AT WHAT AGE SHOULD TRAINING START?

Formal obedience training - puppy training in a class situation - can start anywhere from 9 to 12 weeks of age.  Most schools like to see the pup receive a series of 2 vaccinations given before starting in a class - for the pup's protection, as well as the protection of all other pups in the class.  A Bordatella (a type of kennel cough) vaccination and negative stool sample also need to be done beforehand.

TRAINING of your puppy - the stuff you teach them at home - should start the DAY you bring your puppy home!  This does not mean training needs to be intensive right away.  Training at this stage should be done in many little lessons, in short spans of time (5-10 minutes per session).  Then it goes on from there!

Puppies and dogs learn from the instant they are born.  At first their world is small and their learning comes from their mother, other littermates, and the whelping box (their environment).  By the time they are weaned and sent on their way to new homes, they have learned a vast amount of things - all from their mom, their littermates, and from any environmental influences they had.  Hopefully, if the pup comes from a reputable breeder (or from a mixed-breed home with understanding about raising puppies), they have had a good foundation set for future learning.  This is one of the biggest reasons to purchase a pup from a knowledgeable and reputable breeder.

Learning comprises many factors:

• Socialization - positive exposure to many different people, animals, environments, surfaces, situations, sounds, etc, and teaching the pup how to best react to new things
• Innate personality - there is a set type of personality all animals and people are born with.
• Environment - an enriched environment will provide positive experiences and socialization.
• In-home work with potty training, crate training, leash & collar training, teaching appropriate stuff to chew on, your household routine, words, basic home manners.
• Training classes outside the home - where you teach your puppy the essentials of obedience commands, manners, and ability to do everything with the distraction of other people and dogs.
• Serendipity - what the up learns on his own - a huge part of early learning!

As you are reading this article, YOU are learning, but so is your dog!  What is your dog doing righ this moment?  One big thing pups learn is that when your are busy or distracted, they are free to make their own decisions, good OR bad!

                      

How to Teach a Dog To Fetch

First of all, in regards to fetching, do not expect your puppy to retrieve the ball back to you right away, as this will come with time. It is usually best that the ball also to be his toy to play with, this way he becomes attached to it and he is more likely to pick it up and carry it back to you. The ideal type of ball is made of hard rubber because soft rubber or tennis balls can be chewed up by your puppy and ingested. Ensure that the ball is not small enough for the dog to choke on, this is dangerous and can be potentially life threatening, it has happened that people have lost their dog to such a preventable event. Once you throw the ball, use the word “Fetch” to associate the command to the game, if he picks up the ball, coax him back to you and associate it with the command “here. “Always make sure the game is fun, and never force your puppy or expect him to continue the game once he tires of it. Like any child, his attention span may be very short, for tug of war take a towel or a gunny sack and gently tease the puppy with it until he shows an interest in it. See if you can deepen his or her interest in it, he/she may not make any attempt to grab it at first, but if enticed carefully, it won’t be long before he or she does. While teasing him with the towel use the words,”Take it,” be excited,get him playful so he wants to play the game, if he grabs the towel, let him have it and give him lots of praise. Keep at it until over a period of time, until you can have a good struggle over the towel, when you have him playing

with it,you will want him to learn to let go of the towel, stop struggling, hold the towel firm and still, and sharply use the command “Out” he may continue the game, but don’t comply. Command “Out” again sharply and using your forefinger over his nose and placing your thumb in the comer of his mouth between his teeth, gently separate his jaws enough to release the towel. Again repeat the command and when the towel is released, praise the dog, every time.

How Do I Train My New Dog to Stop Chasing My Cats?

Q: We have two adult cats (ages 13 and 4 -- both adopted) and recently adopted an adult dog from our local shelter who seems to be about 2-3 years old. The dog just can't seem to break that dog/cat stereotype and loves to chase the cats! We have the cats in our bedroom behind a gate but ultimately would love to have them all together. Can't we all just get along?

