Showing posts with label dog training help. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog training help. Show all posts

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Dog Health Questions: People with dog training experience part II?

After that incident with the friend trainer........the other dog's owner and myself decided to let the dogs settle their business together without our interference. Mine is 8 m/o and the other dog is 15 m/o, both neutered and about the same size. My sister in-law and I started meeting at the dog park (neutral territory) in between family visits and we started to see improvement.

It's been a few weeks now, they still always do that grabbing and growling thing first when I get there...my dog being the annoying one of course....then they both chew on their bones laying in the same bed & and drinking in the same bowl.

Can we consider this a case closed?

Dog Training With A Clicker



Recommended Answer:
The way you described it in your last question, I'd say she punished your dog for playing with your friend's dog.

Play wrestling is how dogs play with each other. Mine do it every day, and they have a blast. Neither of them has EVER been hurt, because it's just play to them. Yes, it looks and sounds like fighting to us, but it honestly isn't. It's very healthy interaction and shouldn't be discouraged.

For the record, I don't believe in the alpha roll. Even the folks who originally came up with it no longer encourage its use (after realizing its negative effects and its uselessness in the long run), especially for something as minor as the issue you described.

How to Select a Good Online Dog Training Course


  • Yes, they could be playing. But in my last post, I didn't agree with your trainer. It obviously didn't fix the problem in the long run, did it?

  • ABSOLUTELY!!!!! That grappling is just because they're young and good friends. Congratulation!!!!!!!!

  • Yes, they're "buds" now.

  • Gawsh, they are just puppies. They want to PLAY and that sounds like what they are doing. Please concider a different trainer as the one you two have in common sounds like she watches too much tv. Petsmart offers awesome classes and I have taken my dogs through it. I worked as a vet tech for years and even professionals need some help sometimes.

    Manners are the best thing you can give your dog...

    Enjoy it!

  • I don't know what the previous post was about or in reference to but anytime one is discussing an 8 month old and a 15 month old dog, the case will definately not be closed.

  • Although I didn't see your last post, it's pretty safe to assume they are just playing. My two dogs always bark/growl and pounce on each other and then snuggle up and take a nap ten minutes later.
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Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Dog Health Questions: How Do You Become A Dog Trainer?

I want to become a dog trainer like Victoria Stilwell. Can any dog trainers give me some advice? Are there any online dog training school I can enroll into? All answers are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Training A Dog - Fundamental Dog Training - How-To



Recommended Answer:
Online dog training school? No such thing. Okay, well, there are - but they're utterly useless and tend to rip you off BIG time. Many of them focus on ONE training method while "poo pooing" others, and i've even heard of a few that allow you to train your own dog (or "supply" your own dog.) Which i supposed would work at first - you would get a little bit of experience and you MIGHT be good enough to work at Petsmart....

But if you want to be a GOOD trainer with a solid reputation and a ton of confidence then you need to work with hundreds of dogs in real life situations using a multitude of methods - not just one dog using one method. You must learn canine behavior, body language, handling skills, and EVERY technique that is currently (and even not currently) in use.

To do that you have to find a mentor (or two or three) to work with/under. You need hands on work with someone who can correct you and guide you. A good start would be phoning around vets, shelters, and groomers - ask about trainers in the area. Then call those trainers and mention that you're looking into training as a career, ask them what they would do.

If i where looking for a trainer i would NOT look for a fancy degree from a "dog training college." I would look at the person's references and how many mentors they've worked with/under.

Dog Training - How to Train Your Dog Successful


  • How to be a dog trainer on TV? Be the most craziest person ever with extreme training techniques in one way or another and just act completely erratic.

    To be a REAL trainer, it's simply about experience. That's it. I'm still a teenager technically, and I'm one of the best trainers in my area. (Which really, isn't hard to do at all.) Simply work with as many breeds and personalities as possible and see what works best in the *best* way, which often isn't the *easiest*.

