Dog Health Questions: Dog training?

how to train dogs & at what age

Considerations When Buying Dog Training Equipment

Recommended Answer:
You can start working with him when you get him. When he is about 4-6 months old, enroll him in a basic obedience class. He should know by that age how to walk on a leash and come when he is called. The class will help him to be socialized around other dogs and he will learn, on a leash to sit, stay, down, sit/stay, down/stay and heel. Eventually, he will learn, with training to do those things off leash as well.
Be patient, calm and assertive. Check out this website for some pointers http://dogpsychologycenter.com/tips/inde…
Good luck

How to Use Dog Training Books to Reinforce You Dog's Good Behavior

• its hard for someone to tell you hwo to train a dog because dogs have personalities and all are a little different, but i suggest either takign the dog to obedience training and basic training classes, or get some books and videos on training at home


• train your dog at any age


• Best bet is take them to training classes. they aren't just for the pet, but for the owner. They will show you how to continue training beyond the classes. PetSmart accepts puppies after 8 weeks of age.


• start as young as possible!


• Basic Dog Training can be found just by surfing the web but start training your pups around 9-10 weeks of age. The key to an good adult dog is too start young.


• Dogs should always be being trained. It is good for them. Its impossible to tell you how to train dogs. For starters, ask your vet for reference to a dog training club and check out "How to be Your Dog's Best Friend" by the Monks of New Skete. It is an extremely fun and rewarding process.


• Can you be a bit more specific? What kind of dog and what do you want to train it to do?
  As for age - if you can housebreak an 8 week old puppy, that is training. I've started grooming and show stacking lessons with my poodle puppies at 4 weeks. That is training. If the dog learns to learn from an early age, they can continue to learn all their lives. The only dog too old to learn is already dead. You can teach an old dog new tricks - as long as you are patient enough and can figure out how to tell the dog what you want it to do.


• With most dogs like Labs, Coker Spaniels, Pitbulls, or most of you bigger breeds even some small breeds most of the basic commands are already embedded in there memory, which makes it easier to teach them those command, but to get technical start with the basics. Like sit, stay, lay. those are the three you need to learn. the easiest way i have found to teach a dog to sit is to, put them in front of you and tell them to sit (use a stern voice let them know you are in command) and take your hand and push down on there butt as you tell them to sit and after a while they will learn what to do. if you have any other questions reffering to this email me at wmctarheelchamps2005@yahoo.com


• to train a dog you must keep it positive make it fun for your dog show him what you want it to do like if you want it to shake say shake and grab his paw and shake it praise him give him a treat and do it over and over you have to spend some time but they will get it never yell or hit a good thing about dogs are they want to please you hotdogs are the best thing to train with they love them and will do anything to get them good luck start when they are pups about a month or 2 old but try not to over do it you be able to tell when the dog loses interest


• my trainer likes to start when the pup is 12 weeks old.

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Dog Health Questions: I am a dog trainer. Is there any dog trainers on this site who could answer this question?

How on earth do you get your clients to obey??? Give me a dog anyday but please lose the people! Omgosh how frustrating are some clients! I am feeling a little frustrated right now and would appreciate any suggestions you have on how to get clients (the stubborn ones) to participate throughout the week (when you aren't there) in the dog's dog training. I have went through every tactic I know on trying to get them to practice what I taught them.

5 Levels of Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
As a private trainer you have no choice really but to accept clients in order to pay the bills, being picky is not really an option!!
I realized that early on, about 30 years ago when I started training dogs and I knew back then that I could NEVER train a dog for a civilian, no matter how I tried, I just do not have the temperament to deal with people who will not listen, especially when they are paying me real money....

You need to realize and accept that as humans, we all have a brain and we can make choices, sometimes not the best ones, but, there is nothing you can do to make people think differently, the way you would want them to.
Once you accept this, things will be alot easier to deal with.
Train the dog, assign responsibility where it belongs and tell your clients that the dog will not train itself, they need to work on it...if not, just accept it and walk away, having done the best job you know how.
Hope I helped!

ADD: I understand what you mean about your rep, believe me, I do, that is another reason I cannot deal with "pet" owners!!
Patrol, narcotics and exposives mixed in with sport dogs is what I have done for the vast majority of the time, the rest of it was spent working with one of the dogs mentioned above either here in the Middle Eastern theater!!!

Dog Training Hand Signal - Train Your Dog To Sit With Only Showing Your Hand

• I don't train but a good friend of mine spent a lot of money and time to become a dog trainer about 12 years ago. She trained both of my Labs through to off leash and 30 minute place.
  
  She was great but got out of it for the very same reason you are sighting. People expected her to to 'train' their dog without their participation or practice during the week.
  
  I do know a young woman who is a trainer that does it a whole different way. Heather takes the dog. She also takes half of the fee, writes out a contract etc. She makes video tape of the dog's training.
  
  When she brings the dog back, she takes one week with the owners for 5 'people lessons'. She gives them the video tape to keep for referral.
  
  She teaches whatever the people want. She will do a simple sit/down/stay and walk well on a leash or all the way to the recall and 30 minute place. According to what people want is how she charges.
  
  It has worked well for her. You may want to think about a different approach.


• Well, that's the exact reason I was a "dog" trainer and not a "people" trainer. :-)
  
  I trained dogs for 30 years and worked almost exclusively with shelters and rescue groups. I was an aggression specialist for at least 10-20 of those years, so I was usually getting dogs with very bad, sometimes dangerous behaviour problems, who were usually already scheduled for euthanasia.
  
  Training dogs is a piece of cake! Most undesirable behaviours are significantly improved or even corrected in a matter of days, hours sometimes. I never needed longer than 6 weeks to work with even the most aggressive dogs. They lived with me, in my home, with my family and my other dogs. They quickly learned boundaries, and had expectations of appropriate behaviour.
  
  But I remember having a conversation with a dog walker at one of my local off-leash parks. She asked why I wasn't a "professional" dog trainer (I.E. taking clients). I explained that I train dogs. Professional dog trainers don't really train dogs. They teach people how to train their own dogs. It was as though a light went on over her head. Training dogs is easy. Humans, not so much.
  
  I have all the patience in the world when it comes to animals (I also worked with difficult horses, too). But when it comes to people, I just don't seem to have that same level of patience...for whatever reason. I try. I really do. But it's the precise reason why I never wanted to be the kind of dog trainer whose existence relied on getting clients.
  
  (I also was never inspired to become a dog trainer because it just doesn't pay very well. When I was still working, I made a very good living. ...Still do, I suppose. One adorable person once told me that you could make a "good" living being a dog trainer because she knew one that made $75 an hour. I smiled, and I'm not sure how I handled that exactly. I was polite, I'm sure. But let's just say that $75/hour would have been quite a pay cut, and that's with me working 8+ hours per day. I doubt there are many dog trainers making $75/hour or more, 8+ hours a day, every day.
  
