Training your dog can be time consuming and frustrating at times, but it’s well worth it. Here are several tips that should help things go much smoother and faster… plus reduce the frustration both you and your dog feel!

Conduct “play training” where by the training tasks are made into fun games and your dog’s play drive is used as motivation. There are a lot of really good books available on this type of training.

Intelligent dogs can also be stubborn, so you may have to outwit them!
While training your dog, you have to make him want to do what you want him to. You can’t make him do stuff unless it is fun. Otherwise you are wasting both your time and his.
Try to make your dog’s training so fun that it becomes his or her favorite activity. This will make learning much easier and more enjoyable.

Most dogs love to play! You can make your dog the happiest just by spending some time with them, giving your undivided attention each day. Without this, your dog will feel ignored, bored, or think they’re in trouble. When this happens they’re more likely to chew, tear things up, and not listen to you.
Here are some tried and true tactics you can use to make your dogs listen to you more:

When playing with your puppy, play at his level. If play is encouraged at ground level, this builds your role as the dominant, or “top dog”, when you are standing and training your puppy. If the puppy is allowed to jump up and initiate play, then this can lead to unwanted jumping up as your dog gets older.

From the very beginning, make sure your dogs know you are the master. This is usually accomplished with simple tasks such as teaching the dog to raise it’s paw for a handshake; kissing your hand; or rolling over on command to show submission.

There is no need for extreme measures to prove you are the boss. Obedience training should be both fun and rewarding for you and your dog.

Make sure your dog always eats after you do. This is one of the easiest ways to show your dog who is the boss. This is especially important if you share your food with your dog, because if you let them eat while you are, they could develop the habit of taking food right off your - or someone else’s - plate. You may need to train your family to follow this rule too… and that could be harder than training the dog

Very active young dogs have short attention span, and some breeds are worse than others. So it’s best to have several short 5-10 minute training lessons instead of one long one.

Start the training at quiet places familiar to your dog, and be sure there are very few things and people around to distract him. Gradually move the training to places with more and more distractions so he will learn to obey your commands despite those distractions.

Speak to your dog strongly but not in an angry voice. Be kind but be firm while training and never give in to what they want. It seems cruel but in the long run you will have a much better relationship with you dog.

Celebrate after every training session for a good job done. Have a big play by running and throwing his favorite toys. If you give them a lot of playtime with yourself they’ll listen to you more.

Don’t confuse your dog by trying to use different words for one command. One word commands work best, and they should always be consistent. For example, when your dog gets on the lounge with you, say “sit” and he should sit. Then if you want him to lay down, say “lay” and he should do so.

Also note how well your dog seems to understand your command words. Some dogs may not be able to distinquish between two words that sound the same. For instance: “lay” and “stay” sound very similar. With one of my own dogs, I’ve had to use the word “sleep” in place of lay, in order for him to understand me fully.

To keep your dog from charging the front door each time it opens, try putting up a door or gate that he can’t see through or hop over. Have him wait until people enter and come up the stairs. Then give him a treat for waiting.

In closing: no matter how well trained you think your dog is, he usually has an attention span of seconds. So be careful not to let him run away, because some dogs will simply keep going and going as they find new things to chase.

Always keep your dog leashed securely when they’re outdoors, unless you have a secure fence. Beware though: Some dogs can actually jump fences, even when you think they’re high enough, and some even climb trees too. And most dogs run much faster than any human can so if your dog gets loose, it could be quite dangerous for him.

You can find information, pictures and articles about boxer dogs at dog-owner.net

Showing off your dog in front of friends and family is something that I personally love to do. Having an obedient, happy slab of lab is like having an obedient happy child. Have you ever been in a supermarket only to come across a screaming baby and a blushing parent? I know I have, and my first reaction is to get as far away from the disturbing scene as possible. I have also been in the undesirable situation of being in public with an unobedient dog and I can say, I feel the pain of the frantic parent!