    Personally, I started off reading all kinds of techniques. I filled my head with JUNK. But it sure did help me understand things that didn't work, and helped me find things that did. Because it almost every training method there's a little something that makes your methods easier and more effecient. Then, I started training real life dogs, and trained ALL kinds. Finally, after training my last dog (my Great Dane) I realized treats were NOT the way to go. (At least not 100% of the time.) Now I'm currently training my guy's Miniature Schnauzer and haven't used one treat but he's come a LONG way with behavioral problems.

    It's all trial-and-error to develop a real, accurate method. Then it's up to you to get out there! Start local, build up later. You don't need to go to school for this. A mentor is simple enough. (I've had some amazing mentors, and some mentors I will never use their methods again.) Train local dogs, then ask them to refer you, build dogs out of your city, then go bigger. Video tape yourself and put it online, get people to be your references, and pray for the best.

    I will tell you though, being a big trainer is hard. My training method will never be bought by everyone in the world. Why? Because I believe fixing problems are easy, but often they take time, consistency, and life-time training. I don't believe you can teach a dog "come" and then never ever reinforce it ever again or use it consistently and then 5 years later your dog is playing with a group of dogs and you say "come" and they run right to your side. A relationship needs to be built and nurtured with your dog, just like all training should be.

    So don't expect too much. Don't even expect to make a living off of it. If you do, you'll be crushed. But have FAITH in yourself, and believe in the best, and things will come out good.

    (I, personally, cannot stand the behavior of dogs and offer all my services up for free, because I cannot stand how my friend's dogs behave.)

    Good luck!

  • at first you have to go to school to learn th dogs language
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Monday, July 9, 2012

Dog Health Questions: How Much would it cost me for Liability insurance?

Me and my mom are going to start A dog training business
in the state of Washington, and we need some info on the cost of general liability insurance.HELP?
Thanks,
Sheraden K

An Overview Of The 3 Most Common Dog Training Methods



Recommended Answer:
You're going to have to go to a local agent, to get real quotes. Some of it will depend heavily, on what you're training the dogs to DO.

Guide dogs, they'll be much, much cheaper than security dogs. In any case, because you're talking dogs, I can't imagine liability being under $2500 a year.

Dog Clicker Training Can Make Dog Training Easy


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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Dog Health Questions: Dog training.?

I have a two-year old, 155 lb. Bullmastiff. My dogs name is Keira. We are having some problems. I wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions. We have neighbors that live down the road about 100 ft. They have two horses and Keira ALWAYS chases them. We also have a problem with her jumping on people. She is A VERY VERY friendly dog, but she just needs to learn how to behave. A little slap on the butt doesn't affect her. so dont even suggest that. I HATE it when I am trying to watch TV and I am sitting on the floor, and she jumps on me. I CANT EVEN SIT ON THE FLOOR! And her WORST problem is that whenever Me, or my Parents are outside, she comes charging at you as fast as she can and runs into you and knocks you on the ground. When you are trying to ride a bike, she grabs your feet when you are peddling and PULLS HARD! I usually end up falling off of the bike. But PLEASE! we dont want to call a personal trainer, (or cesar millan...lol} so please dont suggest that. I love her like CRAZY!

Clicker Dog Training Will Make Your Pet the Next Neighbourhood Wonder



Recommended Answer:
a dog who chases horses is bored and looking for something to do.. she needs obedience lessons and practice to keep her mind stimulated so she doesnt get bored...

Dog Training Advice - How To Do Obedience Training For Your Dog


  • Pigs are excellent trainers i strongly suggest you buy one or steal one from a farm that way is more fun

  • Try taking her to dog obediance. if there isnt a dog ovediance class near you, than go onto the internet and look up traing methods. i had the same problem with my to dogs and a little obediance helpped to control them. Just try simple commands eg sit, come, stay liedown and NO. Also when ever she jumps on you tell her down or no and turn away and dont pay her any attention. She isnt a bad dog she just needs some obediance put into her.

