Dog Problems? How I Solved Ours and Created a Happy Dog and Happy Owner in the Process
I have had dogs in my life for over 35 years, and in that time, have definitely experienced all the ups and downs that go along with having a pet. Despite the challenges that have come along, there is no question in my mind that dogs are truly “man’s best friend”. It’s just that with some, we have to work a bit harder to cultivate that friendship!
Currently we share our home with a very smart, and very loving little miniature schnauzer. Although things are great with him, they weren’t always. Shortly after he came to live with us, we learned that he:
1. Barked at everything and jumped/growled at anyone who came to visit us
2. Completely despised his monthly visit to the groomers to be clipped.
So what did we do? We did some research and spoke with our vet to discover some strategies and techniques that we could use to help make him a “good friend”. Here is how we resolved these issues.
1. His barking/jumping/growling problem took a little time, because as a schnauzer, he was a bit territorial like many terriers tend to be. While it was important to him to protect his territory, it was important to us to be able to have visitors to our home! So we tried many different ways to improve this: reward systems, squirting water, coins in a can, newspaper, and more. You name it, we tried it, but nothing worked. We finally discussed the situation with our vet who suggested a remote training collar. After more research, we settled on the Innotek Ultrasmart Remote Trainer for a couple of reasons. Probably most important for us, we liked that it has 9 stimulation levels so that we could very carefully control the settings to use the least amount of stimulation that would be effective. We also liked the tone-only training option, that gave us even more versatility. We also decided to get the Innotek Ultrasmart Remote Trainer, 300 yds., which provided us with a 300 yard range to be able to train from a distance. And I can say that it worked! In a very short period of time, the Innotek Ultrasmart helped our little guy to become the model doggie citizen, and our friends were now happy to visit us.
2. Helping our dog overcome the stress of going to the groomers each month involved not really training him. but training us. We figured that if we could learn to do his monthly clip at home, we would be able to help him feel more comfortable, and be able to get the job done quicker, making him happier as well. So we invested in the Oster A5 Turbo Clipper, and it has made all the difference in the world. We chose these clippers because as an Oster product, we knew they would last forever, so we wouldn’t have to buy new ones each year, and because of the reviews on what a smooth, quiet, and fast job they did. I will say that we have been very pleased with how the Oster A5 Turbo Clipper works: other than it getting warm, which we easily solved with cleaning and changing out the blades and using Oster Kool Lube, it has been so easy to do his clipping. Once we learned how to do home grooming, voila, no more schnauzer trauma! In fact, since our dog gets a treat at the end, I actually think he likes getting clipped each month.
Dog ownership should be a joy, and it truly can be, even if there is some work to be done to get to that point. For us, we had some help from the Innotek Ultrasmart Remote Trainer, and the Oster A5 Turbo Clipper. But it has been so worthwhile for us to have made the investment in our time to learn how to use these simple tools. Life with and for our little schnauzer is so much better, and as a result we have been rewarded with a happy little friend whose desire to please, affection and intelligence make him the best friend anyone could want!
Discover how your dog can be trained to be a happy and well-mannered best friend. Learn more about the Innotek Ultrasmart Remote Trainer and the Oster A5 Turbo Clipper, read the product reviews from other happy dog owners, and see if they are right for you and your dog.
Eliminate Dog Jumping
If you have ever owned a dog, one time or another you have probably dealt with this problem. Your dog is so happy to see you that he jumps up on you getting his muddy paws all over your new suit or dress. Or even worse, during his excitement he jumps on a smaller child and knocks them down or scratches the child’s face, arms or legs.
Sorry to say this, but you probably taught him to greet you in this manner.
You see, when your dog was just a little pup, you would be so excited to see that little guy that he would come to you in his cute puppy way and jump on your ankle (or barely reach your knee cap at this point) and you of course would bend over and pet him or even pick him up.
You have just taught your puppy a very nice lesson, if he runs up to you and jumps on your foot or knee he can get praise and affection. Fast foreword a few months and now that little puppy is as much as 5 or 6 times the size that he was, but still thinking like a puppy, (“if I jump on my owner he will give me love”). He does not know the difference between his puppy size, of say 4 or 5lbs and his new size of maybe 30 or 40lbs or more, not to mention he is taller now and can reach up to your arms or chest. All he knows is that he wants the praise and affection that he has missed all day long and you taught him how to get it, by jumping.
Is it bad manners to have a dog jump on you?
My advice is to never allow jumping. But, most owners of small dog breeds or “toy” breed dogs, expect there dog to jump on them (your personal preference). Jumping on an unprepared house guest could prove to be uncomfortable. If you do decide to allow your dog to jump, it is best to work with him on the “off” command. That way if he were to jump on someone or something you can quickly get him off.
