Puppy Training
Hi all,
Good day to you.
Just to let you know that I will be away for the next three days, so I would not be posting any writing.
Before I leave, I would like to share with you my last tip on...........
Playing With Your Puppy
The puppy who learns the rules of fetch-and-carry has taken a big step forward into being a well-trained adult dog. In this way, he also finds that learning can be fun. Roughhousing, though not too roughly, teaches him to play and not bite and to work to get something he wants, still without hurting the person holding it.
In the course of a good rough and tumble, you will use words that he will remember next time. He will learn "Stop that," if he gets rough himself. If he needs reprimanding, a firm "No!" and a quick tap on the rump should make him behave.
Protect your puppy against what is really teasing, as when children call it "play" to steal his toys and hold them out of reach or to wrestle too roughly and hurt him. In addition, never play with him, or let children do so, until the point of exhaustion.
Reward him when you are teaching him something new, and let the play increase his understanding of you and your understanding of him. The time you spend with him can develop into a closer bond. He is learning, among other things, that you are his owner.
Have fun and we shall 'woof' again 3 days later.
Take care and have a fantastic weekend.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Friday, June 30, 2006
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Here Are Some Fun & Neat Tricks To Teach Your Puppy!
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Yes, lets have some fun today.
Fun And Neat Tricks To Teach Your Puppy
When your puppy has learned some of the basic training needs, you can practice by turning it all into fun. For example, put the puppy in a Sit-Stay, back off a foot or two, show him a soft toy and toss it to him. Don't go for a catch that requires a Superman leap into the air. The idea is to have him actually catch it!
Put him in a Sit-Stay and let him watch you hide a toy under the edge of a nearby chair. Keep him on a stay for a moment more, perhaps as you wonder out loud "Where is Teddy?" Then give him the release and cue, "Okay - find Teddy!" If he hasn't figured out what to do, help him look for it, but let him "find" it.
Going back to the "as" routine, you can teach your puppy almost any trick that he can perform by himself simply by giving that action a one-word command. (Don't worry if it's actually two words.) Dogs like to roll over onto their backs and wriggle, especially on a nice thick rug! Turn this back-scratching into a trick by catching Sparky as he begins and saying, "Sparky, roll
over. Good boy!"
As your puppy grows up, he'll understand more and more of your language and you'll be able to use phrases that have great impact as tricks. For example, instead of saying "roll over," say, "Sparky, can you do your rollover exercises?" to bring on a wriggling, leg-flailing routine that is worthy of applause. For starters, keep it simple.
When Sparky has reached the stage of being able to hold a steady Sit-Stay, you can add another trick. Balance a small dog biscuit on top of his nose as you say, "On trust." (You may have to hold his head steady the first few times.) When he has held it for a second or two, give him the release signal ("Okay" or "Take it") as you gently but quickly lift his chin up, which will toss the biscuit into the air so he can catch the biscuit as it falls.
Kids and puppies love to play hide-and-seek, but anyone can get in on the game. Dogs seek by scent, so at least in the beginning crouch down to be nearer the pup's level. Put Sparky in a Sit-Stay, let him see you hide (behind a chair or a door), crouch down and then call out "Okay!" Be sure he finds you even if it means you have to call out his name a couple of times. Make a big deal of it when he does - and then repeat the game. Don't make it any more difficult until he can find you instantly at the first level.
Reward him occasionally with a small treat, but make finding you the most exciting part of the game, which means you will progress slowly from hiding where he can at least partially see you, to hiding in another room and eventually the back of a clothes closet where your scent will be masked. He won't play if it isn't fun, so be sure he does find you every time.
Shaking hands is an old favorite and easy to teach - touch the toes and most pups will raise that paw. Lift it gently and say, "Shake hands" (or "Give me a paw") as he does. When that much has been mastered, you can turn it into a paw raised higher, and without shaking it, say, "Wave goodbye!" But that's for later; a polite puppy handshake is fine for now. The opposite of "Off for jumping up is two paws raised in a jump-up greeting, only on a command of "High five!"
Hey, quite a fair bit to teach and play with you puppy, right?
Okie, have fun till we 'woof' again.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Yes, lets have some fun today.
Fun And Neat Tricks To Teach Your Puppy
When your puppy has learned some of the basic training needs, you can practice by turning it all into fun. For example, put the puppy in a Sit-Stay, back off a foot or two, show him a soft toy and toss it to him. Don't go for a catch that requires a Superman leap into the air. The idea is to have him actually catch it!
Put him in a Sit-Stay and let him watch you hide a toy under the edge of a nearby chair. Keep him on a stay for a moment more, perhaps as you wonder out loud "Where is Teddy?" Then give him the release and cue, "Okay - find Teddy!" If he hasn't figured out what to do, help him look for it, but let him "find" it.
Going back to the "as" routine, you can teach your puppy almost any trick that he can perform by himself simply by giving that action a one-word command. (Don't worry if it's actually two words.) Dogs like to roll over onto their backs and wriggle, especially on a nice thick rug! Turn this back-scratching into a trick by catching Sparky as he begins and saying, "Sparky, roll
over. Good boy!"
As your puppy grows up, he'll understand more and more of your language and you'll be able to use phrases that have great impact as tricks. For example, instead of saying "roll over," say, "Sparky, can you do your rollover exercises?" to bring on a wriggling, leg-flailing routine that is worthy of applause. For starters, keep it simple.
When Sparky has reached the stage of being able to hold a steady Sit-Stay, you can add another trick. Balance a small dog biscuit on top of his nose as you say, "On trust." (You may have to hold his head steady the first few times.) When he has held it for a second or two, give him the release signal ("Okay" or "Take it") as you gently but quickly lift his chin up, which will toss the biscuit into the air so he can catch the biscuit as it falls.
Kids and puppies love to play hide-and-seek, but anyone can get in on the game. Dogs seek by scent, so at least in the beginning crouch down to be nearer the pup's level. Put Sparky in a Sit-Stay, let him see you hide (behind a chair or a door), crouch down and then call out "Okay!" Be sure he finds you even if it means you have to call out his name a couple of times. Make a big deal of it when he does - and then repeat the game. Don't make it any more difficult until he can find you instantly at the first level.
Reward him occasionally with a small treat, but make finding you the most exciting part of the game, which means you will progress slowly from hiding where he can at least partially see you, to hiding in another room and eventually the back of a clothes closet where your scent will be masked. He won't play if it isn't fun, so be sure he does find you every time.
Shaking hands is an old favorite and easy to teach - touch the toes and most pups will raise that paw. Lift it gently and say, "Shake hands" (or "Give me a paw") as he does. When that much has been mastered, you can turn it into a paw raised higher, and without shaking it, say, "Wave goodbye!" But that's for later; a polite puppy handshake is fine for now. The opposite of "Off for jumping up is two paws raised in a jump-up greeting, only on a command of "High five!"
Hey, quite a fair bit to teach and play with you puppy, right?
Okie, have fun till we 'woof' again.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
How To Have Fun & Games With Your Puppy?
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Yes, I have decided........... I shall share some fun tricks with you before moving on to behavioral correction.
Fun And Games With Your Puppy
Along with learning his responsibilities and duties, your puppy is also open to learning whatever tricks and games you want to teach. But before you decide to teach him any game or to let some cute puppy behavior continue, ask yourself whether what you think is cute now will be cute in a full-grown dog.
Dogs of all breeds will “Fetch,” “Bring,” and “Give.” Especially if you have a sporting dog that you might hunt with someday, teach the “Give” or “Drop it” command at the same time you teach “Fetch.”. Otherwise, you will spend your hunting days chasing down your dog to get the birds you thought you were going to have for supper!
Once you have taught the basics, you can teach him anything that works well to amuse you both, bond you, and make your lives together happier. The more you are your pup's teacher, the more firmly your pup looks to you as the leader of the pack. As your puppy knows more, he will welcome advanced lessons, be the lessons about what games you like to play or what jobs you want him to do.
Just like children, but on a more limited scale, the puppy thrives on going beyond the basics. While you stick firmly to consistency in things like feeding times and obeying certain commands, you and your maturing puppy can also cope with varying amounts of inconsistency. It is in these areas of innovation that you allow your pup's own unique personality to blossom.
Many people find great fulfillment in obedience training their dogs. A basic obedience course is necessary for anyone who is going to raise a civilized puppy, but one can go far beyond the basics. It all depends on what you want. Watching a well-trained obedience dog work is a pleasure, and in dog shows, it is the obedience ring where you will see the real honesty of dog and owner functioning as a team.
You can go beyond obedience into tracking, too. One does not have to have a bloodhound to participate in this sport. The puppy who has been taught the game of “Go find” can grow up to “Go find” in a very serious way. Dog-sledding is also becoming an increasingly popular sport. If you have ever watched well-trained herding dogs work, you know what precision they exhibit, and you can guess at the time and love it took to train them.
The more you learn about your puppy and his breed, the more you will see that your horizons are limited only by how much time and expense you want to invest in having fun with your canine companion.
The key word is "Be Creative", your puppy learning capability is beyond our imagination, just experiment it.
OK, till we 'woof' again, have fun. :o)
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Yes, I have decided........... I shall share some fun tricks with you before moving on to behavioral correction.
Fun And Games With Your Puppy
Along with learning his responsibilities and duties, your puppy is also open to learning whatever tricks and games you want to teach. But before you decide to teach him any game or to let some cute puppy behavior continue, ask yourself whether what you think is cute now will be cute in a full-grown dog.
Dogs of all breeds will “Fetch,” “Bring,” and “Give.” Especially if you have a sporting dog that you might hunt with someday, teach the “Give” or “Drop it” command at the same time you teach “Fetch.”. Otherwise, you will spend your hunting days chasing down your dog to get the birds you thought you were going to have for supper!
Once you have taught the basics, you can teach him anything that works well to amuse you both, bond you, and make your lives together happier. The more you are your pup's teacher, the more firmly your pup looks to you as the leader of the pack. As your puppy knows more, he will welcome advanced lessons, be the lessons about what games you like to play or what jobs you want him to do.
Just like children, but on a more limited scale, the puppy thrives on going beyond the basics. While you stick firmly to consistency in things like feeding times and obeying certain commands, you and your maturing puppy can also cope with varying amounts of inconsistency. It is in these areas of innovation that you allow your pup's own unique personality to blossom.
Many people find great fulfillment in obedience training their dogs. A basic obedience course is necessary for anyone who is going to raise a civilized puppy, but one can go far beyond the basics. It all depends on what you want. Watching a well-trained obedience dog work is a pleasure, and in dog shows, it is the obedience ring where you will see the real honesty of dog and owner functioning as a team.
You can go beyond obedience into tracking, too. One does not have to have a bloodhound to participate in this sport. The puppy who has been taught the game of “Go find” can grow up to “Go find” in a very serious way. Dog-sledding is also becoming an increasingly popular sport. If you have ever watched well-trained herding dogs work, you know what precision they exhibit, and you can guess at the time and love it took to train them.
The more you learn about your puppy and his breed, the more you will see that your horizons are limited only by how much time and expense you want to invest in having fun with your canine companion.
The key word is "Be Creative", your puppy learning capability is beyond our imagination, just experiment it.
OK, till we 'woof' again, have fun. :o)
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
You Won't Believe This Is How I Trained My Puppy To Focus On Me!
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Good day to you.
Lately, I noticed quite a number of people subscribed to my blog, it is very encouraging, it shows that you enjoy and do learn something from my sharing. Do feel free to pass my blog info to your friends.
Hm..... I will do something to reward all my subscribers.......... he he he...........
Ok, I guess I have shared all the essential commands, I shall close the training command with today's sharing....
Puppy Focus
Focus is the single most important command to teach your puppy. If your dog is looking away from you, he is listening to what he is looking at. Distractions are a large part of life, and you need to teach your dog to ignore them and pay attention to you.
You cannot achieve focus simply by your puppy's name. On a daily basis, you will use his name for many different purposes. Worse yet, you will probably yell his name at him when he is doing something wrong.
The term you will use to teach your dog focus will be a consistently positively reinforced term. He will first learn to look at you on command no matter what is going on around him. Next, he will come to you when you call instead of running away off to who knows where. Here are the
beginning steps necessary to teach attention.
1. Begin training your dog when he has not had any personal contact with you for several hours. Mornings are great because you generally have had no contact with him overnight. A dog who has had minimal contact is more likely to want to give you his attention when the opportunity presents itself. Walk your dog before starting the session. Do not play with him or talk too much, just put him on a lead and walk him for elimination purposes. Afterward, take your dog back into the house so you may begin his training. Keep a leash on him so that you can retain an element of control.
2. Use food as a reward. It is very important that you know what types of edible reinforcers will work on your dog. A hungry dog will be motivated by food, whereas a well-fed dog may show disinterest. Do not feed your dog his meal before training.
3. You will be teaching him to look at your face on command and a good reason for him to look at your face could be that there is great food falling out of your mouth. You could spit out little bits of treats at your dog, whatever food works for him. If you have a small-breed dog or young puppy, you may get on your knees and show your dog a cracker hanging out of your mouth.
When he notices the food, you can let him take a little bit from your mouth. The dog must be able to take this small amount of food gently, to prevent any accidental bites. If your dog is too rough in taking this treat, you may hold the treat in your hand, near your mouth, and give him small amounts as he looks at your face while giving the command. You must eventually be standing erect with your dog looking attentively at your face.
4. Typical commands such as "ready," "look," or "focus" can be used, just be sure to be consistent with your terms. Your dog's name should be used prior to giving the focus command. Making a little clicking sound from your mouth after your command will help to teach your dog to look at you.
Practice this constantly and reward your dog for it. Demand longer periods of focus, as well as focus with distractions. Increase the distraction level while demanding short focus duration. After you have achieved focus at high levels of distraction, such as someone calling your dog, you can move along increasing focus time. When commanded to look at your face, your dog must offer continued focus to you until released or commanded to the next task.
Got it, give it a try, it is really fun to train your puppy to focus on you...... or the food :o)
Okie, that ends the puppy training command, I shall share tips on some puppy behavoral problem or some fun tricks. Let me think it through first, coz I have so much to share.....
Okie, till we 'woof' again, don't forget what you have learnt.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Good day to you.
Lately, I noticed quite a number of people subscribed to my blog, it is very encouraging, it shows that you enjoy and do learn something from my sharing. Do feel free to pass my blog info to your friends.
Hm..... I will do something to reward all my subscribers.......... he he he...........
Ok, I guess I have shared all the essential commands, I shall close the training command with today's sharing....
Puppy Focus
Focus is the single most important command to teach your puppy. If your dog is looking away from you, he is listening to what he is looking at. Distractions are a large part of life, and you need to teach your dog to ignore them and pay attention to you.
You cannot achieve focus simply by your puppy's name. On a daily basis, you will use his name for many different purposes. Worse yet, you will probably yell his name at him when he is doing something wrong.
The term you will use to teach your dog focus will be a consistently positively reinforced term. He will first learn to look at you on command no matter what is going on around him. Next, he will come to you when you call instead of running away off to who knows where. Here are the
beginning steps necessary to teach attention.
1. Begin training your dog when he has not had any personal contact with you for several hours. Mornings are great because you generally have had no contact with him overnight. A dog who has had minimal contact is more likely to want to give you his attention when the opportunity presents itself. Walk your dog before starting the session. Do not play with him or talk too much, just put him on a lead and walk him for elimination purposes. Afterward, take your dog back into the house so you may begin his training. Keep a leash on him so that you can retain an element of control.
2. Use food as a reward. It is very important that you know what types of edible reinforcers will work on your dog. A hungry dog will be motivated by food, whereas a well-fed dog may show disinterest. Do not feed your dog his meal before training.
