Best Dog Training Methods

You throw a ball and encourage your dog to go and get it, but he comes back without it. The ball gets dropped somewhere on the return route. What is the secret to training your dog to fetch?

Fetch is more than a fun activity you can have with your pet. It is a vital training exercise for police dogs who are required to locate weapons, drugs, law breakers and missing people. It is used by hunting dogs to go out and retrieve ducks and other prey.

Fetch is a natural activity for dogs that must go out, find food, and return it to the rest of the pack. Clearly, this is an activity that should be easy for dogs to learn, but some people find it’s not that easy.

The first step in training a dog to fetch requires that you get the dog interested in the item. If you just throw the toy without introducing him to it first, and expect him to retrieve it, you might be disappointed.

The dog needs to get excited. You can get him into that frame of mind by showing him the toy, letting him sniff it, and then hide it behind your back. Repeat this a few times, even letting him try to take it from you. Pull it away and hold it out of his reach but still in his view.

Ask him if he wants the toy and he will get excited. That’s when you throw the toy and tell him to “get it” or “fetch”, whichever term you prefer.

At the beginning of this exercise, he might go to the toy and play with it in place, rather than returning it. For dogs that ignore the toy, choose a toy that is designed to be filled with dog treats, like the Kong toy.

Once the dog has touched the toy, call him to “come”. Some dogs will automatically bring the toy with them, but others won’t. After several tries and this method doesn’t work, move on to this method.

Put your dog on a long leash that allows him to go a few feet from you. Throw the toy and tell him to “fetch”. When he gets the toy, call him back and give the leash a gentle tug and pull him towards you. If he repeatedly drops the toy, try using the “forced retrieve” method to train your dog to fetch.

This is not as bad as it sounds. You throw the toy and then walk your dog to the item. Encourage him to pick it up. Praise him. If you like, give him a treat. The second phase involves having your dog bring the toy back. With the toy in his mouth, lead him back to here you started. Again, reward him for carrying the ball.

When your dog repeatedly obeys these steps, go back to throwing the toy and commanding him to fetch it. At this point, he should understand the command and do it perfectly. Just remember to keep it fun while training your dog to fetch.

Francis N. Tressler
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-training-fetch-tips-for-training-your-dog-to-fetch-697288.html

Follow Jessie’s actual progress during the first steps learning to turn on a light switch. In under 4 minutes (approx. 45 clicks), she has the main idea.

Have you considered training your own assistance or service dog? Or trying out a new trick to impress friends?
Clicker training is the best way I have found to successfully train almost any dog.

I have been asked several times for footage of a dog learning a task or being shaped for the first time so new trainers could see the actual process and know what to expect. So here it is! Lots of repetition. Note she doesn’t get clicked for any behavior she offers that I don’t want later on such as pawing, stepping on or scratching the switch plate.

The only editing was for slow periods where she scrambled for food, when I repositioned myself as I was uncomfortable or when I turned on and off the camera.

Subscribe to our videos to be the first to see the whole process start to finish. (Coming soon).

Enjoy this educational video brought to you by Vancouver Island Assistance Dogs!
www.viassistancedogs.blogspot.com

Our videos are now available for puchase on CD. See our blog above.

