Dog Health Questions: I need help with an outline for my research paper about dogs?

Dogs and Humans
Thesis Statement: There are many methods on how dogs should be train.
I.What is dog training?
A.Why is important?
B.Main Point 1
C.Main Point 2
D.Main Point 3
II.Types of Training
A.Supporting Detail 1
1.Elaboration
2.Elaboration
a.Specific example
b.Specific example
B.Supporting Detail 2
C.Supporting Detail 3
III.Conclusion
A.Main Point 1
B.Main Point 2Help if you can

Dog Training Collars Are Not All Alike

Recommended Answer:
A couple of sites you may find useful are www.clickerlessons.com and www.koehlerdogtraining.com.
Clickerlessons is a site that describes positive reinforcement clicker training and gives detailed lesson instruction. Koehler dog training is more of a correction dog training. This was used more years ago. Both methods are effective training methods and reliable, but clicker training is much more fun for your dog. Clicker training is also more effective when transitioning to agility training. From what I've seen and experienced, Koehler training give you a dog that responds with military type of precision and enthusiasm while positive reinforcement methods such as clicker training produces a dog that is happy and enthusiastic about training. Rather than just reading about the training methods, you might want to consider seeing positive reinforcement lessons in person. Every agility training class that I have been to does positive reinforcement. You may find it much harder to find correction training methods to see in person.

Using a Dog Training Harness to Train Your Dog

• If this is YOUR paper, why aren't YOU doing it yourself?
  I'm not getting any credit for this, do your own damned work.


• I can't do your work for you, but if you want training methods--google woodhouse dog training, Ceasar Milan dog training, and just dog training.


• Just research it on google they should have all the answers you need. Don't take the lazy way out of work just do it yourself and that way you have more chance of being right and getting more points.

Read More...

Dog Health Questions: Is your dog as well behaved as it should be - quiz?

Ok, i didn't put all that much effort into my dogs training - clickers when they were young pups and been consistant since without the clicker and they are both all round good dogs.

When i meet other people's dog only 1 in 20 seem to have basic manners and all it requires imo is common sense on the owners part, not some high priced trainer.

Anyway, i've made a quiz on all the things that i think a dog should do to be considered well behaved and many aren't even about training, but about the dog respecting the owner.

Please be honest.

How well behaved is your dog out of 10?

Does your dog jump up when meeting people? Yes = 0, No = 1
Does your dog ever growl/flash teeth when not playing? Yes = 0, No = 1
Does your dog stop barking when you tell it to? Yes = 1, No = 0
Does your dog stay within 20m of you when off the lead? Yes = 1, No = 0
If you dropped food on the floor, would your dog try to take it? Yes = 0, No = 1
Would your dog attack another dog? Yes = 0, No = 1
Is your dog relaxed no matter where you or others touch it? Yes = 1, No = 0
If you closed your dog in a room, would it try to break out? Yes = 0, No = 1
Would you trust your dog if a child approached? Yes = 1, No = 0
Does your dog assume to jump on furniture and beds without invitation? Yes = 0, No = 1

You don't have to copy and paste, you can just put your score out of 10.

Thanks

Dog Training Tips For Hard-To-Train Dogs

Recommended Answer:
9/10

SitStayFetch: Dog Training To Stop Your Dog's Behavior Problems (Review)

• 1
  1
  0
  1-0 most of the time
  0
  1
  1-0 most of the time
  1
  1
  1
  
  bearing in mind hes a 12 and a half year old cavalier king charles that is a bit overweight and almost deaf i think that doing the test really didn't count to me and my dog lol.
  
  forgeting the two 1-0 i would score 6/8 :)))))))))))))) not every dog is perfect!


• My Westie got a 5 out of 10, he isn't really well mannered, but we love him. We rescued him from a shelter, and that's the best we could do with him manner wise, before we trained him, be probably would have gotten a 0 out of 10.
  
  Our dachshund got a 6 out of 10, but she is still a puppy, and we still need to train her.


• 8.
  
  
  The two questions that took points off.
  - She has improved greatly when it comes to jumping on people but it's a work in progress, not perfect yet.
  
  - She would & has attacked another dog defending herself. The other dog bit her in the face.


• 1-yes (he loves being around people)
  2-no
  3-yes (but only if ive told him 2 or 3 times not to )
  4-yes
  5-yes :(
  6-nopee
  7-yes he likes that
  8-yes
  9-yes totally
  10-huh yepp
  
  :) )


• no. unless given permission for someone that is older she may stand up on them
  no
  yes
  yes
  yes but would drop or leave if told
  no
  yes
  no
  very, loves kids
  no, she will sit at your feet and ask to put her up


• 0-yes (but gets down if you say "down")
  1-Nope
  1-yep
  1-yes
  1-No
  1-No way
  1-Yes
  1-Nope
  1-Yes
  1-Never
  
  9/10 :) she is a very good doggie


• 0011111010
  6 we are still working on training.


• No
  No
  Yes
  Yes, unless I have told him he can wander
  No
  No
  Yes
  No
  Yes
  No
  
  I believe that gives me a 10/10. I rock and so do my dogs.


• Dallas 12 month old ST/Dane mix= 8
  Joey 14 yr sheltie/? = 9


• I started your quiz but then stopped half way through. Some of the questions are legitimate, but some are really dependant on the breed of your dog, instincts and drives and not about training.
  
  as an example, “Does your dog stay within 20m of you when off the lead”. some dog breeds are very good at following and remaining close to their owners other breeds have stronger instincts to wonder or chase after things, what's more important to me is that people understand their dog enough and know what will happen when they let their dog off the lead and know how to manager it, or whether they should let them off the lead at all.
  
  another example "would your dog attack another dog" whether people like it or not some breeds of dog are animal aggressive. While training may help to reduce an instinct like this, it cannot remove it all together. As such certain breeds should not be completely trusted around other dogs.
  
  Another example “If you closed your dog in a room, would it try to break out”
  Some breeds are more trustworthy when left alone in a room, others will tear the place apart, regardless of how well trained the dog is.


• 1) 8/10
  2) No
  3) Sometimes
  4) Yes
  5) Yes
  6) Sometimes
  7) Yes =[
  8) No
  9) No
  10) Ehhh... yes
  11) Sometimes
  
  You know the contry sing Derks Bentley? My dog Ripley is related to his dog! They look EXACTLY the same execpt his is a boy (her brother) =]
  
  http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/features…
  
  http://www.cmt.com/sitewide/assets/img/e… Thats what she looks when she's scared. She also chatters her teeth! Noooo joke =]


• Does your dog jump up when meeting people? Yes - But I am training him not to.
  Does your dog ever growl/flash teeth when not playing? No
  Does your dog stop barking when you tell it to? Yes
  Does your dog stay within 20m of you when off the lead? Yes
  If you dropped food on the floor, would your dog try to take it? No
  Would your dog attack another dog? No
  Is your dog relaxed no matter where you or others touch it? Yes
  If you closed your dog in a room, would it try to break out? No
  Would you trust your dog if a child approached? Yes- Not aggressive
  Does your dog assume to jump on furniture and beds without invitation? No- I have to say that it is ok before he jumps onto a bed.So 9/10.

Read More...

Dog Health Questions: Help with dog training-- my dog refuses to sit!?

I have a three year old previously untrained Boston terrier that I adopted about 4 months ago. He has some dominance issues and slight fear-based aggression (I do mean slight-- you have to really stress him out to get him to snap), so one of the many things I've done with him is started teaching him commands right away. He has done great with "stay" and "come" but "sit" is a huge issue. I make him sit before he eats and or goes on a walk. He will lock up his legs and i have to use all of my strength to push his butt down and he will break the command almost immediately. It takes a good 5 minutes to get him to hold the sit position, and he just fights me all the way! I have used treats also, and held them above his nose. I still have to force his butt down.

Any tips for me with my stubborn pup?

What You Need to Know About Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
Don't force him into a sit! When a dog sits it is a sign to other animals that they are comfortable and are not a threat in any way. Dogs that have trouble sitting usually show other signs of fear... as you have stated that he has. He is simply not comfortable enough in the environment to sit at this point. It isn't about aggression or dominance it has to do with the fact he is too on edge right now to be able to do this. He was probably attacked at some point in his past.

Keep trying, making it a fun thing and making it a game. Doing anything by force with an animal will always blow up in your face.

Learn the Secrets to Service Dogs Training & Get Immediate Results

• Few things in life are prettier than watching a well-trained dog and one of the basic commands is the sit command. There are several methods of teaching your dog to sit. Two of the most popular are the Click and the Compulsory methods. The Click method is based again on purely positive reinforcement while the Compulsory method uses both positive and negative reinforcements. Let's begin our discussion with the easier of the two, The Click Method.
  
  The Click Method of training a dog to sit is based upon rewarding the animal for the desired behavior. It gets its name from the idea that some audible queue is used to alert the animal of a pending reward with many trainers using a device called a clicker for this purpose. Whenever the audible queue is given, the reward follows immediately. To train a dog to sit by this method requires little effort on the trainers' part. One begins by lavishing the dog with several treats, one right after the other while giving the audible queue.
  
  Then abruptly stop the shower of treats and wait for the animal to direct its attention to you. Now display a treat and give the audible queue as you give the treat to the pet. Now hold another treat at chest level so that the dog must look up to see the treat. After a few minutes, your pet will likely sit down on its haunches because this position makes it much easier to watch the treat. Immediately, when this happens, give the audible queue and reward the pet. Repeat this lesson several times.
  After a while you will notice your pet sitting in anticipation of the click and the reward so it is now time to add your verbal command to the routine. When the dog begins to sit, say "sit". This will gradually teach the dog that the command precedes the action and they will learn the meaning of the command in this way. After some practice and a bit of patience, your dog should begin to sit without having to see a reward being offered.
  