For larger breed dog owners, training your dog commands such as “No Jump” and “off” should be mandatory. If not for the social aspect, at least for the safety of little ones in the house or that come to visit. Remember, a large dogs paws can easily be heavy enough to gouge your skin though your cloths, and it’s one thing to put up with bruises, cuts and scrapes from your own dog, could you imagine if your dog did this to someone else, maybe a child. Yes, it is best that you either never teach your dog to jump or get this habit under control quickly.
Reasons why dogs jump.
Dog jumping, most often occurs due to extreme excitement (owner returning home from work). High energy playtime’s can prompt and a dog to jump on you as well.
A much more serious problem is when a dog jumps to display his dominance over you or whatever he is jumping on (another dog, a child or guest). Hailing from a pack mentality, dogs live by a hierarchy of social ranking and order. One of the behaviors a dog will use to exert his dominance over a lesser animal is to show his physical superiority by jumping up on or placing his paw or paws over the other dog’s shoulders.
You can identify the reason for your dogs jumping by taking note of the circumstances surrounding the event. If he only jumps when extremely excited, such as playtime or upon your return home from work, then he is only showing how much he missed you.
On the other hand, if he jumps in a variety of situations, you could be dealing with more of a dominance issue and symptoms of a more complicated problem of communication and attitude. The longer this type of behavior is allowed to happen the harder it will be to regain control of the jumping issues. At this point and time I would highly suggest that you study alpha-dog techniques (tip: you can find more great information on dealing with a dominate dog over at Ez Dog Training At Home, you can find the link for this web site at the bottom of this page)
Your actions are key to eliminating this annoying and possibly dangerous habit of your dogs. As with most all dog training consistency in your training will speed up his learning curve and prove to be more reliable. To stop dog jumping you have to make it clear to your dog that jumping is no longer tolerated.
Staying with your training routine day in and day out is the only way you will be able to beak this habit of your dogs jumping. Taking a day off and not fallowing though with your training can undermine weeks worth of work, so stick to your plan.
Dog trainers world wide agree that the most effective way to curb unwanted behavior (jumping) in your dog is also the the easiest, and that is to simply ignore the bad or unwanted behavior and reward the wanted or good behavior. There is no need to yell or over correct. Negative attention is still attention and that is what your dog seeks when jumps on you.
Most professional trainers agree that the most effective way is also the easiest way to stop unwanted behavior (such as jumping) in your dog is to ignore him whenever he jumps. No need to yell or correct, although that is usually the first thing that comes to mind when your dog just ruined another pair of nylons or scratch one of your children.
Let your body do all the talking. When your dog jumps on you or is about to jump on you, turn your back and face way from him…i.e. the cold shoulder. Dogs understand your body language much more then the spoken word, so use your posture to get the message though loud and clear.
When your dog goes to jump on you, turn your back on him right away. Dogs understand body language much more than the spoken word. So, what you need to do here is use your posture to get your message though loud and clear.
Again, as soon as he has all four paws back on the ground praise him lavishly. Don’t worry that you may be confusing him, dogs have a very short “training memory” and they can only comprehend the reaction you give to his behavior at that moment.
Reinforce the good behavior, as soon as he keeps all for paws on the ground, reward him. If he gets excited again and goes to jump, give him the cold shoulder again. Don’t worry if the cold shoulder and the praise are within seconds of each other, dogs have a very short training memory and are only capable of associating the reaction you give with the behavior he is presenting at moment. So, it will work really well if you give extreme affection when he keeps his paws to himself and the cold shoulder a half of second later.
Looking to find the best deal ondog training basics, then visit www.EzDogTrainingatHome.com to find the best advice on Training Your Dog to Listen to You as well as access to a limited free 6 day dog and puppy training course.
categories: Dog training,dog training tips,dogs,pets,animals,family
How Come Punishing Your Dog Leads To Distrust
Training a puppy takes a great deal of time and patience. Furthermore this is not something that you can achieve in a matter of days or weeks – it will take months. The trick to getting the most effective results from your little pup is to be firm with it but not deal out any physical punishment.
This is not how you should be training your dog and studies have shown that physical punishment is not an effective training method when it comes to any type of animal.
Puppies just don’t know how to respond or what to do when you punish them, even gently. It doesn’t know what you want and when you do this, you are not only hurting your little puppy but also training it to fear you. This is not the effect you want I’m sure.
The psychology behind this is that dog when young, do not make the distinction between the pain it receives when you hit it, and the reason that you are having it punished. If it was biting on your shoe and you gave it a smack, all you did was to instill fearfulness and distress into the poor puppy, without it knowing what it had done wrong. It might be a different case for adult dogs.
Owners who smack their puppies constantly end up with adult dogs who are rebellious and unfriendly. Not only that but the dogs tend to not trust their masters either, keeping their distance whenever possible. This is not the kind of relationship you want to start off with.
Shouting can also be terrifying for a puppy. While you think that shouting will cause no harm, the consequences are the same as hitting, and your dog will not trust you as much.
