Dog Health Questions: If I am a new dog trainer how and how much should I charge?

I just moved to San Jose, CA for my 9-5 job, but I wanted to do some dog training on the weekends.

I don't have any official qualifications, but I'm quite good: I trained my friends dog to open the refrigerator, grab a beer and bring it to me. Simple tricks I can teach dogs in a few minutes.

I was going to advertise home training visits on craigslist, but I'm not associated with any business so I don't know where to start. I'm not looking to make a killing, but I would like some reasonable compensation for my time. So how much should I charge?

And then how should I charge? (By the trick? Per hour of my time? Any other ideas?) If I had my preference, I would like to teach exotic tricks instead of the basics. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks

Using an Electric Dog Training Collar to Train the Recall

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Most trainers charge by the hour- at least the ones that do in-home training.

Like somebody else said, most people who are seeking a dog trainer to come to their home are looking to solve behavior problems. People who are skilled at training their own dogs to behave properly are usually also skilled enough to teach tricks to their dogs as well.

Keep in mind too, you're going to be dealing with a wide variety of dogs. Some dogs are more easily motivated than others....there are some dogs who just don't have the temperament to learn tricks, let alone the "basics". Even professional trainers have dogs they simply can't "reach" for whatever reason. So before you make promises & take people's money, be sure you can deliver.

You may want to consider offering your services for a low price- enough to compensate for gas- at least until you develop a reputation & get some actual experience under your belt. Once you have references & a reputation, people will be willing to pay more. I know I'd be willing to pay a qualified pro a LOT more money than I'd be willing to pay to the "average guy" with a few dogs' worth of training experience. (Nothing personal :) Heck- I have more than a "few dogs" worth of training experience; I've done competition Obedience & Agility work, and am currently apprenticing with a professional trainer....but I still don't feel right about taking anybody's money to train dogs.....lol.

Everybody has to start somewhere, but dog training is one of those things where you generally have to start at the bare bottom & work up. Success does not come easily. I wish you luck :)

The Praise and Reward Dog Training Method

• I just paid $75 for 8=50min classes


• I can only see you making money by selling your services to local dorms. Most people don't go to trainers to teach their dogs tricks. The go for obedience and behavioral issues, neither of which you seem qualified to do


• you can chare by the trick or hour . look at the person asking for training, driving a lexus? charge more. driving a beater charge less.
  do some investigation of the dog trainers in your areas and go from there


• If you are serious about becoming a dog trainer, you need to go out and get a dog and then put a whole bunch of titles and certifications on it. Better yet, train and show your own dogs, of several different breeds, for ten years or more. I need to see that you actually know what you are doing and that you have experience with many breeds of dogs in a wide variety of dog sports.
  
  Are you qualified to break up a dog fight that occurs in class? Correct owner-directed aggression? What's your view on choke chains, pinch collars, head halters and clickers and why do you hold those opinions? How would you train a herding dog to retrieve a dumbbell or a hound to get their nose off the floor and "watch" their owner on command? What are four ways, other than treats, to reward a dog's good behavior? What are four correction techniques and when are they appropriate to use? At what point would you counsel an owner to have their aggressive dog destroyed? When would you kick a dog/owner out of class? Are you offering a basic manners class to pass the CGC test? Basic obedience to work towards a CD? Fun obedience towards an RN? Agility? What style of agility, NADAC, USDAA, AKC or a combination?
  
  I would charge $0 until I answered all of those questions.
  
  Also remember that you will need liability insurance.


• No official qualifications??
  
  You can't charge much .
  
  Be careful how you advertise and have a legal contract with clients in case you get sued. It happens every day.
  
  Be aware also that most folks looking for training help have an out of control aggressive dog that they can't handle. That's why training for the trainer is so important.

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Dog Health Questions: Socialize dog .. but no friends with dogs?

My dog was never properly socialized with other dogs, and she is very fear reactive. Id be nice for her to be decent around other dogs, Im not asking for a overall miracle angel here, just tolerance.
Im going to spare large details, but I am very experienced in dog training .. I feel professional trainers are very expensive, and usually reserved for people who need help and dont know what to do.
The bottom line is, I have few friends, and none of them have dogs. How can I solve this problem, when there is no dog parks, or anything around here - most dogs I meet on the walk are worse off than I, and I feel like paying for a dog trainer is like paying to use their dog, you know?
Im stuck between a rock and a hard place, intelligent suggestions? :)

Service Dog Training For the Hunting Dog

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well there is not much you can do if you live in the middle of nowhere and there are no friendly dogs around ... i was going to say hire a dog walker but i doubt there are dog walkers where you live ... where i live there is a guy who walks only dogs who have problems with other dogs ... they start wearing muzzles and when they graduate to no muzzle, they go to normal dog walkers (he charges a lot) ... maybe if you have transportation and there are some dog obedience classes you can access, that is a good way for dog-reactive dogs to be around other dogs in a safe environment with a trainer to offer advice ...

Dog Training Fundamentals

• You could attend dog shows or join in if your have a canine group anywhere near you. You could even be creative and start walking people's dogs to help your dog. I do not reccomend either of these if there is risk that your dog would attack the other dogs, if this is a risk you will definitely need a muzzle. Good luck.


• Obedience school at a dog training club.
  
  There will be other dogs in the class, and the trainers there will help you with your dog's issues.


• Enroll your dog in an obedience class.

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Dog Health Questions: What should we do about our dog?

We rescued our now 7-year-old Mastiff mix about a year ago. She is about 80 lbs of solid muscle and VERY dog aggressive. If another dog comes within about 10 yards, she will "freak out," barking and growling and jumping towards the other dog.

Once she has gotten off her leash and physically picked up a smaller dog who was being walked (on leash) and picked it up and shook it with her teeth. Luckily the other dog was not injured and our neighbor was very forgiving, but I am very worried about the possibility of a lawsuit in the future if this were to happen again.

At home, she will bark frantically if anyone (with or without a dog) walks anywhere near our home. We have also stopped taking her places with us, as even at the vet or at the pet store she is dog aggressive. The ONLY exception is when we tried to take her back to the Humane Society for a dog training class, she was perfectly behaved and ignored the other dogs.

She does have a tendency to nip at people (including myself and my husband), and thankfully only once has she hurt anyone. She bit my aunt (thankfully family and not a stranger) on the nose while she was petting her. She also growls at my grandfather when being petted, but hasn't growled at anyone else. It's very unnerving when she does this, as she seems to still be in "play" mode -- her tail keeps wagging while she growls.

Besides the dog aggression and a few other quirks, she's fun to be around. she loves to play, but she does have a problem with getting overly excited and jumping on people.

As far as we know, she has only had 1 previous owner (a family who gave her up when she became too possessive of her toys). We have noticed that she's very attached to her toys (and will NEVER drop them on command), but she has never acted aggressively toward us over them.

I am at the point where I am afraid to walk my dog. Please help -- I'm desperate at this point. Friends and family refuse to come over or let us bring her near them, and I'm afraid to walk her anymore. I feel like I'm being held hostage by our dog. I'm so frustrated I'd be willing to give her up, but my husband loves her and would be crushed if this were our only solution. What should we do?

Dog Training: Tips and Tricks the Professionals Use

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This is typical behavior for a mastiff. I would suggest getting an obedience trainer or checking out some books at the library if you don't want to spend money on the trainer. I'm sure the local vet would be able to give yo tips too. Hope that was helpful. :)

Dog Training - Why and How to Train Dogs

• im a dogwalker and ive delt with aggressive dogs. now because your dog is larger the only advice i can give you is to bring her to dog training classes and get her disciplined. it will take a while but she does sound like a sweet dog so best of luck!


• Try considering maybe getting an obedience trainer for dogs. If you dont want to, then borrow some books at the library about teaching obedience to your dog. Or look online.


• I think you should tie her with rope.


• aspcabehavior.org may have an answer to your problem


• Ask Cesar Millan (or however you spell his name(sorry,I forgot at this time how to spell his name correctly!) See if he has any advice(or read his book..he's VERY good at training dogs...he's probably help you a lot!! I'm being serious with you..not making fun of you or joking! I really think he's terrific!!


• I'd be considering putting her down: she's too big to be allowed to be that human-aggressive.
  
  In the meantime, find a dog training club in your area. If you can find a Schutzhund or Ring Sport trainer, that would be best: he knows how to address issues of inappropriate aggression in a dog. Your veterinarian may be able to help you out with information.
  
  Spend some time reading through this site: www.leerburg.com
  He has a lot of good information on aggression and how to handle and channel it.


• Would you just give up on a naughty child? No! My dog hates other dogs as well. Have a look on dr harrys website and see what he says. Also reward good behaviour. Have treats with you and get someone to pat him who he normally growls at. If he doesnt do it give him a treat. Be stern :) good luck. It can be very frustrating


• dog is the guard of of the family.i do have also dog in my home.As my home in the dog i have prepare of the dog by doing as follow
  taking to the jogging
  teaching how to speak
  training
  bathing to the dog
  caring about dog


• try Pet Agree Ultrasonic Trainer you can find it on amazon it is a sound that dogs HATE it is a super high pitch noise that only dogs hear but if you put it up to your ear you will hear a teeny little noise it doesnt work with every dog but my dogs she is alot smaller then your dog thou but my dog who barks all the time she stops barking and goes to bed
  
  have you ever watched the dog whisperer we also used that to train are dogs try everything you can b4 having to give her upGOOD LUCK


• It sounds like you have a large dog who has been allowed to run the household, (just as she ran her PRIOR household), and so thinks SHE is the leader. With your low level of dog handling skill, this is NOT something I recommend you try to fix yourself. This dog is too strong, and has gotten away with too much for too long. Either find a good private trainer experienced with headstrong dogs, or surrender her to a Mastiff rescue organization. They will have people experienced with the breed, and used to dealing with problem dogs. If you continue the way you have, someone is going to get SERIOUSLY hurt.

