Free Dog Ttraining

Dominant Dogs require special training, but so do their Owners. Too often an exasperated Dog Owner will scream or strike out in sheer frustration as the dog pushes the Owner beyond bearable limits. Or the overwhelmed Owner will treat the dog the way Helen Keller’s parents treated her, turning her into “an animal” until Annie arrived on the scene. In the words of Captain Keller to Annie Sullivan: “Give her everything she wants.” Backfire!

So let’s start with You, the Dog Owner. Understand that Your own attitude and timing are critical for a successful outcome.

One of the most important things to remember when working with a dominant dog is to keep your cool. Yelling is counterproductive and only turns a difficult animal off. Yelling escalates the problem. You can’t fight fire with fire.

Instead, remember that: “Iron sharpens iron.”

Focus. It’s up to You to be steady, firm, and consistent, and to make sure You are calm when you begin your daily work with your dog. This approach is not inconsistent with love, for those who love their children and dogs will teach them, lead them, and discipline them with a consistent, fair, and firm hand, so that they can be the best they can be. That’s your goal with your dog.

Take control. To do this, it is very important for you to establish and maintain steady eye contact when taking authority over your Dominant Dog. While the submissive dog will look away, the dominant one will hold the stare.

Eye contact is also critical for you to hold the dog’s attention and keep him in an obedient posture. In dog language, the first one to look away “loses” and submits. So let your eyes send the focused message of “control” and “authority.”

Also, YOU must “claim” all things that the dominant dog considers “his possessions,” whether toys, rugs, bones, or whatever. You must present yourself as the dominant one, and all things in the house as yours. Only then do you “invite him in” and “share” these things with him.

You cannot allow the dog to claim or take possession of anything. You do not want to encourage the development of more dominant behaviors, possessiveness, or aggression. Indeed, aggression dog dominance naturally evolves from uncorrected dominance posture. Instead, break the cycle.

Another key in breaking dog dominance behavior: Do NOT allow the dog to have what he wants “for free.” Make him earn it!

Earn it, not own it!

For example, a Dominant Dog should have a good walk or strenuous exercise before he is fed, such as a 30-minute walk at a brisk pace, followed by a “cool down” time (or he will get sick). He should be required to abide by rules and to respond obediently to your leadership, so that he feels he is “working” with “purpose” and “worth.”

It is exciting to watch a formerly out-of-control dog stand proudly with a happy gleam in his eye because he knows he has a job and boundaries, that he does not have the burden of controlling things and can trust in you, and that he has achieved something of perceived worth and pleased you! The dog then takes joy in obedience!

Then he’s earned the right to something he wants . . . not as a training tool or bribe, but removed from the actual training time . . . not as something he owns, but a gift from you . . . an expression of your general pleasure and affection . . . and only when YOU choose to give it . . . only in YOUR timing. YOU possess the control. Don’t relinquish it!

There is an explicit dog training technique to use on a Dominant Dog. It contains a little-known technique about YOUR FOCUS so that the dog actually SMELLS AND SENSES your authority and control!

It also applies the dog communication system of “silence, submission, and leadership” . . . the dog whisperer behavior approach, in familiar terms. After all, for effective communication with your dog, to command and control his attention and focus in a positive, constructive manner, you must speak HIS language.

. . . And that requires that YOU have a silent way to establish and maintain your OWN focus and sense of cool, calm, collected power and authority. Part B of this free article provides details of a little known secret, a dog training tip to help you do just that! (It is effective for commanding respect in the workplace, as well.)

Give dominance no place, and it will not escalate.
Give it an inch, and it will take a mile . . .

Rena Murray is a professional Dog Obedience Trainer and Dog Behaviorist with extensive Dog Behavior Modification experience, from Puppy Training to Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks to Aggression Dog Dominance issues. Committed to helping Dog Owners as well as Pets, Rena publishes self-help articles with real world examples and a free email newsletter to help you select, train, understand, communicate with, and control your dog. To learn how to turn your Dominant Dog into a lovable, obedient pet, and a little-known training tip for establishing and maintaining Your Focus and Authority as Master, visit the Dog Dominance Behavior web site today!

Tags: aggression dog dominance, dog behavior modification, dog trainer, obedience dog training, thedog whisperaggression dog dominance, dog behavior modification, dog trainer, obedience dog training, thedog whisper

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Many people feel that taking the time to train their puppy or dog isn’t worth the effort. What with everything else we have to do these days in our busy lives, whose got the time?