A: It is not unusual for a dog to want to chase another moving animal, no matter what kind it is. A basic obedience class will be your best bet, or a couple of in-home sessions with a private trainer. Your dog needs to learn to sit and down or "emergency drop" on cue, as well as "leave it" (break eye contact with) for the safety and comfort of your cats.

During the learning period, he should probably wear a house lead, so you can ensure your cats' safety and help increase compliance. Also, make sure to click and treat your dog when he's in the room and a cat moves, but he doesn't take chase. Always remember: Rewarded behavior increases in frequency. If it is more rewarding to watch than it is to chase, you should see watching increase and chasing decrease. This will probably happen over time to a certain degree as the cats' novelty wears off.

Also remember that until you really know who this dog is, do not leave the three of them alone in the same space together. The dog's arousal could go over the top to aggression and you don't want to come home to a deadly scenario.

I am assuming that your dog is just chasing in a playful manner and not trying to grab, shake and kill. If the latter is the case, you have a very dangerous situation on your hands. You then definitely need to work with an experienced professional trainer or behaviorist, and even then you may have no other choice but to re-home the dog into a cat-free environment.

How To Train A Puppy Yourself At Home

It shocks some new puppy owners when their puppy acts like, well a puppy. The little critter is a pooping machine who chews, barks, digs, cries and much more! But we still love them anyway - we just need to provide them with some direction and boundaries to follow.

If you're anything like me you probably just want to get your puppy off to the best possible start in life, and also set them up to thrive as adult dogs. Early puppy socialization and puppy training are the keys to your success as a dog owner.

Bringing a young pup into our lives is a big responsibility and commitment to fulfill. Our puppies have a long list of requirements and deadlines that must be met for their well-being and longevity. Tasks like puppy house training, crate training, puppy socialization, leash training and basic obedience  need to be addressed right from the very start.

It's important with all dog training but especially with young puppies to use lots of encouragement, praise and rewards (positive reinforcement) in your training. Start your puppy training sessions as soon as your little puppy arrives at your home - it's never too early. Set your puppy up to succeed, concentrate on developing desirable habits in your puppy and preventing undesirable behavior. It's much a better alternative to put your puppy on the right path from the start, rather than trying to correct established problem behaviors later on.

Keep your training sessions short, consistent and always have fun. The key to shaping your puppy's behavior is to start out with very easy commands, continue to build on these successes and apply heaps of repetition. Base your puppy training sessions around trust and mutual respect rather than old school methods based on punishment, avoidance and harsh corrections. In this environment you will find that your puppy loves his training sessions and his confidence will grow with each and every session.

Always remember that you are dealing with a very immature young animal. Be realistic, flexible, patient and always fair during puppy training sessions. Your puppy doesn't just automatically know this stuff! It's all new to him and he is bound to have the odd slip up and mistake along the way. Don't worry about these mistakes, just move on and do your best to prevent them in the future.

Enjoy this fantastic time in your dog's life. His puppyhood is the time where you will lay the foundation for your puppy's life. It's also where you will develop, build and strengthen the special bond you will share with your dog for life.

Dog Training Tips (Top 5)