  • It is easier to train a dog for good behavior than breaking the bad behavior...It sounds like the best thing you could teach your dog is "stay". It would solve about every problem. You can go to Petsmart or Petco and buy training treats (little ones so you don't interfere with a good diet while training). Find a quiet place with little distraction...get your dog to sit, then hold up your hand palm towards the dog and give the stay command...back up 2 or 3 steps, wait 2 seconds, then say good dog and give a treat. Back up farther each time until you are able to leave their sight and come back. Give lots of praise with the treats (dogs love this the most). Slowly introduce the command with other things...such as when someone comes over

  • I recommend you visit the website I went to when my dog had behavioral issues a while back. It transformed my dog's behavior. Good Luck!

  • You have a problem! While not impossible, normal training procedures will be extremely difficult to correct your girl. If I were in your situation, I would get an electronic training collar. These collars deliver a shock to the dog when you press a remote control that is carried in your hand. They should be used ONLY when she is in the act of doing wrong! Never shock her AFTER she has done wrong. This is important..... she must be taught that there are things she cannot do. Very simple. Very effective! And lastly.... never scold her after using the collar, and always praise her when she does well. Training collars are usually available on eBay.
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Thursday, May 10, 2012

Dog Health Questions: How to stop my gsd pup biting my older dog?

i have a gsd ***** pup that is 12 weeks old. she is nice around me and does not nip me. i have a 4 year old king charles spaniel also but cassie ( my gsd) keeps nipping and biting misty(king charles) especially around the neck. im worried that cassie might end up injuring her. is this a sign of aggression or just play? she has not started dog training yet but she wil be starting soon. hope you can help!

Basic Dog Training Commands - Improve Your Dog's Behavior



Recommended Answer:
there are a number of reasons
yes the puppy could be just playing but GSD can be clingy and overly protective, which as you say the puppy is ok around you but not misty, one way is to stop this action as soon as this starts, this is done with a NO command said firmly but carmly not shouted, like any other problem the sooner you check the problem and don't let it escelate the better change of controlling the unwanted action. this make several goes but stick with it, you need to lay the bounderys of who is the leader and who makes the rules of behavior

Guard Dog Training


  • If she is not doing it around you then it is probably just play. I suggest spraying your older dogs neck with an antiseptic spray with lidocene in it, this has a numbing effect. The spray will not have an odor but a strange and safe taste to your pup and can help your older dogs neck heal if there are any sores. If the pup is doing it in front of you then enforce the no and make the pup stop the play and you hold her for a minute or so in time out. Then, let her play again and if she bites again do the same over and over until she gets it.

    If you have not actually seen her biting misty's neck then it simply might be that Misty has an allergic reaction (like hives) maybe do to stress from the new pup. If she has a patch of sores on her neck that look like bumps that come from under neath the skin and then she scratches and makes worse. You can give her benadryl or may need to take her to the vet to get an allergy shot.

  • Of course she is just playing she is only 12weeks old but care should be taken due to being a puppy with sharp teeth she may end up cutting your older dog,you should tell her to stop it now and again to give the older dog a break.have you tryed kong toys with titbits in that should distract the puppy for a while.

  • Your pup is actually just playing; this is where you should start training her, try patting her on the nose and let her know thats bad.
    You can also kennel her.
    Or just wait, she should eventually grow out of it; Misty may also teach her as soon as she gets fed up with it.

  • dogs play bite also puppies teeth so buy some teething toys

  • Beat that rodent misty up
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Sunday, April 29, 2012

Dog Health Questions: Are there any good sites for dog training?

My dog pees and poops on the floor and sometimes when she can't control her bladder (she is a small dog). She also is not friendly to guests. And when it is time for her to go to bed (she has a room and cage for sleeping in) she is starting to get cunning about running away and trying to keep from getting put away. She is also really bad about begging. My family refuses to put her in obedience school because they don't want to spend the money and she is 5 years old. Any sites that help me teach her myself?

