DOG TRAINING

DOG TRAINING
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER ONE
Getting Off to a Good Start
CHAPTER TWO
Understanding Your Dog’s Personality
CHAPTER THREE
Start Training
CHAPTER FOUR
Exercise The Major Problem Solver.
CONCLUSION
 INTRODUCTION

Good Relationship as a Foundation for Good Training

Many associations with dog-owners are the perpetrators of unreasonable
perceptions. Many of those assumptions are triggered by what we see on tv,
others are induced by skewed childhood experiences, pets, and others are
triggered by the failure to understand that all dogs are special.
On television, ownership of dogs seems too simple. TV shows and dog-food
ads perpetuated the theory. You give the dog a little affection, throw some
dog food at him once a day, according to TV, and voilà — he transforms into
a truly loyal pet who will happily sacrifice his life to protect his owners. MyS
favorites are advertisements featuring a little baby girl being mobbed by a
litter of cute dogs. In fact, dogs of that age are armed with tiny teeth needles
that send children to scream for their mothers when their arms are punctured.
Because you've ever seen a dog on the chain on TV? No. No. TV puppies,
unlike those of the real world, come right away when they're called. All that
would be funny if the fact wasn't that when dogs don't live up to these TV
stereotypes, the dog is always blamed and disposed of.
We also have a dog when one that is great has a relative or neighbor. Some
people go out to find the same breed, but even when their dog looks different,
they 're confused. We will not know the tremendous variations in dog
characteristics of the same breed. The neighbor's dog could have come from a
decent breeder, while they had theirs from a pet store. Many of the dogs sold
in pet shops are the product of indiscriminate breeding, with complete
disposition indifference. Many still disregard the variations in age that a dog's
temperament can produce, asking why their eight-month-old Labrador
Retriever is a threat when the eight-year-old Lab down the street is a sweet,
placid puppy.s
Many often ignore the environmental changes that a dog's actions will
produce. The German Shepherd down the street could be doing better than
yours because his trainer is home the entire day, allows him extra attention,
has taken him to obedience training lessons, or has a cleaner, less noisy
household. Today, dogs live in rough conditions. Sometimes all adult
members of a household work outside the home while there are only two,
leaving the dog home lonely and depressed all day.
Giving your dog's reasonable standards will help you predict challenges and
overcome them. Your dog has desires. He requires exercise, company,
intellectual stimulation and the laws of the community in which he lives to be
learned. He wants to be forgiven for behaving like a child, even though you
don't want him to act that way.
Will you ever have your own super dog? Yeah, with the right breed, proper
care, and good discipline.
Choosing a Training Method
There's a lot of different ways of teaching a dog. Naturally, you want to pick
a simple and efficient process. Nonetheless, more critical attention will be
paid to this: the effect of the approach on your relationship with your dog. A
healthy friendship is founded on empathy for the emotions of each other, and
the type of training you chose will be one that values the intellect and honesty
of your dog, and is as compassionate and polite as possible.
Seek to look at training from the point of view of your dog, to help pick a
process. Imagine that you are unexpectedly on another world with people that
don't look like you (which is the role your dog is in) or behave like you. You
don't understand a word in their vocabulary (it really doesn't speak English
like an untrained dog). You want to blend in with these creatures in every
way to get along with them. A person that is substantially bigger than you
place a collar around your waist, add a leash and tug on it, give you the
"zork" signal. You're not thrilled with the collar and the rope, so you get up
and continue walking behind the Huge Thing. Then he shouts: "Zork! "Then
jerks the leash forward. You don't know what you've done wrong, so it feels
like he needs you to walk ahead of him, and that's where you keep going. He
roars this time, "No, Zork! "And give you back a fast shake. You are now
completely lost. You don't really know where he wants you to go. You
eventually find out after some more humiliating jerks that the only way you
can walk is on his left side and not make him jerk you are on. You've heard
what "zork" means, but you're not necessarily looking forward to learning
more — at least not this way.
Let's focus on a particular case. On Big Stuff earth, you are again helplessly
stranded. One of the Big Stuff walks up to you and tells you he 's got a bunch
of things that look like sweets amazingly. He keeps one above your nose, so
that you can smell it. Smelling like candy. You 're a bit hungry and you're
enjoying it as he gives you one. Yeah, they are fantastic! Big Thing takes a
couple of steps forward and says, "Zork," all the time leaving the candy out.
You pursue him a few steps and he hands you another slice. This time he
would say, "Zork! "And you walk away, and you pursue him quicker. You
get another bit again. You walk ahead with him, with you a little behind him,
respectively. He will yell, "Zork! "With an engaging tone of voice, and with a
hand holding a cookie, lures you to his left leg. He gives you another slice,
when you get right next to him. You do have it! If he says, "Zork," you get a
treat if you step to his left-hand side. You can't wait to continue the next
class.
The second example in teaching shows the use of positive reinforcement. My
fitness program is based on constructive reinforcement, for the most part in
the form of nutritional incentives. Yet I have not always practiced this way.
What I read and heard were warned against using food to train a puppy.
Then, I had a difficult problem with the preparation. I wished to grab my
Borzoi, Carla. Carla was a lovely, gentle puppy who just fought to annoy me
through AKC obedience. We had finished her AKC obedience tag
Companion Dog (CD). I decided to use the Companion Dog Excellent (CDX)
for the next title but there was one question. To get this title a dog is needed
to retrieve it. Carla had never expressed much interest in taking something
from the kitchen counter but milk. I had previously trained my first puppy, an
Irish Setter, to fetch the show ring consistently, but I was unhappy with the
way I did it. The technique I had used was based on using the choke collar to
apply force. It was considered a gentle way of teaching the retrieve at the
time, as the more common approach was to bite the ear of the dog.
Nonetheless, doing morally didn't seem to be the right thing, giving a dog too
much pain just to get an AKC obedience title that didn't mean anything to the
dog.

The Advantages of Using Food to Train Your Dog

Food training is a great way to teach dogs. It's faster, more successful and for
you and your dog, it's definitely much more enjoyable. Because I taught dogs
without eating food for several years, I have a clear basis for comparison.
Education is comprised of two parts: explaining what you want to your dog
and encouraging your dog to do it. Food will be of benefit to both. But you
need to get his focus, before you can continue. Training would be difficult
without it. Using food is a simple way to get love from the puppy. You've got
everything he likes, and he'll be happy to know how to get it.
Getting a dog to lay down is a perfect indication of how much the diet
performs to express what you want. Let's presume you want to teach your
full-grown Great Dane to lay down, Lyndy. You could try using the rope to
take her back. When she tries to stop, and she will certainly be in for quite a
fight because it's instinctive for a dog to brace against the impact of someone
dragging at her. Alternatively, when she's perched, you might lift her forelegs
and slowly ease her back. The only lesson Lyndy can know from this, sadly,
is to encourage herself to be held down when you get a sore back. Many dogs
don't realize why you expect them to make a gesture of their own, even after
several times, you've helped them do the move.
It will be better to use the food. Stick it like a magnet around the dog's nose,
and gently bring it back to the surface. Here we are. Fabulous, huh? And
when you no longer need the food in your mouth, the gesture you 're doing
with your mouth is a hand signal.
The second part of training — motivating the dog to do what you want —
implies deciding. Out of fear of retribution, you can make your dog do what
you want, or you can make your dog work to receive a reward. Using food to
inspire the dog makes use of the positive reward psychological theory. Good
reinforcement is part of a wider learning philosophy known as behavioral
improvement. The theory of positive reinforcement essentially states that
positive reinforcement raises the probability that the action that precedes it
will happen again. For eg, if you call your dog, and he gets a treat when he
arrives, the next time you call he's more likely to come. A positive reward is a
recompense in less formal jargon.
Although there are many types of treats for pets, food is simple and easy to
use, can be provided in limited quantities, can act like a lure to attract a dog
into a desirable location, and appeals to a wide variety of pets. It's perfect for
dogs of all ages, from bouncy seven-week-old dogs to unruly teens, to elderly
dogs set-in-their-ways, to frail aged dogs. Nutrition performs best for all
breeds, from the eager-to-please Golden Retriever to the chow which is
difficult to convince. It also operates with all-personality mixed breeds and
puppies. Food is a valuable tool for developing timid dog confidence and for
dealing with aggressive dogs.
Other Rewards
In addition to food, there are other rewards. A reward, or positive motivation,
is something the dog needs to receive to work. Rewards other than food may
be a tennis ball or pet toy, opportunity to discover a new environment, a
game of chasing or grappling with the trainer, a chance to play with other
dogs and recognition.
Praise is the only reinforcement that's seen in certain dog training strategies.
In fact, for most dogs, praise acts like a very poor reward. Nevertheless,
reinforcement is a vital part of the constructive way of teaching dogs. Praise
strengthens the dog's emotional bond with the handler. This helps the dog to
know what the teacher looks like. The dog is used to "reading" the mood of
its master by studying the expression of his body and listening to the sound of
his voice.
 CHAPTER ONE
Getting Off to a Good Start

