In the past, dogs under 6 months old were not put into training classes. There were even trainers who believed that a puppy who was 12 months old was just the right age to begin training. Today's popular belief is that the dog's first few months are the best and most important time to start training. The following are some reasons to begin training early.
• Puppies wake up every day ready to learn whatever you will teach them.
• Puppies have no opinion of certain situations and actions. Because of this, they are able to learn things rather quickly.
• They will pick up on and learn what is good and bad and what earns them praise, whether we try to teach them or not.
• Puppies can be trained into charming and obedient pets, primarily because they have no bad habits for the trainer to overcome.
While there are many ways that you can train your dog, I always prefer the kindest method. The following is a quick summary of training tips for puppies.
1) Opportunity Training - Without the puppy ever understanding that it is a "training session", you begin to train him.
2) Attention Training - Before I give a new command, I wait until the puppy is actually doing what I am going to command him to do. I then introduce him to the "Watch" command as he is waiting to receive his reward. Because puppies have a very short attention span, you must reward him immediately.
3) The Sit - Get the attention of your puppy by allowing him to sniff the treat that you are holding as you kneel. Raise your hand slightly higher than your puppy's head. Since it will be simpler for the puppy to see the tidbit while sitting, he will do so. After the pup is sitting, praise him and give him the sit command. Do this only after the puppy is performing the correct behavior. This sequence may need to be repeated 9 or 10 times.
4) The Down - Start this command the same was as you began the 'sit' command. At this point, you should hide the food from your puppy by covering it with your open hand (palm down). He will try different things in order to get the treat. He may not see it, but he will still smell the food. Your puppy will then likely try to move your hand away from the food by nudging it with his nose. After this, the puppy will see that by lying down his task will be made easier. As soon as your puppy lies down, while he is in this position, command him 'down', and give him praise and a reward for his good behavior.
5) The Recall - The recall command is one of the most important that a puppy can learn. It is important for his safety and for his behavior around others. While the dog is ready to learn commands such as sit, and down, he can also learn the recall command. Have another person kneel on the ground and hold on to the dog. Kneel or sit on the floor a yard or two away from your dog. To get the puppy's attention, you can put both of your hands out in front of you. Command your dog to 'come'. Before your helper releases the dog, make sure that you have the full attention of the puppy. When your puppy is running, use lots of excitement while commanding him again to "Come". Immediately give him his reward upon arrival. Only teach your puppy one command at a time. Do not try to make him lay down, sit, or stop at the same time. Repeat the same exercise as many times as needed until the puppy understands it.
It is important to know that the youngest of puppies can learn a lot very fast. Puppies can learn quite quickly with the aid of proper skill and a positive attitude. The real benefit to training it that it helps to build a dogs confidence in it's owner and allows it to bond to that person. Training exercises should be fun. The dog should feel playful and relaxed while learning. If it is fun for the puppy, he or she will WANT to learn more things.
About the Author:
For more information on this topic and more. Please take my complimentary mini course for you and your dog at the URL below. Annette Masse has been loving and respecting dogs for 25 years. ForTheLoveOfDogZ.com
There is nothing more pleasing to an avid bird hunter than to watch a well-trained sporting dog do what it was bred to do: hunt. Likewise, there is nothing more pleasing to a pet owner than to watch their well-trained family dog interact in a calm and controlled manner with family and friends.With step-by-step instructions and detailed photographs and illustrations, this book provides proven information for achieving the best of both those worlds. Everything is discussed from choosing a sporting breed (retriever or pointer), to basic family-friendly obedience commands, to introducing the dog to the sound of a gun, competing in field trials and hunt tests, using an electronic collar, and keeping your sporting dog happy and healthy. It even covers how the nation's top trainers troubleshoot some of the more common problems faced in the field.
Make your dog a real member of the family! Find out how in Dog Training for Children and Parents. Author and trainer Michael Tucker provides thorough, easy-to-read instructions that children can follow and that adults will find accurate and entertaining. By training their dog, children gain a sense of achievement and develop a bond with the pet that will last a lifetime. From essential commands to tips on care and tricks, Dog Training for Children and Parents provides useful, understandable guidance for everyone in the house.A Howell Dog Book of Distinction
Produced by the award-winning maranGraphics Group, Maran's Illustrated Guide to Dog Training is a valuable resource to a wide range of readers - from individuals picking up their first puppy to those who are looking to eliminate their pet's annoying behaviors. Instead of describing the myriad ways to perform each task, Maran's Illustrated Guide to Dog Training shows you the best way, while the full-color photographs and clear, step-by-step instructions walk you through each task from beginning to end. Thorough topic introductions and useful tips provide additional information and advice to help enhance your dog training experience. Maran's Illustrated Guide to Dog Training is packed with essential information for teaching simple commands and performing the most impressive tricks. Maran's Illustrated Guide to Dog Training costs less than the price of one private training lesson, and will be a permanent resource that can be accessed at any time.
A popular guide with a fresh new look and updated content Increasingly, dog owners treat their pets as members of the family. The book that helped define and popularize reward-based dog training has now been updated to cover new techniques and approaches, including using a clicker or verbal markers, instilling impulse control, teaching the roll-over exercise, and more. With 100 colorful illustrations and reader-friendly explanations, this guide will appeal to dog lovers young and old, as well as to professional trainers. Andrea Arden (New York, NY) is the behavior columnist for New York Dog magazine and the pet expert for the Today show. The author of four other dog training books, she was named the best dog trainer in New York City by New York magazine in 2001.
In 'Gun-Dog Training: Spaniels and Retrievers, ' the first book ever to devote itself exclusively to the flushing breeds as well as the first book to cover training retrievers for upland game work, Kenneth Roebuck is careful to point out not only what the handler should do, but also what mistakes should be avoided.
This easy to follow DVD will help you train your dog, step-by-step to achieve the most pleasing results. Just Pop-in the DVD and let us show you how you can make your dog into a pleasant and playful part of the family. An internationally renowned certified dog trainer and Director of Training and Behavior at St. Hubert's Animal Center in Madison, N.J. explains in detail, through demonstration, the most effective ways to train your dog to become a more obedient companion to avoid house training accidents, destructive behaviors, jumping on guests and much more. This DVD helps bridge the communication gap between dog and owner to promote a long healthy and happy lifetime with each other. Color, Run Time: 60 mins.
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