Dog Training

If you are a dog owner, you have probably heard numerous heroic news stories where a dog has dialed 911, awoken their owner during a dangerous situation or even detected an illness with their keen sense of smell. This type of dog training may require enrollment in a special center specifically used for the purpose of training animals to respond to certain medical or emergency situations. Although the cost of professional medical or rescue training is often very expensive, the results can be priceless.

The Pine Street Foundation recently conducted a study that revealed how a canine’s nose may be able to detect cancer. The research involved five professionally trained scent dogs, whose noses were used as “medical devices” during the experiment. The results were astounding with an average accuracy of 90% when it came to distinguishing between the breath samples of cancer patients and those who were healthy. Of 169 total subjects, 55 had been diagnosed with lung cancer, 31 with breast cancer and 83 were used as healthy controls. Labrador retrievers, one of the most popular dog breeds in America, made up the majority of the scent dogs used in the study by the Pine Street Foundation. At the conclusion, the organization had performed over 12,000 trials in a four-month investigation. The dogs were believed to be able to detect both early and late stages of the cancers and, according to the Pine Street Foundation, even ordinary dogs can be trained to detect cancer with only a breath sample.

In addition to medical use, professional dog training may used for rescue and/or emergency response actions. Some dogs may be trained to help those with eyesight problems and may even be able to help with everyday tasks, such as getting the morning paper, dialing emergency numbers and acting as a guide when outdoors. For others who have disabilities involving movement, professional dog training may be used to teach dogs how to act as a brace for someone who needs help getting dressed or other necessary activities that often require a little extra help.

Because of their high level of intelligence, labrador retrievers are often used as rescue dogs. In order to effectively learn the necessary techniques, however, dog training with a specialization in rescue may be required. All dogs love their owners and would often do anything possible to save them from a dangerous situation. As their protective instincts take over, dogs may become a very passionate defender or often a rescuer for those that they love. In addition to benefitting your dog, the proper dog training may just save your life one day and there is no better reward for either you or your pet.

There are many great resources for dog training available on the internet. One of the best ways to find these resources is by reading independent reviews and comparison rankings. In this way you can be confident your pet is getting best training possible.

Brian Dolezal
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-training-how-it-may-save-your-life-101666.html

OK just got a dog on the weekend nad she is great so far but can use some basic training?
Treats or no treats to train? What is eveyone opinion?

You’ve got to use whatever method works on the individual dog. Some dogs will turn themselves inside out for you just for praise, a lot need treats or even a favorite toy.

For almost every dog I’ve had, I’ve used treats and praise both. When starting to teach something new, I use treats and praise, but the treats are cut back so they only get them occasionally. And the dog never knows when – it keeps them sharper.

But you’ve got to figure out what works for your dog. Sometimes you use different "levels" of treats – for example, their absolute favorite for something new or more difficult for the dog, a less special treat for a lesser accomplishment.

The term collar training does not mean training the dog to wear a collar. What it does mean is the use of a collar to aid in the training of a dog. New dog owners usually have the experience of purchasing a leather or fabric buckle collar, snapping on a short leash, and then proceed to let the dog pull them around where ever dog wants to go. Corrections, if they are even attempted, consist of sharp pulls on the leash to physically yank the dog back into control.

The experienced trainer uses one of several different types of collars to both control and train a dog. One of the most popular is a trademark brand collar called the Gentle Leader. This collar buckles around the dog’s neck with nylon cords that fit across his nose. The basic idea of the collar is that it uses the nose as a control and correction focus. Where the dog’s nose goes, the rest of him is sure to follow. A similar training collar is called the Halti collar. It works much like the Gentle Leader, except it pulls the dogs head to one side. Animals, as a general rule do not like to go forward with their heads to one side or the other, so the tug of the head controls the dog.

The Prong collar looks like it belongs in the torture chamber of a medieval castle. When it is fitted around the dog’s neck properly, the prongs will press against the dog’s skin when he pulls against the chain. This is a very effective control collar for large dogs. Extremely hard jerks on the leash will cause the prongs to puncture the skin, and will be very painful for the animal. One of the better known types of training collars is the choke collar. The name describes the function fairly accurately. If the dog pulls against the leash, the collar tightens choking the animal until he stops pulling.

