Thursday, April 26, 2012
Dog Training Hand Signals: Training via Silent Dog Commands
While many dogs are trained using verbal commands, dog training hand signals are very useful in several circumstances.
The benefits of training dogs using hand signals are many, such as training dogs from a certain distance or training deaf dogs.
Dogs are ultimately very well adept in interpreting non-verbal signals, and therefore do well, if not even better, when they are attending to hand gestures.
Let’s see how to teach dog training hand signals and the many benefits deriving from relying on silent dog commands.
As mentioned, dogs are particularly skilled in interpreting hand signals, but why is that?
A good part of this may be attributed to the fact that canines do not use verbal communication, and therefore, must rely a lot on body language in order to communicate with their own species and humans. Consequently, dogs have a certain aptitude to reading our body language and gestures. Ever seen how Rover is quick to read any of your slight body movements towards the refrigerator?
The fact that dogs may attend to dog training hand signals more than verbal commands should therefore not come as a surprise.
It is not unusual indeed for a dog to pay more attention to a hand gesture than a command such as a sit. If you make your dog sit by pointing your index finger as you say "sit", chances are high that should you happen to only say "sit" one day without pointing, your dog may not respond because it has learned to rely more on your hand signal than anything else.
In dog training, the hand gesture in such a circumstance would be referred as to being "more salient" than the verbal command.
Obviously, dog training hand signals are a must with deaf dogs, but there are several other circumstances where silent commands may turn out helpful.
Imagine, for instance, having to train your dog in very windy conditions from a distance. Your verbal commands are at risk of not being heard in such an instance, whereas dog training hand signals would be readily perceived.
Hand signals are also heavily used when training dogs from a distance, such as in directing a hunting dog to retrieve a downed bird, training a dog to compete in a utility obedience competition or asking a herding dog to move the flock.
While there are circumstances where dog owners may rely exclusively on hand signals for basic dog training commands, many dog owners rely on delivering both verbal and non-verbal signals. Sometimes dog owners rely on non-verbal signals unknowingly, such as when tilting their head downwards upon asking "sit" or moving their body slightly backwards upon asking a dog to "lay down".
Some dog owners may wish to have a dog that attends to both verbal and non-verbal dog training commands. This may be advantageous in many ways. Should the dog be elderly and go deaf one day, it will be able to read sign language with no need to train new hand signals. Also, the use of dog training hand signals may be helpful should the dog voluntarily or involuntarily fail to obey a verbal command.
We will see next how to teach some dog training hand signals.
While many dog owners create their own dog hand signals from scratch, there are some standard, non-official dog hand signals dog owners may rely on. This guide will demonstrate some of the most common hand signals.
Start with your dog standing in front of you.Keep your arm hanging naturally alongside your body with a treat between your thumb and palm.Bring your forearm upwards, while bending your elbow with your palm facing up.Move your hand slightly upward from your dog's nose towards the head. As your dog follows the treat raising its head, its rear will lower in a sit.Praise and deliver the treat.Start with your dog sitting in front of you.Keep your arm extended in front of you with the palm of your hand facing down.Keep a treat between your thumb and index finger.Lower your arm while luring your dog with the treat until your dog's elbows touch the floor and the dog is laying down.Immediately praise and deliver the treat.Start with your dog sitting or laying down.Keep your arm hanging naturally alongside your body.Bring your forearm upwards facing your dog's head with your palm open just as a policeman giving a stop signal.During heel, your dog's shoulder is aligned with your left knee.
Tap your left thigh with your left hand so to attract your dog's attention to stay next to you.Praise and reward with a treat once in position.Start with your dog a few feet away from you.Keep your arm hanging naturally alongside your body.Bring your forearm upwards with your palm facing up and bring it towards your right shoulder.Praise your dog for coming towards you and reward with a treat once your dog catches up.As seen, there are many benefits deriving from teaching dog training hand signals.
Hand signals will make your dog more attentive to your body language and will ultimately impress your family and friends. Best of all, hand signals are easy to teach and dogs respond to them promptly.
Teach dog training hand signals to your dog and you will both greatly benefit from a deeper understanding and bond.
Here is a brief video that talks about some of the things we just covered in this article...
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Return from Dog Training Hand Signals to Basic Dog Obedience TrainingReturn from Dog Training Hand Signals to Free Puppy Training HomeMastiff Dog Center with Breeding Trainer Ebook
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Using Basic Dog Training Commands for Obedience Training
Teaching basic dog training commands should be an integral part of being a responsible dog owner. Dogs require a certain amount of structure and discipline in order to thrive and become enjoyable pets to be around.
This is why training is paramount to the dog's well being as it sets a foundation for a happy, and enriching bond between dog and owner.
Make sure you set aside brief 10 to 15 minutes each day to train your dog: you will both benefit greatly from these sessions which will significantly deepen your relationship.
There are several schools of thought when it comes to dog training, but one school in particular has been gaining popularity over the years.
Compulsion and domination training techniques are luckily fading away, being replaced by the rewarding world of positive reinforcement training. Based on scientifically approved principles, positive reinforcement training aims to reward desirable behaviors whereas, unwanted behaviors are managed or ignored.
Being opportunistic, dogs will likely repeat behaviors that are rewarded, while unrewarded behaviors will start to fade, and eventually, extinguish. However, rewarding the good and ignoring the bad does not portray the whole picture. There are many considerations to keep in mind when training your dog commands and failure to recognize them, may potentially put a dent in your training.
Let's go over some important considerations when training basic dog training commands.
One of the main problems dog owners encounter when delivering basic dog training commands is the "broken-record" syndrome. Imagine playing an old album by the "The Verve" when the "Sit and Wonder" song starts skipping "sit, sit, sit, sit". A very boring and almost nerve-wrecking experience!
In a dog's ears a similar experience may happen when an owner repeats a command over and over. Worst of all, the command starts becoming quite irrelevant and it comes as no surprise why the dog may at some point even decide to not pay attention anymore!
The golden rule in delivering basic dog training commands is to give a command only once.
If you give the command twice, the dog learns that the first command can be ignored, and the second one is what really counts, especially if you say the second command in a louder tone of voice. The "sit" command has therefore transformed into "sit, sit", or "sit, sit, sit" in worst circumstances. Try your best to not fall into this trap!
Humans are predisposed to using a firmer, louder tone of voice when a word or sentence did not come through. Just imagine dealing with a person of a different nationality that cannot understand a word of what you are saying: very likely you will repeat in a louder tone of voice as if the tone would magically make your message clearer!
Truth is, while the voice and tone that you use are important, you will not make the command clearer to your dog if your dog does not yet understand what it means. This is why commands are named only after the dog understands and performs the behavior reliably.
If using louder tones is not enough, some dog owners even resort to screaming at their dog. This is very counterproductive for many reasons.
First, many dogs will feel intimidated by this and scaring your canine companion will defeat the purpose of training which is to form a strong, trusting bond.
Second, if your dog is intimidated by your tone of voice, he or she will close up, exhibiting submissive body language and stress such as licking its lips, yawning or even rolling belly-up. Stress and fear inhibit learning which instead requires confidence and initiative.
In general, use low and deep voice when disciplining or correcting your dog and more lively tone when praising.
When a command is chosen, it is imperative that all family members stay on the same page. If uncle Matt uses the command "stay" and aunt Elda uses the command "wait" Rover will get confused. Choose your commands wisely and use the same command consistently.