3. You will be teaching him to look at your face on command and a good reason for him to look at your face could be that there is great food falling out of your mouth. You could spit out little bits of treats at your dog, whatever food works for him. If you have a small-breed dog or young puppy, you may get on your knees and show your dog a cracker hanging out of your mouth.
When he notices the food, you can let him take a little bit from your mouth. The dog must be able to take this small amount of food gently, to prevent any accidental bites. If your dog is too rough in taking this treat, you may hold the treat in your hand, near your mouth, and give him small amounts as he looks at your face while giving the command. You must eventually be standing erect with your dog looking attentively at your face.
4. Typical commands such as "ready," "look," or "focus" can be used, just be sure to be consistent with your terms. Your dog's name should be used prior to giving the focus command. Making a little clicking sound from your mouth after your command will help to teach your dog to look at you.
Practice this constantly and reward your dog for it. Demand longer periods of focus, as well as focus with distractions. Increase the distraction level while demanding short focus duration. After you have achieved focus at high levels of distraction, such as someone calling your dog, you can move along increasing focus time. When commanded to look at your face, your dog must offer continued focus to you until released or commanded to the next task.
Got it, give it a try, it is really fun to train your puppy to focus on you...... or the food :o)
Okie, that ends the puppy training command, I shall share tips on some puppy behavoral problem or some fun tricks. Let me think it through first, coz I have so much to share.....
Okie, till we 'woof' again, don't forget what you have learnt.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Monday, June 26, 2006
Other Essential Puppy Training
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Good day to you.
At this post, I gonna share a very essential command with you - the command of 'Stay'.
How To Teach Your Puppy To Stay
"Stay" needs considerable practice when training your puppy. You can teach him to stay either seated or lying down. By repeated practice, say "Stay," walking away, and acting shocked if he rises and follows. Take him back and go through it again. Always, of course, return to praise him mightily when he has "stayed" for even a few brief seconds. Gradually lengthen the time. You can perfect this obedience command while moving about at housework or in a cellar workshop; it needn't take too much time after the idea has been implanted.
Teaching Your Puppy To "Leave It"
There is one command that your puppy needs to learn for his own protection, and that is the safety command of "Leave it." You are out for a walk and puppy comes upon a roadkill or carelessly discarded garbage. For the sake of his health, you command, "Leave it!" and you will need to enforce it with a gentle snap-and-release of the leash. If he does not hear (or understand) the "Leave it" command, get his attention followed by "Leave it."
This one is so important that at four to six months of age you can even use an entrapment as a teaching tool. When the puppy cannot see you do it, plant a piece of trash, maybe an empty cereal box, on the floor and stick around until the pup goes to investigate. As he goes to sniff it, shout "Leave it!" and as he retreats at the force of your voice, say "Good dog."
It is an extremely versatile and useful command. It also has an amusing side effect. Many young puppies respond to the extreme urgency in your voice and not only "Leave it" but do an instant Down flat on the ground!
Other Essential Puppy Training
Your dog should also learn to walk on a leash without pulling; the command "Heel" is often used here. As with "Stay," practice makes perfect. He should also be taught some signal to use when he wants to go out. The appropriate bark for speak means he will let you know, if you do not see him at the door, that he needs to go out. He should learn not to jump on people, and having him "Sit" as a new friend approaches will control his enthusiasm. He also should not bark and dash forward at anyone, even a suspected interloper, until given a command. He should not be allowed on furniture, unless you permit him on one special chair; he also should not beg for food at the table, although here it is often the family that must be trained, not the dog!
You should see that he is not allowed to wander the neighborhood, making a nuisance of himself, and that he never runs loose in the street. The dog should not go off your premises without being on a leash. Everything you teach him to do or not to do will help at some time, If the leash breaks or he gets outdoors without a collar, obeying your call may save his life. An owner of obedience-trained spaniels once failed to close her house door when she went to cross the street to her car.
Looking back, she saw to her horror two eager little fellows loping down the front steps - and an automobile coming down the street. She called "Down!" raising her arm in the obedience-taught gesture. Instantly, the little things dropped flat, and the car whizzed past between them and their mistress. Not till she called "Come!" did they rise and trot happily to her. Obedience training won't "make a robot" of your dog. It certainly will make a better citizen of him - and who knows? - of you. That's all we could ask, isn't it?
Ok, that's all for today.
Till we 'woof' again, don't forget to practise the commands with your puppy.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Good day to you.
At this post, I gonna share a very essential command with you - the command of 'Stay'.
How To Teach Your Puppy To Stay
"Stay" needs considerable practice when training your puppy. You can teach him to stay either seated or lying down. By repeated practice, say "Stay," walking away, and acting shocked if he rises and follows. Take him back and go through it again. Always, of course, return to praise him mightily when he has "stayed" for even a few brief seconds. Gradually lengthen the time. You can perfect this obedience command while moving about at housework or in a cellar workshop; it needn't take too much time after the idea has been implanted.
Teaching Your Puppy To "Leave It"
There is one command that your puppy needs to learn for his own protection, and that is the safety command of "Leave it." You are out for a walk and puppy comes upon a roadkill or carelessly discarded garbage. For the sake of his health, you command, "Leave it!" and you will need to enforce it with a gentle snap-and-release of the leash. If he does not hear (or understand) the "Leave it" command, get his attention followed by "Leave it."
This one is so important that at four to six months of age you can even use an entrapment as a teaching tool. When the puppy cannot see you do it, plant a piece of trash, maybe an empty cereal box, on the floor and stick around until the pup goes to investigate. As he goes to sniff it, shout "Leave it!" and as he retreats at the force of your voice, say "Good dog."
It is an extremely versatile and useful command. It also has an amusing side effect. Many young puppies respond to the extreme urgency in your voice and not only "Leave it" but do an instant Down flat on the ground!
Other Essential Puppy Training
Your dog should also learn to walk on a leash without pulling; the command "Heel" is often used here. As with "Stay," practice makes perfect. He should also be taught some signal to use when he wants to go out. The appropriate bark for speak means he will let you know, if you do not see him at the door, that he needs to go out. He should learn not to jump on people, and having him "Sit" as a new friend approaches will control his enthusiasm. He also should not bark and dash forward at anyone, even a suspected interloper, until given a command. He should not be allowed on furniture, unless you permit him on one special chair; he also should not beg for food at the table, although here it is often the family that must be trained, not the dog!
You should see that he is not allowed to wander the neighborhood, making a nuisance of himself, and that he never runs loose in the street. The dog should not go off your premises without being on a leash. Everything you teach him to do or not to do will help at some time, If the leash breaks or he gets outdoors without a collar, obeying your call may save his life. An owner of obedience-trained spaniels once failed to close her house door when she went to cross the street to her car.
Looking back, she saw to her horror two eager little fellows loping down the front steps - and an automobile coming down the street. She called "Down!" raising her arm in the obedience-taught gesture. Instantly, the little things dropped flat, and the car whizzed past between them and their mistress. Not till she called "Come!" did they rise and trot happily to her. Obedience training won't "make a robot" of your dog. It certainly will make a better citizen of him - and who knows? - of you. That's all we could ask, isn't it?
Ok, that's all for today.
Till we 'woof' again, don't forget to practise the commands with your puppy.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Sunday, June 25, 2006
How To Teach Your Puppy To Come And Fetch?
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Today, we shall share a very fun trick.
Teaching Your Puppy To Come And Fetch
In teaching your puppy the "Come" command, position yourself several feet away from him. Kneel or bend down, say his name and then come, at the same time you are clapping your hands. Repeat this several times if necessary to get the puppy to come to you. As the puppy begins to understand this exercise, and as you begin to get his attention more easily, move back a few feet farther.
Do not make the mistake of calling him from a distance of twenty-five or thirty yards when he is not paying attention to you. If you do that and he ignores you, you are teaching him that it is okay to ignore you. You are defeating the purpose of puppy pre-training, which is to pattern him to pay attention to you and to do what you ask of him.
Another great activity is the "Fetch" command. Even if you have a breed that is not a
retriever, fetching is a great thing for the puppy to learn. It is not only an easy and pleasant way to exercise a dog but is also the basis for many other tasks the dog can learn in the future such as carrying the newspaper.
Teaching retrieving is easy and fun if you do not expect perfect performance the first few times. Remind yourself that this will not come naturally to all pups at first, especially the very independent and the very shy pups. You just have to keep at it. The rewards are great. The younger you begin teaching this, the easier it will be.
Tie a sock or small cloth (white or light color) in a knot. Dangle it excitingly in front of the pup's mouth. Encourage him if he starts to lick it or opens his mouth. Toss the sock a couple of feet in front of the pup. If he goes to it and sniffs, praise him like crazy! If he picks it up, attract his attention to come back to you by calling him, clapping your hands, patting the floor or whatever will entice him to return. Do not overdo this exercise. Two or three retrieves at a time is plenty. If he is not too excited about it, once is enough.
Gradually increase the length of your throw. If the pup reaches the point where he picks it up and runs away, put a cord or string on his collar and gently guide him back to you. Some people prefer using a small ball. The movement is a good attention-getter. Just be sure that you do not throw the ball too far to get the pup's attention.
Experts suggest using a brightly colored ball and rolling it off his nose from the top of his head. If the movement of the ball does not interest the pup, face him close to a wall so that the ball will roll back out towards the pup again.
Ok, go and teach your puppy to fetch this weekend and have fun. :o)
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Today, we shall share a very fun trick.
Teaching Your Puppy To Come And Fetch
In teaching your puppy the "Come" command, position yourself several feet away from him. Kneel or bend down, say his name and then come, at the same time you are clapping your hands. Repeat this several times if necessary to get the puppy to come to you. As the puppy begins to understand this exercise, and as you begin to get his attention more easily, move back a few feet farther.
Do not make the mistake of calling him from a distance of twenty-five or thirty yards when he is not paying attention to you. If you do that and he ignores you, you are teaching him that it is okay to ignore you. You are defeating the purpose of puppy pre-training, which is to pattern him to pay attention to you and to do what you ask of him.
Another great activity is the "Fetch" command. Even if you have a breed that is not a
retriever, fetching is a great thing for the puppy to learn. It is not only an easy and pleasant way to exercise a dog but is also the basis for many other tasks the dog can learn in the future such as carrying the newspaper.
Teaching retrieving is easy and fun if you do not expect perfect performance the first few times. Remind yourself that this will not come naturally to all pups at first, especially the very independent and the very shy pups. You just have to keep at it. The rewards are great. The younger you begin teaching this, the easier it will be.
Tie a sock or small cloth (white or light color) in a knot. Dangle it excitingly in front of the pup's mouth. Encourage him if he starts to lick it or opens his mouth. Toss the sock a couple of feet in front of the pup. If he goes to it and sniffs, praise him like crazy! If he picks it up, attract his attention to come back to you by calling him, clapping your hands, patting the floor or whatever will entice him to return. Do not overdo this exercise. Two or three retrieves at a time is plenty. If he is not too excited about it, once is enough.
Gradually increase the length of your throw. If the pup reaches the point where he picks it up and runs away, put a cord or string on his collar and gently guide him back to you. Some people prefer using a small ball. The movement is a good attention-getter. Just be sure that you do not throw the ball too far to get the pup's attention.
Experts suggest using a brightly colored ball and rolling it off his nose from the top of his head. If the movement of the ball does not interest the pup, face him close to a wall so that the ball will roll back out towards the pup again.
Ok, go and teach your puppy to fetch this weekend and have fun. :o)
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Saturday, June 24, 2006
How To Train Your Puppy To Heel?
Puppy Training
Hi all,
As promised, today we shall learn how to train our doggie friend to heel.
How To Train Your Puppy To Heel
What is heeling? Heeling is not the same as going for a walk. Heeling is an obedience exercise in which the dog stays close beside you, paying attention only to you and where you are going. As your puppy grows up, heeling will become the safe way for you to walk your dog through crowds and across streets, ignoring all normal or unusual distractions. It is the easiest lesson to begin with because you'll be taking your new puppy outside on leash to eliminate and you can practice three times on each trip - on your way out, after he relieves himself, and coming back inside.
This will not be the heeling exercise as done in obedience class, but more of a lesson in "pre-heeling" because you can begin off-lead anywhere that's safe, indoors or out. And instead of "Heel," use the friendlier "Let's go!"
Begin by getting the pup's attention as he's trotting along next to you, to make him conscious of what he is doing. Some pups will follow if you lean over, quietly clapping your hands in front of their nose; some like to hear cheerful chatter; others just want to go wherever you go. As you move along, you can add an occasional, "Sparky, watch me!" No doubt by now you've noticed that some one-word commands are actually two or three words. Just run them together and your puppy will catch on perfectly.
Hold his attention by walking just quickly enough to make the puppy want to keep up with you. If he's not paying attention, stop and begin again. No correction. It all begins with just one step in the right direction, followed by verbal praise. Following a treat that smells good may get him started, but if a young pup's attention is totally elsewhere, this is not the right moment for a lesson. A few minutes of playtime, followed by a drink of water, may put him back on track to try again. Or wait until next time. You can practice anywhere, anytime, on or off leash. As you notice him walking next to you, take advantage of the opportunity to get in a speedy, "Let's go! - good dog."
Be realistic in what you expect of a puppy. A few steps on command earn a reward. A few more steps earn a reward. A week later Sparky is heeling nicely so praise and quit practicing immediately! Practice again later. During winter or rainy days, when outside lessons
are not possible. A long hallway or a basement is perfect for indoor training. No distractions, limited space so your pup cannot go too far wrong, and you're sure to have his attention because you are the most fascinating thing around.
Add some right turns for variety and to be sure he is really paying attention. As you make the turn, bend over and clap your hands to keep him on course. Left turns are harder because you have more to do. Put your left foot in front of the pup to gently guide him into the turn. Careful, or you'll step on the pup and he won't think this game is very much fun! However, if your left foot happens to bump the puppy, or he plows into it, don't apologize. If he thinks it was his mistake, he will learn to pay closer attention. Repeat the "Watch me" signal.
Fun? "Heeling" is a little bit more challenging than those commands we have learnt, just be patient and more practice, your doggie friends will pick up the trick.
Ok, till we 'woof' again, have fun.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
As promised, today we shall learn how to train our doggie friend to heel.
How To Train Your Puppy To Heel
What is heeling? Heeling is not the same as going for a walk. Heeling is an obedience exercise in which the dog stays close beside you, paying attention only to you and where you are going. As your puppy grows up, heeling will become the safe way for you to walk your dog through crowds and across streets, ignoring all normal or unusual distractions. It is the easiest lesson to begin with because you'll be taking your new puppy outside on leash to eliminate and you can practice three times on each trip - on your way out, after he relieves himself, and coming back inside.
This will not be the heeling exercise as done in obedience class, but more of a lesson in "pre-heeling" because you can begin off-lead anywhere that's safe, indoors or out. And instead of "Heel," use the friendlier "Let's go!"
Begin by getting the pup's attention as he's trotting along next to you, to make him conscious of what he is doing. Some pups will follow if you lean over, quietly clapping your hands in front of their nose; some like to hear cheerful chatter; others just want to go wherever you go. As you move along, you can add an occasional, "Sparky, watch me!" No doubt by now you've noticed that some one-word commands are actually two or three words. Just run them together and your puppy will catch on perfectly.
