Dog Training Ultimate Guide

If you are a dog lover and are looking to purchase a new dog, then chances are that you have invested a lot of time and energy into trying to find the perfect dog breed for you and your family. In most cases the breed of the dog is a huge factor of the value of the dog. This is why when most people are looking for a dog they breed becomes an important part of the decision.

In the US there are more than 70 million dogs, but the AKC only has 143 breeds of dogs on their list. Even with these figures, making a decision on the right type of breed for a family pet can be extremely stressful and difficult.

The truth is that people have distinct attributes they are looking for in a dog. You can ask any owner of a pet store and they can tell you people are mostly interested in the appearance of the dog. Some people like small dogs, while others like big dogs, so a lot of things come into play when choosing the right type of dog for your family.

While many people are mainly concerned wit the size and looks of the dog, it is very important to also consider the temperament of the dog as well. But, there are many things that you need to consider before you make your final decision on picking a dog breed.

Here are some things everyone should think about first:

How big is your house? People often overlook this attribute when selecting a dog, but the size of the house needs to be a main factor that you need to consider when purchasing a specific type of dog breed for your family. A classic example of this would be if you are living in an apartment then there is no sense in looking a big breed dogs, because there is no way that it will be able to cope living is such small surroundings.

Do you have kids? If you have children then the job of picking the right type of dog becomes even more complicated because if you pick a delicate breed of dog, it will be in danger of the children causing injury to it, and small dogs tend to have a worse temperament with children. But, on the other hand a huge dog can be dangerous as well because of the amount of physical damage they can impose.

How much time do you have? You need to be sure that you have time to take care of the breed of dog you choose, because not all breeds are the same. Many types of breed require more grooming and are harder to maintain than others so be sure to take this into consideration before choosing you pet.

Getting a dog to potty trained can be a difficult and frustrating task. Whether your dog is big or small, a puppy or grown, it can still be done. It is just going to take a lot of discipline on both the dog and the owner’s part. Sometimes a dog will pee on his or her owner’s things to show ownership or dominance.

This is very disrespectful and it can often tick the owner off. But do not think this is the end. This behavior can be corrected with the right amount of time and patience. You dog can become pee pad trained.

The first thing you are going to need to do is to go out and get some pee pads. Set them down over all of the places that your dog usually goes to pee at first. Try this out for a few days while taking your dog outside every time he or she goes to pee anywhere else and telling him or her “no” in a very stern voice when he or she trys to pee other places than the pee pads.

Do not be lenient and give into them after they have peed on the floor. Punish them, tell them that they have been a bad boy or girl. After a few days of having the pee pads sitting out, narrow it down to just one or two pee pads in your chosen area of the home. Your pup will have a good idea that these things are for him or her by now. Dogs usually have to pee every 2 hours or so and directly after eating. Be sure to take a note of his or her potty times and remember to show them to the pee pad at these times.

They are probably going to try to resist for the first couple of days or even for some dogs, weeks. Don’t give up on them, be persistent. Persistence is the main ingredient to getting your dog pee pad trained. If your dog does resist you while trying to pee pad train him/her, be sure to put them in a time out or take them directly outside to pee. Once you have gotten them to pee on the pee pad for the first time, be sure to give them praise. Do not give them praise very much for other things while you are pee pad training your dog, you want to make certain that while in training, your dog mainly focuses on the times that he/she is getting praise. Your pet will realize that the pee pad is the way to go when getting treats! Don’t be afraid to reward them every time they use the pee pad. This will be good for them, and help to train them easier.

Dogs need to know that we are the boss and not them. Pee pad training your dog is not impossible. Once you have accomplished this, you will have a happier pet, and you will become a happier owner.

The one thing that every dog needs to know how to do is sit. Teaching a dog to sit is probably the easiest trick in the book. If you own a small puppy, it is going to be even easier. An older dog learning how to sit may take a bit more time, but it is possible. Dogs learn to sit by praise. You must first introduce them to what sitting is.

Gently place your hand over the top part of their bottoms and gently push down. Once you have gotten them into the sitting position, sternly and nicely say “sit”. Now, make sure that they have sat and give them a treat for praise. Love on them for a bit and then move on. Wait a while before doing it again because each time you do it, you will be rewarding them for it. You do not want to do it 5 times in a row and wind up having to give them 5 treats!

Using treats while training your dog to sit while help him or her learn a lot easier without too much confusion. He or she might think, “Okay I get it, so when I sit, I get a treat!” So in the beginning, while you are in training, give your dog a treat each and every time that they sit. Oftentimes at first, when you are training your dog to sit, they will exhibit confusion. This is very normal because sitting will be very new to them. Dogs favor routine, and once sitting becomes a part of their daily routine, it will be something that they truly enjoy doing for their owners when asked.

