Archive for the Category »Puppy Training Steps «

Why Do Puppies Bite Part 1?

By Admin
28
Nov 2009

“For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Newton’s third law of
Motion

We must first understand why puppies or dogs bite to understand how to stop them from biting or control their biting. The main reason I have found in my research is puppies bite because they are teething. Experts have determined the teething period for puppies range from 4 to 6 months up to a maximum of 10 months.

It is very crucial within this period for the new owner to control the puppy’s training process. All puppies like to play by being mouthy and chewing on anything they can get their sharp little teeth into. This is the time the new dog owner should control the puppy’s biting inhibition. The puppy must learn what is acceptable biting and what is not acceptable biting.

Within the litter puppies will play and bite naturally. However the mom will correct the puppy if the puppy bites mom while nursing, by rolling the puppy over and correcting it, or just get up and walk away. The mom in this situation is the pack leader and the puppy knows the rules of the pack. In the home, the puppy must understand that the new owner is now the new pack leader, and the rules of the pack. It is very important to correct a biting puppy if the behavior is not acceptable.

It is very important to socialize your puppy. Lack of socialization of your puppy between the age of 3 wks to 3mths with your environment, your children, other people and other dogs can also lead to growling which can lead to biting. You can read about socializing your puppy and the importance of this aspect of training in Socializing Puppy Tips:Aritcle.

All puppies explore things in their environment with their nose and mouth. They sniff around, find something, and next thing you know it is in their mouth. Many of times I have turned my back to see my dog with a dish towel I have dropped, my shoe that I left out, or a sock they found in the bedroom in their mouth.

There are different breeds of dogs that are known chewers. I have a Chocolate Lab that likes nothing better than to sit by my side with a chew toy in her mouth. She is just content to chew on that toy until she goes to sleep. I have taught my dog what is acceptable biting and what is not. It is acceptable to chew on the toy; however it is not acceptable to chew on my shoes. I did this by sternly saying no while pointing at my shoe and positively rewarding her with her chew toy. This worked for me and it may work for you.

Rewarding positive behavior will get you the acceptable behavior you want out of your new puppy. The rules are consistency in your training methods. Don’t reward the puppy for everything or the puppy may be confused. Some biting from the puppy may be acceptable but the intensity of the biting is what you are looking to control.

My adult dog has learned how to use her mouth to grab my arm when playing however the pressure is controlled. If the pressure is too intense I say no, she stops, or I walk away. This teaches her the biting was not acceptable and if she cannot control that she does not get to play.

Remember it is all in the training process. I never recommend the new dog owner using training in a negative manner. This can only add to your dogs inhibitions and could create the opposite behavior than what you expect. Positive reinforcement and rewards are recommended for a healthy and happy puppy.

Category: Aggressive Dog Behavior, Puppy Training Steps, Socializing A Puppy  Tags: agressive behavior, biting, dog, puppy, puppy training  Leave a Comment

How To Train A Puppy To Sit

By Admin
27
Nov 2009

How do I train a puppy to sit? Why does another dog owner’s puppy sit on command when you cannot get yours to stop jumping on your pants legs? You push the puppy down, you yell at the puppy, you continue to say the words “sit” but he still jumps on your pants as if he is oblivious to what you are saying. Can you relate to the previous sentences?

Well actually your puppy is oblivious to the command of sit. Puppy training is not the easiest job in the world. Most people would rather prick themselves than trying to get their puppy to follow their commands. It takes repetition. Yes, the puppy sometimes out last its trainer because we are programmed differently than dogs. You tell a child to sit down on a chair, couch or whatever and you place them there they get it after a couple of times. A puppy you cannot really demonstrate how to sit. They probably will think great my owner’s on the floor at my level so it is time to play. So you ask yourself how do I train a puppy to sit? Read more on training your puppy to obey commands.