Duration : 0:4:3

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My 1 year old german shepard husky mix has been staying with another family for about the last 6 weeks while I get my license striaghtened out & find a place with a yard that we can enjoy together. He suffers from terrible seperation anxiety but had made incredible progress since he began taking 100 milagrams of amatriptaline daily (50mg in the AM 50mg in the PM) The family that has him, stopped his medication and at first they reported that things were going wonderfully. Then I got call saying they’d been having problems with pottying & destructiveness (something they had not mentioned before) & also that he had begun to be aggressive with thier dog – a shepard hound mix. The 2 play well together but Rio (my dog) seems to want desperately to assert himself as pack leader and often is too rough in the way he wrestles with Trooper (their dog). I immediately asked them to start him on his medication again. I believe that the meds allow a base for comparison. If he stills has the behavioral problems on the meds then we deal with it accordingly but when the vet prescribed this medication it was because he was having full blown anxitey attacks which would cause him to hyperventilate vomit and soil himself. After a few weeks on the meds coupled with excessive excersise, social interaction with other canines (dog park, doggie day camp etc) and daily obedience training to help build confidence & patience, he improved radically. He was markedly less destructive, had fewer "freak-out" sessions and when he did seem to lose it over something he was able to calm down much more quickly. As a younger pup, he would work himself into a frenzy over being left alone and it would take 40 minutes before he could settle down at the least. He would tear up the carpeting in front of my door when I left for work and when I got home he would bark, yelp, spin around in circles fall on the floor writhing and urinating on himself or alternately leap all over me clawing at my legs and torso (also usually while urinating uncontrolably). After several months on the meds I found I would come home to find he was just waking up from a nap he would be happy to see me but not bark or jump at all. There were certain instances when his past behavior might reappear in lesser degrees such as the day the neighbors moved out and he was subjected to hearing unfamiliar nosies through out the day but even in instances like this his would calm much more quickly and easily. I was assured by my vet that this was normal and that I should expect variences in behavior.
I was never able to successfully crate train him. Crating was a particularly difficult area for us but I was still working on aclimating him to a crate up until he left. We worked very, very slowly – in one second intervals and got to a point where he would be in his crate for up to an hour with a frozen kong while I had company over to play a few hands of cards. This was a HUGE improvment since at one point I couldn’t allow people in my home because Rio would demand constant attention and insisted on being the center of attention. If I were to have a conversation with someone else he would gnaw on that persons hand or mine, cry or urinate on the floor until we redirected our attention to him. When my lease expired @ the end of November I was unable to renew at the new cost that my landlord was asking. Instead of moving into a less expensive unit somewhere in town I thought it would be best to try to find a place with a fenced yard where he could have some space to run. He loves being
outdoors and I thought it would be another great tool for putting distance between us. I could put him out in the yard and be able to watch him from the kitchen while baking or some such thing. A friend put me in touch with this family who offered to take him on – aware of the issues – until I could get myself settled in a new place. We agreed that they would house him until mid Jaunary or longer while I paid for food and other living expenses. They offered to keep him for up to six months but I hoped to have him back sooner than that. They disapproved of the medication based on their holistic lifestyle & discontinued it. They claim that since stopping his meds he has been easier to train & that the meds seem to make him loopy/distracted and that being off of them help him to be more focused. They said he seemed unable to retain training before discontinuing the medication. After our first conversation about his behavior and meds they consulted with a trainer who encouraged them to try
pack training. They said that he had improved immediately and was no longer fighting to be top dog. They began hiding his food around the house in hollowed out stuffed animals which encourages Rio to hunt all day long for his food. The tactic is meant to keep him engaged mentally thorugh out the day. He also is made to walk int he back of the pack and gets everything after Trooper to help instill his "place in the pack" they reported that he was doing wonderfully – and still not on medicaiton. I got another call about a week & a half ago. They reported that they were concerned about him bonding too strongly with one of the family members. They asked me to come and visit with him and said they felt that regular visits (bi-monthly) would make it easier for him to make the transition back home with me in a couple months. I made the trip up immediately. It was the first time I’d seen him in 6 weeks as soon as he recognized me he went ballistic with excitement. I mostly ignored him and