The Basic Commands For Dog Training



Recommended Answer:
One here on Dog Training => http://www.DogExpertReveal.com

It answers all the questions you asked. Go to "sitemap" and then the website's "article directory" will pop out some good articles to solve your problems.

This is one of the simple clean but great site I found while surfing for dog information. Many tips through free subscription in which he revealed his dog training videos for common folks.

Important Dog Training Information


  • Obedience classes only cost about £4 per session, usually once a week is enough. Surely they cant enjoy cleaning up dog mess all the time&having guests scared away?!If you get pocket money why don't you take her?you obviously care about your dogs well being. But try http://www.k9obedience.co.uk/ I'm sure there are hundreds more. Unfortunately everybody in the family needs to treat the dog the same way so your training may fall on deaf ears. Good luck:)

  • Well, of course I'm going to recommend the responsible dog ownership web site I founded several years ago. While there aren't detailed training guides (save "heeling" & "housetraining"), there is a lot of information on being a responsible dog owner:

    http://www.goodpooch.com/MyGoodPooch/new…

  • take ur dog to see a vet it might be a problem with the dogs bladder all dogs beg and they have time when they are when they are puppies and they like to run away can go to pets mart the have obedient school don't teach the dog ur self its not going to work

  • This site will offer you free personalized advise, ask questions get real answers.

  • http://www.k9obedience.co.uk/

  • Re Potty training:
    You just need time, consistency, and patience. When she is roaming freely, make sure to supervise her 100% of the time. When she looks like she is about to go (e.g. starts circling, starts looking for a coner, etc), take her outside. When she goes outside make sure to praise and treat her very well. This way she learns that going outside is a good thing, and she will repeat that behavior. When you catch her making a mistake, non-mark her (ack,ack), and take her outside right away. If she continues to go outside, praise and treat her. For potty training to work, everybody has to be very consistent and supervise her so that you can take her outside, and non-mark her when she makes mistakes.
    http://hubpages.com/_yarec/hub/Dog-Potty…

    Re Guests: Put a drag lead on her before you let the guests in. Instruct guests to ignore her (no talk, no touch, no eye-contact). No eye-contact is especially important because dogs can see that as a challenge. If your dog misbehaves, e.g. growls, bites, or jumps on guests, non-mark her (No), and stop her with the lead. Then ask her for an alternate command, e.g. "sit". If she refuses, or keeps going back after the guest, then say "timeout" and remove her to a time-out area (a safe but boring room, e.g. laundry room). Leave her in there for a couple of minutes and let her out. If she starts up again, non-mark her (ack, ack), and say time-out and put her back in time-out. This time lengthen the duration to about 10-15 minutes. Note that if your dog stops the bad behavior, make sure to praise her a lot and give her good treats. Keep this up and your dog will learn that certain behaviors get her rewards while others get her into a boring room with nothing to do.

    I would also ...
    1. Follow the NILIF program. A great way to establish yourself as leader is through the control of resources. Don't give anything to your dog (including pets and affection) unless she does something for you first. For example ask her for a "sit" before you give her food, toys, or freedom.

    2. Do obedience training. Try and do some obedience training sessions everyday. Get a good positive reinforcement obedience book, and practice with her for short sessions (10-15 minutes) every day. This will help establish you as a leader, improve your bond with your dog, exercise your dog's mind, and give you good tools that you can use to help control her in the house.

    Hope this helps.
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Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Dog Health Questions: Dog training, dog knows better, quits cooperating?

I adopted a 1 1/2 yo dog and have had for about ten days. Dog is quickly opening to me. It has a seperation anxiety I am working on and the stay command may need to be longer. Today, I brought a ball inside the house (sorry mom), and it was the first time she showed interest and indeed fetched the ball three times in a row. She never looked at the ball in any previous daily attempts this week.

I praised her after each retrieval and hand over, but i tried to reinforce the stay command using the ball and may have confused her, as she never fetched again. Wouldn't even open her mouth to the ball. This is the most recent example where she has shown an ability, but lacks consistent desire for follow through. Please help.