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Dog Health Questions: Do i put my separation anxiety dog to sleep? Suggestions needed please. Wits end?

Already had a blk lab Lily who is well behaved.
Adopted 2nd blk lab 3 yrs ago, age 2, from humane society. Jed has bad anxiety. Current daily routine: Leash free park run EVERY morning 30 min. Nutro ultra holistic- breakfast. Dogs go in custom welded 6' x12' steel bar pen in garage when we go to work. Bowl of water and a stuffed kong everyday. Radio is on softly. We dont talk or pay attention to dogs before or as we leave and we ignore them when we return home. Jed goes frantic and barks madly all day. Sometimes vomiting. Emptys water bowl with feet. The dogs are together but he remains upset.
I cant do yard work and leave him in the house or he freaks out. If i tie him outside he freaks out when i walk just beyond his reach. If i bring Lily to the vet i have to tranquilize Jed (acecvet) so he can be left at home. I left him in my Escape to run in and get milk and he chewed my shifter to pieces.
Tried sonar collar, citronella collar, correction collar, no help for barking. He is a little relaxed in the house with us but not normal. He is clingy. He wont sit and stay when company comes cuz he has to be by my side. All the training in the world will not over-ride his panic. both dogs are together and can play all day but he is too panicked. The barking upsets the well behaved dog. The neighbors have not complained, yet. If i put them on the patio to play he throws himself against the door and digs at the glass. He is wound up like a top at the vet, we get back door service and have to cover his eyes so he doesnt see other animals. When he goes to the park he runs around for 10 minutes but get worried and walks next to my side for the next 20 min. We try to socialize him with dogs but he foams at the mouth and is excited but still remains by my side.

When we first got him Jed stayed in a bedroom with lily and he chewed trim, door, doorways, and opened the window to get out.
We moved onto crating him and he got out of the crate. If he didnt get out he vomited and broke teeth.
Moved onto a mesh wire pen in the garage. He chewed through it many times. Barkbusters (dog training) came in and eventually told us to try medication combined with training. Put Jed on Clomicalm for a year. Poor results. Also tried bach rescue remedy prior to meds.
Husband welded current pen which limits his destruction but he tries to dig through the concrete.

I cant give him to the humane society again as no one will put up with this dog. I cant tranquilize him everyday. I could give him to a farm but he doesnt want to run free as he is clingy. I could give him to someone who stays home all day but eventually they have to leave the house!
I am sooo upset, Jed is suffering but IS it my choice to put him to sleep? I have to consider If i put him down my other dog will be alone. The only thing i have not tried is DAP (Dog Appeasing Pheromone). I adopted this dog and it is my responsibility but where do i draw the line. He is suffering as well as us :(
Looking for the magic solution

Are Dog Training Collars Humane

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One thing I don't see here is where you've gotten professional help from a behaviorist (I've only heard garbage bout Barkbusters myself but I suppose that varies area to area). Have you talked to a behaviorist at all? That would be my next step personally.
There are homes that work for dogs with separation anxiety, I would get into contact with a rescue group before having him put down, but I haven't seen the dog personally so I can not make an informed call on how bad he really is and if his quality of life has degraded enough to warrant him being put down. In the end you'll have to evaluate that and decided.

Add:
Barkbusters are dog trainers not dog behaviorists. There is indeed a difference and I still believe you should look into consulting a professional and reputable behaviorist.

Top 10 Dog Training Mistakes

• Reading your question and details, I can see you have put a LOT of effort and care into trying to make Jed's life more bearable for him. You have done everything you can be expected to do for him. He sounds like his fear and insecurity makes him miserable. If you feel that he's suffering and it can't be appeased, maybe it is time to let him go. Personally, I'd probably choose that myself. He sounds like he has little to no joy in life,. and why live a life that you cant' enjoy? Mental pain is every bit as real as physical pain, and if he was suffering physically, wouldn't most people set him free from that? Ultimately, it is your decision, but I can't fault you for what you decide to do, either way. You are trying your best to do what's right for him, and that's all anyone can do.


• it sounds like a tough situation, but putting the dog down is not the right thing to do. I work at a doggy day care and there is a dog that has the same problem. He comes about once a week and has gotten so much better. I would recommend get a trainer to work with you on it. Also try a doggy day care. It will get him away from you and it can teach him to have fun while hes away from you and see that its not the end of the world to be away from you. Find a daycare that is willing to work with him and help him. You want him to be at the best place possible so he'll learn to be happy. Also, you want a trainer that will help him and wants the best for your dog. Please dont put the dog down because of something that can be fixed. Youll need patience but it will pay off.


• i totally understand! we had our shep akita mix (1.5yr old when we rescued him). he was in that kennel for nearly three months. i think that had a great deal to do with the anxiety. recently i noticed the term'KENNEL DISTRESS. wonder if that is related? the poor guy. chlomicalm, behavior modification, breaking out of crates, chewing mini blinds, doorknobs,vinyl flooring, ...digging under privacy fences,chewed up seatbelts....bleeding paws, broken teeth... so sad. luckily we lived in a close knit neighborhood.
  our friend would keep him during the day, if not, we actually had to tie him out to the front of the garage. we left the garage door up so he could go in and out. he did not bark so much. we adopted a puppy to keep him company. that seemed to work. we eventually were able to keep him indoors uncrated as he got older. but we never knew what we would find when we got home.
  there were so many many many times i wanted him to just disappear. i hate to admit that . he was extremely anxious before thunder storms as well. extremely anxious. and one afternoon early in the spring 2007 (you could barely hear the faint rumblings of thunder in the distance) he took off. we never saw him again. not the dog warden, not the neighbors, no one. he was gone.
  please dont give up. i know its frustrating and costly and very sad. but pets are not disposable.
  you have tried . you care about jed i can tell. maybe the behaviorist is the answer. not the vet or prescriptions.


• My dog would also freak out if I took the trash out and left him inside, or if I took a shower with the bathroom door closed. I had to laugh about the shifter- mine chewed the seatbelt apart when I ran in to the store to get milk. The lady in line behind me made a comment to me about a dog making horrible noises in the parking lot, and I just knew it was my dog. I know what you're going through all too well. Has your vet tried another medication? Or changing the dosage? My dog was prescribed Clomipramine and we had great results (along with desensitization training). There is another drug that is stronger than that as well, but we decided to try the Clomipramine first and see how he did. My vet also advised taking him to a doggie daycare, to a groomer, any place where I would have to leave him in someone else's care. The thinking behind that is the dog learns that the world does not revolve around me, other people are out there that will take care of him too so my leaving isn't such a horrible thing. My dog was only on the meds for about 4 months, he goes to the daycare for a half day once a week. The desensitization training was intense, but it does get better. I also used a "barker breaker" to train him not to howl and bark when left alone. I saw no difference with the D.A.P., the pheromone collar, the liquid calmant or the calming treats. Here is a website with some training tips. Don't give up on Jed! Good luck to you! http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dog…


• Sounds like you have really given your all. The only other thing I can suggest is go to a good qualified dog trainer. Maybe the dog can be someone's service dog, a dog that never leaves its master, so there may be another home he could go to. Or you can take him to the humane society and tell them what his problems have been. If they feel he is teachable, they'll work with him, and adopt him out as a special needs dog, if not, they will humanely euthanize him. I'm so sorry you're faced with this decision.


• It IS your choice to put him to sleep, but to put him to sleep because he's horribly behaved isn't a good reason in my opinion. Why don't you try to get a trainer. Also get patience (sorry i didn't mean to be mean saying that) and persistence will help to. It seems like he is walking all over you guys so this time show him who's the alpha, it's not too late.
  
  Also with the seperation anxiety issue. Get a tape recorder and recorder your voice talking to the dog and make sure the dog can't reach the recorder or leave music or tv on which is comforting. If he doesn't like the crate isolate him in a room with plenty of things to chew up. Or get someone to baby sit him.
  
  Now don't expect it to get over things by next day or next week some dogs take a WHILE to be properly trained and obedience. Don't expect too much or you might dissappoint yourself and blame it on your dog.
  
  Hope i helped.

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Dog Health Questions: Dog training suggestions or I'm getting rid of her? (long)?

I have a year old queensland heeler/australian shepard mix. I love her but she's destroying everything when we aren't home. We never leave her home alone for more than a couple hours and we have two cats that are like her best friends. But when we leave her she immediately starts chewing everything up and destroying everything in site. Earlier this year we tried leaving her outside instead of inside and she destroyed the siding on the house and our screen door. She's kennel trained so she's usually in her kennel when she's inside but she chews up her mats and blankets we put in there for her. I'm at my wits end. We're in a rental and I don't want to get rid of her but I'm not seeing any alternative. Any suggestions before I go nuts and give her away?

Are Dog Training Collars Humane

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I agree with all of the posters who say your dog definitely needs more exercise, but you need to combine this with conditioning. Your dog suffers from separation anxiety and training will go a long way toward fixing this.

