Dog Training Tips

Dog training is the single most important aspect of raising a dog, well besides regular vaccinations. Basic obedience, alone, is a great way to keep your dog safe; by teaching simple commands like "leave it" and "wait," can really save your dogs life one day. "Leave it" can stop your dog from snatching up medication or another toxin that has either fallen on the floor or that has been left behing; "wait" can stop your dog from progressing further, such as running out into the road or out the door when you're not ready.

Positive training is the most effective form of dog training; but using the clicker and positive reinforcements will teach your dog what behaviors you want him to repeat with certain commands.

Once you tackle basic obedience, you can move onto fun tricks and agility, which will help stimulate your dog's mind and keep him exercised (if you opt for agility).

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Dog Training Tips, Help, and Techniques

Dog Agility Training

If you've decided to train your dog agility. Awesome choice. It's a great way to run the energy out of you dog and loose a few calories while you're at it. You want to learn the basics of the sport, as yes, it is a sport. Learn the history behind today's competitive dog sport. Learn what each obstacle is and looks like.

Then, find out how to best train each obstacle from the jump to the tunnel to the seesaw. The best and quickest way is to target train mixed with a little clicker training. Have the dog target a plate of some kind of object in order to clear the bar jump obstacle or to properly run over the dog walk.

Next, learn the course. Learn the faults. Know how to run it. Get used the the ever changing agility course. You won't have a problem as long as you dog knows how to perform each obstacle. At that point, you'll be able to run the course with ease and efficiency.

More Training Thoughts

Ever have a dog that's scared of something? I mean, it's possible. I have a dog scared of thunder and another scared of water (well, unless it's in his water bowl). You can work with your Dog's Fears and Phobias. Just follow a method or two and get things going.

Untraining Your Dog's Behaviors can work when trying to stop an unwated behavior. You don't want you dog to bark nonstop for the rest of his and your life do you? That's like having a wife or husband that just won't shut up... I.E. an unhappy relationship. Well, there are a few things that you can try to stop the behaviors before you just can't take it anymore. Well, there are actually eight different methods of untraining that range from 'shoot the dog' to 'change the motivation.' There are four negative and four positive methods of untraining.

Training Tools

Dog Training Tools are very important when you've decided to train your dog or puppy. Just a few things that are very important and must haves when training. The basics include leashes, collars, and treats.

No harnesses.
No flexi/retractible leads.
No pinch collars.
No choke chains.
No large treats.

Make sure you wear training appropriate clothing. When training, you move around a lot. You also, want to be weary of your shoes; it is possible to slip out of your shoes while training or get your toes stepped on.

No skin tight pants.
No belly shirts.
No low cut shirts.
No flipflops.
No sandals of any kind.

Training Your Dog

The oldest training method is the technique of punishment. But using Punishment as a Training Method you can encounter many problems and big concerns. Whereas, using Reinforcement Training, you come across fewer problems. Reinforcement training is the quickest and most effective way to train ANY dog.

When Training a Dog always think about the dog first. Configure your training method around the dog's personality. You do not want to be as forceful with a passive dog as you would with a more dominant dog.

Have fun when training your dog. It's a great bonding experience.

Clicker Training

Have any of you heard of Clicker Training? I find that it is one of the better techniques towards training dogs. I have found the quickest results when using a clicker than without. I began training my new puppy without the clicker, and she basically understood what I wanted, but as soon as I picked up my old clicker and began using it when training with her, she began catching on quicker and quicker. It is pretty simple to clicker train. You can use your voice as a sharp 'yes' when the desired behavior was reached; the sharp 'yes' is in place of the clicer as we all have our voice with us at all times, but maybe not a clicker. This is what I started with when training my new puppy, but I was not getting the results I desired in the time frame I had hoped. When picking up my old Karen Pryor I-Click clicker, MIA quickly began responding to simple cues of 'sit,' 'down,' 'sit/stay,' 'down/stay,' and 'speak.' Many more behaviors are added to her 'behavior glossary,' with every click of the small, hand-held clicker.