Archives for puppy training category
Posted on Nov 23, 2008 under puppy training |
Puppy name choices usually just have to do with what sounds cute or what fits your puppy or what you find funny or whatever pops into your head. And of course, that’s fine. But before you land on a puppy name and stick with it, you need to think about some puppy name considerations.
Here are two important puppy name considerations to keep in mind:
1. Remember that your puppy name needs to be unique to your puppy. When you choose a puppy name that sounds quite similar to some other word that you use, your puppy will be confused. Puppies (and dogs) don’t know the meaning of words or names. They just know sounds. They associate sounds with actions or objects.
Because you use your puppy’s name often, your puppy learns to associate the sound with him. He begins to understand that when you are speaking to him, you use this particular sound, his name.
Female puppy names, for example can sound like some dog training commands. Stacey, for instance, can sound a lot like “Stay.” Dawn can sound quite a bit like “Down.”
Be sure you pick a name that won’t be confused with some command you plan to give your puppy. Female puppy names are easy to choose without getting to close to a command.
2. Your puppy name must be chosen with the public in mind. Male puppy names that might sound fun at home might not work in public.
For instance, the male puppy name, Boner, might make sense at home because your puppy loves bones, but that word has another meaning in society’s sexual vernacular. You might not want to stand in the middle of a park and yell out, “Boner!”
Keeping these two considerations in mindsimilarity in sound to another word and acceptably used in mixed companyis a good idea when you choose your puppy name
Technorati Tags: dogs, indoor dogs, puppy names
Posted on Nov 20, 2008 under puppy training |
Just like babies, puppies have no control of when or where they “unleash their goods”. Having a puppy urinate inside your house is definitely not going to make you happy and it won’t do any good for your puppy when you get mad with him/her.
It’s important that you tackle this issue early on in the pup’s life and teach them some discipline. You may be surprised to hear this, but it’s true that a dog that has an authority figure and learns right from wrong will lead a more prosperous life and will make your job of caring for them much easier.
It’s not too difficult to correctly potty train your puppy, however keep in mind the process can take anything up to 1 year.
So how exactly do you potty train your puppy? Read on to find out the basic techniques and a lot of useful advice.
Restrict the Puppy’s Freedom
You should restrict the area in which the puppy can move around. What this will do is decrease the chance of the puppy urinating in a place, which they shouldn’t. Lay the potty paper in an area outside and then put a fence around so the puppy cannot roam elsewhere. It’s not supposed to be a jail so make it large enough so the puppy can run around and have fun. Of course you can take the puppy inside occasionally but you need to make it clear that the area is their home for the time being.
Wet the Potty
When setting up your potty you should place some of your pup’s urine on the paper and then walk them to it so they can smell it. This will give them the idea that the area is where they should be urinating.
One Potty,One Place
Many people who try to potty train their puppy have great difficulty, so they decide to set up multiple potty areas in hope that the puppy will use at least one of them. This is a bad idea as it will only confuse your puppy and they will not learn to use a potty effectively. You should only ever need one potty area.
It Takes Time
Younger pups need to go to the toilet every few hours, so put a leash on them and take them to the potty area and give the puppy 10 minutes to do their thing. If they don’t need to go, take the puppy back to its area and then try again in about 20 minutes. You should not play with the puppy until it uses the potty, once they do, you should reward them by playing with them, praising them or feeding them.
Reward Good Behavior
Whether you feed them or praise them, it’s essential that you reward your puppy for their good behavior. Rewarding a puppy will make them happier and teach them discipline and a happier dog in the long run is going to listen to you. A good idea is to reward them every time they use the potty.
Make a Potty Journal
By keeping a journal of the time it takes your puppy to urinate after eating, it will make it easier for you to train them and understand their habits.
Mistakes will Happen
Please remember not to get angry with your puppy if they urinate in the wrong area. At an early age they lack many skills that older dogs have much like how a toddler may urinate before they make it to the toilet. The best thing to do if your puppy urinates in a wrong place, is to simply say “no” or “bad dog”and then walk them to their potty area.
All in all, by following the above advice, your puppy will be well on there way to being potty trained and you will have a well mannered and obedient dog because of it. However make sure you give it time, it’s not something that most puppies can learn in a week or so.
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Posted on Nov 17, 2008 under puppy training |
The Golden Retriever is truly one of the most beautiful dogs on the planet.
