparable to 40 years old in human terms. By 12, it is consider a geriatric dog and is equivalent to an 80 year old man.

It is generally believed that the smaller the dog breeds, the longer they live. Small breeds such as Terrier and Poodle may not slow down until 13 or 14 and could live to 17. On the other hand, larger breeds such as Great Dane and Wolfhounds rarely live pass 9 years.

Diet

A healthy diet for the older dog should be senior food that are formulated with low in fat and salt for a healthy heart, lower calories to help combat obesity since they are less active, lower protein to help the kidneys and liver, and higher fiber for the bowels to prevent constipation.

A switch to a specially formulated commercial diet for the older dog will usually perk him up. If you have no clues about your older dog’s diet, you should consult your vet for advice.

Medical attention

You’ll probably find that your older dog needs more medical attention than before because this is the time where age-related problems start to kick in. If possible, try to make more than just an annual visit to the vet and keep vaccinations up to date. A yearly geriatric screen, including blood and x-ray would also be useful to keep a closer eye on his health.

Patience

Patience is a key factor on your part when you deal with your beloved dog as he grows older. More often than not, he will develop age related problems such as tooth decay, periodontal diseases, vision impairment, hearing loss and also less active than before.

In any case, try to give them more time and understanding because they are not in their prime anymore. With enough love and care, older dogs can still continue their enjoyment of life well into old age.

Take good care of me when I get old. Someday you will be as old as me and you will see how it feels. ~ unknown dog

Moses Chia is the webmaster of DogsObedienceTraining.com. He provides more helpful information on dogsobediencetraining.com dog obedience training, dogsobediencetraining.com/dog_training_books_review.htm dog training book reviews and dogsobediencetraining.com/dog_health.htm dog illness symptoms interpretation that you can learn in the comfort of your home on his website. You are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

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Tags: dog breed, dog breeds, dog training, dog training book

Dog training is something any dog owner has to go through. Most people now get their dog training through a dog trainer. But there are some aspects of dog training that can’t be done with a dog trainer.

This is because this type of dog training occurs at your home. Not sure what kind of dog training I’m talking about?

I’ll give you a hint… this kind of dog training takes place 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Give up?

What I’m talking about is potty training or house breaking your dog or puppy. This part of dog training is often the most hated and dreaded of all dog training. This is because house breaking often takes the longest for your dog or puppy to learn.

For those of you who need help with, house breaking your dog, help has arrived.

House breaking your dog often starts when you get your dog as a puppy. But there are adult dogs that need this type of dog training as well. Dog training has come a long way in recent years.

It has recently been decided that crate training is the best way to get your dog house broken. Dogs do not like to sleep where they have gone to the bathroom. So, in theory, if you keep a dog in a crate for small periods of time, they will learn to hold it. This is because they would rather hold it than lay in it.

Most people think that this form of dog training is cruel to the dog. But in reality, this form of dog training is not cruel in any manner, in fact, many dogs like the idea of sleeping in a crate.

Dogs naturally like to sleep in a den like environment. Using a crate for your dog training

helps create this environment. Dogs feel safe and comfortable in their “den.” Many people find that their dogs often go to their crate on their own when tired.

Using a crate does take time for a dog to get used to, so be sure to start out in small intervals when beginning this type of dog training.

House breaking your dog can be a difficult part of dog training. But crate training has been proven to be the most effective way of house breaking your dog. In fact, most dog training classes and dog training books recommend it for house breaking.

For more information about this type of dog training, you can go online and type in “Crate Training” into the search engine. You will soon see for yourself how effective a crate will make your dog training easier!

Amy Howells is owner of the Dog Owner Blog, where she gives free information
on all aspects of dog-owner.net dog behavior training.For
more advice on dog-owner.net/dog-potty-training.html dog
potty training be sure to visit Amy’s free blog right now.

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Tags: dog training, dog training book, potty training