Dog Health Questions: How do entrants and their dogs train for the Iditarod race?

I'm doing an essay on the Iditarod Dog Sled race. I need to know how the entrants train and how they raise and train their dogs for the race. I've looked on the internet and I haven't had that much luck finding this kind of information.

How to Incorporate Dog Training Into Dog Play and Exercise!

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The iditarod is not a two week even it is a 365 day event. The musher spends all year training for the event like a Olympic athlete. Most mushers do not have side jobs. The dogs are born in the spring (these dogs will not race until they are at least 3) around fall the musher will pick around 20 dogs to train intensively. while only 16 dogs can participate in the race he will need to have back-up dogs. Often if there is no snow where they live they will go to a training camp (a place farther north where there is snow) and train the dogs eat a very high calorie diet because they can burn up to 11,000 calories a day or the equivalent of 40,000! for you and me. The dogs that are raised are known as alaskan huskies. usually siberian huskies are not used. While they have good endurance they are not very fast. Alaskan huskies have the perfect combination of speed and endurance.

Cut Training Time in Half with Clicker Dog Training

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Dog Health Questions: My dog trapped my mom in the cornor with his aggression?

just now my dog was getting dirty underwear and my mom tried to take it away from him and he started growling. she told him no firmly and looked him in the eye like she was a leader. he started growling again and this times he jumped up at her snapping his teeth trieing to bite her in te face, but that wasnt enough, he then started jumping up at her and snapping again at her backing her up in the corner. how does a person react to something like this? in the wolf pack, when someone attacks the leader, the leader shows him who is the boss by attacking him back with more power. i am from russia, so when my mom was younger she said that in russia when a dog is aggressive with their owner the owner should take out a belt and hit them on the bum. she said that everyone did this, and NO dogs had problems with aggression. even her own dog at first was growling but when she did this he NEVER EVER growled again but loved her very much. the techniques that are in dog training books dont work should i just hit him on his bum with my hand, not the belt because that kinda too cruel.

Hunting Dog Training and Snakes

Recommended Answer:
WHY look him in the eye, this is a CHALLENGE, not an alpha thing!
I suggest you get a pro trainer. You both seem to have no clue what you're doing due to previous questions, and this dog will end up put down because of you. Why does he not know the Leave It or Drop It command?
Get a trainer before somebody gets hurt.

Basic Dog Training - Timing And Body Language

• First, you should punish the dog as soon as possible after the incident so it knows whats going on.
  
  Second a good dose of cold water poured on his snout would be just as effective and that way you don't have to beat him.
  
  Preferably firm voice or yelling should help. Never hit a dog with your hand, the hand is for petting.


• Many canine misbehaviors are born out of instinct, and most arise from either boredom or stress and aggressive behavior is one of them.
  
  Shown here are some useful tips on aggression, http://dogtime.com/aggression-toward-peo…


• Keep him restrained at all times until you get a handle on it.
  
  Aggressive corporal punishment can work quite effectively, but it can quickly lead to abuse if you're not strict with yourself.


• He's obviously not trying to bite her if he's jumping on her snapping...and yet she's not full of holes. You need to consult a trainer and they'll show you how to deal with him.


• Your dog wears underwear?


• Anything you do will not stop aggression toward your mother. Since the incident has passed, you need to deal with it the next time, this time is over and the dog won't remember what he's being punished for, especially since to him, it was normal behavior.
  
  You don't say what type of dog you have, but if it's a smaller dog, a quick "tsh!" sound followed by a push with your hand shaped like a dog mouth (picture it) on its shoulder to break it from the "trance" it's about to go into will help.If it's larger, you can do the same thing, but you may need to keep the dog on a lead for awhile if you think it's going to try this again.
  
  It obviously has a possessiveness issue, but that cannot be allowed. Your mother has to be the boss again. She needs to be the one taking control-- unless she's frightened now, in which case it's you that needs to do it.
  
  The hitting on the bum with anything only teaches the dog to be scared of you, not respectful. Scared can go away and can mean that the dog can repeat the behavior. But if the dog respects you and your mother, he won't do that after a few corrections.
  
  Good luck.


• time to put him down before he hurts someone!


• Well, time to pull out the shovel. Its a shame.... Just hit him flat in the back of the head with it. That will put him out cold, all quick and painless....
  
  Lol I'm kidding. what I have found works fairly well is to give them a light smack on the size of the muzzel (their mouth). It kind of jerks their head and may snap them out of it.
  