They have a beautiful coat, an amazing face, a strong, sleek, and muscular body, a fantastic personality, a tail that never stops waging, and they are a joy to watch at work, when flushing a pheasant, swimming in the water, or chasing a Frisbee.
The Golden Retriever was originally bred as a hunting dog in Scotland, around 1908, but is now very popular as a house pet, a therapy dog in convalescent homes and childrenâ??s hospitals, and is used by law enforcement for drug detection.
Although they do not make very good guard dogs, they will bark loudly if a stranger approaches.
If you have children the Golden Retriever can be the perfect pet. Because of their natural nurturing instincts, and very gentle nature they make the perfect companion.
In 1974 President Gerald Ford made the First Family dog a Golden Retriever named Liberty.
If you are considering getting a Golden Retriever puppy, you need to find a reputable breeder that specializes in breeding Golden Retrievers.
There are plenty of pet shops and back yard breeders that are selling Goldens, that may have serious breed problems ranging from aggression, to hip and eye problems, and a host of other problems that may not be noticeable at the puppy stage.
A reputable breeder will check the blood lines of the parents carefully to make sure they do not have a history of these problems, before breeding. This will be your best chance at having a trouble free pet.
Training your Golden Retriever is not as hard as you may think. These are very intelligent dogs, and eager to learn. They want to please you, and hate to be scowled.
The first thing to remember is that puppies will be puppies, so donâ??t expect too much too soon.
You can start to bathroom train right away, but if there is anything around you care about within the puppies grasp like shoes, or your favorite slippers, I would put them away, because your puppyâ??s going to chew them if he gets them.
Give your puppy something of his own to chew. They are teething, and want to naturally chew things because their gums hurt. Make it clear early on that he or she is to chew what you gave them, and nothing else.
If you expect your Golden to respond to your commands, then you want to avoid confusing him. Itâ??s easy to forget that they do not understand the English language.
They respond to certain sounds, or words, based on your body language, and tone of voice. The trick to making the training as simple as possible is to use a few basic words and stick with them.
If you want your Golden to get out of the trash, and you say â??noâ? one time, and â??stopâ? the next time, and then â??heyâ? the next time, they never really get what you are telling them.
The six words that I have found over the years that work best are â??NOâ? â??SITâ? â??DOWNâ? â??COMEâ? “HEEL” and â??STAYâ?. I find they work best if said without the dogs name. These are discipline words, and are better left by themselves.
Itâ??s important that you show your Golden Retriever that you are the boss. You must establish that you are the leader to be successful with his training.
If you give one of your commands, and he does not comply, reinforce the command with a little different tone of voice until he complies.
If that still doesnâ??t work, donâ??t just walk away. That will send a bad message. Stick with it until you get the desired results. It will happen.
Never yell at your pet or hit them, or raise your hand in a gesture to do so. You also never want to use anything like a rolled up newspaper, or a belt, or any object of this type to discipline them.
This will only scare and confuse them, and loose their trust, which will make it much harder to achieve the results you are looking for.
If you use the word “No” Firmly, to stop him from what he is doing, or gently show him you want him to â??Sitâ? or lay â??Downâ?, or use the word â??Come” when you want him to come to you, or say â??Outâ? when it is time for her to go outside - I think you will be very surprised at how fast he or she learns.
Whatever words work for you are fine, as long as you keep them simple, and stay with the same words all the time I think you will get surprising results.
And donâ??t forget the most important word of all, GOOD. Using that word combined with boy or girl, or the dogâ??s name such as â??Good Sammyâ?, can work wonders.
They learn to like that real fast. Saying Good Boy, or Good Girl, or What a Good Girl, with the right tone in your voice, combined with a pat on the head, a biscuit, or a rubbing of their belly, will practically send a Golden Retriever into orbit.
They are beautiful animals. Just be patient, and you will have a great friend for many years.
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Posted on Nov 14, 2008 under puppy training |
From the first day you get your puppy you will need to implement obedience. I am not saying that if your dog is not a tiny little pup you cannot train it. I am just saying it is never too early to start training your dog. You must however do it properly or you could be training your dog improperly and may be confusing the hell out of your dog.
Once your dog gets confused it makes for a tough challenge to train it. You become frustrated and your dog becomes frustrated. You know when your dog becomes frustrated when it tries to hide away or becomes shy when you approach. You have the dog totally confused and he or she just wants to go to sleep or just stay away from the grumpy owner.