You basically need to get her to realize that you leaving is not a bad or permanent thing. This means you need to do things that look like your getting ready to leave, then watch tv or eat a meal after getting ready. If you do this over and over, your dog will eventually learn to not freak out when you're putting your jacket on, grabbing keys, etc.

Next step is opening the door and closing it without leaving. Do this a few times and couple it with treats and praise. Then open the door, walk out, close it for a second, walk back in. Repeat with treats and praise. Gradually increase the amount of time you spend on the other side of the door, so that your dog learns that you leaving isn't all bad and scary. It may take a few weeks to see drastic improvements, but until then, try not to leave her home alone. Coordinate your schedules so that someone is always home, or bring her to a doggy day-care if you have no other options.

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/o…
http://ezinearticles.com/?Dog-Separation…
http://www.yext.com/vets/articles/separa…EDIT:
Just read your latest edit. If this is the case, then you are definitely dealing with separation anxiety. You may want to read a bit about the difference between work and play. When dogs are playing, they get a bit physically tired, but mentally revved up. When dogs are working or focusing on a task they get physically and mentally tired and have less energy to be destructive. This means when you are on walks, the dog is heeling (NO FLEXI LEASHES!!!!) and focused on you. Get a backpack for the dog and put two water bottles in it. This way the dog will feel like it has a purpose besides walking and it will tire the dog faster.

Find a trainer in your area who specializes in dealing with this. You definitely need to condition the dog to being alone. It will take dedication and work and time, but in the end you'll be happy you did it instead of dumping the dog like it's garbage.

Canine Clicker Training - How to Avoid the #1 Dog Training Mistake of All-Time

• Leave her in her crate with no blankets or mats. She doesn't need them. As long as you're not gone for more than 6 or 7 hours she'll be fine. Dogs don't need tons of blankets and mats and stuff in their crates.


• Obedience training and a hell of a lot more exercise than she is obviously getting. Destructive dogs are usually BORED dogs.
  
  How many walks a day does she get and for how long? How many hours of actual tiring play does she get? Is she walked before you leave?


• If there is a room that she hasnt destroyed yet then you should try keeping her in one room with baby gates or shutting the door all together. If the behavior keeps up then you might want to hire / talk to a professional.


• For you to take good care of your dogs, you need not only pay attention to their needs. Feeding them properly and providing them a shelter are not enough. As a dog owner, you are also responsible in training them vital things that will assist them in being adorable domesticated animals.
  
  For the training to be successful, you need some expert tips coming from long-time dog owners. Here is a compilation of the basic dog training secrets as advised by expert trainers themselves.
  
  Secret #1: Dogs always follow its leader. - Dogs want their owners to always take charge of everything. They are more confident to move if their owner will dictate what they will and will not do. This is the reason why dogs are loyal animals. With this fact, dogs are also easier to train compared to other animals.
  
  Secret #2: Dogs are energetic creatures. – When a dog is tired from doing several activities with its owner, the dog surely feels very happy. Dogs are very hyper animals, and they need an outlet where they could pour their overflowing energy on. When you allow your dogs to do fun activities like walking and playing fetch, your pooches will not think of nibbling your shoes or shredding your important documents because they will be tired when they get home. Diverting their attention to games and play is one of the dog training secrets that must be remembered.
  
  Secret #3: Dogs are very observant. - See how children observe and try to mimic your move. The same goes with your pet canine. Your pooch constantly watches how you react to various situations. As an outcome, your dog will react based on how you treat it. For example, whenever you come home from work or from school, your dog's reaction will be based on how you first approach it. If you are the type of owner who greets your dog first before putting down your things, your dog will most likely be rushing to the door whenever you arrive. On the other hand, if you head to the room first to change into something comfortable before greeting your pooch, then your pet will be patient to wait for you instead of surprising you at the door.
  
  Secret #4: Dogs also need to socialize. – Dogs that are exposed to the public are often the ones that are less-aggressive. They are less likely to bite people without vague reasons. When dogs often interact with other people or animals, they become friendly animals.
  
  Secret #5: Dogs are smart and capable of learning. – Dogs, regardless of their age, are capable of learning tricks. Whether they are puppies or adult dogs, they all have the ability to absorb whatever is taught to them. The difference comes with the period of a dog's acquisition of knowledge. Like humans, younger pooches learn faster than adult pooches. Also, trainers might have quite a hard time in breaking their canine's bad habits than instilling good habits. Training your dogs may be a bit difficult at first, but once you are patient enough to train your dogs, you are still going to get it right.
  
  Those are the dog training secrets you must keep in mind. Just learn these by heart and you're good to go.


• You need to exercise her more. Whatever the amount you're already doing-- it simply isn't enough. She might need two 45-minute brisk walks a day. I give some higher-energy dogs as much a 2 1-hr walks a day.


• I would keep going with the kennel, and I would get some Kong toys. You can find "recipes" for things to put in the Kongs. Just look it up on Google, and I would suggest finding things you can put in the Kong and then freeze. Then, when she goes in the crate, give her a Kong or two with the frozen treat. This will give her a distraction from being destructive.
  Chewing is usually a sign of boredom, try and get her lots of exercise during the day so when she's in her kennel she's sleepy.


• Crate perhaps??? Some kind of confinement to stop tearing up your stuff???
  
  Then again, may be best if you give her to someone who can actually train her.


• No!!! Do not leave her in her crate with no mats! Thats abuse. Try Leaving her in the laundry room, or a emty spare room. As long as she has food and water she'll be fine. I ve had that type of dog, there farm dogs, THEY GET BORED VERY EASLY. maybe ask a free naborer to come chek on her after school play with her a bit. Best of luck
  
  --LexiJonezz<3


• Stop leaving bedding in her kennel, always kennel her when you leave. Sounds like boredom to me. Exercise the dog more, she needs to let out this energy somehow. Might as well do it in a way that's not destructive. Tired dogs are happy dogs.Add: It is NOT cruel to leave a dog in a crate without bedding. There are tons of dogs who sleep in dirt and leaves. 2 of my sibes LOVE to sleep on our tile and wood floors. It's not cruel. Don't humanize the dog.


• Your dog's mix contains two very high energy, high-drive working breeds. She needs AT LEAST an hour of high intensity exercise per day. Consider taking up a daily hour-two hour jog, a several mile bike ride, or enrolling her in agility or herding classes and competitions. The training is great for your bond with your dog and is also a great mental and physical outlet for all that pent up energy. Bored, underexercised dogs are notorious for destructive behavior.
  
  Google NILIF and put it into full effect. Get some books on herding dogs, specifically the breeds your dog is mixed with, and read up on canine agility courses as well as other high-intensity activities you can get her into.
  
  The bottom line is your dog needs an immense amount of exercise and play every single day. Heelers and shepherds were bred to work, work, work, and have a vast amount of energy to fuel that deep need to work. Lack of exercise is likely the root of most, if not all, of these problems. If you can't provide your dog with the exercise she needs then you'll need to rehome her to somebody who can. She will not get enough running around the back yard or on a half hour walk. She needs at minimum one hour, per day, of high-intensity exercise like running, herding, or agility.


• Hi, I am sorry to hear about your ordeal! I am a dog walker and many of the dogs that I walk are left in their crates like your dog. However they do not put and mats or any padding down on the bottom of the crate. The dogs dont seem to mind either. Also you may want to try getting a Kong toy and putting something in it like Peanut buter, than freezing it. Give it to her when you leave, and hopefully this wil help her put her chewing to better use! Also I would consider bringing her for a nice long walk in the morning so she is tired when you leave. My dog also had seperation anxiety when I first got her, and it took 3 months for it to go away. Little did I know she was better roaming the house, than being put in the crate. I would also consider calling a dog trainer or animal behaviorist. Also give her some treats when you leave in the cage.
  
  Hope it works out.Also! Being a dog walker if you dont have the time to take her out for a lot of excersize, hire a dog walker, and have her go on a feildtrip which is 3 hours at the park. The women I work for would have her go on a 5 mile run, and another 5 mile walk while she plays with other dogs. Or you could do an hour playgroup. I can almost guarentee that your dogs behavior will completely change. Dont do doggy daycare, only do dog walking companys so your dog can get fresh air and go on long walks and run, and play with a ton of dogs.
  
  Hope this helps!


• "getting rid of her"? I HATE that phrase.
  
  Simple solution ... crate train her without bedding. DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!


• I'm not sure about the queensland heeler but aussies are super hyper and can become destructive if not exercised. If you spend too long away from her without giving her anything to do she is indefinitely going to damage or attempt to damage something. How ever there are a few alternatives to getting rid of her which I'm sure would not be the ideal solution. You can exercise your dog by taking her to the park, running with her, throwing frisbees, buying time consuming toys and even putting her on the treadmill. Also if you can, limit your time away from her so you can find more activities to do. Another option is a petsitter or dog walker. This way you don't need to be home, and you don't have to do so much entertaining.
  hope this helps and good luck!
  PS i reccomend reading books on dog training and maybe contacting your vet for more options.


• I agree with leaving her in the crate, but add chew toys. Make sure she has plenty of exercise when you are home. Play with her, take her for walks.
  
  However, if you leave her in her kennel too much it will make her hyper.


