Home » Archive by category "Training" (Page 2)

Which Dog Trainer Should I Choose?

Now-a-days, it is as easy to find a dog trainer, as it is to find a McDonald’s. They’re everywhere and the number of dog behavior related professionals keeps growing. We can find Facebook pages, websites, ads on the local newspaper and several business cards being displayed at veterinary clinics and hospitals. Since the prevalence of behavioral problems in dogs seems to be increasing, this could be a good thing. When the demand increases, so should the offer. However, the problem lies on the lack of legislation and certification when it comes to animal behavior professionals. Dog training isn’t a regulated profession. Legally, it doesn’t exist. As a consequence, anyone can wake up in the morning and decide to start working as a dog trainer; no one will force you to study, to become a certified professional or to be evaluated. And, unfortunately, most dog trainers aren’t adequately educated professionals and...
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Walking The Dog: Is It Really Just Walking?

So your alarm clock wakes you up at six a.m. You decide to open your eyes and the first thing you see is your dog, staring at you while waving his tail with excitement. He’s waiting for you and you know he won’t wait much longer; you better take him out… You put on your robe and shoes, grab his leash and walk towards the front door. When you open the door, your heart misses a beat: it’s dark and freezing cold, the wind is so strong your and it’s raining in a way that would make Noah cry in despair. Well, a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do… Okay, After all, your dog needs to pee! Okay, this may be a little over the top but I’m sure you get my point. For most people, walking the dog may feel like this! It can be seen as...
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What is Dog Markers Training

A marker is a tool that allows us to tell the dog exactly what behavior is being positively reinforced and it allows us to do so in a clear, objective and simple way. In other words, a marker turns out to be a tool that facilitates communication between the owner/trainer and the dog. When we correctly use a marker to train our dogs, we speed up the whole process by making it faster and more efficient; it also prevents the dog from developing frustration during the training session for not to being able to understand what we want from him and what behaviors are being reinforced. How do we use a marker, then? 1st Rule – We should mark the behavior at the exact moment it occurs. That is, if we want to teach a “Sit”, we should mark the exact moment the dog’s hind legs touch the ground; if...
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Using Positive Reinforcement For Dog Training

Do you remember the time when your parents gifted you a new remote control car when you got A grade on your report card? That made you study harder, right? This is known as positive reinforcement. Same is the case with dogs. They want praise, reward and food. Using positive reinforcement, you can train your dog in no time. As the rewards make the pooch more likely to do the desired behavior again, this type of training can prove to be the most useful tools to shape up or change the behavior of your dog.   Timing matters Timing is very important when you plan to use positive reinforcement. For instance, reward should be given immediately or your dog may not be able to associate with it if not given on time.   Teaching commands This training method is also great when it comes to teaching your dogs certain commands...
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I Want to Know More About… Dog Training

When I first started to get interested in dog training and dog behavior, I had no idea where I should look for information. Unfortunately, the internet is filled with people willing to give you advice on every sort of problem or topic relating to dogs. Their intentions are the best but sometimes they can do more harm than good. When it comes to dog training, the internet is flooded with myths and outdated information. TV shows shouldn’t be considered as a reliable source of information, as well. One of the most famous and well-known TV shows on dog training is actually promoting the use of dangerous, outdated and counterproductive methods, whilst misinforming people. So if we want to know more about this topic, what kind of sources should we rely on? Books – Books can be a rich and extremely useful source of information. If you choose the right authors,...
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Behavior Modification for Dogs

Dog behavior modification can be a relatively complex subject. Unfortunately, many dog training shows make it look easy and simple; the majority of them are based on outdated and counterproductive methods that are responsible for the suppression of the dog’s communicative signals and may also severely damage his welfare and mental health. Real behavior modification should only be done by trained professionals who understand and know exactly what they are doing. It can be done using techniques such as systematic desensitization, counterconditioning, LAT, BAT and others. These techniques are based on the use of positive reinforcement, which means they respect the dog’s well-being. In systematic desensitization, we expose the dog to the stimulus that scares him in a gradual and controlled way; the purpose of this technique is to decrease the intensity of the dog’s response. For example, if the dog is afraid of hair dryers, we’ll start by showing...
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Ready, Set, Play! Five FAQs about Dog Sports

Most of us love to play games with our dogs – fetch, ‘find the treat’, and hide and seek can be phenomenally fun things to do together. What about getting involved in a sport or activity with your furry friend, however? If your dog could speak, they’d probably be delighted to spend more time with you while being able to fully use the instincts and abilities they inherited from their canine ancestors. Dog sports are a fantastic way to keep your pup physically fit, but they also keep boredom at bay and can really help to enhance the bond that you share too. What if I don’t have a ‘sporty’ dog like a Border Collie? The great thing about dog sports is that there’s something for every breed and size of dog! Canine agility, flyball, and Rally obedience are all activities that allow dogs from Chihuahua size and up to...
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Only 5 Calories Per Dog Treat: A Good Option for Maintaining Your Dog’s Weight

If you like to spoil your new dog with treats… …I can relate and understand. Though, I’ve learned too many calories from dog treats add up and pack on the pounds. This happened to our beagle, Rocky. Rationally, weight gain from too many calories makes sense. But watching calories for dogs? It was a new idea to me at the time. This was a lesson I learned from a vet earlier on in Rocky’s life. When I met Matt (now my husband), he supported my desire to help Rocky get more fit. Rocky has since trimmed down and he celebrated 12 years of age this past summer. His weight still fluctuates a little. But Matt and I have a better understanding on how to help him and our other precious beagle, Daisey. One way to maintain a healthy weight for your dog is to watch how many treats your doggy...
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Dog Click-It Sticks Review

Whether you are a dog trainer or simply owned by your pooch, target training is probably one of the very first things you would teach your canine. Nearly every professional animal trainer, whether they are teaching dolphins or Yorkies, understands the importance and convenience of targets. A target is simply an item that you ask your dog to touch with his nose. It typically only takes minutes for any dog to learn this behavior, and it can turn into teaching a service dog to turn on a light for his disabled handler or in teaching a dog to heel for an upcoming obedience competition. Target training is typically done with a stick, or your hand. The downside to both is that you are fumbling with your clicker, treat back, leash, and target all at once. This can cause a delay in rewarding your dog for performing the behavior you have...
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Gentle Leader Head Collar Review

If you have or have had a dog, you have probably been through the dreaded pulling stage (or maybe you are one of those unlucky ones whose dog never actually left the pulling stage). You know what I’m talking about- dog is super-duper excitable, can’t control said excitement, and practically pulls your arm out of its socket when on the leash. You may have tried every type of collar from chain/choker style to pronged collars, harnesses and everything in between with no luck. Or you may THINK you have tried every type of collar- have you heard of the Gentle Leader? No? Then if you want your pups pulling to end, read on! The Gentle Leader is an adjustable head collar that works similarly to horse reigns- while a regular neck collar or body harness is used on the most powerful parts of the dog’s body (the neck and the...
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