July 7, 2008

First Steps to Search Dog Training

Filed under: freedogtraining.dog-training-zone.info — itbsuperrich @ 1:44 am

The first step in training a search dog is to start with an appropriate dog. You will want a puppy if at all possible. Dogs which are rescued from shelters and so on are not necessarily your best candidate, for they may have issues from the past which will make your job much more difficult. The dog you select may be any breed but a breed with a large nose is preferable, for the nose is the most important part of the dog’s ability to scent and as a general rule, the larger the nose, the more scenting capacity is available.

The first thing to consider is that the dog must be well socialized. To “socialize” simply means to assure that the puppy has received as much exposure to all kinds of things as is possible. Begin early to get the puppy out into the world. Think of any circumstance you want your dog to be in…from the wilderness to the urban scenarios , to thunderstorms, to large crowds, to flapping flags, to noisy construction sites…and take the puppy into these environments. Begin to teach the puppy especially to love people and to insure that it receives the most joy in its life from its exposure to people. You will want to make sure that the most fun this dog ever gets is the fun it gets from being with people, for in the end the whole focus of this dog should be to find a human being.

a moving object or a toy that you have thrown? Is he afraid of anything, such as cats, other dogs, noises? Evaluate the puppy before you begin by setting up a few simple tests: is he happy to be with people? Is he brave and courageous? (will he follow you or someone else into strange rooms or strange places?) Will he go into underbrush after a toy? Will he retrieve, or at least chase and follow

The search training actually begins when you set up a “puppy runaway”. The first few times you set this up you should be the person who runs away. Use a harness because you do not want the puppy to be choked with a collar in this process and he will struggle mightily to give chase. (If he doesn’t then perhaps you need to consider a different dog.) Have someone else hold your puppy. Pick a windy day and make sure you know which direction the wind is coming from, for you will run away from your puppy into the wind. You then squat down and give him a “lovey” and a smooch, then turn and run away from your puppy, a distance of anywhere from 30 to 100 feet depending on the size of your puppy. Drop down into tall grass or hide behind a tree or bush. Then have the person release your puppy with the one word or command that you have chosen to use as the command word. A simple command: “Search!” is fine. The puppy should run after you and find you quickly and efficiently. When he does, give him lots and lots of affection, kisses, belly rubs, all of these things are preferable to food, but a food treat will do if this is the only thing that turns your dog on. This “puppy runaway” should be done two or three times a week, no more than twice each time, gradually switching to different people and YOU will handle the puppy. Do not proceed further until you know for certain that the puppy will give chase and has begun to know the meaning of the word “search” . Set it up so that he will not always run directly to the person, that there will be obstructions in the way, or very little wind, or something that will ensure that he is beginning to use his nose rather than just rushing blindly to the place he saw the person disappear. (You can even turn him around so that he can’t watch when the person is running away.) When it is clear that he is using his nose and when he understands that the word “search” means to find someone, you are on your way to the next step, the puppy’s first real “search” when he has NOT seen someone run away from him.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Dog Training

Tag:

July 6, 2008

Training Dogs the Lazy Way

Filed under: freedogtraining.dog-training-zone.info — itbsuperrich @ 1:19 am

Have you ever found it difficult to get your dog to do as it is told?
Well, today we’re going to show you how to train him the lazy way, and get results every time.

Our first task is to get the dog to pay attention to us.
How many times have you seen someone shout their dog’s name with absolutely no response?

So, say your dog’s name in a moderate voice without shouting, and if he looks at you say something like “Good!” as praise and reward him with a treat.
Repeat this a few times, but cutting out the treat on occasions.
We don’t want an overweight pooch who only does things for food.
When this exercise has been repeated successfully several times we can make it harder by getting the dog to pay attention for longer, maybe 15 seconds before praising and giving a reward.
If your dog approaches you in an effort to see where you are hiding any treats it’s best just to ignore him.

When we’ve mastered this we can try it in different locations and with different family members calling his name and commanding attention.
Just make sure that whoever is in control gives the praise and treat.

Calling your dog’s name and getting a response quickly and every time is the 1st stage in getting your dog to do almost anything, as once you have his attention you can move onto the next step in your dog’s training.
From feeding time to going out for walks use your dog’s name on every occasion, but remember to be sparing with the treats, and eventually try to cut them down to a minimum as a special reward.

Leonard Mutch makes it easy to train your dog successfully, quickly and easily. Learn the easy steps to dog training at his website, and subscribe to his regular dog training newsletter . Visit:
dog training equipment

Tags: , ,

July 5, 2008

Beagle Is it the Breed for You

Filed under: freedogtraining.dog-training-zone.info — itbsuperrich @ 1:24 am

The purpose of this article is to improve the public’s knowledge about dogs, the Beagle in particular. Many people decide that they want a dog based off of appearance alone. While this may not be a terrible thing to do if the person has the ability to accommodate all types of dogs, for some individuals the care for specific types of dog breeds is not possible. The best way to avoid any surprises after the adopting or purchase of a dog is to understand the breed and what it takes to care for it. We will go over some of the basic characteristics of the Beagle to help you get a better understanding of the Beagle as a breed and possibly a new addition to your family.

The Beagle is a perfect companion for an active family. They make great members of a team. Though they are a little more difficult to house train than other breeds and not always very interested in learning training commands, the Beagle is a low maintenance, clean dog that will live to a ripe old age. At about 20lbs and 16 inches tall, this super friendly, giving, stubborn, energetic breed is a fantastic family companion.

We hope that we have assisted you I your quest for knowledge and understanding of the Beagle. Please look below for some additional resources. The first thing you will want to do is see what the Beagle looks like. The next thing you will need to do is house train your Beagle. We find that one of the most common reasons that someone will get rid of Beagle’s is that they are not house trained. There is a wonderful manual that can be used and you will find the link below. Lastly we want you to show off your new Beagle. There is a wonderful online dog community complete with a forum for you to post pictures to. Check it out.

The key to success is to love your Beagle and nothing will help you achieve that more than bonding with them. Spend time with your Beagle and make them a happy and healthy addition to your family.

Dog House Training is important for your Beagle. Look at Dog Pictures and send in your own. Talk with fellow Beagle owners in our Dog Forum.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Close
E-mail It