Also, any pointer on when to give up on a command, and how to move forward without rewarding a failed listen? Do i go with the failsafe sit, so she stays positive, or what else? Help she is a very good dog and I don't want to lose her by doing things wrong.

Training Your Dog at Home - Save Thousands of Dollars on Dog Training



Recommended Answer:
Not all dogs play the same way. My dog is not into fetch at all. I've tried to teach him many times, but he just isn't into it. He likes to play by just running around in crazy circles, and he plays with his toys by destroying them. That's his personality. Have you taken her to the dog park? See if she likes that. Or try other toys--tug toys or frisbees. Try stuff out and see what she likes.

Also, what kind of ball was it? My dog likes baseballs the best. Try Kong toys with cheese or peanut butter in them...try to make the toys something she really wants. Wait until you can tell she's in a playful mood, and try to play with her then. If you're trying to play with her when she's tired, she's not going to be into it.

The Main Benefits Of Dog Training


  • Consistency is the key to your dog being obedient. You and everyone in your family have to be consistent. Follow through is very important. Never give your dog a command that you can't, or aren't willing to enforce.

    Be careful not to overload the dog with information. Training takes time and patience.

  • Too much, take time with training. The dog is only with you 10 days, it needs time to adjust and to adapt to new people and a new environment. You may be pushing too hard. Have some fun with the dog, bond, play, go for walks, play more.
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Friday, February 3, 2012

Dog Health Questions: Im having trouble dog training?

my dog is a year and a half old and Ive trained her how to sit stay and all that stuff and still training her how to walk good shes doing good on that part but when she sees another dog she goes crazy she barks and wines and barks its really embarrassing.its like she dont like other dogs.the other dog can not even be near her and she will still go crazy.ive told her that shes a bad dog Ive taped her nose (like to tell her shes bad not in a mean way)i put a choker on her to think that would help but none of this would help.so what should i do?how can i train her to stop doing this

5 Effective Tips For Successful Dog Training



Recommended Answer:
Look up the Dog Whisperer, He knows it all. Or watch him on T.V.

Clicker Training as an Effective Dog Training Tool


  • Hi,

    I have had the same problem with my doberman.
    I have noticed that when he sees dogs outside the gate or far away he will just bark at them and try to get aggressive.
    Once a puppy came near him and started playing with him then he did not do anything and instead let him bully him which was cute to look at.

    This will pass away with time.
    You will just have to make him friends with other dogs. Make sure the dog is playful and friendly !

    Best of luck :)regards,
    Jimmy Thakkar
    http://www.dogtrainingtricks.info/

  • when you go walking with her, take her favorite toy or treat, before she sees another dog get the toy/treat out and distract her with it till the other dog is gone that way her attention is alway on what you are doing.

    make sure she doesnt see that item before or after ... just at that moment when she needs to be distracted

  • You can try a bark control made by petsafe or innotek. They range from mild to stubborn settings.
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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Dog Health Questions: Help with dog training?

I am at a loss with my beagle. He is always pooping/peeing/eating the cats food/eating cat poop. We catch him in the act, say no! Bad dog! And put him outside. Then he does again as soon as he comes inside. Over and over and over. And here is the thing. He KNOWS that eating the cat food is wrong, because he will take a bite then if we see him, we will run under the table to hide. Just like with the cat poop and peeing or pooping inside. He does whatever he wants no matter what we do. Our other dog is a Pomeranian and she is training beautifully. She hasn't had an accident in the house for 3 days, she hasn't chewed anything for two days, and hasn't been getting in the cat box or the cat food. Any ideas what to do??

Training A Dog - Fundamental Dog Training - How-To



Recommended Answer:
You didn't say how old your pup was or how long you have had him for. I would just keep up what you are doing. You will have to correct your pup thousands of times before he gets the hang of it. Some dogs catch on faster than others. Good luck.