Hold his attention by walking just quickly enough to make the puppy want to keep up with you. If he's not paying attention, stop and begin again. No correction. It all begins with just one step in the right direction, followed by verbal praise. Following a treat that smells good may get him started, but if a young pup's attention is totally elsewhere, this is not the right moment for a lesson. A few minutes of playtime, followed by a drink of water, may put him back on track to try again. Or wait until next time. You can practice anywhere, anytime, on or off leash. As you notice him walking next to you, take advantage of the opportunity to get in a speedy, "Let's go! - good dog."
Be realistic in what you expect of a puppy. A few steps on command earn a reward. A few more steps earn a reward. A week later Sparky is heeling nicely so praise and quit practicing immediately! Practice again later. During winter or rainy days, when outside lessons
are not possible. A long hallway or a basement is perfect for indoor training. No distractions, limited space so your pup cannot go too far wrong, and you're sure to have his attention because you are the most fascinating thing around.
Add some right turns for variety and to be sure he is really paying attention. As you make the turn, bend over and clap your hands to keep him on course. Left turns are harder because you have more to do. Put your left foot in front of the pup to gently guide him into the turn. Careful, or you'll step on the pup and he won't think this game is very much fun! However, if your left foot happens to bump the puppy, or he plows into it, don't apologize. If he thinks it was his mistake, he will learn to pay closer attention. Repeat the "Watch me" signal.
Fun? "Heeling" is a little bit more challenging than those commands we have learnt, just be patient and more practice, your doggie friends will pick up the trick.
Ok, till we 'woof' again, have fun.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Friday, June 23, 2006
How To Teach Your Puppy To "Down"?
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Lets move on to the "down" command.
Teaching Your Puppy "Down"
As far as command position, “Down” is as low as you can get, and it is difficult for some puppies to accept. What is called the "dominant down", a forced positioning of the puppy on his side with your hand on his neck/shoulder area; is restraint, not teaching.
If your puppy is off-the-wall rambunctious and you are losing control, the dominant down is one method of regaining it - but never in anger, always firmly but gently. The drawback is you can get yourself into a struggling wrestling match - and come out the loser. Placing your hands on the puppy's shoulders and calmly saying "Settle" is a preferable, less combative method. Remember the rule to let a dog perform the desired action by himself.
With your puppy doing a Sit-Stay, hold a treat in the fingers of your right hand (let him sniff it or see it), run that hand in front of his nose, down and out toward your feet. Be prepared to use your left hand on his shoulders only if necessary to guide him into the Down position, which is flat on his tummy with front legs flat out in front. Deliver the treat and a "Good down” and release.
When the puppy can do a Down all by himself in response to "Down," you can skip the treat intermittently, begin to add a "Stay" and gradually - very gradually - work up to a Down of one minute. As he matures, he will be able to stay down for five minutes (or more if necessary), but even one minute is an eternity for an active pup, and you need to remain within a foot or two to start the exercise over again should he get up.
It cannot be emphasized enough: Go slowly - one step at a rime - in all puppy training. If he did it right the first time, chalk it up to beginner's luck, both his and yours! Without steady repetition, he will forget it just as quickly. It takes the patient, consistent practice of each part of an exercise for the pup to learn that he must do it every time you tell him. If you go too fast, you will only confuse him.
And lastly, pronounce each word distinctly. "Sit," "Stand" and "Stay" are easily blurred beyond the pup's recognition. Put the "t" in “Sit.” Emphasize the "t" and "a" in “Stay” and put the "a-n-d" in “Stand.” Make “Down” an upbeat word, not a growl.
Ok, that's all for today, lets touch a command that is more fun tomorrow, that is "heel".
So stay tuned.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Lets move on to the "down" command.
Teaching Your Puppy "Down"
As far as command position, “Down” is as low as you can get, and it is difficult for some puppies to accept. What is called the "dominant down", a forced positioning of the puppy on his side with your hand on his neck/shoulder area; is restraint, not teaching.
If your puppy is off-the-wall rambunctious and you are losing control, the dominant down is one method of regaining it - but never in anger, always firmly but gently. The drawback is you can get yourself into a struggling wrestling match - and come out the loser. Placing your hands on the puppy's shoulders and calmly saying "Settle" is a preferable, less combative method. Remember the rule to let a dog perform the desired action by himself.
With your puppy doing a Sit-Stay, hold a treat in the fingers of your right hand (let him sniff it or see it), run that hand in front of his nose, down and out toward your feet. Be prepared to use your left hand on his shoulders only if necessary to guide him into the Down position, which is flat on his tummy with front legs flat out in front. Deliver the treat and a "Good down” and release.
When the puppy can do a Down all by himself in response to "Down," you can skip the treat intermittently, begin to add a "Stay" and gradually - very gradually - work up to a Down of one minute. As he matures, he will be able to stay down for five minutes (or more if necessary), but even one minute is an eternity for an active pup, and you need to remain within a foot or two to start the exercise over again should he get up.
It cannot be emphasized enough: Go slowly - one step at a rime - in all puppy training. If he did it right the first time, chalk it up to beginner's luck, both his and yours! Without steady repetition, he will forget it just as quickly. It takes the patient, consistent practice of each part of an exercise for the pup to learn that he must do it every time you tell him. If you go too fast, you will only confuse him.
And lastly, pronounce each word distinctly. "Sit," "Stand" and "Stay" are easily blurred beyond the pup's recognition. Put the "t" in “Sit.” Emphasize the "t" and "a" in “Stay” and put the "a-n-d" in “Stand.” Make “Down” an upbeat word, not a growl.
Ok, that's all for today, lets touch a command that is more fun tomorrow, that is "heel".
So stay tuned.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Thursday, June 22, 2006
How To Teach Your Puppy To Stand?
Puppy Training
Hi all,
After learning "come", "sit", now it is time to teach your puppy the "stand" command.
Teaching Your Puppy "Stand"
When you give a dog any command, you have automatically assumed a dominant role and put the dog into a submissive one. Standing is a somewhat dominant canine posture, whereas the Sit and the Down are submissive canine positions, so it is sometimes difficult to teach a naturally submissive puppy to Stand when told. Given the command "Stand," many dogs will obey, but quickly lower their tails, ears and head - all submissive body language. Be gentle and patient. A perfect puppy Stand has four feet on the ground (that's the hard part), but it's also nice to see the head up and the tail wagging. Don't worry if at first your puppy would rather be a clown than stand still. Eventually they all grow up.
Let's say your puppy Rufus is learning the word "Stay" which (fortunately in this case) sounds a little like "Stand." Whenever you catch him standing still, it can work to your advantage. The puppy may pause for a moment to figure out which one you said, giving you the perfect opportunity to reinforce it with a "good stand." However, puppies do not spend much time standing around, so you'll have to teach him, not just rely on trying to catch him in the act. One way is to walk him into a stand.
When he is pretty good at heeling, slow down and as you come to a stop, bring your right hand in front of him (palm side toward his nose) as you say "Stand." Perform this hand signal gently or Rufus will think he is going to be zonked and he'll duck! Practice by taking one or two slow steps (without a "Let's go" command) followed by a "Stand" command. Getting that head held high and happy and the tail wagging calls for a treat poised for a moment with a
"Watch me!" A couple of reasonable or good "stands" are followed by a rousing romp in the early days of training. Standing still is very hard.
Again, take advantage of every possible occasion to ask your puppy to Stand. If you've been asking him to Sit before putting his dinner on the floor, now you can alternate a Sit with a Stand - and offer a treat reward right out of the dinner bowl. Use the Stand command to begin a brushing/grooming session, but release him after a few seconds. A "perfect stand" is only required of an adult dog for about a minute. Standing is necessary for at least part of his weekly grooming, but not standing at attention. In fact, during every grooming session you can make use Of the Sit, the Stand, and the Down.
Ok, that's all for the command "stand", shall proceed to the command "down" tomorrow.
Till we 'woof' again, keep standing. :o)
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
After learning "come", "sit", now it is time to teach your puppy the "stand" command.
Teaching Your Puppy "Stand"
When you give a dog any command, you have automatically assumed a dominant role and put the dog into a submissive one. Standing is a somewhat dominant canine posture, whereas the Sit and the Down are submissive canine positions, so it is sometimes difficult to teach a naturally submissive puppy to Stand when told. Given the command "Stand," many dogs will obey, but quickly lower their tails, ears and head - all submissive body language. Be gentle and patient. A perfect puppy Stand has four feet on the ground (that's the hard part), but it's also nice to see the head up and the tail wagging. Don't worry if at first your puppy would rather be a clown than stand still. Eventually they all grow up.
Let's say your puppy Rufus is learning the word "Stay" which (fortunately in this case) sounds a little like "Stand." Whenever you catch him standing still, it can work to your advantage. The puppy may pause for a moment to figure out which one you said, giving you the perfect opportunity to reinforce it with a "good stand." However, puppies do not spend much time standing around, so you'll have to teach him, not just rely on trying to catch him in the act. One way is to walk him into a stand.
When he is pretty good at heeling, slow down and as you come to a stop, bring your right hand in front of him (palm side toward his nose) as you say "Stand." Perform this hand signal gently or Rufus will think he is going to be zonked and he'll duck! Practice by taking one or two slow steps (without a "Let's go" command) followed by a "Stand" command. Getting that head held high and happy and the tail wagging calls for a treat poised for a moment with a
"Watch me!" A couple of reasonable or good "stands" are followed by a rousing romp in the early days of training. Standing still is very hard.
Again, take advantage of every possible occasion to ask your puppy to Stand. If you've been asking him to Sit before putting his dinner on the floor, now you can alternate a Sit with a Stand - and offer a treat reward right out of the dinner bowl. Use the Stand command to begin a brushing/grooming session, but release him after a few seconds. A "perfect stand" is only required of an adult dog for about a minute. Standing is necessary for at least part of his weekly grooming, but not standing at attention. In fact, during every grooming session you can make use Of the Sit, the Stand, and the Down.
Ok, that's all for the command "stand", shall proceed to the command "down" tomorrow.
Till we 'woof' again, keep standing. :o)
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
How To Teach Your Puppy To Sit?
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Have you tried out the "come" command?
Now, lets go on with the 'sit' command.
Teaching Your Puppy To Sit
The "Sit" command is an easy way to have your puppy show off his good manners. He can sit
when visitor comes, when you meet a friend out walking, when you are preparing his dinner, or when he has to wait for just about anything. It is also one of the easiest exercises to practice because you can ask him to sit whenever and wherever you like. A Sit is especially good for little everyday things, like having his leash attached.
The command is to say his name and then “Sit!” All commands should be preceded by the dog's name; that is to get his attention so he knows you are not talking to anyone else. Puppies are proud to have a name. It is when they reach adolescence that they, like other teenagers, pretend they do not hear you. Any time you see the puppy about to sit, quickly say, "Sit, good dog." If he is already sitting nicely give him a "good sit" reward.
The easiest way to teach a young puppy to sit is to get his attention with a treat held in front and just above his nose to make him look up. Then slowly move the treat backward over his head. Because he wants to keep his eye on the treat, his backside will have to drop to the floor. It takes a little practice (on your part, too) but it is a tried and true means of getting an unforced sit. As he assumes the position, give the command, "Sit" and hand out a tiny portion of the treat.
That is motivational teaching. The puppy performs the desired action by himself. The other way is to have the pup beside you on your left side, hold a treat in front of him with your right hand, and gently press down on his hindquarters with your left hand. With a large puppy, you could put your left arm around his hindquarters and with a gentle forward motion, bend his knees, forcing the sit. As you are coping with all that, brightly say, "Sit.”
If you followed the first method, and he is doing a prompt Sit every time you give the command, you will soon graduate to using just the hand signal, making the same upward motion with your hand, palm up as you did in raising the treat over his head, and the pup will do a very nice sit.
Ok, it is action time now, go try out the two methods illustrated above.
Till we 'woof' again, have fun.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Have you tried out the "come" command?
Now, lets go on with the 'sit' command.
Teaching Your Puppy To Sit
The "Sit" command is an easy way to have your puppy show off his good manners. He can sit
when visitor comes, when you meet a friend out walking, when you are preparing his dinner, or when he has to wait for just about anything. It is also one of the easiest exercises to practice because you can ask him to sit whenever and wherever you like. A Sit is especially good for little everyday things, like having his leash attached.
The command is to say his name and then “Sit!” All commands should be preceded by the dog's name; that is to get his attention so he knows you are not talking to anyone else. Puppies are proud to have a name. It is when they reach adolescence that they, like other teenagers, pretend they do not hear you. Any time you see the puppy about to sit, quickly say, "Sit, good dog." If he is already sitting nicely give him a "good sit" reward.
The easiest way to teach a young puppy to sit is to get his attention with a treat held in front and just above his nose to make him look up. Then slowly move the treat backward over his head. Because he wants to keep his eye on the treat, his backside will have to drop to the floor. It takes a little practice (on your part, too) but it is a tried and true means of getting an unforced sit. As he assumes the position, give the command, "Sit" and hand out a tiny portion of the treat.
That is motivational teaching. The puppy performs the desired action by himself. The other way is to have the pup beside you on your left side, hold a treat in front of him with your right hand, and gently press down on his hindquarters with your left hand. With a large puppy, you could put your left arm around his hindquarters and with a gentle forward motion, bend his knees, forcing the sit. As you are coping with all that, brightly say, "Sit.”
If you followed the first method, and he is doing a prompt Sit every time you give the command, you will soon graduate to using just the hand signal, making the same upward motion with your hand, palm up as you did in raising the treat over his head, and the pup will do a very nice sit.
Ok, it is action time now, go try out the two methods illustrated above.
Till we 'woof' again, have fun.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
How To Teach Your Puppy To Come?
Puppy Training
Hi all,
As promised, today we are going to learn some command to train our doggie friends.
Lets begin with our first command .........
Teaching Your Puppy To Come
Teaching a young puppy to come when called starts off perfectly. The puppy learns his name and that people use it when they want to give him something fabulous like dinner or a new toy, so he comes running. Well, he soon learns it is not a perfect world. He may hear his name called to come in from outdoors just when he is having fun or while enjoying a nap.
The biggest, the number one mistake people make with this command is to say “Come!" when there is no possible way to enforce it. The puppy only has to disobey a few times when he hears "Come!" and you have taught him (and he has learned) that he has an option. He can come, or not.
Never give him that choice. Only call "Come" if the puppy is on his way into your outstretched arms, or on leash so you can guide him toward you. That rule is in effect until your adult dog is "proofed" (tested by numerous and diverse distractions) at about two years of age. And to be honest, with lots of dogs, it is a lifetime rule.
The second biggest mistake is to call the puppy to come to you and then scold him. Children are guilty of doing this, so be sure that they understand they must never do it to their puppy. If you catch your pet being naughty, you go to him. If he was up to no good and you come upon the scene of the crime even one minute later, it is too late to scold or punish a dog. Just never say, "Come" if you are angry.
Your tone of voice will tell him not to come, not to come anywhere near you; you have set him up to disobey you. So say "Come" when he is happily trotting toward you, or when you have him on leash a few feet in front of you and can guide him to you if he is distracted. Until he is older and much better educated, call the puppy with just his name. When he responds
and is racing toward you, then get in a "Come good dog" as quickly as you can say it.
Always use a happy voice, crouch down, open your arms wide, smile, and when your puppy is on his way, say "Come!" If you have been having trouble getting a prompt response, have a treat ready. Another way to encourage a puppy to come to you is to pretend to run the other way. As the pup comes after you, stop, turn and say, "Come!" (Smile, treat or pat.) It is the irresistible game of chase and puppies love it!
Ok, that's all for today, will learn another command tomorrow.
Till we 'woof' again, have fun training your puppy.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
As promised, today we are going to learn some command to train our doggie friends.
Lets begin with our first command .........