A common cliché is the dog owner who uses the command "down" to tell the dog to stop jumping, but also "down" to tell the dog to get off the couch, and then again "down" to tell the dog to lay down, very confusing!
All well-mannered dogs should be familiar with at least 5 very important basic dog training commands: sit, down, stay, heel and come. Teach these commands in 10 to 15 minute sessions about 3 to 5 times a day. Short, frequents sessions are better than long tedious ones so to keep your dog's interest alive.
Following is a brief overview of basic dog training commands. You may choose to give verbal praise or use a dog clicker when the dog performs the wanted behavior.
Sit is basically a stationary position where the dog has all 4 paws on the ground.
To train it, hold one bite-sized treat and move it from your dog's nose towards its head. Praise or click if you are using a clicker the moment your dog's rear touches the floor and immediately deliver the treat. Training your dog to sit provides detailed instructions on using this command.
Down is another stationary position where the dog is laying down on the floor.
Train it by asking your dog to sit and bringing a treat near your dog's nose. As if designing an imaginary "L", move the treat downward from the nose to between the front paws. Bring the treat outward praising or clicking when the elbows touch the ground and the dog lays down. Immediately deliver the treat.
Stay is a stationary position where the dog stays still as if frozen until released.
Train it by asking your dog to sit or lay down. Count 2 seconds and praise or click to reward your dog for staying into position and immediately deliver the treat while still in position. Release your dog using your release command. Visit training your dog to stay to learn more about training your puppy to follow this command.
Come is a command where your dog comes to you when called.
Train it by stepping a few feet away from your dog. Then, call your dog's name followed by the cue "come" as you walk quickly backwards. Praise or click the moment your dog starts coming your way. Deliver a treat immediately upon catching up with you. Visit training your dog to come for additional information and training instructions.
Heel is a command where your dog walks besides you with its shoulder in line with your left knee.
Train it with your dog on leash. Start by taking a step with your left leg first and walking while encouraging your dog to follow. When your dog is right next to you, with its shoulder lined up with your left knee, click or praise and deliver a treat.
As seen, teaching basic dog training commands encompasses much more than simply teaching a dog new skills and new behaviors.
Once basic dog commands are in place, you will soon notice how life will be much easier for you and your dog. Your dog may be welcomed in places you never thought he could be taken to before, and if you aim high, you can even turn him into a therapy dog or enroll him in dog sports and competitions.
Best of all, by training basic dog training commands your dog will be better under control and a joy to have around, a win-win situation for all!
Here is a brief video that talks about some of the things we just covered in this article...
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November 13, 2011 - Mental vs. Physical Stimulation
Many of the differences between mental and physical stimulation are similar for dogs and people. If you have a mentally stimulating day where your brain really gets a workout, you are usually very tired and ready to just relax. If you don’t have any mental stimulation, you have more energy at the end of the day. The same holds true with your dog.
Have you noticed that a physical workout energizes you? The physical conditioning builds more stamina. It’s the same with dogs. There is a point where the exercise will tire them, but it takes a lot! Dogs can run and run for hours and still be ready for more, but 10 to 15 minutes of making them concentrate and THINK is exhausting, and they’ll be ready for a nap. Just as the physical exercise will give you and your dog physical stamina, exercising the brain will build mental stamina.
So, how can you exercise your dog’s brain? Obedience training is one great way. Making your dog sit and stay, correcting his mistakes and praising him for the right behavior is a great way of stimulating his brain. He needs to think about what he’s doing and he needs to concentrate. He doesn’t want a correction. He wants to be praised, so he has to think about what he’s doing.
A very slow walk—making sure he is right next to you—is another brain-stimulating exercise. The slower you walk, the more your dog has to think about what he’s doing. We’ve seen, over and over again, very high-energy dogs crash as soon as they come back from a very structured five- to ten-minute walk. A “power walk” will give them more energy, but a walk that requires brainpower will be exhausting.
Puzzles are a great way to mentally stimulate your dog’s brain. Take one of his favorite treats, let him sniff it and then hide it. Let him try to find it or tie it inside an old towel and make him figure out how to get it out.
Scatter feeding is another great mental game. Your dog will have to search for his supper. Scatter feeding also works well if your dog has a tendency to wolf down his food. We’ve never met a dog that didn’t love this game.
The more you exercise your dog’s brain, the happier and calmer he’ll be. He does need physical exercise, just as we do, but he also needs mental stimulation. Dogs who are bored are more likely get into trouble.
If your dog is digging or chewing inappropriate items or if he’s running all over the house out of control, look at the mental side of the equation. A mentally stimulated dog is a tired dog and a tired dog is a calm dog. A calm dog is a happy dog, and that’s what we all want.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Fruitables Pumpkin and Blueberry Crunchy Dog Treats, 7oz Pouch
Blue Dog Bakery Doggie Paws are made with our original peanut butter & molasses recipe that receives barking ovations from dogs big and small. Blue Dog Bakery natural, low fat treats are a perfect reward or snack for any lucky dog and are made with the highest quality bakery ingredients.
Doggie Paws : Great for training! Peanut Butter Doggie Paws are perfect for small dogs, puppies or any pooch that needs a little motivational encouragement. Doggie Paws are a great size for training, small dogs or for extra rewards throughout the day. With only 10 calories per treat, and 0.2 grams of fat, you won’t have to worry about your dog losing its puppy figure.
Six (6) - 10 oz boxes are packaged in each case and are baked in a fun, bite-sized, paw shape.
A Healthy Dog is a Happy Dog.
Blue Dog Bakery makes natural treats with the highest quality ingredients to ensure they are safe, wholesome and downright YUMMY! They are baked fresh, with an extra crunch to help support clean teeth and fresh breath. Baked in the USA, with no animal by-products, artificial colors, artificial flavors or preservatives – you can feel good about giving your canine pal these healthy treats that are worthy of the love and devotion you get from them. Blue Dog Bakery proudly supports hundreds of animal rescue and shelter organizations.
All Natural
Blue Dog Bakery has been using all natural ingredients in its dog treats from the company’s inception in 1998, helping to reshape the pet category in the process.
Blue Dog Bakery uses only 100% natural ingredients in their treats with no animal by-products, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. They also pioneered the mainstream acceptance of functional pet treats containing antioxidants, glucosamine, and condroitin, among other nutritional benefits.
Sustainability, Recycling and Managing the Carbon Footprint
Blue Dog Bakery prides itself on using only the highest quality ingredients. All of its products are made responsibly in the USA. The palm oil found in all of its treat recipes is sustainably harvested in Colombia, giving them an environmentally friendly edge. Not only can you recycle your Blue Dog Bakery treat boxes, they are also made from post-consumer waste recycled materials – which is great for you and for Mother Nature.
Blue Dog Bakery works hard to minimize shipping and logistics in order to reduce transportation, and lower its carbon footprint. They recently opened a second warehouse on the east coast to continue its efforts to be the best global citizens possible.
About Blue Dog Bakery
Since 1998, Blue Dog Bakery has been dedicated to making healthy all-natural treats for dogs. It wasn’t long before their treats caught on and people were asking where they could buy them.
Blue Dog Bakery knows that a long and happy life goes "paw-in-paw" with good nutrition, which they always keep in mind when creating new treats. They only use the highest quality ingredients such as whole eggs, nonfat milk and whole wheat making them easily digestible, full of fiber and protein and good for an overall balanced diet.
