dog Agility competitions are seen frequently on television. The eyes of most pet owners have seen this amazing sport and would some how like their dog to be introduced to the equipment for fun and for exercise. The competition size equipment may be larger than the pet owner needs or wants to invest in so , many are introducing their dog to “mini” equipment.
Mini-agility equipment still provides lots of mental and physical stimulation to your dog, but without bulk of competition sized equipment. Almost all types of obstacles are made in a “mini” size. There are mini-A-frames, mini-dog walks, mini-teeters, mini-tire jumps, mini-jumps, mini-tables, and mini-weaves.
The mini-A-frame can be in different sizes, but is often made with two, 4-foot sides, instead of two, 8-foot sides. Mini-dog walks are often made with three, five-foot planks instead of three 12-foot planks. Similar is the mini-teeter, made from a five-foot plank instead of a 12-foot plank. These changes in size make shipping and delivery easier and less costly.
Mini equipment is safer for the beginner handler and dog because the equipment is lower to the ground. dogs and puppies can learn and use the equipment with greater ease and confidence.
In addition to pet owners, breeders, kennel owners, and dog parks are purchasing mini-agility equipment. Breeders purchase mini equipment to stimulate their puppies mentally and physically. Some breeders add railings to their dog-walk for added puppy protection. Kennel and doggie Day Care owners use the equipment to keep their clients happy and busy all day long. dog parks are selecting mini-equipment because it is safer to use by the untrained owner.
Competition agility owners are also selecting mini-equipment for training specific behaviors, using them as training aids, and for indoor training in the wintertime. A contact trainer is a combination of a mini A-frame side attached to a pause table with a mini-dog walk plank attached to the opposite side. Agility competitors often use this apparatus for back chaining their contact behavior.
Dog Agility Training Basics : Teaching Dogs Agility Tricks
dogs usually bark because they are bored. dogs want a lot of attention and they don't know how to behave when alone. Unfortunately, we have usually set this situation up ourselves. You want your dog to be happy, so you spoil him: you give your dogs treats and pat him whenever you wish. It is entirely normal for you to act this way and entirely normal for your dog to complain when he feels neglected.
You must teach your dog that barking for your attention doesn't work. If he is unhappy outdoors and he barks and you eventually bring him inside the house, he will learn that barking gets results. If you yell at him when he barks, your dog also sees that as reward. your dog thinks, "I'm bored so maybe I can get my owner to yell at me again. " When you yell at your dog it just doesn't work. If you use negative reinforcement, it can still be useful. Here is a little story that will help explain what I mean:
Many years ago, I owned a young dog. There were times when this dog barked at night for no apparent reason. My dog was warm and well-fed, and he had plenty of water. His kennel was clean and dry. All he lacked was entertainment, while I sat inside and watched TV to keep me entertained. When I yelled at him to be "quiet", it made no difference and he kept barking.
Let me tell you what did work:
I put a small amount of water in a plastic cup and quietly stood in front of my dog, without saying a word. When my dog started barking again, I would quickly splash some water in his face. I woould then turn around turn around and go back inside and watch TV - all without saying a word. I did this about two or three times during the first night, once or twice during the second night and maybe only once the night after that. After doing this I ended up with peace and quiet.
It is important that you say the word "Quiet" and repeat saying it calmly and clearly once or twice in a normal voice. This will teach your dog to associate the word "Quiet" with water in his face and not with the barking behaviour. What you must do later, in situations where he would normaly bark but he stays quiet instead, is you calmly praise him.
Barking and Growling
If you have a dog that barks and growls and shows his teeth in a threatening way, it means he is getting ready to bite you. Please do not squirt water in his face or up his nose and do not threaten him. You should consult with your veterinarian or dog psychologist.
Barking When You Are Not Home
You need to make sure that you have done the all basic things:
Make sure he has a comfortable place to relax where he can't see people or other pets,
If necessary, bring him indoors.
The chance are high that if your dog is problem barker, he has never learned to be alone. He has become accustomed to your lavish attention without him having to earn it. He thinks he is the center of the world and when he finds himself abandoned he becomes distraught and then he starts barking. This is a natural behaviour for all dogs.