  Now let's discuss the more traditional method of training. The Compulsory Method. This is the method grand dad used on his dogs. Tell the puppy to sit while enforcing it. Saying the verbal command "sit" and pushing down on the puppy's tail section to make it contact the floor accomplish the lesson. With some dogs you might have to hold their chin up during this process or they will go ahead and lie down. The object behind the lesson is to teach the pup when you say "sit" that there is no other choice but to sit and so eventually the animal will respond on its own rather than having to be coaxed into position.
  
  Some owners use a tool called a choke collar for this training method. They will leash the dog with the choke collar in place and upon the sit command push the dog down. At the same time they will hold the choke collar down by way of the leash allowing only enough slack for the dog to sit but not stand up. If the dog tries to stand the choke collar tightens around the animals' neck producing extreme discomfort.
  The author does not recommend this method as it can produce a nervous and fearful animal, which can become quite aggressive when it feels threatened. Such training also makes leash training much more difficult as it teaches the animal to fear the leash because of the pain inflicted by it. This also tends to lessen the bond between master and dog because the dog comes to associate the master with the pain and discomfort as well and may lash out at the owner or others if the treatment continues.
  
  In whichever method you choose for training your pet, one thing remains constant. Always be consistent. Also be sure to pour lavish affection upon your pet for good behaviors and responses as this improves their bond to you and makes them desire to please you more fully. With a moderate amount of time and patience, your dog will be rivaling any animal presented at the local dog competitions for his well-trained style and mannerisms.


• You do not simply push the dogs but down and say sit, they dog 99% of the time will refuse. To make your dog sit, simply put your hand one the ground with the treat showing, and then lift it straight up over his head. Immediately say sit, and only say it once. It is in the dogs instincts to sit when the food is brought over their head. This will make it much easier to teach him. Pushing his butt down will only make the situation worse.


• http://www.seefido.com/html/how_to_train… check this website out, hope it helps. If not try Cesar Milan or Victoria Stillwell's websites, both are very good


• You are forcing your dog because you don't understand how to make the dog's natural reflexes work for you. He already knows how to sit down, you don't need to show him. You just need to condition a reflex. Any time you have something for the dog -- even his food bowl -- let him know you have something for him, make eye contact, and simply stand there. The dog will wiggle around at first, wagging his tail, etc. but he will eventually sit down waiting. The instant his rear hits the floor, you say "sit" and give the reward. Repeat, repeat, repeat.


• A trait we share with dogs is the opposition reflex. If I gave you a shove to your right shoulder, what would happen? Your left leg would stiffen up to resist my effort to push you over. That's the opposition reflex. When you push hard on his rear, the reflex is strongly stimulated, PLUS you have the dog's own will involved. I'd suggest using high value treats to lure him into the sit. If you move it over his head and backward eventually his rear will go down. If you need to add a little compusion to it you can scoop your hand under his hind legs and push behind his knees to sit him that way. But with his dominance and slight fear aggression, I'd use the treat method if at all possible.

Read More...

Dog Health Questions: Any body els hate these dog gadgets... Squirt collars... bottles with rice/pebbles in?

Hiya Guys and Gals
I have had dogs all my life 30 plus years now, ive had large breeds toy breeds pedigree's and mutts, i cannot for the life of me understand WHY people use these Stupid, Stupid, gadgets for there dogs, ie:- My dog will not stop barking... My pulls on the lead... My dog crys when i go out...... And what do some people give as an answer...... Get a spray collar, Get a shock collar, put pebbles in a bottle and shake it, (and scar the life out of the dog)
For goodness sake what happend to old fashion dog training, why do ppl insist on these god for saken things, if you cant control your dog without these torcher items, maybe you should not have a dog in the 1st place......
Dogs are companions, not bleeping fashion items !!!!!!!

Hunting Dog Training Equipment

Recommended Answer:
Hey!! Some one from my generation.

Aren't those things STUPID????

What happened to good old fashioned "train the dog" is quite simple.

The owners want a quick fix, they want it now, they don't want to have to learn how to do it - or at least any more 'learning' than having read an article, go to Petsmart or watching a TV show. They want the dog "trained" in the same manner as they want their dinner fast from McDonalds. They want it made "easy." The one creates an disobedient and/or out-of-control animal in many circumstance and the other makes you fat and sick.

Being 100% consistent in anything that requires regular and constant and daily effort is not in many people's skill set.

Problem with "quick fixes" like those ridiculous head halters is they DO NOT work in the long run and are useless for many things. Try teaching a dog "come" or 'down' in one of those things. Can you imagine trying to teach a 'drop on recall" or much of anything besides 'walk on the leash so you don't jerk me flat on my face" in one of those headhalters or body harness or martingale contraptions??? (And drop on recall is a concept I introduce at the end of my basic obedience classes.)

Giving 90% of the pet owners a pinch collar is like giving a monkey a set of razor blades. They work because they are SEVERE!!

Then they spout some nonsense they heard about collars and how horrible slip/choke collars are. Well, maybe if the person is too lazy to learn how to use them. I put them on the owners wrist so they get the idea of pull-no; snap release-yes. There is a reason, however, why AKC shows prohibits those head halters and martinagle things and pinch collars from even being on the show grounds (ie: the dogs are basically out of control) and AKC obedience competitons only allow flat buckle collars or slip/choke chains. Doesn't occur to these uneducated people that maybe those who spend the time training and competing their performance dogs know more than them or the "trainer" at Petsmart who never sets foot in a competition ring to prove their skills against others.

Also wonder if they have ever taken a look at what collars Service Dogs wear in addition to their harnesses? They can take a guess and here is a hint: it is not flat buckles, it is not a head halter, it is not a body harness; it is not a martingale thing; it is not a pinch....now what is the answer??

Moreover the dogs quickly learn that the owner is dependent upon the gadget -- no gadget, GREAT - I'll do exactly as I please!

Add into that the current psycho-babble craze and it is a mess.

Lets add to the list:

"I gave my dog a 'time-out.'

Uh huh...he is going to sit in a room or his crate, figure out why he is there, think about his sins and conclude he shouldn't do that again. If a dog can do that, they should be applying to Harvard.

"I tried "tough love' by ignoring her."

Gee golly, now how is the dog supposed to reason out that they are being ignored because their owner is displeased with their behavior and not just busy cleaning the house becaue mother-in-law is coming to dinner or they are watching TV ? All the dog learns from that utterly ludicrious approach is they can do what they want.

"I only use "positive-only" training."

Goody - we can get rid of all laws with punishments if we just be nice to everyone and give them cookies (or something.) Guess that person would ALWAYS obey every speed limit even if they don't risk getting a ticket. Guess they are never ever going to ground their teenager for smoking pot - just bribe them with a new car or something.

"I "distract" him when he does something wrong."

Hmmm...seems like the dog got a twofer; (1) Got to do what he wanted and then (2) got his owner's attention and something else he likes."I trained him with treats - of course he won't do anything unless I have a treat.....or, gee, he doesn't always obey me even for the treat if he wants to chase the rabbit..."

Well, guess they don't mind walking around smelling like a doggy deli for the dog's entire life. And of course the dog is going to chase the rabbit if he would rather do that then come and get the treat -- you never gave him a reason that he shouldn't ignore you.Whats really scary is these people go out and breed and can't train or teach their children any better than their puppy.I've handled and trained everything from Chihuahuas to Great Danes. Done everything from obedience to tracking to training Service Dogs and have gotten the top performance titles offerred by the AKC. The dogs are GREAT - it is the amatuer "its too much work" "I read a book" "isn't there a faster and easier way" owners who make me nuts. I won't even tach public classes anymore. The dogs get it within 2-3 weeks - the owners take 2-3 months because it is too much work and effort for them.

(yep - up above luvropupp...just proved my point! Now can his/her doggy do a drop on recall, retrieve work by sight and by scent, hand signals for all commands, go-outs; directional patterns; hold a sit or down stay off leash in a line of dogs with mass confusion for 5-10 minutes, heel off leash through crowds out in public; track someone or something with no known starting point .... Hmmm, didn't think so.)Happy heeling!

Dog Training Part I

• God forbid they should "hurted da wittle spoiled ROTTEN brat's FEEWINGS"!!!
  
  They can't seem to "get" that dogs aren't HUMAN either! "Fur-baby" gives me the creeps.


• Different strokes for different folk.


• i agree...it's like some people want instant nice dogs. it doesn't work that way. you have to spend time with your dogs. people think gadgets are time savers, but your dog needs you to teach him.
  
  if you don't have time for your dog, then don't get one.


• DUH these are terrible especially those dumb choker collars get a harness instead!!! and the squerty thingies will only make you dog angry/upset use words/treats/scolding for training this is th best way.

Read More...

Dog Health Questions: Does anyone know how to retrain a 5yr old cat to use the litter box again?

I have 4 cats & one cat bullies her & wont let her use the litter box. I'm moving to a new house in 1 mo. & have to get her retrained. I try to keep the bully cat away from her, but it never works. I put dog training pads on the floor for her & she goes on them mostly, but I need her to use the litter box. Any ideas! Thank You!