NO animal by-products
NO artificial flavors or colors
NO artificial preservatives.
Just all-natural baked goodness that your dog will love. Take a big whiff next time you open a box. You and your dog will smell the difference!
Try all of our great natural treats!
- Peanut Butter & Molasses
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- Peanut Butter Doggie Paws
- Peanut Butter Softies
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Using Silent Dog Whistle to Train Puppies and Dogs
A silent dog whistle is an effective training tool that comes handy in a variety of situations. Because dogs are equipped with an acute sense of hearing, silent dog whistles are a great way to train dogs over distances.
Owners of hunting dogs, herding dogs or simply owners who want to teach their dogs commands from a distance may benefit from using a dog training whistle to train their dogs.
Dog whistles can also be used in situations where a dog can't hear you due to noise.
There are a variety of dog whistles on the market and choosing the best depends of a variety of factors. And despite its name, this training tool can also be used to train other animals, including cats.
A silent whistle is often referred to as Galton's whistle to honor Sir Francis Galton who first invented it. Francis created the dog whistle in the 1876 for the main purpose of studying the different ranges of frequencies animals could hear.
A dog whistle is typically in the range of 16,000 Hertz to 22,000 Hertz. Humans are believed to perceive 20 Hertz to 20,000 Hz, whereas the hearing range of dogs is believed to be between 40 Hertz to 60,000 Hertz.
The sensitive ears of dogs were specifically designed to hear higher frequencies because such frequencies are emitted by small prey such as rodents.
As the name implies, a silent dog whistle is capable of producing sounds at higher frequencies than those perceptible by humans, but well within the dog's range. You can blow through a silent dog whistle and hear the air blowing through it, but often without hearing a sound. However, a dog training whistle may also emit frequencies as low as 16,000 Hertz which are audible by humans.
Silent dog whistles are a favorite among gun dog owners who can rely on their ultrasonic whistles to deliver commands from a distance even in heavy cover or on days with high winds.
This is an effective training tool since it will get the dog's attention without the need to shout over long distances or when the dog is out of sight. If you are interested in training your hunting dog or herding dog to obey to a silent dog whistle, you will need to practice a bit before you and your dog get it right.
It is often erroneously assumed that dogs automatically respond to the noise emitted by a silent dog whistle with no previous training. There is no truth to that. The noise of a whistle to a non-whistle trained dog is the same as the noise of a dog clicker by a non-clicker trained dog.
Dogs require training in order to respond to commands delivered by a whistle, but dogs that are already trained to respond to verbal commands or hand signals will catch on quickly with the right training.
The different tones produced by the silent dog whistle will basically become cues just as with verbal commands or hand signals. A dog who has mastered verbal commands or hand signals can be switched over to whistle commands with the proper training.
The best way to accomplish this is by asking your dog the familiar verbal command or hand signal followed by the new whistle command. After repeating several times, the verbal command or hand signal can be gradually phased out and replaced by the silent dog whistle command.
It is very important to be consistent and use the same type of whistle tone for specific commands. You are virtually free to select any type of whistle command as long as you stick with the same ones. Of course, it is much easier on the dog if each whistle command is quite unique to avoid confusion. Clarity, consistency and patience are virtues necessary to switch a dog over to whistle commands.
While you are free to select the whistle blasts that you prefer, there are some "standard" commands. For instance, if you wish to switch your dog over from verbal commands to whistle commands, you may want to follow these easy steps.
Training Sit
With your dog in heel position, ask your dog to sit using your verbal commandImmediately sound one long whistle blast while keeping your hand raised and openUpon sitting, give verbal praise followed by a dog treatRepeat over and over Drop the verbal command and start giving it every other timeOnce your dog seems to grasp the concept, drop the verbal command completelyTraining Come
When your dog is at a distance, call your dog using your verbal commandImmediately sound a series of whistle pips as you keep your arms stretched out to the sideWhen the dog is next to you, give verbal praise followed by treatsThere are a variety of silent dog whistles on the market made of different materials.
From a practical standpoint, dog training whistles with a cord attached may turn out helpful because they can be hung in a convenient spot when not in use and worn around the neck when training. Many have an adjustable pitch so they can be tuned to the dog's specific hearing level by loosening the locking nut.
Silent dog whistles are an excellent way to communicate with your dog from a distance without disturbing other people or frightening wildlife. Best of all, the consistency of the whistle tone makes it very effective in delivering clear, easy to understand commands.
Whether you are training your dog to hunt, herd, retrieve or just follow directions from a distance, a silent dog whistle can be advantageous in many ways.
Here is a brief video that talks about some of the things we just covered in this article...
You may also wish to explore the following articles:
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Return from Silent Dog Whistle to Dog Training DevicesReturn from Silent Dog Whistle to Free Puppy Training HomePuppy In Training TV – Ep12 – Orange County Pet Expo
I’m sure many of your have been following the Puppy In Training blog for quite a while now so it’s no secret that the Orange County Pet Expo is one of our favorite events of the year. In fact we probably never would have started this blog if it wasn’t for the OC Pet Expo.
A few years ago, before we decided to adopt a puppy, volunteer with a local dog rescue, foster puppies, or raise guide dog puppies we visited America’s Family Pet Expo in Costa Mesa, CA. It was at the expo that we first began thinking about how we could spend our free time volunteering to help puppies and dogs. We visited many of the animal rescue booths, guide and service dog booths, and watched many of the different demonstrations from elite dog trainers on how to train a puppy and puppy training tips, shutzund training, police k9 search and rescue, and even basic dog obedience training.
Fast forward to today…
We’ve helped rescue and foster several litters of puppies and dogs.We’ve been raising guide dog puppies for the past 5 years.We started our Puppy In Training Blog to help others with puppy training tips from our experiences as Guide Dog Puppy Raisers.We even started our own little YouTube Series called Puppy In Training TV!This weeks episode of Puppy In Training TV is all about this years Orange County Pet Expo.
If you’re interested in sponsoring an episode of Puppy In Training TV visit our sponsorship page.
PuppyInTraining.com Logo and Website Address
Dublin and I took a trip to one of our favorite events…the Orange County Pet Expo! My name is Colby and I’m raising Dublin! a Guide Dog puppy In Training, welcome to episode 12 of Puppy In Training TV!
Guide Dog Puppy Training Starring DUBLIN
With Linus Aussie Shepherd Rescue
Also Colby The Human
And Stetson Career Changed Guide Dog
Every year the America’s Family Pet Expo comes to the fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, California. It’s one of our favorite events and this year Dublin and I worked part of the day at the Guide Dogs of America booth.
We got to the Pet Expo a little bit early before our shift so I let Dublin check out some of the animals at the show. We saw horses, we saw sheep and chickens and other animals inside the petting zoo, there were also donkeys at the oc pet expo, here’s dublin getting a little bit closer to that donkey, Dublin even relaxed in a down position and got almost nose to nose with a Llama!
There are tons of exhibits and demonstrations at the orange county pet expo. of course our favorites are the dog exhibits…However there are also exhibits for birds, fish, reptiles, and other small animals. my mom goes back every year to check out the cats, and of course there’s just about everything a pet lover can ask for at the OC pet expo.
After getting a short preview of the pet expo we followed this pug and group of horses over to the Guide Dogs of America booth. We hung out for a couple hours with some of the other GDA pups and puppy raisers and talked to people about the guide dog puppy raising program.
