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Teaching your Dog Impulse Control

Even though dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years, they still occasionally behave in a way that is counter to what their humans would like.  A major contributing factor is that dogs tend to act on impulse, not stopping to “think” about the consequences of their actions.  Fortunately, dogs can be conditioned to control their impulses, which will be discussed here. What Types of Impulses do Dogs Have? Dogs and toddlers are often compared to one another because they behave impulsively, such as running through open doors, jumping on favorite humans when they walk through the door, and immediately gobbling up any food that falls on the floor.  Dogs that are deemed to have “behavioral problems” are typically ones that act impulsively. What is Impulse Control? Impulse control involves teaching your dog counter behaviors that force him or her to divert attention away from an object, human, or animal. ...
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7 Commands Every Dog Must Know

 Training your dog is not just a matter of him or her having good house manners – it can also mean the difference between life and death.  The seven most important commands to teach your dog, as well as tips for training, are discussed below. Sit Why is “sit” such an important command?  When your dog is getting ready to jump on a new person that walks into your home, asking for “sit” can keep all four of your dog’s feet on the ground.  In addition, by utilizing “sit” as a pre-requisite for other daily rewards, such as going outside or having the food bowl set down at dinner time, this simple command can create a well-behaved dog. Stay Not only can “stay” be useful during an unexpected situation (such as a broken dish in the kitchen), teaching your dog how to stay also reinforces independence.  Dogs with a strong...
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