This frustration can even lead to depression on the dog’s part, well maybe even on the owner’s part as well. For the sake of you and your pet canine, seek professional help. That does not necessarily mean you have to bring your dog to an obedience class or send your dog to a professional trainer. There are perfectly good e-books out there that can give you all the advice you need to get your dog or puppy training off on the right foot. These e-books are relatively cheap for the information they have to offer.
Having a disobedient dog can lead to tragedy. Once your canine pet gets out and decides to enjoy his or her freedom, it may end up being a very terrible scene with cars wandering up and down those asphalt paths they call roads.
If you do own a puppy or a full grown dog, seek help from a professional to keep your pet safe. Your time with your dog can be very enjoyable for you and your pet. Remember an e-book is quite inexpensive and you can get all the information you need from a professional to raise your dog to be a very obedient pet and a good friend.
Posted on Nov 11, 2008 under puppy training |
Here are five easy to use training tips for your new puppy.
1.) Chewing Problems - The most effective solution to a
puppy chewing on something he shouldn’t is to not discipline
him, but to simply replace the object that he is chewing with a
chew toy and then to raise him greatly for chewing on his chew
toy. Positive encouragement is what a puppy will respond to the
most.
2.) House Training - The easiest way to house train your
puppy is to always take him out immediately after his meal. Wait
for him to go. Once he goes, praise him greatly. He’ll soon get
the idea that going outside is the correct thing to do.
3.) Playtime - When you are thinking about getting a
puppy, make sure you have the appropriate time to give to your
dog. Estimated necessary time is about 10-30 minutes for eating
(3 times a day), 10-30 minutes for a walk (3 times a day) and
about an hour of playtime with your dog. Most people don’t
realize the amount of time that a healthy puppy will require.
4.) Dog Crates - Dog Crates can have a positive impact on
both the dog and the owner. It’ll give the dog a safe and secure
area that is very close the “den” like atmosphere that dogs had
in the wild. Once a dog is comfortable with a crate, it’ll allow
the owner to safely transport the dog and help to house train a
puppy (they won’t want to do business in their den).
5.) Hide The Chocolate - When getting ready for
halloween, make sure you keep the candy out of reach of the dog,
especially chocolate. Chocolate is very dangerous to a dog. It
can make the dog very very sick. If you suspect that your dog
has eaten chocolate, you should your veterinarian IMMEDIATELY.
For more dog
training tips like these, head over to our web site: http://Weekly-Tips.co
m/Dog-Training and sign-up for our weekly email
Posted on Nov 08, 2008 under puppy training |
When we talk about a dog being part of the family, it’s usually because the family took the time to socialize the animal when he was a puppy. The term socialization isn’t necessarily training, it just involves teaching the dog what others expect of them. There are many things that a new puppy should be taught if you want to end up with a great member of the family. These include:
Not peeing in the house. The idea that certain parts of your home make an acceptable place to relieve themselves should be strongly discouraged. It’s only through learning this behavior will your new found friend ever be considered trustworthy enough to be left alone in your home.
Don’t bite. While puppies are naturally curious and playful, biting should not be allowed. It’s during those first few formidable months that the pecking order of your family becomes established. A pet should never be considered alpha dog in the family but be subservient to all humans. This means that although roughhousing and playing around is fine, biting is definitely not acceptable.
Sit. While this is a learned behavior, having control of your dog is critical to them being part of your family. You don’t need a full-grown dog to charge the door each time the doorbell rings. You may however consider it a positive thing when someone comes to the door that your dog announces the visitor by barking then sits obediently at the door. This can add a measure of safety and put the visitor on notice that a dog is also home.
While there are many other behaviors, you can train your dog to do, socialization should start almost immediately. Showing your new puppy what you expect is easy to do, provided that you are a consistent teacher. The key to teaching your dog anything new is to realize that they have a very short attention span and they want to please you. This means that even during socialization or formal training, any effort to teach a new behavior should be fun.
When you first get a new puppy, it’s important that you keep them confined and under control. There’s no point in allowing bad habits to develop that will only need to be broken in the future. This is a good reason why allowing your puppy to potty or relieve themselves in the house on newspapers or piddle pads is not the best way to house train your dog.