Teaching Your Puppy To Come
Teaching a young puppy to come when called starts off perfectly. The puppy learns his name and that people use it when they want to give him something fabulous like dinner or a new toy, so he comes running. Well, he soon learns it is not a perfect world. He may hear his name called to come in from outdoors just when he is having fun or while enjoying a nap.
The biggest, the number one mistake people make with this command is to say “Come!" when there is no possible way to enforce it. The puppy only has to disobey a few times when he hears "Come!" and you have taught him (and he has learned) that he has an option. He can come, or not.
Never give him that choice. Only call "Come" if the puppy is on his way into your outstretched arms, or on leash so you can guide him toward you. That rule is in effect until your adult dog is "proofed" (tested by numerous and diverse distractions) at about two years of age. And to be honest, with lots of dogs, it is a lifetime rule.
The second biggest mistake is to call the puppy to come to you and then scold him. Children are guilty of doing this, so be sure that they understand they must never do it to their puppy. If you catch your pet being naughty, you go to him. If he was up to no good and you come upon the scene of the crime even one minute later, it is too late to scold or punish a dog. Just never say, "Come" if you are angry.
Your tone of voice will tell him not to come, not to come anywhere near you; you have set him up to disobey you. So say "Come" when he is happily trotting toward you, or when you have him on leash a few feet in front of you and can guide him to you if he is distracted. Until he is older and much better educated, call the puppy with just his name. When he responds
and is racing toward you, then get in a "Come good dog" as quickly as you can say it.
Always use a happy voice, crouch down, open your arms wide, smile, and when your puppy is on his way, say "Come!" If you have been having trouble getting a prompt response, have a treat ready. Another way to encourage a puppy to come to you is to pretend to run the other way. As the pup comes after you, stop, turn and say, "Come!" (Smile, treat or pat.) It is the irresistible game of chase and puppies love it!
Ok, that's all for today, will learn another command tomorrow.
Till we 'woof' again, have fun training your puppy.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Do You Know The Puppy Training Tips Every Dog Owner Must Know?
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Alright, we have been preparing for the training, and at this post, I will give a brief introduction before we kick off the actual training today. :o)
Puppy Training Tips Every Dog Owner Must Know
There are six standard commands: Heel, Come, Sit, Stand, Stay, and Down. With a new puppy, it does not matter too much where you begin. The important thing is to practice any old time everyday and never to be in any hurry to go to the next lesson. You do not set the pace for learning, you puppy does.
Training sessions should last only two to five minutes, which is approximately the length of your pup's attention span. If you push him longer than that, he will stop paying attention to you. This is FUN stuff! (You may also need to repeat that ten times to remind yourself occasionally.) End every session with a near-perfect performance. That could be one two-second sit, or three little "heeling" steps next to you. Tell him how "perfect" it was. Lay it on him! Really let him know how pleased you are he got it right.
Do not start a training session immediately after the pup has eaten because he'll be sleepy and those treat rewards won't be as enticing. However, you can practice at any odd time throughout the day, even if it is a three-second "stay." Your pup will love the attention.
Motivation for a puppy to do anything at all lies first in his desire to please you. Realistically,
treats run a close second. Dog biscuits do not make good training treats because they take too long to chew. Tiny bits of plain cheese are the perfect taste-treat. A thin slice of hot dog will perk up the interest of almost any dog that's not concentrating.
Rewards come in three forms: treats, pats and verbal praise. To grade your "student's" qualification for a reward, consider a treat the equivalent of an "A," a pat a "B," and verbal praise a "C." Any two together equal an A+, so be very careful not to go overboard or you'll run out of appropriate compensation and the pup will quit.
Verbal praise has a range from ecstatic (for the first few correct responses from a very young pup) to a calm "good dog" as Sparky grows up and becomes more expert. Don't overuse cheese or hot dog treats when practicing. As each word command is fully learned, gradually cut back on the treats and substitute "good dog" or just a big smile.
What you say to a puppy and how you say it can determine how quickly he learns. All conversation is perceived by the dog as meaningless sound. Try this: In the midst of some long-winded chit-chat, say his name emphatically and watch him take notice. When using the one-word training commands, remember that lesson. His name gives you his attention; one word tells him what to do. It is "Sparky, SIT" - loud and clear. Never, "Sparky, Sit. Sit. Sit. “Sparky, you're not listening - I said Sit. SIT, Sparky! "That is called nagging, and Sparky will tune you out. The puppy is not being disobedient or stubborn. He's just confused - totally! And avoid sounding like a drill sergeant! Smile, speak clearly and let the dog do the barking!
Ok, that's about all I need to share before we start the actual training at my next post, so stay tuned.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Alright, we have been preparing for the training, and at this post, I will give a brief introduction before we kick off the actual training today. :o)
Puppy Training Tips Every Dog Owner Must Know
There are six standard commands: Heel, Come, Sit, Stand, Stay, and Down. With a new puppy, it does not matter too much where you begin. The important thing is to practice any old time everyday and never to be in any hurry to go to the next lesson. You do not set the pace for learning, you puppy does.
Training sessions should last only two to five minutes, which is approximately the length of your pup's attention span. If you push him longer than that, he will stop paying attention to you. This is FUN stuff! (You may also need to repeat that ten times to remind yourself occasionally.) End every session with a near-perfect performance. That could be one two-second sit, or three little "heeling" steps next to you. Tell him how "perfect" it was. Lay it on him! Really let him know how pleased you are he got it right.
Do not start a training session immediately after the pup has eaten because he'll be sleepy and those treat rewards won't be as enticing. However, you can practice at any odd time throughout the day, even if it is a three-second "stay." Your pup will love the attention.
Motivation for a puppy to do anything at all lies first in his desire to please you. Realistically,
treats run a close second. Dog biscuits do not make good training treats because they take too long to chew. Tiny bits of plain cheese are the perfect taste-treat. A thin slice of hot dog will perk up the interest of almost any dog that's not concentrating.
Rewards come in three forms: treats, pats and verbal praise. To grade your "student's" qualification for a reward, consider a treat the equivalent of an "A," a pat a "B," and verbal praise a "C." Any two together equal an A+, so be very careful not to go overboard or you'll run out of appropriate compensation and the pup will quit.
Verbal praise has a range from ecstatic (for the first few correct responses from a very young pup) to a calm "good dog" as Sparky grows up and becomes more expert. Don't overuse cheese or hot dog treats when practicing. As each word command is fully learned, gradually cut back on the treats and substitute "good dog" or just a big smile.
What you say to a puppy and how you say it can determine how quickly he learns. All conversation is perceived by the dog as meaningless sound. Try this: In the midst of some long-winded chit-chat, say his name emphatically and watch him take notice. When using the one-word training commands, remember that lesson. His name gives you his attention; one word tells him what to do. It is "Sparky, SIT" - loud and clear. Never, "Sparky, Sit. Sit. Sit. “Sparky, you're not listening - I said Sit. SIT, Sparky! "That is called nagging, and Sparky will tune you out. The puppy is not being disobedient or stubborn. He's just confused - totally! And avoid sounding like a drill sergeant! Smile, speak clearly and let the dog do the barking!
Ok, that's about all I need to share before we start the actual training at my next post, so stay tuned.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Somemore........ What You Need To Know In Training Your Puppy?
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Lets continue..........
What You Need To Know In Training Your Puppy: Part 3
After the pup has a good idea of what you want him to do, begin to ease off using tidbits every time. Do not let yourself use tidbits as a bribe. It is very easy to fall into the trap of thinking that if you give a puppy a treat he will be good. But from the dog's viewpoint, it looks like you are treating him as top dog and whatever he wants to do is okay with you. So only use tidbits when you are teaching a specific thing and only long enough to be sure he has learned it and associates the act with the word for it. Then ease off to the point of stopping the use.
Do Not Expect Overnight Results:
Puppies learn in spurts and starts. One day he may know absolutely everything and perform to perfection. The next day it is as though he never had a moment's training. Too many owners make the mistake of thinking that if their puppy does it right once or twice he knows it forever, but it really takes hundreds of repetitions for a puppy to learn something.
A puppy or a dog needs at least one month of consistent daily repetition before any action becomes a part of his routine. Train the pup consistently for one month, then continue for one month longer than you think is necessary. Then you can expect him to know what you are talking about, but you must continue daily use of the commands, using an occasional reminder when the pup is having an "off" day.
Be Consistent:
There is a wide range of individual approaches to working with a puppy. Each person will be guiding his own puppy to live in harmony with the lifestyle of that particular home. Similar to raising children, there are many different learning environments that can, each one, be successful. The key to success is to be consistent in your demands and your discipline.
Puppies Need Feedback:
A puppy learns by getting feedback from his owner. Praise him so he will know when he has done something right. Otherwise he will never learn what it is you want him to do. Then he will get confused because you keep nagging him and hollering at him and he does not know why. He will turn into a hyperactive nervous wreck. So let him know when he has done a good job.
Hands Off:
Keep your hands off the puppy as much as possible except to pat in praise. It may be necessary once in a while to manipulate him with your hands, but this should be the exception. It is easy to get into the habit of constantly grabbing, pushing and pulling. A puppy is not learning unless he is actually doing the action himself. This is why it is so important to guide him into doing what you want. The actions (sit, heel, come) that he repeats under his own power quickly become a part of his conditioning and he will begin to repeat them willingly.
If you take all the previous points into consideration, you are automatically teaching your puppy to pay attention. By adhering to his physical and psychological needs, you will find that he will respond to you and you will be well on your way to building a good puppy-person relationship.
Ok, that's all for this post.
Till we 'woof' again, have fun with your doggie friend.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Lets continue..........
What You Need To Know In Training Your Puppy: Part 3
After the pup has a good idea of what you want him to do, begin to ease off using tidbits every time. Do not let yourself use tidbits as a bribe. It is very easy to fall into the trap of thinking that if you give a puppy a treat he will be good. But from the dog's viewpoint, it looks like you are treating him as top dog and whatever he wants to do is okay with you. So only use tidbits when you are teaching a specific thing and only long enough to be sure he has learned it and associates the act with the word for it. Then ease off to the point of stopping the use.
Do Not Expect Overnight Results:
Puppies learn in spurts and starts. One day he may know absolutely everything and perform to perfection. The next day it is as though he never had a moment's training. Too many owners make the mistake of thinking that if their puppy does it right once or twice he knows it forever, but it really takes hundreds of repetitions for a puppy to learn something.
A puppy or a dog needs at least one month of consistent daily repetition before any action becomes a part of his routine. Train the pup consistently for one month, then continue for one month longer than you think is necessary. Then you can expect him to know what you are talking about, but you must continue daily use of the commands, using an occasional reminder when the pup is having an "off" day.
Be Consistent:
There is a wide range of individual approaches to working with a puppy. Each person will be guiding his own puppy to live in harmony with the lifestyle of that particular home. Similar to raising children, there are many different learning environments that can, each one, be successful. The key to success is to be consistent in your demands and your discipline.
Puppies Need Feedback:
A puppy learns by getting feedback from his owner. Praise him so he will know when he has done something right. Otherwise he will never learn what it is you want him to do. Then he will get confused because you keep nagging him and hollering at him and he does not know why. He will turn into a hyperactive nervous wreck. So let him know when he has done a good job.
Hands Off:
Keep your hands off the puppy as much as possible except to pat in praise. It may be necessary once in a while to manipulate him with your hands, but this should be the exception. It is easy to get into the habit of constantly grabbing, pushing and pulling. A puppy is not learning unless he is actually doing the action himself. This is why it is so important to guide him into doing what you want. The actions (sit, heel, come) that he repeats under his own power quickly become a part of his conditioning and he will begin to repeat them willingly.
If you take all the previous points into consideration, you are automatically teaching your puppy to pay attention. By adhering to his physical and psychological needs, you will find that he will respond to you and you will be well on your way to building a good puppy-person relationship.
Ok, that's all for this post.
Till we 'woof' again, have fun with your doggie friend.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Monday, June 19, 2006
Continue ....... What You Need To Know In Training Your Puppy
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Hope you had a Great weekend.
Lets continue with Part 2 of ..............
What You Need To Know In Training Your Puppy: Part 2
It is important for your puppy to feel he is a valuable individual. Try to have your training sessions in a relatively quiet place. Because he is so playful, he can be easily distracted by other people and activities. If he is constantly being bombarded by other sights and sounds, it will be difficult for him to get the message from you that you enjoy being with him.
Use words:
The only way he will learn to associate the command with the action is if you use the word every time you guide him into doing what you want. A puppy can learn a very large vocabulary with such words as "Outdoors," "Bedtime," "Go for a walk," as well as the basic commands.
Reward Your Pup:
To teach him anything, you must first have his attention and then you must reward him as soon as he has done what you ask. The reward can take three forms; a tidbit, a pat, or your voice. Consider the use of tidbits a highly successful means of puppy training. By guiding his behavior with it, you can avoid pushing and pulling with your hands and all of the jerking and pulling on the leash.
A puppy learns much more quickly when he performs the activity himself rather than being pushed or pulled into doing it. Then, as he begins to understand what you mean by "Sit" or "Come" or whatever, you can use your hand or leash to perfect the performance, thereby keeping handling at a minimum. Timing is of the utmost importance when using tidbits in puppy training. Obviously, your puppy is not going to know what you mean by the different commands when you first begin to train him, and the only way he will learn that he is doing the right thing is when he receives the reward at the moment he does it.
An example in using tidbits is to teach the command “Sit.” If you have a puppy who prefers bouncing around and absolutely hates sitting, you may have to begin by rewarding a bending of the hind legs. If you were to wait until he sits all the way down with his bottom on the floor, you would never get the job done. After a few rewards for partial sitting, the puppy will suddenly sit all the way, at which time you will not only reward him but tell him how marvelous he is.
Another example of rewarding with tidbits is with the heeling exercise. This is the most difficult thing for most puppies to learn. Too often, it involves excessive jerking on the leash. The more a puppy is being pulled, the more he resists and pulls in the opposite direction. Their natural tendency is to run off and sniff around. Cheese tidbits is very effective in overcoming the problems of teaching a puppy to walk beside us. It works even better off-leash (but only for a minute at a time).
As you begin walking, the instant the puppy begins to look away from you, get his attention with your voice and give him a tidbit. This will keep him at your side for another few steps. Repeat this a few times during each session, reversing your direction and taking some turns. Then stop while you are both still performing well and give him lots of praise with your voice along with some pats.
Lets stop here and continue later.
See ya.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Hope you had a Great weekend.
Lets continue with Part 2 of ..............
What You Need To Know In Training Your Puppy: Part 2
It is important for your puppy to feel he is a valuable individual. Try to have your training sessions in a relatively quiet place. Because he is so playful, he can be easily distracted by other people and activities. If he is constantly being bombarded by other sights and sounds, it will be difficult for him to get the message from you that you enjoy being with him.
Use words:
The only way he will learn to associate the command with the action is if you use the word every time you guide him into doing what you want. A puppy can learn a very large vocabulary with such words as "Outdoors," "Bedtime," "Go for a walk," as well as the basic commands.
Reward Your Pup:
To teach him anything, you must first have his attention and then you must reward him as soon as he has done what you ask. The reward can take three forms; a tidbit, a pat, or your voice. Consider the use of tidbits a highly successful means of puppy training. By guiding his behavior with it, you can avoid pushing and pulling with your hands and all of the jerking and pulling on the leash.
A puppy learns much more quickly when he performs the activity himself rather than being pushed or pulled into doing it. Then, as he begins to understand what you mean by "Sit" or "Come" or whatever, you can use your hand or leash to perfect the performance, thereby keeping handling at a minimum. Timing is of the utmost importance when using tidbits in puppy training. Obviously, your puppy is not going to know what you mean by the different commands when you first begin to train him, and the only way he will learn that he is doing the right thing is when he receives the reward at the moment he does it.
