We sometimes think of dogs who are difficult to train and ignore us as being either dumb or impossibly stubborn. Nothing could be further from the truth. Thousands of years have gone into training dogs to willingly and happiily obey our commands. Different breeds have been used for different jobs, but obedience has been bred […]
Dog Training
Dog training can be both fun and fulfilling. Unfortunately, it can also be a source of great frustration. For this reason it is important to learn to teach your dog.
Basic obedience training is necessary so that your dog will be pleasant to live with. Basic obedience includes being housebroken and responding appropriately to commands such as “sit,” “lie down,” and “come.” Once your dog has mastered these tasks, it is possible to train him to participate in dog shows.
Is Your Dog Reliable Off-Leash – Training Tips
We all picture our dogs tail flying in the wind, ears flapping, mouth smiling in happiness by our side as they run free without restraints. It’s a picture of total joy and freedom. But we must choose the right situations to allow them this freedom. We must be careful to select the safest place for […]
Teach Your Dog the U-Turn
While it may sound like driving a car, teaching your dog the u-turn can save both of you a lot of aggravation or worse. The idea of the u-turn is to have your dog turn in whichever direction you want to go without having to yank on the leash. Knowing the command to u-turn becomes […]
Why Dogs Growl
There are different growls that dogs use to make us understand what they’re feeling and get their point across to us. The lower the pitch, the more dangerous the growl is. Usually dogs growl as a warning, letting us know if we don’t stop and stay away, we may be bitten. Female dogs may growl […]
Swimming Pool Safety for Dogs
These days lots of people have swimming pools in their backyards. It’s a great way to cool off during hot summer days, for dogs as well as their humans. But there can be hazards to avoid and it’s important to teach your dog pool manners and safety. Practice stay and wait commands until your dog […]
DAID Training for Dogs
Not long ago (all of us excluded) believed that while dogs were able to perform some tasks, they had no feelings and no understanding of what they were doing. Today we’ve learned so much more about the animals with whom we share our lives. Many of our behaviors and skills are learned by imitation beginning […]
Tug-Of-War – Good or Bad
Playing tug-of-war with the correct rules can be a fun game for you and your dog. But before you play, you want to teach your dog the right way. If your dog has a lot of energy and loves to play, it’s great exercise. If you have a puppy, it’s a good time to start […]
Positive Training
We talk a lot about positive training for dogs (cats and other animals, too) but what exactly does it mean. Who doesn’t enjoy being praised for a job well done. Our pets thrive on praise and of course, food too. Positive reinforcement is offering praise and/or treats for your pet’s positive behavior. That’s what positive […]
Controlling Excessive Barking
Barking is a normal activity for a dog and one that is not easy to control. All dogs bark to some degree. But some breeds are bred to bark. Guard and herding dogs particularly bark a lot because they are bred to sound an alarm if they sense danger. Barking is one of ways dogs […]
Matching People and Service Dogs
Besides giving us their unconditional love and loyalty, dogs serve us in so many ways. There are trained service and therapy dogs to aid the sight-impaired, hearing dogs, dogs to aid people who have psycological or emotional needs such as PTSD, dogs who are trained to alert people before seizures occur, dogs who can sniff […]