The OC Pet Expo gave us a great opportunity to walk Dublin through crowds. We’ve done the same kind of walks through shopping malls, but we have never walked through this many people or had so many distractions. Dublin did great walking through crowds and wasn’t afraid of the people or other animals…maybe a little to gung ho as he was pulling a bit on his lead.
One of our favorite events to watch is splash dogs…WOH! Lets watch that again…some of those dogs can really fly and this dog gets some serious air.. Dublin do you think you could do that?
It’s been a while, but we used to foster dogs for a local rescue so I like stopping by to at least say hello at the pet expo. If you’re looking for a dog or puppy please check out your local animal rescue or shelter or another great place to check out is petfinder.com.
It was a long day so we grabbed some food and got ready to head out.
We tried to get as much done as possible while we were at the expo, but there’s so much to do at the OC Pet Expo we felt like we could have used a 3 day pass. In 5 seconds here’s a list of other things we did or wanted to do that we didn’t capture with our video camera…
K9s for Disabled Kids
Police And Search Dog Demo’s
Does Your Dog Need A Job
Assistance Dogs the How And Why
Shutzhund Mondio Ring Dog Sport
The Art of Dog Protection Training
10 Most Common Reasons Dogs End Up In Shelters
Let Your Dog Follow His Nose
Dog Training Secrets Revealed
Pet Products
Parade of Dog Breeds
Those Jumping Scotties
Pet Adoption Fashion Show
And Tons of Other Non-Dog Exhibits
Thanks everyone for joining us and we’ll see you in our next episode or Puppy In Training TV.
If you’d like to sponsor an episode of Puppy In Training TV visit PuppyInTraining.com
If you’re a pet lover I highly recommend you attend the OC Pet Expo next year. As I’ve mentioned it’s definitely one of our favorite events of the year. There’s tons of great information, demonstrations, exhibits, dog adoption and rescue booths, and of course we will most likely be manning the Guide Dogs of America booth again next year.
Dublin did very well with all the crazy sights, smells, distractions, crowds, and other animals at the OC Pet Expo. However, there was a lot going on and this is definitely not an event we would recommend for a younger guide or service dog puppy in training.
Remember if you’d like to sponsor an episode of Puppy In Training TV visit our sponsorship form.
Have you visited the Orange County Pet Expo in the past? If so, what was your favorite part?
Related posts: Orange County Pet Expo 2011Orange County Pet Expo 2010Orange County Pet Expo 2009Orange County Pet Expo 2008Orange County Pet Expo Recap
Monday, April 23, 2012
7 Steps To Puppy Proofing Your House
Yes! It’s definitely very important to puppy proof your house before you bring home a puppy. In fact I have a 7 point checklist for puppy proofing my house that I go through every time before I bring home a new puppy.
When I rewind back 7 years and think about bringing home my first puppy, Linus for the first time I was ill-prepared. There were many things I should have done before making the final decision to bring home a new puppy. And this is from someone who did do some preparation including reading the Puppies For Dummies (affiliate link) book…twice! Also, I did not bring home the first adorable puppy I came across and I actually did a ton of research on different breeds before picking Linus. I also had a veterinarian and a puppy trainer already picked out for my new puppy.
Dublin On The Job TrainingHowever, here are a few things I didn’t do:
By the time I decided to volunteer as a guide dog puppy raiser I made sure I puppy proofed my house before my home interview. Every time I get a new puppy I go through the short ritual of crawling around the house and yard on my hands and knees looking for potential dangers. I even mention this in the Dublin’s first Puppy In Training TV Video:
You probably already know that it’s extremely important to puppy proof your home for your puppy’s safety as a puppy is liable to pick up just about any and everything off the ground and eat it or chew on it. Here’s a step by step guide on how I go about puppy proofing my house before bringing home a new puppy:
The Basics – My first round of cleaning is just the basics. Clean the house. Pickup everything off the floor. Vacuum. Mop and clean the floor (make sure you don’t use harsh chemicals that might irritate your puppy). Dust the house…you know the basics!Crawling the Floor – After the basics I get on my hands and knees and crawl all over the house inside and out to see from the same perspective as my puppy. You can often find hidden dangers this way. Keep your eye out for anything on the floor. Also watch out for electrical cords and wall sockets (your pup may want to chew on these).In Home Workers – If you have workers who come over (cleaning people, gardeners, pool men, etc.) make sure to check that they didn’t inadvertently drop anything or leave doors ajar.The Garage – there’s lots of dangerous stuff in the garage. Be very careful with antifreeze. Pets like the taste, but it’s absolutely deadly. I’ve had several friends lose their cats to antifreeze. Always check for leaks. Other harmful things for your puppy commonly found in the garage are pesticides, fertilizers, snail bait, batteries, cleaners and solvents, motor oil, gasoline, craft glues and cement mix.The Bathroom – Do not store dangerous items like medications and chemicals under the sink. Move anything like toilet and drain cleaner up and away from the toilet. Keep the toilet seat down, put trash up (or get one with a lid), and close shower/bathtubs. Some people often put cleaners in the toilet that turn the water blue. I never use these because even if it’s a rule to close the toilet lid not everyone in the house may follow through and I don’t want one of my pups or dogs drinking the chemical filled water on accident.The Living Area – Do your best to hide all wires and cables. Make sure all paper shredders are unplugged. There are many toxic plants, make sure if you have any toxic plants they are out of reach from your dogs and puppies.The Kitchen – Some of the major kitchen hazards include coffee grounds, spoiled foods, coffee grounds, bacteria and sharp objects. Cover all trash cans. Remove anything toxic from under the sink. Store all foods on high shelves out of the reach of your puppy. Keep your dishwasher closed. Know all the common food that are toxic to dogs ie. chocolate, grapes, raisins, etc.That’s about it! If you’re about to bring home a new puppy I suggest you go through these 7 steps to puppy proofing your house.
What about you guys? Am I missing anything? Do you have a checklist you go through for puppy proofing your house? Please tell me about it in the comment section below.
Related posts: 5 Easy Steps To House Training Your PuppyHow To Puppy Proof Your HouseCrate Train Your Puppy In 5 Easy StepsHow To House Train A Puppy – Eliminating On Command4 Steps To Avoid In A Puppy Group Photo
Get The Benefits Of Raw Food Diet For Dogs
In the past, medical trends for canine nutrition have begun to revolutionize the traditional ideas about feeding dogs. Vets have begun to bring up points that have people thinking about what they give their four-legged friends. This is because recent discoveries have brought to light the major benefits of this type of food for your dogs. These benefits are more numerous than have previously been believed, and many people are consulting vets to sound out this option. Let us tell you about the benefits of raw food diet for dogs.
Raw diets for dogs are giving your pet meats, bones, and organs. This idea was traditionally viewed as a more risky method and used only in special cases, such as with pets that have had allergies to the fillers found in conventional store-bought products. Vets have recently begun to argue that this method is not actually more risky, but it is more beneficial to your dog’s health and your wallet.
The first major portion of benefits of raw diets for dogs is internal for your pet. The vitamins and nutrients found in meats and organs have countless benefits that anything other than real materials just can’t provide. These include better heart health as well as much better digestion. Your pet will experience less stomach aches from his or her food. And it will also have more energy because it is not being weighed down by the heavy fillers in the store bought meal.
The external effects of this kind of diet for these pets are nearly as numerous as the internal ones, and can be seen as soon as just a couple weeks after the meal switch is made. Their teeth will be whiter and their breath will smell better.