• exercise her before you go out. for me that requires waking at 6am to take my dog for a 45 minute walk before i have to head to work. if he's not walked he will destroy my house...he chewed through a mattress, electrical equipment, cupboard doors, clothing....but only if he has not been exercised. and so in that case i deserved what i got!
  
  also, not only does your dog sound like she has too much energy that has no way of being let off, but she sounds bored as well! leave her a kibble ball (a ball you fill with dry food and they have to gently roll it in the right direction to get the food out) or some frozen meat when you go out.
  
  overtime she will learn that when you are away from her it is down time and the best thing to do is sleep. and that when you're there you're playing with her and walking her.
  
  good luck


• take her to get trained that will help a lot
  
  (the person above me is right)
  i believe she's doing this because she's not getting enough exercise and she's bored.
  taking her on long walks everyday would really minimize the chance of her acting out.
  
  the reason why dogs destroy things is because they have too much stored energy, so taking her on walks and to the park and getting her really tired will stop her from doing this.
  
  also take her to training.
  
  at least dog training at petco...at least!
  petco isn't the best training place to take them but it's economy friendly!
  and i believe they keep giving you free till your dogs learn all the training
  go to their website and see
  
  www.petco.com


• My suggestion for your problem is to take your dog for a walk each day, either in the morning or in the afternoon. If every day won't work out for you, then do it every other day. Also, make sure that she has some toys to play with; and each time she chews something up that you don't want her to, make sure that you either scold her by saying no, or tap her nose. It is also very important to praise her when she does something good, like playing with her own toys instead of chewing the sofa. She will learn quickly, because when I first got my dog, he was VERY hyper, and by taking him on routine walks and making sure that he has plenty of toys, he is an excellent dog now. Also, you might want to consider an obedience school if you are short on free time.


• You say what she does, but what do you leave her to do? Queenslands are not known for their stupidity. They make excellent obedience and agility dogs because they are full of energy and brains. She is occupying her time when you're away, just not how you'd prefer. Get one of those block balls that she has to roll around to get a piece of kibble. Get several safe chews, such as large Nylabones or beef shank bones stuffed with canned food and frozen. Leave her in a confined space like her crate or a small, dog-proofed room with her chews. Pick up her chews as soon as you get home so she learns that the only time she has for those special treats is when you're gone. If you haven't taken her through obedience then find a class and sign up now. A mentally stimulated dog is less destructive as is a tired dog. Take her out for a fast-paced walk before you leave her alone. Good luck.


• i had the same problem with my dog. Put her in her kennel without any rugs or blanket until she learns not to chew on things and give her some treats when you leave and maybe a chew toy or some kind of toy if you wanting to put blankets in there so she can have a bed maybe she will chew on the toy instead of the blankets, that what i did and it worked.I hope it works for you also!

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Dog Health Questions: Good Websites For Dog Training?

I have a Rotti X American Bulldog. He is about 18months old and has had an aggressive streak since about 10 months. He has since been de-sexed and we have placed him through 3 different training courses. All of which he has fialed. The reason he has failed is not becuase he cannot be trained according to all the trainers, but it's because he'll take more time then most due to his size and natural aggression in the breed.

All 3 teachers have said that they see great potential in him; however he needs a lot more training. Now having recently lost my job, I'm in no financial position to keep on training in classes and need some websites that will be beneficial. Ideally specifically on them... nothing has really helped so far.

Dog Training Methods - Different Ways to Teach Your Pet Dogs Some Useful Skills

Recommended Answer:
http://americanbulldogtraining.net/page/… Perfect site for specialty training a bulldog.http://www.kingdomofpets.com/dogobedienc… This is also a link I found. You have to sign up to receive a free 6 day training course. You can look at it if you like, but they are both great websites.

Hope I helped! :)

Is My Jack Russell Suitable For Schutzhund Dog Training?

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Dog Health Questions: Is it too late to train my pit to be a guard dog?

This past week the monday after christmas my house was robbed. The criminals took anywhere from 5000 to 10000 dollars worth of electronics. We have a pit-bull who we kept kenneled until this happened. And now all we want to do is raise the security of our house as much as possible. Our dog is just over a year old, and i have heard that guard dogs should be trained starting at 8 weeks old. I was just wondering if anyone knew anything about training and if it is too late to train him. Otherwise we were going to look into getting another puppy. We are kind of skeptical about that though due to the fact that we are expecting a baby in July. Also if there is anyone who knows of where we can get guard dog training in north western illinois that would be great! Thank you so much!

Understanding Dog Training Schools

Recommended Answer:
It's never to late

Achieving Dog Training Success With The 18 "Don'ts" Rules

• Attempting to self-train human aggression is always a bad idea, especially with a kid in the mix and a much-abused breed.
  
  Pit bull type dogs, by nature, have been bred for generations to display absolutely no human aggression, so they won't actually take well to guard training. If you want a guard dog, buy a fully trained GSD for $5000+. Dogs can still be shot, poisoned, etc.... buying a gun and lessons to use it would be cheaper and more effective than any dog.


• PIT BULLS ARE NOT GUARD DOGS!!!
  
  Get a SECURITY SYSTEM, pepper spray, a gun, or a base ball bat, NOT a dog!
  
  Dogs are not your body guards. You have to protect YOURSELF and your family.
  
  If you want a professionally trained one, they run anywhere from $1000-$10,000. Schutzhund trained dogs are expensive, and are given specialized training from birth, and they do NOT use Pit Bulls for this kind of work.


• Guarding has a lot to do with their nature. Although you can modify their behavior by not allowing them to be petted by others. Or having someone break the trust. But use caution to prevent creating a liability.
  Some breeds like Malakli have a very strong defense nature bred in. Our socialization is to teach what is not a threat. And at 33-40", and 160-260#, few would dare risk making them mad.
  Wish you luck!!!


• A man in our town has a 125lb Staphie. His home was robbed and the dog who was professionally trained was pushed into a closet with a chair and locked in. They made off with almost 100K. A dog wont stop a gun, a knife, or a smart burglar.
  Most thieves will avoid a house if they KNOW a dog is inside but it isn't a guarantee


• Hi . I think this might help you. I used to be a complete idiot when it came to training dogs. I always used to let my anger and frustration get the best of me when the dog would act up. As it turns out, dogs are really simple. I used The Secrets of Dog Training to finally get it right. It turns out that you don't have to pay big money to get a dog to act right.
  
  I hope this helps.


• Just going off your title question, no.
  Pits shouldn't be trained to be gaurd dogs.
  I'm not saying he would be a bad guard, but a lot of people have prejudice against pits, and would use any excuse to get him shot and killed. That is not fair, but it's the way it is.
  Hopefully people can get over pit bull prejudice in the future.


• Will a newly trained "guard dog" attack a harmless neighbor? Will he mistake your infant for an intruder? What about the mailman?
  
  IMHO, you'd be safer with a gun. That way, you only have to trust yourself and your husband, and not place so much on the instincts of a dog.


• buy a alarm a video surveillance system will also help and it would be better.


• Dogs can be shot and killed. Have an alarm system installed.


• If you train your dog well it shouldn't be to late


• get a security system.


• Pits make lousy guard dogs. Historically, a pit that showed any human aggression at all was immediately culled. (Human aggression and dog aggression are two completely separate behavior traits.) So a pit of any age is very unlikely to guard your property.
  
  Dogs also tend not to show any guarding behavior until they are mature. The age varies, with large dogs taking longer to mature. Around two years is when I would expect to see their adult behavior.
  
  Your money would be much better spent on security measures for your house. Plus, you won't have time to train a new puppy with a human baby in the house. So you are right to have second thoughts about getting a new puppy.


• Pits aren't really guard dog quality (too human-friendly). Guard dogs are very selectively chosen and you buy them already trained- most dogs don't make the cut because many don't have the correct temperament, so trainers are very selective.
  
  If there are any schutzhund clubs in your area, you can ask around and see if anyone in the club knows of someone who does PPD training and then go from there to get a PPD. A PPD is a lot to handle, and they are definately not for everyone... home security systems tend to be a lot cheaper and easier to maintain- not to mention, you won't end up with a dead dog if an intruder is armed... takes one shot and the dog is dead, rendering it absolutely useless to you.

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Dog Health Questions: When and how should one introduce corrections to a puppy's training?

Many training experts that publish their opinions advocate some form of correction. A few are “positive-only.” For example:

Patricia B. McConnell
Paul Owens
Pat Miller
Etc.

I suppose this would include everybody at Petco too.

Those who do advocate some kind of correction, generally introduce the corrections at some point after 12 months and vary the level of the corrections to the dog's temperament:

Leerburg advocates positive motivation, markers and food but introduces corrections as training proceeds with flat collar, prong collar, dominant collar and remote-collar corrections for both training obedience and general behavior issues. Flat collar pops are advocated to teach the “come” command to puppies but corrections are otherwise only advocated for adult dogs. In additional literature, there appears to be some advocacy of corrections on older puppies (4-8 months) once they've certainly learned a command.

The Monks of New Skete appear to use nylon choke collar corrections as the basis of all adult dog training. In video, there was no food, markers or any positive motivation other than a little praise. Pops on the thin nylon choke collar were the primary motivation for the dog's obedience as shown on video. They also showed chin-cuffs and kneeing. With puppies, a little shaping by gentle force is used to obtain sit and down. Collar corrections are used on adult dogs apparently over 12 months.

Cesar Milan appears to mostly entertain and encourage but if a practical method can be gleaned from what he advocates, it would appear to include corrections on a thick nylon slip collar sold on his website and his own Illusion collar which is basically a thin nylon choke collar similar to the New Skete Monks but held in position on the neck by a second collar of nylon webbing.