  Those that do make a good living as dog trainers usually have to branch out into media...which I also didn't want to do. By that I mean they had to write books, columns, do radio shows, television shows, etc. You know...try to become famous in some way. And that's pretty much the antithesis of what I want out of life. I"ve authored a lot of dog-related articles, etc. But never with the goal of being famous. Sometimes, I used a pseudonym, other times I was able to publish them anonymously or through an umbrella organization.) ;-)
  
  EDIT: RE: "Launi: Now, that is a good idea. I have been thinking about taking dogs into my home and training them myself."
  
  You know, it's such a hypocritical thing for me. I take dogs into my home and train them quickly, and beautifully, in no time. Because, as you know if you have any competence with training dogs, the dogs, themselves, are pretty easy to train. At the same time, I would caution any dog owner not to have someone else train the dog. Even if they can trust a stranger with their dog (I wouldn't), they will likely continue to do whatever it was that allowed the undesirable behaviour to develop in the first place. The dog might come home well-behaved. But it will likely go back to old habits, or pick-up new ones, if the owner hasn't learned how to interact properly with the dog.
  
  It's kind of 'do as I say, and not as I do'. In my own defense, I don't take dogs owned by anyone (only rare, lucky shelter/rescue dogs that currently can't be adopted due to severe behaviour problems). In fact, I have a rule that I use often, "I don't train other peoples' dogs!" (Often said with emphasis.) It's a rare, rare day where I'll agree to train someone else's dog, simply because I know it will go home, and they'll dismantle all my hard work. When I do agree to do some training, it's usually either a specific behaviour, or it's to demonstrate the dog can be trained. It's funny how many people still don't "get" that is their own behaviour that is the problem, and not the dog.


• We quit doing group & private lessons over 20 years ago. The success rate is just miserable. One in a thousand people are capable of training their own dog to any kind of respectable level. About the same time, we stopped training the FuFoo dogs as well. 99.9999% of the people that own them are completely unwilling to enforce anything...thus, waste of our time. We have 50 runs here and 40 in Europe, but we only take 3 "client" dogs for training at any given time. Even with the dog fully trained, the majority just don't REEALLLLY want to do anything. What they want is the IDEA of having a dog...and of course something to show off if company comes by. Dealing with fully trained adults, I can fly a handler to deliver the dog. The client receives about 5 hours of "hardcore" instruction on how to handle him. By the time the dog gets to this level (18-24 months of training), he doesn't care how ignorant the owners are. All they have to do is feed him and clean up after him. We normally get 2-3 phone calls after delivery with "follow up" questions. I would never go back to training client dogs for a living. I'm not sure exactly what Greekgod does, but we also got away from the police almost 20 year ago. We used to oversee 15 departments. Too much red tape, too much attitude, not enough money and no way to re-acquire a dog if one of them decided to quit the K9 unit. They'd let them age-out sitting in a kennel rather than let us buy them back.
  
  Needless to say...headaches ar few and far between now.


• HAH!
  
  Not a trainer myself but i do own a dog, and i live with my parents (who, like your clients, don't want to listen to anything i say in regards to the dog.)
  
  I'm afraid it's up to the client, really, to follow through with the training. If they do not, then they will never have a reliably trained dog. Period. They may need to learn that on their own...
  
  How are your lessons set up; do the dogs have to somewhat know a command/behavior for the upcoming lesson or are the times between each lesson just for "practicing" without really building on one another? I would think that being the only one in class who has a dog that does not know the commands or behaviors NEEDED for that lesson would be pretty embarrassing... yes?
  
  So if you haven't tried it, try modeling each lesson after the previous. Example: Lesson One is a sit. Lesson Two is a sit PLUS stay (dog must know SIT to stay.)
  
  Or (this is what we did in advanced class.)
  
  Lesson One: dog must know down command from a distance. Lesson Two: Dog must know how to go down on command while moving by the owner. Lesson Three: dog must be able to sit/stay then come when called and go down when told (at a distance while moving.)
  
  If the person didn't keep up with the training between lessons, the dog would not be able to do these commands. Maybe if they are the only ones who can't do them...?

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Dog Health Questions: Is the book "For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best Friend" any good?

am looking for a dog's book that explain dogs in general. Not a dog training book (I already have 101 Dog Tricks). I run into this book that looks very promising. I have read some reviews in amazon, an apparently is very good. However, I would like to know if there is a better book that deals with the topics in this book. Any recommendations on books about understanding you dog.

Clicker Dog Training Will Make Your Pet the Next Neighbourhood Wonder

Recommended Answer:
Its a book by Patricia McConnell. A well respected woman in canine behavior people. How can you doubt it just based on its title?

Anyway to answer your question: I like the book. Will it do everything you want, maybe, maybe not. There is no book or item out there that will just give you everything. Your dog is unique to what he responds to and dog behavior is just as varied as human behavior is. Time will teach you when your dog is thirsty as an example.

Now after that, this book is a good book but so are her other books, Suzanne Clothiers articles/book and many others linked within the elite group they are in. I still want to read Brenda Aloffs book on aggression in dogs, but its 40bucks and I just dont have that yet.

Combination is key. This book will help you understand your dogs behavior better, no doubt.

As an answer to your question: get the book.
I'm still reading it along with about three other books in rotation, but I remember a chapter where she was doing a seminar and she asked the audience to count one second. They did and she did anything she could think of in that one second. Then went on to explain there is no way to ever truly know every second what your dog is thinking. But as you start to notice one thing, you get better at it and can notice more things in that second. Kind of like going back and describing all the things she did in that one second. Maybe the first time you try, you only get one or two, but the next time, you get three or four.
If you are looking for a well respected book to read on dog behavior, you can not go wrong with a patricia mcconnell book.

Dog Training Basics - Avoid These Five Common Mistakes

• Never read it and never would just judging by the title.
  Why would anyone be interested in reading a book that compares human emotions to that of a dog?
  
  Also, FYI, a book titled "101 Dog Tricks" does not sound like a good training book at all. It sounds like a book just to teach your dog tricks - which is NOT obedience which is what you should be teaching your dog.
  
  Why are you trying to "understand" your dog exactly? Gives us a better idea of what you're trying to accomplish.
  
  ADD: Okay, but getting books about doing tricks with your dog - that's not going to help you with obedience trianing at all. I will get back to you with a training book that was recommended to me...trying to relate to your dog is not going to help either one of you.
  It's called "Control Unleashed"


• Patricia McConnell (the author of this book) is very good on the subject of understanding dogs. I haven't read this one, but I did read her book, "The Other End of the Leash," and found it to be one of the best dog books I've read. Cesar Milan is good, I like him, but not everyone agrees with his methods. Jon Katz is another good author to help understand dogs. Coren is good but you might his approach a bit dry. "How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend: The Classic Training Manual for Dog Owners" by the Monks of New Skete (a monastery) truly is a classic, although you should keep in mind that they've backed off on one bit of discipline (I think they called it the "alpha wolf roll" or something); I don't know if that will be reflected in new versions of the book. Everything else about the book is solid, and covers both understanding dogs and training.
  
  It's good that you've decided to read up on dogs before getting one. More people should do that.


• I have never read that particular book. I am, however, a huge fan of Stanley Coren books. I think he gets it right on the money. A couple good books by him are Why We Love The Dogs We Do and How Do Dogs Think. How Do Dogs Think is really interesting because it explains scientifically how dogs perceive the world. Also How To Speak Dog, by Stanley Coren is a great tool for learning the body language of dogs.
  