It is very important to train your puppy on the basic commands so your puppy becomes a good citizen. Your puppy can only play cute for so long after a while the cuteness wears off and the puppy becomes an adult dog and a dog unable to follow a simple sit and stay command is a problem. If your dog consistently jumps on your family members, neighbors, children playing, or other people visiting I can venture to say many people will not want to continue to visit you because of your “unruly” dog as they may think. No, this may not be a bad thing for the in-laws or friends that always borrow something and never return it. In those cases just train your dog when they can jump on them.

Dog CommandWhen dogs are born they usually have siblings and their mother is the (Leader of the pack), when a young puppy leaves his mother he starts to think that he is free and can do what he wants. When he first joins a family he starts to act dominant. He tries to be leader of the pack. You cannot let him gain this position you will need to show him through dog training techniques that you are the “leader of the pack” not the dog. Sometimes puppies use the sympathetic approach using their puppy dog eyes. This is just another attempt at trying to get higher in the dominance hierarchy and you can not let them get ahead of you. Training your puppy to obey these commands will require some time.

Starting to train your puppy from a young age is crucial as the first few months of his or her life is when you will have the greatest influence. To teach your puppy to sit will require a lot of repetition. A good way to teach your puppy to sit is to place your hand on the end of his back and say “sit” while gently pushing down on his backside. When he sits his bottom down give him lots of praise and possibly use treats or select a favorite play toy as his reward. If you select a favorite play toy or use another toy do not allow the puppy to play with the toy outside of training or it will defeat the purpose of being a special reward for obeying a command. Always use the same command for teaching your do to sit. Do not mix “sit”, “stay”, or “come” in the same training lessons. After your puppy has learned the sit command then you will teach your puppy other commands. After your puppy has learned the technique of sitting extend the reward for a few seconds to a minute to reinforce your command to sit and also leading into the puppy staying in the position. You want to ensure the puppy understands the sit command and this is why you will take your time bending down to praise him or feeding him is reward.

If you reward your puppy for placing his bottom on the floor after a second then that is all that he will learn to do is to sit really quickly and receive a reward. He needs to learn more than the actual technique of sitting. He will learn how to sit for a prolong period of time. Does this training method have to last hours? No it does not. Your puppy has a short attention span so break up the training session into 5 – 10 minutes maybe 3 times a day or a least everyday.

Dog training techniques are extremely efficient and very simple to carry out. It requires consistency, repetition, and patience and your puppy will soon catch on to your expectations and learn quickly.

Category: Puppy Commands, Puppy Training Steps  Tags: command, puppy training, sit, training  Leave a Comment

Puppy And Dog Separation Anxiety

By Admin
26
Nov 2009

When you leave home does your dog behave poorly while you are gone? Does he or she urinate in the house, pace, excessively bark, chew and tear your furniture, rugs, or other items in your home? If so, your dog may be experiencing separation anxiety.

What is separation anxiety? This condition in dogs is a term used to describe poor behavior when your dog is left alone. The dog could be destructive, noisy, and anxious to the point he disturbs neighbors, destroys items in the home, or harms himself. Separation anxiety is a stressful reaction your dog experiences when they become upset or stressed at their owner for leaving them alone with strangers or alone at home by themselves.

Some dogs are more susceptible than others to separation anxiety. Some common behaviors your dog may exhibit that you need to recognize could be but not limited to:

Vomiting
Reduced Appetite
Urinating or Defecation in the home
Shaking and Pacing
Trying to escape
Panting profusely
Excessive whining or barking
Hiding
Aggressive Behavior

Not all dogs with separation anxiety will experience all of these behaviors. Some may experience these behaviors in a mild state or some may experience them in a severely unhealthy state. It is important to recognize any of these behaviors in your pet when leaving your pet for any period of time by himself. Once recognized there is treatment for this condition. Contact your veterinarian for an evaluation of your dog�s health. There are specific medications your vet can recommend. Stress is not good for any dog and that is basically what triggers the bad behavior. The stress of the separation between the owner and the dog.