Training a dog is much faster, because once you get off to a good start, the
chances of success are much higher. Ideally that means starting at 7-12 weeks
of age before you get your dog home. This book is for you, if you have a dog
in those years.
Some of you will even reading this book have a dog older than 12 weeks.
Unfortunately, some people don't try details about the discipline until they get
off to a bad start and have trouble with their puppy. And if the dog is over 12
weeks old, this book can be readout. You should equate the successful
approach of teaching with how your dog was handled in the first 12 weeks,
even if you don't remember how it was done, so it will make you appreciate
your dog better now. If you teach your elderly dog, you would be more
compassionate if you recognize that he lost the advantages of being taught at
an early age.
If you're beginning with a puppy or an older puppy you've just rescued, or
you're attempting to develop a new relationship with a dog you've been
around for a while, you'll start by teaching commands as mentioned in
"Teaching Commands: Sit, Stay, Okay, and No." No matter what your dog's
age, he wants to build up his confidence through socialization; this process is
discussed in "Creating Co" Discovering the mistakes you made when
choosing your dog will help you from punishing him for not being what you
were expecting. Each time you are considering a dog, you'll be well trained.
You might also pass the detail on to a friend who gets a puppy!
Choosing a Hund
Getting off to a strong start starts by finding the best breed. Note the debate
in the first chapter on reasonable expectations? I said if you have the right
treatment, the right discipline, and the right dog, you might have your own
super dog. A big part of this calculation is finding the correct breed. Part of
the media misconception that drives viewers to false perceptions is the idea
that dogs are essentially all alike, and that any dog will become a perfect pet
with enough affection. Alas, that's just not real. Many dogs are raised with
poor temperaments that can't be cured with any amount of care and
discipline, or health conditions that can drive up expensive veterinary bills.
Selecting a healthy dog is a method full of stumbling blocks. And by making
conscious decisions, you can improve the odds of finding the right dog for
you. Compare this detail, if you already have a dog, with how you picked
him. It could help you better appreciate your puppy.
Purebred versus mixed breed, puppy versus elderly dog, and whether to save
a dog from a sanctuary inside the Humane Society or head to a breeder are
among the first options. Another choice is to sponsor one of the non-profit
rescue organizations that specialize only one breed as a purebred dog. Such
choices rely in part on your personal interests, but seek to be mindful of the
challenges that you can experience. Dogs, whether purebred or mixed, may
have genetic health and personality issues. As in purebred dogs, the gene
pool is reduced to preserve breed form, such health issues that become more
common. Two cases are in Irish Setters epilepsy, and in Labrador Retrievers
and Rottweilers hip dysplasia. The good thing is that successful breeders are
mindful of and monitor for these illnesses. Instead, they collect cautiously to
kill them. The breeders who most certainly do so exhibit their dogs as well.
Don't stop exhibiting dog breeders, even though you just want a cat. Careful
breeders are people who go to the trouble of showing their dogs and care
enough to get an opinion from a judge on the nature of their dogs. Many
show dog breeds contain some standard service dogs. All standard service
dogs benefit from the same safety tests, standards of personality, and
improved habitats. Show dogs will bear the discomfort of being around
hundreds of strange dogs, testing their teeth and testicles, and being positive
with them. Wouldn't you want a dog who can deal with this kind of stress?
The toughest place to buy a puppy is in a pet store. They sell puppies of poor
quality, at incredibly inflated prices. The circumstances these dogs are being
raised in are barbaric. I stay next to puppy mills. One had 431 puppies and a
couple more. Such dogs stay in cages of dirty mesh, and rarely see daylight.
Clearly, this "breeder" doesn't test for issues with safety and personality.
Some people buy pets at pet stores, because they think it's nice to save them.
In fact, people make financial contributions for the cruelty of the animals.
It's quick to get misled about a purebred dog's consistency. Such deceit is
often accidental on the part of the breeders, who may be uninformed of the
nature of the dogs they breed themselves. Purebred dog owners frequently
misunderstand statements like these:
"These dogs are registered on AKC." AKC registration has little to do with a
dog's fitness. The American Kennel Club will not test dogs until licensing
them for healthy temperament or lack of inherited health problems. The only
reason the AKC approval indicates is that the dog was the result of two
licensed dogs having paired together. But this isn't sure, because
identification documents can be collected under false pretenses.
"All dogs come off the champion lines. "Dog owners are always fascinated
when they see a champion or two on a record, even when these champions
are far from the dog they are contemplating purchasing for many years.
Sadly, one indiscriminate breeding will undo whatever impact such
champions may have had on the standard of a puppy. When those champions
aren't the sire or dam of your breed, don't have them falsely impressed. The
AKC championship is, therefore, not the absolute consistency assurance. A
dog with hip dysplasia, a genetic condition affecting the hip joint of a horse,
will be seen at a championship.
"My pets have never had any issues with hip dysplasia." Many dog owners
have done enough homework into the breed; they are getting to know that the
breed has genetic complications, such as hip dysplasia. The latter assertion
can be the response they get when they ask about it. The best way to
accurately treat hip dysplasia is with sir and dam X rays before breeding.
Such X-rays are most also sent by medical radiologists to the Orthopedic
Association for Animals (OFA) for review. If the X-ray reveals healthy hip
joints then an OFA number is given to the dog. This number is not given to
dogs under the age of two, since by then, not all incidents can be identified. If
you hear the line above ask if the dogs get X-rayed.
"This is a different breed." People often market a "new breed" in order to
cash in on people's urge to see something special. An example from our
region is a Labrador/Poodle hybrid. If you are looking to buy a mixed-breed
puppy, that's all right. However, you should know that the manufacturers of
these dogs don't test for health issues with usu- allies (never, in my
experience). Additional breeds are accepted to the AKC because they are
breeds that have existed for several years and whose breeders have been
organized nationwide for the many years required for entry to the AKC.
"This dog is from a kennel (or breeder), not a pet shop." Certain people know
enough to skip the high-priced and sometimes low-quality dogs sold at pet
stores, but can not differentiate between good and poor breeders and kennels.
Whoever owns and breeds a female dog is a breeder but not really a healthy
one! The word "kennel" is much more ambiguous. It may refer to a show dog
breeder, who keeps her two dogs in the house and raises one litter in her
living room every two years. This may also refer to anyone who mass-
produces dogs in many breeds using dogs that spend their whole lives in
cages without regard to price.
"This dog comes with a warranty," the fine print reads. A lot of warranties
ask you to return the original dog before a substitution is given. You would
already be in love with your first dog, however, and unwilling to leave him,
particularly to an unknown fate. How would you like another breeder 's dog
that's already known to create problem dogs? Your only promise is to shop
wisely before buying a puppy.
There are only a few examples of ways to make mistakes while owning a
puppy. Let them warn you: be alert!
Where do you like a good dog? The publications scarcely sell the latest
litters. Your local kennel club may direct you to a good breeder, but may not
mention the club in the phone book. A veterinarian, groomer, or kennel
boarding will place you in touch with the nearest dog club. The American
Kennel Club has useful knowledge about the recruitment of breeders on the
akc.org website. When you have an elderly puppy, beware of secret
problems. Users frequently give up an elderly dog due to a behavior problem,