Your approach to dog training has a big impact on the actual training results that you will get. As long as you have the right mindset about dog training, you can be sure that your puppy will grow into a well-mannered dog that you can be proud of. Aside from having the right mindset, you would also do well to follow the most useful tips and tricks of dog training. Here are the top five dog training tips that will help you mould your dog into a positive addition to your family.
1. Show your dog that you are the pack leader.
Dogs are pack animals and naturally look to their pack leader for guidance. Therefore, you will have to establish your role as pack leader in order to gain control over your dog's behaviour. Pack leaders normally control the food supply, so a good way to establish leadership would be to always feed your dog only AFTER you have eaten. You should also set a feeding schedule and stick to it.
2. Use positive reinforcement.
Dogs respond best to positive reinforcement. One of the best ways to ensure success in dog training is to reward good behaviour and ignore unwanted behaviour. This will encourage your dog to repeat those behaviours that earn him praises and treats, and refrain from exhibiting behaviours that get him nothing in return. Be careful not to use punishment in training your dog, as this will only alienate him and make him regard you as an adversary. Rewards and positive reinforcement not only help ensure success in dog training, but also helps strengthen your bond with your dog.
3. Set realistic goals.
You can't ensure the success of your training unless you have a concrete goal to start with. Of course, you will have to keep your goals realistic; otherwise, you will just be setting yourself up for failure. For example, it is okay to expect your dog to master the "sit" command in two to three days, but you can't expect him to jump through hoops within the same timeframe.
4. Learn proper timing.
Proper timing can spell the difference between success and failure, where dog training is concerned. When you see your dog sniffing and circling around, immediately give a firm NO and then lead him to the designated elimination area. If you wait until he has done his business before scolding him, he won't understand that he is not supposed to make a mess inside the house. In the same way, you should praise your dog or give him a treat the very moment he exhibits a good behaviour. This will make him understand that he has just done something that pleases you.
5. Be patient and consistent.
Stay calm even when your dog makes mistakes. Yelling and showing impatience will get you nowhere. Give your dog enough time to learn each command, and always use the same words and hand signals when you give these commands. Consistency and patience are the keys to successful dog training.

Stop A Puppy From Biting

Managing and controlling puppy biting problems can be a major challenge for us dog lovers. Puppy biting or nipping starts out as a bit of fun, but needs to be controlled quickly to avoid ongoing problems.
For most young puppies biting is a perfectly natural and essential phase to go through, especially when they are teething.
Puppies love to sink their sharp little fangs into just about anything during this teething stage, including the hands and feet of their owners. In some cases it's like you've brought a snappy alligator into your home, instead of the cuddly little puppy you had hoped for.
The good news is that most puppies can be trained to regulate and minimize the biting pretty easily. The sooner you start to educate your puppy in bite inhibition (having a soft mouth) the easier it will be - for all concerned.

How To Stop Puppy Biting Problems

There a lots of proven training methods to help correct your puppy's behavioral problems. Before I get into the specific techniques you can use to stop your puppy from biting, always keep these general dog behavior training rules in mind:

1. Puppy socialization and bite inhibition training go hand in hand.
   
2. Never slap or hit your puppy in the face. This does not work! Your puppy will just think you are playing or could become afraid of you. This may even lead to some much bigger problems than simple puppy nipping.
   
3. The general rule to stop puppy biting problems is to always encourage acceptable behavior and always discourage unacceptable behavior. To learn more about this fundamental rule of dog obedience training (including how to stop biting problems) visit Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer.
   
4. While you are trying to stop your puppies from biting, never play tug of war, wrestling or chase type games with them. This only encourages the biting and nipping.
5. Whichever method you choose to train your puppy the golden rule is be consistent. This means that you and anyone else who comes into contact with your puppy must enforce your chosen strategy every time your pup takes a nip.
   
6. If you don't clearly communicate to your dog that the biting is unacceptable, he will not know he is doing anything wrong. It's up to you to show him what is acceptable behavior, don't just expect your puppy to know this! (You are really taking on the role of his littermates for this task).
   
7. Another (extreme) reason puppies can bite is if they are trying to assert their dominance over you. If this is the case with your puppy, it must be stopped immediately. When you have a dominant puppy his biting will only be the beginning of many behavioral problems. To learn how to establish your position as the dominant one or leader in your owner-dog relationship click here.