The term, “A happy dog is an obedient dog” is one that I really believe holds a lot of merit due to its simplicity. If you have a relatively well behaved dog, that interacts well with the family, it is fair to say that rarely will you or anyone else in that family be angry or even worse abusive towards your pet. On the other hand if your dog is not obedient to a satisfactory level, and does not interact well with the family, one can say that members of that family will have a hard time coping with the pet and this trend can only escalate only leading to the eventual departure of the pet from the family.

When teaching your dog basic obedience, it is wize to make sure that you first have an understanding of the art yourself. Like people, dogs have unique personalities none of which are the same, and it is a good trainer that will take the time to figure out the dog before trying to figure out how to best approach introducing basic obedience. Furthermore, there are many external resources out there for you to take advantage of in order to help you understand the art of training. Books, articles, Obedience Instructors, and the internet, are all viable sources that you should take advantage of when seeking advice, or just experiences from others in your situation.

Below I have listed my top ten components to keep in mind when working with your dog. I did not rank them, as they are all very important to keep in mind as they will only aid you in bonding, understanding, and interacting positively with your four-legged friend:

- Know what your doing. Before comensing any type of training, do your research first! To offen, pet owners try to do all the work their way, get frustrated and take out their frustrations on their pet. Having an understanding of the methodology behind the many types of training, will benefit you to know end.

- Consistancy. Being consistent with your approach is very very important when dealing with your dog in any aspect of life. When working with your dog try to use the same approach each time. Changing training methods mid session for example will only confuse your dog even more than he-she already is. Furthermore, set up training time at least twice a day, and keep to these times. Training time is important, the more sessions you set up the more productivity you can expect in the long run.

- Keep your sessions short. The attention span of a dog is frail at the best of times, thus it is crutial to keep the sessions short. Remember keep the sessions short but do not sacrifice content. Rome was not built in a day.

- Keep training sessions fun. Dogs as do people, like to have fun, and why shouldn¡¦t they? Training can be fun for you and your pet! Be lively, treat good behavior, praise your dog to no end, make him feel like he is the best dog in the world, even if he’s not!

- Never punish your pet for what they don’t know! To offen, I have seen people talk to their pet with the understanding that their beloved dog is a master of the English language, only to punish them when the desired response is not carried out. This really bothers me because it shows me that that person would rather bully their pet into submitting than taking the time to research, develop and implicate an approach to help the dog learn the desired response to certain words or phrases. (No Hungmay Kowaisa!( Did you understan that? Well you would if you researched the Korean languageƒº

- Train to your dog’s strength. As stated above every dog has its own unique personality, therefore we must identify characteristics of our pets in order to take advantage of them in our training sessions. If your pet is very lively, take advantage of that! During training sessions, be lively yourself! Match your dogs enthusiasm, when your happy, your pet will be happy and your pet will be very happy come training time.
If your dog has a laid back shy personality, take this into account when training. Still be lively and upbeat as this will spark the interest of your dog, however keep in mind that due to his/her personality, displaying comprehention may take longer due to the shy nature of your dog. It is really important to make a shy laid back dog feel super great during training sessions as this can only improve your chances of continuing successful training.

- Incorperate training into your everyday routine. It can be very beneficial to perform individual obedience exercises through out the day. Simply by performing the sit exercise while you brush him, or having the dog sit while you attach his leash can help to imprint the sitting position. Keep little things like this in mind as they can only aid you and your pet.

- Be patient. Remember you are trying to teach your dog! Your dog is a non-english speaking individual, lacking house manners, behavioral skills, curticy, do I need to continue??
Take your time, play to your dog¡¦s strength, praise, respect, keep sessions short and compact, and have fun!

