“Happy Dog Health Dog”
Obedient Training & Healthy Care Guide
“Introducing… Caring For Your Dog!”
This powerful tool will provide you with everything you need to know to be a success and achieve your goal of dog care to a successful place.
With this product, and it’s great information on dog care it will walk you, step by step, through the exact process we developed to help people get all the info they need to be a success.
For some owners, having a dog as a pet is similar to having a child although physically there is really no comparison, but emotionally, this really is the case, as dogs are feeling creatures and thus deserve care and love too. Thus, in the quest to be a good and caring owner, the owner should be able to perform some very basic actions that showcase this caring attitude, which will be well received and enjoyed by the pet.
Let me explain…
Perhaps the first act of caring as an owner would be to provide the dog with a proper collar, preferably with the dog name and address clearly depicted on the collar. The collar chosen should be one that is safe and functional to ensure the dog is not undue stress when using it.
And the worst part? The more you don’t know the less you will succeed!
Index
Chapter 1
The 3 Principles of Obedience
Dogs, even when their breeding is maximized and well-adapted to human needs, would always need some basic obedience training for they would never figure this out on their own. Obedience training requires the use of some principles, which differentiate effective training from training without results. They are the following:
Principle One: CONSISTENCY
The first rule in obedience training is to be consistent. This covers the use of words, tone, and the actions that accompany the word or command. During the beginning of the training, the trainer or the dog owner must decide what should be the parameters of training- what you are trying to teach the dog and how to do it.
A word or a phrase, let’s say “come”, does not make sense to a dog. He does not understand things the way human understands it and he does not understand the language we use. So to make the training understandable, you should use the command in a very consistent manner such that the dog will learn to associate the word with the meaning you attach with it.
For example, if you are using the command “come”, make sue that everyone in the household use it in a singular manner. The command “Come” specifically means that the dog should approach the giver of the command use it in that sense. So if you are using this command make it a point that you would not do actions that would make the command confusing for the dog.
If he does not come to you, do not force the dog to come to you and punish him for doing so. This would make him attribute the command with the punishment. What could you expect next?- he would not follow the same command since this leads to punishment.
Consistency also covers the use of the same command by all people. For example, if you are using the command “come”, other people in the household should not replace it with words like “here” or “come here boy”.
Principle Two: KEEP IT SHORT
The hours devoted to training and the words used as command should be kept short. Keep in mind that the attention span of dogs is very short that making them engrossed with a specific activity would be very hard, if not impossible. Puppies would only react to a specific stimulus at a very long time, for example chasing a moving toy car, and then they would lose interest and move on to the next thing.
They simply don’t posses the same amount of interest they had when they are staring the activity, they become easily bored. The same thing happens in training therefore, it should be limited only to 10 minutes to 15 minutes of regular training.
Principle Three: DO NOT USE FORCE and PUNISHMENT
Never hurt the dog if you want him to be trained. Also, never force the dog to follow the command if he is not prepared for it or punish a dog for something he did.
Don’t push the animal too hard while training. The dog does not understand that he should learn things “instantly” and he does not realize that you are becoming impatient with the speed he is picking up the training. All he knows is that you are mad.
So do not use force as this does not communicate your meaning properly, instead use negative reinforcement. If he knows that he is praised when he does something right, he should not be praised when he does not follow a command.
Chapter 2
7 Tips on Dog Training
Here are some tips that could give you the short cuts to training if used well:
Remember training should be fun – When something is strenuous for the dog, it is much easier to discourage him from doing the task. So be sure to incorporate fun and games into the exercises without defeating the real purpose of the activities.
Apart from filling each session of training with fun exercises, you should also make him feel that he is pleasing for you. Remember that dogs, by nature, only want to please their masters so be sure to acknowledge his efforts.
Positive and negative reinforcement – Use both types of reinforcements only when proper otherwise the dog will be confused. Positive reinforcement covers the use of praise, dog treats and taps while negative reinforcement, depending on the viewpoint of the handler, could be anywhere from punishing the dog harshly to refusing to give him the treat you have offered.
Sustain a no distraction training area – Dogs and puppies alike could easily get distracted by things that are not connected to their training. Always keep in mind that they could not sustain their interest on one thing alone so control the environment such that the dog will only focus on the activity. A secluded place such as an abandoned yard or a large, empty room could be good places to train the dog.
Complete the task– If you give a command be sure that the dog follows through it all the way. Never leave it half-baked otherwise the dog will think that it is ok not to follow your directions. If you gave the command ‘come’ to the dog, be sure to make him come to you completely.
Be firm and gentle – If you are giving commands, use a lower tone of your voice since dogs sometimes confuse high pitched voices with barking dogs. Be firm with the keyword you use but be gentle in the execution.
As much as possible, don’t use force or cruel techniques such as yanking the dog collar whenever the dog misbehaves. Actions like these would make the dog feel unsure of itself, making him lose his confidence.