only acknowledged him when he sat/laid down. It took about 5 minutes for him to settle down and then we all parted ways. He did not cry or fuss when they family and their dog walked away although he did look after them wondering why the pack was seperating. Rio & I walked through the city, took a nature trail out into the woods, laid down beside a tree where I read aloud to him and had lots of cuddling kissing time. We had lunch together at a dog friendly burrito shack. He was exceptionally well behaved albeit a bit more of a tugger then I recall from our last walk. He followed commands with ease, sat at every intersection and did not try to lung at those swans we passed (he wanted to though! but mama said "leave it") We spent probably 6 hours together just the two of us. When the family came to pick him up he was excited to see them, got into the car no problem & laid down – he was so tired! As I walked away, I could hear him yelping and crying and barking for 2 whole city blocks.
That was on Monday. Friday night of the same week, the family called me to say that all of the behavioral problems that Rio had exibited at the begining of his stay had resurfaced. He had beeing urinating and deficating in the house and had become aggressive with thier dog as well. He evidently left a significant wound on the smaller dogs neck and the famliy can no longer keep him. They adivsed me that I should either take him myself (which is not an option at this moment) find another temporary home for him, or put him up for adoption. They went on to say that he would not fair well in a single person home and that it is unfair for me to keep him because I won’t have the time to give him that he needs. They decided that he would be best suited as a companion dog or placed with a big family with several children. They told me they would research setting him up as a service animal & if that was not an option they would compile a list of necessary critiria for a suitable adopted family.
I feel bullied into making the descision to give up my dog. I appreciate the vaild points that they make. He is very high maintence and I would have to work very hard to keep up with all of his needs but I am willing to do whatever is in my power. If a different living situaiton is really the very best option for him I am certainly willing to make the necessary arragements to find him a forever home, however, I want to know that I am making the very best informed desicion. I am going to be in contact with my vet tomorrow. I am very concerned about the lack of medication and what part that might potentially have played in all of this – furthermore, while I truely believe that this family has been good to Rio and has shown him the patience and time that they say they have I do not feel they can make this decision for me. I have not witnessed any of the behavioral problems they mentioned for myself. On Monday when I saw him he had a gash on his face which they said he got while
with Trooper. They have described the situtaion between the two dogs as such that Rio is constantly trying to engaged Trooper in dominance play but Trooper is too laid back and because he doesn’t fight back Rio ends up hurting him (Rio is huge @ least 80 lbs) They have told me that Rio has been nursing at Troopers wound licking it and cuddling with him since this incident took place but I was given very few details about how the dog was actually injured. I don’t feel comfortable having someone else tell me what I should or shouldn’t do with my dog. It could be that this situation is simply not the best for Rio. Perhaps his relationship with Trooper is a root problem. I really don’t know but before I make the decision to give him away I need to make sure I’m making the right decision. I was hesitant to visit with him for fear that it would cause him to backslide but the family seems to think that Rio’s need to bond with someone is not indiviualized.
I was told "He has the ability to bond with one person & it’s doesn’t have to be you – it could be anyone" Which you can imagine really really hurts. I’ve had this little guy since he was 6 weeks old he’s my whole world and I love him and I don’t buy for a second that I can just be replaced by some other warm body. Another family could love him and he could love them but I’m not just expendable! They were just as adamant a week ago, that spending the day with me was what Rio needed as they are now that a new family and a new home is what he needs. That being said I am just looking for some feedback. If anyone has stayed with me through this novel and has any info about these kinds of behavioral problems, fostering situations, seperation anxiety, tricyclic antidepressant use in canines, service animals recruitment critiria or anything at all that might help me get a better scope of what’s really best for my pup I would be so grateful.
*** I didn’t even realize this was under cats! I don’t know how that happened!