  ADD: Coren's book Why We Love The Dogs We Do, includes a personality test (he's originally a Psychologist) that tests for certain personality factors in order to best match you up with a breed. I took it afterwards and it was pretty interesting. I actually got matched up with one of my breeds.


• I highly recommend anything by Cesar Millan, aka The Dog Whisperer.

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Dog Health Questions: Sick Dog????????

At dog training thursday the other dog got really strange all of a sudden. He wouldn't eat his treats then he threw up two HUGE piles of unchewed food then he got the runs. What do u think could be wrong with him??? His owners are moving so they were packing for that but they were also packing to go on a road trip do you think sncce they were not spending time with him or things were different thats what sparked it all????? what do u think is wrong with him???

Dove Cresswell's Dog Training Online Review - Is This the Best Online Video Training Program?

Recommended Answer:
Well...stress can cause dogs to be very depressed. It can lead to vomitting and diarrhea. Because the dog is seeing a lot of changes and craves attention, but is not getting it...it can become depressed, and desctructive (he may start deficating in the house, vomitting, howling, etc)

Boxer Dog Training Tips and Ideas That Are Critical to Effective Instruction

• Could be the stress or it could be a change in food or some type of stomach bug. Without knowing the dog's history of shots etc it's really hard to say.


• I think that it was just upset about the moving and no attention. most animals are uncomfortable with moving, and car rides, and such


• i would ask his owners at next week's class.


• he might have eaten something he wasn't suppose to you need to take that dog to the vet to see what is really wrong with him/her.!!!!!!!!!!!


• it could b that the owners dont spend time 2 play with the dog....or may b he hasnt gotten his shots yet


• And that is why you shouldn't feed doggie before class. Not only because they get overly excited and will throw up, But its very hard to get a dog to work if hes on a full stomach. Sounds like their is alot going on around him. Nerves!!! Dogs throw up in my class all the time if they inhale treats too fast, or when they get overly excited playing with each other. I bet hes just fine. Obviously if this continues for more than 24 hours... It needs to be checked out by a vet. Dehydration can set in fast and that is no good. Good luck.

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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.

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Dog Health Questions: Is a good watch/guard dog an................?

Australian Cattle Dog? My family is thinking actually almost sure we're going to get one soon, but are they good guard/watch dogs? Because we want a strong. powerful dog that will guard us in any situation, and will alarm us when someone is on our property or coming to our door. I want this dog to be fearless. If we do end up getting one, should we put it in guard dog or attack dog training???? Please do not suggest other breeds to me, we have made up our mind. Thanks

Dog Training - Basics

Recommended Answer:
Yes they are very good watch and guard dogs. They're very protective over their family. I have one and she barks and warns us whenever somebody pulls into the drive way. She listens very good and never had any problems with her biting anyone, but she will if told to. She's very smart and learns quickly. She bites the back of everyone's heels but thats why they call them "Blue/Red Healers". Over all they make really good watch dogs.

I do not recomend putting it into training, spend time with it and it's instincts will kick in and will protect your family naturally.

Dog Obedience Schools: 4 Tips For Choosing The Right Dog Training Schools

• You need to speak to your breeder to ask if he line they breed is for protection? If so what tests of stability and protection have they done on the parents grand parents etc.
  No attack training is for bad trainers/owners.
  You must obtain a HIGH level of obedience and socialization on the dog for a protection club to consider you for future protection work.
  However watch dog and natural protection abilities is not a given in breeds not created to guard. Vs herd or hunt or trial etc. Do your research im sure you will find a good breeder.
  Best of luck .


• Well I'm glad you can't be swayed to another breed because I would hate the thought of a rottie in your hands.
  
  Dogs are not even considered going for guard / attack training until over one year old, and then they must have a very sound temperament to do the job well.
  
  If you bring a dog up thinking it can protect you instead of you protecting it then it is the leader and will choose its attack times.
  
  You have to bring a dog up with you as total leader and therefore you are in charge of what it does and when.
  
  Anybody that does otherwise just has a loose canon on their hands


• yes they are very protective breeds (this can be a problem though because they may try to attack friends) and if you get one put it into guard dog training. Attack dogs will just attack and not warn you at all, which will put you into a big legal mess if someone gets bitten and if (depending on where you live) they bite someone three times they must be put down. Also a good guard dog is one that will bark, a bad one is one that bites.


• yes they are very protective breeds (this can be a problem though because they may try to attack friends) and if you get one put it into guard dog training. Attack dogs will just attack and not warn you at all, which will put you into a big legal mess if someone gets bitten and if (depending on where you live) they bite someone three times they must be put down. Also a good guard dog is one that will bark, a bad one is one that bites.
  bottom line yes


• I think they are good watch dogs naturally. They are very intelligent, naturally cautious towards strangers, and protective of their family. I haven't heard of them being trained as guard or attack dogs, I'm not sure if they have the right temperament for that. But if you decide to give it a try then get it trained as a guard dog.


• No, and ACD is not right for you. They were bred to work, and unless you can find a reputable sheepdog trainer, and get the dog on livestock, when it's old enough, find another breed. Go to you local animal shelter/rescue and adopt a homeless dog.


• YES!!! they are excellent guard dogs, and can protect people in any situation. you might want to put it into guard dog training, but it depends on here you get it from.


• i hate people who lie to themselves
  - naruto

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Dog Health Questions: Blue tick beagle coon dog training?

is it okay to use raccoon urine to spray on a tail to train our dogs to hunt?if not what do we use?

How to Find the Perfect Dog Training System

Recommended Answer:
You might get better, more detailed advice from a hunting site or trainer. Strikes me that that's what they sell the urine scents for.

I know that various places sell rabbit pelts and bird wings for training -- maybe a site like that might have racoon tails and ideas for using them

Some answerers have questioned the legality - is it actually illegal (or limited to a season) to hunt raccoons? I'd never heard that.

Dog Training - Enjoyable Dog Obedience Training Techniques

• Why would you want to teach your dogs to murder innocent little animals. If you need meat, go to the grocery store.


• I'm actually not sure.
  I believe this user http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/my/profile;_… does hunting with their beagles. I would advise that you contact them


• Would you mind updating with whose tail you're spraying the urine on???
  I'll try offer assistance then!


• have you ever seen where a red fern grows? ann and dan were trained by dragging just such an item.it already has scent if real, i would not think you need to add more, talk with other hunters in the area for help.

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Dog Health Questions: Dog appears to have cherry eye?

Hey I rarely ask any questions that should be directed towards a vet but I am just curious. I usuallly ask questions that deal with dog training etc. My pitbull/cane corso puppy woke up this morning with what looks like Cherry eye. Anyone have or had a dog with this condition. Yesterday she was perfectly fine. This morning it popped out of nowhere. This sound familiar to anyone? We will be bringing her in in the morning to see the vet. I know theres a chance she may get it in the other eye as well.