something that they might not be frank with to place the dog in a new
environment. When possible, you will choose to plan a trial duration of at
least one week and hopefully one month, after which time you may be free to
return the dog should you run into a problem.
If you've settled on a breeder and a litter, the challenge of picking a dog from
the litter would be yours. The best age to have a puppy is between the ages of
7 and 12 years, with it being better to get closer to 7 weeks. By the age of 7
weeks, puppies have lived long enough with their littermates to have the
interactions required for them to evolve naturally, and they are young enough
to form a fine, strong relationship with humans. When dogs are separated too
early or too late from their litters, problems with the behavior can arise.
Many temperament characteristics a dog may have in a young dog when it is
mature can be identified. Checking dog behavior is a way to make certain
discoveries routinely. Seven weeks of age is a perfect time for this evaluation
since dogs are mentally stable enough at this age to be able to get around
quickly, yet early enough to reduce the external impact on the actions of the
dog. Somebody who's a newcomer to the dogs should do the checking. Every
dog is checked separately, and when removed from their littermates, dogs
behave differently. The training will also be conducted in an unexpected
environment for the dogs, to test their responses to a different venue.
Even if anyone who has done dog temperament training will do the better job
of training, particularly understanding the behaviour of the dogs, you should
do the test yourself. Many assessments as well as guidance about how to
perform and evaluate them, are given here. Create photocopies of the
samples, with one copy per dog, then circle the answers. Dogs may have
answers not reported on the exam. Seek to view these in the best manner
possible.
When you do have a puppy, remember how your puppy might have
responded as a child to these assessments and what it teaches you about him
now.
Dog Temperament Tests
Social Attraction
Have someone place the dog on the floor approximately four feet from the
tester, who is kneeling on the floor. The tester coaxes the dog to him with his
voice and body motions.
Responses:
A. Dog runs to tester with tail up, jumps up.
B. Dog takes a few seconds to look around, then comes to tester, tail up.
C. Dog comes hesitantly, tail down.
D. Dog will not come at all; remains frozen in place.
E. Dog wanders off to explore room, ignoring tester.
Meanings:
A. That dog is calm and brave. He has a passion for women. Are you going to
consider a question while your dog is jumping on people? Don't let this
enticing answer drive you in. Brave dogs can be hard to control.
B. Response is mild.
C. Dog is less self-assured, particularly in an unusual location, but also drawn
to humans. This may be harder to manage. See if confidence in pups
improves as the study continues.
D. Dog is apprehensive, panic intolerant. Look for tremor to show some
degree of panic. This dog can be scared of strangers.
I. The response can have two explanations. One being that the dog is not a
dog geared towards humans, choosing to satisfy his own interests rather than
finding company. Its independence will make it difficult to practice. The
other explanation for this reaction may be that the dog is not drawn to
strangers, but can still attach well to one person.
Following
The tester gets up and walks away from the puppy, conversing encouragingly
with the dog. If there is space walk between 10 to 20 feet.
Reactions:
A. Easily pursue, tail up, get underfoot or sprint away.
B. It readily follows, tail up.
C. Hesitantly follows, tail down.
D. Will not follow; remains suspended.
E. Wanders off for exploration.
Meanings:
A. While attracted to people, this dog is also assertive. May need an
equally assertive owner.
B. Confident, but ready to follow owner, literally and figuratively.
C. Dog less confident.
D. Dog scared.
E. This dog is independent and will be difficult to establish control of off
leash.
Restraint
The tester gently places the dog on his back and holds him there for 30
seconds.
Responses:
A. Dog struggles fiercely, bites.
B. Dog struggles fiercely, may bark.
C. Dog struggles a little.
D. Dog does not struggle, relaxed.
E. Dog does not struggle, tense.
Meanings:
A. If you have young children avoid this puppy. Most children get hurt by
hugging him as they stop their dog. At the veterinarian this dog can be
difficult to control. Training must be early and strong.
B. Indicates active, assertive, compassionate puppy.
C. Response is mild.
D. It would be easier to treat this more relaxed, easy-going pup.
E. Dog scared, stressed.
Reaction to Petting
The tester sits the dog beside him and pets the dog, talks to him.
Responses:
A. Dog climbs or attempts to climb up on tester’s lap; jumps at face and
licks.
B. Dog cuddles up to tester.
C. Dog sits quietly, accepting petting.
D. Dog crouches down, trembles.
E. Dog goes around tester, sniffing shoes, or goes away.
Meanings:
A. The dog loves people, but are his constant attempts to climb into your
lap (and maybe everyone else’s) or otherwise get your attention going to
bother you? Will you enjoy it?
B. An affectionate dog.
C. This passive dog is either a little frightened or aloof with strangers.
D. Dog is scared.
E. Dog is not attracted to people and independent.
Retrieving
The tester crumples up a sheet of paper and tosses it in front of the dog for
two or four feet while he is searching. If he does pick it up, urge him to
return.
Responses:
A. Run, catch paper, and run off.
B. Chases paper, sniffs it, and runs away.
C. Chases paper, gathers it up, and goes back to check.
D. Approaches paper hesitantly, extends nose to sniff the document carefully.
I. Chases a small distance to file, then returns to the tester.
F. Not interested; just walking around.
F. Refuses to leave the tester.
Meanings:
A. Dog can still chase things he sees, like dogs across the lane. He shows
freedom, as well.
B. Same as before, but less propensity for recovery.
C. Better response; high trainability associated with retrieval.
D. Dog loses confidence, but can rebound with practice and encouragement;
can also suggest bird-hunting dog's pointering ability.
I. Indicates a high degree of mutual desire and less tendency to recuperate.
F. No instinct to retrieve, dog possibly won't play games to retrieve; suggests
freedom and limits trainability.
F. Frightened dog.
Touch Sensitivity
The tester cradles the dog in lap, removes webbing between the front toes
between thumb and forefinger, and slowly raises pressure when counting to
10, stopping as soon as the dog moves the hand away.
Meaning:
Many of the dogs are more sensitive to discomfort than others. Dogs that are
not responsive to pain may be difficult to train using conventional methods
that focus on the discomfort of the dog. The pulling on the lead is a common
issue with these puppies. Some dogs can be prone to pain and overreact at
any touch, maybe nipping when a hair is pulled when brushing. A middle
solution is preferable. Most dogs are relatively pain insensitive.
Sound Sensitivity
The tester hits the bottom of a metal pan with a metal spoon while the dog is
a few feet away. Set the pan on the ground after hitting it.
Responses:
A. Dog locates sound and trots to pan to investigate.
B. Dog looks toward direction of sound but doesn’t walk toward pan.
C. Dog cringes, runs away, and tries to hide.
Meanings:
A. Dog is bold and confident, not sound shy.
B. Dog is less bold, but not sound shy.
C. The amount of fear suggests shyness in the sound. During a thunderstorm
a sound shy dog can panic, or run away when a car fires. To a hunter, that
would be a huge challenge.
Sight Sensitivity
The tester opens an umbrella that is held close to the ground about four feet
from the dog and sets the umbrella on the ground.
Responses:
A. Dog may or may not jump back, but then approaches umbrella on own;
may mouth umbrella.
B. Dog may or may not jump back; approaches umbrella with
encouragement.
C. Dog cringes, goes away, and tries to hide.
Meanings:
A. Dog very bold and curious, not afraid of things.
B. Dog less bold but not afraid.
C. Dog afraid of strange-looking objects; often grows up to be a dog
easily “spooked.”
Energy Level
Tester observes dog during testing.
Responses:
A. Mostly running around, never stopping.
B. Mostly trots, with slight curiosity.
C. Walks along calmly, sits in spot tester positions him in.
D. Moves very little, tense.
Meanings:
A. High Level Energy. Will be difficult to keep still, which may require a lot
of exercise.
B. The energy level is low. Will need exercise anyway.
C. Low Level of power. Easy to live with.
D. Dog scared, stressed.
 CHAPTER TWO
Understanding Your Dog’s Personality