Stop Your Puppy From Biting - Proven Techniques

Your goal to start with is to teach your puppy how to control the force of his/her biting. Your puppy's littermates will initiate this process and then it is up to you to continue on with it when your new puppy arrives home. This will ensure (not guarantee) that if your dog does bite someone in the future the damage will be minimized. When you have given your puppy sufficient feedback regarding the strength of his bite only then can you begin to reduce the prevalence of the biting behavior.
1. If you catch the biting problem early on it may be easy to rectify. Just try to redirect the biting from your flesh to a toy or chew bone. For very young puppies this method is often all you'll need do. As soon as your pup starts to bite your hands just let out a firm "No!" and replace your fingers with the chew toy (or ice cube if your puppy is teething).
2. This is probably the most popular method and my personal favorite. Make your puppy think he is hurting you each time he has a nip at you. This method replicates the way dogs sort out this biting amongst themselves. When puppies are biting and nipping each other it only stops when one puppy lets out a yelp. We can use this natural way dogs learn by letting out an Ouch! or an Arrr! every time one of our puppy's bite. The trick is to startle your dog with your voice, and then pull away and stop playing with your puppy for a while. Your pup will soon learn that when he starts to bite, his playmate (you) goes away.
   
3. Teach your puppy the obedience training command "Leave It!". This method works great but is more suitable for older puppies.
   
4. In bad biting cases as soon as your puppy latches onto your hand say "No!" and quickly put your thumb inside his mouth under his tongue, and your other finger under his chin. Hold it there for about 10 seconds (not too tightly). This will feel uncomfortable to your puppy plus he won't be able to bite you.

"Always Praise And Reward A Gentle Mouth And Ignore Or Withdraw From Inappropriate Nipping"

Again if your puppy has a severe biting problem you can try this training technique. Put on a pair of gloves and apply a foul tasting substance to them (something your dog doesn't like). Your dog will soon learn that if he bites you, it won't be tasty! This method produces a strong negative association to your dog every time he decides to bite you. Some dogs are smart enough to realize that when you take your foul tasting gloves off, it is fine to sink their fangs into you again!

For older puppies (around 6 months) this is a sure fire technique to stop puppy mouthing. Put a pinch or choke collar on your puppy and each time he bites you give the lead a short sharp tug. This correction will form an unpleasant association to your dog every time he bites you. It won't take him long to stop. Some trainers believe this method to be fairly extreme, and I agree that you would only need to call on it in very rare circumstances - I have never needed to go to this level. I believe it's far more effective to educate your puppy rather than inflicting punishment or trying to extinquish a behavior altogether.

How to stop a puppy from biting - these methods have been recommended to me, but I have never tried them myself:

1. Spray your puppy with water every time he starts nipping.
   
2. Fill up an empty can with rocks or coins. Each time your puppy starts biting say No! and give the can a shake. Apparently puppies hate this rattling noise.

If you're worried that you may have an overly aggressive puppy on your hands, please seek the advice of an experienced animal behaviorist or dog trainer.
Like I mentioned earlier, the most important piece of advice regardless of which training method you choose is to be consistent and provide the clear feedback your puppy needs to learn.

To stop your puppy from biting and also to have proper control over your dog in all circumstances, you may be interested in performing some do-it-yourself dog obedience training. This is the training system I use on my own dogs - Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer.

How to Handle Dog Begging for Food

Dog begging for food is one of the most common discipline issues that dog owners face. An unfortunate side effect of loving our dogs so much is that we would like to give them everything that they want. So when our dogs start begging for food, it's almost too much for us to bear... and we cave!

With a little willpower and discipline on your part, though, begging can be one of the easiest behaviors to correct. Follow these simple tips to turn your hairy panhandler into a productive member of society once more!

·Do not give food to begging dog. This tip may seem like common sense, but you'd be surprised how few people consider it when they're looking into the wide, wet eyes of their beloved canine companion. That high-pitched whine is an effective tool against you, and your dog knows it. Why? Because it's worked before! Giving food is a form of affection, and giving affection reinforces the behavior preceding it. Your dog has learned that if he begs, he gets food! Take a stand and start a new trend. Find the willpower to withhold that food, and your dog will learn that he can't expect rewards for begging behavior.