Keep the training short – Bite size training works well with canines. There are two reason why dogs are incapable of learning for extended periods- one, they have poor attention span and two, dog’s retention capacity is relatively short so chunking the lessons into one session does not yield positive training.
The key here is to condition the response of the dog instead of flooding him with tasks and commands that his brain is not able to accommodate.
Be patient – Dogs just don’t learn as fast as we want them to learn. In fact, the faster we expect them to digest the training, the slower the process becomes. This is not because they become slower learners, instead the trainers become impatient with their dogs that they just want to fast-forward everything.
So be patient, nothing good ever came from rushing your dog’s training. Guide him as he learns at his own pace.
Train him as a puppy – If you train him during his old age, there is lower chance that he would learn easily. On the other hand, training him as a puppy would yield a better chance of grasping the lessons fairly well. The ideal age for training a puppy is when he is at his 6th to 8th weeks.
As he ages, training becomes more difficult due to the development of some habits that most owners dislike.
Chapter 3
Dog Potty Training- The Basics of Pooping Control
Potty training usually begins with puppies. Unfortunately, there are a lot of dogs who do not know yet where and when it is appropriate to poop. While housetraining has been popular for years, many people still have dogs that are not housetrained. The main advantage of being housetrained is that you could trust your dog not to make your house his large comfort room.
Just like other forms of dog training, potty training has several things needed for effective results. They are as follows:
The Timing
Not all dogs are ready for training and you cannot subject them to potty training at all times. The best time to correct misbehavior when it comes to potty is right after he poops. If you see the dog pooping, get his attention immediately and encourage him to continue outside.
Give a command that will signal him to stop, ensure to it that the tone of your voice is low. After which, start introducing him with the command “outside” while guiding him gently to go outside towards a specific location where he is allowed to eliminate regularly.
The Act
Most of the time, owners just discover the accident indoors and did not see the act. In this case, it is best to ignore the incident and wait for the next occasion the dog poops. Never rub his nose in it as this would not give him the proper lesson.
Instead, if you could make the dog come to the area you could scold the poop in his front instead of messing up his nose with it. Why? Because even if only several moments have passed, he would never be able to make a correlation between the action he did and the scolding.
If he is chewing a bone for example, and you scold him for pooping inside the house earlier, he would think that he is being scolded for chewing the bone not for eliminating indoors.
The Accompaniment
There are instances when the owner sees the dog eliminating indoors and was ordered to go outside and came back in and continued pooping. Again, in this case, the puppy has done nothing wrong. He does not know what the owner wants to communicate by going outside.
If you want the dog to accomplish as you say, you should have the patience to accompany him outside and teach him further. This could be made easier by using a leash for better control of the dog.
The Command
Training, in general, makes use of commands which are effective tool to communicate with the dog. However the main problem in here is the use of the words. What people don’t understand is that the dog simply can’t comprehend the meanings of the words if not introduced to him well.
So in dog potty training, the trainer has to introduce the meaning of the commands well in order to gain some good results. For example, you could begin with the word “outside” to send him the signal that he should go outside. Then it could be followed by the words “go potty” to make him understand that it is time to eliminate.
Whatever he does after, never fail to praise him (in acknowledgement of a favorable behavior) or punish him for failing to follow the commands. Doing this process repetitively will condition his thinking that when you say the words “outside” and “go potty” you want him to go out of the house to poop.
Chapter 4
Dog Training Schools: How to Choose
The truth is there are so many dog training schools that offer their services to anyone willing to pay them. The problem though is not all schools will meet your standards or your expected guarantees. Here are some points of considerations when trying to choose a good school for training your dog.
Reputation
Reputation has different meanings to different people- for some it is the capacity to yield good results regardless of the means, for others it is the popularity of the school itself which makes it highly recommended. But reputation, in general, is a good gauge as to how popular the name of the training school and the appeal of the training methods it uses. It also reflects how many people have trusted on them.
To find a school with excellent reputation you could ask around or search through websites. Veterinarians usually have several names of schools and trainers to give you, your dog breeder could also provide you with some references and ASPCA or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals can provide a list of registered names that are sure to use humane methods approved by the organization.
Methods of Training
Any self-respecting training school uses responsible dog training methods. The school must have equal concern to your dog as you do, treating your dog one of their own. Beware of schools that employ trainers who still use old training methods such as yelling or hurting the dogs for there exists many of this kind.
A good school should use humane techniques that promote positive training and limits the use of risky negative reinforcement techniques. The former covers praises and the use of dog treats in recognition of the desirable behavior while the negative reinforcement techniques include practices like alpha rolling, choking and yelling.
Sufficient knowledge
The knowledge on training of the schools must range from the oldest unreliable method to the latest training techniques for dogs. Having extensive orientation in this field would optimize the capacity of your dog to learn since it would be exposed to all possible trainings to which it could respond well.