Secrets to German Shepherd Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
Take an empty vitamin bottle (or something similar), put 2 pennies in it and close the lid. The next time your "bully cat" starts to bully the other cat, WHIP and I do mean THROW the "shaker bottle" either AT the cat (it wont hurt, it's only 2 pennies) or RIGHT NEXT to the bully cat (yeah, it'll scare both cats, but if you hit the bully cat, it will REALLY freak it out!) AND SAY "NO" very loudly! This isnt mean, it's not cruel, it's called "aversion therapy" and it works pretty good on cats, dogs and husbands. Your cat exhibits a bad behavior, shake the bottle (or throw it) and yell NO! It might work the 1st time or the 4th time, but cats are smart and the bully wont bully much longer.

Therapy Dog Training - What Are the Various Methods of Obedience Training For Dogs?

• Get rid of that bully cat!


• Try getting another litter box. Cats are very clean and really don't like sharing thier things. That's alot of cats for 1 litter box!


• when it pees or poops out side of the litter box, ntake the cat rub it's nose in it and smack it's nose but not too hard. do it every time it goes out side of the litter box.


• do you only have one box? Cats are very territorial. Get some separate litter boxes, maybe even an extra one and put them in different parts of the house.


• You might look at www.spiritessence.com and find a flower essence to use on the bully cat. I believe she has a "bully remedy". The essences are inexpensive and easy to use by putting on the offenders fur between his ears.
  
  It might help a great deal with the problem.

Read More...

Dog Health Questions: Dog Training Help!!?

How do I stop her from digging? She is almost a year old and she keeps on digging up plants that my dad puts in. He doesn't want to discipline her, because he has a bad temper. She constantly digs and digs! My dad says that if she doesn't stop, he'll give her away, and I can't do anything about it! How can I train her???!!!!!

5 Advisory Tips For Good Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
She is possibly digging because she is not getting enough exercise. Take her on some power walks. Leash, close to your body, slightly behind you and she DOES NOT LEAD If she tries to lead, then reverse direction so you are in the lead. If she takes the lead she is considering herself the pack leader. Walk fast, even put on your roller blades and tire her out. Train her to use a tread mill if you have one.

Next when she is in the back yard, watch her and when she starts to dig, give a big noise to break her concentration and distract her with something else. A toy perhaps. Those balls that you can put treats inside a great. Keeps them busy and they get a reward. no yelling, no calling of her name. calm discipline.

You can also booby trap her holes, Put rocks and foil inside the hole when you cover it up. Next time she dig there it will be a surprise for her.

The main thing is keep her busy and she won't feel the need to dig.

My dog has one hole that he digs and puts his toys into. We tried everything and it's the only hole he has and so we let him have that one. It's his toy box. I

Dog Training Collars Are Not All Alike

• Many dogs need to dig. So use a combination of management and encouragement. First, give her a place she CAN dig in,,,,fill a small dirt hole (when she's not looking) with treats, and dig with her there for a few days. When ever she starts to dig somewhere else, bring her back to "her" digging pit.
  Next, don't let her watch your Dad garden. He is teaching her where to dig (she does not know the difference between digging and planting)
  For a few weeks, until she understands her digging pit, put chicken wire or some similar material over or around the plant areas she should not dig in.


• What the people in the training class I took my dog to told me to do is put 5-10 pennies in a soda can and seal it off. then set her up to dig in the garden (watch from a hidden spot) when she starts digging throw the can right at her. It won't hurt but it will startle her. do this a few times and she should get the point. she will associate the action with the consequence.


• Several ways, but none work well unless you add in the walks.. what you must do is give her something else to do.... lots of walks, for one, toys, get her tired. As well, you can get little shockers from your local feed store, and string wire where you don't want to be.... my vet recommends that. But, sweetie, this dog should be on walks every day, not just sitting in your back yard doing nothing..she's bored. Wouldn't you be?????. As well, you can put red pepper and anti dog sprays around, but they are expensive and don't last very long.... soooooo the real solution is the electric fence charger, and you and your dog walking every single day....and toys.
  
  Suzane's an idiot. Never punish your dog like that.... It doe'st work, and only confuses the dog.


• Dogs hate dog "poop". Put dog put in the holes or whereever they dig, and rebury it. Once they dig up poop, they will not dig there again. Has worked on SEVERAL of my own dogs...


• You can visit http://www.dogstraining.info .It provide you with the most popular and easiest dog training Guide


• One way to get her to stop digging is to put chicken wire around the plants. You can put a layer of dirt on top of the wire. You just want to put the wire as close to the plants as you can.
  She will still try to dig for a little bit, but once her paws hit the wire it will hurt a bit and she will stop. Just keep putting the wire back under the soil. Soon she will stop. This also works well when I dog is trying to dig under a fence.


• You didn't mention the breed and it is worse with some than others. You can make sure to spend lots of time observing and tell her no but this will probably only help when you are present. These make sprays at the pet store for this purpose and always be sure her nails are well trimmed. BOL!


• Right, tell me about it! I have a baby Pomeranian, and shes the devil!
  
  You first need to look at the library and online for dog training but I hate to tell you, you HAVE to tell her off, cause if she doesnt know she wont learn. Giver her treats when shes near themm but not digging and praise her for it, but take her out on a lead near them and when she starts say NO! BAD (insert name here) Its all you can do.


• take her 2 go get trained, if u have a petsmart near by they usually have training and its not expensive at all.


• Try to catch her in the act. Immediately react very dramatically, saying "No! Bad!" When she stops, tell her good!
  
  If you don't catch her in the act, take her to one of the holes she dug, put her face in it (gently), and tell her "No! Bad!" You can even take her front paws & make digging motions & tell her "Bad!" Let her go and when she jumps away from the hole tell her "good!"
  
  try to devote 2-3 hours, maybe on weekend, so you can catch her at it a few times in a row. Do the exact same reaction, say the same words, each time. Dog will dig again to see if that's what you meant. Eventually she'll get it, but it takes consistency (will be difficult if dad won't help).

Read More...

Dog Health Questions: To older dog owners: What has changed with dog training, tools used to train and how dogs should be raised?

My grandma came to visit and she kept commenting how cruel dog crates are, how they never used them back then and how she can housetrain a dog well without the use of a crate. She also commented on how gentle leaders are rediculous and how they never existed back then either (we use one for when my dog goes to the shelter for play groups since metal/choke/prong collars are not allowed, otherwise we use a prong and sometimes choke chain) So i'm just curious, what has changed in the dog world? What are your opinions on the way it is now and how it was(on dogs, not the whole world)? Also, please don't think i'm trying to insult your age, i'm just curious!

Dog Training Problems - How to Eliminate Them and Get Good Results Training Your Dog

Recommended Answer:
HUGE changes in my lifetime.

40 plus years ago...?

If kids and dogs were naughty, they got smacked, no one thought anything of it.

Chokers were a REQUIREMENT at dog training classes, as were hard corrections where necessary.
If your dog needed a prong for you to hold it safely - You used one.
But mostly everyone only used either a flat collar or choker. They were your 2 choices.

Treats were not used in training class. Ever.
Dogs did as they were told because they had to, not because they got a treat.

Halters were for horses.
Harnesses were for horses pulling carts or sled dogs.

Dogs frequently roamed the streets, having a great time. No one thought much of it, so long as they stayed out of trouble.
If it attacked someone, or chased livestock. It was shot. End of story.

As a result dogs were usually 'well exercised', and slept when they got home, resulting in less neurotic behavioural issues.
(I am NOT suggesting it is advisable to allow your dog out to 'roam the neighbourhood', but I AM implying that many 'problems' people have with their dogs ARE purely as a result of lack of exercise and stimulation).

If a dog had temperament problems that were deemed dangerous.
It was usually shot or put to sleep.
This is because human/childrens lives were deemed more important than the dogs.
No risk was worth it and there were no "behaviouralists" to go to.

People didn't dress their dogs in clothes.

Dogs walked on the ground (sometimes even on lead!) and were never carried in hand bags.

There was no such thing as "poo bags".

If you wanted your dog to have a treat. You gave it a raw bone. Yum!
ALL dogs ate raw meat and bones. Everyone knew that fact.
This was because they are decended from carnivores/wolves.
No one EVER suggested differently.
Even slightly stinky old raw meat at the back of the fridge was usually deamed 'ok' to feed (again, I am not saying this was necessarily a good thing).
Salmonella was what humans got, if they ate old meat.

Dogs were always fed the house hold scraps (anything the dogs wouldn't eat went to the chooks).

Cooked bones, even back in the 70s, had some suspician regarding feeding them...
But you usually fed them anyway, because they loved them.
You stopped this practice only when your (or a dog you knew) died from bowel impaction/purforation.

Dogs were NEVER fed a vegetarian diet!
WTF?
This is because, it never occurred to anyone NOT to feed a carnivorous animal meat.
Just as it never occured to anyone to feed their cows or horses a meat based diet.

Most peoples dogs lived outside, not in the house.

There have been so many changes over the years.
Some subtle, some not.
Some for the better, some not.

But one things for sure, kids and dogs were better behaved back then.
I am not saying that makes the old methods right.
I am just sayin...

EDIT:
I nearly forgot!!
There were no computers and no internet, and no Yahoo Q&A to seek advice from.
Generally, if you had a problem, you asked someone OLD who had owned lots of dogs and had a lifetime of experience, OR you asked a vet.

Also there was no such things as "Designer Dogs".
Dogs were either purebred or mutts/mongrels.
Neither was thought of as 'better' than the other.
Each dog was judged on its own merits.

No one had ever heard of a "Teacup" dog.
If you wanted a really small dog, you got a Chihuahua or the like.

6 Step by Step Instructions For Dog Training Preparation

• I'm not an older dog owner, but considering that my grandfather actually drowned all of the pups his dog gave birth to (except, for some reason, 2) I'd be inclined to say that dog training and ownership as a whole has gotten a lot softer.
  