Dog Treats for Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
Hey Javier! I have a Chihuahua named Angel, who 3 years ago had Cherry Eye in one of her eyes, she never got it in the other eye, thankfully. This is a picture of Angel, when she had Cherry Eye!
http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk159…
I knew that Cherry Eye can only be repaired through a surgical procedure, so after I noticed Angels Cherry Eye, I took her to the vet and had her Cherry Eye repaired. Since then, she has never had any problems with her eyes and the Cherry Eye never came back in neither one of her eyes. What the other poster said about Cherry Eye Surgery being Pointless is wrong, so please don't pay attention to that statement. It's easier for a dog with Cherry Eye to get a bad Infection or Injure it's eye, so the sooner you can get the Cherry Eye repaired, the better for your dogs eyes. The advice the other poster also gave you about their little Home Remedy with the Baking Soda and Water and rubbing it into the dogs eye. That's insane and you don't do that or you will cause your dog pain and you can cause your dog to go blind. Forget the home remedies because there aren't any! I would take her to the vet and have the vet take a look at her eye. The vet will give you the options you have and what steps to take next from there!

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• Cherry eye is an inflammation of the third eyelid, and your dog sounds very much like she has it. While they can give drugs to reduce the inflammation and get the eylid to pop back into place, it will eventually recur, generally worse than the first time. The only permanent solution is surgery to correct it. There are a few options, depending on severity. Cherry eye surgery has minimal recovery time and is generally not extremely expensive (depending on the type of surgery).


• If you bring her to the vet, they might make you pay a lot for a little almost pointless surgery.
  My Cocker Spaniel had cherry eye and it just came out of no where.
  It looked nasty D;
  My Mom rinsed her finger in water, dipped it in baking soda and lightly put some of the baking soda on the cherry eye thing...
  My dog rubbed her eyes for a little, but after a couple minutes it went away.
  
  Edit:
  Jeez. I can't believe I'm getting thumbs down...
  You people haven't even tried this to see if it works.
  It actually worked on my dog... I don't know how I'm suppose to prove this. D:
  My dog never had cherry eye again...

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Dog Health Questions: What is the best electronic dog training collar?

My Dog has a strong prey drive. We have a ton of wild turkeys and he needs to chase them. I want to stop that behavior before he runs into the street or runs after something he can't handle. He is an Australian Cattle dog about 50 lbs. Also do you know if they make collars that if the dog gets too far away from the owner the collar beeps? I want to make sure my dog knows he is not supposed to get more than 20 yards away from me. Will it sense the distance and set off an alarm so the dog knows to come back?

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Recommended Answer:
The best brand of e-collar in my opinion are Dogtra. No they don't to my knowledge make the type of collar you are describing. They rely on you to be watching the dog and trigger the collar. If you can't have your eyes on the dog at all times he should be on a leash. Some dogs with very high prey drive will ignore the correction from an e-collar, for them the reward to the chase is worth the correction so make sure you work with your dog in a secure area to ensure the correction will stop him and what level of correction is required to stop him before working with him in an area where if you find out it doesn't work it could cost your dog his life.

Secrets to German Shepherd Dog Training

• The best one is the one used by someone knowledgable in their use and application.
  
  Tri-Tronics makes the best e collars in my opinion.
  
  This one works up to a mile
  
  http://www.tritronics.com/pro-500-g3-exp…


• how about training the dog instead of cheap fixes that don't always work?


• A lot of herding breeds (or breeds with a high prey drive) will not respond to e-collars as they're so focused on the job at hand (herding or hunting.) Your best bet would be to consult with a professional who has EXPERIENCE with this tool (both in introduction and weaning off of it) as it can easily be abused and over used.
  
  I have not heard of one that can judge distance, namely because it's hard for a DOG to judge distance. The best option for keeping the dog near you (other than using a long leash) would be to teach the dog to automatically look back to you for instruction - it isn't an easy behavior to teach, hence why i suggest a professional. Maybe someone with bird dog (hunting dog) experience.
  
  Keeping your dog occupied and exercised will also help with herding behaviors - if the dog has nothing to do to stimulate that need to work, of course it will go after anything that moves.


• Get a long training lead and a pinch collar works for me

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Dog Health Questions: Need dog training help?

my puppy is part greyhound but mostly alaskan husky.
she was bred to race but we rescued her from being put down when she was 4 weeks old ( her femur broke so the owners were going to put her down)

and well we hav had her since then so she bites a lot she has already ripped the skin on one of my fingers.

and i want to know ho to stop this aggression in her i need way to train er im very desperate!

she is a very intelligent dog and people say intelligent dogs are harder to train (though i would think it would be easier)

but can anyone help??
i have no idea how to train her my other dog sequoia isa completely different breed and very calm so she was easy to train but this one is very hard.

what i want to train her to do:
not beg
not steal stuff off of the table.
to not jump onto kitchen chairs (yes she does that)
to not dig.( she is working her way into the neighbors yard)
to not eat our garden.
how to stay.
MOST IMPORTANLY NOT TO BITE!
i dont want anyone reporting her and having her put down
i love this puppy so much and dont want anything to happen to her.

she was born may 27th of this year.
just so you get an idea of how old she is

(no saying that we shouldnt have taken her at 4 weeks! i have had a lot of people yell at us for that. just so you know if we didnt take her at 4 weeks she would be dead right now. only because she broke her femur and would never be able to race)
btw her leg is all healed now

Why Is Dog Training The Best Thing We Can Do For Our Dogs?

Recommended Answer:
Here's a great article on teaching bite inhibition

http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/arch…

Dog Training Collar Aka Shock Collar Buyers' Guide

• Thanks for rescuing. Try this web site it has some great training tips, you'll need to spend some time researching but I'm sure you'll find it worth it.
  
  http://www.dogtrainingbasics.com/index.h…


• Do some google resorce on Victoria Stillwell. Her Training is FANTASTIC!


• Most dogs do this kind of behavior because they get bored make sure you walk her everyday to get enough exorcise. When you catch her doing something you don't like make a loud sound and tap her lightly...most dogs hear the word "no" alot so after awhile they don't listen to it...Keep on it and she will come around good luck


• Bred to race in what? Greyhound racing is only for purebred Greys - a Husky-X would not do, and adding Greyhound to a husky won't help in Sled racing, as Greys are short burst, low stamina dogs. The mind simply boggles at what she must look like!
  
  All the same, like any dog who is being difficult to train, try ringing a professional trainer for one-on-one classes, or go to obedience classes with her. This should help a lot. Good Luck.


• sounds like your pup needs some good training first be consistent teach her to sit, stay and down give treats every time she gets it rite. (she only wants to please you) so with the rite guidance she will behave well. you shouldn't feed your dog while your eating if you want to give her some of your food wait till your done and put it in her bowl. try hand signals while training i find that works very well with my dogs. and give her lots of exersise tossing a ball in the yard and walks.
  when it comes to the biting it sounds like she's teething put a toy (kong) in her mouth everytime she goes to bite you and if she keeps it up give her time out in another room for just a few mins.


• Huskies are very intelligent dogs,and they are also strong willed... they are independent and want to do what they want to do...
  
  So the first thing we need to do when we acquire a husky is assume the role of pack leader. This is done by claiming your space, claiming your dominance, in a calm but serious manner.
  