You Should Be a Good Role Model
Your dog only hears, "blah, blah, blah", when you talk to him. The important thing when communicating with your dog, is the way you say the words and the body language you display when saying the words. If you make a big deal of things by repeatedly reassuring your dog that everything is ok and you'll be back soon, then you really are making things worse. If you then excitedly greet your dog when you arrive home, it reinforces the idea in your dogs mind, that when he stays alone all day, it really is a big deal.
This is an important thing that is not easy to do. it is important that you do it and that the whole family follows this rule. In order to train a more obedient dog, you should only touch your dog when he has responded correctly to a command. Teach your dog to sit and when he sits praise him with a simple "good dog" and a pat on the head. You can gradually work up to longer sit times and evetually your dog can be relied upon to sit and stay in all situations. The bonus is that your guests will appreciate this obedient behaviour. You often see dogs jump up to greet their owners. A lot of dog owners believe that since they enjoy this type of greeting then other people enjoy this greeting also. Unfortunatel, this is just not true.
How To Practice "Being Out of Touch"
Now that you are nott patting, stroking and fondling your dog all the time, he will be learning now that it's ok to be "out of touch" for a short while. You should get him some good toys he can chew, such as Nylabones and Kongs. You should let your dog become distracted with a chew toy and then calmly and quietly leave the room, closing the door behind you. After a few minutes, preferably before your dog has become distraught about your absence, you can come back into the room and resume what you were doing. You should move calmly and not say anything. If your dog races over to greet you, you should ignore him completely not say a word. Don't even look at him. You need to teach your dog that your separation was completely unimportant and natural to you. This will then train your dog to think the same way.
When you are about to leave your dog alone for the day, you should start your morning schedule about ten minutes earlier than normal. Make sure your dog as been fed and try to get him settled in with a chew toy. You should get completely ready to walk out the door and then just sit down with the newspaper or a magazine. Make sure you just ignore your dog completely. After you have had several minutes of calm separation you should quietly walk out the door and go to work. Make sure you do not say good bye, to your dog and do not even look at him. Even though you are leaving for the day, you do not want to make this is into a big deal. When you return home later in the day, you must be equally calm and not make a big deal. Just ignore your dog and do not pat him. Do not get excited about greeting him. Go inside and change your clothes or whatever you do when you get home. Once your dog has settled down then you can acknowledge him by telling him to sit. Only after he sits doeshe get a pat on the head and a simple "good dog". It is no big deal, you were only away for the day.
If you leave your dog alone during the day, then he is in an unnatural situation. He is all alone with nothing to do. If you want to avoid having a dog that barks and tears up your house, then you need to keep your dog busy.
There are many great toys on the market such as Kong chew toys with hollow and openings at both ends. You can put food or dog treats inside these toys. You can try putting a dog biscuit in there at first, then later you could try packing it with canned food and freeze it, so it takes your dog a long time to get the food out. This is a great way to keep your dog busy while you're gone and at the same time your dog must work to earn some food. You can buy several Kongs and hide them in different places. In order for this exercise to work, your dog must be feeling hungry.
If your dog is overweight and getting too much food, you can find adjustable feeding balls that also work with dry food. In order for your dog to get to the food, he ust roll the ball around so that the food falls out through the holesmin the toy. You can make sure that getting a full meal takes a long time. Another method you could try, is try leaving the TV on for entertainment while you are away.
You need to make something mysterious or unsettling happen or something so puzzling that your dog forgets to bark for a while. If you make a short sharp unidentifiable sound, it should distract your dog. You will have to use your own ingenuity, but here is a suggestion:
Head off to work as you usually do in the morning and calmly ignore your dog. get in your car and drive away then quietly return, approaching from downwind. If your dog barks you should make some sharp noise. You may have to repeat this over several days.
Great Dane Honey - teaching your dog to pick up his toys (clicker training dog tricks)
dogs do not come with an instruction manual around their necks. dogs need time, patience, and understanding. Therefore new owners need information to train, and help cope with the difficulties of the newest member of the family.
1 . Not enrolling with the dog in "obedience school".