The external effects of a raw diet for your pets can be seen very quickly after the animal is switched over to this type of meal. Their teeth will be whiter, and their breath will be better because the major cause of plaque buildup in animals is store bought food. And we all know how important it is for your dog to have the best breath possible. Also, your pet’s skin will be healthier and their coat will be noticeably shiner due to natural proteins.
The other major benefit if a raw food diet for your dog doesn’t really affect your pet at all. It is more of an added bonus for you. Many types of canines, such as pit bulls, need certain amounts of food and nutrition to keep up muscle and energy so they can maintain their weight.
These can be quite costly. Meats and organs will make your animal build muscle better and feel fuller with a fraction of the cost. Your wallet will thank you.
Raw food diets for dogs have traditionally been used only for special circumstances, but this method is becoming more and more of an idea being adopted for all canines. Although there are still drawbacks for some kinds of dogs, people are flocking to their vets to see if this method would be more advantageous for them and their four-legged friends.
Posted by admin on Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 3:23 pm
Filed under Health · Tagged with Benefits, Canine Nutrition, Countless Benefits, Couple Weeks, Diet, Diet For Dogs, Dogs, Feeding Dogs, Fillers, Food, Four Legged Friends, Heart Health, Medical Trends, Nutrients, Organs, Plaque Buildup, Raw Diet, Raw Diets, Raw Food Diet, Raw Food Diet For Dogs, Real Materials, Recent Discoveries, Type Of Food, Wallet
In the past, medical trends for canine nutrition have begun to revolutionize the traditional ideas about feeding dogs. Vets have begun to bring up points that have people thinking about what they give their four-legged friends. This is because recent discoveries have brought to light the major benefits of this type of food for your dogs. These benefits are more numerous than have previously been believed, and many people are consulting vets to sound out this option. Let us tell you about the benefits of raw food diet for dogs.
Raw diets for dogs are giving your pet meats, bones, and organs. This idea was traditionally viewed as a more risky method and used only in special cases, such as with pets that have had allergies to the fillers found in conventional store-bought products. Vets have recently begun to argue that this method is not actually more risky, but it is more beneficial to your dog’s health and your wallet.
The first major portion of benefits of raw diets for dogs is internal for your pet. The vitamins and nutrients found in meats and organs have countless benefits that anything other than real materials just can’t provide. These include better heart health as well as much better digestion. Your pet will experience less stomach aches from his or her food. And it will also have more energy because it is not being weighed down by the heavy fillers in the store bought meal.
The external effects of this kind of diet for these pets are nearly as numerous as the internal ones, and can be seen as soon as just a couple weeks after the meal switch is made. Their teeth will be whiter and their breath will smell better.
The external effects of a raw diet for your pets can be seen very quickly after the animal is switched over to this type of meal. Their teeth will be whiter, and their breath will be better because the major cause of plaque buildup in animals is store bought food. And we all know how important it is for your dog to have the best breath possible. Also, your pet’s skin will be healthier and their coat will be noticeably shiner due to natural proteins.
The other major benefit if a raw food diet for your dog doesn’t really affect your pet at all. It is more of an added bonus for you. Many types of canines, such as pit bulls, need certain amounts of food and nutrition to keep up muscle and energy so they can maintain their weight.
These can be quite costly. Meats and organs will make your animal build muscle better and feel fuller with a fraction of the cost. Your wallet will thank you.
Raw food diets for dogs have traditionally been used only for special circumstances, but this method is becoming more and more of an idea being adopted for all canines. Although there are still drawbacks for some kinds of dogs, people are flocking to their vets to see if this method would be more advantageous for them and their four-legged friends.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
September 26, 2011 - Introducing a New Dog to Your Household “Pack”
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September 26, 2011 - Introducing a New Dog to Your Household “Pack”
Bringing a new dog into the family is an exciting time for the human “pack” members, but can create stress for the non-human pack—whether dog (both new dog and resident dog), cat, bird, or other small pet. Understanding how to manage pet introductions can help ensure a lifetime of harmony for everyone.
General tips:
Dog to Dog
Before you bring the new dog (or puppy) home, bring home his scent so your resident pets can be introduced to his smell first. Rub the new dog with a cloth or use a blanket he has slept on and bring it into your home and place it where he will be sleeping.
In addition, be sure both your resident dog and the new dog are up to date on their vaccinations to avoid any risk of infection.
Introduce in a Neutral Location
Introduce the dogs in a neutral location that is unfamiliar to both dogs, such as a park. This prevents your resident dog from feeling his territory is being threatened.
Each dog should be on a loosely held six-foot leash and handled by a separate person. Try to stay relaxed so the dogs don’t pick up on any tension you might be feeling.
Don’t force an interaction between the dogs. Just walk near each other for a few minutes. One or both of the dogs may ignore each other, which is fine. Just stay upbeat and give the dogs time to get comfortable with the situation.
Now, allow the dogs to sniff each other for just a few seconds, with the handlers offering high-pitched, happy praise if there are positive signs from the dogs. Then lead the dogs away from each other. Do several more sets of brief introductions, which prevent the dogs from focusing too hard and escalating to an aggressive response. Refocus each dog’s attention with obedience commands or short walks.
There are two goals with this exercise:
Watch the dogs’ body language. Things are going well and you can proceed to the next step if you see:
However, take caution if you see:
If you see any of these types of reactions, quickly lead the dogs away from each other and try to get them to focus on you. Then you can try a very brief introduction again, at a further distance. Only proceed to the next step when you see the dogs are tolerating each other.
Managing the New Dog in Your Home
Pick up all pet toys, food bowls, beds and the like before you bring the new dog into the house to prevent any tiffs over prized possessions. You can return the resident dog’s toys to him in a few weeks, and give the new dogs some new toys of his own. In the meantime, give the dogs toys only when they are in separate areas or their crates.
When you bring the new dog home, put your current pets in a separate area of your home; then, walk the new dog around your home on a leash to show him where he will sleep and eat, where the other pets sleep and eat, etc.
Establish boundaries in your home by using baby gates and closing off rooms and areas while all the pets acclimate to the new situation. This way they can see and get used to one another. Allow the resident dog to roam the house, while confining the new dog behind a barrier at first.
Keep the resident dog’s areas for sleeping and eating separate so he doesn’t feel his territory is being threatened. Feed the dogs in separate areas, and pick up their food bowls after feeding time is done. Keep the dogs confined in separate areas of your home any time you are away or can’t watch them.
While your dogs may enjoy each other as playmates, supervise their play to prevent them from getting over excited, which can lead to injury of one or both dogs. Interrupt their play if one dog begins to bully or growl at the other, and separate them for a few minutes. Praise them when they are playing well together.
Remember to devote plenty of time to each dog individually for both training and play. If one dog is much older or less energetic than the other, be sure you give him time and space to himself so he can rest and feel secure.
Dog to Cat
The prey drive in some dogs is exceptionally strong. In order to ensure your cat or other small pets stay safe, you must get your dog to look to you as his leader so that his desire to please you overcomes his desire to chase another pet.
As with a dog-to-dog introduction, take things slowly, calmly and cautiously. If you can, bring home an item with the new dog’s scent on it so the cat can learn about the dog through his smell first. Plan to place the cat’s things somewhere the dog can’t reach (such as up high) and be sure there is always an escape route so the cat can get away from the dog and feel safe.
While holding the dog on a loose leash, at first allow the dog and cat to see each other. If you fear the dog may get away from you quickly and hurt the cat, use a muzzle if necessary.