  A couple of examples are -- if you and your dog are going through a doorway, you always go first. If it's dinner time, you eat first, then feed the dog second.
  
  Do not allow him on your bed or furniture without permission. For husky puppies, or untrained huskies, do not even give them permission until they learn that the furniture and your bed does not belong to them. If a person lets a husky get on beds and furniture at will, he will claim the space as his own, and will simply be letting you sleep with him.... a husky needs to know when he's not invited, so teaching the "off" command is important.
  
  Your dog needs to learn some basic commands. Work on sit, first. Then down after he learns to sit... progress from there teaching the dog to heel, and so on.
  
  Huskies usually dig and get into mischief out of boredom. We run our husky six out of seven days of the week, and he's so tired after about an hour of that, he lounges around for most of the rest of the day. A good way to accomplish this might be to use your roller blades or a bicycle (you have to make sure you are in a safe area, or that he's leash trained if he's not safe off-leash before you attempt these things).
  If you have a dog park in your area, take your husky there. Maybe he would enjoy romping around with other dogs until you can offer more exercise.
  
  Huskies like to put their mouths on our hands... some people say this is a friendly gesture, but i see it as a show of dominance. You can try a couple t hings -- say NO and clap your hands when the dog bites. If that doesn't sink in, then put the dog on its side on the floor. Hold it gently but firmly until it's calm. Make it lay there for a minute or so after it has become calm. Repeat every time it bites or nips. This is what alpha dogs do in packs -- they put dogs down and hold them there for in appropriate behavior, so your dog won't be offended. It is a normal, dog behavior.
  
  You can also turn your back on the dog and fold your arms and look up into the air -- in other words completely ignore your dog when he nips. No attention at all, can sometimes curb this behavior.
  
  Any sort of training will take patience and lots of repetition, so don't get discouraged... keep working.
  
  I guess i could go on all night. But i'll shut up now. Here are a couple websites to get you started. You might want to do a search for Husky Training for lots more info!
  
  http://www.husky-petlove.com/husky_alpha…
  
  http://www.dogtrainingclassroom.com/sibe…


• Bite Inhibition = *** backwards thinking done by new aged yuppy dog trainers...excuse me, behaviorist is the popular catch phrase at the moment, like Victoria "can't train a dog out of a wet paper bag" Stillwell. Bite Inhibition involves mimicking a pups equals (it's siblings) by shrieking and turning away. Which is idiotic. You are NOT your pups equal you are NOT trying to fill the role of litter mate. You should be taking cues from the mother. She growls a low deep growl and if the pup doesn't stop biting her she grips him up firmly the same as any mother who's ever taken a 5 year old to Wal-Mart has done. Dogs prey on weakness, you shrieking like a little sissy is more likely to fuel it's prey drive more than anything *sigh*. Simply say "No" in a firm voice, if that doesn't work, grab the puppy (not by it's throat, not in a figure 4 leg lock, simply grab the puppy firmly) and say "NO" again in a firm voice. The pup will stop dead in it's tracks.
  
  -edit- Btw I didn't address the other training issues because, well, they're non-issues. That's basic obedience and basic house training. Not house breaking but house training aka teaching a dog how to behave in the house (no running, stealing food, barking, chewing, ect). That information can be easily found right here by doing a search on this site. Leerburg sells a great DVD on basic obedience. Just google "Leerburg Kennels" it'll pop right up. Pricey but worth it.

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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

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Dog Health Questions: What's the best dog training tip you've ever learned?

we have 2 dogs
always looking for new ideas

Top 6 Dog Training Mistakes - Are You Making These Mistakes When Dog Training?

Recommended Answer:
I think a big mistake many people make (I know I used to) is not making training fun. You need to be excited so the dog will be excited. Have lots of energy and make every command sound fun and upbeat.

Obviously you still need to correct if the dog disobeys (assuming the command is already a known one) but learning to put some energy into my training sessions made my dogs respond so much better to me.

----
Have to agree with Dalmatians. NILIF really helped my possessive aggressive dog. You'd never guess now that he used to be protective of food and toys.
http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm

Do a Good Job of Dog Training

• In the words of the great Cesar Milan, Be the assertive pack leader. It doesn't matter what you are trying to teach your dogs, you need to be confident, assertive and calm. If you are tentative about being the top dog, then your dogs will never see you as the pack leader. They will continue to do bad behaviors and drive you crazy. Also look on Youtube for videos of Victoria Stillwell. She has really good advice about dog training. The thing that both Cesar and Victoria agree on is that you have to be the Alpha. Good Luck!


• PATIENCE and a lot of love for the pup.... as brenda said...f you can only punish a dog within 10 seconds of the incident happening otherwise the dog has no idea what you're punishing him for.... soooo true.... and i have also learned that Cesar Milan's idea of us being the pack leader is not true in all cases... dogs understand the difference between humans and other dogs...


• It's all about consistency. If it takes you a 100 times everyday for a week to teach it .. it's worth it!
  
  Oh and my trainer told me that if you can only punish a dog within 10 seconds of the incident happening otherwise the dog has no idea what you're punishing him for.


• Never hesitate to praise your dog for exhibiting good behavior.


• i thought i knew it all in dog training until i brought by last pup to obedience class. wow did i learn alot


• NILIF - Nothing in life is free.
  
  Has worked wonders on my dogs.


• Definitely NILIF.

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Dog Health Questions: Dog Training HELP!!!!!?

I'm 15 and my grandmother agreed to house one of her friend's pitbul puppies. The dog(Stella) is almost an adult know, she has to be atleast 8-12 months old. Now my grandparents cant go out and play with Stella and give her the attention she needs. The stella doesnt have too many visiters. The owner gave her a little basic training but she hasnt really been socialized. I love this dog and i hate to see her go, so ive agreed to go to my grandmother's house and help to train, walk, feed and all around care for Stella. I havent trained a dog before and i know that Stella isnt the right breed of dog to start with. But if I dont then who will?..... I was hoping you guys had some suggestions that will help the process be as smooth as possible for both Stella and I. All your help and advice is greatly apreciated. Thank you all so much in advance! I hope to here from you soon

Dog Training Career: Doing It and Loving It

Recommended Answer:
I don't have the time to give you as detailed an answer as you need. I suggest that you go out & buy some dog training books & DVDs. Also, watch "It's me Or The Dog" on Animal Planet and "The Dog Whisperer" on National Geographic Channel (be careful on following some of Cesar's techniques, tho!) You might also see if your local Petsmart or Petco will allow you to enroll a Pit Bull in any of their training classes.

Some Less Obvious Benefits of Dog Training - Help For Owners of Older Dogs

• We have now special institutions who train dogs as long as you are there support their needs like foods. Maybe you could entrust your dog to them!


• Dogs are very much like children, they respond well to positive praise, rather than shouting and frustration. This is why positive dog training has proved to be so successful.
  
  When you are training your new dog, or even if you are training an older dog, you need to make sure that every single time that the dog does what you require him or her to do, you need to praise him. Also ensure that anyone else who has a part in your positive dog training uses the same methods as you do. There is no reason why the whole family cannot help in training your dog.
  