Dog Training - Enjoyable Dog Obedience Training Techniques


  • Can u put the litter box and cat food in one room and pit a baby gate up? If ur cat cant jump over the gate u can raise it up so she can squeeze under it...just dont raise it too much where the dog can get under

  • Hi,
    Having alot of patience and not telling your pooch off will go along way to training your dog.

  • Has your dog been house trained? This could be regression.

  • get ride of the cat that will stop a couple problems hahaha

  • beagles are stupid. sorry but they really are

  • This is simple. Stop letting the dog run loose in the house. Put the cat's food up where the dog can't reach it. Get a cat box that has a cover to make it harder for the dog to get into it. Keep the dog on a leash so that he can't go everywhere in the house and poop and pee. No dog that is not housebroken should have the freedom to roam. As for knowing it's wrong...you're putting human emotions on a dog. He is reacting to your energy. You are yelling and punishing and he's reacting to that. Two twenty minute walks is not even enough time. A higher energy dog may require an hour or more of structured walking a day. My beagle is out 12 hours a day and gets structured exercise along with that. He does none of the things yours does because he's not allowed to. Crate him if you can't keep him on leash. Feed at specific times so that you can better predict when he will have to go to the bathroom. Petting him when he's not in a calm state or has done something that you don't approve of just reinforces the behavior. You've basically been rewarding him for doing all the things you don't like. Dogs don't care about love, they care about structure. He is going to take over your house because you don't tell him not to. Not a good thing for any dog and this is sure to lead to other issues.

  • Okay, first, no doggie litter boxes. That only teaches them it's okay to go inside. Besides, then he'd be eating that poop, too.

    When dogs eat poop, it's usually because they aren't getting enough nutrition. I'm not going to preach about all the dog foods, because that would take all day. Just stay away from grocery store foods, such as Iams, Pedigree, Science Diet, etc. And, don't talk to your vet about a diet change. While I think vets are great, they aren't trained in dog nutrition. They just suggest the dog food that sponsors them(not all, but the majority do). If you want a vet's suggestion, talk to a holistic vet.

    Now, if it's not diet, how often is he walked? I'm not sure about beagles, but most dogs need about an hour of exercise daily. Which means walking, going to the park, etc. How old is he? Puppies have to be taken out at least 8 times a day, once an hour, for just enough time to let them pee and/or poo. Is the feeding regular? Just having a bowel of food isn't good for anyone. I do know that beagles are prone to weight gain, so not only could that be a problem with peeing and pooing, it could also be a major health concern.

    PS: Do not base a dog's intelligence on the breed. No matter the breed, some dogs are just faster learners than others. You wouldn't base a human's intelligence based on his/her color, would you?

    PPS: If your dogs aren't puppies, you feed them once in the morning, once at night(usually about 2-3+years old), if they are puppies, they're fed once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and once at night. Be sure you know how much to give them so you don't overfeed them. About 15-30mins after they eat, take them out. Remember to praise when they use the bathroom outside. Don't yell or be aggressive or anything like that if they mess up. If you see it, just a simple "Ah!" and immediately take them outside, and clean the mess up with a deodorizer.EDIT;;
    Clickers are great, but the way Stimpson J. Cat described using them is not exactly right. Also, when training a dog, you only use one-word commands and rewards to begin with. That's why they learn to associate "Good!" with a treat, and a command, with a command which is then followed by a treat. I don't necessarily believe in "positive reinforcement" more "positive punishment" which is rewarding for good behavior, and saying "No" to bad behavior. Dogs learn that "No" means he/she cannot do that, and it displeases owner. Dogs naturally want a strong leader that they feel comfortable following, who can understand them, even if their leader isn't a dog.EDIT TWO;;
    Hmm... I've had problems with Blue Buffalo myself, though it's supposed to be good. It gave my dogs gas and diarrhea before I switched to a different food. As Bobbie suggested, feed the cat in a different room. Also put her litter in her room, and block it off so the dogs can't get it. You don't have to put them in a crate if you don't feel comfortable, but yes, time it for 30 minutes. Whatever they don't eat gets picked back up. It sounds like they get good exercise, so just don't keep the food down all day, instead pick it up after a certain time(30-45mins) and put it back down for their next meal(again, puppies eat three times a days, adults eat twice a day).