Kimberley was just like that. She’d never bothered training Jackbut then, one day

Kimberly and Jack ran excitedly up to the top of the escarpment and gazed out over the deep blue ocean waves as they rolled in from the east. The sun was just appearing over the horizon, the cool sea breeze on her face made her feel completely alive, and Kimberley was as contented as she had ever been.

The time she spent with Jack, the 3 year old German shepherd she had rescued from the animal shelter a few months earlier, was the most precious part of her life. He seemed to know just what she was thinking and was devoted to Kim to the point of being a fanatic.

He wouldn’t leave her sideunlike most of the other male companions she had previously had in her life.

Jack was the perfect companion.

He gave her unconditional love, he was always there for her when she needed to talk to someone, he lavished his undivided attention on her, he never spoke back, and was always waiting patiently for her when she came home from her work at the pharmacy.

The early morning walks they shared helped her forget the many troubles in her life, and allowed her just enjoy herself.

This morning was special.

She was on the first day of her annual two-week vacation, and had plans to take Jack up to the mountains hiking and camping for a few days later in the week.

The thought of getting away from the pressures of daily life made her feel a rush of adrenaline and Jack could sense her excitement, yelping and barking playfully as they frolicked in the grass at the top of the ridge.

They played for over half an hour, then turned to head for home to have something to eat.

Maybe it was the excitement of it all, but for whatever reason, Kimberly wasn’t thinking straight as she undid Jack’s leash to let him run on his own through the grassy fields as they descended the hill towards the township below.

It happened in an instant.

Jack caught sight of a rabbit hiding in the grass and took off after the animal in a frenzied rush of excitement and playful enthusiasm.

Kimberley called him back, but he was totally focused on catching the rabbit and heard nothing but the creature’s cries for help as it raced towards the safety of its borough.

Jack was a beautiful sight to behold as he chased the rabbit in full flight across the grassy field. Every second he gained on the small creature, until he was only 10 feet behind it and closing fast.

But Kim was looking on in horror.

The rabbit had built its borough close to the edge of the cliff, and Jack was running at full speed towards the huge drop down to the ocean below.

Kim could feel the fear welling up inside her and she frantically called him back as she ran towards the cliff top herself. “Stop Jack!”, she cried, but he paid no attention to her commands as he chased the rabbit towards the cliff top.

Just 6 feet short of the cliff’s edge, the rabbit dropped into the safety of it’s home below ground.

Jack didn’t see where the animal went, and in the few seconds it took for him to realize that the rabbit had escaped, his momentum carried him off the cliff and over the edge.

Kimberley screamed as she saw her beloved companion disappear out of sight. “No!” she cried as she ran headlong towards the jagged cliff top.

She peered over the edge with tears streaming down her cheeks, fearing that her best friend had fallen all the way to the rocks below.

She moved closer to the edge screaming out to Jack, praying that by some miracle, he had survived.

As she lay down to look over the edge, she saw Jack wedged precariously next to a tree stump on a small outcrop about 20 feet below, injured, but alive.

If he had gone off the cliff just 3 feet either side of where he did, he would have fallen hundreds of feet to the rocks below. His life had been spared, at least at the moment, by the narrowest of margins.

A huge feeling of relief welled up through Kimberley’s body as she saw that Jack was still alive.

She pulled out her mobile phone and called the police.

She quickly explained what had happened to the officer on the line and a team of rescue workers were dispatched to the cliff top to rescue Jack.

Kimberley watched on with trepidation as the rescue team carefully winched her beloved Jack to safety from the outcrop that had saved his life.

He had broken his left rear leg and had some cuts and abrasions, but on the whole, he was a very lucky dog that dayand Kimberley knew it.

She looked towards the sky and gave thanks that her best friend had been spared.

She promised herself that as soon as Jack was back on four legs, she would start to train him to obey her commands so that something like this could never happen again.

She felt guilty that her neglect at not training him properly from the start could have cost this beautiful animal his life. She felt sad but also happy that she had been given another chance with Jack, and she wasn’t about to waste it.

3 Months Later

Kimberley and Jack are again able to take their early morning walks, but now, Jack’s lead is an option.

He obeys Kimberley’s every command, and they have a deep, new found respect for each other’s abilities that goes far beyond their roles of dog and master. They are truly great friends.

Maybe you don’t take your shepherd for off leash walks near cliff tops, but there are lots of hazards just as dangerous around your home that can cause your favourite pet to hurt himselfor worse.

Running into moving traffic, drinking something poisonous around your home, jumping the fence and getting into fights with other dogsthese are all situations that proper training can severely restrict or eliminate.