In any good school you can expect your dog to learn basic commands and proper behavior. "Heel! ", "Sit! ", "Stay", and "Come! " are all examples of these commands. The dog will learn how to associate with other animals and people. Don't make the mistake of sending your dog to obedience school alone. If you do, you will have a dog more obedient to the teacher, instead of you.
2 . Self-training using improper techniques.
Physical punishment and yelling are not good methods of training. The best methods are stimulation and reward for good behavior. This way the dog will be motivated to carry out commands because it knows it will receive attention and maybe a yummy treat. For this to work, it is important to be patient and consistent.
3. Not researching breed characteristics.
When choosing a dog, do not judge by appearance alone. Take some time to do research on several breeds, to find one that will make a good match for you and your family. If you have a small apartment, for example , a large dog may be a poor choice.
dogs are social animals and naturally live in packs. Spend plenty of time with your dog outside. Play together, make your yard a fun place, not a doggie prison! If your dog is not active enough, is bored, gains weight, gets sick, gets into all kinds of mischief, barks too much, or bites: It is your job to understand why it is happening and make it better.
dogs need an area that is only for them. When it gets nervous or scared it will have a place of refuge. Make it a comfortable place for your dog. It doesn't have to be fancy, just comfortable. Just like people, every living creature has times when it just wants to be left alone to sleep or relax
The leader in your house is you, not the dog! Your dog will receive food and attention when you decide. Not whenever it wants. Your dog must earn its rewards, they are not a gift.
7. Making 'goodbye' a big event.
Do not make a big deal out of having to leave the house. This is not the time to lavish extra attention on your dog. It will only be aggravated after you leave. A good idea is to leave your dog with fresh food and water, and maybe a toy.
Constantly feeding a dog table scraps can be very unhealthy for dogs. They are not recycle bins! There are many very good dog foods available - buy those for your pet. People do not eat dog food, why should it be the other way around?
9. Having unrealistic expectations.
Though at times it may seem like it, dogs are not human. dogs need logical and consistent training to live well with people. They do not understand when you explain to them 'why'. When your dog misbehaves a simple "Don't! " or "No! " is enough and suitable.
Avoiding these mistakes will assure you and your dog live a long and happy life together.
K9 Dog Training Club - 100% turn your dog from bad to good
Therapy dog training, while important, is something with which many people are not familiar. A therapy dog is one that is used to do animal assisted therapy and activities. Organizations train the dog to help people in hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and virtually anywhere people need some sort of therapy. So , then, how do dogs become therapy dogs? It is a fairly simple process.
A Good Citizen
Though the requirements for therapy dog training vary from state to state, it is almost universal that the dog must be certified as a canine good citizen. In order to receive that, you have to train your dog to be focused and well behaved around distractions. Generally your local animal shelter or even a therapy dog training center will have classes available for you to learn how to turn your dog into a canine good citizen.
Classes for Therapy
Therapy dog training can start as soon as your dog has been certified as a canine good citizen. The training consists mainly of teaching your dog how to ignore things like hospital equipment and school noises that he or she may not be used to being around. They also train the dog to help with simple activities and therapy with those who need it. However , in many cases, the therapy is really just the presence of the dog. Those using the services of dogs trained in how to perform the therapy can be anything from walking them, to reading to them, to simply being around them.
Where to Go
If you are interested in therapy dog training for your four legged pal, then you should check out the internet or your local yellow pages. Whether you live in Virginia, California, or anywhere else, there is an organization in your area that will help you not only teach your dog how to become a therapy dog, but also get him out in the community and doing his part. Additionally , you can volunteer to help with everything from training to the therapy itself. Just get in contact with your local organization.
Therapy dog training can be incredibly rewarding. When you teach your dog how to react to the situations with which he will be presented, you are putting him in a situation to be more than just a pet. You and your dog together can be real additions to the community and help your fellow man.
If your dog is an important part of your life, you will want to provide the best of care for her so she can enjoy a long and rewarding life. A trip or two each year to your veterinary clinic does not guarantee that your loyal canine will maintain her healthy appearance and youthful spirit. It is you, the dog's owner, who can make the difference between your dog living a long, full life or one of physical disease and health problems.