You've got to have two-way contact to establish a healthy friendship with

your puppy. This chapter will concentrate on teaching your dog to understand
your language in the order form. But first you need to know how to handle
your puppy. Such shared trust is essential to successful teaching and positive
relationship building.
Personalities are what fascinates puppies, and they're all distinctive. Each
single dog is special. The temperament of your dog will influence his training
so knowing some of the aspects that make up the temperament of a dog is
crucial. Many of the causes are hereditary; as such, they can not be modified
quickly and are better dealt with with with a heavy dosage of understanding.
Behaviors linked to race
Many breeds were created to do a specific task. An important part of the
dog's comprehension is studying the role he was bred for and knowing how it
influences his actions as a pet. While few purebred dogs ever do the job
they've been bred to do, the habits remain. Such patterns persist in varying
intensity to complicate the issue. An infamous example is the Irish setter, so
long bred for elegance that some have forgotten their bird detecting skill. And
none appear to have lost their running drive. Bear in mind when you read that
such generalizations are not applicable to all entities within a species.
Understanding how color impacts your dog's actions can be a problem if your
dog is a mixed breed. Such dogs are often confused because they have no
breed identification to contribute to an interpretation of their behavior. Seek
to imagine what breeds your mixed-breed dog will compete with. Judge by
features such as ear shape, tail bearing, thickness, and hair, rather than colour.
Stay up with the more common breeds because they are most likely to be part
of a mixed breed. The dog would never be a hybrid between an Ibizan hound
and a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon.
Many dog breeds have been bred to hunt in various ways, which affect their
actions as pets. Many dogs are hunting by hearing, and others are hunting by
scent. Beagles are quickly disturbed by odors on the ground while off leash;
Afghan Hounds are more likely to be distracted by something they see
moving. Terriers had been trained to kill small animals, which at times were
not any bigger than they were. It created a feisty puppy who is keen on
fighting and is not scared of anything. Setters prefer hunted by taking up a lot
of ground, so they sometimes do just this when the leash is let out.
An important aspect influencing how easy it is to train the dog is whether or
not the temperament has been trained to work directly with, or independently
of, the guy. Of starters, both the Golden Retriever and the Border Collie were
trained to follow human orders of their jobs. When Beagles work as hunters,
on the other hand, they don't wait for orders from their handlers, but set out
on their own, hunting for a sign of rabbits. Setters and Pointers lie somewhere
in between, hunting for game birds individually but remaining within the
control of the hunter they are dealing with.
Many breeds, such as Setters, Pointers, and Border Collies were trained to
hunt or work for long periods of time. You shouldn't be surprised if your
German Shorthaired Pointer, built for hunting on a fast gallop all day long,
paces about the house restlessly and gets into trouble because he doesn't get
enough exercise. At the other hand, people are frequently shocked to find that
by chasing down games some of the breeds bred to hunt, such as Greyhounds
and Afghans, are happier to sleep away the day rather than sprint around the
door. They were not trained to hunt at a slow pace during the day but to catch
their prey in fleeting speed bursts.
The behavior in dogs trained to hunt, such as Collies and Shetland
Sheepdogs, leads many dog owners to suffer difficulties. It could mean your
Australian Shepherd picks up the neighborhood kids in your backyard
obsessively and won't let them go. Or that could mean that when you start to
walk, the Border Collie match the bites at the back of the thighs. Herding
dogs have a requirement for instinctive awareness of moving objects. It is
well if you have a flock of sheep that you want to push, but badly if the
instinct for herding is applied to young children or moving vehicles. Perhaps
they become compulsive retrievers who extend their herding instinct to balls
or Frisbees. This herding behavior can be confused with an offensive attack,
and therefore it can also be hard to draw the line between the two. When you
have a herding type or combination it would be prudent to introduce him to
issues like crowds of little kids playing around to making sure he knows that
he is not chasing them under any conditions.
Such breed-related habits are instinctive, and they can not be eliminated, only
learned and regulated by preparation. Bear in mind that such actions are also
of a frustrated dog at its worst. Terriers are trying to dig, Huskies are trying to
howl, and Border Collies are chasing cars. Education, motivation, and
exercise are all beneficial.
Now we are going to investigate certain hereditary features of the
temperament that affect all dogs, regardless of sex. While we're trying to
think about extremes of each trait, there's a consistent continuum of behavior
between the extremes that might better represent the dog. This is important to
remember that these features of personalities are not inherently positive or
bad but a matter of personal opinion. Animal behavior training at an early age
gives a clear example of these personality characteristics.
Assertive and Passive Dogs
When you've got a dog that's sort of a "problem child," odds are you've got an
assertive dog. Assertive breeds are the ones who are deliberately working to
get their own way. They 're more difficult to manage because of that than a
quiet dog who's able to be a follower. Passive puppy isn't holding the lead. As
is the assertive man, he is not an imaginative thinker. Assertive dogs are the
ones who know to call to go out for rest, while passive dogs do not. We bark
and you don't want to serve them for dinner. So why do some dogs eat food at
any opportunity when some never steal food at all? Perhaps, rather than a
disparity in appetites, it's the contrast between an assertive and passive
puppy. The sensitive dog is an compliant one, although he has never had any
formal training. The assertive dog is rarely described as obedient, although he
holds many titles of obedience.
Remember that assertiveness and aggression vary. By being aggressive a dog
can be assertive and a dog can be aggressive without becoming assertive.
Sandy, for example, is a mixed dog who snarls and bites at anybody who
comes within five feet because she is terrified of humans. She is a very quiet
dog, afraid of her own appearance. She's a rough dog but certainly, she's not
assertive. At the other hand, Hayley is an assertive Gordon Setter, always
pawing at you for affection and not taking no for a yes. If she needs to go out,
she barks at the door, which is almost every 15 minutes. If anything else fails,
she'll take everything she thinks she's not meant to get and with it races
around the house — a guaranteed attention-getter. One can't imagine,
however, any situation Hayley will bite on.
Aggressive or Passive Defense Reactions
When a dog likes to bite or not when he is afraid or upset is an inherited trait.
Although both dogs can bite when under extreme stress, some dogs turn to
biting quicker than others. There are breeds with violent responses to defense.
During the class in which we practice toenail clipping, the different forms of
defensive responses are easy to detect in my obedience lessons because so
many dogs are afraid or upset by this method. A big male Golden Retriever
may be completely terrified and fighting with all his may, but he doesn't bite.
An Airedale, meanwhile, has bitten my assistant instructor's hand for just
holding his head.
During dog behaviour training at age seven years, such behaviors can be
found in dogs while performing the restraint test. Dogs that are upset by
being kept on their backs will respond by freezing in terror or by groaning
and biting at the other extreme. Many puppies, though, are not bothered by
being kept on their backs and lie very comfortably there, which brings up a
serious issue. Such dogs may or may not have offensive responses to the
defense but they are not overwhelmed easily. Some dogs are irritated more
readily than others, and this affects how readily one can cause a defensive
response of any kind. A dog with quickly triggered hostile responses to the
defense can be very difficult to manage.
Aggressive or passive responses to the response are relevant to the
temperament of a dog. Clearly, dogs bred for defense, including German
Shepherds and Dobermans, are also trained for violent reactions to the
defence. Retrievers, on the other hand, are designed to have "sweet eyes" so
that they do not kill the birds they were born to catch, and therefore have
passive responses to the defence. Newfoundlands is another example of a
species that appears to have passive responses to the defence. Sadly, many of
those breed characteristics have been obscured by indiscriminate breeding of
dogs.
Dogs that exhibit symptoms of defensive responses to the defense benefit
from being conditioned to embrace protection as soon as possible so that they
can be groomed and given health treatment without biting.
Any threat or coercion that makes the dog feel a need to protect itself must be
avoided when teaching a dog with strong reflexes on defense. By causing
such a reaction you don't want to give the dog practice at biting. At the other
hand, dogs with negative responses are also victims of strong methods in
discipline because they are not defending themselves. With all types of dogs
the food preparation works well.
Defense responses are an significant temperament factor to consider when
considering a dog that's going to be around people. When you have young
ones, a dog with passive defense reactions is best to have.
Independent or Dependent
Dogs differ in the way they rely on their parents. Dogs, like their social
animals, the wolves, are social creatures. It is the ability of a dog to form
social attachments which make him as a companion so desirable. Both dogs
need to be pleased with social interaction, but some dogs are more anxious
when they refused the touch than others.
Whether he responds to being left alone is a test of a dog's freedom. In this
case, the vulnerable dog is particularly stressed and often shows issues with
behaviour such as barking, aggressive biting and house soiling. Once you're
at school, he manages not to let you out of sight, dragging you from room to
bed.
To be satisfied the single dog wants less human touch. If left alone, he does
not show stress-related actions and although he is delighted to see his owner
back, he does not behave as though he had disappeared when his owner was
gone. To a puppy that needs to be left alone for long hours while his parents
go to sleep, that is a valuable feature.
Dependency is both influenced by heredity factors and environmental
conditions. There are many considerations related to the climate. When a dog
gets older, he is typically more independent. Another dog's presence creates
mutual interaction, which reduces the dependency of a dog on its owner.
Intelligence and Trainability
Most dog owners are puzzled because their dogs look smart but tend to be
hard to train. Trainability and intellect are not the same things. Yes, many
dog owners see the smarter dog as being more difficult to train. Intelligence
relates to the ability of a dog to solve problems, while trainability is linked to
the ease with which a dog can be convinced to follow a human path. A dog
can use his intellect to get what he wants, but he won't use it to do anything
you want.
It is important to remember that most studies of dog obedience do not test for
intelligence but rather test for variables influencing trainability. Knowing
willing to teach a dog is more important than knowledge in terms of how
people get along with their pets.
Who makes a trainable dog? Trainability is based on a combination of
personality variables. The typical pet owner wants a healthy, relaxed dog
with moderate to medium levels of aggression, low reactivity, and easier to
live with relaxed defensive reactions. The most significant aspect is
undoubtedly a trusting temperament, as it makes a dog nervous about
receiving your acceptance. When dogs are assertive, aggressive, have a high
energy level, or are overly sensitive, they are difficult to train. Any dog
without a psychological condition is nonetheless trainable. Within this book
the teaching methods mentioned function with dogs with several different
personalities. Having food motivates individual dogs, for example, who are
not inspired by attention as more reliant dogs do. Food incentives help hold a
highly aggressive dog's focus, and they reduce the need for aggression that
can lead an assertive dog to attack or strong defensive reactions.
“Reading” Your Dog
The dogs speak to us in an eloquent manner in their own language, a
nonverbal language of body and facial gestures. To "read" your dog's body
language, you need to listen with your eyes. Learning this language is
important for bidirectional communication, and you need to teach your dog to
have a nice friendship.
Observing dogs interacting with each other is a good way to learn about the
canine body language. Give your dog a chance to socialize with other people,
to see how they communicate. How does he treat recognized dogs as opposed
to new ones? How does he get to be a different dog? What games are they
looking at? Why do they act when each other gets angry?
Another way to understand the vocabulary of the dog is to read books on
actions of dogs and wolves. Because dog and wolf habits are identical, wolf
encounters in the wild give scientists an ability to study contact in a pure
form, because it occurs without intervention by human beings. A dog habit
that many people consider irritating, for example, licks people's faces,
particularly their ears. The cause of the behaviour is seldom found in humans,
but wolf studies have shown that wolf humans are nourished by food
regurgitated by older wolves. The wolf pups leaping up and scratching at the
mouths of the older wolves causes this regurgitation. In this case, wolves
might carry home meat from their killings and provide it for their dogs —
wolf baby food — predigested already. It is rarely seen in dogs because pup-
pies are separated soon after weaning from their mothers. Licking at the
mouths continues in wolves as a welcoming activity until they age. Of this
reason, the dog will welcome you by jumping up and attempting to lick the
lips. Faults in reading the canine body language contribute to mistakes in
teaching. A common miscommunication case happens when an person comes
home to discover that everything his dog has ruined in his absence. The
trainer is behaving mad, and his dog is responding by averting his eyes or
turning onto his hand. The trainer interprets this action to mean the dog is
mindful of what he has done wrong and feels bad. The controller then goes
ahead with punishing him. But dogs naturally respond by behaving
submissively to aggressive or angry behavior. My Greyhound, for example,
behaves submissively if I'm crazy, even though it's because I burnt food, or
the car broke down. She definitely doesn't get why I'm mad. The dog is
disciplined in the following case, without getting the vaguest understanding
of why. When his trainer left he may have done the abuse, so he is disciplined
eight hours later. That discipline would only help to make him more nervous
about his owner coming and leaving and more likely to respond to the tension
by breaking things as his owner goes the next time.
 CHAPTER THREE
Start Training