- Empithize with your dog. The best example I can think of for this suggestion, is going to a foreign country and trying to comprehend what people are saying. Somebody will come up to you and start rambling on in a foreign tongue and you have no clue what they are saying. Your dog is in the same predicament with you. When you start training your dog, he-she has no clue on earth what you are saying. How is he-she supposed to respond if he-she doesn’t know what you want? As in the above example, the more time you spend in the foreign country, the more familiar you become with the language. You can apply the same principle with your dog. More training leads to more comprehention, leading to the end result, an obedient dog.

- Reward good bahavior. The best way to reinforce good behavior is to reward it. Others may disagree with this statement, but through my experience with my own dog and others around me, I have found that rewarding good behavior can only aid in maintaining that behavior. In my opinion, the best way of rewarding good behavior is through offering toys or treats. Praise is also worthy but would you rather have an icecream cone, or a good handshake? I personally love icecream and would pick that over a handshake anyday. Your dog is driven by his belly in most cases, and you can achieve astonishing success by baiting your dog with the occasional russle of the treat bag.

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1) Why should I crate train my dog?
Crate Training is the fastest and most humane method of housebreaking dogs. Have you ever seen a dog under a table, chair or bed? The reason is that dogs naturally want to seek shelter, even in a house. If you don’t provide it, they will create it themselves in an effort to feel safe and secure. A crate serves as a den for your dog.

2) How does crate training work?
Like babies, puppies cannot control their bladders until they mature (usually between 3 and 6 months). Dogs have a natural instinct to avoid eliminating in their dens. Therefore, confining your puppy in his crate for the proper amount of time encourages him to “hold it” until you take him outside for a walk. Pet Dreams offers Free Crate Training Tips with more step-by-step details.

3) What about housebreaking older dogs?
It is never too late to crate train your dog! The number one reason dogs end up in shelters is behavior problems. Crate training, at any age, can help break bad habits and solve most of these problems.

4) How long do I need to use the crate?
Crates are not just for training- they are good for the lifetime of your dog. By providing a crate for your dog, you are in essence providing him with his own bedroom. Crates are especially important for older dogs that use it to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday family life, which often includes small children or other pets that may harass them.

5) How safe is crate training?
Dog crates are the best housetraining tool available. They provide a room for your dog while protecting your home furnishings from damage. However, even a crate isn’t an absolute safe harbor for your pet. As per crate manufacturers warnings, you should always remove standard collars before placing your dog in a crate. Otherwise, your dog is at risk for possible strangulation if his collar or ID tags become caught in the crate’s bars. Pet Dreams’ Cratewear bumpers are the only bumpers made high enough to help prevent collar strangulation and other crate-related injuries.

6) I was told that dogs like their crates, so why do I have to force mine inside?
There are many reasons to not enjoy a bare metal dog cage.

• Comfort: When dogs lie down in their crates, they are leaning up against wire bars, which can be very irritating. Crate bumpers and pads, like Cratewear, provide the comfort your dog will appreciate.
• Security: Wire crates leave your dog exposed on all sides. Crate covers provide den-like security.
• Location: Separating your dog from the rest of the family can add stress. Dogs are social animals, so the ideal location is a room full of activity. Your dog will enjoy his new room while still being part of the family. At night the bedroom is an ideal place for a crate so your dog will feel the security of being close to you.
• Time: Confining him in his crate for excessive periods of time will be a negative experience for your dog. After housebreaking your dog, we recommend removing the door from the crate so he can enjoy his den any time he chooses.

7) What can I do to make my dog’s crate more appealing?

• Use Cratewear to make his crate safe & comfortable

• Put appropriate toys and treats inside the crate, which will entice him to go in on his own.
• Feeding your dog in his crate can develop a positive association with it.
• Give your puppy lots of praise when he enters the crate.

How do I stop my dog from whining or barking the crate?
Again, make sure the crate is in a good location. Veterinarians and trainers recommend covering the crate to give your dog the privacy he needs to feel secure. If your dog can see you, he’ll want to be with you outside the crate. Crate covers lower the number of distractions your dog sees, which reduces barking and stress. Note: Dogs that suffer from separation anxiety should not be crated. If you feel your dog is suffering from separation anxiety and is showing clinical signs, please avoid crating him until speaking to a professional.