Another type of collar that can be used for training is the shock collar. This collar gives a controlled electrical shock to the animal; the level of the shock and when to administer it is determined by the trainer. A variation of this collar can be activated by the barking of the dog. When barking starts, it gives a warning beep, and if it continues, an electric shock follows.

All of these collars can potentially harm the animal if not used correctly. Collar training is best done by owners with some experience in the training of dogs and works best when a basic relationship is already established. It is better to use a reward system in conjunction with the training collars rather than focus solely on punishment. A good rule of thumb is to use the gentlest type of collar that accomplishes the training objective.

Kallore Gandhi
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-collar-training-92503.html

I have a dog that I’m trying to train. Instead of buying a book, are there any dog training sites I can go on and look at instructions and tips for free?

You need a full and proven training program.

"SitStayFetch" is one of the most popular dog training products on the market written by Daniel Stevens, an experienced dog trainer, for every dog owners who know that the experience of training their dog has or will continue to establish a better relationship with their four legs friend.

First when I read SitStayFetch ebook, I was surprised at lots of information has been covered. The 186 page book is broken down into different sections step-by-step, each one dealing with a different aspect of dog ownership. SitStayFetch starts from a basic that dog owner should know. For instance, things to consider before adopting a dog, choosing the right breed, dealing with breeders, the secrets of dog training; and then moves on at common dog problems including biting and nipping, aggression, jealousy, digging holes, disobedience, separation anxiety, fights with other dogs, destructive behavior and even understanding how your dog thinks.

The core of SitStayFetch system is the communication between dog and owner. Daniel Stevens understands that most of common dog problems are from the lack of communication. Your dog simply doesn’t understand what you want. SitStayFetch demonstrates how dogs communicate, what are they thinking, how you can communicate with them effectively.

This simple technique helps in improving the relationship between you and your dog. And it also doesn’t just focus on one or two aspects of dog ownership. SitStayFetch deals with all common problem behaviors, step-by-step approach tells you exactly what to do and when to do it.

SitStayFetch works because of the tips and advice come directly from the author’s real-life experience. You also can sign up for free 6 days mini course which covers selected training methods and behavior fixing methods that are used in SitStayFetch ebook.

So if you want to have a good relationship with your dog and get rid of dog problems, I think SitStayFetch will definitely help you reach your goals.

Check my source, hope it helps. Good luck!

Hello fellow dog trainers and people alike. Now, a lot of people have contacted me recently to ask me to cut down my detailed articles on dog training and to just give the main key points that they need to get going with dog behaviour training in a relatively quick period of time. It should still be noted that successful dog behaviour training requires some time and patience at the best of times, but all the same you should find the following definitve list useful, it contains the top 5 tips to any successful dog training that you ideally need for maximum success. Please take some time to read this article and you should find it makes a huge difference to your dog behaviour training success. Here we go:

1. Get your dog’s attention

Before you can start training your dog you first need to get its attention, this may sound like teaching grandma to suck eggs to you but you would be surprised how many people overlook this and just carry on trying to train a dog who isn’t really even paying attention to them in the first place! There are some easy ways to get your dogs attention such as simply talking to him and offering him a small treat in reward for his attention – dogs soon get to know and catch on quickly to this and you will notice this working very quickly.

2. Give praise

Time and time again it is the simplest and most obvious things that people neglect to do when training their dog, and surprisingly one of the most common (and most essential of the lot) is to give your dog praise when he does something right,as this helps to complete his association between your voice pattern and whether he has done good or bad. Whenever your dog obeys you and does something correct, make sure you give him plenty of praise and you will soon notice a change in his behaviour, even over just a short period of time, it’s that effective!

3. Reprimanding

When it comes to successful and effective dog behaviour training, giving a stern reprimand is just as important as offering plenty of praise as both are required to complete your dog’s association between your tone of voice and his behaviour. People come to me all the time with the issue that they just feel too horrible when they tell their dog off and they shy away from it. This is not good as if a dog is not told when he has done something wrong, then he will continue to do it knowing no different. You need to reprimand when needed to make all this work.Now, just to clear something up that is not always understood so well, to reprimand does not mean hitting your dog! This is totally wrong and will not help your dog behaviour training at all. Instead., any time your dog is engaging in bad behavior, use the opportunity to teach him the ’stop!’ or ‘no!’ command. Using the ’stay!’ command can also be effective in these situations and is a good example of a reprimand with a positive purpose.