Training begins in the minute you get home your puppy. Communication
starts automatically, whether or not this is part of a deliberately prepared pro-
gram preparation. Your dog learns about all the experiences with you so you
should make sure you so your dog build the friendship you want to have by
preparing the training from the start. You've got a perfect chance to get the
preparation off to a good start between the ages of 7 and 12 weeks. This
curriculum would focus on breaking home, introducing commands, coping
with irritating dog habits (such as mouthing your hands and pulling
something not nailed down to the floor), beginning off-leash exercise,
gaining trust in your dog, and implementing the curriculum.
Teaching Your Dog His Name
The first lesson your puppy or child wants to know is to smile at you as you
call its name. It is teachable comfortably. Have a lot of goodies. Repeat
before the puppy gazes at you. Call his name.If he smiles at you, reward him.
You might also give him a treat. He hasn't yet come yet you. Do so in several
different locations, often with increasing distractions.

Teaching Commands: Sit, Stay, Okay, and No

Education to teach particular terms will start at age about eight to nine weeks.
This routine will set the mood of your relationship right from the start. Your
dog will come to love discipline, because when you raise your puppy, the
optimistic quality of this teaching will offset the impact of any corrections
you'll make. The dog will now understand that you can communicate words
and gestures to him and that he will be praised for paying attention and
listening.
Start with an warning, hungry dog and plenty of treats. Such remedies can be
very small in nature, because your dog won't get instantly loaded out, and
will be something mild that he can digest comfortably. Good examples may
be hot dogs sliced into bits the size of a nickel and then cut into quarters
again, or semi-humid cat food. Start practicing in a position where it won't
bother your puppy.
You will note an advantage of using food immediately: you've got your dog's
attention! The first instruction you'll give is "wait." You can either stand or
kneel next to your dog for this exercise. The dog is going to get up and most
likely skip around trying to get to the food. Hold a piece of food in your right
hand and bring it to almost touch the nose of your dog. Right now, if he
chews on your hand, it's cool. Say the name of your dog to get his attention
and then give the instruction to sit down: "Max, stop." Do it in a friendly tone
of voice. So step back over your dog's head with your right hand and he tips
his head back and slips back into a sitting posture. When he's not sitting
straight, keeping trying until he does. You shouldn't have to touch Max at all
but gently move his rump down with your left hand if you're having serious
issues. Ignoring any efforts, Max tries to get up to get the milk; you don't give
it to him until he settles down on the floor on all four feet. He'll quickly find
out that jumping up won't get him the milk, without your threatening him. He
must also learn to sit with the hand signal, which is the same manual gesture
you made, minus the food. Your dog will quickly follow you and lie around.
Everybody inside the household, even small children, should know how to do
this. It lets children hold the slice of food in a fist until the dog lies down, and
then open their hands out to feed it to him. We should not be having their
digits chewed in this manner.
The next test has some things to show the puppy. As well as showing him the
meaning of the words "stop," "no," and "okay," the dog will have to embrace
discipline, which is a very valuable lesson.
Begin the exercise by sitting right next to your dog. Have two pieces in your
pocket. Tell him to sit on your left foot, ideally, and give out the hand gesture
he's already mastered. Award him with one serving of bread. Then put a piece
of food in front of him, about a foot apart, as you hold him with one paw. For
first, it would be better to let someone else place the food in front of him,
because the hands are free. Tell him, "stop" in a strong tone of voice. Restrain
him by putting your right hand on his shoulder, and your left hand on his
rump. This way, you will be able to hold him in a sitting role.
When your dog wants to get up before you say "okay," say, "No, stop." Most
dogs can battle the discipline with hysteria. If your dog does, giving him a
little shake while holding his paws in place and saying "no." There's no need
to be stronger; just be more stubborn than he is. If he gives up and starts
struggling, say "okay" and free him, reminding him that on the ground he
should enjoy the food and thank him.
You want your dog to realize that "no" means not doing what it ever does,
and that "okay" means freeing him from the previous order. When you're
trying to tell your dog to sit, he 's got to have a term meaning end of sit. As
example, once you open the car door, you want to be sure to order the dog to
wait and not get out before you say "okay." You don't want the release
command to be "nice dog" or a hand motion. You want to be able to reward
your dog without getting him released. "Great dog" is meant to mean "I like
what you're doing; keep doing it." An example of that would be if the dog
was sitting down when you were in business. You 'd like him to be able to
applaud without making him back up. When you use some form of gesture to
free the puppy, so he will hop up if you shifted whilst he was there.
It is necessary for the dogs to learn to embrace restraint. It is necessary not
only to encourage them to stay, but also to embrace restraint when providing
veterinary treatment and grooming and also to consider the restraint of
embracing a small child. Dogs who do not accept restraint also snap at
attempted restraint. A restriction issue can mean the doctor would not be able
to take a blood sample for a heartworm check or look at an infected leg. This
would mean a dog with long fur is a matted mess because it can not be
washed. That can escalate to a girl with a scarred face at its worst, as she
threw her arms around a dog's neck and hugged him. A helpful way to avoid
these issues is to begin early with this easy exercise.
Practice this practice until the dog sits in line without having to catch him.
Gradually the amount of time he'll live will increase. When you give him his
dinner, let him sit. Everyone who has seen a dog hop up and strike a dog food
bowl and send it through the kitchen spinning would understand the
importance of this exercise. Have the dog sit until the bowl is on the floor,
and wait a couple of seconds until you allow him to eat his food with a
"okay." Every family member should be able to do that, again.
Handling Dog Behavior Problems the Positive Way
Dogs are seemingly in constant trouble. One minute your little dog jihadist
hops up and paws at your hands as you're trying to read the newspaper; a few
minutes later, you'll catch him chewing on the eastern carpet's fringe. First, he
runs around the house with a stuffed animal in his hands, being chased by the
toy's tearful owner and defying capture. Instead, he suddenly sits on the
carpet and relieves himself. What do you do?
Punishments aren't the solution. These are all common canine habits, as
irritating as all such activities are. Punishing a dog for engaging in common
dog activities is not fair until you've allowed him time to understand the laws
of life in human culture. Punishment will only annoy him and make him fear
you. Note, we 're talking about a dog that's 7 to 12 weeks old. The real
answer calls for understanding, prevention, training, and time.
Doghood is a temporary state. The teeth of the razor-sharp needle fell out.
Soon your dog should have eaten everything in your home and get bored with
it. He will quiet down, much at least. Hopefully, he will learn from the law.
In the meantime, you want to deter injury, keep him from getting into trouble,
and take a lot of exercise to wear him out.
Mouthing upsets a lot of dog owners and worries them because it looks
offensive. People want a whimsical package of affection when they get a
puppy, not a little furry alligator. Yet mouthing is a completely natural
activity on the horse. It's the way adult dogs and small puppies play with each
other — they eat each other. And a dog mouthing you is just trying to play
along with you in the most normal manner for him. The little needle teeth fall
out with age, and the dog discovers with a little mild discouragement that
mouthing isn't an appropriate method of human activity. Many corrections
made by people who attempt to fix this dilemma end up further triggering the
dog and making it harder. When they grow up, so few dogs are already
mouthing, so don't risk yourself trying to solve a question that's going to go
away on its own. The mouthy dog doesn't want to overpower you; he just
wants a human-compatible way of playing.
A dog who likes to speak a lot which can be a tough match for a young boy.
Dogs prefer to treat small children as littermates and play along with them
appropriately. It can be really disturbing for a kid who isn't any smaller than a
puppy. Start kneeling from that height and fending off a rambunctious puppy.
This is not a straightforward matter. People ought to encourage their kids to
act with the dog appropriately, such as not racing around the house and
rough-housing with the puppy. The dog must always be tightly punished by
parents for nipping at the children.
When things get so bad that your three-year-old finds shelter from the dog by
jumping on the kitchen table, or the clothes of your five-year-old gets ripped,
you need to take some measures. A 50-50 blend of water and white distilled
vinegar fills a spray bottle or herb mister with. When the dog catches him,
tell your kid to say "no" and then spray the dog into his face. The vinegar
won't hurt his skin. Do not give your child access to the spray bottle unless
you supervise him directly. The spray bottle removes the risk that the dog
will provoke a defensive response. Never let your kid get hit with your dog.
Preventing harm happens by limiting the freedom of the puppy. Unlike
housebreaking, don't let him run your home free of charge. Hold doors locked
to rooms. Much like a infant can be put in a playpen for his own protection
when he can not be watched, if he can not be watched, confine the dog to it.
Teach your children to remove their toys and your husband to clean up their
socks.
Damage prevention means the house is now dog-proofed. For example, roll
up the carpet and put it away before the dog is older to deal with a dog that is
chewing the fringe on the Oriental carpet. You might just as well tuck the
fringe under the carpet and press it. Another strategy would be to spray the
fringe with something the dog doesn't like the taste of, like the Sour Apple
spray by Grannick (available in dog supplies shops and catalogues). Extend
this style of innovative problem solving to any concerns you have.
If the dog catches something he shouldn't have and races around the house
with it, don't make the repeated mistakes of pulling him out of his paws,
wrestling whatever it is, and then discipline him. All those acts will worsen
the problem. Chasing him is just what your dog wants, and you're praising
him and making it more likely that he'll be repeating the action in the future
— just what you don't like.
You will expect him to snatch things just to get your attention. Try to
convince him to come over to you, instead. This helps when the dog is being
taught to come when they are called. You may want to wait a couple of
seconds before calling him to give him a chance to learn that no one would
follow him. Don't use speech in an offensive or angry tone. If appropriate,
entice him to you with a treat, trading the reward for something he has in his