Crate training works because it uses your dogs natural instinct of keeping the sleeping area clean. This, along with consistent visits outside and lots of praise will result in your puppy not only getting the idea of what makes you happy, but also helps with the socialization aspect of his young life. Visit the link below for more information on how to quickly house train your dog using the very effective crate training method.
While socialization and formal training may be similar, training looks for certain reliable actions from the animal. With socialization, we give your new best friend a lot of slack in doing the behavior.
Posted on Nov 05, 2008 under puppy training |
Crate Training
One of the most dog friendly methods of training your pet is crate training. The process is very natural and uses the den instincts of the puppy or dog to help them understand where a safe place in the house is for them as well as giving them their own space and area. Since dogs naturally do not want to soil this area they are less likely to mess in the crate leading to faster and more efficient housebreaking.
Routines
Crate training works in conjunction with a puppies body functions. Establishing a routine with the puppy will help with the process and will avoid any unnecessary accidents. To use crate training techniques follow the steps outlined below:
·Feed and water your puppy at the same times (or as close to the same times as possible) each day. Most puppies are fed at least two to four times per day depending on their age.
·When the puppy has finished eating place them in their crate with some toys and soft bedding material. The crate should be where the puppy can still see people and feel part of the family, not where they feel that they are being isolated or punished for bad behavior.
·Approximately 15 minutes after placing the puppy in the crate take them outside or to the area that you wish them to use a bathroom. If you puppy has spoiled the crate prior to this 15 minute mark don’t punish them, simply clean the crate and plan the next time to take them out 5 minutes earlier. This is a process of trial and error but you will eventually find out just when the little puppy will go to the bathroom after eating.
·Have the puppy walk with you to the outside area or toilet area. Praise them when they go. If they are outside for more than 3-5 minutes and are showing no signs of relieving themselves simply place them back in the crate and try again in no more than 5 minutes. Don’t scold or pay undo attention to them until the go outside and eliminate. Immediately give lots of praise and attention and return them to the house for further attention and socialization.
·Puppies quickly learn that by going outside and relieving themselves they will get lots of positive attention and will come back into the house and play with or be around the family.
Cautions with Crate Training
To be sure that crate training is completed correctly make sure that the following occurs:
·Make the crate comfortable with toys, soft, washable bedding and lots of ventilation. It is to be a positive place that is the puppies “den”.
·Never use the crate as a punishment or isolation area. If your puppy begins to associate the crate with being ignored or punished they will quickly stop wanting to go to the crate.
·Keep the crate somewhere that is part of the activity centers of the house so that the puppy can still see people and be in a familiar area.
·Do not keep the puppy in the crate for prolonged periods of time. Confining your puppy to the crate is a form of punishment to the puppy and will make the crate a negative place to be.
There are many resources and books about crate training that provide additional information. Crate training your puppy makes it easy to travel with the dog as they are always at home in their crate no matter where you are or what type of transportation you use.
Posted on Nov 02, 2008 under puppy training |
The sooner you start leash training your puppy, the sooner he will be able to walk with you in a safe, happy environment. However, this isn’t always an easy task. Puppies are often afraid of collars and leashes; and as such, should be introduced to them in a loving and patient way.
Before you start leash training your puppy, you should buy him a collar with an ID tag, a leash, and some of his favorite treats. You need a regular dog collar, choke collars are not recommended for leash training.
Start the training session by putting the collar comfortably, but securely around the puppy’s neck. He will probably paw at the collar and roll around at first. Don’t laugh at him or encourage this in any way, but don’t punish or scold him either. After a few minutes the puppy will forget it’s there.
Once the puppy accepts the collar, you should attach the leash. Don’t pull him; just let him walk around wearing it for a while. Do this indoors with supervision so the puppy can’t tangle the leash on something and become hurt. After a few minutes, take the leash off. Repeat this process several times while leash training your puppy. Attaching the leash to his collar at meal times will help him to associate the leash with something pleasant.
After he is comfortable wearing the leash, pick up the other end. Don’t walk him; instead let him lead you around if he wishes. Try not to put him in a position where he wants to pull or strain against the leash. Try luring him towards you. If he comes, give him lots of praise and possible a treat; if he doesn’t come don’t punish or scold him because that will only make him more afraid of the leash.
When he begins to walk praise him generously. Every part of leash training needs to be as pleasant for the puppy as possible. When the puppy is comfortable walking on the leash, practice in a familiar area without distractions. Gradually widen the walking area.