There are others ways to help your dog with separation anxiety through proper puppy and dog training. Always remember to focus on positive reinforcement when training your pet. Help promote a more relaxed behavior by rewarding your pet with his favorite treats or toys. Do not yell or scold the dog for undesirable behavior because this only adds to your dog�s anxiety and stress. Positive reinforcement is really the key to your dogs overall health and behavior.

Reward only calm behavior. Do not reward the dog when the dog is hyper or stressed because this only affirms that behavior. Use attention, affection, dog treats, favorite toys, belly rubs, and other attention to your dog to reward calm and acceptable behavior.

A rule of thumb when leaving your pet is not to make the situation overly exciting or stressful. Don’t continue to talk to the dog as you are leaving. You may think that telling your pet to be a good boy or girl, or you will be home soon, is calming to your dog. On the contrary, this gets your dog anxious and excited which we are trying to avoid. Just prior to leaving you can give your dog a treat or his favorite toy as a distraction but then immediately walk out the door quietly.

When you return home do not get the dog excited by talking loudly or being overly excited yourself. Wait for your pet to calm down and then give him attention thus reinforcing the good behavior. Remove his favorite toy and put it up for additional training periods. Remember the favorite toy is a reward for good behavior. If the toy is allowed to be at the dogs disposal whenever he wants it then the reward no longer works.

A good way to help your dog coup with separation anxiety is to teach your dog to settle down in a specified location whether it is a dog crate, a corner with a dog bed, or on his favorite blanket in a certain location in the home. This will allow the dog to have a safe and secure sanctuary to retreat to when left at home alone. It will also teach the dog there is a safe location for him when others are home and he needs to rest.

Properly training your dog through rewarding him with positive reinforcement can improve your pet�s health and help to eliminate or at least control the behavior experienced when separated from his owner.

Separation anxiety is common amongst dogs and is treatable. This article is not a cure all for this condition and it is recommended that any dog owner who suspects their pet is experiencing separation anxiety seek the help of their local veterinarian for proper treatment.

Category: New Puppies, Puppy Training Steps, Puppy and Dog Health, Socializing A Puppy  Tags: agressive, agressive behavior, behavior, dog, puppy training, separationg anxiety, socializing puppy  Leave a Comment

7 Tips On Housebreaking A Puppy

By Admin
26
Nov 2009

Housebreaking a puppy has got to be the most tedious experience in raising a dog. Find tips on how to housebreak your puppy without losing your mind. Housebreaking your puppy is the most important thing your puppy must learn. This learning experience will make you the owner and you the puppy a very happy family. There are many recommendations from novice to experts on how to train your puppy to do his or her “business” outside and not in the house. The key to housebreaking a puppy is consistency and reinforcement.

After adopting your puppy at approximately 8 to ten weeks the puppy is ready to start being house broken. Most dog trainers recommend house breaking your puppy by using a crate. A crate is a wire cage with a locking door that your puppy will live in for security and training. Think of it as a bedroom for a dog. The crate should accommodate the size of the puppy so the puppy can freely move around in the cage but not be too big that the puppy can relieve him or herself at one end and sleep at the other. The idea behind using a crate for your dog’s living quarters and house breaking your dog is that a dog will not relieve itself in the area or near the area they live. Never use the crate to punish the dog.

Here are some tips on housebreaking your puppy.

1. Know how long to keep the puppy in the crate. Puppies that are less than 12 weeks should not be crated longer than 2 – 4 hours at a time. Puppies that are 12 weeks old can be crated approximately 4 -5 hours, a 6-month old puppy 6-7 hours, and a 10-month old puppy should be able to remain crated up to 8 hours. Do not keep the puppy in the crate all day and expect the puppy to hold its urine. Remember do not leave your puppy in the crate longer than what is recommended for its age.

2. As soon as the puppy wakes take the puppy out of the crate and carry the puppy outside and place on the ground where you expect the puppy to relieve himself. Do not let puppy walk to the door or you will probably have to clean up after the puppy.