  Which, in that case, is probably for a good thing...but for some training issues where corrections are desperately needed, it may not be as much of a good thing.


• back in the olden days :O) dog food was bought at the grocery store ... dogs ate people food ... there were no crates or special training collars ... dogs were paper trained and hit with a rolled up newspaper to discipline ... i think it is better now ... my first dog was raised like the "olden days" and my current dog was raised with crate training, obedience classes, and the best food money could buy ... both dogs were great :O)


• What has changed is peoples perception of dogs. Only 50 years ago dogs were mainly outside dogs, now that's considered abusive. Then dogs were companions with jobs to do like herd, protect, hunt, etc. Now they are members of our families sleeping in our beds with people names and people clothes.


• I have been around dogs, on a pro level, for 32 years and I do very well remember the good old days.
  No, we did not have behaviorists, we did not have fancy foods, we did not have shampoos and all the other fancy crap. We DID have dogs that were A LOT harder and much more stable then what you have today. We had dogs that were a lot more handler hard that could actually work, we did not have many dogs living in the house, I never heard of that til I came to this country.
  
  We used chokers and long lines, we did have some crude E collars that could kill a dog, we did think that if a dog could not work, it should not live.
  In my opinion, we devolved as far as dogs and we have become much more soft in our ways and as a result of that, we have turned once great working dogs into oxygen thieves. Hope I helped.


• With age comes knowledge and also being open minded. When I got my first show puppy, I was forced to buy a crate. You just can't go to shows without one really. What a learning experience that was for me. I have also used a shock collar for ONE of my fence jumping dogs and am pro prong collar person, depending on the circumstance. You just have to use the TOOL that works for your dog, period. I was 10 when I was allowed to get my first dog, and my parents always *paper trained* the dog. You see, that's why NOW I am always against the use of those pee pads. Our little dog, when I was 10 years old, DID mess in the house. Gee, I wonder why. As for crates......well, there could always be the chance that your dog NEEDS to be boarded or stay at the Vet. When they are used to being confined, there's no problem. So, crates are a good thing and far from being cruel. Dogs are SAFE when in their crate and can't chew the house apart when you're not home. Just to let you know, I'll be 56 in October and don't find age as an insult.


• I am old, and I never owned a crate until a couple of years ago.
  I confined my dogs to one room when I was housebreaking, and it basically served the same function.
  
  I think the crate makes it a little easier, but I am still not comfortable leaving a dog crated all day.
  
  Likewise, I had never heard of a prong collar until I came here. I just used a flat collar or chain collar.
  
  I can say that until recently people were not terrified of disciplining their dogs. That is new, and not a good new; IMO.
  
  Dogs are more humanized now, and people seem to be afraid of hurting their feelings, which makes for some VERY ill-mannered and misunderstood dogs.
  
  (My parents would never have drowned a puppy. My mother spent a fortune in vet bills saving a cat that had been hit by a car back in the 60s, and we hand-raised kittens that lost their mom at a young age.)
  
  My dog slept in my bed with me, and ate Gravy Train and Gaines Burgers (both of which are total crap.)


• I'm no where near an older dog owner but I have never used crates, shockers, chokers, professional trainers, etc and I have always had the most well behaved dogs I know. Dogs lives were harder years ago but I do believe all the crap people are coming out with is ridiculous. Like even though your dog is house trained crate it while your gone, never put your hand on a dog (I'm not saying punch it but now if you just push a dog away from something people want to gasp and call you an animal abuser) Some things have changed for the better, some for the worse.


• Well this old fart still believes that most of the new fangled gadgets are a waste of money. I have used a chain collar and a regular 6 ft lead and commands on my dog since I was a very young fart. As I got a little older (and got a Irish Setter, beautiful but stubborn as hell) I saw that there were these wonderful things called prongs and e-collars which make it so much easier and kept me from pulling out most of my hair (and kept me from killing the Irish Setter)
  I have never used a crate except for transporting a dog, I have never brushed a dogs teeth, never had any need for it, I gave them good food and lots of raw bones and have never had a dog with bad teeth or gums.
  
  The one thing that I have learned in my older years is nutrition. But maybe that is a bunch of hype too. My first Border Collie lived on Kennel Ration every day for 17 years before it killed her.
  
  Today too many people want to use the easy way not the best way.
  
  add-LOL I guess I am the only old fart in here tonight.


• I am 23 but i had never heard of crates or gentle leaders until i came on here and i started reading about how you cannot housebreak a dog without a crate etc, which i know is pure BS because my dogs were trained fine without one. They just were kept in the back-hall/kitchen until they were trained.
  
  In terms of the food, my dog has always eaten table scraps and gone periods of time where he ate nothing but table scraps and has done fine. Today i saw dog food marketed towards individual breeds.... now if anyone doesn't see through that for the huge scam that it is, they shouldn't own a dog.
  My grandparents always had dogs and my grandfather raced greyhounds, his dogs were fed table scraps but also drank blood that was sent for from the abattoir nearby.... i have no idea what the blood was for and don't really want to know either. However as he was older 70s/80s and before he died they had a kerry blue terrier and he used to buy the dog a steak once a week and cook it and give it all to the dog... So i guess older dog owners can change with time.
  
  I really haven't noticed a huge change here from how i am told it used to be from older family members but i am relying on their memory for that and i don't think the lack of change is down to an age thing, but more of a cultural thing.
  The majority of dogs aren't fixed, they eat supermarket food and table scraps, they are kept outside and if they are trained they are trained with a choker as prongs aren't that well known here. Most dogs however aren't trained in terms of any real OB but as long as they come when they are called, that seems to be good enough.
  
  There are a few changes though, with the ''designer dog breeds'' and stuff like that, my neighbour has a 'mini yorkie', a huge push towards getting dogs from the pound or the re-homing centre here etc. There has also been a HUGE increase in the number of purebred dogs in the last 5 or so years. Before then the only purebred dogs really were labs, border collies, jack russells and the odd doberman or rotty. Now there are dalmatians, bulldogs, shar peis, schnauzers etc all running around.


• Well, I am only 21 years old, but I still remember how dogs were raised because I grew up with dogs. We never had a crate for our dogs or special food. Bear (now deceased) ate powdered eggs, cooked and scraps. I never seen that dog eat dog food and he was very healthy with the most beautiful curly fur. He was our guard dog and companion. He wouldn't let anyone in the house without my mother's permission. lol! The police even wanted him because of his temperament. Gentle when you know him, fierce when you didn't. Bear had the run of the house and we could do anything to him. He never bit, EVER!! That's back when dogs were very stable and had real jobs to do, instead of being bred for pet quality and prance around rings. I remember when dobermans were a feared breed and to see a real-live police shepherd doing it's job. At that time, people owned dogs for what they NEEDED them for, not what they looked like. I still pick my breeds of dogs based just on that. My two current dogs have jobs. Teensy is pest control (summer,winter,spring,fall) all-year round, even though she is a house dog. She still has a job to do when she hits the backyard, inside the house, front yard. She loves it and her temperament is perfect. Taylor's job is to help Teensy with pest control and warn me when someone is coming up the driveway. Every dog in this neighbourhood has a job (not many are outside) and they all bark when thugs are walking down the road being loud in the middle of the night. Those thugs haven't been back since. We don't live in a bad neighbourhood, but it's always some ghetto idiots somewhere in a quiet neighbourhood. The tools used to train dogs have changed. When growing up, mom used a flat buckle or choker chain and 6ft leash. Dogs should be raised as dogs, even if they live inside houses now. My dogs are still raised as dogs......I spoil them sometimes, but I still see them as dogs. They eat better kibble (merrick), which doesn't cost too much. Other than that, everything else is still the same. I have a crate and they kennel-up when I say so, I just do it to mess with them. I still have no use for that crate, except for Taylor to lounge in outside. I use a choker on Taylor and I know how to use it effectively. Neighbours look at me like "WTF?!?" when I walk my 83lbs dog with my 10lbs dog and me only weighing 110lbs. lol!! They probably think I'm a kid because I am short, skinny and look young in the face and body. lol!!! Oh, well. They can keep guessing my age. hahaha. Teensy walks decent in a harness or cat collar (it has a bell on it). I can put anything around my dogs neck and walk them with no problem.


• First, please stop using the Prong collar - they hurt the dog and can cause serious neck injuries if not used properly. Now to your question. There was only the Choke Chain for training. Basic obedience was all the training the dogs got. We house-trained pups without crates, as you stated. There weren't any animal behaviourists, or holistic medicines. We took care of our dog's injuries and illnesses ourselves, instead of running to the Vet for every little thing. 'Gentle Leaders' were only used on horses. There were only about 2 - 3 brands of dog food. (Dr. Ballard's and Ralston Purina). Not all dogs lived long lives, as they were free to roam the streets - not having to be tied up. This also caused many dog fights.

Read More...

Dog Health Questions: When does dog training starts ??? At what age?

3months ? 4???

Dog Training Basics - Important Tips to Remember

Recommended Answer:
The day it is brought home.

How to Incorporate Dog Training Into Dog Play and Exercise!

• In all reality a puppies training starts at the breeders/shelter, before it ever gets to your home. A good breeder will work on teaching puppies to handle a variety of situations, and some will even start the potty training process. Training the puppy to fit into your life should start the second you get them home.


