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Training Puppy Tips To Avoid Behavior Problems

October 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

If you want to train your puppy in the most efficient way from the start, there are two methods for training your puppy which you need to pay close attention to. They are being the pack leader and the method of positive reinforcement. Each of these methods will be explained in this article and you will see how you can use them to train your puppy dog effectively.

When you bring a puppy into your home, it’s wise to have some understanding of the natural instincts of the dog and of the fact that the dog is a pack animal. The pack has its own dynamics and the principle of dominance is crucial within it. Within a pack there is a hierarchy and at the top is the alpha pair. They are the only ones allowed to breed.

When it comes to eating, the alpha pair eat first. When it comes to sleeping, they take the higher vantage place. This is why dogs like to sleep on beds or sofas.

If you want to set off on the right foot and avoid behavior problems in your puppy, you absolutely must position yourself and your family as the pack leaders or alpha dogs in your home. One way to emphasise yourself as pack leader is not letting your puppy onto your bed or sofa.

At meal times for a couple of weeks at least, it’s good to get the family to eat something (like a biscuit for example) just before you give the puppy his food. When taking the biscuits, make it look as if you are taking them from the dog’s dish.

You should always behave in a calm and assertive manner. Being the pack leader leads naturally into the concept of positive reinforcement.

Positive reinforcement means that you reward a desired behavior in your puppy or dog and ignore an undesired behavior. Negative reinforcement and punishment have been shown to be ineffective and most dog trainers don’t use them any more.

You can use small treats as positive reinforcement. Praise and affection can also be used. It is crucial that you don’t reinforce unwanted behaviors in your puppy. Reinforcing undesired behaviors is one of the main reasons for dog behavior problems. Puppy or dog training happens whenever you are with your puppy or dog, not just when you decide to have a training session.

For example, if your puppy jumps up at you when you come into a room and you give him attention and affection, you are reinforcing his “jumping up” behavior. Whenever he engages in an undesired behavior, you must not give him any attention – just ignore him. This means you should look away or turn away and not give any attention. This method may be difficult for you to accept and this is the reason many people fail in training their dogs.

You will find that positioning yourself as the pack leader in your home forms a bedrock for all your puppy training and positive reinforcement gives you a method to encourage the correct behaviors in your puppy and to avoid potential dog behaviour problems.

For more information on training your puppy, visit the Training Puppy Tips website.

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How to Leash Train A Puppy

August 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Do you want to know the easiest way to leash train your new puppy?  You can get a head start on that by beginning the leash training of your puppy  very early on. By six weeks of age my young puppy could already walk on a loose leash.  He was already heeling at eight weeks old like an old pro.

If you use this easy method you should  get very good results without causing the puppy any anxiety.  Some puppies and  dogs hate the very sight of the leash.  If their first experiences with the leash were negative they won’t be happy to see the leash come out.

Use this easy method to begin leash training your puppy with positive reinforcement.Here is the way I begin the leash training of my puppies without causing any stress for him. In fact, they get excited when they see the leash, because they know they are about to go for a walk with Dad.