mouth. This problem is especially challenging if you have young kids who
are all too excited to enter the catch-me-if-you-can-game. This is a smart idea
to hold a family meeting at which everybody promises not to catch the dog if
he has something in his mouth. Trying to take something out of the mouth of
your dog again is a reward for an action you do not like. Just like playing
chase games is a common activity in dog play, so is playing tug-of-war, so it
is easy to unconsciously promote such behaviours. Anything pulling up
would allow him to hold on tighter. To get your dog to release it, put pressure
on both sides of your dog's muzzle with your thumb and forefinger, pressing
his lips into his jaws. Around the same time, show the dog the "drop it" order.
If you simply reach the side of his muzzle, he can learn to drop items, and
finally on cue. Don't forget to thank him for having the item published. In this
case, beating your dog would only make him less likely to come to you next
time. He'll snatch it, then sprint away and disappear, where you won't notice
he loses it until it's too late. When you can't say "no" to him as he dreams of
taking it, retribution is too late.
Tug-of-war, contrary to some misconceptions of training dogs, is a perfect
way to maximize dog strength. Seeing your dog bite you or your clothing is
definitely a good option. You may do anything as easy as taking off an old
pair of jeans by the hip. Dog sport competitors are trying to train their dogs to
play tug, as they are gaining interest and connections. If your dog plays too
rough and gets too enthusiastic, don't go playing tug-of-war, though any fun
growling isn't a concern. Be sure that your dog activates whatever you put on
order. Working on the "break it" order is a good way to. Give the signal, and
stand still, not tugging any more. If your dog lets go (which could take a
while at first), you'll be rewarded with more tug play.
Distracting a dog with loads of toys is a safe strategy for avoiding injury and
saving up energy from the puppy. Rather of giving him all the toys at once,
seek to give him just two toys at a time, and when he becomes bored, trade
them for two new. Seven- to 12-week-old puppies like soft toys because they
don't have adult teeth and their baby teeth would quickly miss out. Toys that
would be risky to send them as adult dogs are healthy today, like a piece of
synthetic fur fabric they might claim to be attacking. Even the best toys are as
basic as a knotted string, a towel roll on cardboard paper or an empty plastic
container.
If prevention, distraction, calling the name of your dog or using the "leave it"
order do not succeed, you'll need to do something drastic to get your dog's
attention. Don't yell or scare the dog any more. Silently get next to your dog,
grab hold of his collar, and shake him while you repeat the order. When he's
on a table, pick him up with the neck scruff and take him down. Let sure he
smiles at you and is making contact with your pupils. To prove your case,
you can be firm enough, but not so hard that your dog ignores you.
Many dogs suck violently, which is something completely different from
innocent mouthing. If your dog growls or bites while you're trying to take it
away from him, when you're trying to push him when he's asleep, while
you're trying to hold him or when a stranger is attempting to pet him, all of
these situations involve urgent, very strict control as mentioned above.
Do not hit your dog with your hand or with an obstacle. This typically just
makes the dog more excited and can cause a defensive reaction on his part if
he interprets the hit as an assault. Don't harass him emotionally, either. Loud
shouting destroys his trust in you.
Exercising is a smart way to cope with any issues with dog behavior. A
fatigued dog is having less trouble. Dogs require movement regularly, in brief
bursts. One way to tire a dog is to make two people stand 50 feet away or
more and call the dog back and forth between them, giving the dog a treat
every time he arrives. You 're trying to encourage the dog to be on call and at
the same time tiring him out. We had fun with our Greyhound puppy by tying
a piece of string with an old dust mop cover and making her ting it play.
When my husband got off playing, I would carry her, pulling the dust mop
behind him. I will release her when he was far enough ahead, to run after
him. Even the walks that you do as part of your off-leash exercise will help.
So one of the easiest ways to tire a dog is to allow it the chance to compete
with another.
Let's be realistic. A considerable amount of harm will inevitably be caused
when you train a puppy, given your best attempts to discourage it. A paper
can be torn, litter can be scattered over the floor and you can get a bad scrape
from your dog teeth. When you can't do that without feeling upset, try taking
a puppy into your home twice. So if you look at your most costly pair of
tattered shoes on the cement, note he's just a puppy, and continue to chuckle.
Losing your patience is time waster. They 're not going to hand out your
socks. Just note, you have left them where he will get to them.
Building Confidence
Creating faith in your dog is a significant part of getting off to a strong start.
Dogs tend to grow their attitudes towards humans and the outside world as
soon as they can see and hear, and introducing a dog to people and places to
create relationships in them, also called socialization, will start as soon as you
have him, preferably at 7 weeks. Your dog will be comfortable, in unfamiliar
circumstances and environments, for people in all sizes and shapes. If this
training may not begin until a dog is 12 weeks old, then your dog will have
issues with trust. If you take him to unfamiliar areas, he can be scared of
strangers, or panic. He won't be happy, and you won't either.
Start by exposing the dog to a variety of different people — children and
kids, big people, obese people, bearded men, and wide hats for women. He
will meet these people in your building, as well as elsewhere.
When someone is scared of your dog, be careful not to unnecessarily applaud
him for being frightened. It occurs as an owner attempts to comfort a
frightened dog by petting him and talking to him in a loving way.
Unfortunately, the dog believes you are thanking him for being afraid and
will be becoming more fearful in the future. Instead, nervous actions can
advance to growling and snapping. Should not misinterpret this as being
over-protective on your dog's part. Your puppy is just afraid, so you've been
taught to behave that way. The best approach to fearfulness is to ensure that
your dog isn't returning from something that fears him. The sit-stay is a
valuable tool for handling this case. Ask the dog to stop behaving stupidly, in
a tight but kind voice.
Then give him a bit of food the human the dog is scared of. Consider helping
the dog take a step forward in getting the milk. Then applaud your action to
your puppy. Don't stop these scenarios or strangers around your dog because
your dog appears afraid of something. Take for more publicity instead.
However, be careful not to trigger such confusion in your dog that its fears
are only exacerbated further. You could move a little but not too far.
Many people are wary of fostering friendliness with their pets, as they want
to protect their children. Nonetheless, in a hostile scenario only a calm dog, a
dog who doesn't scare humans, can be counted on. Socialization is important
when making a dog differentiate between who is aggressive and who is not.
Unless your dog lacks these instincts, defensive actions does not manifest
until the dog matures. When you see violent behaviour in a dog under the age
of six months, you can be assured that it is triggered by anxiety. Please do
something about it right now.
In addition to introducing your dog to new people to develop his confidence,
you'll probably want to introduce him to different locations. Consult with the
doctor if a dog's vaccines would give him enough protection from infectious
diseases. Alternatively, send him to areas where he will not be exposed to
these illnesses. City dogs should go to the country, and the town should be
visited by suburban dogs. Don't take him out to areas just outside. Ask a good
friend to let your puppy, of course, come into his house — on leash! If the
weather is dry, dogs can learn to swim at the age of 8 to 10 weeks. Pick it up
slowly; wade into the river and help your horse. Remember, the idea is not to
threaten him but to develop his confidence.
A strong rule of thumb is to introduce the dog until he is 16 weeks old to
everything that he may encounter in his life. Be imaginative. Be innovative.
How are elevators, open staircases, wheelchairs and scooters for babies? It is
a smart idea to stay overnight at the boarding kennel where you intend to
keep your dog before you keep, because he is still a puppy. Your dog will
have an chance to communicate with other pets. Dog training courses are a
perfect way to allow your dog access to growing humans, pets, and places.
Taking the time to develop confidence when your dog is still young would
give you several years of loving a loyal dog. It'll make the dog more
adaptable and more agile. If he sees other friends or goes anywhere, he
should be well behaved. When the dog is older, though improvement could
be gradual, he will still benefit from this exposure.
Starting Off-Leash Training
Age 7 to 12 weeks is the best time to start your off-leash training. Apparently
it's almost the only moment. This time is especially important because the
majority of dogs would naturally remain with their owners during these
times. Dogs are more confident after 12 weeks, and are more likely to stray.
Dogs not granted off-leash mobility training at this point would be much
harder to learn to comply while off leash later on. You will stop the vicious
loop created by lack of off-leash activity by starting out now. Dogs trapped in
this loop build up aggression and anger, and when they are eventually off
leash they run away; this in turn makes it less likely that their trainers will
allow them freedom from harness, and the dog's anger gets even worse.
Secondly, it is best never to establish a leash attachment on power. While you
can get your dog used to walking on leash, consider giving him as much
freedom off-leash as you can. When allowing your dog to run openly in your
yard isn't safe, take your dog somewhere during this time span where he can
comfortably be off leash. And if you've got a fenced yard so your dog will go
off leash, you're always supposed to drive him somewhere somewhere else
and you can enjoy the sense of being off leash. Do so even though it involves
travelling a distance. Another downside of moving somewhere else is that the
dog would of course feel more nervous and pay more attention to where you
are. Only put down your horse, and continue walking. Do not call him
constantly; you want to build in him the habit of keeping track of where you
are without having to call him the entire time. Call your dog to you several
times during each stroll, give him a treat and let him free with a "okay" to
stay a little while longer. If the dog is played off leash, do take food with you,
and you can thank him for getting in.
Such off-leash walks will affect your bond with your dog in a special way.
We magically strengthen your emotional ties. It's almost as if you 're re-
creating the moments that wild canines set off together on the hunt. These are
in any case few things a dog loves more than a opportunity to run and
explore. Also if you don't care for off-leash supervision, I suggest these walks
for the relationship they build between you and your dog.
If you get your off-leash training off to a good start, keep teaching your dog
to come upon call.
 CHAPTER FOUR
Exercise The Major Problem Solver.