• It starts the moment you bring a puppy home. You call the puppy a name and he gets use to it that is one of training things you do so if he learns his name he is capable of training.
  When I started training it started the moment we went home by going out to potty. that was the second step.
  I never waited or I would end up with a stubborn dog. Start very early and it all works out so well.
  The puppy learns what his name is, he learns where he sleeps and eats and even where to potty.
  It is very easy. and good luck to you


• Your question is a smart one! Most people consider dog training to be a one-time 6 week event that happens and then it's over. Being a Certified Dog Trainer, I can tell you that a professional training course is a very important part of the training process (especially for puppies), but I agree with everyone on this post that stated that training happens the moment you bring the dog into your life. There is an old saying a lot of us dog trainers use which is "whenever a dog and a human are in the same room together, someone is training someone."
  
  That being said, look around your area for a puppy training/socialization class to join as soon as your vet gives you the green light. Your dog trainer will not only train your dog on the basics, they'll train you how to train your dog, in every day life, at home. It's also very important for your dog to be properly socialized in a well-managed environment.
  
  Training them young is the best way to be sure that your puppy has positive experiences with other dogs and people, avoiding fear and aggression issues. It is much easier to train a puppy and raise a healthy, balanced dog than it is to rehabilitate an adult dog with issues.
  
  On my website, I have a ton of information on puppies. Check it out when you get a chance and sign up your puppy once your vet clears your dog for class.
  
  http://www.thrivingcanine.com/got_a_new_…
  
  Good luck and have fun!
  
  -Chad


• birth ,
  last timne o brought a pup home , it sat for food , and scraped the back door to go out ,
  ans all this at 6 weeks of age .
  oh , and before any one thinks about trying to cuss me , pups can leave there mum in the uk @ 6 weeks of age , not the 8 weeks you have in the states ,
  guess we do things a lil different than some other places


• Puppies need to start training as early as 3 weeks when they start to go potty without stimulation.
  So really the pup should be training while its still with the breeder and continues once its in its new home. Training is life long, be consistent and be patient.


• Right away! It doesn't need to be anything too intense or serious, simple things like teaching the pup his or her name & obeying a "come" command are easy & fun for puppies. It allows you to interact & bond with the new puppy at the same time.


• the minute the pup comes home it starts training. I can't wait to have it a month or two before I start housebreaking and basic obedience. I have 7 dogs under the age of 4.


• When you bring the puppy home, that day training starts! A dog is never too young or too old for training!


• At birth, the mother starts teaching the dog and you should continue


• as soon as you bring home
  8 weeks for most
  12 weeks for the small breeds


• The same day you bring the new pup home.


• right now!from the beginning

Read More...

Dog Health Questions: Is "The Dog Whisperer" a dangerous show?Other training shows?Just because of misuse, or should it just not run?

Is the show itself dangerous, or is it the viewers fault for not taking it as the entertainment that it is supposed to be? Knowing that a disclaimer is not enough to stop people from doing stupid things, should the show run at all?

Do people just dislike him, or are all these dog training shows (like Its me or the Dog) oversimplified and misleading?

Are his books any better than the show? Not that I want to buy them, but are those actually learning tools more than the TV show, or are those over simplified too?

Is the TV show just a big ad for his books and other programs?

Puppy and Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
In my opinion, all are simplified and misleading. All of them. I have never read any of his books, so I cannot comment on them. And of course he is there to make money - if someone isn't making money doing what they are doing for a living, they wouldn't be doing it for long.

I personally don't "hate" him - but I think his advice is dangerous. I do like some one the things he says though, like you have to treat a dog like a dog.

And should the show be taken off the air? I REALLY want people to wake up and start thinking for themselves, instead of waiting for someone to do it for them. Any show on TV that "teaches" anything should be taken with a grain of salt - dog training, home decorating, any thing!

Dog Training Made Easy - Find Out How

• yes it is very dangerous is because he is handling dangerous dog big and small and you don't even know how is the dog going to react so that is a very very dangerous show so is other training shows.


• It should run because it DOES help people.
  There is a disclaimer that says not to do it without a professional that knows that they are doing
  but still people do it, and that is their fualt.
  
  he is an amazing person and has personally helped me loads, yes, there can be other ways to help -- but it depends on the person.
  
  just because you dislike something doesnt mean its bad, it just means you have opinions and should respect them and see them from others point of veiw


• I think his show is misleading. He also advocates methods that are dangerous and outdated. Alpha-rolling an aggressive dog can get you attacked, for example.
  
  He is self-taught, and uses methods that have long been discredited in the dog training world. He prefers to overpower dogs, which can make them more fearful and aggressive, and he uses very little positive reinforcement. He does a lot of things right; however, there's a reason that there's a disclaimer on the show. Some of his methods (picking up small dogs by the back of the neck) make me cringe.
  
  Victoria Stillwell's program is excellent. Her methods tend to make the dog want to behave well for you (as opposed to fearing punishment in order to avoid bad behavior). She is well-versed in the latest dog training methods, and she uses plenty of treats and rewards. Obviously, since it's a half-hour show, you can't learn everything from her program, but it gives a lot of good pointers. Her methods take patience, which most people seem to lack anymore. Everyone wants a quick-fix solution.


• I believe it is a combination of stupidity on his part and even more on the viewers part.
  
  People don't seem to understand that the dogs on that show a evaluated for health and other issues PRIOR to being worked with. They know EXACTLY what the base issues are and understand what behaviors to watch for. Most novices (as well as many experienced folks) can easily miss signals that the dogs are giving off and get hurt!
  
  The show itself is prepared for that, and if something bad happens,. it NEVER gets aired and people don't have a clue!
  
  You are never going to stop them from airing the show and people from watching it. I wish there was just a better way to convince people to NOT try it at home.
  
  I don't believe his books are any better because, again, it can't teach someone to read the signals that the dogs can give off. If people have problems that they need to address with a dog, they need to hire a professional trainer. A trainer not only trains the dog, but trains the owner on how to teach the dog!


• I find Cesar Milan scary. Anyone who thinks they know *the answer* to every problem is nuts. And I find his heavy-handed approach barbaric and quite behind the times as far as training philosphy is concerned.
  
  Dog training shows on TV (I like Victoria Stillwell's approach better, but still...) are entertainment as much as information and are staged to be oversimplified. The danger lies in people thinking that this is "the way to go" without really thinking it through or thinking about alternatives.
  
  I did read the book. There was some good stuff in it, especially about being calm and assertive. I think he comes across a little better in the book than he does on TV, where he solves all problems in a 30 minute time frame, making people think he has all the answers.
  
  Taken with a grain of salt, these programs can be helpful. If they're taken as gospel, they are a menace!


• I personally do not care for the training methods of "the dog whisperer". The little bit of him that I have watched showed him dominating the dogs, not training them. His methods may work for him, but they would not necessarily work for just anyone. I happen to enjoy Victoria Stillwell's Its Me or the Dog. Her training methods are something that anybody can do with time and patience. She does not dominate the dogs, she trains them. I have used many of her ideas to help my dog and my friends and family with their dogs and have always had success. TV shows are designed to make money, that does not mean that we can't learn something from them. I pretty much disregard anything that is slanted to making money and concentrate on the parts of the show that actually teach something.


• I like the show, I've used a lot of the techniques, and I'm glad their are some shows that help people understand how they should treat their dogs. Just because he presents some simple solutions, doesn't mean they don't work. Sometimes simple is best.
  
  The man has studied dogs. Some people just have natural abilities. The fact that he has kept so many dogs from being put down should be enough for people who care at all about dogs not to be so vicious.
  
  There are plenty of trainers and other methods and techniques available. If you don't like the Caesar's methods, then by all means don't use them. But, don't try to tear him down to people who he actually helps.


• When i got my puppy i got his book " be the packleader" as a present. I really didn't help much. It has some good ideas in it but it all just seems to be written to glorify his own person. The book is full of "success" stories that were done by other people but supposably inspired by him through his tv show. great.


• Dangerous for whom? I personally like the show and I learned so much about my dog and other dogs behaviors as well from Cesar's show. Although the show always advise to not try it at home, which makes sense if you have no experience/want to do so. I don't like the other shows mentioned because they don't get to the point as much as Cesar's show. However never read the books nor I have any plans to buy them.


• The show is dangerous, because too many people get the impression from it that they can fix a problem with a dangerous and/or very large dog. To me, that is irresponsible. I also see many posters here referring to links to his training methods.
  
  It is one thing to air a show about such an unusual situation - such as animal rescue or observing jungle animals in the wild - but the fact that any one of us can pretty much go down the street and find such an unruly candidate makes it all the more likely that someone would try things for which they are simply not trained.
  
  His methods are not well thought of, and although I too value freedom of speech, I think some stations should use more discretion and air something less harmful. Certainly there must be more to choose from than that.
  
  Here are some reviews by reputable behaviorists:
  http://www.svbt.org/pages/CesarMillan.ht…


• just a few comments on what i have seen about him
  watch the sun reflections on the ground, you only see the good things and the progress, most people think that its going to be a quick fix just because one dog has been conquered in one or two days,
  in reality its like one or two weeks with the dog in question,
  also have you noticed that he has his own herd of dogs that he keeps as a pack. he should really be adopting them out and taking more from shelters and training them on his show, and rehoming them out,
  i personally believe that he is just in it for the money.
  


• I personally happen to like The Dog Whisperer. I don't think he is barbaric as people claim he is. We all love our dogs, and most of us treat them like family. . but Cesar reminds us that they are dogs and they understand things as dogs. When a dog is not happy with another dog, he will snap or growl. Another dog understands this behavior. In my opinion, all the chicken pieces in the world will not stop an aggressive dog from attacking other animals. Cesar works to correct the behavior of these dogs. He doesn't claim to be a trainer. He clearly says that he is a "dog behavior specialist" which I would personally agree.
  