4. Use the right dog behavoiur training tools

There is no good trying to train your dog if you don’t have the necessary tools and supplies to do the job, you wouldn’t really try to train a dog to obey your ’sit’ commands without taking him out on a lead for a while would you? No, of course you wouldn’t and it’s another key factor in any successful dog behaviour training program. If you have a well behaved dog, then a 6 ft lead and a regular collar will easily suffice and will do the job nicely. However if you have a dog that is slightly more uncontrollable and unpredictable, then you should use a special training collar. You also need to make sure the collar is the right size (an uncomfortable dog is much less likely to play ball!) which you can do by measuring the dogs’ neck and adding about 2 inches, this should give a pretty good estimate of which collar you need to buy for your dog.

5. Do a little dog behaviour training every day

Don’t rush dog training. Trying to fill a dog’s head with too much information will more than likely end up working against you just in the same way a child would trying to learn the entirety of a subject in just one lesson, it doesn’t work. Teach your dog one command at a time and don’t move on until he gets it, keep at it and persistence will pay off.

Well there we go, I have listed the 5 most important and most essential tips you will probably ever learn when it comes to successful dog behaviour training. So please take them on board and make sure they are a firm part of your dog behaviour training program today and you will see dramatic improvement in your dog’s behaviour and how quickly your dog’s behaviour training improves. Please check back soon as I post regular dog training updates and articles that should really make a difference to you and your dog, or you can easily subscribe to my RSS feed at: dog behaviour training RSS feed.

Steven James
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/the-top-5-dog-behaviour-training-tips-92963.html

Hello fellow dog trainers and people alike. Now, a lot of people have contacted me recently to ask me to cut down my detailed articles on dog training and to just give the main key points that they need to get going with dog behaviour training in a relatively quick period of time. It should still be noted that successful dog behaviour training requires some time and patience at the best of times, but all the same you should find the following definitve list useful, it contains the top 5 tips to any successful dog training that you ideally need for maximum success. Please take some time to read this article and you should find it makes a huge difference to your dog behaviour training success. Here we go:

1. Get your dog’s attention

Before you can start training your dog you first need to get its attention, this may sound like teaching grandma to suck eggs to you but you would be surprised how many people overlook this and just carry on trying to train a dog who isn’t really even paying attention to them in the first place! There are some easy ways to get your dogs attention such as simply talking to him and offering him a small treat in reward for his attention – dogs soon get to know and catch on quickly to this and you will notice this working very quickly.

2. Give praise

Time and time again it is the simplest and most obvious things that people neglect to do when training their dog, and surprisingly one of the most common (and most essential of the lot) is to give your dog praise when he does something right,as this helps to complete his association between your voice pattern and whether he has done good or bad. Whenever your dog obeys you and does something correct, make sure you give him plenty of praise and you will soon notice a change in his behaviour, even over just a short period of time, it’s that effective!

3. Reprimanding

When it comes to successful and effective dog behaviour training, giving a stern reprimand is just as important as offering plenty of praise as both are required to complete your dog’s association between your tone of voice and his behaviour. People come to me all the time with the issue that they just feel too horrible when they tell their dog off and they shy away from it. This is not good as if a dog is not told when he has done something wrong, then he will continue to do it knowing no different. You need to reprimand when needed to make all this work.Now, just to clear something up that is not always understood so well, to reprimand does not mean hitting your dog! This is totally wrong and will not help your dog behaviour training at all. Instead., any time your dog is engaging in bad behavior, use the opportunity to teach him the ’stop!’ or ‘no!’ command. Using the ’stay!’ command can also be effective in these situations and is a good example of a reprimand with a positive purpose.

4. Use the right dog behavoiur training tools

There is no good trying to train your dog if you don’t have the necessary tools and supplies to do the job, you wouldn’t really try to train a dog to obey your ’sit’ commands without taking him out on a lead for a while would you? No, of course you wouldn’t and it’s another key factor in any successful dog behaviour training program. If you have a well behaved dog, then a 6 ft lead and a regular collar will easily suffice and will do the job nicely. However if you have a dog that is slightly more uncontrollable and unpredictable, then you should use a special training collar. You also need to make sure the collar is the right size (an uncomfortable dog is much less likely to play ball!) which you can do by measuring the dogs’ neck and adding about 2 inches, this should give a pretty good estimate of which collar you need to buy for your dog.