  You can also try to force him down to the ground with his belly up and hold him there until he relaxes. Laying on the ground with the belly up is a sign of submission. If you can force him into that position, it can help to calm him down, and he starts to learn he needs to take he submissive role, not the dominant role.

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Dog Health Questions: I would make a better Dog Owner then my Parents!?

please listen when i say this. i have done tons and tons of research on all different breeds of dogs,training,shopping equipment, EVERYTHING so i was so excited when my dad told me we will be getting a Yorkshire terrier puppy from a breeder! My research went into overdrive as usual trying to get as much Research as possible before the big day! im 12 years old and my Dad's divorced and has remarried a nice woman with 2 kids , 1 my age, one my brothers(15) I've had "connection" problems with this family before and now the new puppy i worked my butt off for will be living with my step family while i get to Visit it every other weekend! Not only was the name I hated! picked out for the dog but my dad just went along with it to please his wife. When we got Roxy she did seem like a Roxy so i let that one slide i guess. We got her Oct 14th 2009 and i love her so much! I made a booklet with all my research on it but godforbid i try to instruct anyone in the family to do something the proper way. I feel like If i were an adult my Yorkshire terrier would be fully potty trained by now and would also know some tricks but since i have to live by their guidelines i guess slow and steady wins the race! ALL MY RESEARCH IS TRASH NOW and i don't know if anyone has every felt this way before but im so done with them. I've had personal issues before this and now my "wonderful" step-sister will actual lead the dog away from me totally oblivious i was playing with her as if its her dog and im a visitor! I earned that dog and she didn't im tired of always being the bad one! please help im down to my last rope here! What can i do that will make them respect me! Before i actually thought about living with my mom forever because they make me so unhappy without my dad doing anything! i hate speaking ill of him but GROW SOME BALLS!!

Six Dog Training Tips to Modify Negative Behavior

Recommended Answer:
tell him how you feel.if that do not and i repeat do no do is moving to your moms but bring the puppy would get you in so much trouble.if your sister who seems like a brat in my opinion just lead the puppy away from her to give her a taste of her own medicine, im pretty sure she wont like it if you did that to her.if she tells you can just say "oh you do that to me all the time" and all that stuff like you're the one that worked for this puppy and you did all the research.

6 Step by Step Instructions For Dog Training Preparation

• I would LOVE to see a dog potty trained.
  You do not own the dog. When many people try to train a dog, it is worse than no one trying to train it.
  You may be better at owning a dog than your dad & step-mom. It takes time and dedication to train a dog correctly. Then yo need to consider the dog's personality.
  Since you only visit, sorry to say but you really don't have that much say in Roxy's life.

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Dog Health Questions: Training tips for beagle with separation anxiety?

Hey everyone,
I've posted a few questions in regards to my beagles separation anxiety, but I've never really asked about possible training tips for curing him of this problem. I do not have access to dog training services because I live in a pretty remote area and there are no resources within a reasonable driving distance (esp. with gas being around 4.30 a gallon). But he still goes absolutely nuts when he's left alone. I'm back home from school now so he is rarely left at the house alone because there is usually someone here. But the few times he is left alone, he goes crazy. He has a crate that I usually put him in when we are gone, although he's pretty well house broken and doesn't seem to chew on things he knows he's not allowed to. But in any regard, is there anything I can do to help him with his separation anxiety? I'm concerned about his panicing, and I'm also concerned about disturbing others by his loud, baying howls when he's alone. I was considering purchasing a citronalla (or however you spell it) to help with the barking, but it likely would not hlep with his anxiety itself. I'm worried about him, as well as not disturbing others.

Any suggestions would be greatly apprecaited.

So You Want A Career In Dog Training

Recommended Answer:
Hello, I'll try to give you some tips to help you. I'm sorry if I don't have many ideas.

Before you leave, take your dog on a 45 minute walk, play fetch for about half an hour, go on a jog. Anything that is exercise will work. The goal is to tire your dog out so when you leave your dog will be tired, so he will sleep or relax while you are gone.

Keep your dog busy, KONGS work great. I fill my dog's KONG up with his dry food, apple chunks, diced chicken, or peanut butter. The KONG will keep him busy, so he won't be focusing on you being gone, but trying to get the food.

Leave the T.V, or radio on for noise. It might help him calm down if he hears other people talking. On iTunes I bought some music from The Dog Whisperer Band, and my puppy falls asleep to it.