In researching for training schools, secure information regarding the latest seminars that the trainers attended to and the up-to-date facilities they have. Remember that you would pay hefty amounts to get your dog trained, it is but proper that you and your dog receive proper compensation for your investment.
Another thing that you should keep in mind is that the school’s exposure to widespread training. There are schools that claim of specialization while others advertise that they have sufficient knowledge on all fields of dog training. Your choice should depend largely on the scope of knowledge the training school has.
Classroom Set Up
There are two types of classroom set-ups- group classes and private lessons. The main advantage of the group class is that it promotes socialization and good behavior in the presence of other dogs. Also, when the owner trains alongside his dog, the owner could benefit from exposure to other handlers’ mistakes and techniques.
On the other hand, private trainings could not yield these advantages. There is also a good chance that the transfer of learning and obedience to command given by persons other than the trainer is poor.
It is easy to pick any dog training school but choosing the right one for your dog could prove to be a tedious process.
Chapter 5
Boredom and variety
Boredom and variety are always inter connected in case of dog misbehaving. Yes. This is true. Many a times, boredom can be managed with variety of materials that will distract the animals to a greater extent. Hence, the dog may not do the abnormal or unwanted activity arising out of the boredom experienced by it.
Boredom experienced dogs may have different types of behavioral patterns. For example, some dogs will be seen barking continuously and some may be engaged always in some digging activities.
There are many ways to get your dog out of its boredom activities. Many toys are available which simulated duck, dog, rodent etc.
These may be kept inside the crate and in particular, puppies love these items. A buster cube with multiple treats may be placed in the dog’s shelter and the animal soon understands on how to roll the buster cube to get the treats it prefers. A Buster Cube is an ingenious toy use for simulating and activating your dog during play and feed time. Instead of placing the food monotonously in one place, change the place of feeding suddenly.
Such actions will be helpful for removing the boredom like activity in your dog. Activities pertaining to boredom need to be redefined well by the dog owners. This will help them to a greater extent to drive away the unwanted behavior patterns in their pet dogs.
For example, some dogs may often have destructive biting characters and will be seen biting chair, cloth, mats, and everything that can see. After ruling out the teething problem if it is a puppy, provide it with some large sized balls, mineral mixture based bone materials, etc. Such variety of materials help to reduce the boredom related activities.
Chapter 6
Therapy Dog Training – The Benefits of a Visiting Dog
Sometimes when people are sick their need for love, support and attention just don’t go within what most understand as normal. They need a lot more. Unfortunately, not all people have the time or the patience to deal with people who are sick, ill or disordered. However, dogs when well-oriented to dog therapy training could augment the emotional and physical support that most people could not provide.
Therapy dog training require specializations that are rooted on fundamental dog training. As such, training for this work entails the need to form behaviors in the dog that are of great help to people who are undergoing therapy. Therefore, basic dog training will not suffice if the dog needs to demonstrate other obligations like performing various roles and interacting well with the patient.
Therapy dogs are used in hospitals were mostly the patients are the children and the elderly. The handler and the dog will provide the patients with sufficient attention and activities that will let them drift away from the present problems in their lives.
However, therapy dogs are not only valuable in hospitals, the comfort they give are also necessary components in other therapy centers like nursing homes, schools, mental institutions and retirement homes.
The type of training that therapy dogs undergo are especially created and modified from various other trainings to fit the needs called for in situations that usually occur during hospital visitations. Their training will equip them with the appropriate skills to allow strangers to enjoy their company. To provide enjoyable experiences, most therapy dogs are trained to do tricks and performances that the audience will enjoy.
Most dog breeds could undergo therapy training. However popular choices for training include breeds that have high temperance since they have to work with people that they are not familiar with.
Training of therapy dogs vary from state to state however, it is general rule that a therapy dg should have certification of good citizenship before it can enter into the formal training and service. Certification as well as training could be obtained from local therapy dog training classes or animal shelters. After obtaining this certification, therapy training for the dog will begin.
This kind of training will condition the dog to ignore things like hospital equipments, people who are not the subject of therapy and noise. They are also trained to help with basic tasks like simple activities. However, they must not be confused with service dogs.
These are the dogs, which are under the law, help people who have disabilities. More often than not, they work on a continuous basis. Therapy dogs are more like visitors to patients and not really dogs that will accompany and help people with disabilities with their daily tasks.
A visiting dog will also help in changing the routine from time to time. Therapy could be quite boring for many people thus the need for change of pace will always contribute something positive to the therapy. Animals could also make the patient feel less depressed or lonely since they create distractions from the unproductive thoughts of the patients.
Dogs could also encourage the patient to become less passive and more responsive and active during and after visitations. Therapy training will also help the dog entertain the patient; they may either provide fun or diversion from the pain and suffering currently experienced.
Therapy dog training is relatively unpopular but the services of the dog for this purpose have been used for so many years.-