5. Do a little dog behaviour training every day

Don’t rush dog training. Trying to fill a dog’s head with too much information will more than likely end up working against you just in the same way a child would trying to learn the entirety of a subject in just one lesson, it doesn’t work. Teach your dog one command at a time and don’t move on until he gets it, keep at it and persistence will pay off.

Well there we go, I have listed the 5 most important and most essential tips you will probably ever learn when it comes to successful dog behaviour training. So please take them on board and make sure they are a firm part of your dog behaviour training program today and you will see dramatic improvement in your dog’s behaviour and how quickly your dog’s behaviour training improves. Please check back soon as I post regular dog training updates and articles that should really make a difference to you and your dog, or you can easily subscribe to my RSS feed at: dog behaviour training RSS feed.

Steven James
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/the-top-5-dog-behaviour-training-tips-92963.html

Is it possible to make your own dog training spray that doesn’t include chemicals?
I would like a natural spray that I can use that will repel him from furnature and clothes. Would lemons work without harming the dog?

Lemons might work but Bitter Apple spray from Vets and some pet stores definitely does and doesn’t include chemicals, but is expensive at £10 a bottle. Trained my dog off the furniture and to stop bad behaviour indoors and now only have to pick up the bottle to get a reaction. It doesn’t matter if it gets on the dog (in fact can be used for excessive fur biting that some dogs do) but avoid eyes (obviously).
Hope this info helps. Incidentally, my dog likes the smell of lemons.

If you have decided to enroll your four-legged friend in an obedience training class, there are a few tips to keep in mind to make sure that your choice is the right one. Choosing a dog trainer requires much more than simply selecting a name at random from the phone book and, when it comes to your pet, nothing but the best will do.

Obedience training classes are held in most communities and are not typically difficult to find. If you need information on finding puppy or dog training classes in your area, you can check with a local veterinarian, fellow pet owners or a pet shop. Before you decide to enroll your puppy or dog, take the time to attend a class and see how the trainer interacts with current students. In addition to being able to effectively communicate with animals, a dog trainer should be open to answering questions that you may have regarding their training methods, experience and results.

When it comes to dog training, whether it be a puppy or adult dog, trainers should always use methods that involve positive reinforcement, such as rewarding dogs with a treat and praise when they respond to commands. When a pet refuses to obey a command, most trainers will employ a method of ignoring the animal until it responds appropriately. Trainers should never use harmful methods of dog training and should, in fact, be very gentle with pets. The best way to confirm this is to attend a class and ask the trainer for references.

Currently, there is no organization that licenses dog trainers. This means that basically anyone can open a business, call themselves a trainer and begin accepting students. If you want to make sure that your four-legged friend is in good hands, speak with the trainer directly and inquire about his/her background with animals and special training or education that they have undergone prior to becoming a trainer. Ask for references and don’t hesitate to consult with each of them. If a trainer cannot provide references or fails to answer your questions satisfactorily, consider the possibility that you may be able to train your own pet just as effectively in the comfort of your own backyard.

If you are going to enroll your pet in a dog training class, make sure that it is safe, effective and worth the money. There are a number of programs, videos and books that are available to help in teaching pet owners how to instill obedience training, housebreaking and basic techniques that will result in a well-behaved animal. With so much information available, some dog owners may wonder which provide quality information and which are just nonsense. The truth is that dogs cannot be trained overnight but, with patience and the proper approach, they can begin to learn your commands with time.

If you want to know which programs or books are worth your time and money, take a moment to read product reviews that are geared toward dog training products and how to differentiate between the good and the bad.

Brian Dolezal
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/choosing-an-obedience-training-class-for-your-puppy-or-dog-103531.html

Narrowing down your choices of dog obedience schools can be challenging, especially if you are a new dog owner that doesn’t know what to look for in a dog training school.

Many new dog owners believe that dog obedience school is only suited for puppy obedience training and that their older dogs will not be accepted into the class. Although some schools focus on puppy training, most schools offer classes for dogs of all ages and all levels of training.