Once wearing the collar and walking on the leash are conquered, it’s time for you and your puppy to learn how to manipulate stairs. The same patience and encouragement required for leash training is necessary for training your puppy to climb stairs. You should find a wide, inviting staircase and sit at the base of the steps with your puppy.
Go up one step and encourage your puppy to follow with your voice and a treat. If he follows make a huge fuss telling him how wonderful he is and give him the treat. Repeat this until he is no longer intimidated by the stairs. While leash training your puppy, never punish him for not climbing the stairs or try to force him. Forcing him will only impede the training process and give him something else to be afraid of.
Although leash training your puppy can be challenging it is absolutely necessary for his safety. Remember, new puppies are a great responsibility and this is only one small part of the training the puppy will need for a smooth and happy transition from a puppy to a dog.
Posted on Oct 30, 2008 under puppy training |
What happened when one day you bought a puppy and this cute dog suddenly start biting and chewing everything in the house, from socks, toilet papers, carpets, etc… and there is nothing wrong with his health?
It is very important that dog training is conducted at an earliest stage possible while they are still puppies but when you just got your new dog, here are some ways to puppy proof your home as an emergency and short term solution that you can use immediately to reduce the damage.
It’s perfectly natural for puppies to want to explore their surroundings.
They know the world around them through their noses and mouths, which is why many puppies can be seen smelling or chewing on just about everything they encounter.
The fastest way to prevent this destructive behavior for your Puppie is this Puppie Proof Your Home instead of reprimanding her as she is not trained yet.
What does “Puppie Proof” your home mean:
1.Temporarily take up any throw rugs.
2. Place all plants, poisonous substances, household cleaners, trash receptacles, paper products (such as tissue and toilet paper), shoes, and any small chewable objects out of reach.
3. Either remove, cover or tape down all accessible electrical wires.
4. Remove or secure heavy objects which could fall or be pulled down and cause injury to the puppy.
5. Confine her to just a specific location of course with a few toys to play with. Too much toys is also not good and may cause her to confuse between what belongs to her and what belongs to you
6. Apply bitter apple spray to some things which is very hard for you to move like furniture legs and etc.
That’s it some of the ways to puppy proof your home.
Last Note, it is good for your puppy to have a lot of outdoor exercise and for a much better and fruitful relationship with you, it is good to let your puppy goes through dog training session.
Puppy proofing your home should not become an excuse for you for not training your pets, but instead puppy proofing will give you some breathing space to create a dog training routine while preventing the puppy from his own destructive behavior.
So with that say, training is probably your must solution to providing long term solution to your dog behavior problem and in the long run will create a more meaningful relationship for both the dog and its owner.
Posted on Oct 26, 2008 under puppy training |
While there is no fool proof method for house training a puppy, crate training has proven successful for many. There is nothing more fun than bringing home a new puppy; for everyone except the person responsible for cleaning up after it!
This process effectively teaches the puppy to ‘hold it’ until given the opportunity to relieve himself somewhere more suitable. However, this method is not an excuse to ’shelve’ you new puppy for long periods of time.
This method of house training a puppy is based on the premise that puppies would rather not mess up their living area if they don’t have to. Puppies should NOT be left in the crate for too long. If your puppy goes to the bathroom in the crate because he could no longer hold it, the training process will be drastically compromised.
How do I handle house training a puppy in this manner?
If no one is in your home during the day, you should put the puppy in a bathroom or another small, uncarpeted area in your home that can be closed off. House training a puppy should take place only when you are at home. When you arrive home, take the pup out on a leash.
After you play with him for a while put him in the crate. Wait an hour or so and then take him out again. If he relieves himself, shower him with praise. If he doesn’t, put him back in the crate and try again about 45 minutes later. This process should be repeated until he is successful.
After he goes to the bathroom he should be allowed to play free in the house. Some people find it helpful to keep a diary of the times their puppy goes. While this may seem bizarre, it helps you to determine your puppy’s habits enabling you to decrease the time he has to spend in the crate.
The most important thing to remember with house training a puppy is to be consistent and offer an enormous amount of praise. The process may take a while and it is important to understand that if the puppy has an accident during the training it is OK, you should just increase the frequency of trips outside.
If the puppy has an accident after his training has stopped, don’t punish him, just revert back to the training process temporarily and you will be back on track in no time.