An example in using tidbits is to teach the command “Sit.” If you have a puppy who prefers bouncing around and absolutely hates sitting, you may have to begin by rewarding a bending of the hind legs. If you were to wait until he sits all the way down with his bottom on the floor, you would never get the job done. After a few rewards for partial sitting, the puppy will suddenly sit all the way, at which time you will not only reward him but tell him how marvelous he is.
Another example of rewarding with tidbits is with the heeling exercise. This is the most difficult thing for most puppies to learn. Too often, it involves excessive jerking on the leash. The more a puppy is being pulled, the more he resists and pulls in the opposite direction. Their natural tendency is to run off and sniff around. Cheese tidbits is very effective in overcoming the problems of teaching a puppy to walk beside us. It works even better off-leash (but only for a minute at a time).
As you begin walking, the instant the puppy begins to look away from you, get his attention with your voice and give him a tidbit. This will keep him at your side for another few steps. Repeat this a few times during each session, reversing your direction and taking some turns. Then stop while you are both still performing well and give him lots of praise with your voice along with some pats.
Lets stop here and continue later.
See ya.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Sunday, June 18, 2006
What You Need To Know In Training Your Puppy?
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Yes, lets start with tips on Puppy Training.
What You Need To Know In Training Your Puppy: Part 1
Whatever your pup's pedigree and whatever your goals for him, any puppy is still an emotionally immature animal. At the same time, no two pups are exactly alike and what works for one puppy is not necessarily best for another. You must constantly be aware of your pup's personality and of how you can get him to pay attention to you. However, there are some general characteristics of puppy training that are important to working with all puppies. These are basic principles which should be adapted by you as the basis of working with your puppy.
Do Not Get Tough:
Emotionally and psychologically, the puppy is still extremely sensitive. This means that learning takes place quickly, but also that fears can easily occur and inhibit learning. Pups cannot take pressure or harsh treatment. Repetition is the key to puppy training. Never punish him if he does not do what you want him to do. This will defeat the purpose of the training and cause him to dislike the entire procedure. Bad behavior during training sessions is more often than not a sign of the pup's lack of confidence or understanding of what you want him to do. Therefore, many repetitions will be needed.
Keep It Simple:
A puppy learns to do things in a step-by-step manner. For example, in teaching him to stay, do not expect him to stay put for several minutes at a time while you are off someplace away from him. You must first teach him to stay while you stand toe-to-toe in front of him, then to stay when you are standing a couple of feet out in front of him, then to stay while you walk around him, then to stay while you are standing several feet away and not holding on to the leash. Many pups will take several weeks to progress through these steps, but they are necessary if you want to teach "Stay" effectively. If you tell him to do something before you have properly trained him to do it and then scold him for not doing it, you are asking for trouble. The pup will lose his confidence and will learn not to try.
Be Brief:
Puppies have a very short attention span. A pup learns only while he is paying attention to you, so it does not accomplish anything to keep on training when he is mentally tired even though physically he is still very lively. Five minutes at a time is long enough. With many puppies, two minutes is long enough to begin with, gradually moving up to five minutes.
Build Confidence:
Your puppy needs confidence-building as well as discipline and he will constantly be telling you by his body language which one he needs more at any particular time. Relax while you are with him; smile; speak in a pleasant voice; play running games with him. In puppy training, building confidence means knowing what you expect from your pup.
That's all folks, lets continue with more tips at the next post.
Till we ' woof' again, be patient with your doggie friends.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Yes, lets start with tips on Puppy Training.
What You Need To Know In Training Your Puppy: Part 1
Whatever your pup's pedigree and whatever your goals for him, any puppy is still an emotionally immature animal. At the same time, no two pups are exactly alike and what works for one puppy is not necessarily best for another. You must constantly be aware of your pup's personality and of how you can get him to pay attention to you. However, there are some general characteristics of puppy training that are important to working with all puppies. These are basic principles which should be adapted by you as the basis of working with your puppy.
Do Not Get Tough:
Emotionally and psychologically, the puppy is still extremely sensitive. This means that learning takes place quickly, but also that fears can easily occur and inhibit learning. Pups cannot take pressure or harsh treatment. Repetition is the key to puppy training. Never punish him if he does not do what you want him to do. This will defeat the purpose of the training and cause him to dislike the entire procedure. Bad behavior during training sessions is more often than not a sign of the pup's lack of confidence or understanding of what you want him to do. Therefore, many repetitions will be needed.
Keep It Simple:
A puppy learns to do things in a step-by-step manner. For example, in teaching him to stay, do not expect him to stay put for several minutes at a time while you are off someplace away from him. You must first teach him to stay while you stand toe-to-toe in front of him, then to stay when you are standing a couple of feet out in front of him, then to stay while you walk around him, then to stay while you are standing several feet away and not holding on to the leash. Many pups will take several weeks to progress through these steps, but they are necessary if you want to teach "Stay" effectively. If you tell him to do something before you have properly trained him to do it and then scold him for not doing it, you are asking for trouble. The pup will lose his confidence and will learn not to try.
Be Brief:
Puppies have a very short attention span. A pup learns only while he is paying attention to you, so it does not accomplish anything to keep on training when he is mentally tired even though physically he is still very lively. Five minutes at a time is long enough. With many puppies, two minutes is long enough to begin with, gradually moving up to five minutes.
Build Confidence:
Your puppy needs confidence-building as well as discipline and he will constantly be telling you by his body language which one he needs more at any particular time. Relax while you are with him; smile; speak in a pleasant voice; play running games with him. In puppy training, building confidence means knowing what you expect from your pup.
That's all folks, lets continue with more tips at the next post.
Till we ' woof' again, be patient with your doggie friends.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
How To Housebreak Your Puppy If You Live In An Apartment?
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Lets continue with more Housebreaking tips.
Housebreaking Your Puppy If You Live In An Apartment
Housebreaking a puppy in an apartment with no yard is more difficult, but it is not impossible. An area that your puppy can use as a toilet area will need to be found close to the apartment. Since this may be a considerable distance for your puppy to walk, it becomes even more important that you take him out every hour. You will also need to be extra watchful to your puppy's signs of wanting to relieve himself well in advance.
Or you could use a Potty Tray or to designate an area (for example the toilet) to be your doggie's washroom, and train your doggie to release there whenever he/she has the urge.
Different puppies learn at different rates. Some pick up what is required almost instantly, others may take much longer. Some take as long as six months or more. A puppy that came from a dirty or cramped kennel is likely to take longer than one that had a better start.
The biggest influence on how quickly a puppy becomes housebroken is how much time and effort you put in. More input from you will speed up the time taken to become completely clean; while less input will prolong the process.
Potty Training Your Puppy On Command
Toilet training should not end with housebreaking. If you want to avoid the unpleasant but necessary task of picking up after your pet in the street, it makes sense to train him to go before you leave home. This is not as difficult as it may seem but requires a fair amount of patience in the early stages.
If you have been successfully working at the housebreaking process, you will, by the time you are able to take your puppy out, have a particular phrase that your puppy will associate with going to the toilet.
You should also have a fairly regular routine and will have some idea of when your puppy needs to go. Try to arrange your first walk to coincide with this time. Go out to the yard as usual, repeating your chosen phrase until your puppy does what is required. Praise enthusiastically and then take him out for a walk. If he does not go to the toilet, take him back inside for a while and try again later.
If you take your dog out for a walk only after he has been to the toilet, he will eventually begin to realize that producing the required deposit results in a walk.
Ok, that's all for this post, we shall start the actual training at my next post.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Lets continue with more Housebreaking tips.
Housebreaking Your Puppy If You Live In An Apartment
Housebreaking a puppy in an apartment with no yard is more difficult, but it is not impossible. An area that your puppy can use as a toilet area will need to be found close to the apartment. Since this may be a considerable distance for your puppy to walk, it becomes even more important that you take him out every hour. You will also need to be extra watchful to your puppy's signs of wanting to relieve himself well in advance.
Or you could use a Potty Tray or to designate an area (for example the toilet) to be your doggie's washroom, and train your doggie to release there whenever he/she has the urge.
Different puppies learn at different rates. Some pick up what is required almost instantly, others may take much longer. Some take as long as six months or more. A puppy that came from a dirty or cramped kennel is likely to take longer than one that had a better start.
The biggest influence on how quickly a puppy becomes housebroken is how much time and effort you put in. More input from you will speed up the time taken to become completely clean; while less input will prolong the process.
Potty Training Your Puppy On Command
Toilet training should not end with housebreaking. If you want to avoid the unpleasant but necessary task of picking up after your pet in the street, it makes sense to train him to go before you leave home. This is not as difficult as it may seem but requires a fair amount of patience in the early stages.
If you have been successfully working at the housebreaking process, you will, by the time you are able to take your puppy out, have a particular phrase that your puppy will associate with going to the toilet.
You should also have a fairly regular routine and will have some idea of when your puppy needs to go. Try to arrange your first walk to coincide with this time. Go out to the yard as usual, repeating your chosen phrase until your puppy does what is required. Praise enthusiastically and then take him out for a walk. If he does not go to the toilet, take him back inside for a while and try again later.
If you take your dog out for a walk only after he has been to the toilet, he will eventually begin to realize that producing the required deposit results in a walk.
Ok, that's all for this post, we shall start the actual training at my next post.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
How To Housebreak Your Puppy?
Puppy Training
Hi all,
I am back. Sorry for not able to make any posting the last few days. I shall make more posting per day to make up for the lost days.
Lets begin today sharing.
Housebreaking Your Puppy
Most animals that are born in a nest have an instinctive desire to move away from the nest to relieve themselves. They will do so without being taught as soon as they are able. Dogs are no exception, and at the age of about three weeks, they will begin to leave the sleeping area to urinate. We just have to teach them that houses are our nests, and that they have to move outside when they want to relieve themselves. Take your puppy outside to the same spot in your yard or garden at the following times:
1. Shortly after each feeding, playing, exercise, and any excitement.
2. Immediately upon waking
3. First thing in the morning
4. Last thing at night
5. Once every hour
It is important to stay outside with him. Be patient and wait. As soon as he begins, say a chosen phrase to him such as "Be clean!".When he has finished,praise enthusiastically and play a game with him. Keep the area clean by picking up any mess and flushing it down the toilet.
Puppies are easily distracted when outside, so having the patience to stay with him until he has settled down is essential. If you leave him to it, he will probably run to the back door and spend the rest of the time trying to get back in with you. Once you let him in, the stress of the
separation, together with the increased excitement and exercise, will make him want to go, and you will be left with a mess inside and an uneducated puppy.
However, there is no need to stay outdoors for hours, waiting for him to go. Wait for a few minutes only, and if nothing happens, take him inside and try again a little later. If at any time of the day you notice him sniffing the floor and circling or getting ready to squat, immediately interrupt him and take him outside. Let him walk. Do not pick him up, or he will not learn the vital link in the process, which is: "When I need to go, I need to get to the back door and into the garden."
If, at any time, you catch him in the act of going in the house, shout! What you shout is immaterial, but it needs to be loud enough to capture his undivided attention and to stop him mid-flow, but not so loud that he runs for cover. Do not punish or get angry; the distress this causes your puppy will inhibit the learning process. He will also begin to avoid going to the toilet in front of you because he knows it makes you angry and will sneak away to do it, making it harder for you to teach him the correct behavior.
As soon as you have shouted, run away from him, toward the back door, calling him happily and enthusiastically to encourage him to follow. Go outside to your chosen spot and wait until he has relaxed and finished what he started earlier. Say your chosen phrase as he goes, praise him, and play with him as usual. Take him back into the house and put him in another room while you clean up any mess.
That's all for today sharing on Housebreaking, will share more at my next post.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
I am back. Sorry for not able to make any posting the last few days. I shall make more posting per day to make up for the lost days.
Lets begin today sharing.
Housebreaking Your Puppy
Most animals that are born in a nest have an instinctive desire to move away from the nest to relieve themselves. They will do so without being taught as soon as they are able. Dogs are no exception, and at the age of about three weeks, they will begin to leave the sleeping area to urinate. We just have to teach them that houses are our nests, and that they have to move outside when they want to relieve themselves. Take your puppy outside to the same spot in your yard or garden at the following times:
1. Shortly after each feeding, playing, exercise, and any excitement.
2. Immediately upon waking
3. First thing in the morning
4. Last thing at night
5. Once every hour
It is important to stay outside with him. Be patient and wait. As soon as he begins, say a chosen phrase to him such as "Be clean!".When he has finished,praise enthusiastically and play a game with him. Keep the area clean by picking up any mess and flushing it down the toilet.
Puppies are easily distracted when outside, so having the patience to stay with him until he has settled down is essential. If you leave him to it, he will probably run to the back door and spend the rest of the time trying to get back in with you. Once you let him in, the stress of the
separation, together with the increased excitement and exercise, will make him want to go, and you will be left with a mess inside and an uneducated puppy.
However, there is no need to stay outdoors for hours, waiting for him to go. Wait for a few minutes only, and if nothing happens, take him inside and try again a little later. If at any time of the day you notice him sniffing the floor and circling or getting ready to squat, immediately interrupt him and take him outside. Let him walk. Do not pick him up, or he will not learn the vital link in the process, which is: "When I need to go, I need to get to the back door and into the garden."
If, at any time, you catch him in the act of going in the house, shout! What you shout is immaterial, but it needs to be loud enough to capture his undivided attention and to stop him mid-flow, but not so loud that he runs for cover. Do not punish or get angry; the distress this causes your puppy will inhibit the learning process. He will also begin to avoid going to the toilet in front of you because he knows it makes you angry and will sneak away to do it, making it harder for you to teach him the correct behavior.
As soon as you have shouted, run away from him, toward the back door, calling him happily and enthusiastically to encourage him to follow. Go outside to your chosen spot and wait until he has relaxed and finished what he started earlier. Say your chosen phrase as he goes, praise him, and play with him as usual. Take him back into the house and put him in another room while you clean up any mess.
That's all for today sharing on Housebreaking, will share more at my next post.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Monday, June 12, 2006
How To Get Your Puppy Used To Being Left Alone?
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Have you ever cancel or reject an invitation because you have a new puppy at home?
In this post, I will share ideas which could help us to overcome this challenge.
Getting Your Puppy Used To Being Left Alone
Dogs are sociable animals and it is not natural for them to be isolated from others. All domestic dogs will have to be left alone at some time in their lives, so it is important that they learn to cope with solitude while they are still young.
If puppies are not taught to be left alone, problems can be experienced when they are eventually left by themselves, even if the separation is for only a few minutes. Dogs that become anxious when left will chew, scratch at doors, dig at carpets, race around frantically, knock things off, bark, howl, and perhaps lose bladder control. To prevent this, you need to get your puppy used to being left alone from an early age, especially if you normally spend a large proportion of the day with him.
Puppies fear abandonment by their parent figure until they mature and become more self-reliant. Since you have become a substitute for their mother, you will need to teach your puppy gradually to be independent in a way similar to how it would happen naturally.
Begin this process as soon as you get your puppy. Choose a time when he is tiring and is likely to settle down for a sleep. Play with him a little beforehand and take him outside in case he needs to go to the toilet. Then put him in his bed and shut him in the room alone. Puppies will often feel safer if they have a den-like area to sleep in. Putting his bed under a table or in an indoor kennel with a blanket draped over it may help a puppy to settle more quickly.