Remember that while dog obedience training is to help teach the basic commands, it can also be a great way to spend time with your dog and to help them bond with you. If you are having a specific problem with your pet, such as they are rolling in stinky stuff or running away every time you open the door, there are also classes that are specifically geared towards this type of obedience problems.

Once you decide that you are interested in attending dog obedience training with your pooch, it is best to take a few minutes to research exactly what to look for in an obedience school.

Types of Training:

Some dog owners might be looking for basic command training, while others will be looking for advanced training to use their dogs for agility challenges, fowl hunting and retrieving and even for training. As well, some schools will focus on a certain type of training, so it is important to consider whether their training matches your needs as a dog owner. It is also helpful to look for a dog training school that offers various levels of obedience training, in case you would like to continue on with your dog training to help remain consistent with your dog.

Methods of Training:

Before you rush into the nearest dog training school and sign up for classes, you should attend an orientation or another training class to get an idea of what type of training the instructor or instructors will be using. Remember that just as you might not agree with the method a fitness instructor uses for teaching a class, you also might not agree with the training methods an instructor uses for teaching a dog obedience class.

Instructor Experience:

One of the most important things to look for is the type of experience the instructor has working with dogs. Are they simply a dog lover that is really good with animals or have they actually received formal dog obedience training? Remember that not all states will require dog instructors to have formal training, so it is up to your discretion to determine whether the instructor is suited to teach classes.

References:

Because there are so many different schools to choose from, you really should select a school that offers references from satisfied customer. You may also want to verify these references by asking veterinarians or local dog owners that have completed dog obedience schools.

When Richard Livitski isn’t busy digging up information on Dog Obedience Schools, he’s working on his dog names website http://www.dog-names-and-more.com where dog names as well as other helpful dog related topics can be found.

Richard Livitski
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/dog-obedience-schools-4-tips-for-choosing-the-right-training-school-103765.html

Teaching your dog obedience is of utmost importance while training your pet. Though reward and reinforcement techniques work very well with dogs, training them with the leash and collar is the most ideal method of training.

This training can start only when the dog is about 8 weeks old, not before. This is the time when your pet recognizes your call to him. At this age, he will be able to go for short walks and can pay more attention to what you are saying.

Before leash training begins, it is important for you to develop a close bond with your pet. The dog must know that he cannot dominate you. One more thing you should pay attention to, is that the leash is only a means to teach a dog to be obedient – it cannot be the essence of training itself.

Dogs love the outdoors, so it is possible that he will go totally berserk and does a constant jig near the door! He must first be trained to obey ’sit’ and ’stay’ commands before starting off for walks. So you first have to train him to sit patiently till you put the collar on him. It is always better to start with a show collar and not a choker.

It’s always good to start early with the dog, as far as training is concerned. Once the dog learns to stay while putting on the collar, you can take him for a short walk in your own backyard, so that he gets a feel of it.

If he gets out of control, you will have to make him stay till he finally cools down a bit, and then start all over again. Let him wander around for some time if he wishes to. Then call out to him. Praise and treat him once he responds to your command.

If your pet should decide to pull you the opposite way while walking, just stay in your spot till he realizes he can get nowhere with this type of behavior.

Training a dog to be on a leash takes a lot of patience and effort, but dogs are fast learners. Once the pet lets you lead the way, he is ready for longer walks, maybe in the park next time. Slowly and steadily, he learns that you are the master and are in control of him, and not the other way round.

Controlling a dominant dog can be tough. The first thing you have to do is to let him know who the boss is. Teach him basic obedience exercises and then proceed to train him as mentioned above. Some dominant dogs are too aggressive and try to have their own way. What you can do is to tie him up somewhere till he learns obedience the hard way! He might sulk and stop obeying your commands initially, but with time and trouble, he will eventually learn to respond to your commands. Training a dominant dog takes a lot of perseverance, but also pays rich dividends, once you have succeeded in your task.

While trying to train the dog on the leash, it is very important to keep in mind that this is merely a corrective measure and can never help develop a good relationship between the dog and its owner. The rapport between the two can only come by giving the pet a lot of love and treating him with respect.

Learn more about leash training your dog at

George Kane
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/leash-training-your-dog-100861.html