Many dogs are treated like they are immune from common heath problems - they are NOT! They suffer many of the same health issues that afflict humans; teeth and gum disease, ear infections, toe nail problems, and hair issues, just to name a few.
Well, don't get discouraged, because a few simple and easy grooming practices can help you prevent the premature aging of your pet. Basic personal dog grooming is the key to early recognition of skin and tumor issues, dental problems, and mobility difficulties.
To help you establish a regular dog grooming regimen, the following tips are provided covering five key areas; brushing, bathing, nail trimming, ear cleaning, and dental hygiene.
Brushing, or grooming, your dog is a great time for bonding with her and providing the physical contact that all dogs desire. This practice promotes a lustrous shine on the dog's coat, whiling eliminating dirt, debris, and dead fur.
This is also the perfect opportunity to examine your dog's skin for fleas and ticks, lumps, cuts, or contusions. And while you're at it, take a moment and examine her ears, eyes, teeth and nails.
Here is the good news - most dogs only need bathing once a month, unless she likes to play in the rain and mud. If she does get dirty on a regular basis, adjust your bathing schedule accordingly.
A prerequisite to bathing is a good brushing. This loosens up any dead hair or dirt and makes the bathing process much more productive. A good practice is to start bathing your dog as young as possible. Generally start when she is about 14-15 weeks old, or earlier, if they tend to get into messy situations.
Find a good location to bathe your dog, preferably one that is contained and has good drainage. Undoubtedly, water will be spilled or shaken near and far. An enclosed shower or tub is an ideal location, or if your dog is a smaller breed, the kitchen sink can also work.
Wet your dog thoroughly, avoiding her head to keep water out of her eyes and ears. Plug your dog's ears with cotton balls if there is a risk of flooding the ears. Use a dog shampoo and lather up the dog. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and squeeze off the excess water. The face should be washed with a soft, damp cloth. Towel dry your dog, and blow dry if desired, but it is best to keep her confined until dry.
Trimming Nails
Nail trimming can be a traumatic experience for some dogs. So , it is best to start the nail trimming experience as early as 2-3 months old to let your dog become accustomed to the practice. For puppies, you can often use finger nail clippers to tip the ends of the nails.
If this is just too much for your dog or puppy to handle all in one sitting, you may start with trimming only one paw at a time, giving your dog an extended break between sessions. The key to successful nail trimming is providing your dog lots of praise when she lets you cut a nail. Kind, soothing words of praise will let her know that she is loved and this experience is nothing to fear. Of course , a few dog treats after the session is over can't hurt either.
Cleaning Ears
Inspect your dog's ears often , but only clean them when there is evidence of dirt in the opening or canal. Use a cotton ball, never a cotton swab, to clean the dirt out of the ear. Soaking the cotton ball with a good ear cleaning solution provides the best results. Hydrogen peroxide can be substituted for the cleaning solution, if necessary.
If you notice that the dog's ears are red, swollen, or emit a foul smell, the problem might be more serious and demand veterinary attention. Yeast infections, ear mites, and other ear problems are more easily treated by medications only available from your vet.
Keeping a Bright Smile
As a dog's life span has been extended over the years, it is even more imperative that your dog maintain healthy teeth and gum tissue. You can assist her by brushing her teeth regularly. Start as early in life as possible, to get your dog accustomed to the feel of your finger or brush in her mouth.
Starting with your finger, or a special dog toothbrush fitted for your fingertip, begin massaging your dog's gums and gently rubbing her teeth. Once she has become accustomed to the practice, try using a dog toothbrush, or small soft bristled human toothbrush, with dog-specific toothpaste. Never use toothpaste designed for humans on your dog.
Continuing this practice throughout your dog's life will ensure that she will avoid gum disease, loose teeth, and related eating problems.
These easy-to-follow grooming tips take very little time compared to the years of enjoyment your dog will provide you and your family. Take care of your loving "best friend" and she will certainly return the favor many times over!