Ignore any whining, barking or scratching at the door. Sooner or later, he will accept being on his own and will settle down to sleep. While he is very young, open the door after he is asleep. He can then come to you when he wakes up and needs to go outside.
Repeat this exercise many times, gradually building up the time that your puppy spends on his own until he can cope easily with a few hours of separation. Teaching him to cope without you when you are somewhere in the house will help him to remain calm when he is left alone.
Never go into a puppy that is making a fuss. If you do, you will be rewarding this behavior and he will do it more next time. Wait until your puppy is quiet before you enter, then go in and praise this behavior instead. Go in as soon as there is a quiet moment; leaving your puppy to cry for hours on end will only make him fearful of being left alone. Build up to longer absences gradually, but never faster than your puppy can cope with.
Never punish a dog when you return after an absence, no matter what has happened while you have been away. Your dog will not be able to link the punishment with what he did a long time ago, and it will not prevent him from doing it next time. He will think that you are angry simply because you have returned. This will cause him to be anxious next time you leave him, since he will now be worried about your coming back, and this may cause separation problems later.
Training your young puppy to learn to be left alone does great help to himself/herself as well as you as the owner.
Ok, that's all for today.
By the way, I will be away for the next five days, so I would not be making any posting till this weekend.
Till then, enjoy your time with your doggie friends and appliy what you learnt so far.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Have you ever cancel or reject an invitation because you have a new puppy at home?
In this post, I will share ideas which could help us to overcome this challenge.
Getting Your Puppy Used To Being Left Alone
Dogs are sociable animals and it is not natural for them to be isolated from others. All domestic dogs will have to be left alone at some time in their lives, so it is important that they learn to cope with solitude while they are still young.
If puppies are not taught to be left alone, problems can be experienced when they are eventually left by themselves, even if the separation is for only a few minutes. Dogs that become anxious when left will chew, scratch at doors, dig at carpets, race around frantically, knock things off, bark, howl, and perhaps lose bladder control. To prevent this, you need to get your puppy used to being left alone from an early age, especially if you normally spend a large proportion of the day with him.
Puppies fear abandonment by their parent figure until they mature and become more self-reliant. Since you have become a substitute for their mother, you will need to teach your puppy gradually to be independent in a way similar to how it would happen naturally.
Begin this process as soon as you get your puppy. Choose a time when he is tiring and is likely to settle down for a sleep. Play with him a little beforehand and take him outside in case he needs to go to the toilet. Then put him in his bed and shut him in the room alone. Puppies will often feel safer if they have a den-like area to sleep in. Putting his bed under a table or in an indoor kennel with a blanket draped over it may help a puppy to settle more quickly.
Ignore any whining, barking or scratching at the door. Sooner or later, he will accept being on his own and will settle down to sleep. While he is very young, open the door after he is asleep. He can then come to you when he wakes up and needs to go outside.
Repeat this exercise many times, gradually building up the time that your puppy spends on his own until he can cope easily with a few hours of separation. Teaching him to cope without you when you are somewhere in the house will help him to remain calm when he is left alone.
Never go into a puppy that is making a fuss. If you do, you will be rewarding this behavior and he will do it more next time. Wait until your puppy is quiet before you enter, then go in and praise this behavior instead. Go in as soon as there is a quiet moment; leaving your puppy to cry for hours on end will only make him fearful of being left alone. Build up to longer absences gradually, but never faster than your puppy can cope with.
Never punish a dog when you return after an absence, no matter what has happened while you have been away. Your dog will not be able to link the punishment with what he did a long time ago, and it will not prevent him from doing it next time. He will think that you are angry simply because you have returned. This will cause him to be anxious next time you leave him, since he will now be worried about your coming back, and this may cause separation problems later.
Training your young puppy to learn to be left alone does great help to himself/herself as well as you as the owner.
Ok, that's all for today.
By the way, I will be away for the next five days, so I would not be making any posting till this weekend.
Till then, enjoy your time with your doggie friends and appliy what you learnt so far.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Do You Know The Training Preparation Before Bringing Your New Puppy Home?
Puppy Training
Hi all,
What do we need to prepare for training our new puppy even before bringing him/her home?
Training Tips Before You Bring Home Your New Puppy
Many dog owners make the mistake of giving commands in long sentences that only another
human being would understand. You get certain inflections in the dog's bark or whine, but only another dog understands "dog talk." Why should you expect your dog to understand all the words you use? True, your pet will love to hear you talk. Still, it is your tone that reaches and pleases him.
In his lifetime a dog comes to recognize many words, but he can be a well-trained, obedient pet by knowing just a few. He must know: "Come!," "Out!," "Stop it!," "No!," and "Down!" To them, add "Walk?," or "Want to go for a walk?," "Get in your chair!," "Go to bed!," or some such command to direct action, usually taught with a gesture or by actually lifting the dog to the indicated spot. Of course, he soon knows "Good dog!" or "Bad boy." If you think though that he "understands every word," try bawling him out some time in a honey-sweet tone. That little tail will wag madly; it sounds mighty nice to him!
The most important word is his name. You may decide what you will call your puppy before you get him, or his name may come out of the blue, but do not delay choosing it. Use it every time you speak to him, over and over again, until he knows it as well as you do. Once he knows it, he will rush to respond because of your affectionate tone, or hang his head, ashamed, because your voice carries reproach.
He will soon learn your name, too, and those of other members of the family. To these, he will add the names of friends, neighboring children, and their dogs - names which will be useful in his daily life as your friendly, well-mannered pet.
The capacity to learn is born in every puppy, to a greater or lesser degree. Your puppy starts learning the moment he enters your house. (He starts learning about you and soon knows whether you or he will be the boss.) His capacity to learn grows as he does and is fully developed at the age of about a year. Although he eventually stops growing, he never stops learning.
One way to train the puppy, and prepare him for more formal training when he is an adult, is to play with him. This may sound simple, but in our busy lives we often fail to play with a new puppy as much as we should. At first he is a novelty, but it becomes "too much trouble" to give the time to him, and we tell the eager, bouncing little fellow to "be a good dog and lie down." He'd much rather be a good playfellow and later lie gladly at your feet for a snooze.
The game of fetch-and-carry, for instance. . .running after a ball or a stick, catching it and then
bringing it back. . .is a chance for obedience training. The command "Go fetch!" may later be useful. Vary the game by substituting other items for the ball or stick. At first all these toys should be hidden in some place that is easy to find; then make it harder. Identify objects by word until he associates the word with the object - your slippers, the newspaper, etc. Fetch soon becomes a known word, and so does find, when you use them often for the same purpose.
We shall touch on more important training tips at the next post.
Till then, play with your puppy often.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
What do we need to prepare for training our new puppy even before bringing him/her home?
Training Tips Before You Bring Home Your New Puppy
Many dog owners make the mistake of giving commands in long sentences that only another
human being would understand. You get certain inflections in the dog's bark or whine, but only another dog understands "dog talk." Why should you expect your dog to understand all the words you use? True, your pet will love to hear you talk. Still, it is your tone that reaches and pleases him.
In his lifetime a dog comes to recognize many words, but he can be a well-trained, obedient pet by knowing just a few. He must know: "Come!," "Out!," "Stop it!," "No!," and "Down!" To them, add "Walk?," or "Want to go for a walk?," "Get in your chair!," "Go to bed!," or some such command to direct action, usually taught with a gesture or by actually lifting the dog to the indicated spot. Of course, he soon knows "Good dog!" or "Bad boy." If you think though that he "understands every word," try bawling him out some time in a honey-sweet tone. That little tail will wag madly; it sounds mighty nice to him!
The most important word is his name. You may decide what you will call your puppy before you get him, or his name may come out of the blue, but do not delay choosing it. Use it every time you speak to him, over and over again, until he knows it as well as you do. Once he knows it, he will rush to respond because of your affectionate tone, or hang his head, ashamed, because your voice carries reproach.
He will soon learn your name, too, and those of other members of the family. To these, he will add the names of friends, neighboring children, and their dogs - names which will be useful in his daily life as your friendly, well-mannered pet.
The capacity to learn is born in every puppy, to a greater or lesser degree. Your puppy starts learning the moment he enters your house. (He starts learning about you and soon knows whether you or he will be the boss.) His capacity to learn grows as he does and is fully developed at the age of about a year. Although he eventually stops growing, he never stops learning.
One way to train the puppy, and prepare him for more formal training when he is an adult, is to play with him. This may sound simple, but in our busy lives we often fail to play with a new puppy as much as we should. At first he is a novelty, but it becomes "too much trouble" to give the time to him, and we tell the eager, bouncing little fellow to "be a good dog and lie down." He'd much rather be a good playfellow and later lie gladly at your feet for a snooze.
The game of fetch-and-carry, for instance. . .running after a ball or a stick, catching it and then
bringing it back. . .is a chance for obedience training. The command "Go fetch!" may later be useful. Vary the game by substituting other items for the ball or stick. At first all these toys should be hidden in some place that is easy to find; then make it harder. Identify objects by word until he associates the word with the object - your slippers, the newspaper, etc. Fetch soon becomes a known word, and so does find, when you use them often for the same purpose.
We shall touch on more important training tips at the next post.
Till then, play with your puppy often.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Bringing Home Your New Puppy
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Lets continue with the last posting on Bringing Your Puppy Home.
Bringing Home Your New Puppy
The fun of bringing a new puppy home and introducing him to his new family is a very special experience. He will, of course, become a well-mannered dog, staying quietly at our side, eager to follow our every command. Well, it is a long road from the cuddly puppy to the mature dog, but with some effort and understanding it can be traveled successfully. It all begins with day one in the new home.
The first few days a puppy is in his new home can be trying for both the puppy and the new owner because both are trying to adjust to a new situation. After all, the puppy finds he has been suddenly taken from his den and litter mates and is expected to immediately accept a new, foreign way of life. However, with patience and a sense of humor on the part of the new owner, the first few days can be accomplished with good feelings on both sides.
Breeders and behaviorists generally agree that seven weeks of age (forty-nine days) is the ideal age for a puppy to go to his new home, with six to eight weeks being the most desirable age range. The six- to eight-week old puppy still needs a lot of rest and will take morning and afternoon naps. For the first day or two, however, he might be very excited and spend much of the day in motion, checking out his new home. As long as he is not hurting himself or anything else in the environment, let him investigate wherever and whatever takes his fancy.
If the puppy is eight weeks old when he first comes home, be very patient with him. This is the fear period and sharp noises or harsh treatment will leave him with fear which may take months to overcome. Let him take his time getting acquainted with everything and do not take him to places where he will be subjected to loud and frightening sounds or activities. If possible, trips to the veterinarian should be arranged either before or after the eighth week.
If the puppy is ten to twelve weeks old when you first bring him home, he will be more rambunctious, especially if he is one of the larger breeds, and he will sleep considerably less during the day. However, he is at an age where you can get his attention quite easily and where he will want to please you and stay close to you.
Stay tuned for more Puppy Training Tips.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Lets continue with the last posting on Bringing Your Puppy Home.
Bringing Home Your New Puppy
The fun of bringing a new puppy home and introducing him to his new family is a very special experience. He will, of course, become a well-mannered dog, staying quietly at our side, eager to follow our every command. Well, it is a long road from the cuddly puppy to the mature dog, but with some effort and understanding it can be traveled successfully. It all begins with day one in the new home.
The first few days a puppy is in his new home can be trying for both the puppy and the new owner because both are trying to adjust to a new situation. After all, the puppy finds he has been suddenly taken from his den and litter mates and is expected to immediately accept a new, foreign way of life. However, with patience and a sense of humor on the part of the new owner, the first few days can be accomplished with good feelings on both sides.
Breeders and behaviorists generally agree that seven weeks of age (forty-nine days) is the ideal age for a puppy to go to his new home, with six to eight weeks being the most desirable age range. The six- to eight-week old puppy still needs a lot of rest and will take morning and afternoon naps. For the first day or two, however, he might be very excited and spend much of the day in motion, checking out his new home. As long as he is not hurting himself or anything else in the environment, let him investigate wherever and whatever takes his fancy.
If the puppy is eight weeks old when he first comes home, be very patient with him. This is the fear period and sharp noises or harsh treatment will leave him with fear which may take months to overcome. Let him take his time getting acquainted with everything and do not take him to places where he will be subjected to loud and frightening sounds or activities. If possible, trips to the veterinarian should be arranged either before or after the eighth week.
If the puppy is ten to twelve weeks old when you first bring him home, he will be more rambunctious, especially if he is one of the larger breeds, and he will sleep considerably less during the day. However, he is at an age where you can get his attention quite easily and where he will want to please you and stay close to you.
Stay tuned for more Puppy Training Tips.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
A New Series On Puppy Training Begins Now!
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Good day to you.
After my last posting on Dog Behavior, a lot of you requested for puppy or dog training tips, so I have decided to start a series on Puppy Training though my very first few blog posting were on Dog Training, and the series begins today.
A New Puppy In The House: Welcome Home!
On your puppy's first day home, give him a complete tour around the house on a loose leash. This is the pup's first introduction to whatever limitations you want to put on his future access to your possessions - your furniture, golf clubs, books, the kids' toy shelves, etc.
This is not the right time for "no." (The puppy might begin to think that "no" is his name!) Instead, use a guttural "Yack!" combined with a very slight tug-and-release of the leash as he sniffs to warn him away from untouchables. He's new at this, but just saying, "Puppy!" in a happy voice may be enough to get him to look at you - "Good dog." Back to happy chatter as you move on.
All you are doing is letting him know by means of prevention (a growl sound he understands) what things he will have to avoid in the future. Let him sniff first because he'll remember the objects more by scent than by sight. He looks up at you and he is praised. Think of it this way: "No!" means "Don't do that!" whereas "Yack!" means "Don't even think of doing it!" Chit-chat is natural and pleasurable to both of you; but in the beginning the puppy will only pick up on his name because everyone uses it in connection with things he finds pleasurable - play, food or praise. If you use the word "din-din" many times while fixing his meals, that word will stand out in the midst of a five minute speech on nutrition as a clue to the observant pup that he is about to eat. The human-canine teaching language is based on short, simple words that are consistently applied to specific actions.
This first guided tour teaches your puppy the layout of his new home, what it looks like, smells like, even feels like (rugs, carpets, tile, wood) and that some things are off limits even to adorable puppies. There is one more important lesson he is learning from this adventure: that you are his new Leader, the He or She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed. If you do not take on this role, the puppy will. Somebody's got to do it, and he'll fill the vacancy immediately! You may be familiar with the saying, "Lead, follow or get out of my way." Every dog is born knowing it and continues to live by it!
Once the house tour is over, now it's down to specifics. Show Sparky where his water bowl will always be. Let him investigate his crate. Then take him outside (still on leash) to the exact area where you want him to eliminate. Stand there until he does. (Patience. He's new at this.) Praise quietly as he goes, after which you can make the same kind of tour outside, with warnings about flower or vegetable beds, bushes or plants. Or you may live in a city and by law (and responsible dog ownership) must curb Sparky. Go to the quietest no-parking spot you can find. If you remain on the sidewalk, he will naturally want to join you, so stand down in the street with him. It will take time, plus your casual, confident attitude, to get him used to the noise, the confusion and the speed and size of trucks and taxis. No outside walking tour at this time. Wait until his immunizations are complete, by which time he will also be more accepting of city life.
Note: If the original trip home from where you picked up Sparky took more than an hour, reverse the two "tours" to let the pup eliminate first.
Lets stop here and continue with more later.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Hi all,
Good day to you.
After my last posting on Dog Behavior, a lot of you requested for puppy or dog training tips, so I have decided to start a series on Puppy Training though my very first few blog posting were on Dog Training, and the series begins today.