With the dog in a down-stay, let the cat wander and come to the dog, if she chooses, for a sniff. Then call the dog away to get him to redirect his attention from the cat, and then allow them to greet again.
Remember, you also need to keep the cat from getting afraid and then running away, which will only trigger the dog’s desire to chase. If the dog begins to fixate on the cat or lunges to get at it, quickly give him a command or just lead him away from the area for a few minutes.
Your goal is to help the animals learn to trust each other, as you yourself work on building a relationship of trust and leadership with the new dog.
In the meantime, don’t allow your dog to chase any type of small animal, but do let him chase a ball or other appropriate toys.
If your dog begins to chase the cat, do not run after the dog. Instead, try to get his attention with a loud hand clap or command (“Leave it!”), or even a shake of his dog food bin. Redirect his behavior so you can leash him and allow the cat to get to a safe place.
Dog to Other Small Pets
If you are not sure of your dog’s background with regard to being around small pets, plan the introductions carefully to avoid risk of the pet being harmed. Introduce the animals as you would dog to cat. If you must hold the animal in your arms, take care not to let the dog to get too close. Just let them sniff each other’s scent and learn to tolerate one another’s presence.
Some dogs get jealous if they see a small pet such as a hamster or bird perched on your shoulder. The dog may see this as an unfair advantage and therefore feel challenged and want to harm the pet. Other dogs, however, may be totally accepting of the pet and its perceived higher status.
Always keep small pets in a secure, sturdy cage out of the dog’s reach, and always supervise your dog even when the pet is caged. When you’re away from home, do not allow your dog to be loose in the same area as the caged pet.
Puppies to Adult Dogs
Not all resident dogs will welcome a new puppy into the home. Puppies are notorious for looking for attention from adult dogs (and everyone else), and so must be supervised when they are with other animals. Very young pups may not pick up on an adult dog’s body language that says he’s had enough playing. A well-socialized adult dog may growl to tell the pup to back off, which is appropriate behavior that helps the puppy learn boundaries.
However, an adult dog with poor social skills may present a danger to the puppy, as he may only know to bite rather than growl. Thus, do not leave the dog and puppy alone together.
Respect the adult dog’s need for puppy-free quiet time, and be sure to spend one-on-one time with him as well.
Handle the puppy-to-dog introduction as you would between dogs. Keep both animals leashed, carefully watch their body language, allow brief sniffs, and offer praise when they behave well.
Know When to Get Help
People keep household pets because they enjoy their antics and companionship. However, if your dog doesn’t get along with other pets, this only creates tension and disharmony in your home.
A qualified dog trainer such as a Bark Busters Dog Behavioral Therapist can help resolve conflicts your dog may be having with other pets, and can provide ways to help you live in a peaceful, happy household of pets and people.
Obedience Training for Dogs | A Guide to Dog Obedience Training
Obedience training for dogs ranges from very basic to the most advanced competition level training.
Most dog owners are only interested in basic obedience training which consists of teaching your dog some basic commands.
The time it will take to train a dog will depend on your skills, a method that you use, your dog and, of course, a level of obedience you are trying to achieve.
But let me tell you, it will be time well spent! Your dog will become a lot easier to live with and will get into trouble a lot less often.
Some of the benefits of obedience training for dogs include...
You will develop a much closer relationship with your dogA well trained dog is a lot easier and safer to live withA well trained dog is also less likely to end up in a shelterThis is all very logical, but… what exactly does "obedience training for dogs" mean?
My favorite way to explain dog obedience training is to compare it to some kind of language that exists between you and your pet. Then, puppy obedience training involves you teaching that language to your puppy.
Since any language consists of words and phrases, your goal will be to teach your puppy a new vocabulary that consists of the basic commands such as…
Obedience training for dogs involves training your dog to obey these commands.
Here are some additional tips…
After your puppy learns a new command, never substitute it with another word that has the same meaning. Be consistent.Don't repeat the same command over and over and don't combine several commands into one. For example, "No, No, No…." and "Sit Down" will only confuse your puppy. Just use a single "No" and "Sit" or "Down", not both.Watch the following video for additional dog training and obedience training advice...
Visit dog obedience training for Part 1 or dog behavior training for Part 3 of this video...
There are two distinct styles of training your dog for obedience. One involves using a collar and leash and the other is based on positive reinforcement.
Of the two, I prefer the one that's based on positive reinforcement.
Why?
Because praise and rewards for doing things right are much more effective than punishment for making a mistake. I also feel positive reinforcement method works faster and is easier to learn for a new dog owner.
My training style is based on techniques described in this Secrets to Dog Training guide.
Visit dog behavior training for more information on obedience training for dogs and a sample session based on positive reinforcement.
But to be honest, if you are new to dog training, both you and your dog will benefit from enrolling in a basic obedience class. Your dog will benefit by being trained by a professional dog trainer and you will benefit from learning from a professional dog trainer.
To get the most out of these classes, you need to be comfortable with the trainer and the training methods he or she uses. You also need to make sure the trainer is qualified. Visit dog obedience school to learn how to choose the best school for your puppy.
Here are some more obedience training tips...
Obedience training for dogs takes time, so be realistic with your expectations.Begin teaching your puppy the easiest commands (Ex.: "Sit") first. As he becomes familiar with them, introduce more difficult commands.Keep your training sessions short, fun, and always end them on a positive note.As your dog learns a new command, try to incorporate it into your daily routine. For example, use a "sit" command before you put on his collar and leash before you go for a walk. If you are a new dog owner and want to learn more about dog behavior and obedience training for dogs, I highly recommend you read and follow this Secrets to Dog Training guide. It's written by a professional dog trainer and is full of techniques you can use to modify your dog's behavior.
You may also wish to explore the following articles:
Find this article interesting? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments, and as always, your +1's, Shares, Facebook likes and retweets are appreciated.
Return from Obedience Training for Dogs to Dog Obedience TrainingReturn from Obedience Training for Dogs to Free Puppy Training Home2nd Annual Pet Blogger Challenge
The beginning of the new year is a great time to reflect back on what you accomplished over the past year as well as look to the future. I’ve been thinking about this (my goals) a lot over the past few days and although I don’t quite yet have a clear picture of what I’d like to do with my puppy training blog in the upcoming 12 months I do have some general ideas.
This morning after browsing through my RSS Feeds I found a number of dog blogs participating in the Pet Blogger Challenge. After reading through a few Pet Blogger Challenge Posts I decided that this would be a great way to take a quick glimpse at things we’ve done on the blog in the past and what we plan to do in the future.
So we went ahead and visited this post: Pet Blogger Challenge, followed the rules, answered a few questions and voila…we have today’s blog post!
1. When did you begin your blog?
I published my first blog post on PuppyInTraining.com way back on August 1st 2007. My first post was basically the story about how I adopted my puppy, Linus from the animal shelter. I remember being very concerned with my blog design (I used a free WordPress template and made a few customizations) and using a bunch of pictures of my first guide dog puppy in the heading (actually 2 are of Stetson my guide pup and 2 are Linus my rescue pup). In fact I still have my original wordpress theme. Here’s what it looked like:
This is the first Puppy In Training Blog themeSince then I’ve published over 450 blog posts and changed my theme I believe 4 times. My current theme is using the Genesis Framework (affiliate link).