You may want to repost this in the dog section

It often surprises us when we see well trained bird dogs in action. Obeying the commands of their owners, bird dogs do their work in an exemplary manner. We often wonder how bird dog training can produce such results, getting the dogs to be so cooperative.

If you put a lot of work in it, it can be done.

There are a number of dog breeds that are well suited for becoming great bird dogs. A good start would be teaching them to obey your commands. Before dogs can understand what people are telling them, they need to learn the language first. In this basic variant of training, dogs need to understand the three main commands: “come!”, “whoa!” and “heel!”. These commands need to be mastered by the owner as well.

The “Whoa!” Command

The “whoa!” command is the first thing bird dogs need to learn. By learning this, they can understand when they’re being told to stop, without moving again unless he’s being ordered to do it. Obeying this command shows that the dog respects his master and that he is obedient. If you want to test whether a dog is completely obedient, you should try giving the “whoa!” order at larger distances. This way you’re sure that he will listen to you even when the command is not enforced by the immediate presence of the master.

You can also use the “whoa!” command to control dogs that get out of hand, trying to flush a bird on their own or play with it. If their master wants the dog to stop what he’s doing, he can use this command to make him stop. Ideally, the command and the obedience should be rewarded by the master.

The “Come!” Command

The purpose of the “come!” command is to make the dog come to the owner when they hear it. It’s quite easy to use this command. In the case of a bird dog, it’s much easier to make him come to you with the thing he retrieved, if he understands this command. A lot of dogs are more independent and go do their own thing. Using the “come!” command you can keep him at a good distance from you.

The “Heel!” Command

When you want to make sure that your dog will walk by your side, and not wander away, the “heel!” command can be used to get this effect. You can teach him an additional command, like “go” or “okay” to let him know that he is released, and can return to hunting with you.

Whenever the dog performed well, never fail to give him a tap, a treat or a praise to acknowledge his performance. Fine dogs are born with the instinct to please their owners. If you can let your dog see that he is pleasing you with his performance and you want him to repeat it, the best thing you can do is to reward him. Overtime, he will learn to repeat the same desirable action so long as you allow him to.

Each time the dog does what you ask of him, make sure you reward him either with a treat, a tap or a praise, to let him know that he did well. The best dogs are those that have an instinct when it comes to pleasing their masters. You should let the dog know that you are pleased with what he’s doing, and that he should do the same in the future. The best way you can let him know is by rewarding him.

Doing bird dog training is quite hard. If it was easy, you would see a lot more bird dogs around. Still, if you want to make a good bird hunter out of your dog, make sure you invest the patience and the time needed to teach him the three commands that stand at the basis of bird dog training.

Sam Nichols
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/basic-bird-dog-training-commands-and-tips-729568.html

I have a miniature female long haired Dachshund.

I would like to hear what methods you Dachshund owners use to prevent back injuries in your dogs. Here are a few more details about mine.

I am a Dachshund owner by accident. Our town has no leash laws. My Doxie got it in her head that I was going to be her owner. She stubbornly pursued that goal until one cold night she was scratching at my door and whining. I had never heard her whine before so I let her in. My point in this story is that I know nothing at all of her family history of whether or not her ancestors had more back problems than a Dachshund normally does.

I know that diet plays a role. Luckily she is almost self regulating on that. She is a finicky eater and the amount of food she eats seems to go by how much exercise she gets. If she gets little exercise that day she will eat very little food. On days when she gets a lot of exercise she eats more food but not an excessive amount. I am thinking here that I am lucky because if she is not over eating she will not be overweight.

My problem with her will be the leaping and jumping. I continue to be amazed at how high a Doxie can jump or where they will try to jump from. Right now her favorite place in our home is at the very top of my Lane Big Man’s Recliner where she has a good view of everything and can occasionally lick my head. She only stays there when I am in the recliner and I do not allow her to jump off. I think I have trained her not to do this.

My problem with jumping and falling comes when she is exercising. She loves all dogs the bigger the better. The younger dogs are sometimes a bit rough with her and there is not much in the way of controlling which dogs are in our yard as there is no leash laws and the dogs who do come tend to have excellent personalities.My home is a magnet for lost critters.

On training. When I correct her I talk to her in a calm tone of voice using short words and I have had a bit of luck with hand signals. When I tell her NO she gets this really guilty look on her face and if she immediately stops the bad behavior I praise her. I could not get mad at her even if I tried. I have lots of time to work with her as I am disabled and retired.

Here is the really funny part. I used to not like Dachshunds and had no use at all for a housedog. Now I have both. I have a dog that one time I get scratched by accident and I let out a loud " Ouch!" A few seconds later I have one very angry Dachshund come charging out of the bedroom growling and barking. She thought somebody had hurt her buddy and somebody was going to pay for it.