A New Puppy In The House: Welcome Home!
On your puppy's first day home, give him a complete tour around the house on a loose leash. This is the pup's first introduction to whatever limitations you want to put on his future access to your possessions - your furniture, golf clubs, books, the kids' toy shelves, etc.
This is not the right time for "no." (The puppy might begin to think that "no" is his name!) Instead, use a guttural "Yack!" combined with a very slight tug-and-release of the leash as he sniffs to warn him away from untouchables. He's new at this, but just saying, "Puppy!" in a happy voice may be enough to get him to look at you - "Good dog." Back to happy chatter as you move on.
All you are doing is letting him know by means of prevention (a growl sound he understands) what things he will have to avoid in the future. Let him sniff first because he'll remember the objects more by scent than by sight. He looks up at you and he is praised. Think of it this way: "No!" means "Don't do that!" whereas "Yack!" means "Don't even think of doing it!" Chit-chat is natural and pleasurable to both of you; but in the beginning the puppy will only pick up on his name because everyone uses it in connection with things he finds pleasurable - play, food or praise. If you use the word "din-din" many times while fixing his meals, that word will stand out in the midst of a five minute speech on nutrition as a clue to the observant pup that he is about to eat. The human-canine teaching language is based on short, simple words that are consistently applied to specific actions.
This first guided tour teaches your puppy the layout of his new home, what it looks like, smells like, even feels like (rugs, carpets, tile, wood) and that some things are off limits even to adorable puppies. There is one more important lesson he is learning from this adventure: that you are his new Leader, the He or She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed. If you do not take on this role, the puppy will. Somebody's got to do it, and he'll fill the vacancy immediately! You may be familiar with the saying, "Lead, follow or get out of my way." Every dog is born knowing it and continues to live by it!
Once the house tour is over, now it's down to specifics. Show Sparky where his water bowl will always be. Let him investigate his crate. Then take him outside (still on leash) to the exact area where you want him to eliminate. Stand there until he does. (Patience. He's new at this.) Praise quietly as he goes, after which you can make the same kind of tour outside, with warnings about flower or vegetable beds, bushes or plants. Or you may live in a city and by law (and responsible dog ownership) must curb Sparky. Go to the quietest no-parking spot you can find. If you remain on the sidewalk, he will naturally want to join you, so stand down in the street with him. It will take time, plus your casual, confident attitude, to get him used to the noise, the confusion and the speed and size of trucks and taxis. No outside walking tour at this time. Wait until his immunizations are complete, by which time he will also be more accepting of city life.
Note: If the original trip home from where you picked up Sparky took more than an hour, reverse the two "tours" to let the pup eliminate first.
Lets stop here and continue with more later.
Cheers.
Puppy Training
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Why Must We Understand Dog Behavior?
Dog Psychology
Hi all,
Today, I would like to touch on Dog Behavior.
The Importance Of Understanding Dog Behavior
In order to understand dog behavior, you must first consider the effects of the human contact that occurs from the day the domestic puppy is born until the end of his life. These interactions are strong catalysts that add to the inherent differences between the wolf and dog. Whereas the dog easily weaves into the family and social structure of humans, the wolf has failed to do so.
The integration of the dog into the human environment is so comfortable and complete that many people even refer to their dogs as their children. The analogy comes to mind for many people because the canine is often adopted as a family member and fits the child's role easily and naturally. To create the most rewarding human-canine relationship, the unique qualities of the domestic dog must be considered by themselves rather than from the standpoint of the wolf.
Similar to the human child, the dog seeks affection and approval, and has the ability to learn. Like children, dogs are playful, affectionate, curious, adaptable, innocent, and basically happy-go-lucky creatures. Depending upon the home environment and many other factors, the dog, like the child, can be an angel or a delinquent.
Few dogs go through life without acquiring some behaviors an owner finds annoying or even intolerable. Intolerable behavior can be the result of either genetics, caused by inexperienced breeders indiscriminately breeding poor-tempered dogs, or the environment in which the dog has been raised without proper training and guidance. Just like children, if dogs are not disciplined and taught manners, they can become out of control and a problem to themselves and everyone in the community. These problem dogs all too often wind up at animal shelters waiting on death row for an unnecessary demise.
If the owner is willing to endure the undesirable behaviors, the problem dog may receive a lifetime sentence to the backyard with very little human contact. The jail sentence to the yard only exacerbates the problem behavior, and often turns the dog into an incessant barker, chewer, digger, or aggressor. Fortunately, behavior modification through obedience training is very effective in repairing problem behavior.
A comprehensive obedience and behavioral course can teach owners how to prevent and resolve behavior problems. The ideal purpose of obedience training is to channel appropriate behavior and discourage problem behavior. The majority of dogs, regardless of their age, can be rehabilitated. Problem behavior can be redirected into appropriate behavior with clear, consistent, and persistent communication from the dog owner through obedience training.
Obedience training communicates concrete rules which provide the dog with predictable outcomes via reinforcement and consequences. Obedience training with competent instruction teaches the owner the essential skills for raising a well-mannered, well-adjusted canine by using principles of consistency, persistency, and reinforcement for good and inappropriate behavior.
That's all for this post, I shall touch on more at my next post.
Cheers.
Dog Psychology
Hi all,
Today, I would like to touch on Dog Behavior.
The Importance Of Understanding Dog Behavior
In order to understand dog behavior, you must first consider the effects of the human contact that occurs from the day the domestic puppy is born until the end of his life. These interactions are strong catalysts that add to the inherent differences between the wolf and dog. Whereas the dog easily weaves into the family and social structure of humans, the wolf has failed to do so.
The integration of the dog into the human environment is so comfortable and complete that many people even refer to their dogs as their children. The analogy comes to mind for many people because the canine is often adopted as a family member and fits the child's role easily and naturally. To create the most rewarding human-canine relationship, the unique qualities of the domestic dog must be considered by themselves rather than from the standpoint of the wolf.
Similar to the human child, the dog seeks affection and approval, and has the ability to learn. Like children, dogs are playful, affectionate, curious, adaptable, innocent, and basically happy-go-lucky creatures. Depending upon the home environment and many other factors, the dog, like the child, can be an angel or a delinquent.
Few dogs go through life without acquiring some behaviors an owner finds annoying or even intolerable. Intolerable behavior can be the result of either genetics, caused by inexperienced breeders indiscriminately breeding poor-tempered dogs, or the environment in which the dog has been raised without proper training and guidance. Just like children, if dogs are not disciplined and taught manners, they can become out of control and a problem to themselves and everyone in the community. These problem dogs all too often wind up at animal shelters waiting on death row for an unnecessary demise.
If the owner is willing to endure the undesirable behaviors, the problem dog may receive a lifetime sentence to the backyard with very little human contact. The jail sentence to the yard only exacerbates the problem behavior, and often turns the dog into an incessant barker, chewer, digger, or aggressor. Fortunately, behavior modification through obedience training is very effective in repairing problem behavior.
A comprehensive obedience and behavioral course can teach owners how to prevent and resolve behavior problems. The ideal purpose of obedience training is to channel appropriate behavior and discourage problem behavior. The majority of dogs, regardless of their age, can be rehabilitated. Problem behavior can be redirected into appropriate behavior with clear, consistent, and persistent communication from the dog owner through obedience training.
Obedience training communicates concrete rules which provide the dog with predictable outcomes via reinforcement and consequences. Obedience training with competent instruction teaches the owner the essential skills for raising a well-mannered, well-adjusted canine by using principles of consistency, persistency, and reinforcement for good and inappropriate behavior.
That's all for this post, I shall touch on more at my next post.
Cheers.
Dog Psychology
How To Prevent Fear & Mistrust In Your Dog?
Dog Psychology
Hi all,
We have been talking about communications the last two posts, wrong or mixed message might cause your doggie friend to mistrust you or even fearful of you.
Preventing Fear & Mistrust In Your Dog
Dogs become fearful when the owner's correction is too abusive. For a correction to be effective and convey accurate information to the dog, it must fit the transgression. A puppy that is teething and nips does not need, and will not understand, a correction fit for the dog who has just bitten someone because the person's hand touched his food dish. Unnecessarily abusive corrections will inhibit the dog from developing an outgoing, joyous, companion personality.
The owner who finds a day-old pile of feces left by the 10-week old puppy and reacts by beating the puppy until he cowers has only taught the animal to be very fearful and mistrusting in his owner's presence when feces are on the floor. Beatings and physical abuse only produce fear and mistrust. Abusive treatment of any living entity is inhumane, cruel, and not to be tolerated for any reason. If any canine behavior, perhaps other than a deliberate act of aggression, can elicit enough anger in a pet owner to result in a severe beating, then ownership of a dog should be seriously reevaluated and professional advice sought. A trusting relationship cannot develop or flourish in an abusive atmosphere.
Furthermore, a dog may also learn to mistrust an owner who delivers untimely corrections or discipline. Specifically, a correction must occur immediately following the behavior or during the enactment of an undesirable behavior. The dog will not connect a correction with the undesirable behavior if the correction occurs several minutes after the event. The puppy who was beaten after the owner came home to a dried up mess on the floor associated the punishment with the owner coming home rather than the accident on the floor.
The dog associates punishment, and praise for that matter, with the last event or action that occurred prior to the consequence. A correction must occur during or immediately following the behavior for the dog to connect the punishment with the undesirable action. On the other hand, if the owner should unintentionally lose control of his or her temper once or twice in the relationship, a dog is a very forgiving animal. Depending upon how traumatic the temper tantrum was, the dog may eventually forget and forgive.
Communication problems also develop when the owner credits the dog with too much ability to comprehend messages. Such an owner expects the dog, frequently without the dog receiving formal training, to automatically know what or what not to do. When the dog does not respond as expected, the owner becomes angry and punishes the dog. The owner who truly believes the dog inherently knows which behaviors are wrong neglects to teach the dog right from wrong. The dog, who in spite of the owner's claims cannot read minds, does not know what behaviors deserve the punishment or how to avoid a reprimand, and therefore becomes mistrustful and confused.
How do you find today sharing?
Please read it a few more times, it is very important that we as the owner don't instill fear or mistrust in our doggie friends out of anger or frustration.
Ok, till we 'woof' again, treat you loyal friends well.
Cheers.
Dog Psychology
Hi all,
We have been talking about communications the last two posts, wrong or mixed message might cause your doggie friend to mistrust you or even fearful of you.
Preventing Fear & Mistrust In Your Dog
Dogs become fearful when the owner's correction is too abusive. For a correction to be effective and convey accurate information to the dog, it must fit the transgression. A puppy that is teething and nips does not need, and will not understand, a correction fit for the dog who has just bitten someone because the person's hand touched his food dish. Unnecessarily abusive corrections will inhibit the dog from developing an outgoing, joyous, companion personality.
The owner who finds a day-old pile of feces left by the 10-week old puppy and reacts by beating the puppy until he cowers has only taught the animal to be very fearful and mistrusting in his owner's presence when feces are on the floor. Beatings and physical abuse only produce fear and mistrust. Abusive treatment of any living entity is inhumane, cruel, and not to be tolerated for any reason. If any canine behavior, perhaps other than a deliberate act of aggression, can elicit enough anger in a pet owner to result in a severe beating, then ownership of a dog should be seriously reevaluated and professional advice sought. A trusting relationship cannot develop or flourish in an abusive atmosphere.
Furthermore, a dog may also learn to mistrust an owner who delivers untimely corrections or discipline. Specifically, a correction must occur immediately following the behavior or during the enactment of an undesirable behavior. The dog will not connect a correction with the undesirable behavior if the correction occurs several minutes after the event. The puppy who was beaten after the owner came home to a dried up mess on the floor associated the punishment with the owner coming home rather than the accident on the floor.
The dog associates punishment, and praise for that matter, with the last event or action that occurred prior to the consequence. A correction must occur during or immediately following the behavior for the dog to connect the punishment with the undesirable action. On the other hand, if the owner should unintentionally lose control of his or her temper once or twice in the relationship, a dog is a very forgiving animal. Depending upon how traumatic the temper tantrum was, the dog may eventually forget and forgive.
Communication problems also develop when the owner credits the dog with too much ability to comprehend messages. Such an owner expects the dog, frequently without the dog receiving formal training, to automatically know what or what not to do. When the dog does not respond as expected, the owner becomes angry and punishes the dog. The owner who truly believes the dog inherently knows which behaviors are wrong neglects to teach the dog right from wrong. The dog, who in spite of the owner's claims cannot read minds, does not know what behaviors deserve the punishment or how to avoid a reprimand, and therefore becomes mistrustful and confused.
How do you find today sharing?
Please read it a few more times, it is very important that we as the owner don't instill fear or mistrust in our doggie friends out of anger or frustration.
Ok, till we 'woof' again, treat you loyal friends well.
Cheers.
Dog Psychology
Friday, June 09, 2006
Are You Sending Mixed Messages To Your Dog?
Dog Psychology
Hi all,
Yes, its me again. I have promised to make up for the lost days, right?
Lerts continue from the last sharing of communication with your doggie friends.
Sending Your Dog Mixed Messages
Dog behavior problems are frequently the result of unclear communication. The owner may not even be aware that the messages he is sending to the dog are confusing. The owner of a well-trained Standard Poodle was unaware of her confusing messages during an epic long session of grooming. The Poodle tired and attempted to sit. The owner, wanting the dog to remain standing, yelled "Don't sit." The dog stood for a few seconds in a crouched position, and, confused about what the word "don't" meant, tried to sit again. Totally perplexed, he was trying very hard to comply with what he thought was his owner's request.
Good communication with your dog is comprised of clear, consistent, distinct messages. A dog cannot possibly respond correctly if the vocabulary or the rules change at whim from day to day. Another example of inconsistent, mixed messages is demonstrated by the owner who allows a behavior occasionally, punishes the dog for it at other times, and does not use distinct cues to inform the dog when the conduct is not acceptable.
A dog who is petted for jumping up when the owner arrives home from softball practice is going to be encouraged, to the owner's dismay and anger, to jump up when the owner comes home from a party all dressed up. Unfortunately, few dogs are able to distinguish between the owner's softball jump up clothes and the owner's party stay off clothes. Consequently, without any distinct warning, the dog may receive a swat for jumping up on the wrong clothes. The dog learns that jumping up will sometimes be rewarded by petting and other times, for no apparent reason, will elicit a smack.
The only lesson a dog may learn from inconsistent messages is that the rules are unstable. Clear and consistent communication requires that an owner teach a command for each desired and undesired behavior to inform the dog about acceptable behavior. For example, you can teach a jump up command that tells/the dog jumping up is acceptable, and another command such as, "off” that instructs him not to jump up.
When messages are confusing, the dog can neither establish a pattern to earn the owner's approval, nor predict the owner's reactions. The dog who cannot establish a way to earn his owner's approval gives up trying to please. The dog who does not know how to predict his owner's reactions becomes fearful, mistrusting, and avoidant.
So, the keyword is consistence, be CONSISTENT, this is applicable even to your children. :o)
Till we 'woof' again, take care.
Cheers.
Dog Psychology
Hi all,
Yes, its me again. I have promised to make up for the lost days, right?
Lerts continue from the last sharing of communication with your doggie friends.
Sending Your Dog Mixed Messages
Dog behavior problems are frequently the result of unclear communication. The owner may not even be aware that the messages he is sending to the dog are confusing. The owner of a well-trained Standard Poodle was unaware of her confusing messages during an epic long session of grooming. The Poodle tired and attempted to sit. The owner, wanting the dog to remain standing, yelled "Don't sit." The dog stood for a few seconds in a crouched position, and, confused about what the word "don't" meant, tried to sit again. Totally perplexed, he was trying very hard to comply with what he thought was his owner's request.