The members of the genus Canis, which comprises wolves, coyotes, jackals
and household dogs, are hunters that search for prey by walking large
distances, and then catching them. Wolves, a similar wild dog relative, can
fly 15 miles a day, on average. Dogs have the stamina and strength of their
wild ancestors except for certain breeds which have been drastically modified
by man's selective breeding. Problems occur when no outlet is provided to the
capacity.
Assets who aren't getting enough sleep get irritated. This agitation also leads
to inappropriate behaviors: biting, scratching, digging, running around and, to
name a couple, general unruliness. Quick any behavioural problem can be
improved by providing more activity to a puppy. A tired dog should not need
an outlet for its resources. He has less chance of running into trouble. A tired
dog is a puppy with healthy behaviors.
Any of the world's preparation isn't a substitution for adequate exercise.
While a dog may be exhausted from exercising, it cannot calm a dog the way
it can exercise. Training and exercise are mutually related. A dog that pulls
on the lead and won't come when called is hard to exercise. At the other hand,
a dog who hasn't had enough sleep is hard to train.
It isn't easy to provide a dog with enough exercise. You come home after a
long day of work, ready to crumble, only to be faced by a dog who has slept
all day and is now filled with energy. It is a compromise because, if you own
a puppy, you will be willing to make. When you can still see that as a way to
rest, that won't feel like too much of a hassle.
How Much?
With any breed the amount of exercise a breed requires is different and
depends on various factors. A dog with a high energy level obviously wants
more training. The temperament of your dog will affect the need for exercise.
The sled dogs, hunting dogs, and herding dogs are among those breeds
established for tireless movement. The elderly dog needs less exercise
compared with a younger dog. One consideration is that the dog is a lone dog
or has a separate companion to motivate him to play and train.
The exercise needs of a dog are not based upon its size. Small dogs do not
usually need less exercise than big dogs do. Many big dogs are very
phlegmatic, especially some of the giant breeds, whereas a medium terrier
can be like a rocket on four paws. A mastiff can require only a leisurely stroll
around the road, whereas after two miles of brisk walking a Parson Russell
Terrier may go heavy.
Unlike us, dogs reap the most physical and emotional advantages from
exercise if the aerobic activity is prolonged, not just a short run. Don't make
the error of assuming he's exhausted and should stop running, because the
dog is panting. Dogs are panting to cool down, almost as we are sweating. It
doesn't say they just struggle for oxygen.
Access to a fenced yard is not necessary to guarantee enough activity for
most dogs. We aren't going to workout either, other than maybe a fast sprint
across the yard for the initial energy blast. Left for long stretches in a yard
alone, they grow restless and can cause behavioural problems, such as
digging or repetitive barking. It definitely does not represent an activity to
leash a dog down or use an overhead trolley.
For dogs with health disabilities, pets and elderly pets, the movement needs
to be restricted. Dogs need brief, regular workout periods, and can never be
required to workout for longer than they wish. When dogs get older they need
less exercise. Old dogs reap numerous nutritional advantages from daily
training, even if from a behavioural point of view they don't need it. For a 10-
year-old dog a brisk stroll of a mile may just be the thing, especially though
he has arthritis and diminished heart function. Exercise facilitates frequent
bowel movements, retains muscle tone, enhances freedom of mobility in
joints, and offers much-needed mental stimulation. When deciding on cutting
back on the training of an elderly dog, bear in mind that dogs age at varying
speeds, with big dogs having shorter life periods and displaying more signs of
age than small dogs.
You have to be vigilant about the sun if you are exercising your puppy. Dogs
don't cool as well as people do because they can't heat their skin off. As
described above, a dog can cool itself by panting, pumping blood through the
lungs and nose where it comes into contact with cooler surfaces. Your dog is
cooler, when you're dry. An overheated dog could be dead from heatstroke.
So what's a workout perfect for your dog? Let them tell you about his
behaviour. Is he happy, or agitated? Talk of the issues with the dog's
behaviour. Was lack of preparation the problem, or is it lack of exercise? It is
most possibly a mix of both. When poor activity is part of the reason, though,
preparation alone won't solve the problem. The solution is to bring more
attention to your puppy.
Walking Your Dog: Good for Both of You
The dog's traditional way of relaxing is by chain walking him. If this is your
way of training your dog, make sure that exercise is what you are doing and
not merely allowing him the opportunity to relieve himself in the lawns of the
neighbours. Move briskly, just don't make him pause. When you leave he will
be relieving himself at home. Have him not hesitate to sniff. For get healthy
workout, you will need to keep going.
Train your dog to walk without pushing, and then let him never tug again
while you walk him. Dragging you down the driveway, gasping and
wheezing for air isn't good for the puppy. And your arm is not healthy! You'll
have to be patient because it's not normal for an energetic dog to walk at a
steady speed that suits yours. Be sure whoever walks him ensures that he
doesn't pull; continuity is crucial if walking without pulling is a routine.
When you're walking your dog in an open field, you may want to put using a
retractable leash and walk him around. It will give him a bit more control,
and he isn't going to pull too much.
Finding a Place to Exercise Off-Leash
The most enjoyable form of exercise for a dog is off-leash training. Free from
reticence, a puppy may really be a puppy. You will admire the elegance of
their gestures and their faces. Nonetheless, it's difficult to find a spot where
you can do so comfortably and lawfully.
It also takes some detective work to locate a good spot. Tell other dog owners
where their dogs are training. A farmer could allow you to use his fields
when the crops aren't growing. When you have a friend who is a realtor, he
will be able to tell you that the property for rent is empty so you can use
before it's sold.
Trails along which you and your dog can stroll together are perfect for
exercising off-leash. It's better to keep your dog with you when the leash is
off because you're going anywhere, not just standing there. Walking helps the
dog to do some exercise too. Persons who want to go hiking will also give
you some tips, as will books on nearby hiking trails. Look for alternative
paths from the more popular trails, so you can avoid upsetting anyone.
Purchase and peruse a topographical map for old hiking tracks. Look out
reserves for state sports and snowmobile tracks. Ask for suggestions from the
hunters, particularly those who hunt with dogs. Be vigilant if you use areas
where people are hunting; learn when the various hunting seasons begin and
end and you can stop being out at those hours.
Dog Play Groups
This way you will also exercise your dog and allow him the chance to
socialize with members of his own species by creating a group of dog teams.
It is a group of dogs who get to play regularly but informally together. It's
particularly helpful for a dog that isn't staying with another companion. Only
get together with another dog and family, you can continue by adding more
as desire grows. If the party gathers every morning, or just once a week or
month, every opportunity your dog may get to play is better than zero.
The downside of a daily group of players is that the dog plays best with teams
he knows well. As the dogs become better friends, their interactions with
each other will become less inhibited. They'll get to see what the other dogs
want to play games and what actions they'll or won't tolerate. The dogs create
their own unique sports, complete with complex rules that bypass the
comprehension of a human being. They'll also develop unique friendships. If
your dog tends to be uncomfortable or even aggressive around dogs he
doesn't know, a regular playgroup is especially helpful.
If they're off-leash the dogs should get along well. A collar prohibits dogs
from talking properly, as it limits the vocabulary of their bodies. Dogs are
even more likely to fight while they're on leash. In reality, a dog that acts
violently against other dogs while on leash can be safe when off leash with
other pets. If a dog has to be on leash, a long chain is better used.
Jogging with The Hund
Good heeling is a must-see for jogging, and training a dog not to get nervous
and tug while running can be a challenge. Your dog will realize that after
squirrels that cross your way, or fight with dogs who could attack you, he
can't lunge. A prong collar is also a successful solution to this. When you
have a buckle harness, be mindful so your dog would not be able to come
right out of it if he is surprised. Since you're more noticeable than your
puppy, you'll want to sprint and be the one nearest to the light. It means you'll
have to sprint facing traffic because your dog is used to heeling to the left.
Not every dog needs to or will be jogging. Until you start a dog should be at
least eight months old, and older if he's a tall, heavy boned dog. Of course,
jogging is not appropriate for very small dogs. Dogs with hip dysplasia can
only exercise if they first visit a doctor. This may be that medium distance
jogging will develop muscles that will support a dysplastic puppy. When you
have a dog that is susceptible to hip dysplasia, which involves most of the big
dogs, stop jogging if there is any evidence of a limp or even a problem that
you are experiencing. Again, and make sure to find a veterinarian. Never
trick a puppy into jogging.
How fast you run together with your dog is decided by the state of the body.
Two miles is probably a good distance, but even a mile of jogging can have a
big impact on the behavior of your dog. To do this kind of distance, a dog
must be over 1 year old, and we recommend rising the distance if the dog
gets more than 8 decades old. Elderly dog jogging enthusiasts can be a
problem, as it is tough to demonstrate to them why they are too old to keep
jogging going. They contend with the issue of "pretending jogs" for our
senior citizens over 10 years of age. These are a short quarter to half-mile
jogs to pacify the dog before going for the actual sprint.
Other Alternatives
Riding a bike when your dog is riding on leash alongside you is another way
to get training for your horse. It requires your dog to be taught to heel with a
bicycle, and must be done in places where there is not much traffic, either
vehicular or pedestrian. You should keep your speed for your dog at a
comfortable pace, so he can keep up with you on a trot and not have to run. In
the evening, something could be achieved on a vacant parking lot. A German
agility test allows a dog to trot on a 12-mile ride next to its master, and then
perform a few obedience drills at the top. Until a German Shepherd will be
born in Germany this test must be completed.
Swimming is a healthy type of exercise during hot weather. For older dogs
with arthritis, it is great exercise, because the joints do not have to bear
weight while being used. You'll also need to push yourself into the pool and
show your dog how to love swimming. Although most dogs dive as they slip
into deep water, dogs occasionally jump over their heads into the water to
dive without prompting their owners to do so. However, they usually learn to
love it with a few lessons. There are indoor dog swimming pools within our
city.