Then there's the old school choke-chain people like:

Barbara Woodhouse
William Koehler

It's obvious that the people and dogs winning Obedience titles and titles in sports like Schutzhund and the ring sports that include obedience aren't doing positive-only or choke-chain only training. To get the best results in precision control without de-motivating the dog too much so as to make it reluctant to work with enthusiasm, some combination of positive and negative reinforcement seems to work best for dogs in competitive obedience.

So to answer the question:

Should one use corrections in training dog behavior?
If so, at what point should the corrections be introduced?
How are the corrections to be done? What type of collar or method?

Finally, if puppies are not to be corrected until some later stage (ie 12 mo. or whatever), how does one prevent bad habits from forming in the mean time? Pulling on the leash, jumping, barking, biting, eating rocks or worse, etc. etc. What type of collar should a puppy wear and should it ever be popped?

The Different Types of Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
A very intelligent question for a change in here. I have my own ideas and things I have done in the past that I know have worked and I will tell you what I know.
A young dog, 6 weeks and older, up until around 6 months goes through what I call an imprinting phase of training. Their attention span is that of a flea and cannot train nor retain very much for too long at that time.
I use a toy or food at that time, but, there are also corrections in the form of "NO" and things taken away too. They are always worked on no leash or a flat collar and depending on the dog and its motivation, they can pick up things fairly well.

When the dog is around 6 months, I intro corrections with a prong, and the ones that have a prob with that can do as they wish.
When I ask for a behavior that I know the dog knows and has done 100 times before and I get blown, I correct, and hard if I need to, but, always in tune with the dog's temperament!
It is also in the literature that a dog that has never been corrected by a year old, will never be properly trained later on in life too, so, the sport dog trainers need to wake up and either get harder dogs or start breeding better because that is where that notion started.

In conclusion, a puppy should wear a flat collar, if anything, til 6 months of age and then be put on whatever fits its temperament and personality and yes, it should be corrected for screw ups!!

Free Dog Training Tips - Train Your Dog

• A young puppy lacks the cognitive development to properly process the meaning of a correction, plus they are only motivated by food and affection. So it is wise to take advantage of that and cookie train when it is most effective. When a pup reaches puberty (about 6 months) that all changes. This change in the dogs attitudes should be obvious to even the novice pet owner as the dog begins to display it's new found sense of self awareness and independence. This is when cookie training should end and formal training begins.
  
  Where the confusion comes from is Spenser defined "reinforcement" as anything that enhances a desired behavior, and "punishment" as anything that reduces an undesired behavior. (Operant Conditioning) The two term have nothing what so ever to do with getting out either a cookie or a baseball bat.
  
  IMHO the question has never been when to train, or how to train. The question is what training is age appropriate. As an example you mentioned "how does one prevent bad habits from forming in the mean time?", simple, just redirect the puppy to the behavior that you want. By showing the pup the behavior that you want, the bad behavior that you don't want goes away all on it's own.
  
  You also mentioned Schutzhund and the ring sports, well, a police dog is expected to maintain it's bite even tho' the 'perp is trying to beat it off with a stick. Hate to say it, but there is only one way in training to insure that will happen. The correction has nothing to do with "punishment" the correction is made only to simulate a distraction.
  The same is true with putting a bird dog through "stick fetch" and/or "collar fetch".


• It depends. I think puppies are fully capable of understanding corrections. If a 8 week old puppy bites you and you give it a prong collar correction I bet you a 100 bucks he'll stop biting in a day or 2 tops. That'd make you an idiot though. But firmly holding the pup and saying "no" is a correction to me and it's what I use to teach puppies to not bite and it works fine.
  
  For things that are pack infractions or dangerous you can correct for at nearly any age. A puppy in my face while I'm eating is getting corrected for not giving me my space. A puppy who growls at me (seriously not a playful growl) over a toy is getting corrected. Those are pack infractions.
  
  If a pup picks up garbage or a maggoty old dead bird outside I say "PFUI!!!" Aka drop it, if he doesn't he gets corrected. End of. If a puppy gets into the trash it gets corrected. End of. These things are angerous things and your goal is to get the pup to avoid ever doing them again. This is called ,avoidance training". You only do this when you want a dog NEVER to perform that action or anything similar to it ever again ie getting on the furniture...after this training it is confusing to ever call him up onto the sofa, so be sure it's something you want to discourage for life.
  
  As far as training corrections, I don't start until 6-8 months old. By then your dog should know every command he's ever going to know (if you got him at 8-12 weeks) if you're doing your job (minus teaching him things only an adult is capable of ie defense training in bitework or the jumps as puppies should never be made to do jumps). You can start with mild corrections to get attention back on you and to correct obvious disobedience and obnoxious behavior ie barking towards strange dogs and people.


• This video is PERFECT for you!! trust me!! check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRt4gw_yi…
  (its from professionals)
  good luck
  teen360

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Dog Health Questions: What are the good and bad sides of starting a business in a low population area?

I want to start a dog training business, on a Hawaiian island without many people. What are the good and bad sides of picking a location like this?

Dog Training Tips - Equipment Needed

Recommended Answer:
Good side is - Low OR No competitors, and
Bad side - Low or No Demand

So find it out that the Bad Side point should not be there.

Best of luck

Dog Training Methods

• the good side is that you will have a few competitors. the downside is that you will be working on a small market meaning you need to go out and have a majority of the clients in order to be successful

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Dog Health Questions: Do you pick up after your dog?

Today I took my dog for a run and there was piles of it at a local park? What is going on? Thats GROSS!!! If your not gonna pick up after your dog train them NOT to S**T while on runs. My dog knows to go in one spot all the way at the back of the yard. Yes it took some training but hey it makes me happy. I dont have to pick up after my dog. HOWEVER she is a dog SO just in case she has an accident I always take a baggie with me. Please people where ever you live pick up the poop.....

Dog Training Videos - A Great Way to Learn How to Obedience Train Your Dog

Recommended Answer:
It's natural, and it's outside. If it's on the grass at a park where dogs are frequent, then why worry with picking it up, putting it in a non-biodegradable plastic baggie and putting it in the trash to take up landfill space?

Dog Training Goals

• Yes it is the only responsible thing to do as a pet owner. It is not fun, but responsible!
  
  Ineed to train my dog to use one specific spot in the yard that would be great!


• yeah that is gross!!!!! i pick up after my dogs.....


• Your absolutely right. Our parks have ample "dogie bags" and receptacles to deposit them.


• I always pick up after my dog, but I do notice that there are a lot of people who don't. They are just lazy and irresponsible.


• I currently dont have a dog but when i did i did that


• First of all, lets reveiw a little natural history. Animals have been pooping on the ground for millions of years. Now, we come along and think we are going to improve on that system? Dog poop will break down in a few days. I suppose folks think its better to put the poop in a plastic bag, toss it into the trash, where it will go into a landfill and last forever. This is the most ridiculous thing i have ever heard of. when my dog poops in public, I just take a stick and fling the material into the bushes or some ones lawn.


• nope...it's fertelizer


• yah. im used to it by now


• no way.... are u kidding me? if i have to literally drive my dog to a forest preserve to walk him, i will, theres no way i am going to interact with dog feces


• I don't have one, and EWW


• I agree with you that people should clean up after their dogs, it's no fine trying to dodge landmines when you are out walking your animal.


• Of course one must pick up after one's dog, who else do people expect to pick up?
  People who do not pick up after their dogs are damn right anti social.


• i know my daughters school is a toilet for the people that live near her school. they walk their dogs there on purpose so their dogs can go somewhere other than their own yards. it's disgusting.
  i always walk my dog to a designated area. and carry baggies just in case.
  
  the last soccer game my daughter had at school everyone was complaining about the shitt everywhere. and the dog owners were all like "that's gross, i would never let my dog go there!"
  you could tell they were embarrassed and trying to make it look like it wasn't them.
  
  there has been less poo there so i think maybe something we all complained about struck home.
  
  other people are like "screw you, my dog can shitt where it wants too." those are the harder ones to deal with. because the more you confront them the more hostile they get.
  
  as for the natural state of things?? animals from nature usually are scattered around. in city and town dwellings the animals are confined. most wild animals go in the woods. how many people take their dogs from the safety of open land so their dog can go in the woods? the feces is also confined to where people walk.
  
  i think responsible and RESPECTFUL dog owners know that it's proper to remove feces from where people walk.
  
  good luck on your next run.


• By law in most states, you HAVE to pick it up or you can get fined. It is disgusting to not pick it up. If you don't want to clean up after a pet, don't have a pet.

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Dog Health Questions: Tax deductions for dog trainers/agility trainers?

Are there any trainers who can help me with what tax deductions they take pertaining to their dog training business, such as shows fees, dog supplies etc.?
Thank you

Dog Training Part I

Recommended Answer:
Your deductions are the same as any other business. Here is some information which may help.
There are two basic tax concepts new business owners need to add to their vocabulary: business expenses and capital expenses.

Business expenses are the cost of conducting a trade or business. These expenses are common costs of doing business, and are usually tax deductible if your business is for profit. For example, costs of renting a storefront, business travel, and paying employees are all deductible business expenses.

Capital expenses are the costs of purchasing specific assets, such as property or equipment, that usually have a life of a year or more and increase the quality and quantity of products and services. For example, if you own a landscaping business and you purchase mowers and excavating equipment, these costs are capital expenses and do not qualify as deductible business expenses. However, you can recover the money you spent on capital expenses through depreciation, amortization, or depletion. These recovery methods allow you to deduct part of your cost each year. In this way, you are ableto recover your capital expenses over time.