Try not to make a big deal of leaving. By that I mean don't say, "Aww, I won't be gone too long!" in a baby voice and smother him with kisses. That will make him even more anxious.

How to Find the Perfect Dog Training System

• Try this method, written by a trainer and behaviourist:


• I agree with not making a big deal out of coming and going. You also have to desensitize your dog to your leaving.
  Leaving for 1 second, then come right back. Keep doing this until you dog gets used to. Then leave for 2 seconds, come right back. And so on and so forth.
  
  This is just a condensed example. I suggest a book titled "I'll be Home Soon" by Patricia McConnell. http://amzn.to/hWYfC6
  It has way more details on how to do this. It's a small book that can be read in one sitting.
  
  Additionally, many dogs with SA will panic in a crate. If you decide to continue using a crate, You also have to acclimate a dog to a crate. A good book on this is "Puppy Primer" http://amzn.to/fY057I
  
  Also see Turid Rugaas on Separation Anxiety: http://www.canis.no/rugaas/oneqanda.php?…
  
  If you stop using the crate, make sure the house is thoroughly puppy proofed - nothing available for the dog to get into.
  
  SAPAWS

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Dog Health Questions: Would you pay to have your dog trained?...if there was a guarantee?

If you had a dog that had some behavioral problems, would you pay to have some one come to your home and train the dog? (and probably the owner) If they gave you a written guarantee, do you think it would be something you would take advantage of? The guarantee is for the life of the dog..any thoughts?

Professional Dog Training - The Easy Road in Dog Obedience Training

Recommended Answer:
I sure wouldn't pay without a written guarantee.

Just make sure you read the fine print and ask plenty of questions before you sign anything. Sometime a guarantee isn't worth the paper it's written on.

Clicker Dog Training - Getting Started Clicker Training

• No trainer no matter how good can make a life time guarantee there are far too many variables involved.
  
  As for paying a trainer yes it is well worth the money IF you find a good trainer that is willing & able to owrk with both the owner & the dog.


• If someone is offering to give you a guarantee for the life of the dog, run the other way!! No one can possibly do that. Think about it - they have no control over what happens to that dog after they leave. They don't know what kind of owner you are, they don't know if you're even capable of doing what they've taught you. Besides all that, a dog isn't trained once and that lasts a life time - the training is on-going!!
  
  Having a behaviourist come in to work with you AND your dog is a great idea, providing he shows you how to train your dog. Before you commit to anything though, you need to check them out thoroughly, ask for references, and make sure you agree with their methods.


• Ppl would pay big bucks for a life time gaurantee. I spent a fair amount of money on dog school for my dog, but it is lifetime lessons. My dog behaves so well now, it was so worth it. I had gone to some of the cheaper dog trainning group classes before and never had much luck.


• Yes I have had my dogs professionally trained.
  
  The first time they did an excellent job and I would highly recommend them. Took them 18 days, it was great.
  
  The second time I had my dogs trained by a different company. I was not very happy with the outcome. I thought they were poorly trained and had a few other issues.
  
  So do your homework before leaving your dog with someone to train.


• will train dogs guarnteed


• No because when i get a dog I'm going into it knowing that it's a huge commitment and i have already decided to put the time,energy,money and love into the dog by training it properly myself. I've never met a dog that didn't have some issue or odd behavior...just takes a lot of patience and training to retrain to my way of doing things. Dogs want to please the pack leader.


• I've been around dogs enough to know that are no 100% guarantees when it comes to modifying behavior. So I really wouldn't trust someone who says they can give you a guarantee..because they really aren't being honest with themselves.
  
  I am NOT saying behaviors can't be modified permanently, but any good dog trainer would not give you a 100% guarantee, they know they can't help EVERY dog.


• absolulty the best dog is a trained dog.


• It would depend on the amount of the lessons. My sister paid a hefty amount for her dog, but she has a great dane, and she almost HAD to get training for her dog or else her dog would train HER lol. I have a Shih Tzu, and got him when he was 4, and by then training was pretty pointless, plus he had been abused pretty badly by the time I had gotten him so I know he wouldn't respond to training very well. Maybe next time I get a dog if I get a puppy, if the price was right I would do training, but I would ask to talk to several of their clients first and see if they are happy with the results.


• I think dog training is worth the investment but make sure the owner of the dog is the one handling the dog. Often dog obedience is as much a matter of training the owner as much as it is the dog. Also in my experience (over 10 years of handling and training dogs) the socialization of a dog in a group training session can be very important.
  