Besides using verbal commands while obedience training your dog, you should also learn the dog training hand signals. If your dog has been trained with the hand signals, he can still do as you command, even when he is not able to hear you. If you teach your dog his hand signals, you can still make your dog come on command from quite a long distance. This is how hunting dogs or agility dogs are controlled in the field by their handlers. Whatever the handlers need their dog to do can be done through the hand signals even without using verbal commands.
You can teach your dog the hand signals right along with the regular obedience training lessons. Any good dog training program will explain the different standard hand signals and how they are used for training your dog at home. You can even use hand signals of your own invention as long as your are consistent in using the same movement each time.
dogs learn the hand signal concept very quickly because they naturally tune in very closely to another dog's body language as part of the way they communicate with each other. So , if you are just starting with your dog's obedience training, introduce the dog training hand signals right now. Of course , even if your dog is already trained to follow verbal commands, it is not too late to introduce the hand signals to him now. Get started by using the hand signals to teach the basic steps-sit, down and stay. These basic exercises are easy to teach and is a good place to starting the hand signal training. After your dog learns these first 3 signals, he is ready to keep going when taught the remainder of his dog obedience lessons.
* To teach the hand signal for sit, bend your arm upwards from the elbow to head level in a quick movement while at the same time saying sit. By repeating the hand signal each time you command your dog to sit, he will soon learn to associate the hand signal with the vocal command.
* For teaching the down hand signal hold your arm out level with the floor and then lower it down towards the floor. At the same time you give your dog the down command use this hand signal. The hand signal gets him to follow your hand down to the floor.
* Teaching the hand signal for stay is done by using the policeman's hand sign to stay-holding your arm outstretched towards your dog with the palm facing him. Hold your hand out like this at the same moment you command your dog to stay.
If you haven't already started using dog training hand signals when obedience training your dog, you can get started now. It is a good feeling to know you can control your dog even if he cannot hear you for some reason.
Teach a Puppy to Sit | Teacher\'s Pet With Victoria Stilwell
People are always looking to learn how to train puppies for obvious reasons. We all want a well behaved puppy that is house trained. Potty training your puppy is a major part of your training but it is not near as difficult as many make it out to be. Follow along as we plan to help you understand some tips and techniques you can use to help make this a simple process.
It is important that you take the responsibility to train your dog. Make certain that you prepair yourself to train your puppy as it is not fair to them if you do not. They want to be trained and are at the perfect stage of their life to accept the training you will provide them. You will have much higher odds of successfully house training your dog if you dedicate yourself to the task. You will learn that training your puppy is not near as hard as you may think.
The age of your puppy helps make a decision in your training. This does make a difference in the training process of your puppy. You should start focusing on your training once your puppy is two months or older as you will have a much better chance of successful potty training. While you puppy is under two months old they still do not have any form of proper bladder control and trying to house train them at this age is a very difficult task.
Make sure you have dedicated the necessary time to properly potty training your puppy. Remaining consistent with potty training will allow you to successfully accomplish it only in a few weeks time. By following a proper schedule on when to take your puppy out you will have a much better success rate when training them.
You must have patience when training your puppy to use the potty properly. If you do not have the patience and lose your cool quickly you will be better off having somebody else potty train your puppy. You have to still expect for your puppy to have accidents on occasions when you are training them. Obviously this will test your patience but keep in mind your puppy is at a stage of learning right now and they will quickly adapt to this method of training. You will want to learn about potty training prior to getting your puppy as this will increase your rate of success with training. Properly educating yourself on how to train your puppy and spending the necessary amount of time with your puppy will be productive for both of you.
How To Potty Train A Puppy - Tips and Tricks
Again, don't let people make you believe that potty training your puppy is an impossible task. In reality it is a simple process if you remain dedicated and patient during the task. Below you will find some tips and tricks to help get you started with your training:
Be Consistent and on Schedule With Your Training:
- It is important that you take them out when they first wake up
- After they have had breakfast take them outside to use the bathroom.
- At this point in their life you should take them out once every two to three hours.
- After dinner you should take them out to use the bathroom.
- Finally they should be taken outside prior to bedtime
As you can see learning how to train your puppy is not that difficult. Potty training is a great first step in training your puppy.