Figuring business expenses vs. capital expenses is not always clear cut. Consider taking advantage of free tax training opportunities offered by the IRS. If you have hired an accountant, you should also seek his or her advice regarding tax deductions.

The following information provides a brief overview of expenses that quality as tax deductions, with links to resources that provide clear guidance on deducting and capitalizing your expenses.

Deducting Business Expenses
To be deductible, a business expense must be both "ordinary" and "necessary." An ordinary expense is one that is common and accepted in your field of business. A necessary expense is one that is helpful and appropriate for your business.

Personal vs. Business Expenses
Generally, you cannot deduct personal, living, or family expenses. However, if you have an expense for something that is used partly for business and partly for personal purposes, divide the total cost between the business and personal portions. You can deduct the business portion. For example, if you borrow money and use 70% of it for business and the other 30% for a family vacation, you can deduct 70% of the interest as a business expense. The remaining 30% is personal interest and is not deductible.

Home Office Deduction
If you use part of your home for business, you may be able to deduct expenses for the business use of your home. These expenses may include mortgage interest, insurance, utilities, repairs, and depreciation. The home office deduction is available for homeowners and renters, and applies to all types of homes, from apartments to mobile homes. There are two basic requirements for your home to qualify as a deduction:

1. Regular and Exclusive Use. You must regularly use part of your home exclusively for conducting business. For example, if use an extra bedroom to run your online business, you can make home office deduction for the extra bedroom.

2. Principal Place of Your Business. You must show that you use your home as your principal place of business. If you conduct business at a location outside of your home, but also use your home substantially and regularly to conduct business, you may qualify for a home office deduction. For example, if you have in-person meetings with patients, clients, or customers in your home in the normal course of your business, even though you also carry on business at another location, you can deduct your expenses for the part of your home used exclusively and regularly for business. You can deduct expenses for a separate free-standing structure, such as a studio, garage, or barn, if you use it exclusively and regularly for your business. The structure does not have to be your principal place of business or the only place where you meet patients, clients, or customers.

Generally, deductions for a home office are based on the percentage of your home devoted to business use. So, if you use a whole room or part of a room for conducting your business, you need to figure out the percentage of your home devoted to your business activities.

For a full explanation of tax deductions for your home office refer to Business Use of Your Home (IRS Publication 587).

Travel, Meals, Entertainment and Gifts
Generally, you can deduct all of your travel expenses if your trip was entirely business-related. These expenses include the travel costs of getting to and from your business destination and any business-related expenses at your business destination, including tips, cab fare, and other "life on the road" expenses such as dry cleaning. Meals are the only exception. You can deduct only 50 percent of your meals while traveling.

If your business trip includes personal side trips or extended stays for a personal vacation, you can only deduct travel expenses used for business-related activities. For example, suppose you live in Atlanta, and then went on a 5 day business trip to New York. You spent 3 days in business meetings, and two days sight-seeing and visiting friends. You can only deduct the costs of the 3 days you spent on business activities.

If you take your family on vacation to Hawaii, and conduct business there, you can deduct any expenses that are directly related to your business. However, you may not deduct the entire cost of the trip as business expense.

For a full explanation of tax deductions for business travel, entertainment and gifts refer to Travel, Entertainment, Gifts and Car Expenses (IRS Publication 463).

Business Use of Your Car
If you use your car in your business, you can deduct car expenses. If you use your car for both business and personal purposes, you must divide your expenses based on actual mileage. Refer to the Car Expenses Section in IRS Publication 463, Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and Car Expenses. For a list of current and prior year mileage rates see the Standard Mileage Rates.

Other Types of Deductible Business Expenses
There are numerous other costs of doing business that qualify as deductions. These include but are not limited to the following:

Employees' Pay - You can generally deduct the pay you give your employees for the services they perform for your business.
Interest - Business interest expense is an amount charged for the use of money you borrowed for business activities.
Retirement Plans - Retirement plans are savings plans that offer you tax advantages to set aside money for your own, and your employees', retirement.
Rent Expense - Rent is any amount you pay for the use of property you do not own. In general, you can deduct rent as an expense only if the rent is for property you use in your trade or business. If you have or will receive equity in or title to the property, the rent is not deductible.
Taxes - You can deduct various federal, state, local, and foreign taxes directly attributable to your trade or business as business expenses.
Insurance - Generally, you can deduct the ordinary and necessary cost of insurance as a business expense, if it is for your trade, business, or profession.
Business-Related Education - Such as seminars, classes, educational tapes or CDs and conventions.
For a clear and complete explanation of business expense deductions, refer to Business Expenses (IRS Publication 535).

Deducting Capital Expenses
There are two ways to deduct capital expenses. You can "depreciate" them by deducting a portion of the total cost each year over an asset's useful life; or you might be able to deduct the cost in one year as a Section 179 deduction.

Depreciation
If property you acquire to use in your business is expected to last more than one year, you generally cannot deduct the entire cost as a business expense in the year you acquire it. You must spread the cost over more than one tax year and deduct part of it each year on Form 1040, Schedule C. This method of deducting the cost of business property is called depreciation.

What property can be depreciated?
You can depreciate property if it meets all the following requirements.

It must be property you own.
It must be used in business or held to produce income. You never can depreciate inventory because it is not held for use in your business.
It must have a useful life that extends substantially beyond the year it is placed in service.
It must have a determinable useful life, which means that it must be something that wears out, decays, gets used up, becomes obsolete, or loses its value from natural causes. You never can depreciate the cost of land because land does not wear out, become obsolete, or get used up.
It must not be excepted property. This includes property placed in service and disposed of in the same year.
Repairs
You cannot depreciate repairs and replacements that do not increase the value of your property, make it more useful, or lengthen its useful life. You can deduct these amounts on line 21 Form 1040, Schedule C or line 2 of Schedule C-EZ.

Depreciation Method
The method for depreciating most business and investment property placed in service after 1986 is called the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS). MACRS is discussed in detail in How to Depreciate Property (IRS Publication 946).

Section 179 Deduction
Purchasing such things as office equipment and computer software would seem like ordinary and necessary expenses, however, the IRS considers these costs to be capital expenses. Unlike assets that are acquired for the production of income (such as investment property), Section 179 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service Code gives you the option to deduct the costs assets acquired for business use as expenses in the year you purchased the assets, instead of requiring them to be capitalized and depreciated.

Dog Training - Why and How to Train Dogs

• You can deduct anything expense that is "ordinary" and "necessary" related to your income as a dog trainer.

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Dog Health Questions: Dog Training - Crying in Crate?

My puppy is 8 months old and still cries in his crate...any ideas??? He's only in there a few hours a day (when my fiance is sleeping..he works nights, I work days) but when he knows there's someone else home he cries in his crate.

Show Dog Training - Be A Winner!

Recommended Answer:
Turn a radio or TV on
Drill a small hole in the side of the crate and attach or have in view anything that has movement (like a large clock with black hands and second hand)
Even a small oscillating fan helps.
Put in a chew toy...something to keep the puppy busy.

Top 10 Successful Dog Training Tips

• Crates suck.You can train him out of the crate & he prob cant wait to learn.Give him chewies & toys & take him outside often.


• Of course he does! He wants out to be with you, is that so hard to understand??? What do you expect from him??


• When he is in his crate ignore him. Do not give him ANY attention positive or negative. He cries because it gets your attention.
  
  My dog cried for a long time until he finally learned it didnt do him any good.
  
  Now he is so good he doesnt need a crate at all, but that took some time too :)
  Good luck..


• its the hardest thing in the world to do but you have to ignore the puppy completely while its crying, and when its quiet then give it attention, i dont mean quiet for 2 seconds i mean quiet for a few min at least, any attention at all reinforces that it needs to make a lot of noise to get attention it took my dog a couple weeks before it got it, but he doesnt cry in his crate anymore


• He's doing this because dogs are pack animals, they want to be with their pack, and you and your fiance are his pack. When he's all alone he doesn't mind being in the crate, but when someone is there he feels he's being excluded from the pack, like being exiled, and it makes him unhappy. I have never liked the idea of crating animals, dogs belong outside in the fresh air and sunshine where they can run and play and dig in the dirt and be dogs. They should have a doghouse so they can get out of the weather. But I live in California, maybe its different where you live.


• well what i did with my pooch is what my vet told me to do. when you hear him crying, go out to his crate and bang on it, shake it just a tiny bit, and make a lot of noise and puppy will never do it again. if that doesn't work, try putting a small travel clock in his crate...it reminds puppies of their mother's heartbeat. it can comfort them. good luck!!!


• U must ignore him otherwise he will use it as a tool against you throughout his natural life. When he does this just ensure he has a few toys to play with and do not encourage the behavior by coming to his beck and call. My Bouvier cried for hours and I became a slave to his wines so the Vet warned me not to allow this behaviour to continue! Trust me the dog will quit eventually! Mine did! It wasn't easy though.


• Depends on what way of training you prefer. Do you want positive reinforcement, negative or anything that will work?
  
  I ask this because I have spend many many years training dogs privately and it depends on what the owner's are wanting to do.
  
  I know a lot of people tell you "Oh, just ignore them" but you are the one hearing the poor thing cry. Also, the dog may have anxiety which is only being made worse by someone being there and him being caged away. If you want to go the positive route you should get a book about the messages we are giving our dogs. A few good ones are, "The Other End of the Leash" by Patricia McConnel or "Don't Shoot the Dog" (not sure of the author right now). Or, enlist the help of a trainer you feel comfortable with.
  