  It depends on what kind of behavioral issues your dog has. Also be warned that if the guarantee is for the lifetime of the dog but the lessons are only for a short time it might not be as good of a deal as you think. Talk to the dog trainer before you make and decisions and thing about taking a class with others too.


• absolutely. We put one of our dogs in "puppy preschool" and one we did not. The difference is amazing. Although the second dog knows the same commands (since we knew how to teach them), her socialization is very different. I recommend training to anyone with a dog.


• I paid for puppy classes for my rottie without any type of guarantee and we learned things that I was completely capable of teaching my pup on my own. So the answer is yes I would definitely pay in exchange for a guarantee.


• As a professional trainer, the only thing wrong with the philosophy of guaranteeing that a dog will train is the fact that some dogs simply won't train for any number of reasons. So,,,, just how much time would you expect that trainer to give the owners dog for free????
  
  The end result would be that the pro would give the owners dog 30 minutes. and at the first sign of a problem would say "see-ya", never giving the dog a chance.
  A pro is there after all to earn a living, and over the years I have "washed out" more than one dog.
  
  The other problem that I see in the question is that my "training grounds and equipment" are not at the owners home. So a little lite obedience training and some behavioral issues would be the full extent of what could be offered. Any advanced retriever work, herding work, etc,etc would be totally out of the question, and that is where the trainer will earn their living.
  Working as a pro my schedule was broken down into training segments. Basically in the mornings i did "yard work" O/B & handling drills, etc, what we in the business call "basics". In the afternoon I did "field work" which consisted of marked and blind retrieves on both land and water.
  In round numbers, 20 dogs = a 12 hour work day


• Yes 1000 timesover. I would mostdeff pay for a trainer to train a ill behaved dog. This will lower the risk of him/her injuring someone because of lack fo training. Infact I feel that ALL breeds should have some form of training to teach them proper diciplin. Dogs are like kids. You teach them right and rase them well they will be good. You don't teach them anythign and you pamper them they become spoiled and unruley (which can be dangerous to other people no matter their size).


• As others have said, guaranteeing that the behavior problems will be solved is not possible. Success is going to depend a great deal on how much work you do, as well as how well the trainer can motivate your dog. If the trainer guarantees a behavior change, run away. HOWEVER, if the trainer guarantees that you will be happy with the service he provides, including:
  
  - answers your questions clearly
  - returns phone calls or emails in a timely manner
  - provides written material pertaining to your dog's behavior and the exercises you are working on
  - doesn't treat you like an idiot
  - does not traumatize or harm your dog,
  
  you should be good to go.


• Yes i would pay for it if i hadn't the personal time to do it myself its also good for the dog to get socialised with other dogs and people and the classes do work


• The things they teach you you can do on your own. I used a dog trainer with a "guarantee" and I could of used him one day and been done with it. The guarantee is pretty much a scam because when i would call him he wouldn't return my calls. They basically teach you repetition. Teaching them to sit and look into your eyes for extended periods of time. Making them come to you when they call there name. Having a certain word or phrase that you say when you bring them outside..blah, blah, blah.. Do it on your own and you will save money. Find a good book or website that gives you some insight and then just stay consistent and you will be fine.

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Dog Health Questions: Dog training price in germany (Aachen)?

Hi everybody,i live in germany (Aachen) and i want to know how much does it cost to train a dog?(it`s my first time)

Dog Training Fundamentals

Recommended Answer:
If you own a dog, Why pay for someone else to train it?

Do it yourself, use google, learn to train your dog with simple commands, and go from there.

Dog Training Made Fun and Effective With a Few Good Packages

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Dog Health Questions: Dog training collars??

I have two dogs, a chi-pom and a pom, the chi-pom gets really jealous and upset when we don't pay attn to her and she has recently started biting the corners of the wall, at first we didn't notice but now its getting out of control. Because my pom sees her doing it, he now does it too. Just today I found that they have started biting and scratching a hole in the wall. They are both under 6 lbs. and I want to use a training shock collar on them so that they will stop. Any other suggestions???