Young puppies are often the easiest to train when it comes to sitting, but this is only because they are so young. Sitting is a simple and easy command that can be taught to any dog. Older dogs may show a bit more confusion that the younger pups, but this is simply because they have gotten into much more of a routine. Do not think for a second that your older dog cannot learn how to sit because they still can. It is just going to take discipline on both the pet and the owner’s part.

If you are having a seemingly difficult time teaching your dog to sit, you may need to go to your nearest library and rent a book on your particular dog breed. Different dogs have different temperments combined with their own unique personalities. What is normal of one dog breed may not be so true for others. There are many things that will factor into whether your dog has an easy time learning how to sit, but most of it will be up to you.

Socializing puppies at an early age can prevent many adult dog behavior problems. Enrolling a puppy in a training school can prevent such future problems as constantly barking, running away, biting, fear of children, destroying items such as furniture, and much more. The best age to enroll your puppy in a training school is 8 weeks. By participating in a training school, your puppy will have the best chance to live a happy and secure life.

During the first sixteen weeks of life, a puppy will learn about the environment around it. A puppy will be exposed to new surroundings and experiences. If not properly socialized, this can be a traumatic time. Early and proper exposure will help a puppy adjust and become confident with new situations. It is important for a puppy to experience new situations and not isolate them so they do not grow up fearful of new places and new people. Fear often results in aggressive behavior such as growling and biting. Without proper socialization a puppy can grow up to be fearful of children, other dogs, crowds, loud noises, and strangers.

From the eighth week and on, a puppy’s brainwaves can be recorded. It is during this period that a lasting bond will develop between owners and their puppies. This is the stage where a puppy will establish confidence, accept gentle correction, learn respect, learn simple responses such as ‘sit’ and ‘stay’, begin housebreaking, and have a desire to explore the world around them. Since 8-week-old puppies have the ability to learn the same behaviours as older dogs, it is essential to teach them proper behaviours at an early age to avoid many years of frustration.

Many pet owners take their puppies to training schools that offer sound training and socialization programs. Some veterinarians advise owners to wait until their puppy is 6 months old and has had all of its vaccinations before taking a training class, however this is not necessary. The chance of contracting a disease from other healthy puppies in a clean environment is very low.

The best training program is one that does not use harsh techniques such as using physical punishment to correct disobedient behavior. A good trainer will use positive reinforcement techniques. The class will be clean and there will be a playtime set aside for puppies. The instructor should also be educated in animal diseases and parasites and should ask for health records before introducing a puppy to the training class. The instructor should also be well informed about such issues as housetraining and puppy biting. When choosing a training class, you should look for qualities that include: a training class that appears fun for the owners and their puppies, the instructor has the ability to meet individual needs, the animals are handled gently, the owners are comfortable with the techniques they are using with their puppies, and the environment is calm, controlled, and safe. The trainer should also be friendly, experienced, and knowledgeable.

When enrolling in a training school, the two most important things to consider are the quality of the training school and the age of your puppy. Do your homework when picking the right school. You can find trainers from a number of sources such as referrals from dog-owner friends, your veterinarian, and dog clubs. Always talk to the instructor before enrolling. You can ask to sit in on a class and watch the trainer.

It is the responsibility of the owner to help a puppy to develop into a kind and well behaved adult dog. If you help your puppy learn and socialize during its critical learning period, you will have helped shape his character and personality. Your reward will be gaining a loyal and loving companion.

One of the most important training skills a puppy must be taught in order to be sure that both the dog and the people it comes in contact with will be safe. I puppy with good social skills will be a happier dog, and will make them a more enjoyable pet to have in the home. A puppy with poor social skills is not only miserable, but can also pose a danger to both humans and other pets around it.

The best time to start training your puppy and teaching them social behavior is when they are puppies, so that they do not start to learn bad habits, and the dog is starting with a clean slate. What your puppy will learn in the first months and years will affect the way the puppy acts for the rest of its life.

A dog that has been trained are has learned proper socializing skills will be able to be around humans and other pets without showing signs of aggressive. Instead, they will look and this as a chance to meet new pets and people, and will enjoy the time spent in new surroundings as opposed to stressed, scared, and lashing out at others.

When looking to start teaching your puppy social skills the prime age to start training them is around 12 weeks. It is during this time that social training will be most effective for your puppy, and it is much harder to teach a puppy these skills after the 12 week window is gone.

Top Tips On Teaching Your Puppy Social Skills

Teaching Social Skills For Puppy Dos

In is so important that you make this a fun event for the puppy, because if you do not then the puppy will not look forward to training sessions, and will view them as a bad thing.

You need to have a wide variety of different people and pets come over and visit the puppy. This will teach the puppy to enjoy company from other people and will help it to adapt to new environments.

Take the puppy out on the road with you when you are going out. Be sure to take it on walks, to pet stores, parks, and other places you are allowed to take a dog, so that it is use to different surroundings Puppy need to be adapted to different objects, so try to move furniture around, so that it does not grow use to seeing everything the exact same.

It is important that you get them use to have their nails clipped, baths, and other dog maintenance so that it will be easier later on.