  I watch Victoria as well and I take bits and pieces from both. Victoria seems to work more to train dogs. Teaching them not to jump up on people, or to stay in the yard, or to come when called. Cesar seems to specialize with the more aggressive dogs. There is a reason he has been successful doing what he does, and anyone who thinks they can watch a show then pin down a Rottweiler is in for a rude awakening. I think he is great at what he does and he has a genuine love for dogs. I've never seen Victoria work with a vicious dog in danger of being put to sleep. I've seen shows where Cesar has actually been bitten, and they clearly state that the rest of us should contact a professional before trying these methods.
  
  I foster homeless dogs through a rescue group. Most of them are puppies so I'm able to use positive reinforcement (more Victoria's style). I did end up with 1 litter of oddly aggressive older puppies. I took 3 from the litter and someone else took the other 3. After a week of working with them, they were happy & playful puppies. I did end up having to hold one of them down several times during the first few days. She would constantly attack the other puppies. She was food aggressive & snapped at my daughter. By the end of the week I could put my hands in her bowl while she was eating and she stopped attacking the other puppies. Again, this was a 15 pound Chow mix puppy. I would never try that with a full grown 60 pound dog.
  We are all entitled to our opinion, but Cesar's methods helped me and all 3 puppies were adopted. Not to mention, the 3 puppies that didn't live with me for the week were still displaying signs of aggression. They couldn't even have them out at adoption day because they were snapping at everyone that came near their crate.
  
  Again, this is just my opinion based on my personal experiences.
  
  Bottom line, anyone who watches these shows apparently has a love for their dogs or else we wouldn't watch and try to learn. I say do what works for you, as long as you aren't hurting your furry friend.

Read More...

Dog Health Questions: My Shiba Inu is 10 months old. We just put him in dog training classes, but his behavior is not getting better

Should we have put him in doggy training classes earlier?

Secrets to German Shepherd Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
Shibas are a lot harder than like my dog breed. I found an article which might shed light but it sounds like you need a good trainer that focuses on prasie and is familiar with your breed.
http://www.inu-dogcare.com/Shiba_inu_tra…

also you need pack leadership with any dog especially those that are prone to be hard to train... adn I don't mean dominence I mean them respecting you as leader.

Dog Training - A Fun Activity

• earlier is better but his still a puppy so it may take some time keep up his training and you can even ask the trainer


• No, a dog is never too old to learn new tricks :)
  
  Just make sure you keep working on it outside of the classes as well it's a way of life now. Keep up the training and good luck.


• Umm it takes time. Can you learn how to put a bike together with the insturctions then take it apart and do it without the instructions. It takes time. Our dog still doesn't know everything even though we have 1 week left. Sorry it just takes time.


• Is everyone in the family following all the training guidelines? If everyone is not consistent, the dog could be confused.


• At 10 months of age most dogs are in a teenager phase, meaning they act like a royal pain in the butt.
  
  He may be in obedience, but you're also responsible for training him outside the class. Set aside 10 minutes three times a night to go over commands with him.
  
  Most importantly keep it fun. If you get frustrated, so will he. Shibas are a fairly independent breed, so make sure to keep his attention using smelly treats like cut up hotdog, that he will find irresistable. Always try and end those ten minute sessions on a high note, with praise and some playtime.
  
  Good luck!


• earlier is better, but keep it up, just may take a little longer because he hit his teens so he is more prone to try test the limits


• Guess what? It takes *WORK*,that horrible 4-letter than people run screaming from.
  You need to reinforce at home!
  Practice EVERY command & demand that it comply....over & over & over & over & over & over
  Reward AFTER,...don't bribe beg or ignore bad behavior.
  


• You can put puppies in at 3 months. And it's likely not your puppy's behavior that needs to be changed, but you and your families. If the dog is misbehaving it is usually due to the methods that it's owners are using. Praise your puppy when he does something good, and never yell or hit him. You have to be calm and patient and consistent with a puppy at all times. And how much are you walking him? If he's misbehaving it could be that he's not getting enough energy out and is just acting out. So try walking him more.


• the dog is still a puppy so you ha ve to wate till he gets bigger
  


• Classes can start as early as about 10 weeks old, as soon as he has his shots. However, since that time is past, don't worry about when or what "should have" been done.
  
  Instead, focus on the classes you are in now. If you "just" put him in class, it will take a week or two for the dog to settle in, and understand what you really want him to do. Give him time, he will adjust. Any dog, any age, can be trained - some will take longer than others.


• If you want your dog's behavior to change, you need to understand that training class isn't for your dog. It's for you and all the members of your household. You shouldn't expect your dog to master things at the class. You need to spend 10 to 15 minutes a day working with your dog on the commands that were learned in class. That daily training reinforces the commands and strengthens the bond between you and your dog. It's important that all family members know and use the commands too, so that the dog doesn't get confused.
  
  If, after a week or two, you still aren't seeing changes, you may want to work privately with a dog trainer. Look for someone that has an animal behaviorist background and has been in the weekend for a while - not a pet superstore teacher. Good recommendations usually come from your vet or groomer.
  
  Shiba-inu's can be stubborn, hard headed dogs. They are very smart and need to be well exercised.
  
  Good luck,
  Kelly

Read More...

Dog Health Questions: Where did you learn your dog training techniques?

Where did you learn? Observing your parents? Working with a professional trainer? Reading training books?

I'm particularly interested in those who "train" by swatting their dogs. Where did you learn that?

*Mine is a mix of watching my mom work with the danes we had growing up and the research I've done. I've only seen one person who thought extreme physical contact with a dog was acceptable. This man called himself a trainer...and he literally forced a dog to the floor while yelling "DOWN" in the dog's face. Funny....because this man had been my uncle's dogs' trainer for months. And the dog STILL did not understand the command.

Dog Training with Hand Signals - Hand Signals Help With Obedience Training Your Dog

Recommended Answer:
I was very lucky, as a youngster my parents introduced me to some of the dog sports best trainers. Most of what I use is based on methods developed by Rex Carr. The biggest disservice Rex ever did to us was not writing a book which makes it so that we have to look to those that he taught for information. Two of the most popular sources at this time are "10 minute retriever" by Amy Dahl, and "Smartworks for Retrievers" by Evan Grahm. And then there are many articles that were written by both Mike Lardy and Dennis Voigt.

But if you are asking if I buy into all the "positive reinforcement BS" the answer is hell no! Positive reinforcement is probably the most misunderstood and misused terminology on the planet.
Positive reinforcement is only one of four operant conditioning phases, and one without the other three is about as useless as using nothing at all. The art in training is understanding when and why any one of the four is the proper course of action.
There is simply a hell of a lot more to Pavlov than ringing a bell to get a cookie.

Helpful Dog Training Tips

• I took my dogs through local training clubs. Because they both are from rescues, the fees were nominal.
  
  We learned to teach our dogs "down" first by luring them with a treat (so they associated the command with the behavior) then with continuous practicing. Another method I've seen is stepping on the dog's leash where the only comfortable thing to do would be for the dog to get in the down position, but I've never tried that technique.
  
  NEVER would I swat a dog: they associate the swat with the human hand, not with the behavior they were/were not supposed to do. Hitting a dog during training only causes future problems.


• Ive always read training books. I have about 50 but recently Greekman has tough me things those books never mentioned.
  No BS rewarding only good Behavior and ignoring bad behavior because you can't ignore a dog snapping at someone. He has taught me what REAL training is.
  One man has taught me more than 50 books have in 10years.
  
  Now ain't that something!
  
  ADD* Also training my own dog I know what works for him and what doesn't so those techniques I have picked up from my own dog.


• Mine is a complete mix from reading books, watching tv, many behaviourists, training classes. I have adopted what works for my current dog and use bits from all resouses.
  I personally don't think that there is only one way to train a dog, i think each dog is different and you need to adopt different ways of training for each one..
  Some need a firm hard training regime(not violence) and some need a quiet calm approach depending on the breed and personality of the dog..


• Well, I learned a lot from when I was a child about what NOT to do.
  
  I think training has really evolved. Mostly good, some not. People (hopefully) aren't shoving noses in "oopsies" anymore.
  
  As for what I do now? Most of it came from trial and error. Positive reinforcement, and redirection of bad behavior has worked very well for me. However, I know I've made some mistakes, but I learn from them, and I will continue to be a better trainer as life goes on.
  
  I feel, that as time goes on, we learn from our experiences, both good and bad, and go from there. I feel that not a single novice dog owner can make all the right decisions, and a very experienced owner will always continue to learn and evolve with their training practices.


• Mine, like you was a combo of watching my mom with her rescue Danes, and me doing my own research before we got our two rescue Pitties.
  
  It was also the trial and error we went through with Maggie. She was so sensitive, it took alot more than we were both prepared for, but we did it. And look at her now =]
  
  Hitting/swatting dogs does not do anything. They are not like children, they can NOT connect the hitting with what they did wrong. Positive reinforcement is the way I go.


• I got my first dog at the age of 4. Watched & helped my older brother train him.
  
  By the time I was a teen, communicating with animals was pretty much second nature. It worked better for me than understanding my own peers!
  
  Then, in my 20's through late 30's I trained with loads of other trainers in both agility & obedience. I learned a lot of good, bad, effective and not-so-effective training methods....and how to tell the difference, what works well for me and what doesn't.
  
  To date I've expanded the delicate nature of dog communication and broadened my understanding of the species. I've also learned more about myself as a human. I actively engage in pet assisted therapy.....my most rewarding venture in doing anything with dogs.
  