I owe it to her that she has a long, happy, pain free life.

Hello, I am a Dachshund owner also! Congratulations on becoming a dachshund owner yourself. I try my best not to let my dachshund leap off the bed or the back end of the couch. I am very careful as to how I pick her up. I only pick her up by supporting both her chest and her belly near her hind legs. Never by her front legs! That is a big no-no with Dachshunds! Some dachshunds I am sad to say are just very prone to back problems and the best way to deal with it is prevention like you are doing. There are many articles that you can read on the internet regarding this problem with dachshunds. Good luck with your new dachshund and may she have a long, healthy and happy life. Sincerely, Leigh Cielensky
leigh.cielensky@yahoo.com

Owning a dog can bring much fulfilment to your life, however if you’re unlucky you may be faced with a burden rather than a companion who is pleasant to be around. One of the best ways of having a fun, loving and obedient dog is to train the dog (preferably when they’re still a pup).

Now training your dog isn’t as difficult as it may sound, it’s quite easy really. Dog training just requires you to be patient, not only with time, but also with the dog.

There are many areas of dog training but today we are going to be discussing the basics. However, keep in mind the basics are probably the most important in the grand scheme of things, so listen up.

Good Dog
Before going into specific training tips, you need to work on a few behavioural issues, which will make training your dog more pleasant and more likely to work.

Make training as fun as possible for both you and your dog
Never use any form of physical contact
Reward your dog with treats and/or praise when appropriate
Tell your dog off when he/she does something wrong. Raise your voice and say either no or bad dog
Be consistent with your demands
Be confident with your demands
Be patient, you may not see results for several weeks

Safe Dog
With all the news reports of dog attacks over the years, it would definitely be devastating if your own dog were responsible for such behaviour. Some instances of attacks are inadvertently caused by the person who got attacked, however most cases occur due to the dog being unfriendly in nature. Please take note of the following advice so you can minimise the chance of your dog ever attacking someone:

Always keep your dog on a leash when out in public
Never harass or let others harass your dog
Don’t wrestle or play fight with your dog
Train your dog in as many ways possible, so it develops into an obedient dog who knows its place with humans
Sit Dog
Teaching your dog to sit on command is one of the most basic forms of training you can attempt. It’s not the easiest trick to teach your dog if you don’t know what you’re doing, but with the use of patience, praise and treats, you will have your dog sitting its rear end in no time.

The following steps will teach your dog how to sit:

Stand in front of your dog
Hold one of your dog’s favourite treats in your hand
Place the treat near your dog’s nose
Say the word sit
Without holding the treat too high, place the treat directly above your dog’s head
To reach the treat your dog should sit down
Praise him saying excitedly good dog, pat him/her and give it the treat.
Keep repeating the above steps until your dog doesn’t require a treat to sit. To achieve this, each time you repeat the sit process, use smaller pieces of the treat.
Remember being a responsible dog owner will not only help your dog but also help your family life. A dog may be a man’s best friend, but that may not be the case if that dog hasn’t been trained. Please look into training your dog to get the best out of each other.

Darrell Knox
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-training-tips-for-the-beginner-63194.html

Have you got an over attentive pet dog? The animal experts from BBC show ‘Barking Mad’ have some top tips to help you tame your pooch and save yourself from being pushed around!

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Training your puppy, or dog, to behave, and not go to the bathroom, in the house can be frustrating. In this episode of Happy Tails you’ll learn a few tips-n-tricks about the best ways to house train your dog.
Season 1 Episode 8

Duration : 0:10:44

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Dog Training – Biting – Techniques To Train An Aggressive dog

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Click here… http://gooddogtrainingadvice.com/OnlineDogTrainer.html Get more dog training videos with the link above and visit our website http://gooddogtrainingadvice.com for information on how to prevent your dog from chewing the leash when it is on.

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