Think for a moment of how you would feel if your wonderful dog was injured or killed by a car right in front of you because he ran out onto the road despite your calls for him to come back.

Training is vital for every pet so that they know what is expected of them and they stay safe in an increasingly dangerous world. And properly training your pet is your responsibility.

Please, take the time to train your dog. If you don’t know where to start, there are plenty of good books around to help.

Another option is to take him to obedience classes in your local area.

This is the most focused training you can give him (and yourself) but it’s also the most time consuming and expensive.

If you have the time and financial resources, it’s usually the best way (if you can find a good trainer), but if you don’t, then reading a good training book and following it’s instructions will give you a solid grounding on how to train your dog properly.

Train him well, and he will reward you for it in so many ways that you can’t imagine.

Rocky Tapscott is the author of a free Dog Training Handbook that helps you to get the most out of your relationship with your canine companion.

Drop by http://www.hobbyandlifestyle.com/dog-ownership.html for a free copy.

Tags: canine, dog, dog training, dogs, hobbies, hobbycanine, dog, dog training, dogs, hobbies, hobby

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I know it’s not much comfort to you, but chewing and minor destruction is normal for a puppy. It’s his way of exploring his new world. And it gets worse while he’s teething.

Once you’ve started his training — particularly his socialization training — this behavior should stop. And of course, teething is only temporary.

The problem is particularly prevalent in dogs who have a free run of the house and furniture! If you mainly keep the dog in one room - where his crate or bed is, and where he eats — and leave him in that room when you go out, you’re less likely to have the problem in the first place.

And I have seen research indicating that almost every dog who is allowed in sleep in their owner’s bedroom — and even more if they sleep on the bed — displays destructive tendencies when left alone.

Let’s see what we can do if it doesn’t stop.

There are 3 main reasons for continued destructive behavior and chewing.

One is boredom; two is attention seeking; three is stress related separation anxiety.

Here’s how you tell the difference.

A bored dog will usually ‘attack’ the same thing every time he’s left by himself. He’ll generally have what passes for a guilty look when you find what he’s done.

Solution: exercise your dog physically and mentally for about half an hour just before you go out. I’ve heard good reports of leaving a stout rope chew soaked with a little tuna - apparently the scent work stimulated by the tuna holds his attention for quite a while.

The attention seeking dog will chew all sorts of things — whether you’re in the house or not — and never looks ‘guilty’ or anxious.

Solution: don’t give in to this call for attention. Correcting the behavior can be a little time consuming, but is definitely worth it.

Put the dog in the room he’s usually left in when you go out. Close the door and listen. If he starts chewing, slap the door with your hand — but don’t speak. When he’s stayed quiet for a couple of minutes, go into the room but ignore him for a little while.

Depending on how quickly he gets the hang of this, increase the time to 5 minutes, then in 5 minute chunks up to half an hour.

It sometimes helps while doing this — and afterwards when you go out — to leave some recently worn clothes just outside the closed door to the room so that he thinks you’re still there.

A dog suffering separation anxiety will tend to chew your clothing, or the items you passed on your way out of the house. In other words — anywhere your scent is.

Solution: try to reduce his dependence.

If there are other people living in the house, try to share out who does the walking and feeding so the dog doesn’t form an excessive bond with one person.

Should this not be an option, you’ll need to cut back a little on physical contact with him while you’re in the house. Start with maybe 2 minutes of no contact at all, and gradually increase it. Perhaps put him in his crate for a little while. You can sit in the same room with him, but read or watch TV.

You can also do this if there are other people living in the house. But it won’t work unless everyone does it.

It also helps when you go to leave the radio on, or you can leave a recording of your voice or a family conversation playing.

Although these solutions do work, remember that prevention is better than cure.

A dog is not a solitary animal. If there’s no-one at home for 8 to 9 hours a day, every day - the dog may suffer separation anxiety. This is really not fair on the dog.

Try to keep the house tidy. If you don’t leave things lying around he can’t chew them.

Give him plenty of toys to play with - but not ones that look like slippers or other things that he shouldn’t chew. He won’t be able to tell the difference. The same thing applies to giving him an old shoe of yours to play with. He won’t know the difference between that and your brand new party shoes!

Phillipa Baxter offers sensible, effective dog training tips that have helped over 9,000 puppy owners worldwide build strong, loving relationships with their new dog. For more useful advice you are very welcome to visit her at http://www.DogTrainingCourses.com.

Tags: chewing, dog socialization, dog training, puppy trainingchewing, dog socialization, dog training, puppy training

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