  Hitting or swatting? Never. My Dad was into that with me....so I knew better than to pass that along to any other living creature....be it a dog, cat, or child.


• When I was a kid I worked at a kennel under a professional trainer. In addition to training pets, he also trained dog for our local K9 force and ran a sled team. I learned a lot from him.
  
  I've also done a lot of research. and reading.
  
  And more importantly I've TRAINED a lot of dogs. (even had a stint in a petco as a trainer for a while - what BS that was)I've learned what works and what doesn't.


• I learned through training classes with respected, certified trainers and through my volunteer work at a large inner city shelter.
  
  And IMO no trainer worth his salt would try to 'teach' a dog that way. It is pretty common knowledge these days that physical punishment is not an effective way to train a dog.


• my dogs taught me!!!!!!
  seriously though, ive learnt from a crufts winner, a police dog handler, other trainers, college, books, internet and trial and error, i do train dogs for others now but i dont call myself qualified and i never will, qualified means you know all there is to know and i never will, things are always changing hopefully for the better!
  erm.... never heard of swatting tho!?


• Well...it was kind of trial and error. Luckily my first dog is smart and knows what I want even if I have a hard time getting it through to her!
  I've bought multiple books, probably paid everyone on goggle's salary AND met some really intelligent people here who have helped me a ton!


• My father is a physical swat kind of person...so I DEFINATELY didnt learn from him.
  
  A combination of common sense, research, the people on here, and finding what works is where I found my training techniques.


• I guess it's been mostly research and trial & error for me. I only once used a trainer and that's when I had a dog with some serious resource guarding problems.


• I was exposed to dog training back in my native Europe at the age of 12 and got hooked ever since. My first exposure was under a gentleman name Aggie Smies who at that time had been training in the KNPV for almost 40 years, I guess he knew a thing or two. I continued my education and learned under some of the most influential trainers in Belgium and Holland. None of these people believed in the "positive only" crap that is being spewed today.
  I kept up my studies here and I am STILL learning every day.
  I have attended hundreds of seminars and I have taught almost as many.
  I have trained with some of the best trainers in this country, REAL trainers who instinctively understand a dog and what makes one work.
  It has been over 30 years since then and I am PROUD to say that this is a never ending process.
  I look at some people in here, like Tom L who has been training longer then I have been alive and I study his answers like the bible, I look at animal artworks and a few others and I absorb everything they say and add it to my collection of training ideas. Dog training is not rocket science, but, it is also not what most people think it is either!


• i began with my pup in 4-H -
  i was a 10 to 11 YO kid; my pup was 4-mos-old - we thought
  he was 6-mos old, LOL; my mentor/instructor was a pro-trainer and
  also a German Shepherd breeder.
  
  Mrs Frank Arnold had beautiful dogs with wonderful structure,
  pigment, and TEMP - her dogs were fantastic. calm but alert,
  reserved with strangers, tolerant of other dogs, responsive...
  and she herself was a very-progressive trainer, for the time.
  we used choke-collars that could be switched from slip to
  still-collars with a buckle.
  she PRAISED the dogs at least 3 to 4 times as much as she ever
  'corrected' them/punished, even mildly.
  
  her adult dogs were all AKC-utility titled - they were brilliant,
  willing + happy. since then
  --------------------------
  i've taken telecourses, seminars, workshops, volunteered, done
  hands-on training with pups, teens, seniors, shelter dogs, and
  family pets, read books, watched videos, etc and so on.
  
  i think that (like monty roberts) NO * ONE has the right to say to
  any animal, YOU * WILL or Else! that sort of threat is not teaching
  or training - it is mere bullying, and the animal will look for ways to
  avoid compliance.
  
  POSITIVELY-reinforced, OC-trained animals *offer* the trained
  behavior freely - no threats, force or compulsion are needed to
  prompt the behavior, once trained.
  the animal does it WILLINGLY - happily! - and to a better + better
  standard, too, if the criteria are maintained.
  
  skip the Cesar-Millan wannabe choking, hanging, hitting, poking +
  startling - instead, MANAGE to improve the odds of the wanted
  behavior being the sole option/one of a few, REWARD the desired
  behavior, INTERRUPT or Re-DiRECT the un-wanted behavior.


• I learned a lot from watching my dad. he trained and worked with GSD's on the Police force. He was shocked when I ended up with a lab after having GSD's my whole life, but thats another story =]
  
  I learned from my dad, but also read as much as a could about lab's and how to effectively train them. It should be noted that Rocko shredded the first two "guide books" on training a Lab. It took me a lot of time to start seeing success, and we are STILL having occasional set-backs. ( he's two now). When teaching the dog" no bites, I did use a light nose swat correction, but it was never in a hard, abusive way. Then we replaced our hand with a toy that was OK to bite. That was the only behavior problem that we ever corrected with a physical correction. Potty training involved a lot of watching... As soon as he started sniffing, or if he did squat it was a mad dash to grab him and run to the backyard before he finished. I don't believe in the "shove his nose in it and say NO!" Any scolding AFTER the fact seems pointless to me... they have no idea what they did at that point. Thats something my dad taught me. If you don't catch them in the act, then they got away it as far as training is concerned. This seems to be true for us, and can be very frustrating when we find out he has done something BAD and gotten away with it. His biggest vice? Tupperware that is drying on the dish rack! grr!! He's getting better and better, but this dog isn't winning any "obedience" contests anytime soon! *sigh* but we love him regardless...

Read More...

Dog Health Questions: Dog training my dog is driving me crazy. I need advice.?

Crate training my dog and he wimpers to go outside and when i take him out he plays in the rain. Then comes back in a poops on the floor and pees on his bed. I even leave down paper in his area in case we dont get out fast enough. This dog is driving me crazy and I have had plenty of dogs he is just untrainable. I need help but I cant afford a trainer. Oh we just moved and this is when he started making all these mistakes in his potty training. How long before he gets this down he is 5 months old.

Electronic Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
This is going to take quite some time! Puppies are hard work, and they are a big commitment! Work hard and everything will work out~!

Follow these Instructions:
Below are Crate Training/House Training Tips.

When you are leaving the house, or going to bed for the night, do the following. Never actually shove the dog in the crate, either throw treats in there, or sqeek a toy and put it in there. The dog will eventually learn that they have to go in, if you place them in front of the crate, and say the word.. Place the dog in the crate, along with some safe toys. Close the door, give a treat, and say your crate command.(Such as, night night, crate, or bed). Leave.
**I DO NOT SUGGEST CRATING PUPPIES THAT ARE YOUNGER THAN 12 WEEKS**
Repeat slowly extending the time, and make sure you leave time between kennel times, to spend with your puppy. Never expect your puppy to stay in his kennel longer than the age he is in months plus one. (example, if your puppy is 5 months old, only leave it in there for 6 hours. No dog/puppy should stay in it's kennel longer than 7-8 hours.

Rules:
1.Try to teach them that their crate is a good place. Reward them when you place them in the crate. This is teaching them, that a treat comes with good crate behavior. Always keep your dog in the crate, unless you can keep a good eye on him.
2. Another option, if you do not want to place your dog in the kennel all of the time, hook his leash to your belt loop, this way he can not go off and use the restroom somewhere, and you don't know about it.
3.Always take him outside after;(ON A LEASH); rough play, after he eats or drinks, after being let out of his crate, after he wakes up after a night or if he is,
sniffing,staring at you,whining, or sitting at the door.
4.Don't ever hit your dog, or rub his nose in his mess. This will just teach the dog to be afraid of you.
5.Don't feed him or give him to much water, before you plan to put him in his cage.
6.Don't expect your dog to hold it's restroom, more than the age of the dog in months, plus one. But no dog should have to hold it's bladder more than a 7-8 hours.
7.Be patient!! That is the key, to housetraining. Of course if you get too overwelmed, you can always buy a book, or ask a professional trainer!
8.Always, when he goes to the bathroom ouside, give lots of praise and treats!!
9. If you expect your puppy to go outside, and dont use puppy pads when he gets older, starting out with puppy pads, is not a good idea, because this trains them that it's ok to go inside, and then before they know it, they cant, it is to confusing for them.
10. Work out a schedule that fits your lifestyle. Feed your dog the same time every day.
11.When you go outside, stay outside until he uses the restroom.
12. Dogs while first potty training, need to go outside every 2-3 hours.
13.Do not make the dog smell his mess, strike him or lock him ouside. This will just confuse the pup, and it might be afraid of you.
14. Ignore whining, unless you KNOW that he/she has to go to the bathroom.
Good Luck!

Types of Dog Training Programs: The Best (and Worst)

• You need to find a professional trainer, contact your local kennel club, they can refer you to one. No dog is untrainable. You are doing something wrong.


• If you have just moved and this dog was with you before you moved and to my understanding he started when you got to your new house. he probably isn't comfortable with his surroundings and will take a while. if you Absolutely can't take the training anymore hire a personal trainer for your pup and he should be fine and dandy in no time.
  
  My regards to you pup and you.
  
  p.s hes a blessing in disguise. i bet he'll be your favorite in a while. The rascal always wins my heart ;)


• You must be patient. Don't yell at the dog, or spank him, anything like that, just tell him "Bad Boy" when he goes potty in your house.
  
  Spend a lot of time outdoors. Since he's not potty trained yet, you need to go out every 30 minutes. Today is Sunday, I'm assuming you don't have work or school. Take him outside every 30 minutes. Carry some little bite size treats in a little container outside. When he uses the bathroom, award him with one small treat. Never use puppy pads, and please don't even use newspapers. This will get him in the habit of thinking that he can use the bathroom on the puppy pads and on the newspaper. Of course, that works for you because all you have to do is toss it away, but for him, it's never going to get him trained. He's just going to adapt to thinking that he can use the bathroom in the house.
  


