GoGoKitty’s Dog Secrets

Dog training should never be something you don't enjoy doing although it ends up being just a chore for many. Dog training exercises should be fun and satisfying – both for you and your dog. And as long as you approach things properly they can be.

Just like us, dogs get tired too. And they most likely won't work for reward if they don't feel like it. But if you can make the training fun by turning it into a game, your dog is going to love the activity.

Getting consistency in your dog responding to the come command isn't easy but it is one of the most important things to teach. Dogs love to explore new things and they won't necessarily come when you call if something else seems more interesting. The only sure way [method] to acheive consistency in recall is through re-enforcement. That just sounds tedious? Well, our kids stumbled on an excellent exercise that we now use all the time and that has resulted in a consistent and conditioned response when we call our dogs. And that, is hide and seek!

Use Games in Your Dog Training

Get some really great treats and make sure he hasn't eaten in a while. Make him sit and put him in a stay - then leave the room and hide somewhere else. Have fun - get into the bath tub - stand behind a door - something crazy. Then call him. He'll [she'll] come as fast as he [she] can. If you've really found a cool place, it's going to take a couple of minutes to find you. It's a lot of fun watching them run into a room and start sniffing around for you! And when he does find you, of course give him the treat!

This is a favorite for the kids. The laughter is great for them and our dogs. It’s FUN and the dogs are re-enforcing the conditioned response of coming when their name is called. It's important that the whole family play this game because your dog is learning to respond to all family members when being called - not just you. And don’t worry about feeling silly – this is a good exercise for adults as well. You might feel a bit out of place the first time you stand in the bath tub waiting for your dog to find you but when he rushes in and immediately gets his head around the curtain and starts sniffing, you'll laugh outloud! You'll feel young again!

Training Should Progress Logically

Of course, this isn’t the first dog training exercise you need to master. You have to teach them to pay attention to you first. And you should probably do some homework and consult one of the better dog obedience training books. However, the training is going to be fun if you look for ways to make it fun. For you, your dog, the entire family.

When you get a puppy, you might not think immediately about dog training, but you really should. Having a well trained dog can mean the difference between a settled household and a nightmare.

Dog behavior is directly impacted by how much training he has. He needs to have structure and limits in his life. If you don’t provide this, he will, and that can create significant behavior problems in your dog.

Why Train Your Dog?

No matter your dog’s breed, he is descended from wolves and his instinct is to be part of a pack. In the dog pack, there is a hierarchy, with clear dominant roles and submissive roles. If you don’t become the leader of the pack, your dog will make himself that leader. That’s not good and creates all kinds of dog problems.

Training reinforces and establishes the hierarchy idea for a dog. It teaches him that someone in the household is in control and that he must submit to that person.

Although some people say they prefer to not provide any dog obedience training, that’s a mistake. Puppy training – it’s best to start them young – can do much for your young dog, and will only help him as he gets older.

Where to Get Training?

You have a few choices:

1. You can hire a professional trainer to come to your house
2. You can attend dog obedience training classes
3. You can purchase an online ebook and CD or DVD (the cheapest and the preferred option)

Whatever you do, it’s important that your dog’s first (and future) experience with training is successful.

Crate Training.

When most of us think about dog training, we think first and foremost about dog obedience training. Dog obedience training is really about the basics of training and includes learning commands like “sit,” “stay,” and “heel.”

Even if your dog only learns the most basic of dog training commands, his knowledge of just a few basic commands is immensely useful to you as the dog sowner.

A dog that’s received some dog obedience training is also much more pleasant to strangers and other dogs. You can control his behavior when necessary and he will also develop the inner discipline that will help him make right decisions even when you’re not around.

Dog House Training

Dog house training is something you can do yourself. You don’t need the experts for this, though a little advice from a dog training expert certainly can’t hurt.

Your dog should be house trained in order to ensure that he can understand the basics of his needs. That is, he should understand, through some consistent dog house training efforts on your part, that there are certain needs he has that must be met appropriately.

If you have never done any puppy training before with potty issues, you might look in the following places:

* Books, online ebooks and CD or DVD
* You Tube videos
* Friends with more experience than you
* Dog training experts

Crate Training

The concept of crate training is lost on many dog owners, but it’s a concept and a behavior that should be encouraged.

Crate training dogs gives them a sense of safety and security. While initially, many dog owners will use crate training as a puppy training method, the older dog benefits greatly from using a crate as well.

Crate training can be used to reinforce house training, or it can be used as a tool to teach a dog to sleep in a particular place at night, to keep the dog away from strangers, or transport the dog in the car.

There are so many essential uses for crate training, in fact, that dogs suffer from not having this kind of dog obedience training in their lives.

Basic Crate Training

Dog training tips run the gamut from “be sure you use a firm voice” to “let your dog lead the way.” The reality is what works for you might not work for someone else and a different dog might respond differently to training.

Find your own path with your new dog. Keeping in mind that:

* He needs structure and discipline and dog obedience training gives him that
* He will respond to firm direction from you that’s given lovingly and consistently
* Both you and he will be happier in your relationship if your dog has even the most rudimentary of dog obedience training.

Dog training is an essential part of owning a dog. It’s worth whatever effort you are willing to give it.