Dog Training Explained

Recommended Answer:
yes don't use a shock collar on them. they are too small. get off your butt and tell them no. say it in a firm but not angry or yelling tone. then make them sit. this is poor behavoir in general and shocking them to stop at the wall might stop that but it won't stop what is causing the behavoir. you need to let them know you are in charge, but your actions, not you just pushing a button. take them to a training class and this will help you bond with them and give them confidence (which will help with the jealousy) and teach them you are to be respected and listened to. the trainer will be able to help you with the wall chewing. if you just noticed the hole in the wall the shock collar won't work anyway because you don't see them doing it. get a crate for them when you can't directly observe them, just don't leave them in it all the time. this will keep them from destroying things when you are gone. usually behavoir like this is because the dogs aren't getting enough exercise. take them on walks at least twice a day. a well exercised dog won't have the energy to tear a hole in the wall. which is quite a feat for a 6lb dog. be consistant, and firm. what is the consequence for bad behavior today is the same all the time. consistancy will get your further than any shock collar. find a training class that fits yours and your dog's needs and stick with it. good luck.

Secrets to German Shepherd Dog Training

• I don't believe you need training collars..
  Watch "The Dog Whisperer " on the Nat'l Geographic Channel.


• A shock collar for biting the wall?? That's not even close to making any sense! You need to be watching your dogs as if they were toddlers! Put some nasty bitter apple spray on there and when they start, squirt them with water and say NO! Then praise them when they stop.


• Trust me - absolutely no shock collar. They are inhumane, you may end up with burns or worse. I would suggest dog repellent (maybe you could try lemon juices), you can find it in many pet stores. Spray it into where your dogs attack. Or you can give train them with stern voices, say 'no' loud and firm, it will do good if your dog is very loyal. It takes some time out of the habit. Try to equal the time they spend with you each. Another way like shock collar is to fill the water into a 'sqeezing' bottle and once you see you dogs do it, wet them a little with short and sharp sprays. VERY IMPORTANT, praise your dogs when they stop and respond. If you just yell and walk away, they thinks you don't care about them, honestly. Well, good luck and I hope your dogs stops the habit! ;o)!


• I would DEFINITELY adhere to Moonfairy's suggestions.
  
  Shock collars, while effective, should ONLY be utilized as a last ditch effort. (For many, shock collars are used because the owner doesn't want to do the work. Hence the situation becoming a last resort issue.) Besides that, your dogs are **too small** to be using any device that shocks. There is a weight regulation for all electronic devices of more than 10lbs. Any pet store that would sell you the product knowing what type of dog or not even asking is irresponsible. I should know, I wouldn't sell one to you because of that fact.
  
  As the problem has become a learned trait, its --your-- job as its owner to retrain your dogs. Moonfairy gave you the greatest techniques in correcting "bad" behavior. I would highly suggest you try it out before having to attempt other methods.
  
  Beyond that, its obvious your Chi-Pom has "issues". Is the Pom a brand new addition to your household? If so, tend to them by showing affection equally. (Which I would assume you are now to deter the wall biting behavior) Dogs respond to positive reinforcement, hence why I'm promoting Moonfairy's response. Although, if push comes to shove, crating may need to come into play as the first poster suggested.
  
  Goodluck, in anycase!


• put the boots to them.6 lbs@teminal velocity X weight of boot=2 flying very well behaved doggies.


• There is this great product we use in the shelter called Comfort Zone. It releases pheramones that take the edge off of a dog with anxiety, stress, jealousy, etc.
  I also agree about the bitter apple although some dogs really dont mind it.
  I would also check out Denver Dumb Friends League. They have some amazing information on this subject annd also a behavior line you can call and get advice from.

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Dog Health Questions: Im dog training! please.. please HELP!?

Please help me! i recently adopted a 3 month old Pure breed American Bull dog. We have almost had her for a full week. She is impossible on a leash chews up everything ( as we speak she is chewing on my mouse cord), She pees everywhere but outside. She is reversed potty trained, she will only pee inside. Im not exactly sure if its because i have another dog sent in my house, but she refuses to pee outside. This morning i took her on a beautiful 2 mile walk through the park. She did not potty once, the whole entire time. 30 seconds after walking in the house, she peed right in the middle of the floor. I am in the process of crate training, but she cries non-stop. If we ignore her she will continue to get louder and louder. Today when i came home from work, she had tore her metal crate apart and went potty all over my house and chewed up my coach purse. Please help! she is a very sweet girl, and we would love to keep her in our family and continue spoiling her. We understand she is a puppy, but she is not making any progress! i am out of options... and am currently running out of couch cushions for her to chew on. We do not believe in physical discipline. Whenever she is doing something that is not wanted, We correct her by giving her a firm no. Whenever we give her a firm no and correct the action she gets very excited and it seems like she does not understand she is doing anything wrong! If anyone has any advise. I would GREATLY appreciate it. I am desperate!

