Dog Training Basics – Avoid These Five Common Mistakes

Dog training mistakes are always human mistakes. Surprised? Don’t be. Many pet owners get frustrated when puppies “have accidents” or grown dogs bark like crazy at the doorbell, while, in fact, these and other problems cannot be faulted on the animal. If people don’t know what they want their dog to do instead, like sitting instead of jumping, going to their bed (when the door opens) instead of bolting out the door, dig in a sandbox instead of the garden, chewing appropriate objects, etc. , the dog can’t figure it out either. Mistake #1: Not Socializing a Dog Properly Proper socialization is one of the kindest acts people can provide for their dogs. Natural by-products of proper socialization are activity, time with your dog, mental and physical stimulation. A dog that has been taught to socialize properly can adapt to changes in the environment and should be able to deal with a variety of situations. Lack of socialization early on in the life of an animal can lead to fear, anxiety, and aggression. The better adapted a dog is to his environment, the less likely he is to engage in unpleasant behavior. Mistake #2: Giving Up Too Soon Being impatient is one of the major problems owners face. Although it’s unrealistic to expect a puppy to be completely housetrained in a few weeks, many owners anticipate just that. It takes time and patience for a dog to understand the basic concept of sitting or staying; it takes even more time to change previous behaviors (such as jumping on the counter) or control urges (barking, digging in the garden, etc). Dogs get the short end of the stick in many situations. People think they should learn things very quickly, but do not always spend the time teaching them. The first step is to be calm and patience when teaching dog training basics. If you’re calm and enjoying the process, your dog will too. Don’t make the training a chore. If you feel yourself getting frustrated or angry, walk away and come back to it later. Mistake #3: Making Training a Chore Owners are not the only ones that get frustrated during training. Long or repetitive sessions can also be tedious for the dog. A bored dog usually stops paying attention and will have a harder time learning. Keeping the training sessions short, from 15 seconds up to five minutes a session. Practicing many of these sessions throughout the day is much better than doing one or two long sessions everyday. If you focus on making the session a fun activity instead of a chore, dogs will pick up on tricks faster. Some breeds are more prone to boredom than others, but to be safe, concentrate on making the training session as dynamic as possible. Mistake #4: Being Ambivalent Consistency is very important in training. If, at the beginning, of teaching a new cue, sometimes you say “Come” and other times you say “Come over here” you can cause confusion. On the other hand, dogs can understand the meaning of numerous physical and verbal cues to mean the same thing. It is important to teach one cue and then add more later. Confusing your dog will lead to failure. When you stick to a specific command or word, your dog is likely to grasp the concept better. It all has to do with the memory process. Repetition forms a “grove” of sorts in our brain which allows information to flow and connect. The deeper the groove, so to speak, the easier it is for the information we’ve stored through repetition to be accessed. Mistake #5: Using Physical Punishment Do do use physical violence ever on your dog! Treat dogs with the same consideration and respect that you would treat your children, grandparents and themselves. Positive reinforcement is the key to success. Training your dog out of fear is wrong! Nonviolent animal training is also more effective than earlier techniques. You can change behaviors such as destructiveness and excessive barking by finding what your dog is doing right and praising him for it. When your dog engages in negative behavior, you can choose to ignore him and hold back praise. Dogs usually pick up on it really fast. Nonviolent dog training allows you to create a partnership with your dog using gentle persuasion based in kindness, respect, and compassion. People who are too busy or too lazy should reconsider getting a dog or any other pet in the first place. Getting a dog that’s too difficult to handle, either because of breed or size. Some breeds are easier to train than others; some breeds are naturally more submissive. Getting upset and screaming are not appropriate. The last thing you want is an animal that’s scared of being around you. Joining a class and then giving up after the first lesson because you didn’t like the trainer. Not every trainer is a good fit for everybody. Some trainers are better with smaller dogs while others are experts at managing larger animals. Before signing up, ask to observe a class, see how the animals interact, the trainer’s attitude, etc. I believe nonviolence fosters nonviolence. Because of the link between dog and human behavior, positive dog training contributes to helping build a world of peace for humans and dogs. When people, especially children, are successful using nonviolent methods with animals, they feel good about themselves and they are encouraged to have a kinder, more positive attitude with their friends, family, and the environment.

9 Effective Ways to Stop a Dog Barking and Avoid Problems With a Neighbor

  

9 effective ways to stop a dog barking and avoid problems with a neighbor.

By Dennis Fisher.

A dog that keeps on continually barking – especially at night – is a tremendous nuisance and a source of problems  with your neighbor.   Your neighbor could even be a dog lover but a dog bark that goes on and on can upset even the mildest mannered person.

At one time I was training director of an all breeds training school.   A new member of my Club, who had just joined the class, explained that the reason why she had joined the obedience training school was because she had been obliged to get rid of her previous dog – that she loved dearly – because of the complaints of her neighbor, who had objected to the dogs incessant barking at night.

I told her that it was a great pity she had not started the obedience training before and come to training with  the previous dog, because unnecessary barking can be avoided with the correct training.

The same principle applies to dog training problems as with any problems,

One has to look at the situation logically.   First of all determine why has the problems arisen in the first place?  Secondly what effective measure can be taken to solve the problem.

Why do dogs bark?    Dogs have an inherent guarding instinct and the reason why they bark is because they are warning you of intruders.   Obviously you will have no objection to the dog barking for this reason, so it is important to identify the nature of the bark.

With the little bit of training and observing your dog closely you can tell from the sound of the bark, whether it is an unnecessary bark or whether there is a good reason for the barking.

In the case of incessant barking we are obviously not talking about this type of barking.    Why do some dogs bark incessantly without any apparent reason?   A very common reason is because they are bored and lonely.   The dog is a pack animal and craves company.   If you only have one dog, it is highly likely that this could be the reason.

How do you cope with this situation? 

 

Here are nine ways that have worked for many dog owners who have to deal with angry  neighbors who complained about their dog barking.

(1) Get  another dog as a companion for your dog.   If your dog is a large dog, you can get a small dog, preferably a small spayed bitch.   They will soon become excellent companions.

 (2) Another solutions is to get a toy for the dog.   Dogs love their own special toys. Choose something very durably like a kong that cannot be damaged. During the day make a point of playing with the dog to get rid of excess energy.

 (3)Also make sure that your dog has it’s own special space to sleep where it can be comfortable and feel secure.   Stress is far more common with dogs than people realize. A dog needs to have it’s own area of security as much as humans.

 (4) Obedience Training is absolutely essential with all dogs.   A training school is an ideal place to train your dog because of the opportunities for socialization.   The socialization should begin early. Not only with this prevent aggression with other dogs as the dog grows older, it will also result in a more balanced temperament.

(5)If it’s not convenient to join a training class, this should still not prevent you from socializing your dog by taking it for a walk in public place.

(6) If you hear your dog barking incessantly at night, first of all establish from the sound of the bark whether the animal is warning you of danger or whether it is just barking with no apparent reason.

 (7)If the dog has had some obedience training, you can go and correct the dog with a firm “No!” in the same way as you did in obedience classes when you had to correct the dog unsatisfactory behavior.   

 (8) If you have never had any obedience classes this make the situation a little difficult.   Don’t shout your correction from inside the house, because this has the effect of giving the dog the attention it wants.   Establish your own training schedule.    Use a command that the dog understands when it does something that is not acceptable to you.

 (9)Although you may be tempted to bring the dog inside, especially if the barking continues at night,  DO NOT DO THIS.    Try and resist the temptation. The dog will obviously bark to attract this type of action from you.

You are invited to visit the following site for a great deal of useful information about dog training:  http://www. freedogadvice. com