9) What’s in it for me?
Dog crates give your dog a place he can claim as his territory. Providing your dog with a comfortable room of his own will help keep him off your furniture. In addition to the safety and comfort benefits for your dog, Cratewear will enhance your wire crate to fit your decor, making the crate an attractive addition to any room. All of this results in a more positive training experience for you and your pooch!

© 2005 Pet Dreams - Pet Dreams® and Cratewear® are registered trademarks. All rights reserved.

Visit http://www.petdreams.com for our complete line of dog crate covers, crate pads, and pet beds. Our site also contains more crate training tips, FAQs, articles, and forums!

Dogtra

When looking for a dog training collar or containment system, consider Dogtra as an option. This brand of training collar is exceptional in its quality and ability to perform as it claims. Dogtra has many choices and options for pet owners who are looking for a way to control their animal or to find a way to make the dog behave as it should.

Dogtra has many types of systems to help you achieve your goal. They provide systems to contain the animal, as well as bark collars. These products have been utilized by many industries as well. In industries where animals can serve people, teaching them the correct behaviors is key. These industries include firefighting and police departments, hunters, farmers, and even service dogs. These dogs can be trained to sniff out information or find people, or even to help the blind or deaf.

Dogtra’s products are versatile to fit the dog’s size and weight. Dogtra manufactures dog training collars for just about any dog. Most Dogtra systems come with a money back guarantee to help ensure customer satisfaction. Dogtra products are water resistant and many even have rechargeable batteries to limit your costs. Dogtra is a trusted brand in dog training collars.

Dogtra also offers its customers pet containment systems as well. These systems keep pets within their specified boundaries. If you do not wish to install a fence around your yard, a pet containment system by Dogtra will enable you to avoid this and still allow your pet the freedom to roam a selected area. They work by shocking an animal that comes too close to under ground sensors. The sensor transmits back to the collar that the animal is too close and the collar gives off a small electronic stimulation that is similar to static shock to tell the dog to back off. It is quite effective in containing an animal. Dogtra offers some of the best pet containment systems out there.

Whether you are in the market for a dog training collar or a pet containment system, consider Dogtra as a very reliable and cost effective option. With the level of confidence you can have in the systems from Dogtra, you can count on achieving your goal of animal obedience.

http://www.dogtrainingcollars.net

Byron Pappageorge

Training Collars

Training collars are a tool many pet owners utilize to teach their pets boundaries. There are several different types and several different options available to the consumer. If you are in the market to purchase a training collar, you may want to take a few minutes to explore your options and make an informed decision on which type of training collar is for you.

Training collars help to teach the correct behavior to an animal. While they may have to wear it indefinitely, the hope is that the animal will remember and realize that certain behaviors will trigger a discomfort in the form of static shock and therefore shouldn’t be done. For instance, if a pet owner decides to purchase a training collar for their dog to keep them within a yard, the training collar will trigger the animal when it steps over this boundary. But, the animal may never actually remember where that boundary is unless it feels that trigger. In other words, it will be a permanent fixture on the dog while the dog is outside.

Some training that is taught using training collars includes the following. Many hunter, police department, military, and fire workers use training collars to train their animals to serve them. The collars can be used for many reasons within a home as well. Some examples include pets that jump on people or furniture, chasing, destructive chewing, destructive digging, and more. They can also be used to teach a pet how to do good things as well including such commands like sit, stand, come, and others.

Considering these points, a pet owner who is looking to purchase a training collar should weigh which choices they would like to utilize and which are appropriate for their animal. Training collars are great tools in controlling an animal and teaching them to serve people. Without training collars, how would we be able to ensure our pet’s safety and our family’s? It would be much more difficult.

http://www.dogtrainingcollars.net

Byron Pappageorge