2. What was your original purpose for starting a blog?
My original purpose for starting a blog was to document my journey raising a guide dog puppy in training. I originally set it up to keep friends and family up to date on my first guide pup, Stetson’s progress on his way to becoming a working guide dog.
3. Is your current purpose the same?
Since I started the Puppy In Training Blog I’ve raised 3 guide dog pups and I’m currently raising a 4th. The purpose of my blog has evolved a little bit since it’s beginnings and as technology has changed so has the purposed of my blog.
If not, what’s different?
As I mentioned the blog has evolved. My main purpose and goal today is to offer “Puppy Training Tips From My Experiences As A Guide Dog Puppy Raiser”. As I mentioned as technology has changed so has my blogging. Today, I report a lot of my puppies activities using Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube rather than my blog. For instance I post a lot of my pictures from outings on the Puppy In Training Facebook page. I post short little tweets about what we’re doing on our Twitter page. On YouTube we started our Puppy In Training TV channel and also post dog product video reviews.
The blog really brings everything together and as I mentioned today we use it to share our experiences in order to help others with their puppy training problems.
If so, how do you feel you’ve met your goals?
My friends and family still interact with me on the blog and also now on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube so I guess I did meet my original goals by keeping them up to date on our journey as guide dog puppy raisers. The coolest part are the thousands of other people who also follow along and learn the in’s and out’s of raising a puppy.
4. Do you blog on a schedule or as the spirit moves you?
Recently it’s been “as the spirit moves me”, but in the past I’ve tried several different scheduling techniques.
If the former, how often — and what techniques do you use to stick to it?
As I mentioned in the past I’ve tried different scheduling techniques including blogging Monday thru Friday. I also tried posting every day of the month. We’ve even worked on posting only 3 days a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). However, in the long run we haven’t stuck to any specific schedule. In my experience I’ve had the best success sticking to a schedule by following this list:
Decide on a schedule (3 days a week, 5 days a week, every day in a month)Brainstorm for ideas on a weekly or monthly basisFor each idea create an initial topic/titleSchedule the topics/titles for specific days using your blog softwareExpand each topic/title into a blog post before the scheduled publish date.Keep a back log of blog posts for busy days, vacation days, sick days, etc.Repeat the following week/monthI’m in the process of putting together a new schedule for my blog for the year.If the latter, do you worry about… well, whatever you might worry about (e.g. losing traffic, losing momentum)?
I’m not good when I’m not on a schedule which is how I’m currently operating. However, I don’t worry too much about losing traffic (a lot of my traffic comes from Search Engines), but I do worry about losing loyal readers. I took a look at some of my numbers for the past few years and here’s what I found:
Google Analytics Stats 2008 -196 blog posts
Google Analytics Stats 2009 - 106 blog posts
Google Analytics Stats 2010 - 58 blog posts
Google Analytics Stats 2011 - 81 blog postsMy first post was on August 1st 2007 and I received virtually no traffic during those first few months besides the occasional visit from my mom, dad, and a few friends. I didn’t even have Google Analytics installed until February 2008. However, I did have Google AdSense installed during those early months and according to AdSense I received 1,528 page views from 25 blog posts during the time period: August 1st, 2007 – December 31st, 2007.
As you can see over the years my traffic has steadily climbed, but none more than in 2008, my first full year as a blogger. I really stuck to a good schedule in 2008 and produced 196 blog posts and that’s what I’d like to get back to in 2012.
I’m going to try and be an overachiever this year and focus on producing on average 4 blog posts a week. That means I should end the year with 208 blog posts and hopefully my most productive year as a blogger. This goal is definitely attainable especially given the fact that it’s a leap year and I have an extra day to complete the task!
5. Are you generating income from your blog?
Yes, we actually made almost enough money to buy a cup of coffee in our first year of blogging. We feel very lucky that we receive a little bit of money from our Puppy Training blog which helps to cover our hosting costs which shot way up this year thanks to a few traffic spikes back in April 2011 that forced us to move off our shared hosting plan. Bluehost refused to reactivate our account so we moved to a HostGator (affiliate link) Virtual Private Server. However, our income still exceeds our costs and this allows us to make more donations to some of our favorite non-profit organizations including Guide Dogs of America and Cuddly Canines Rescue.
If so, how (e.g. sponsor ads, affiliate relationships, spokesperson opportunities)?
The Puppy In Training Blog has actually been producing income starting in it’s first year, 2007 (although we didn’t receive an actual check until a few months in to 2008). Way back in 2007 we made $1.48 with Google AdSense. Since then we’ve made a little bit of money every month using mainly Google AdSense, Amazon Affiliates, Chitika, and a few other affiliate programs. We’ve also dabbled in sponsored ads, posts, and text link advertising.
According to our Amazon Affiliates account we’ve sold over $25,000 worth of products since 2007. However, it doesn’t amount to a ton of money since our commission is usually between 4% and 8% (usually closer to 4%).
Our Google AdSense Ads produced some of the highest single day earnings in 2011 and we nearly broke the $100 mark one day. Our highest daily total so far is $93.41. However, on average we earn approximately $20 a day. Here’s a look at our AdSense chart since 2007:
Google AdSense Revenue Since 2007None of our other forms of income individually produce more than $50 a month on average.
If not currently, do you hope to in the future — and how?
We have a few plans to try and diversify our income in 2012 and hopefully should announce a few things in the coming weeks.
6. What do you like most about blogging in general and your blog in particular (bragging is good!)?
Some of our favorite things about blogging are:
Making relationships with other bloggers.Helping people with their puppy training issues.Being part of an online community.Helping some of the organizations we volunteer for with monetary donations produced from the blog.Keeping connected with friends and family through the blog.7. What do you like least?
Feeling obligated to write a blog postManaging the technical aspects of the blog. This seems to get worse as the blog grows.Dealing with negative people who visit the blog.Not having enough time to read and comment on other people’s pet blogs.8. How do you see your blog changing/growing in 2012?
I’m hoping that 2012 will be a big year for the Puppy In Training blog. A few of my goals off the top of my head are to:
Create and maintain new relationships with other pet bloggersWork on my email newsletterCreate an e-bookCreate a puppy training membership area for new puppy raisersThanks to Edie of Will My Dog Hate Me and Amy from the Go Pet Friendly Blog for hosting the 2nd Annual Pet Blogger Challenge. We really got a lot out of not only thinking about our own blog, but also reading through the many other blogs participating in this years challenge.
How about you? Did you participate in this years Pet Blogger Challenge? What is the most interesting thing you learned from someone else’s Pet Blogger Challenge post?
Related posts: Pet Adoption Fair – 5th Annual Home For The Holidays14th Annual Dawg Walk, Pet Faire, And Dog Adoption Event
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
Let's Get Personal Online Training
Online Training Is A Great Way To Have A Personal Trainer 5 Days A Week For Less Than Half The Price. Together, We Will Get You The Results You Want.
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Puppy Clicker Training - Mind-Blowing Puppy Training Tips
Puppy clicker training is a lot more simple to pick up than the usual command-driven training. Clicker training encompasses all types of animals, no matter the age. Puppies especially respond to it. Here are a few tips to get you going:
1. Before you proceed with your puppy clicker training, take some time and bond with your dog, and be ready to please.
2. Acquire the attention of your pup by calling its name in a apparent but habitual voice, and coax the pup to you. If your pup has not gathered the fundamental command 'come', you can teach that to it first. Say the pup's name initially before the command. (Such as "Fido, come".) Keep the command short and sweet. Saying its name first gets the attention of the pup, and the regular demand after that tells the pup what you want.