  Each dog will have their own favorite type of praise, some prefer lots of pats and fuss, others prefer some doggy treats, and others like to have a game with their favorite toy. Most dogs like a mixture of all three!
  So if you are trying to train your dog to sit, then you will say his name (this part is very important, as it lets your dog know that you are talking to him), and say the command 'sit' loudly and clearly. While you say the word push down on his back end to force him to sit, and when he does make sure that you praise him up. Dogs love the attention we give them, and if they think they are pleasing us, they will want to do it all the more.
  
  Repeat a couple of times, and you will soon find that your dog begins to associate the word 'sit' with sitting down, and in no time at all he will be sitting all on his own at your command.
  
  Some people worry that giving their dogs too many treats is not good for them, but you only need to give treats while they are learning the command, once they have fully mastered it, the treats can drop off.
  
  Make sure that you keep the training session fairly short, as even fully grown dogs will not really take anything in after a while. Puppies need to have plenty of rest and sleep. Once the training is over then spend some time playing with your dog, he will really enjoy this and begin to look forward to your playtime once his training is over.If you have a protection dog that is not house trained, then the first thing that you need to do is to make sure that there are no medical conditions that could be causing the problem. Some of the more common medical reasons that could stop your dog from being properly housetrained are diabetes, intestinal parasites, uti's (urinary tract infections), or hormonal incontinence. Pop your dog to your veterinarian for a check over, and if anything medical is found, once it has been treated you will be ready to start housebreaking an protection dog.First stage is to make sure that you clean and treat your home so that no odors remain – some odors only dogs can smell, especially from previous accidents, so this needs to be thorough. If any of the smells are still there then your dog will want to go in the same place.Then you need to work out the area you do want your dog to use. Once an hour in the daytime take your dog to this spot to do his business. Sometimes housebreaking an protection dog can be really easy as they could have been trained previously and just got into bad habits. If your dog has never been housetrained in the past it will take a lot longer to accomplish, and need quite a bit of effort and time from you.Once your dog begins to perform in the area you have picked, make sure that you give him plenty of praise and rewards. The rewards can vary from treats, to walks, to extra playtime and the type of reward you give will depend largely on what your dog likes best.
  
  Don't make the mistake of punishing him if he makes a mistake, as this will put the whole thing back, and it could cause harm to your dog's personality.
  Housebreaking an protection dog can be done, it just takes patience, time and supervision
  
  hope this helps!good luck :)


• Nothing wrong with starting with a pitty. They can be great dogs.
  
  Now very few people are successful training on their own the first time. You need a training class. See if there is a 4-H (call your county extention agent) A lot of people think 4-H is just for really rural areas, but that's not the case. Many 4-H clubs have dog training, and its FREE!
  
  If you can't find a 4-H, look on the AKC site (www.akc.org) and find training clubs. The clubs are way less expensive that private trainers and you learn how to train your dog. Look for group classes.


• Pit Bulls are not for the casual dog owner, but I am glad to see you help out a do who no one else will. Just stick with the basics. Make sure you Grand Parents get a good quality food, not the stuff from the grocery store. Do things like make the dog sit and lay down before you let her have food. The dog needs exercise every day if possible, so learn how to walk a dog properly. It appears the dog gets enough affection from the Grand Parents, but try to find people to pet the dog if you feel it is safe. You really should contact a dog trainer for assistance as pit bulls can present many problems when training. Check out websites like Cesar and Victoria for more information as well as pit bull forums. Maybe contact a pit bull rescue for some assistance. They may be happy to send a volunteer to your house to show you some basics. This will keep the dog out of a shelter. Good Luck!!!


• Yes, Pitbulls have a bad wrap...but I know many people who have the nicest dogs in the world and they are pitbulls! So as long as she is not animal or people aggressive I think it should be fairly(you will hit a few bumps in the road) easy! If I were you I would start working with her I somewhere fairly small(if possible a fenced in area...if you dont have somewhere that is fenced in get a longer leash) For the first coupld of weeks just start with basic commands such as come, heal, sit, down, leave it(food, something on the ground, ect) and front(the dog is suppose to break from whatever it is doing, come to you and sit right in front of you) are some basic ones my dog knows. This will take time and patience AND some really good treats which will keep your dogs interest(switch it up...cut up some turkey, hotdog, ect and change from time to time so the dog will keep coming back...but you dont always have to give a treat....praise will work just as well sometimes) AND you dont want the dog to ALWAYS associate treats just because once you take them away and not give them as often it could result negatively. Once you feel Stella is listening to you well enough to have her trust invite some friends along with you...to socialize Stella. You go and get Stella and put her on leash and have your friends in the yard with a treat...let the dog go up to your friends, have them pet her a little and then give her the treat...then to just let her do her thing.
  As for taking her on walks I would suggest getting a collar like this one(I am about a 120lbs and I have a Rottweiler mix whose around 70lbs...if I dont use this she will pull me over)
  http://www.petedge.com/product/Training-…
  I know many people dont like these collars but you have a very strong dog on your hands and you are quite young...so I would assume that she would be able to pull you very easily. How this collar works first of ONLY put this collar on when outside...and make sure it comes off when you get in the house(It can easily get caught on things) Just remember this is not as harch of a collar as you think it is...it is merly used for corrections...such as if your dog is pulling first give a warning such as "Stella, Heal" if she does not give a quick tug, then release...your dog will quickly learn that she needs to focus on you while on a walk as well!
  Also another suggestion...see if there are any dog training classes that are in your area in which you would be able to attend with your dog or atleast go an watch to see how they teach and what they recommend doing/trying!

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Dog Health Questions: Dog Training. How to get immediate responses to commands?

I have a Basset/Beagle mix that I absolutely adore, but he has major training issues. I am not okay with him only responding to commands he knows when I have a clicker and treats, and taking his sweet time to do it. I know he knows the commands, he just won't do it immediately when I ask him to. He knows:

Sit, Down, Sit/Stay, Down/Stay, Recall, Attention, Shake, Roll Over, Leave It, And Touch (Hand Targeting)

He will do all of them very very well if I have a clicker and treats, but if I don't he ignores me. How do I get him to do what I say, immediately when I say it?! He is a very sweet dog, and I love him to pieces. He is intelligent, and if I can get him to do this one thing I'm sure he could be a canine good citizen, and run an agility course. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Dog Training Courses - Which One is Right For You?

Recommended Answer:
Throw out the clicker and the treats.

So far you have just trained your dogs stomach.

Not getting a cookie is NOT a consequence.

I NEVER EVER EVER use food to train a dog for obedience.

Use traditional dog training methods that require your dog to obey on one command and one command only. When they do not obey the command they get a correction. An actual consequence that they understand.

http://www.koehlerdogtraining.com

The method I have linked above would have your dog able to do the AKC Novice Obedience Test in 9 weeks.

I know, I have done it with my own dogs, both of them titling in three tries at just one year of age.