Hunting Dog Supplies Can Help Ensure Proper Dog Training and a Successful Hunt

Recommended Answer:
Find a local dog trainer that uses positive reinforcement techniques. It won't be very cheap, but it will solve your problems the correct way, and if you can afford 2 dogs you can surely afford the proper training!

Dog Training Tips For Hard-To-Train Dogs

• Wow, you certainly have your hands full - I remember what that was like!
  
  Obedience training for dog behavior improvement is an important and critical part of responsible dog ownership. Learning effective dog training techniques will lay the foundation for a well-behaved and well-adjusted dog. You will feel at ease at all times that your pet will be well-behaved, will not be a danger to other people or other dogs, and will consistently obey your commands.
  
  Dogs by instinct and genetics have a pack mentality. In the wild, a few will elevate to the leader of the pack, but most will be a follower. So it is quite natural for your dog to learn to follow your lead and instruction. That's what they would normally do in the wild.
  
  Obedience training for dog behavior improvement requires that you take charge of your relationship with your dog. You must always be the leader. In the process of loving your dog and showing him or her affection, never forget that you are the leader. This is where many dog training models go astray. It is imperative for your dog to recognize his place in your relationship. (see source!!)
  
  Learning dog training techniques provides an amazing sense of confidence and competence in yourself as a responsible dog owner. You can be confident that you know how your dog will react in virtually any situation and circumstance. It's a confidence that your dog will obey your every command and actually enjoy doing so.
  
  A dog that's easily distracted and doesn't obey your commands can be a danger to himself as well as to other people. If you own an out-of-control dog and you see him running out into a busy street, there is absolutely nothing you can do. But an effectively trained pet who is trained to stay by his owner's side doesn't even think of running out into the street.
  
  It has been proven that obedience training for dog behavior is very mentally stimulating for a dog and helps to create a well-adjusted and happier dog. A happy well-adjusted dog will always have less dog behavior problems for you to deal with.
  
  I hope I have provided you with some material to think about - it is a long road, but in the end, if done properly, you will have an awesome relationship with your new dog and I wish you two the best!


• For the potty training: Try taking her out every hour on the hour and don't bring her back inside until she potties! And as soon as she finishes pottying give her a tasty snack and reward and praise her. The best way to potty train is to prevent accidents, so if you can, get some pet scent remover and clean your house from top to bottom. Wal-Mart has some stuff called "OUT! Natural" and it works very well. It smells like lemons and herbs and it also removes stains. Then, if you can, get pee-pee pads. LOTS of them. Line your entire floor with them if you have to securing the seams with scotch tape. Only replace the ones she potties on daily. Leave the rest. After while you can start removing them one at a time until there are only a few left. It sounds complicated but it works. Most people use this trick for small rooms like a bath room or bedroom they have to leave the dog in when they go somewhere. Sooner or later she'll get down to just pottying on one pad, and then you slowly move it a few inches towards your door every day. Then move it outside. You should never punish a puppy for pottying in the house, only prevent it, and reward them for going in the proper place. And don't clean up the mess when they're watching. It's like a mind game for them.
  
  For the chewing: Get her rawhide toys, bones, Greenies, rope toys, balls, squeaky toys and anything else you find at the store that's made for dogs and she might enjoy. Give her 2 or 3 a day, and rotate them so she only has the same ones for a day or two and she won't get bored with them. I understand you're against physical punishment, but really you should try using a loud newspaper or paper towel roll (that's empty of course), or an envelope with the plastic window thing in it. Just something that makes a lot of noise but doesn't cause pain. I found the envelope works best. Keep a very good eye on her at all times, and when you see he headed for something she shouldn't have tell her NO! If you can stop her before she gets to it that really speeds up the training. If not it's okay, just tell her no, and if she doesn't respond, tell her a second time and follow up with the paper.
  
  For the crate training: It's best to work on this when you leave the house and no one is around. Doing it at night keeps everyone up and it's just annoying. Put her in the crate, and cover it with an old blanket so she can't see you leaving. When you leave it doesn't matter how much she cries, she'll take the hint that crying won't get her her way. And whatever you do, never ever ever let her out of the crate while she's crying. This enforces the behavior and you'll never get her trained to sit there without crying. If you can't get her to quiet right before you take her out, make a loud noise like clapping your hands and as soon as she's quiet you can let her out.
  