·Ignore begging dog. Begging is an attention-seeking behavior. Rather than give in to your dog's demands, ignore the behavior and teach your dog that it does not get results! When you talk to your dog, give him affection, or engage in direct eye contact, you are feeding his mental state. Instead, practice no touch, no talk, no eye contact.

·Don't feel sorry for your dog.Your dog is well-fed. You should know; you feed him! He is not in danger of going hungry if you don't give him that scrap off the table, so don't feel sorry for him when he flashes you those doughy eyes and places a single paw forlornly on your leg. If you become concerned about how much your dog should be fed, talk to your veterinarian. This can help ease your concerns and allow you to remain calm and assertive!

·Use discipline consistently. In any kind of training, consistency is the key to success. For your dog to learn that his begging behavior is ineffective, it has to be ineffective 100% of the time. Inconsistent enforcement of the rules leads to an inconsistently obedient dog! Make sure that every pack leader in the household understands and enforces the same rules.

·Be patient. Few dogs change overnight. If you have followed these tips to the letter and your dog continues to beg, don't despair! See the last tip: use discipline consistently. Stay consistent and don't give up. Your reward will be a better behaved dog!

Best Way To House Train A Puppy: How To House Train Your Puppy

House training is one of the most important things that a new puppy will learn when you bring him home. There are several different ways you can go about training your puppy. You can teach your puppy to use papers or a training pad in the house. You can move the papers or pad outdoors and teach your puppy to go outdoors to potty. This is usually easy to do. However, most people prefer to train their dogs to let them know when they need to go outside. Training your dog to let you know when he needs to go outside is not difficult if you put your puppy on a good schedule and use a crate for your puppy at night.

• Step 1: Start by putting your puppy on a good schedule. This mean that you should take your puppy outside at regular times so your puppy can become accustomed to pottying at the same times each day. This will help him with his training. You should take your puppy outside as soon as you wake up in the morning, after every meal, after play times, after naps, and before bed time at night.

• Step 2: Watch for other times when your puppy needs to go out. At first, your puppy will need to go out frequently. He has a tiny bladder and he can’t wait to go out very long. You will need to take him out even if it just looks like he might need to go. Better safe than sorry! So, take your puppy outside to potty if he is sniffing the floor, looking for a quiet spot behind some furniture, if he looks at you funny, if he looks at the door, or if he goes back to a spot where he’s had an accident. These are all signs that he may need to potty.

• Step 3: Use a crate at night to help your puppy with his potty training. Dogs don’t like to potty where they sleep so you can help your puppy make it through the night by teaching him to sleep in a crate. Make it comfortable for him but remove any water a couple of hours before bedtime and take your puppy for a walk before he goes in the crate. Feed your puppy his dinner no later than about 8 pm so he won’t have any accidents in the crate. Remember to take your puppy out to potty as soon as you wake up in the morning so he won’t have to wait.

• Step 4: Don’t get mad at your puppy. Your puppy is a youngster. He is just learning about house training. He is not having accidents to get back at you or make you mad. They are really accidents that happen because he hasn’t figured things out or he can’t hold it. So, don’t punish your puppy unless you catch him in the act. If that happens, it’s best to scoop him up and take him outside. Then praise him for going where he is supposed to go. You will get a lot farther with praise and rewards than with punishment. Do give your puppy treats and praise him when you take him out to potty. Your puppy will learn fast if you do.

Conclusion

Most puppies can learn their house training in just a few weeks. Be patient and remember to praise and reward your puppy when he goes outside where you want him to go. The best way to house train your puppy is by putting him on a good schedule and using crate training to help him learn to potty outside.

Dog Training- How to House Train a Puppy in 3 Days

As easy as 1, 2, 3!

Okay, so it may not be that easy. But potty training puppies is possible if you follow this 3 day schedule. House training doesn’t mean that your newest family member won’t still have accidents in the house. We all make mistakes while we’re learning. However, it does establish a schedule for bathroom breaks, meals and playtime which will create structure and prevent accidents in the house.