Service Dog Training, Teaching Dogs to Assist the Infirm

• Get rid of the clicker that is something that you will not have all the time. Use the treats make it fun for him to come and give lots of praise. You will be able to ween him off the treats if you use lots of praise when he obeys.
  Keep him on lead until he gets the idea just a quick snap and release will keep him focused to follow the command.
  I have a beagle/basset also and they can be a little stubborn especially in the recall


• Keep using the clicker but only reward on immediate response. Then, still using clicker, reward every other time with treats, alternate with praise only. Slowly increase the praise reward while weaning away the treats. But only reward for immediate response and only use the command once, ie. the command is "Sit" and not "sit...sit...sit...SIT!!" Just keep working at it, he'll get the idea. Congrats on going after his CGC!


• First, you may want to get a book like I have about being a canine good citizen. I think it's great that you want this for your dog!
  
  To do this, you may want to try starting off with treats, saying "Good boy!", and petting him when he does what you want him to. Eventually, you can go to just "Good boy!" and petting. Dogs love to be petted and to get attention. Just keep working at it and he'll get it. You may also want to try dog training.
  
  I hope this helped!
  
  ~Holly


• UHave2BKiddingMe gave you the absolute best answer you will get. No reason to postpone selecting BA. It is 110% CORRECT...period


• I agree with uhave2be. Seriously this dog has learned to only obey when a treat is offered. I am not against treat training and I do use treats in the initial training period to condition my dogs thru operative conditioning to make them think thru and try to understand what I want. After that, I phase the treats out. For instance, I reward every other time...every third time...& so on but I maintain a pattern. This will get them thinking a bit. After they are doing well there I will reward randomly, which means no set pattern. I don't care for the clicker as I do not and will not carry one around. I usually use "gooood" then reward etc. So when I am phasing treats out they know that when I say "gooood" that they gained my approval. If I am dealing with a dog that has a favorite toy I may use that toy as a reward for a job well done. Or a pat on the head..scratch behind the ears whatever. Essentially, I want my dogs working off of praise only. This whole training phase can vary in time...for my Labs I could usually accomplish commands with NO treats after a few days...for my Cavaliers a week or so. Honestly, if I would continue using treats beyond this initial phase they would come to expect it too and probably be right where you dog is.
  
  As far as getting a dog to respond quicker to the command. I have yet to see that rewarding only when they respond quickly elicits a quick response from the dog. I do not believe that they put that together. If you KNOW the dog knows the command, then I suggest correction for not responding right away. An example would be leash work. You ask your dog to sit and he is somewhat ignoring...an appropriate correction is due. DO NOT repeat a command ever without reinforcement. You want to teach the dog to sit (lets say) first time you ask it and not wait until you repeat it. If you must repeat the command physical correction is necessary. Make the right thing easy the the wrong thing hard. It takes a dog no time to understand if they sit right away you are happy but if they fail to they will get a leash correction or a tap on the rump. Make sense? Another word of caution. Not ALL dogs are hop to it obedient. As much as we would like that some are just softer and lazier and simply lack the drive. So you must recognize this. Even a dog such as this should not require you to repeat a command however.
  
  Hope that gave you a bit of insight and a starting basis.


• Jamie, congratulations to you for the skills you've already taught your dog. You didn't say how long you've been working on it or how old your Basset/ Beagle mix is now.
  
  I have a thought that may or may not be pertinent to your situation. Have you tried teaching your dog some hand signals as cues for some of the behaviors? Because dogs are so keyed in too observing motion, I've noticed that they respond very readily to hand signals for cues,perhaps swifter than to verbal cues. That just may mean that some dogs of my acquaintance are not verbal learners so much as they're visual learners.
  
  Also, for each of those behavioral cues, have you tried lessons in different parts of the house, in your yard, in your garage, on the lawn behind the public library, many different locales? Dogs are not single event learners; they need such experiences to generalize the association between verbal cue or hand signal and its linked behavior, as they're learning new skills that they previously may have associated only with the family room.
  
  Remember to raise your criteria step by step for each skill. One criterion you're concerned about now is the dog's speed in responding. Personally, I like to check to make certain the dog is awake, someone attentive to my location before I give a verbal cue or hand signal from a distance. Another hint is to vary the reward. Try to choose things that are really meaningful to the dog; then you can begin to introduce real life rewards to your dog.
  
  Best wishes to you.


• Have you been luring the behaviors? One error some (many) people make is making the presence of the treat (or other reinforcer) part of the picture that the dog considers part of the cue (command) for the behavior. So while you think that your dog understands that sit means sit, what the dog understands is that the silly word you say while you've got a treat in front of him means if he sits he gets a treat. Makes a lot of sense from a dog's perspective! So for a sit, I would lure the dog maybe three times, giving the treat from that hand. Then continue to lure 3-5 more times, but DON"T give the treat from that hand- give it from the other hand. Then get treats off your body completely, continue to use the hand signal (which is what your arm motion of using the treat was) and treat from a nearby table or whatever works to keep your treats handy but off your body. Then introduce the verbal, saying it before you give the hand signal (dogs pay a lot better attention to body language than verbals) so that the verbal predicts when the hand signal will come, until you note the dog starting to react to the verbal alone.
  
  One stage I go through is make sure that the presence of clicker/ treats is not required for the dog to still get reinforcements. One way I do this is simply to make sure that I use a wide variety of reinforcements, including life rewards. So when I'm on a walk in the woods and call my (offleash) dog, she gets reinforced with a game of tug on her leash, or by me throwing a stick. Another is to start a session without the clicker or treats on me, use a verbal marker, and run to where I have hidden some reinforcements. I incorporate a lot of training into life, so that sit (or whatever) gets reinforced at mealtimes, when going out the door, when putting leashes on... I'll also do things where I do have treats on me, but the dog doesn't get those treats, gets something different.
  
  Another factor to consider is that the breed mix you have isn't known for being speedy, so you'll have to work at it. You might do something like ask for a sit 10x, click and treat each correct response, and note how long it takes, on average, for the dog to sit. Then decide not to click and treat the slowest ones (whatever criterion works for you, I usually count under my breath after deciding what is an appropriate time frame). Then when the slowest ones have been eliminated, decide on a new criterion, and so forth, until the dog is sitting promptly. There are actually 2 separate issues in regards to speed- the actual performance speed of the behavior, and the latency, or how long it takes to start the behavior. Whenever you increase a criterion in one area, loosen up in others, so its ok (for a while, while working on speed) to click sloppier sits than you would otherwise. I usually work on latency first, speed second. And once you've done this (well) with one or two behaviors, it usually generalizes well to other behaviors, so choose one behavior that you want to work on, and really get it under good stimulus control.
  
  For more information on clicker training, visit www.clickersolutions.com and read some of the various training articles, and also consider joining the listgroup.

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Dog Health Questions: Brought home an older dog: Training tips?

He's a very nice dog, about 3 we think.

My boyfriend almost hit him with his car, and when he confronted the owner he was told to 'take him if you want him' because he didn't apparently. So now we have Buddy Holly, sine the dog never had a name- just lived there.

So, we need training tips for a slightly older dog.