  • Begin with placing the puppy’s flat collar around his neck (the choke collar shouldn’t be used at this time). The puppy should have no problems with the flat collar being put on. Attach the pup’s leash to the collar, but let it lay loose on the ground.  You won’t need to keep ahold of the leash at this point. For the first sessions with the leash, let the puppy walk around the house or yard while he does his thing. Stay close behind the puppy so you can free his leash if it gets caught up in anything.  As long as the leash remains unobstructed,  the puppy probably won’t even pay attention to the fact that he’s dragging a leash around.
  • The following leash training step starts after the puppy is accustomed to cruising around dragging his leash along. Pick up the leash end, but be sure to not let it tighten up-you still want to keep it slack.  Walk along with your puppy, letting him explore what he wants to-don’t try to control his position at this point.  Begin the next step in leash training after your puppy is very used to walking along with you on his loose leash.
  • It is time to teach your pup to walk along with you and not to be pulling you with his leash.  As he walks with you can begin to encourage him to learn to a “loose heel”  by having some treats with you for rewards. If you hold the treat in your left hand it will get the puppy used to the idea of staying by your left side. The left side is the side he will be when he learns to heel. Use a happy voice to call your pup over to your side and give him lots of praise and a treat reward for listening. Each time the correct behavior happens, be sure to reward the puppy to positively reinforce that behavior.
  • If the puppy isn’t paying attention when you call him over, just give a gentle tug on his leash to get his attention, and let him see you have a treat for him.
  • Once you have his attention  using a happy tone of voice he’ll come over and you can reward him for  listening. It won’t be long before he gets the idea. Even at 6 weeks of age, puppies are already in the learning zone. Remember, don’t get impatient or cross with your pet when you are first leash training him. Don’t make it an unpleasant experience for him to learn. Only use positive reinforcement techniques when leash training your puppy, or with any other training you will be doing later. Dogs will learn a lot faster if you make it fun and rewarding for them while they are in training. This seems to apply to people too.
  • Continue repeating this training frequently on a daily basis until your puppy walks comfortably at your side with a loose leash. By the time your pup is comfortable walking on a loose leash, he is halfway there to learning how to “heel”. That’s all there is to it. Follow this simple lesson, starting with a very young puppy and you will never have a problem putting your dog on his leash for a fun walk.

To read more articles on dog training and problem behavior solving please click here- www.BehaveDoggy.com

To learn which is the best dog training book to be found on line, click here.

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Secrets The Pros Use For How To Train A Puppy Fast

June 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

train a puppy

Setting out on your journey to learn to train a puppy will be much more effective if you track and test your progress along the way. As simple as it sounds don’t glaze over and ignore it, as it will give you something to refer back to, and shows you exactly what your dog responds to. Taking notes is a means of recording what has worked well for your puppy, and what area he had difficulty with. No matter what you do in life – the fundamentals are the same. And puppy training is no different – preparing a plan is crucial to being successful otherwise you’re simply planning to fail. It’s worthy of some time and effort.

Looking to the future is one of the first things you need to consider when you start thinking about train a puppy, as it will make a big difference when the transition for your new puppy to his new strange new world from his comfy and secure home with his mother. Puppies can become very stressed and anxious when his mother and littermates suddenly disappear, and then is suddenly moved to strange and confusing habitat with a whole range of new and unknown faces and scents.

It happens with older dogs to – they can get depressed by everything new that happens to them when they get relocated. You need to be constantly reassuring your dog when you move him to a new home; all he’ll see in his new home will be strange surroundings and no familiar faces.

It may not be something that you can achieve but, the perfect way to get to know your new family member is to visit him before he moves in with you. Doing this will help break the ice between you both and help him get used to you. The benefit of taking this approach is that when you begin, tips for training a puppy you’ll find he’s much more eager to learn being that you’re good friends already. If you can’t make friends in this way, you can always take a piece of his current house to his new home, like maybe a piece of clothing that he’s slept on, or anything that will help the dog adjust to his new surroundings and survive the feeling of having nothing familiar in his life.

The best time to bring a new puppy or dog into your home is any time when you’ll be able to spend a few full days at home with him. A summer vacation is perfect, but only if you can plan on being home for the summer. He’ll settle down a lot quicker if you’re there with him 24-7. You need to have at least a couple of days at home and go a long way to beating his home sickness and stress of leaving his friends.

When we bring a new baby home, we make heaps of preparations where we buy all the things we’ll need for the babies needs, training your puppy is just the same. Having a different number of legs shouldn’t mean you get less priority.

The perfect place for your new puppy is a cordoned off area in a main living area, and will help when you start house training your puppy as well because any accidents are easier to clean off hard floors. Where possible, in the kitchen makes great puppy real estate because there is normally a good deal of traffic and noise, as this helps your puppy get accustomed to his new home.

In his previous abode, your puppy had the friendship of his littermates. Having left them behind he will feel lonely and insecure so your new job is to become his new playmate. But equally important – you must not let the puppy do whatever he chooses for the first few days then try to train him out of those habits once your training routine begins. Puppy housebreaking is something you start from day one – just start with the easy stuff.

