Dog

How to Potty Train Dog

September 15th, 2012

When you first get a puppy you are both going to need to learn how to potty train a dog. You will have to learn the patience required and your dog has to learn how to get the job done right.

You will need a few things to get started as you learn how to potty train your dog:
• A crate
• A bell or other sound you control
• A leash
• And a lot of loving patience

The Crate will serve as a place for the puppy to live when it’s time for bed at night or when you must be away from the little one. Make sure the crate is only large enough to turn around and sleep comfortably. If it’s too large, he will simply do his business in the corner and that is definitely NOT what you want.

Crating time should be limited according to the age of the puppy. Younger puppies around 2 months old will need to potty about every 2 hours, but older dogs 6 months to 8 months old will be able to “hold it” for as much as 6 to 8 hours if need be.

The bell or other sound is your cue it is time for your dog to go do his business. In the beginning you will need to carry him and ring the bell, but in good time you will be able to ring the bell and he will be ready to go.

The leash will help you direct your dog to go where you want him to go do his business. If you attach the leash to yourself when he is not in the crate, you can keep him with you so you can watch for his pre-potty behavior signs such as circling, sniffing, or a certain “look”.

Plan the main potty times for right after meals. Rather than leave food out all day, feed the puppy at specific times, and then take him out within 10 to 30 minutes after he finishes. This will help regulate his bowels, too.

Do your best not to get angry when accidents WILL happen. Instead, stop the action with a firm, calm voice and take him outside to finish. Clean the area immediately with enzymatic cleaner to rid the area of his scent so he won’t go there again. Punishment confuses the dog and frustrates you.

In no time, you will both be well trained and live as a happy human with a confident and happy dog.

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Training a Puppy

September 7th, 2012

Training a puppy involves many different areas of behavior. Obviously, training a puppy to not go potty in the house is important. Even if you have an outdoor only dog, there are many patterns of behavior that you’ll want to either keep your puppy from picking up or learn how to do. Whatever the behaviors you’re trying to instill in your new member of the family, you must come at it with an attitude of patience, love, and calm assertiveness. If you don’t, you’ll make the process a lot more frustrating than it needs to be.

Now, no matter how much you may see your new puppy as a family member, your puppy is a dog. Dogs communicate with each other in a manner that’s different than how humans relate to each other. As such, you are doing yourself and your puppy a disservice by treating your puppy as a human. This doesn’t mean that you can’t pamper and protect your pooch. You just have to learn how to interact with your puppy from the point of view of being the alpha dog in the pack. Make sure that you don’t fall into the trap of thinking that providing structure for your puppy is a punishment of some sort. You want your puppy to grow into a dog that can interact positively with the humans that you positively interact with. You want your puppy to be the type of dog that is a joy to be around for humans and other dogs. That can only take place with the calm assertiveness that’s needed to help your dog understand and appreciate it’s boundaries.

Your puppy training will no doubt include things like having your dog come to you when you call, not jumping up on people, walking on the end of a leash, cease unwanted barking and/or whining, and cease biting on off limits items. It’s important that you take your new puppy for walks regularly. It’s a form of disciplined exercise that can save you from unnecessary wear and tear on your property both indoors and out. When you do walk your dog, you don’t want your furry friend pulling on the leash. You should be in control of the walk, not the other way around. Training is key so that both of you understand how to properly stroll or run in the outside world.

Training a puppy to heed your commands is key. You don’t want situations that could have been taken care of from the start to escalate into serious issues. Deciding not to provide boundaries for your pup can result in injury to your new family addition or others. That’s definitely not what you want. There are many puppy training methods and tips available. Some are free and others are paid, but don’t neglect the training of your puppy. A puppy that doesn’t get into a lot of mischief can happily explore the world around it. There’s nothing much better than having a partner to trot through life with and with proper training, your new puppy can develop into just that companion.

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The Essential Basics in Dog Obedience Training

June 9th, 2012

Having a dog is a big responsibility. Over the years of taking in dogs and caring for them, I learned that training is essential. However, training dogs is not a one step process that can be accomplished overnight. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication and more importantly, a give and take relationship. If you have a dog that you care for so much, I suggest you start training now.

Age doesn’t matter

Dog training knows no age. If you are living with an untrained dog, now is the perfect time to start training. Yes, you can still teach old dogs new tricks. The key is a lot of patience and dedication.

You are the leader, not your dog

It is all about discipline and by discipline I mean telling your dog what to do, not asking. Too often we find ourselves giving in to those melting puppy dog eyes and little whimper whenever they want to do something we totally forbid. Change that today! Be firm but do not take extreme measures. When you want your dog to poop outside of the house, then you must establish that you mean it by offering a demanding tone to your command. Also, make sure that the timing of the command is spot on. Active correction works for me all the time – reprimanding as the deed is ongoing. However, do not go overboard by being violent. Hitting never got me anywhere…. do not worry as I have found a better way to get them to follow your command.

Offer praise and reward

So instead of punishing your dog relentlessly, just leave him rewardless for being naughty. Conversely, offer him nice praise and even a reward when he does something good (domestically acceptable). I never thought that positive reinforcement would work on dogs, but it did and it still does. Remember that dogs can be stubborn, maybe even more than humans can be, so work your way to his heart!

Effective training

In my experience, effective training is channeling a dog’s natural behavior into an acceptable domestic behavior  For example, a dog’s hyperactivity can be redirected by having a schedule for exercise and outdoor activities. Get creative and be repetitive!

It is perfectly safe to assume that you have gotten this far reading my article because you genuinely care for your dog. These are just some of the most important basic dog training tips that haven’t failed me so far. This has gotten me a long way and I can only hope that your endeavor would be as fruitful as mine.

 

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