3. As soon as the puppy does his business, praise him profusely, over and over again. Give him positive reinforcement.

4. After you return inside with the puppy keep the puppy in the room you are in to watch the puppy. Allow access to water. After a period of play time place the puppy back in the crate for a nap. Do not let the puppy nap outside of the crate.

5. When it is meal time provide the meal inside his crate. After about 20-40 minutes after the puppy’s meal remove the meal and take the puppy directly outside to do his business. Supervisor the puppy outside and when the puppy has done his or her business praise the puppy again. Do not bring the puppy back inside until the puppy has completed his business. Most puppies will need to go outside to do there business about 20-40 minutes after their meal.

6. Watch for signs while puppy is playing inside for searching and sniffing behavior in a certain area or a squatting motion. If you see that immediately take the puppy outside and repeat the positive reinforcement once the puppy does his business outside.

7. Set a schedule for meal, play, crating puppy, sleeping, and outside business. Get the puppy into a routine. Praise the puppy when he has accomplished his business where expected. Be patient there will be accidents.

These tips should be repeated on a daily basis for approximately 4 – 6 weeks. This may vary per puppy. Consistency and commitment is the key to house breaking your puppy. If you do not have the commitment to maintain a consistent schedule in housebreaking a puppy the puppy can develop bad habits which do not benefit you or the puppy. There will be accidents during the process but remember do not punish the puppy by placing the puppy in the crate. If the puppy has an accident in the crate remove soiled items, clean the crate, and start all over again. The puppy will learn with consistent and positive reinforcement. Keep working with the puppy they’ll get it and you will have one happy house broken puppy.

Category: New Puppies, Puppy Housebreaking, Puppy Training Steps  Tags: crate, housebreaking, housebreaking a puppy, Puppy Housebreaking, puppy training  Leave a Comment

Puppy Training Steps?

By Admin
26
Nov 2009

Know the basic puppy training tips and options in training a new puppy prior to acquiring your puppy. As a new dog owner you have options in training your new puppy. Know your puppy training options a head of time. Read more on the basic puppy training tips and ideas in this informative article.

The first type of dog training is known as puppy preschool. If you decide to take your puppy to puppy training classes you first will begin in the basic courses or puppy preschool. Puppy preschool is where your new puppy will learn to socialize with people and most importantly with other dogs. This training is geared toward puppies between 8 weeks to 5 months old. Here your puppy will also learn the basic sit, stay, and come commands.

The next step in your puppy’s training is training courses for puppies that are at least 5 months old. This is known as basic puppy training. This course usually runs from 8 to 10 weeks. Puppies are taught the art of walking properly on a leash, sitting, and the stay command from a sitting position or standing position, coming when commanded, and greeting people and other dogs without jumping on them.

The third type of dog training is known as the intermediate dog training. This dog training reinforces teaching the dog the same things taught in the basic training course, in more details. Here the dog learns specific commands from its owner and learns to follow the commands for a longer duration. This course is geared toward the puppy that is older than 6 months old. It is essential for the dog to have completed its basic dog training course, or to be accustomed to the basic commands that should be taught by the owner before proceeding to the intermediate or advance dog training class.

The advanced dog training course in most training programs is about 8 to 10 weeks long, and is meant for those that have completed their intermediate training. Here, dogs are also trained to walk beside their owners without a leash, sit and stay out of the sight of the owner. These are just basic courses to train your puppy to be a good citizen in a structured training class setting. Your responsibility as a new dog owner is to work with your dog on a continuous basis. Consistency, patience, and expectations are what your puppy needs daily.

An integral part of any puppy training is a proper diet, exercise, and positive reward system. You can use training aids, food, or a favorite toy as a positive reward for your puppy. However, do not use these aids outside of the training process or the puppy may become confused. With guidance and proper puppy training your puppy will be integrated smoothly into being a part of your family in no time.

Category: Puppy Training Steps  Tags: command, commands, dog training, puppy, puppy training, training  Leave a Comment