Letting him doing his own thing at first is unfair, because it only confuses the puppy. Pretty much every approach you use when training a puppy apply to the adopted adult dog as well. Young puppies are not the only ones that may suffer from loneliness. Your new dog will need lots of love, training and discipline as soon as he comes home with you. But it will be a very rewarding experience for both of you.

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House Training Your New Puppy

February 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment

House training your puppy is not rocket science, but can be one of the most frustrating concerns of new puppy parents.

A little knowledge about your puppy’s nature can assist you in training him to go in the desired location. The key is consistency and vigilance.

1. Pick a designated area for the elimination area. It can be a spot outside, a doggy litter box, the house training pads or special doggy areas designed apartment dogs

2. Keep puppy confined in a small area, such as a crate or playpen and take him to the designated area at regular intervals, especially after waking, after eating, after playing, and before bedtime. Watch your puppy and if he suddenly stops playing and starts to sniff or circle, he may be looking for a place to go. Take him to the potty area and praise him lavishly for completing the task at hand.

3. Pick a phrase for going to the potty area and use the same phrase consistently. On a weekend, you can set a timer for every two hours and have all family members participate in the potty time. Using this method, most puppies can be house trained in a weekend.

4. Do not scold the puppy or rub his nose in an accident area. They simply do not understand and will make matters worse. If he has an accident, it is your fault for not watching him and taking him out in time.

5. Use an odor neutralizer, (not ammonia) to clean the accident area.

6. If you are gone for a long period of time, you may want to ask a neighbor or a friend, to assist you in taking puppy out for potty time.

7. Do not let the puppy roam the house unsupervised until he is completely house trained.

8. Some people hang bells or other devices on the door knob so the dog can bump it and it will alert you to the fact he needs to go out.

20952986599877477 House Training Your New Puppyplay House Training Your New Puppy

If you still need more resources please visit these websites for more help.

Luvurdog.com/dogtraining

Secrets to House Training

7 Day Potty Training

Dr. Dog’s Behavior Solutions

Training by Dove Cresswell -Pro fessional Hollywood North Dog Trainer

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Top Tips For House Training Your Puppy

May 2, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Once you have brought home your new puppy, and have made him comfortable to the new surroundings, you have to begin training your puppy. In fact the sooner you start the training, the easier will it be for both you and your pet to lead a comfortable and happy life.

Training is very important for your puppy. With training they will understand what is an acceptable action and what is an undesirable action. Dogs usually judge their actions on the response that they get for their actions. Good responses encourage them, and bad ones don’t, so you have to be forthright in expressing yourself to your dog.

Handy Tips On House Training Your Puppy Housebreaking should begin as soon as your puppy is home. The best method is what is know as "crate" training or "denning". The crate simulates the den of a dog and they feel safe. The crate should be large enough to lay comfortably in but not large enough to be able to eliminate in the corner. Puppies do not like to soil in their sleeping area, so use that to your advantage.

Pick a designated area that you want the puppy to eliminate in. If you want the puppy to go outside, start taking him outside. If you are an apartment dweller and he will need to go inside, use the puppy pads for training. Pick a phrase to indicate that you and your puppy are going outside to do the deed. "Let’s go outside" or "Let’s go potty" are some phrases some people use. First thing in morning, take your puppy from his crate and say the phrase as you carry him to the designated area. Put him down and ignore him until he relieves himself. When he does, praise him lavishly.

Puppies live for praise and it won’t take long for him to associate the phrase with the deed and the praise. Keep the puppy in the crate when you cannot watch him to prevent accidents from occurring or the puppy from getting into something he shouldn’t.

Feed your puppy on a regular schedule and take him out shortly after finishing his meal. Another good tip is to pick a weekend when the whole family is home. Set a time for every two hours and take puppy out to designated potty area. Praise him when the deed is done. Usually, the one weekend of this tactic will house train him in no time. Accidents will occur. If you see the puppy circling and sniffing, scoop him up quickly and take him outside. If you miss the accident and find it later, do not scold the puppy or take him back to the area and rub their nose in it. They have a very short memory and have no idea why you are mad.

Clean the area up and apply an odor neutralizer to the area (Equalizer is one that I like) to remove the scent. Patience, persistence and understanding will help your puppy get house-trained in no time.

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