  I hope it all works out for you... if you need any more help feel free to e-mail me. I can look up some of the sites I got my training info for you. Oh, and Bull Dogs are very stubborn by nature, they take longer than some breeds to catch on to and respond to training.


• What I have found to be effective in showing dominance to a dog is...now this might sound cruel, abusive etc...but it does work. When a dog is trying to be dominant and will not listen, I carefully grab it and make it lie on its back with my hand around it's neck (not much pressure) using my fingers as teeth (I chew on his neck) I make sure that they stay on their back until they stop wiggling which is a sign of defeat and submission. I have just shown my dominance over the dog. You must be as gentle as possible in this manoeuvre because you can cause harm to the dog. If the first try does not succeed..and the dog gets up, do it until it works..Meaning, until the dog gets so tired it is possible to accomplish. In nature, when dogs compete for dominance, it's a challenge until one of the dogs surrenders.
  When you bring her outside, tell her to go pee, or use whatever words you want her to learn by. If you know her habits, when you come back in from your walks, time it...5 min later, you bring her outside and tell her the magic word. Don't give in, you are the boss.


• It sounds like you have stumbled upon a very difficult puppy. (I feel your pain...my lab pulled to metal bars of her cage apart too!) I find when I am training dogs being clear, patient, and consistent are the most important things. You are basically trying to communicate with the equivalent of a 3yr. old kid that grew up speaking a foreign language. My best tip I can give you is to use different tones and pitches of my voice to get my point across. (I also use play and treats when working on specific commands.) Just think of natural dog behavior:
  
  Low, slow and firm= Hey, I don't like what you are doing
  High, loud and short= Pay attention or Ouch!
  High pitch and friendly = You are being very good
  
  Physical contact= play (in her mind) = good job
  No physical contact= no play= not a good jobNow, specifically for potty training, the method I use is simple, but requires a lot of diligence on your part:
  
  1. Take the dog out every 2 hrs and walk her around outside (if you have
  an enclosed yard it might be good to even let her of the leash since some
  dogs won't pee while on it) Have treats or her favorite toy with you so
  that if she pees you can immediately reward her. I will even start praising
  them once I see them in the act of doing their business (see note above
  about tone of voice)
  
  2. While you are just hanging out inside with your pup watch her like a
  hawk! If she is going to have an accident in the house you want to catch
  her in the act. After the fact is too late...their ability to put past action and
  consequence together is not really there... When you do catch her, go
  ahead and tell her "No", "Hey" or "Ah,Ah" in low, quick and firm voice (gets
  their attention and tells them you are not happy). At the same time pick
  them up (even if she is still peeing) and get her outside to where she
  should be peeing. Hopefully when you get her out there she still has some
  left and will finish up outdoors so you can praise her. Unfortunately, it may
  take a couple of accidents before she gets it.
  
  3. If she still refuses to pee outside try training her with a puppy pad. You
  can use it as training wheels to transition her into peeing outside. (Train her
  to pee on pad then move pad outside. Then wean her off the pad.)
  
  **4. Also get her checked out for a UTI or vaginitis. These are two VERY
  common infection that female puppies are prone to that can interfere
  significantly with potty training.
  
  Crate training is not super fun either thanks to the crying. Start off by putting the dog in the crate and making sure its comfortable and in a quiet room where she can see people walking around. You want her to think of it as "her room" ... "her safe place." I will even put a little kibble in a bowl or a dentabone in there with her to keep her busy and a blanket over the cage for the solitude. Now when she starts crying, try to ignore it as long as possible. If she stops crying for a significant amount of time (this might only be 1 min in the beginning...but should increase) praise and reward her by letting her out. Should she start crying before you let her out. close the cage and calmly walk out again until she calms down. Now, if she doesn't ever stop crying you can try the loud sharp "Ah, ah" to see if you can get her attention, (but if she is really worked up like my cocker spaniel gets it won't phase her). I would suggest putting her in her cage without a blanket over it and leaving the room so that she can see you leave. Stand just outside the closed door and count to 15 then re-enter. Do this a few times so that she knows that when you leave you are coming back. Slowly increase the count that you are outside. If while you are counting you hear her calming down re-enter and praise her. Eventually you should be able increase the calm time it requires for you to re-enter the room. Finally you should be able to pick up where the original training technique began. Don't expect her to necessarily learn this one in one day. If you notice her getting too worked up try to pick a good note to end on for the day...then try again tomorrow.
  