Instead of yelling at it to stop doing something, look your dog in the eyes, tell it in a firm voice to ” stop ” then physically remove it from its present location.
To conclude, treat a your little one just as you would with a human being. Be gentle and show it kindness, and never display anger in any way, either vocally or physically. Follow these rules of conduct and you’ll surely end up with a loving dog who will always serve and protect you.
If you enjoyed reading the guide, you may want to read the other puppy-related articles by the same author. His latest reports talks about fashion intended for canines such as a dog parka and also a dog bandana.
categories: puppies,dog training,dogs,pet care,pets,family,hobbies,advise
Stop Your Puppy From Biting – 7 Golden Rules
How to teach a puppy not to bite is one of the first behaviours you will want to manage in your new puppy. If not prevented early on, this type of biting can eventually develop in an adult dog into a situation when someone could end up injured.
Stay Consistent
It is important that everyone trains the puppy in the same way. Teach your children to treat your puppy exactly as you do. Biting is a natural act in a puppy. It is natural for them to bite their litter mates as an act of playing and so they will want to do exactly the same with you or you children.
Act Like A Puppy
It is easy to stop them when you understand how they behave with their brothers and sisters. One of their litter mates yelping will cause them to stop, so any time he nibbles on your fingers all you have to do is yelp just like him. He will stop and you can move your hand away. Don’t play with him for a while after he bit you. Use praise and treats when you are playing and he doesn’t bite at all.
Keep It Short
It’s important that your training sessions don’t go on for too long. Puppies don’t have a long attention span. Do keep the training positive and your voice happy. Always give plenty of praise and make sure you pet him when he gives attention to what you say.
Provide Lots Of Toys
Whenever you are working on the way to train a new puppy not to bite make certain the puppy is provided with toys to bite and chew on. Should your dog bites your hand say ouch or yelp. Stay consistent in this. Should your puppy backs off let him know this pleases you.
Love And Attention
Your puppy naturally requires lots of love and attention. They also enjoy plenty of play time with the correct toys. Puppies do like playing with different textures. It’s a good idea therefore to keep plenty of different types of toys on hand. He will tend to select his favourite one. You can use this one when teaching him not to bite.
No Old Shoes Or Clothes
However, do not offer your old boots and shoes or clothes to your new puppy to play with. Your puppy has absolutely no understanding what may be new and what is not. He will think this implies it is alright to chew up all your clothes and shoes. Puppies can get confused easily. He needs to realize that your possessions are not his toys.
Stick With The Routine
Ensure everyone sticks to the program. You should never have the children let your puppy nip or bite them during play, this will certainly confuse the puppy. Train them to yelp and finish playing too. Make sure your puppy is provided treats for good behaviour and not for bad.
Remember, it is a natural thing for puppies to bite and nip at their playmates so it takes a little time to unlearn the behaviour. No one would like a dog who is aggressive towards anyone so it is really worth putting into practice these instructions on the best way to teach a puppy not to bite.
Hannah Clapham is a keen writerwith a particular interest in the field of dog training. Her latest website discusses the benefits of using a Citronella Anti Bark Collar to prevent problem barking. For more information, visit the Citronella Anti Bark Collar website
Need Help Training An Aggressive Dog?
When you have an aggressive dog and children it is a recipe for disaster. If you are noticing that you dog is aggressive you have a couple options that are available to you for handling it.
The first of your options would be to just get rid of your dog (this is not recommended). While most people view their dogs as part of the family and would never want to get rid of them, for some this is the option they choose.
If you do decide that the only way you can handle your aggressive dog is by getting rid of him then make sure he lands in a nice, safe home. You should never just let your dog go out the door. It is true that dogs are from wild animals but we have pretty well breed that out of them so it would be very unsafe for a dog alone out in the wild.
A better option would be to get your dog trained or train him yourself. There are many different classes you can take your dog to and most everywhere has dog trainers.
One type of dog training is clicker training. If clicker dog training is done correctly you will see a major improvement in your dog’s behavior. The beauty of clicker training your dog is that after a while of using the clicker you will have a dog that listens to your commands without the need of using the clicker or dog treats.
When using a clicker it is all about timing. If you mess this up it will be much harder to train your dog and will take much longer.
When your dog follows your command you need to immediately click your clicker and administer a treat to your dog. If you click to late your dog will only know that you are being very nice and giving him lots of treats.
You also should keep the clicker tucked in your hand so your dog can not see it. Another thing you can do is click using your tongue when your dog has gotten accustomed to the sound of clicking.
No matter how you plan on training your dog you should always use positive training methods. Using negative methods to train your dog will not only hurt your dog but he will get steadily worse behaved as time goes on.
When training a dog 2 of the big things people want to know is how to stop a dog whining how to stop aggression towards other dogs. Visit safedogobedienceadvice.com, which is a free training a dog resource, for the answers.