Potty training at a young age instills the rules which will eventually become habit for your puppy as it learns and grows. So like any behavior altering program, the most important aspect is to be strict and stick with the program. The 3 day schedule is as important for new puppy owners as it is for the puppy and how successful your puppy is with the training is directly proportionate to how firm you are with the schedule.

Puppy Potty Times

There are three specific times that puppies need to relieve themselves:

• Right after they eat
• Right after they sleep
• Right after they play

It is around these times that we establish the schedule laid out in the following sections.

Invest in a Wire Crate

Once you’ve purchased a wire crate, introduce your puppy to their new home for the next 3 days. This will be where they return immediately after eating, going potty and after scheduled play (which, noted above, should also be followed by a bathroom break). When you are unable to supervise your puppy, place them in the crate and make sure to always give a bathroom break before doing so.

Never exceed more than 8 hours in the kennel without giving your puppy a break to relieve themselves. Once they get older you may increase the length of kennel stay at bedtime but make sure breaks are frequent at a young age.

Potty Routine

Now that you have your puppy’s home base, it’s time to set the schedule:

• First thing in the morning take your puppy out to go potty, then play, then potty again and finally return them to their kennel.
• At 2 hour intervals (closer together for younger puppies) take your puppy out to potty, then play, then potty and finally return to the kennel once again.
• Be sure that your puppy has had a final bedtime bathroom break 3 hours after their dinner before returning to the crate for the night.

Incorporating Mealtime

Mealtime is important in differentiating eating, playtime, rest and potty as separate actions in distinct locations. For every meal of the day food should be left on the floor for 20 minutes and taken away once that time slot has passed. Puppies should be fed in the morning after going potty and playing and a second meal should be offered in the middle of the day under the same structure. Your puppy should have its last meal of the day no later than 7pm.

Unless you live in a warm climate and your home is not controlled by an air conditioner, there’s no need to leave water down at all times. Only offer water with meals and right after play which will help prevent accidents in between scheduled potty breaks.

The Great Outdoors

It’s counterproductive to leave your puppy outside unsupervised for the bulk of the day. It will give them the belief that they can potty wherever and whenever they please which will subsequently carry into their house training efforts. So when you take puppy outside make it clear that you are there specifically to potty by using a leash, standing in one spot and verbally commanding them to “go potty”. It’s a good idea to return to the same spot each time, as superstar trainer Cesar Milan notes, “the scent acts like a trigger.”

When your puppy starts doing his or her business, make sure to say “good potty” or a similar phrase while they are going, not once they have stopped. This way they will equate being “good” with the action, not the end result.

Damage Control

Though the 3 day schedule allows for many bathroom breaks throughout the day, it’s important to listen to and watch your puppy. As going potty is a natural instinct, there may be times outside the schedule that they need to relieve themselves. If your puppy wakes up in the middle of the night and makes noise, he/she most likely needs to potty. This is temporary but don’t ignore them or you’ll have a bigger problem to deal with in the morning than simply being woken up.

If you spot your puppy starting to make an accident indoors, interrupt their action by clapping your hands or making a loud sound and immediately take them outside. If they finish once outside, remember to praise them while they are relieving themselves.

Be Strict

Now that you have the essentials down to create a house training schedule, make sure you follow the rules closely for 3 full 24 hours. Once the 3 days are up, never let your puppy run loose in the house. Keep him/her confined to a very small space where you can see them at all times and place them in the crate when you are unable to supervise them.

Just because the fundamental 3 days have been completed doesn’t mean that the rules disappear once the time is up. Make sure to stick to the schedule and you’ll be rewarded with a house trained puppy living a healthy, structured life.

Afterthoughts

Best of luck with potty training your puppy in 3 days! Sound off in the comments about your personal experiences, successes and failures following the schedule.