  As for the chewing things up, again diligence and patience is the key. Destructive chewing is often a sign of boredom. With my dog and other dogs I have trained, I have found that making sure the dog gets at least an hour long walk/ playtime cuts down on the destructiveness immensely!!! If you don't have time for this see if there are any dog savy kids in your area looking to make an extra $5 or $10. The idea is to stimulate your dog...so be sure to switch up the activities as well. Walk in the park one day, then have a play date with a friends dog another day. (Its a great excuse to have people over for drinks!) The time can even be spent learning a new trick/job (my personal favorite is "drop it"/ "leave it"...it makes for a very nice game to them).
  
  Ok...one last tip.. make sure that anytime you do take something out away or out of their mouth that they shouldn't have replace it with something that they can have. If your dog is young the chew could be due to teething so you don't want to eliminate chewing all together. My dog (who can destroy anything we give her) LOVES this toy... http://www.amazon.com/Nylabone-Dental-Di… Dog training is not always an easy thing, and each dog responds differently to different techniques. Don't give up hope! If my suggestion don't help I recommend looking in to some in person professional help. Even if you find out you are right on track, just the repetition of going to classes will help teach your dog to focus. Not to mention the trainer will have years of experience and will probably have little tricks to help you along the way.
  
  I don't know if your dog is a rescue, but PetSmart gives discounts on their classes if you have a shelter dog! :-)Best of Luck!!
  
  ~Samantha
  Feel free to email any other questions... if I can't answer them I have many dog training friends that can!
  
  P.S. Sorry this was so long...

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Dog Health Questions: When you can start your dog training?

My girlfriend and I are getting two australian shepherd puppies. They will be about 7-10 weeks old and I was wondering how long I would have to wait to start giving them commands to learn like sit, stay, stand etc?

Dog Training - Advantages of Clicker Training

Recommended Answer:
First, start training right away. Maybe it isn't sit or stay or stand. But getting them to recognize their names and respond (at least look at you) is something to start on right away.

I was attending a seminar by a top notch agility competitor and someone asked "how much time a day do you spend training?" and she couldn't answer it--basically, she viewed EVERY SINGLE MOMENT SPENT WITH THE DOG AS A TRAINING OPPORTUNITY. Set aside some kibble that would normally go into the food dish. And use it to train with.

Here are some good resources for you about dog training: Patricia McConnell "The Other side of the Leash" or Jack Volhard's "Dog Training for Dummies." Also check out Shirley Chong's website (6 free downloadable dog training lessons) at www.shirleychong.com

Now, in terms of classes, while you want to do puppy kindergarten as soon as possible, you'll need to wait until your puppies have had shots. Otherwise, you should take the Chicago voting philosophy to that of dog training: early and often!

Dog Training Tips For Hard-To-Train Dogs

• When you bring them home... have at it! Just remember to keep training sessions short and sweet (to start out... around 5 min.) with plenty of praise for a job well done.


• Right away.


• Right away, just be short on lessons and end on a happy note. Make learning fun. Don't over do it with pups that young.


• as soon as they enter your house. show them whats allowed and whats forbidden. Aussies are intelligent, athletic and never give up. so they will figure things out quickly, and they will learn quickly.
  
  Aussies are my fave.
  
  have fun with your bundles of joy!!
  
  :]


• ASAP! the sooner the better.
  
  


• At birth. Jump on it. :P It will be easiest to start young and be consistent. Check and see how old they have to be for obedience classes, and until then look up tips online to keep yourselves busy in the meantime.
  
  Have fun! :)


• The earlier the better..they'll get acustomed to the orders and make sure they know who the alpha is..throw some treats in the lessons but remember they're puppies too..so set a time


• Puppies take very well to training at this young age, especially Aussies They are very bright and intelligent. Also keep in mind that getting 2 puppies from the same litter takes additional work and commitment. You will need to train them individually as well as together so they become focused and oriented on their human pack and not just bonded with each other. I would definitely do more research about obtaining litter mates. At just 8 weeks of age, I had my Doberman sitting before his meals and doing tasks such as sit,stay and come. The earlier you start the better !


• Immediately. That goes for the vet check too. It won't be too bad herding dogs are quick on the uptake and like to please.


• From the day when they can walk, young dogs should be walking properly with their leash. Don't be surprised if in his first walk, your dog doesn't not reacts as expected. I will be easy to train them. But you can start it now also. cause it's almost 7-10 week old. Visit on http://www.agritura.com for some dog products and accessories.

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