The Benefits of Exercise

This chapter highlighted the behavioral factors for walking the dog but there
are also other safety explanations. The weight of the dog gives you a big hint
as to whether he has enough exercise or not. Just as humans, dogs are happier
and live longer if they get exercise and keep their weight down.
Exercising your dog will only have different rewards for you. It will force
you to break from the hustle and bustle of modern life. The time my husband
and I spend together walking our dogs is also our only opportunity to have an
enjoyable visit. Exercising your dog will motivate you to do exercise or you
may not get. And if you're sick of getting home from work, walking your dog
may be just the thing you need to calm and cool down.
There's something unique about the relationship that you develop when you
exercise together with your dog. You serve one of the most important needs.
You 're not pressing him for requests like you are as you are teaching him. It's
time for Performance. Your dog running is an indication of your affection for
him.
 CONCLUSION

Learning From Your Dog

There are things that you will learn from your puppy, and the teaching cycle
itself has broader implications than just dog training. What you've learned
from raising your dog should be incorporated in your human relationships.
Related skills include maintaining a strong friendship, be it with a dog or
with another human.
Dogs give us positive illustrations. Anyone who has a dog knows how happy
their dog is to be welcomed when they return home. Their dog is not whining
about what happened to him during the day, he's not upset about the night
before war, and he's not making any urgent demands. He is just happy to see
you. Wouldn't everyone want to be treated in this way? Check this for
yourself. Greet someone, whether your husband or father, when they get
home from college, or your children when they get home from school, the
same way your dog greets you. No, I'm not thinking about wagging your tail
or running over them. I say greeting them with a smile at the entrance, being
delighted to see them and listening, shunning grievances or demands.
By learning from our dogs about building a healthy relationship and the
power of positive reinforcement, about the value of nonverbal
communication and who we are, and above all about love, we may finally
become as virtuous as our dogs believe we are.