3. Press the clicker when you dog comes to you,, at that time give the pup a treat when he or she reaches you. This is reinforcing clear behavior, and soon your dog will understand that he or she can respond to a command and a treat will go along that click. The dog will actually initiate to watch you and take note, which is what you aspire.
4. Train your dog. With your pup in front of you, the treats in your left hand and the clicker in your right, the two of you are ready. Move the hand that has the treatover your dog's head amid its ears. As he or she looks up, click and treat. Recap this several times.
5. Slant over your dog just a tiny so with the intention of he or she leans back. As soon as his or her back legs begin to fold, click and treat. Recap this several times.
6. Be long-suffering with puppy clicker training. Eventually your dog will sit. Click and treat. Relocate to an extra part of the room and see if your dog follows. If not, call him or her to you, then take your left hand out over his or her head. Don't say anything, see if the dog sits by itself. Click and treat. Then move again and do again the process several times. Many dogs will begin to follow their owner around and sit, in suspense for a treat! Have enjoyment with your dog!
7. Train the puppy to stay seated by having him or her sit, but delay a few moments, then click and treat. Repeat this several times.
Discover more useful tips on how to quickly train your dog to listen to anything you say, by Clicking Here => Puppy Clicker Training
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Starting A Dog Walking And Sitting Business - The Complete Guide
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Dog Food for Life - Complete Guide to Dog Nutrition and Food
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We Won The BlogPaws/PetSmart Build A Business Blog Contest!
YAY!!!!
We’re so excited that we (the Puppy In Training Blog) won the BlogPaws/PetSmart Build A Business Blog Contest.
We submitted our blog to the contest back at the beginning of March.We put together a blog post (check it out because their were 10 excellent finalists) announcing that we were a finalist for the PetSmart Blog to Biz Contest.Next we put together a video to try and bring together our vision of building a biz blog to life.And today we heard that PuppyInTraining.com was a grand prize winner!Did we mention there were 2 winners? The other Blog to Biz winner was Snoopy’s Blog. If you haven’t already you should check out Snoopy’s excellent blog. He and his mum, Annette already have a vibrant community there and we’re sure they will do a great job working with PetSmart towards building a business blog.
Blog Paws ConferenceWe’re very excited for the coming months. Not only do we get a chance to work with PetSmart to build PuppyInTraining.com into a business blog, but we’re also very excited that we get to participate in the Blog To Business Case Study at BlogPaws 2012! We’re not going to be sleeping for a couple days from all of this excitement!
Thanks to BlogPaws and PetSmart for sponsoring this competition. This is such a wonderful opportunity not only for us, but as Yvonne said in her blog post: “This contest has far reaching potential, not just for our winners, but for everyone who participated, and for all the BlogPaws 2012 attendees.”
Congratulations to everyone and I can’t wait to start working with PetSmart and I’m also very excited to meet everyone at BlogPaws 2012!
Related posts: We’re A Finalist For The BlogPaws/PetSmart Blog To Biz Contest!Blog Paws 2012 – Pet Blogging And Social Media ConferenceOnline Profits Contest from Daily Blog TipsHalloween Dog Costume ContestWin Dog Toys In Puppy In Training Holiday Contest
NEW Trademark Puppy Potty Trainer Indoor Grass Training Patch Three Layers System Perfect For Patios
This mat and tray system gives dogs a place to relieve themselves when they can't go outside! The ingenious mat is made of an antimicrobial and odor resistant artificial turf that gives off an organic scent, attracting dogs so they can be taught quickly that it is an acceptable spot for relief. The mat sits on top of a plastic insert which allows liquid to drain into the included locking tray for easy clean up!Price: $46.39
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Five Free Best Dog Training Tips Online
1. Be persistent. Remember to keep dog training your dog from reverting to old ways, you must be practicing with him a lot. If he gets distracted use a clicker, shock collar, or a nudge to direct his attention toward you. The more persistent you are with the puppy training he will learn fast and faster, as soon as the dog training technique is memorized by the dog you can slow down the training. He will remember the trick after a long enough period of performing it Don't forget this training tip it was what over 45% forget, and then wonder why their dog training isn't working.
2. Do not use discipline unless it is during the act! Unless you catch your puppy during the act, do not discipline him, else he won't be able to connect his discipline with the act, therefore it is useful and you're simply scaring your dog. You don't want to have a fearful and unhappy dog because he thinks you're gonna hit him for something every time he sees you. IF he is caught during the act then you can say 'bad, no' and either smack him or spray him, buzz him with the shock collar, only at exact time, or else the dog training tip and training is slowed down.
3. Learn about more good techniques online. There many good ebooks that specifically tell you how to control dog's behavior as well as important information about dog breed. Secrets To Dog Training is my favorite ebook that is great for any style of dog owner.
4. Praise your dog. This next technique is easy enough to do, so maybe you should do it more? Just simply praise your dog with either a good pat, or a doggy treat when he performs well and when does something good, however you need to do this at the exact time he does something good to reinforce the behavior.
5. Give the dog a break if it gets tired or distracted for too long. Sometimes you can be over training your dog, and we wouldn't want that, if he starts to lose attention just let him and come back for another training session later. Maybe you need to take your puppy for a walk first so he will be more calm.
Be sure to check out Puppy Dog Training Tips to get more dog training techniques [http://puppy-dog-training.net/] as well as how to prevent puppy shedding [http://puppy-dog-training.net/preventing-puppy-shedding/]
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Monday, April 16, 2012
Is Cheating On Your Spouse Is A Good Idea?
What does a perfect couple exactly looks like? How can one make his/her spouse happy and satisfied and if they are really not happy does that mean that the partner has the right to cheat on their spouse. Well cheating certainly seems like a bad idea, and why not betraying your partner has never been considered ethically and morally right besides it brings destruction to your family. The minute you find out your partner is cheating on you, in that very minute you will find your world being lost and shattered and it will become very difficult for you to believe once again on your partner.
People will go for extra marital affairs only when they feel unsatisfied with their current relationship but isn’t it better to work out on your relationship instead of going for an extramarital affairs which can bring a lot of disaster to you and your family members especially your children. Well think about your children. Working out on your relationship will be of course not an easy task but with just a little effort you can definitely bring a change in your relationship. Changes are good, a partner can make the relationship better by spending more time with your spouse, candle light dinners, go for another honey moon, pamper your partner, and furthermore enhance your love making, parties and clubbing. For the ladies out there reading this article, my suggestion would be to bring some change in your looks, a good make over would help you a lot to attract your husband once again and sexy outfits would be a plus.
By just a little more communication you can certainly help to improve your relationship. And once you are on the right track with your wife or husband than you should never let your relationship go to an extent where you or your partner feels the need to go for cheating on your spouse. As cheating is definitely not a good idea and one should try to avoid it as much as possible as the after effects are extremely shocking and horrible.
Posted by admin on Saturday, November 12, 2011 at 7:37 pm
Filed under Training · Tagged with Bad Idea, Candle Light Dinners, Cheating, Cheating On Your Spouse, Cheating Spouse, Communication, Disaster, Extent, Extra Marital Affairs, Extramarital Affairs, Family Members, Good, Honey Moon, Idea, Lost, Love, Partner, People, Perfect Couple, Relationship Changes, Sexy Outfits, Spouse, Spouse Cheating, Suggestion