• He apparently doesn't get it and you aren't giving him the correct messages.
  
  Check out these websites. They should help.


• Make sure you take him to a tree be4 he goes inside and when he does his bussnies in the house say bad boy in a really strict way so he won't do it anymore


• When you take your dog outside to poop/wee. Stay out there with him until he performs. Use the same spot every time if possible. Give praise when the deed is done. He should have some bladder control at five months old. Take him out after eating . I know its a pain to stand outside in the cold but it will be worth it if you persist.. He will soon catch on that wee/poop = treat and praise. The secret is consistency.
  
  Good luck


• You mentioned you just moved and that was when the mistakes began. He may be a bit confused and uncertain about the new place, even though you are there. You also are asking two different questions - crate training and housebreaking, although the two are often related. You didn't mention when or how often you feed him, which is an important piece of information for housebreaking.
  
  For housebreaking, you'll need to learn your dog's signals, and also help him to re-develop any signalling he had for you before you moved. Until he is fully housebroken, always take him in and out for potty through the same door. Most dogs will need to eliminate about 30-60 minutes after eating. Don't leave food down (free-feed) all day. Instead, have designated meals. Give him his food; whatever he eats in a limited time (10-15 minutes) is fine. Then take the food away. Watch him closely for the next hour, as soon as he looks like he might be thinking about it (circling, sniffing, etc.) get his leash on him and take him out. Walk him (even if it is in your own yard) until he does his business, then praise him heartily, and walk him a few more minutes just in case there's a bit more to go. Then take him back in. As far as his dog bed, hope it is washable. If it is, wash it a couple times with detergent and bleach. Then wash it one more time without any detergent, and no bleach, to make sure that no residue remains on the bed. If it's not washable, trash it; it's already marked with his scent and he will be tempted to go again. For the floors, clean them thoroughly, and consider using a pet or urine deoderizer cleanser wherever he has had potty accidents in the house.
  Leaving down paper in his area may also be confusing him; it's like saying "yeah, sometimes you can go in the house, and sometimes not, but I won't tell you the rules". If you must leave something down, I strongly suggest potty pads, so that nothing "leaks through". Newspaper has a way of letting some stuff get through, which means you'll have to clean and deoderize those areas too. If you can't afford potty pads and have to use newspaper, at least invest in a cheap plastic shower curtain, and put that between the floor and newspaper to help prevent any leakthroughs.
  Now, about the crate training and the whimpering - are you so sure that your dog is whimpering to go outside to potty? Or is your dog whimpering to get out of the crate, then playing outside, and then peeing when he comes back in because he's afraid of going back in the crate?
  If you can give more detail about how you are doing crate training, it might help. Sharon McCuddy's Lucky Dog articles has at least three articles about crate training, here's the link to one of them: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article…

Read More...

Dog Health Questions: Dog training in houston, tx?

i kind of live in a rough neighborhood and i am looking for a dog training facility in houston, tx that will teach my dog to protect me in case if something happens? if anyone knows of a place that can teach animals that please let me know thanks

7 Top Dog Training Tips

Recommended Answer:
There is a defense dog training service called Mans best Friend that is supposed to train dogs for that. I've never tried them

Learn the Significance of Dog Training Courses

Read More...

Dog Health Questions: Dog training classes?

Does anybody know how much they charge for dog training classes at say for example a petsmart? We are considering a puppy/dog and I would like to make up a list of costs. Thank you.

How To Download A Book On Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
I do not know if it's standard price or varies depending on location, but I a paid $109 for an 8 week course (Puppy Education). My dog just graduated from Puppy Education and she did really well (which i'm surprised because she never sat still and paid attention to me in class).

I also signed her up for intermediate and I paid another $109 for another 8 week course with the same trainer.

The best way to go about this is to visit the store when there is a class in session, usually they have them posted up somewhere near the training area, to see if you like the trainer (which is key) and their methods of training. You also might want to talk to a trainer.

Personally I love my trainer. Their method is pretty good (clicker method); however, my dog did not respond to the clicker (she was scared of te noise), so they helped me find another method (mostly with treats). My trainer always emphasized that it's important "that as long as my dog is doing this at home." She just graduated Puppy Education (as I mentioned above), she knows how to "sit, stay, take it, leave it, (still working on come), off, down," perhaps a few more too.

I know Petco does training courses also, but I do not know the prices. I think they are very similiar to Petsmart Price.

When I looked into training courses at other places I found that the prices range in the $100's and the amout of time varied, mostly between 6-8 week courses. I found that for my area that Petsmart offered the best time (Saturday coruses) and for my money it wasn't bad either. Good Luck.

Dog Training - Getting the Basics Right

• Puppy Education
  Get your puppy off on the right paw with classes that encourage good behaviors while helping you establish a strong bond with your new arrival. For puppies 10 weeks to 5 months old. Certificate of completion earned. Course length: 8 weeks. Key topics include:
  
  Introduction to simple cues, such as sit, come and stay
  Basic manners
  Socialization with people and other dogs
  Relationship-forming games
  Problem prevention
  Tips on puppy health, grooming and nutrition
  
  Puppy Education
  Get your puppy off on the right paw with classes that encourage good behaviors while helping you establish a strong bond with your new arrival. For puppies 10 weeks to 5 months old. Certificate of completion earned. Course length: 8 weeks. Key topics include:
  
  Introduction to simple cues, such as sit, come and stay
  Basic manners
  Socialization with people and other dogs
  Relationship-forming games
  Problem prevention
  Tips on puppy health, grooming and nutrition
  Return to top
  Beginner Education
  Specifically tailored for puppies over 5 months and adults dogs that have had no previous training. Certificate of completion earned. Course length: 8 weeks. Key topics include:
  
  Introduction to simple cues, such as sit, come and stay
  Basic manners
  Socialization with people and other dogs
  Relationship-forming games
  Problem prevention
  Tips on health, grooming and nutrition
  Return to top
  Click-a-Trick Education
  Learn how to integrate more playful behaviors into your dog's education process. This course will help you communicate using a clicker as part of our positive reinforcement-based program. Certificate of completion earned. Course length: 6 weeks. Prerequisite: puppy or beginner education, or comparable skill level. Key topics include:
  
  The benefits of clicker training
  Loading a clicker and selecting primary reinforcers
  Advanced cues such as crawl, take a bow, high five, roll over and much more
  Return to top
  Intermediate Education
  This course will help further develop your dog's ability to learn behaviors involving more distance, duration and distractions. Certificate of completion earned. Course length: 8 weeks. Prerequisite: puppy or beginner education, or comparable skill level. Key topics include:
  
  Brief review of basic cues
  Cues such as stay from a distance
  Learning despite distractions
  Relationship-forming games
  Additional cues (heel, stand and more)
  Return to top
  Advanced Education
  This course will help strengthen your dog's reliability in every situation. Graduation degree earned. Course length: 6 weeks. Prerequisite: intermediate education or comparable skill level. Key topics covered include:
  
  Sit politely for petting
  Advanced loose leash walking and heeling
  Specialized games to build reliability
  Learning with increased distractions
  Return to top
  Private Classes
  Not ready to commit to a six or eight week class? Or perhaps your dog's behavioral needs are targeted to one specific area? Maybe you and your dog prefer a more intimate one-on-one training session? Ask about our private classes – perfect for your busy schedule and training goals because they're personalized to your needs.


• Our local club charges $50 but that's a bargain. Most places charge $100-$150 for classes. Thank you for including it in your list of perspective costs. That's a responsible pet owner!! I can make a huge difference in how your pet behaves and how you relate, also. Good luck!
  P.S. Call your local animal shelter and see if they know of classes locally or if they sponsor a class. It may be less expensive than going through a pet store.


• It really depends on the number of classes or the store that you go in. The best thing to do is to call ahead and ask about the different types of classes and how long they go on and then the price for the classes. But Petsmart is the best place to go. That is where we are going to send our dogs to be trained.


• Visit http://www.dogsvets.net you may find anwer of your query


• My aunt has 9 dogs and she swears by PetSmart classes, they're really sweet and very well informed. I'm not positive about the prices, they may vary.

Read More...

Dog Health Questions: How does one go about starting a dog training/boarding/grooming business? What would the first 3 steps be?

I don't know anything about business plans and how to go about it - we don't have a lot of "start up" money to hire other people to do stuff for us. I just want to start small and then go from there. We already board/train some dogs - worried about liability and how to go about insuring that there isn't an incident that would cause us to lose our house! These are just some of the issues.

Get the Most From Your Dog With These 5 Dog Training Tips

Recommended Answer:
Avoiding the phrase “I don't have time...”, will soon help you to realize that you do have the time needed for just about anything you choose to accomplish in life.

Types of Dog Training Programs: The Best (and Worst)

• It's all research. Contacting companies that already are in this business in parts of the same state that you live would be a good start. Probably start with 3-4 companies. You aren't infringing on their customer base, and talking shop... but first you want to know:
  
  1) Who is your local competition?
  
  2) How many people in your area have pets that would be within a reasonable distance from you?
  
  3) What facilities will you need?
  ____
  
  after that, contact those companies I spoke of earlier and ask:
  
  a) What prices are they charging for the services you want to offer?
  
  b) Ask your questions regarding insurance
  
  c) How many customers do they handle per month?These should give you a start, to help you determine what your next steps should be. Good luck.

Read More...