About Dog Training
No dog is born with good manners. Pooping on the carpet, leaping enthusiastically onto guests, pulling so hard he practically yanks your arm out of the socket when on walks--that's all perfectly acceptable in the canine world. It's up to you to teach your dog to behave the way we humans want him to. Not training your dog and expecting him to be pleasant to live with is like never sending your child to school and expecting him to ace the SATs.
As well as making life with your dog more enjoyable, training is the best gift you can ever give your pup; friendly, housetrained, well-behaved dogs are less likely to be surrendered to shelters or put down. Plus, training is a great way to bond with your dog or puppy.
Despite the adage about old dogs and new tricks, there are no age limits to teaching dogs: puppies as young as three weeks old can learn, as can adult dogs of any age. And whether you've got a brand-new pup or a senior dog, the first step is the same: learn how to be a good teacher.
April 12th, 2011
Gotcha! Game: fun and important for safetyJust one visit to a local dog park should be enough to convince anyone that keep away games are loads of fun for most dogs. Watching them play a canine version of Catch Me If You Can! can be highly entertaining. On the other hand, watching a dog play a similar...
March 31st, 2011
Your canine newcomer is just itching to learn household manners. She wants to please, but she has to learn how. Before the young pup can be trusted to have full run of the house, somebody must teach the house rules. There's no point keeping house rules a secret. Somebody has to tell the pup. And...
March 31st, 2011
Next to owning a dog or cat, there is nothing more enjoyable or rewarding than fostering an animal from your local shelter or rescue group. Even if you have a pet at home, you might be able to fit...
March 31st, 2011
Teaching your dog the 'down' commandWith your puppydog sitting, say "Rover Down." Let it sniff another food treat, and then quickly lower the lure to the ground between the pup's forepaws. Most dogs...
March 31st, 2011
Tricks are both enjoyable and extremely useful. Really, dog tricks are not much different from a person performing gymnastics, doing algebra, dancing, sinking a putt or playing the piano - all learned...
March 31st, 2011
Raising and training a pup to be people-friendly is the second most important goal of pet-dog husbandry. Remember, teaching bite inhibition is always the most important goal. But during your pup's...
March 31st, 2011
The "Stay" request is different from "Settle Down." Whereas "Settle Down" means wait quietly in the designated spot but in any body position that is comfortable, "Stay" means remain in place and in...
March 31st, 2011
Jumping-up is primarily a problem of adolescent and adult dogs. Puppies jump-up, but owners rarely see it as a problem. In fact, many owners unintentionally encourage puppy jumping. For dogs that jump-up...
March 31st, 2011
When dogs fail to come when called their behavior falls into one of two categories: active or passive disobedience. With passive disobedience, the dog doesn't come and it isn't doing much else besides....
March 31st, 2011
Puppies bite-and thank goodness they do. Puppy biting is a normal, natural, and necessary puppy behavior. Puppy play-biting is the means by which dogs develop bite inhibition and a soft mouth. The...
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