  Remember, what you do with your dog as a puppy will shape his life forever. For instance, before I starting training myself people told me the same thing about my Akita (ignore her, put a ticking clock wrapped in a towel in with her, etc.) and now she is medicated for very very severe separation anxiety almost 7 years later. In that 7 years I have taken many classes and learning that it isn't always right to ignore them and can lead to an abusive situation.
  
  If you need more help please let me know.
  
  Good luck!


• It's always the hardest part of training. All you can do is wait it out.

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Dog Health Questions: How do you know when your dog training has worked?

Usually when the front door is open my dog Duke will go outside in the front yard. But this morning the screen door was shut and I walked up to the door and Duke just sat right by the door.

It made me happy because usually before I let them in the backyard i tell them to sit at the door before opening then I open the door and let them out. I have been doing this or my bedroom door too.

i was proud of him!
<
thats him!

The Newest Kind of Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
I think You know the training has worked ~~~ when you command them to do something
and they Obey... after a while.. it just becomes habit, and you don't even have to
say anything.. they just do it.. that is success....

I have found when you have a screen door involved you gotta be careful... if they
are in a hurry to get out. they will break a glass door, or rip out the screen in a
screen door..
It sounds like the sitting technique is working,, now on to the leash.. keep a tight
rein on him.. no slack.. until he learns his manners.. he is not to go out in front of
you.. you are the master.. you lead the pack.. good luck... take care

How to Find the Perfect Dog Training System

• Sounds like it has. Just keep up the reinforcement and he will retain it.


• Sometimes, it's just what you described! They just suddenly seemed to exhibit the behavior that you wanted instead of the behavior that you anticipated. That is a GOOD DAY, as you are usually surprised when a dog STOPS doing something you really need him to stop doing without a command. That is a day that you do a victory dance! Congratulations!
  
  But usually, it's that your dog will consistently attend to you and respond to commands regardless of environment and circumstances, also called 'proofing'; or consistently fails to exhibit a behavior you sought to eliminate with no commands needed.


• if it wants to do more training!!!!!!


• When Chaos does a command I tell him to do, on the spot, with distractions. No saying the command more than once and no luring with treats/toys.Congrats on the training, glad everything is going well. Cute dog, btw.


• Just keep reinforcing the behavior with positive things like treats and praise. Sounds like he has learned.


• When this happens, it is called a default behavior and is the result of the dog being rewarded each time for doing the behavior. In this case, the reward is going through the door. It takes many repetitions to get a default behavior. Ussually the behavior is trained without the cue first in specific situations, such as going through a door, greeting people at the door, or when you are eating. Trainers generalize the behavior to other locations, then add the cue so the dog knows what the behavior is called. Once the dog knows that, then they drop it again in that situation and wait for it to get the behavior as a default. Of course the reward each time is going through the door.
  
  Just keep at your loose leash walking in low distrations areas and slowly increase distractions levels and he'll get that too! Which method are you using? I use the penalty yards approach by Sue Ailsby. http://www.dragonflyllama.com/%20DOGS/Levels/LevelBehaviours/TL15Leash.html
  
  If you want to learn more about training behavior, check out "Don't Shoot the Dog" by Karen Pryor.
  It shows the 8 possible ways to train or change a behavior. Works for all animals including humans!


• When they repeat the same behavior at least a dozen times without being told.
  
  Bingo.

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Dog Health Questions: How can i become a trainer for police dog? which studies are the best?

i would like to become dog trainer, but i don't know what to do... and if the studies are short i would like to achieve another diploma before getting specialized in dog training!

How to Explore the Numerous Advantages of Online Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
Here is info from the US Deparment of Labor's page on animal care and service workers (link is in sources):
"Education and training. Animal trainers often need a high school diploma or GED equivalent. Some animal training jobs may require a bachelor's degree and additional skills. For example, marine mammal trainers usually need a bachelor's degree in biology, marine biology, animal science, psychology, or a related field. An animal health technician degree also may qualify trainers for some jobs."

I would think criminal justice programs would be smart. I am not sure that there are major programs for training the police dogs. With criminal justice, you could probably become a cop and handle the dog. Even if you don't, a degree in criminal justice may be smart so you know what you are training the dogs for. I think you can get a 2 or a 4 year degree in criminal justice. Call up a local police station that uses police dogs and ask them. They would probably be willing to help you.

You could probably take some basic dog training courses and get some experience in training dogs if you have any. You could also train jsut about any other type of animal. Training is not based on intellgience level and it is actually easier to train dumb animals because they won't be wondering why they should listen to you. Training is just associating good things like treats with a behavior you want to the animal to do like sitting. You can also associate bad things like hitting or using a spray bottle with not doing a behavior or for bad behaviors like barking, but this is frowned on by many people.

Dog Training Using Electronic Collars

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Dog Health Questions: Start dog training tomorrow... any tips?

My pitbull and I begin training tomorrow and I am a little bit nervous.... I'm afraid she'll get too excited and I won't be able to control her. If anyone has anything that may make the day go smoother I would appreciate it. Thanks!

How to use the Remote Dog Training Collar

Recommended Answer:
I've always trained my doggie at home. So I might not be loads of help but I would say to just stay calm! Enjoy the experience because it might be a pain but they won't be little forever!

Your doing this thing together.
Keep a grip on your patience!

Hope you two have fun!
Good luck!
May you have many adventures together!

The Dog Training Things You Should Do and the Ones You Shouldn't

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Dog Health Questions: What is the ISBN number of the book titled "The Kohler method of utility dog training" by William R. Kohler ?

OR where and how can I find out myself? Thanks in advance.

Searching For Cheap Dog Training Collars

Recommended Answer:
0783818718

Puppy Dog Training For Obedience - How To Train Your Dog Puppy Properly

• who knows?


• The Koehler Method of Utility Dog Training
  ISBN 0876057857


• The ISBN is 0876057857.
  The number 0783818718 is Amazon's ASIN.

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Dog Health Questions: What do you think is wrong about this type of dog training?

So these people are trying to potty train this older dog they found.
First they always keep her food and water down.
Almost always give her treats when she comes back inside even if she hasn't gone to the bathroom yet.
There gone half the day with her stuck inside the house with her food and water down.
Lets her back inside even if she hasn't gone to the bathroom.
And when they find her pee spots they race at her with the rug and almost shove it in her face and they hit her a little with a Fly swatter. And they also hold up a newspaper and smack it in there hands, like there going to hit her and at the same time yell at her telling her she's been a bad girl. And they don't give her attention after she's been bad.
(It's quite scary just watching how they discipline her.)

So I think they're going about this training all the wrong way.
I'm sorry but I don't think it's like that, correct me if I'm wrong, ok.

I'm a cat owner, and I'm not sure how to train dogs, so how would you potty train a dog.

House Dog Training Secrets and Dog Food Secrets Revealed

Recommended Answer:
You know, you put a lot of extraneous information in here to make them look like bad people rather than trying to get a real answer when you admit you have no idea if this is a good way to train or not.

Whether the dog has it's food down or not and whether or not the dog gets attention or is rewarded for coming in the house has nothing to do with training the dog to go to the bathroom outside.

The issue is that they need to time their correction well and need to provide the dog with feedback so it can make the best choice. My first choice in training is to wait outside until i get the behavior i want and praise, praise, praise. If there is an accident, i try to interrupt it so that the dog can finish it outside (and again be told how wonderful it is). If the dog continues to use other areas out of convenience, i might use adversive training if the timing was correct. Otherwise i would continue with looking to praise the dog for the correct behavior rather than correcting for the wrong.

The Ten Best Dog Training Tips

• This is a animal abuse... this dog may very well turn on the owner because she will be constantly frightened. Step in and say something or call the proper authorities to assist you.


• Yes that is completely wrong, that's why the dog isn't trained yet. Most dogs do not understand that form a disapline, and the poor thing has got to be so confused.


• You potty train an older dog just as you would a new pup, and THAT, is the WRONG way.
  
  Here is a humane and very effective way of house training a dog of any age, as long as there are no medical issues present. http://www.tiaspetplace.com/housetrainin…


• yes that is wrong. they shouldnt leave the food down all the time. leaving the water down is fine. as for house training a puppy, if you catch them going to the toilet in the house, tell them 'no' in a firm voice, immediately pick them up and take them outside. when they go outside, give them lots of praise. i never let my puppy back into the house until she has been to the toilet, and if i have to lock her outside, then thats what i do. they shouldnt never hit a puppy or dog. its animal abuse and they shouldnt shove its face in its mess if it went in the house, it will only make it scared of them


• Elimination is a necessity of life. When trying to correct a problem of this nature, you have to catch the dog in the act, or within 3 seconds. Shoving a soiled rug into her face, well after the fact, is telling her that she shouldn't eliminate. That totally confuses the dog.
  Hitting a dog is NEVER acceptable. You are so right on all points, but I don't know what you can do about it - technically, this is dog abuse, and you may be able to report them to the authorities, but do you really want to do this?
  Using a crate to train a dog is the easiest way. The dog stays in the crate, and is let outside to eliminate. If the dog doesn't do his "dooty", then it goes back in the crate. However, if the dog does potty while outside, then it gets lots of praise, pets and treats.
  An untrained dog should be left in the crate while the owners are out, and then they can come home, not looking for a problem, let the dog out, and owner/dog can have a pleasant relationship.
  I have to chuckle, because most cats won't be trained at all! They just use their wiles to train us!
  


• Absolutely.
  