Good communication with your dog is comprised of clear, consistent, distinct messages. A dog cannot possibly respond correctly if the vocabulary or the rules change at whim from day to day. Another example of inconsistent, mixed messages is demonstrated by the owner who allows a behavior occasionally, punishes the dog for it at other times, and does not use distinct cues to inform the dog when the conduct is not acceptable.
A dog who is petted for jumping up when the owner arrives home from softball practice is going to be encouraged, to the owner's dismay and anger, to jump up when the owner comes home from a party all dressed up. Unfortunately, few dogs are able to distinguish between the owner's softball jump up clothes and the owner's party stay off clothes. Consequently, without any distinct warning, the dog may receive a swat for jumping up on the wrong clothes. The dog learns that jumping up will sometimes be rewarded by petting and other times, for no apparent reason, will elicit a smack.
The only lesson a dog may learn from inconsistent messages is that the rules are unstable. Clear and consistent communication requires that an owner teach a command for each desired and undesired behavior to inform the dog about acceptable behavior. For example, you can teach a jump up command that tells/the dog jumping up is acceptable, and another command such as, "off” that instructs him not to jump up.
When messages are confusing, the dog can neither establish a pattern to earn the owner's approval, nor predict the owner's reactions. The dog who cannot establish a way to earn his owner's approval gives up trying to please. The dog who does not know how to predict his owner's reactions becomes fearful, mistrusting, and avoidant.
So, the keyword is consistence, be CONSISTENT, this is applicable even to your children. :o)
Till we 'woof' again, take care.
Cheers.
Dog Psychology
Are You Sure You Know How To Communicate With Your Dogs?
Dog Psychology
Hi all,
As promised, I shall make more post these few days.
This post and the next we shall discuss about Communications with our doggie friends.
Helping Your Dog Understand Communication
An open line of communication between owner and dog does not always ensure that the messages sent will be received correctly. A common instance in which unintentional messages are sent to a dog is during a fearful episode. The dog encounters a frightening object, event, or person and displays a variety of fear reactions, which may include shaking, barking, and backing away. The owner then sends out messages to comfort and assure the dog that there is no reason to be fearful.
These messages are highly potent as the owner lovingly strokes the dog and commiserates with a cross between baby talk and sincere empathy, "It's okay, no one will hurt you." The message the owner intends to send to the dog is the information that the situation is not threatening. The message the dog receives through the stroking and baby talk is that acting and being fearful is rewarding and pleasing to the owner.
Being consoled and stroked overshadows any information the dog could receive from the environment should he be allowed to remain in the situation without any intervention. Furthermore, the dog is reinforced for exhibiting fearful behavior by the pleasure of being stroked and consoled. Avoid the strong temptation to lovingly comfort the fearful dog lest he learn to act frightened for subsequent reinforcement.
That's all for the time being, stay tuned, I shall be back soon.
Dog Psychology
Hi all,
As promised, I shall make more post these few days.
This post and the next we shall discuss about Communications with our doggie friends.
Helping Your Dog Understand Communication
An open line of communication between owner and dog does not always ensure that the messages sent will be received correctly. A common instance in which unintentional messages are sent to a dog is during a fearful episode. The dog encounters a frightening object, event, or person and displays a variety of fear reactions, which may include shaking, barking, and backing away. The owner then sends out messages to comfort and assure the dog that there is no reason to be fearful.
These messages are highly potent as the owner lovingly strokes the dog and commiserates with a cross between baby talk and sincere empathy, "It's okay, no one will hurt you." The message the owner intends to send to the dog is the information that the situation is not threatening. The message the dog receives through the stroking and baby talk is that acting and being fearful is rewarding and pleasing to the owner.
Being consoled and stroked overshadows any information the dog could receive from the environment should he be allowed to remain in the situation without any intervention. Furthermore, the dog is reinforced for exhibiting fearful behavior by the pleasure of being stroked and consoled. Avoid the strong temptation to lovingly comfort the fearful dog lest he learn to act frightened for subsequent reinforcement.
That's all for the time being, stay tuned, I shall be back soon.
Dog Psychology
Want To Know Whcih 5 Ways In Which A Dod's Intelligence Has Shaped Their Services?
Dog Psychology
Hi all,
Good day to you.
Sorry, I have been having problem signing into my blogger account. Therefore I couldn't make any posting. I shall make up for it by giving you more sharing these few days.
Without further ado, lets start today sharing.
5 Ways In Which A Dog's Intelligence Has Shaped Their Services
The uses of dogs that capitalize on aspects of their instinctive intelligence have become more varied in today's world. A quick sampling of some of these contemporary dog careers includes:
1. seeing-eye dogs - who guide their blind masters around obstacles, warn them of approaching vehicles, and allow them to navigate independently, even in the complex urban environment;
2. Hearing-ear dogs - who alert their deaf masters to sounds, such as the ringing of a doorbell or telephone or the whistle of a teakettle;
3. Search and rescue dogs - who are used to track and find individuals who are lost or buried by debris in earthquakes or under snow in avalanches;
4. Water rescue dogs - who retrieve individuals and objects from the water, swim lines out to stranded boaters, and even drag small boats to waiting rescuers;
5. Drug and explosive-finding dogs - who use their scenting abilities to find contraband materials. A variation on this are the dogs that find truffles for connoisseurs of this delicacy. They are better than the pigs that have been traditionally used for two reasons: dogs have keener scenting powers, and they don't like the taste of truffles, so there is less worry that they will eat them before the gatherers get to them.
That's all folks for this post, as promised, will make more posting later.
Cheers.
Dog Psychology
Hi all,
Good day to you.
Sorry, I have been having problem signing into my blogger account. Therefore I couldn't make any posting. I shall make up for it by giving you more sharing these few days.
Without further ado, lets start today sharing.
5 Ways In Which A Dog's Intelligence Has Shaped Their Services
The uses of dogs that capitalize on aspects of their instinctive intelligence have become more varied in today's world. A quick sampling of some of these contemporary dog careers includes:
1. seeing-eye dogs - who guide their blind masters around obstacles, warn them of approaching vehicles, and allow them to navigate independently, even in the complex urban environment;
2. Hearing-ear dogs - who alert their deaf masters to sounds, such as the ringing of a doorbell or telephone or the whistle of a teakettle;
3. Search and rescue dogs - who are used to track and find individuals who are lost or buried by debris in earthquakes or under snow in avalanches;
4. Water rescue dogs - who retrieve individuals and objects from the water, swim lines out to stranded boaters, and even drag small boats to waiting rescuers;
5. Drug and explosive-finding dogs - who use their scenting abilities to find contraband materials. A variation on this are the dogs that find truffles for connoisseurs of this delicacy. They are better than the pigs that have been traditionally used for two reasons: dogs have keener scenting powers, and they don't like the taste of truffles, so there is less worry that they will eat them before the gatherers get to them.
That's all folks for this post, as promised, will make more posting later.
Cheers.
Dog Psychology
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
How To Measure Your Dog's Intelligence?
Dog Psychology
Hi all,
Lets study further into what we discuss yesterday.
Measuring Your Dog's Intelligence
Some dog owners and dog trainers expect their dog's level of thinking and smartness to be the same of humans, when being trained. This mistaken assumption about dog psychology can be devastating to the expectations of both the dog owner and the dog itself.
Trainers shouldn't assess canine intelligence against human standards. Each individual canine may possess his own unique talent. If the occasion does not arise for the animal to display this talent, it doesn't mean he's dumb. For centuries, behavior experts have been trying to devise a test that measures all aspects of human intelligence and have failed miserably. With this success rate in mind, how can canine experts profess to measure the dog's intelligence when we do not even speak the same language?
Labeling a dog dumb can be as unproductive and damaging as labeling humans. If an animal is labeled dumb, the owner usually gives up trying to teach the dog. The label then becomes self-fulfilling because if his owner won't train him, the dog really won't know anything.
On the other hand, labeling a dog smart may create unrealistic expectations and disappointment if he doesn't respond as expected. Perhaps all these "dumb" dogs are just clever enough to make their owners think they are dumb to avoid the effort of obeying! A very frustrated Basset Hound owner complained to his instructor that he had spent a month trying to teach his dog to sit on command and the dog just didn't get it. As the owner was explaining his dilemma, the instructor was mindlessly playing with a piece of liver that she had not put away after working with another dog. The Basset noticed the liver and began nudging the instructor. From pure habit, she told the dog to sit. The Basset plopped his rear end down as fast as Bassets do. This is a good demonstration of learning theory proven long ago that a lack of response does not mean that learning is not occurring. This dog was learning, the owner just hadn't found the right motivator to get him to respond.
Perhaps canine intelligence is not measurable, particularly when the criteria for intelligence are measured on another species' yardstick. Fortunately, regardless of breed, the great majority of dogs are intelligent enough to grasp basic obedience commands when training is intelligently presented. A trainer armed with motivating training methods and a good understanding of the principles behind canine learning can shape a dog's behavior into desirable conduct.
Ha ha ha........ sorry, was pulling your leg. We can not really measure how intelligent is our dog.
Ok, that's all for today folks.
Cheers.
Dog Psychology
Hi all,
Lets study further into what we discuss yesterday.
Measuring Your Dog's Intelligence
Some dog owners and dog trainers expect their dog's level of thinking and smartness to be the same of humans, when being trained. This mistaken assumption about dog psychology can be devastating to the expectations of both the dog owner and the dog itself.
Trainers shouldn't assess canine intelligence against human standards. Each individual canine may possess his own unique talent. If the occasion does not arise for the animal to display this talent, it doesn't mean he's dumb. For centuries, behavior experts have been trying to devise a test that measures all aspects of human intelligence and have failed miserably. With this success rate in mind, how can canine experts profess to measure the dog's intelligence when we do not even speak the same language?
Labeling a dog dumb can be as unproductive and damaging as labeling humans. If an animal is labeled dumb, the owner usually gives up trying to teach the dog. The label then becomes self-fulfilling because if his owner won't train him, the dog really won't know anything.
On the other hand, labeling a dog smart may create unrealistic expectations and disappointment if he doesn't respond as expected. Perhaps all these "dumb" dogs are just clever enough to make their owners think they are dumb to avoid the effort of obeying! A very frustrated Basset Hound owner complained to his instructor that he had spent a month trying to teach his dog to sit on command and the dog just didn't get it. As the owner was explaining his dilemma, the instructor was mindlessly playing with a piece of liver that she had not put away after working with another dog. The Basset noticed the liver and began nudging the instructor. From pure habit, she told the dog to sit. The Basset plopped his rear end down as fast as Bassets do. This is a good demonstration of learning theory proven long ago that a lack of response does not mean that learning is not occurring. This dog was learning, the owner just hadn't found the right motivator to get him to respond.
Perhaps canine intelligence is not measurable, particularly when the criteria for intelligence are measured on another species' yardstick. Fortunately, regardless of breed, the great majority of dogs are intelligent enough to grasp basic obedience commands when training is intelligently presented. A trainer armed with motivating training methods and a good understanding of the principles behind canine learning can shape a dog's behavior into desirable conduct.
Ha ha ha........ sorry, was pulling your leg. We can not really measure how intelligent is our dog.
Ok, that's all for today folks.
Cheers.
Dog Psychology
Monday, June 05, 2006
How Intelligent Is Your Dog?
Dog Psychology
Hi all,
So how smart is your dog? That is today's topic.
Canine Intelligence
There are many theories about the intelligence of the dog. The majority of dog owners know that their dogs are very bright: these owners can tell any number of stories that demonstrate the animal's high intelligence. In addition to the clever ways in which dogs outwit their owners, canine intelligence shines when dogs are asked to perform the tasks for which they were bred.
For instance, the Border Collie is exceptionally quick to learn how to herd a flock of sheep, and only risk appearing stupid when you ask him to scent out a bird. The bird dog who finds the bird naturally, without training, is labeled extremely intelligent. Yet this same genius will look dumb, and probably get trampled, if allowed to mingle with a flock of sheep.
Motivation is a big part of intelligence. One dog owner scheduled an appointment to have her dog evaluated after a discussion with her friend. The dog owner and her friend were convinced that the dog had a learning disability because the friend's Labrador Retriever could open doors with his nose and paw, whereas the other dog would just sit in front of the door and wait for someone to open it. The idea never occurred to this person that the dog didn't want to go through the door all that badly or that he was smart enough to wait for her to open it instead of expending energy.
Another client who owned and trained Border Collies labeled one of her dogs retarded because the dog did not appear to grasp the concept of retrieving as quickly as her other Border Collies. Once the training method was adapted for the dog's particular temperament, which was different from that of the typical Border Collie, she learned and enjoyed retrieving. This same dog would display aggression toward other dogs by growling and curling her lips to show her teeth. The trainers thought the owner was quite effective and consistent in correcting the lip curl until one of the trainers observed that when this "retarded" dog approached another canine, she quietly curled only one side of her mouth, the side the owner could not see.
Frequently, people believe that females are smarter than males. However, there is no evidence to date to support the theory of a significant difference in intelligence between the sexes. Those who claim there is a difference may be tainted by their prejudice toward or preference for one sex or the other. Intelligence is more apt to vary individually rather than by the sex of the animal.
So now we understand that every dog has their own strength and could learn and perform different task according to their strength, so please don't label them as retarded if they can't perform certain trick, it might not be his/her strength.
Ok, till we 'woof' again, have fun with your doggie friends.
Cheers.
Dog Psychology
Hi all,
So how smart is your dog? That is today's topic.
Canine Intelligence
There are many theories about the intelligence of the dog. The majority of dog owners know that their dogs are very bright: these owners can tell any number of stories that demonstrate the animal's high intelligence. In addition to the clever ways in which dogs outwit their owners, canine intelligence shines when dogs are asked to perform the tasks for which they were bred.
For instance, the Border Collie is exceptionally quick to learn how to herd a flock of sheep, and only risk appearing stupid when you ask him to scent out a bird. The bird dog who finds the bird naturally, without training, is labeled extremely intelligent. Yet this same genius will look dumb, and probably get trampled, if allowed to mingle with a flock of sheep.
Motivation is a big part of intelligence. One dog owner scheduled an appointment to have her dog evaluated after a discussion with her friend. The dog owner and her friend were convinced that the dog had a learning disability because the friend's Labrador Retriever could open doors with his nose and paw, whereas the other dog would just sit in front of the door and wait for someone to open it. The idea never occurred to this person that the dog didn't want to go through the door all that badly or that he was smart enough to wait for her to open it instead of expending energy.
Another client who owned and trained Border Collies labeled one of her dogs retarded because the dog did not appear to grasp the concept of retrieving as quickly as her other Border Collies. Once the training method was adapted for the dog's particular temperament, which was different from that of the typical Border Collie, she learned and enjoyed retrieving. This same dog would display aggression toward other dogs by growling and curling her lips to show her teeth. The trainers thought the owner was quite effective and consistent in correcting the lip curl until one of the trainers observed that when this "retarded" dog approached another canine, she quietly curled only one side of her mouth, the side the owner could not see.
Frequently, people believe that females are smarter than males. However, there is no evidence to date to support the theory of a significant difference in intelligence between the sexes. Those who claim there is a difference may be tainted by their prejudice toward or preference for one sex or the other. Intelligence is more apt to vary individually rather than by the sex of the animal.
So now we understand that every dog has their own strength and could learn and perform different task according to their strength, so please don't label them as retarded if they can't perform certain trick, it might not be his/her strength.
Ok, till we 'woof' again, have fun with your doggie friends.
Cheers.
Dog Psychology
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