Dog Training - A Vital Component of Your Dog's Life

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How nice of you to take this dog in from such horrible people! Get him to the vet first off for a check up and neuter. Then you'll just have to wait and ascertain what his bad habits are. Once you find something you want to break him of doing its just a system of punishments and rewards. If he is bad tell him no in a stern voice and crate him for a bit. When he is behaved reward him with a treat and kisses... he'll catch on:) Good luck!

How To Use Dog Training Collars

• Really the same as a younger dog, but easier in some ways because an older dog will have a longer attention span than a puppy and be less hyper. A dog from an owner like you describe may have been abused, or more likely just ignored which is actually better. In that case, it probably won't have fear issues and will respond nicely to someone paying attention to it. Positive reinforcement is always the key to training a dog to do things. When it does the right thing, reward it with food or nice words in a happy positive tone of voice. If you're quick enough, you can say Sit when the dog is about to sit anyway, then tell it how good it was for sitting. When you have to tell it not to do something, don't use it's name, just say NO in a loud voice. The name should always be used in a positive way so the dog knows that hearing its name means good things. If you're new to dog owning, I'd highly recommend getting to a dog training class. You can learn a lot in a pretty short time there.


• The key to house training your dog is to rely on your dog's natural instincts and tendencies.
  Dogs are instinctively clean animals. If they can avoid it, they would rather not soil themselves or their usual eating and sleeping areas. Dogs also naturally develop habits of where they would like to eliminate. For example, dogs that have a habit of eliminating on grass or dirt would rather not eliminate on concrete or gravel. You can use these natural tendencies for rapid and successful house training.
  
  Housetraining guidelines, http://miniurl.com/28515


• You will find that you have yourself a super duper dog. Dogs that are abused or ignored and suddenly have a nice family with a nice soft bed and good food and some treats here and there will do anything for you. He appreciates you saving him and will work toward any means to show it. The best thing to do is start with the sit and lay down thing, and then see if he has any special talents. I tend to work with my dogs on what they are good at. Mine Italian Greyhound says "I love you". It's not perfect every time, but we're working on it. The best thing to do is to be consistent. You and your boyfriend should use the same words, sit, stay, come, roll over. If you both use the same words he'll pick up on things a bit faster. It takes working each day, and there is a difference in work and play. Say you're working on sit and he won't do right, just knock off the teaching and play some fetch. Who knows, you may learn during play time he is an excellent frisbee catcher. Good luck.


• This dog sounds like it may have been abused. If this is the case, positive reinforcement will go a long way. Negative reinforcement, while it works like a charm, may not work with your dog. Find out what your dog likes - treats, toys, praise - and use those to reinforce good behavior and to praise him.


• Hi,
  
  The good news is it's fairly easy to teach an old dog this new trick. In fact, adult dogs are easier and faster to housetrain than puppies, especially if you use a crate. Check out these training tips:
  
  http://lnk.nu/dogtime.com/ssj.html


• The most important thing is to find what motivates him. whatever it may be like toys or food, if you can find that it will make training easier

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Dog Health Questions: Are there universal hand signals in dog training when it comes to cueing basic obedience commands?

If not universal, what are the most commonly used signals?

Top Three Problems Solved by a Secret to Dog Training

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That's a great question. I think it only matters if you are training the dog for someone else, or with the intention to show them. One of our dogs is trained to voice commands as well as hand signals, but originally the hand signals just kind of 'happened'. We realized that every time we told him to sit, we were holding our hand out with front of us with the palm facing him- and we were curious if he responded to the hand signal or the words. Now he can respond to both, and we made up other hand signals for his other commands.

House Dog Training Secrets and Dog Food Secrets Revealed

• Not really, depends on who you talk to. Be consistent and pick signals that are different from each other and your dog will figure it out. The ones I've used and teach: Right arm up then sweep it downward for down, right hand at side and sweep it upward, elbow bending, for sit, stop signal for stay, right arm out to side, sweep hand in to body (elbow bending) for some, palm swept from one side to the other in front of the dog's face for wait... and so it goes.
  
  Decide, repeat, reward - dog will get it. They are amazing that way. :)


• I've seen different signals from different people, but the ones we've always used:
  
  Sit: Closed fist in front of your chest
  Down: Palm open facing downward, make a downward motion
  Stay: Palm open facing the dog
  Come: Beckoning motion with hand
  Wait: One forefinger raised (like you were going to shush someone)
  
  Some people use actual sign language signs, others just use signs they feel comfortable with.

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Dog Health Questions: What is the best dog training book?

I have an 11 wk old pom that I want to train for manners and tricks. I blieve a happy dog is a well trained dog. Should I look for a specific book or writer? Should the book be breed specific (does that make a difference) thanks

Dog Training Techniques - The Fundamentals

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Hi, my puppy obey me well,as well i as want, there are alots of books out there for you to read, but i will encourage you to visit this site you will find all you need to train you puppy , it work for me, so it will work for you .Try it out. Visit http://dog-training-certification.blogspot.com/

Dog Training - How to Housebreak an Adopted Dog

• There are lots of books out there, and lots of different training styles. Try a few and see what feels best for you and your dog. One I particularly like is "The Power of Positive Dog Training", by Pat Miller ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470241… ). It includes both basic obedience and tricks.


• For a new owner there are so many good books, but I think the It's Me Or The Dog: How To Have The Perfect Pet book is quite good considering. It is easy to read, nicely set out, and Ms.Stilwell is an advocate of the positive reinforcement training. I actually managed to get 8 copies very cheaply to put in our puppy packs for new owners and have had lots of encouraging feedback. Definitely worth a look.


• The Pat Miller book is good. My favorite is Patricia McConnell's books, either the Puppy Primer or Family Friendly Dog Training is a good start.
  
  http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/categor…
  
  There are also some good videos, especially this one on teaching a good recall, which can be a lifesaving skill:
  
  http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/product…

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Dog Health Questions: Does anyone know of someone offering dog training in Destin?

Need obedience dog training classes near Destin FL.

8 Dog Training Tips For Dog Lovers

Recommended Answer:
Yes Emerald Coast K9 may be your answer. They run a Destin Training Service. Scott Miller the owner is a former member of The Atlanta K9 division where he trained police dogs. His website is http://www.dogtrainingflorida.net. He will make you and your dog much happier.

Abandoned Dogs Trained for the Hearing Impaired

• I am in Pcola and been training for 20 plus years, 4 in and with German Polizei.
  Rates and methods are outstanding!
  Some want to take dog for a few weeks and train for you.
  The dog is easy to train, easier when you are not there to be distraction. then when you get dog back, it looses what it doesn't use, just like we do, YOU need training with the dog so you are on the same page, especially you!
  Dog's know what to do, you have to learn to be the Alpha dog and bring it out, or reinforce YOUR TRAINING KNOWLEDGE to the dog.
  e-mail me, alot of questions need be known to evaluate and set up a training menu.
  Everybody would like different tasks or options, if I may say like buying a new car then adding options, hence the menu.
  I have one guy wants his dog to get him a beer out of the fringe on command! that can be done, but I think he is crazy, but the customer is always right, and I assure the dog knows that too!
  gsddsh@gmail.com


• Emerald Coast K9 of Destin does a great job. I think they trained me just as much as my dog.

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