    Your beagle could also have a bladder problem, so if the things here suggested don't work, you might want to get him checked by a vet.

  • My dog did the same thing! She would eat my dalmations poop and pee all over the carpet in squiggles... She would also eat her own poop.. What you need to do is buy some "Fences" they sell some "fences" that you can adjust to put next to your walls to keep your dog in an area... They cost around $15 each... To fix the pooping and peeing problem (this might sound dumb) but you might want to buy a "Doggy Litter Box" and it will train him... I Know how you feel and it's really frustrating but hang in there! Also, supervise the dog as much as possible and keep the cat food, cat litter box, as far away from him as possible! HOPE THIS HELPS! Also to that lady before me that said Beagles are Stupid! then you are really wrong! they are intellegent dogs and they are REALLY GOOD AT HUNTING!

  • Chewing is normal for dogs, so give them something they enjoy to chew on that is safe for them. Try cow's bones. It is a favorite at our house.

    It is normal for dogs and cats to eat things they find laying around. Their ancestors made a kill or found a kill and ate as much as they could, not knowing when they would eat again. This is still natural for them. But in our homes, with regular food and water feeding your dogs and cats twice a day is better for them. Feed your cats in a separate area than the dogs. Leave the food out for 30 min. and then pick it up. Keep the cat litter box separate from the dogs. Cat Poop is full of protein and believe or not protein even pooped out protein is still a food source for our dogs, but covered in litter it is very bad for the dogs to eat. Feed your dogs in a crate and set a timer 30 to 45 minutes later take them outside to the same area every time to pee and poop. After they pee, praise them a great deal and after the poop praise them a great deal. Sticking to this schedule will strongly help your dog to know what you expect.

  • I have a Pom too, he's very smart. :)

    He came to me very well trained, and the lady who used to own him gave me some books as well. The most detailed one really emphasizes the use of a clicker, which is a little plastic thing you get at Petsmart or whatever. It has a metal piece inside it and when you push down the metal piece, it makes a distinctive clicking sound. When the dog is doing something good, click the clicker and give him a treat. You can take any type of treat (such as Pupperonis) and cut it into little tiny pieces (pets aren't sticklers on quantity!) since you will be giving him alot of them in the initial training phase.

    Basically, the idea is not to punish him (tempting as it is), but to reward good behavior. For example, when he heads toward the litty, depress the clicker and offer a treat. Then give him some positive reinforcement ("good boy!"). Soon he will learn to associate the clicker with good things (treats) and will come running as soon as he hears it. The book explains that the clicker's distinctive sound is very clear to the dog, whereas when you say "good boy! Good doggie not eating the litter fritters! Here's a treat!" all the dog hears is "blah blah blah blah treat" before he actually gets a treat. And that's if he's a smart dog like my Pom, who knows the word "treat". Dogs actually react mostly to your tone of voice rather than the meanings of the words.

    The clickers are not very expensive and you can purchase several of them to have around the house, in your pocket, etc.

    If possible, put up some barriers that the cats but not the dog can jump over. My mom's had dogs and cats at the same time for years and almost always has a problem with one of the dogs eating the litter fritters. Nasty. But her vet told her to dogs they are a treat!

  • Here's an important basic rule;

    Delivering consistent messages to your dog will help him to view his world
    as black and white rather than various shades of grey. By consistent
    messages, I mean the commands that you decide to use to train, praise,
    and reprimand your dog should always be the same.

    It is important that all members of the family are aware of this and use the
    same commands themselves, as you would not want to undermine the
    hard work that you have put in to training the dog by having other people
    confusing him.

    Spending QUALITY TIME with your dog is the key.

    There are some pretty good guides online; www.dogtrainingguidesreview.com
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