Dog Health Questions: Need Dog training tips please.?

So we adopted an adorable little terrier mix about a month ago. For the most part every thing has been great but i could use a little advise. He is very intelligent and does some baside commands like sit, down, stay, come, shake and rollover. He does them excellently when i am in a quit room with him but when we are outside or there are new people around its like he has no attention span at all, he barley even responds to his name when he is distracted, also when he is out in the yard and i try to get him inside and say come he wont come he just starts running when i come near him, trying to play a game. how can i get him to be more obedient when he is outside, playing, or around new people- distracted. He also has some seperation anxiety. He really hates being lest alone and will bark for a while when we leave him in the kitchen alone. I have tried basically evrything- left radio on, left things with my scent for him and he gets plenty of excersise so thats not really the issue. He is fine when we leave him home alone, but when we leave him in a room alone and he knows were in the house he barks for a while, He is crate trained and i have tried leaving him in the crate when we leave the room but is doesnt seem to work. He is great around other dogs and people and only nips when i comb his tail or rear end. He is about 8 months old and i think he is a yorkipoo, or maybe a wirehaired dachsund mix or affen pincher or maybe a cair terrier mix, he is a little black scrappy 7 pound dog. He is also very skinny for his sixe and could put on a couple pounds. I give him two meals a day- solid gold food mixed with some organic wet food we make. I usuually only leave out the food for about an hour but he barley ever eats all of it. Is there a food that will help him put on weight, maybe white bread or rice or something? so basically 3 issues- 1) when distracted doesnt listen to commands like come and sit etc.. 2) Separation Anxiety when left in a room alone 3) Somewhat under weight. Thanks for your help

Secrets to German Shepherd Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
1) The Terrier breeds are well known for their "selective hearing" and stubborn ways! You are right that he thinks he's playing a game when you try to call him inside and then chase after him, because to him that is EXACTLY what he thinks is happening. You need to make coming inside seem better than staying outside. Start putting him on a leash when you take him out, stay outside for a short time, and then when you're ready to bring him in use an "excited" voice and say "let's go inside!" Lead him inside and then reward him with his favorite treat once you get inside the door. Do this for several days, every time you bring him in. Then, when you're ready to let him out on his own again repeat the same thing...call him with your "excited" voice, squeek a toy, do whatever it takes to get his attention and then offer him whatever his favorite treat is. If you reserve those specific treats only for the times you call him to come in, then hopefully he will realize that the only way he's going to get one is if he comes in without a fight.

2) When he barks from the other room, do you go to him or call out to him? If you do, or if you ever have, even once, then you are rewarding/have rewarded a negative behavior. If he knows that barking or whining will get your attention then he will keep doing it until he gets what he wants. How long have you left him to bark/whine? Sometimes you have to leave them there for a while to let them figure out that no matter how much noise they make, you aren't going to pay them any attention. It sounds mean, I know, but it's the only way you're going to be able to teach him. Find some type of chew-treat that he likes (bully sticks work great) to chew while he's in the other room, and ONLY give it to him during those times. If he associates being left alone with something he likes (the chew-treat) then he won't mind being left alone so much. And when you let him out don't say anything to him, just open the door and let him walk out. If you get him excited or make a big deal out of letting him out then that's what he will want...the "attention" he gets when he gets let out.

3) I feed my puppy Hills Science Diet Puppy food (dry and canned) and she gained healthy weight without getting overweight. It's very important that you feed a puppy food that is formulated specifically for puppies because they require extra protein for growth. Feeding your puppy food you make at home doesn't ensure that he is getting all the nutrients he needs. If your concern is that the food be organic, there are plenty of dog food manufacturers that make organic food. A lot of people say that you should feed your puppy scheduled meals rather than free feeding (leaving food out all day) but if you're concerned that your puppy isn't eating enough it won't hurt him to just leave it out. All dogs are different, and your dog may prefer to nibble throughout the day rather than scarfing down a whole meal just once or twice a day.

Hope some of this helps! Good luck!

Dog Training: Pro Versus Self-Trained, Which is Best

• To overcome distractions outside, you're going to have to reward him with some really great treats: tunafish, hotdogs, etc.
  
  The dog won't understand why it can't be in the same room as you. No dog can understand this. As you trust the dog more, you can let it have the run of your home while you're there. Eventually it will curl up in its crate. Try covering its crate with a towel, so it's more of a den.
  
  What does the vet say about his weight? A dog should know how much is enough, unless it's overeating.


• To sharpen his obedience skills, enroll in an obedience class and he will have to work around other dogs and people. Ask your vet's office, local rescue organizations and dog clubs for referrals to good trainers.
  Meals should not be an hour long. Choose a quality food and structure his mealtimes like this:
  Feeding Commercial Dog Food
  Choose a high quality food by going to a pet supply or feed store and reading the labels. Remember “high five” or “give me five” as you read. The first five ingredients should be meats and vegetables and grains (unless your dog is itchy or chews himself, then go to a grain-free food). The very first ingredient is a meat. A second meat in the top five is very good.
  Not in the top five ingredients is any by-product, corn, wheat, or soy. A by-product is usually very low quality, such as chicken by-products are the feet, beak, and feathers. Not much nutrition there! Corn, wheat, and soy are cheap fillers and not easily metabolized by the dog.
  Use the package feeding guidelines to measure the daily amount of food for your dog's weight. Divide that measured amount into separate meals. Puppies up to 10 or 12 weeks need four meals per day. Older puppies need three meals per day until they are adolescents and stop growing taller. Then the adult dogs can be fed in two meals per day for life.
  At each meal, put the measured amount of food in his dish and add a spoonful or two of warm water to enhance the aroma. Call the dog over and let him eat. In fifteen minutes or when he has cleaned the dish, whichever comes first, take up the dish. He gets no other treats or snacks until the next meal. Training treats can be pieces of his regular kibble.
  This should create a healthy, eager eater.


• All dogs are brilliant performers at home. When you know that he understands the commands at home, take him into another room and get him to strut his stuff again. Hopefully you have a safe fenced garden/yard for a repeat performance, nevertheless you must train him for several weeks before he will work without distractions. After a few weeks, look for a safe fenced area away from home, however if there are other dogs around don't expect him to obey. Wait until there are no other dogs or detraction's around until you do any training away from home. This is a slow process and it will eventually work.
  
  If you want him to be quiet when you leave him in the kitchen, pretend that you are going out. When you are actually leaving him, don't let him see you leave and don't give him the run of the house. If he is allowed to run free, he will feel obliged to guard every room in the house and this will concern him.