Dog Training US

Raising A Puppy There's a lot of talk about how to raise the perfect dog. It's what we all want but the question is...  do they exist? I suppose the answer is a bit like... is there a perfect person?  Of course, the answer to that is... Nope!  However there are some pretty great people out there, and there are some really amazing dogs too. So what’s the trick? This is my best advice. Before you get hung up about going to puppy school and learning how to do high-fives, roly-polies and the commando crawl, ask yourself this...  Is this what my dream dog does? Is my dream dog basically a performing monkey whom I wheel out when visitors come around so they can say “Wow that’s cool, how clever is he...How did you train him to do that...” and so on and so forth. The kicker is that in many of these cases the next thing that the dog owner has to do is warn the visitors “Now...don’t go near his food bowl when he’s eating, and careful when you pa...

Dominant Dog Have you ever been in the situation where you are out for a walk with your dog, happily going down the street when your heart misses a beat and then sinks because you see another dog coming? It means only one thing. Your lovely but very dominant dog is going to try to leave their mark on yet another dog. And you've no idea how badly this could go! Even though the other dog is on a leash you know you're in trouble if they come too close, and so you start looking for an exit strategy... But before you know it your dog is pulling like crazy and the hair on their back is starting to rise. You’ve tried everything to stop this behavior. Like tugging on the leash, a different collar, distraction with food but nothing has made the slightest bit of difference. Now it’s just a case of keeping them separated at all costs. You've started to give up all hope. So where did it all go so horribly wrong? The thing that so many dog owners and trainers don’t seem to...

Dogs Barking Few things in life can drive you crazy as a constantly barking dog . Whether they have that deep shuddering “Woof, woof, woof” or that ear piercing “Yap, Yap, Yap” it can do your head in very quickly.  The great news is that barking is not something that dogs need to do in order to be happy. In fact, generally speaking barking is a sign of stress, frustration, anxiety or over excitement and none of these emotions are particularly good for your dog. Or you!  Remember a content, relaxed dog does not bark!  So lets take a look at one specific type of barking and get you started on putting a stop to it...  Dogs who bark when you are not at home is a very common issue. Usually people have no idea that they have a problem until the neighbour or even worse the dog control officer pays you a visit. Understanding why your dog is barking is the key to stopping it so you can actually address the cause of your dogs problem and n...

using food to train your dog Have you ever asked yourself whether or not using food is cheating when training your dog?  If you have, then I can promise you that you are not alone. It’s something that many people never actually get clear in their minds and yet it is one of the most powerful topics to understand and also very simple to master! What I am about to explain in this article will almost certainly surprise you but also make total sense. It will contradict some of the things that you have heard through the grapevine, but getting tips from other dog owners at the park is not always the best place to get your dog training advice from.  Once you have read this I’m sure that both you and your dog will have a better understanding and appreciation for each other. Firstly, let’s look at the comment that you should never use food to get your dog to respond to you because your dog will then only listen to you if you have food in your hand. This ...

So what’s the score with my dogs digging ? I hear you asking… Why are they doing it and how do I stop them destroying my beautiful back garden? Well here’s the way your dog see’s it and its very different from how you think! In fact it will answer a lot of your questions. Firstly though here’s what your dogs digging is not. Your dogs digging is not their attempt to annoy you, wind you up or simply ruin your new flower garden out of spite. Dogs simply are not like that…(you’re thinking like a human) Natural behavior Dogs are fun loving animals however and so many dogs will dig for fun. Younger dogs and puppies especially simply love exploring, investigating and having a good time in the soil, sand, mud, stones etc…it really doesn’t matter to them. Sometimes dogs are doing it for specific reasons, such as they are too hot and are looking to dig into the cooler ground. Alternatively they could be cold and looking to build a bit of a den. They could sim...

How to maximize the use of food treats We all know somebody who’s got a dog that only listens when food is shown to them. Or even worse a dog who simply doesn’t listen even when treats are on offer. Maybe it's you and your dog? Sometimes it really does seem like the only way to get your dog to listen to you is to bribe them, and that just doesn’t feel right. Well the good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way and the solution certainly isn’t complicated… as you’re going to see. Here’s four very simply tricks that I’ve picked up from leading dog trainer, Doggy Dan, that make so much sense and have transformed my own way of training and motivating my dog. I’ve seen this in action so I know it all works.  1. The Jackpot:  The first secret is simply this… Dogs are far more motivated and excited by food rewards when the size of the reward varies. In other words it's much better to give your dog a couple of smaller treats followed by a big one than ju...