  A dog can NOT be trained if the food is left on the floor all the time. It makes training impossible. Swatting her and pushing her nose in it only confuses her because she has no idea what she's done wrong.
  
  You HAVE to tell them that they are training her in a way that will cripple her. Yelling and screaming at a dog only makes it confused and upset. If she's peed in the house five minutes or an hour ago you can't scream and yell at the dog.
  
  They need to watch her and learn her habits so they can take her outside. If she's not house trained, she won't ask to go outside! They need to crate her when they aren't watching her and let her outside every single hour and praise her when she goes outside. She needs to only get treats when she uses the bathroom outside, and she needs to get a treat the MINUTE she uses the bathroom, not when she's coming inside.
  
  http://www.ehow.com/how_2049825_house-tr…
  http://www.squidoo.com/how_to_house_trai…
  http://www.associatedcontent.com/article…
  
  


• This girl I lived with for a while had a chihuahua that was never house trained because she did all the wrong things. She took "rubbing her nose in it" too literally, and would actually get the dog's face soaking wet with urine while yelling at her, and smacking her butt really hard, then throw it outside while she cleaned it up, and then take her upstairs and give her a cold bath, scolding her all the while. And her boyfriend (who was around all the time, would always say "you're not being mean enough!") Imagine my surprise when the dog was terrified of humans, chewed rocks, dug holes, pooped and peed all over the house, cowered the the corner whenever anyone talked to it or approached it...
  
  We attempted to show her how to train a dog by taking our dog to obedience class, showing her all her new tricks, training in front of her, describing ways she can train her.
  
  Some people just think dogs are stupid, and the only way they'll understand they've done something wrong is by yelling and hitting. Haven't seen her in a while, but at that point the dog was almost a year old and not potty trained.
  
  People suck.


• all we did was take her outside to the grass immediatly after she had peed inside saying 'no' sternly, eventually she got the idea that the grass was the place to go.
  
  The way you mentioned is animal cruelty, the hitting and keeping water low. You can't be angry at a dog for not being trained properly, thats the owners fault.

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Dog Health Questions: Dog training to sleep outside?

HELP!!! My dog has been sleeping in her crate for awhile now in the garage, she's now getting too big for her crate and now is ready to be outside and sleep in the house(dogloo) outside i have provided for her, but she hates being outside by herself she'll whine and scratch and jump up at the window for one of us to open the door and sometimes other dogs barking will frighten her. I need training advice in making her stay outside and knowing to go in her house/bed whenever she wants to

Dog Training - The First Steps in Training a Dog

Recommended Answer:
just put the dog outside.

The Three Dog Training Mistakes You Should Avoid

• WELL YOU NEGLECTED TO TELL US THE BREED OF YOUR DOG... but really why cant he just go on sleeping in the garage at night. break down and get him a bigger crate. certainly he is trying to tell you he is uncomfortable outside. why push it until he shows he is ready to go out.


• Love her more show her outside is a good thing, give her lots of treats (in moderation) everytime u here a dog go outside to her and say "DOG" then treat and praise her. Good luck!


• For my dog I didn't just put her out and hope she adjusts. Put some things out there that comfort her such as a doggie pillow or an old blanket, even stuffed animals so that she doesn't feel so alone. Or better get a kennel so she doesn't ruin your door and she has the feeling of security If she howls there is a device better than a shock collar. It is a device that send out high pitch sounds that dogs do not like but humans cannot hear. In other words when the dog barks the device (a bird house-like object) yells back and the dog stops making the device quiet as well. No harm is caused to the animal. Another tip is to spend time with your dog outside like playing and walking and when it is time to go inside offer her a treat or bone to eat when you put her in her doggie igloo.


• I am certain you can obtain the best answer for this and ALL your dog training questions through the dog whisperer @cesarsway.com.
  
  Just ask Cesar Millan.


• You need to rehome her. She deserves a much better home. Dogs are supposed to sleep inside the house with us. There is no reason for your dog to be out in the cold while you get to be inside nice and warm. Igloos leak like crazy and get dogs sick. Really, what's the point of an "outdoor" dog? All the dog attacks you read about are by outdoor dogs. The backyard becomes their territory to protect against any intruders - that includes you or any family members because they are members of your pack.
  
  Do the right thing and take the dog to the shelter so it has a shot at a nice life. It's not going to one with you. She whines because she is lonely. She gets frightened. Does that sound kind to you?
  
  We have two very large pit bulls that sleep inside the house with us. They don't go to the bathroom in the house, don't chew anything they aren't supposed to chew, don't jump on guests or our children - because we are good, responsible owners who trained them. There is no reason for a dog if it is going to sleep outside. It won't protect anything but your backyard (and it doesn't even sound like it will do that because it's too frightened).
  
  https://pawsandlearn.org/Dog_Sleep_Insid…


• Why do you have a dog if you just keep it outside. I agree with the last person, if you can't give it a great life why keep it? Just put yourself in her shoes

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Dog Health Questions: Dog training question mouth baiting?

Does this really work?
I've seen people training their dogs in obedience and they hold the treats in their mouths so the dog pays attention to them?

3 Secrets to Dog Training - Immediate Results

Recommended Answer:
I'm a professional trainer and I have never seen this. Nor would I think it would work. Hold your treats in your hand so that you are able to treat your dog. Also, your dog should not need to see a treat in order to pay attention to you. That defeats the purpose of training.

The Three Dog Training Mistakes You Should Avoid

• People use this method to teach the dog to watch their faces rather than their legs during the heel exercises. In fact, I did this myself when I was training dogs for competitive obedience. Had dogs who would heel with their necks cranked at 90 degrees just to keep their eyes on my face. A dog watching your face has a much harder time being distracted by smells, sights, or sounds around them.
  
  A dog will watch whatever produces the treats - whether it's the pocket, the hand or the mouth.


• It's successfully used to hold a dog's attention during conformation showing. It can increase a dog's focus on your face instead of your hands/pocket if you spit treats or even take them out of your mouth instead of your pocket, but any kind of "baiting" or "bribing" by letting them see it dangling there is not appropriate for training - only for getting that expression while showing.
  
  I don't do it because I don't care if my dog looks at my face, my hands, or my body to pick up on the cues I am giving him... when heeling I would rather him watch my shoulders/hips as they cue when my gait is about to change or when I am about to turn much more than my face does. In agility, I want him watching my hands as I direct him, my face can't pull in in, push him out, steer him right and left, or get him to quickly change sides like a simple hand gesture can. When I did 4-H showmanship I would just make funny noises or talk to him to get the expression I wanted.
  
  So... that was a long answer to a short question: it can work for getting "expression" or teaching a "watch" command, but has little relevance for actual obedience, agility, or other training.


• Yes it does, I have seen it a million times and used it as well. With the right dog it works wonders if you need that focus.
  I have used the hot dog hanging out of my mouth, the ball under my chin, the ball under my armpit works the best for my needs as the dog looks up at me the entire time.
  If your dog is a chow hound, use it, make sure he sees you put it there first and when you reward, make sure it comes out of your mouth into his from your height, no stooping, and no hands.
  Hope I helped and that is a gorgeous looking dog in your avatar!!


• I have not seen that, no. I've seen professional handlers hold a treat right in front of the dog's mouth and even let them lick that treat they're holding to keep the dog's focus while the dog is stacked.
  
  When my dog is getting her nails clipped, I'll hold a treat right in front of her mouth and she'll lick it. But again, I'm just refocusing her away from the nail clipping.
  
  So I've only seen it done to distract the dog from something else going on.
  
  ETA: Sorry, I think I misunderstood your question totally. I thought you meant the treat was held in the DOG's mouth, not the trainer's mouth.
  
  Loki's got it. ;)


• All you "professional" trainers who've never seen, heard, or known of this mouth baiting probably also don't know about Westminster Kennel Club shows where most of the handlers/trainers use this method in the ring. It's been talked about during the telecast of most every show since at least 1992.


• Lots of trainers spit treats from their mouth to the dog. Yes, for highly food motivated dogs it works great. Plus, a little "smack of the lips" before spitting it out gives you some "cheating room". If your dog is a little distracted during an exercise, all you have to do is smack your lips, and he's glued to your face again.


• It gives you beautiful fronts and lots of focus.
  One of the first dogs I trained could catch, and almost all of her treats came from my mouth. She had perfectly straight fronts and she was always focused on me b/c she knew she had to watch for that treat to drop.
  
  Both of my current dogs are complete boneheads when it comes to catching anything and it will take them 5 minutes to find the treat after grabbing for it, missing, and it rolling away. I do a lot of holding treats behind my back and marking a "watch" rather than actually spitting treats, now. (though I do want to see if one of my dogs will eventually get the hang of it)
  
  Plus, then I get to snack on cheese and sausage while I train...lol.


• Depending on what the food is, yes, I hold it in my mouth. I do this because I want my dogs to watch my face. All the people that I know and train with do it. I've been doing this for close to 20years.
  
  When the dog is "right" and looking at us, with spit it at them for them to catch.


• Mouth baiting works really well but...it gets annoying! As Dutch said it does give you cheating room though! I prefer to keep a tug under my arm like Greek said, or keep bait in my fist clutched high on my chest. I haven't mouth baited a dog in 3 or 4 years.


• I have seen handlers in the dog shows do this. They said it is so that the dogs will be looking at their face instead of their hands.


• I don`t know, i guess if they like the kind of treat ur holding LOL! it depends if they r food-driven or not,,some hav no interest in treats..some like toys or praise.

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