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How to Make Sure Your Dog is a Canine Good Citizen
by Kevin Nguyen
Every dog owner should strive to ensure that their dog is
a good canine citizen. The American Kennel Club even has a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Program which awards you and your
dog for being good citizens. The two tenets of good citizenship are socialization and obedience. Dogs that are
good citizens are well behaved around other animals and people, are calm when groomed or handled by strangers and know how
to obey basic commands.
Socialization actually begins in the litter. Puppies learn
important social skills in the litter including how to communicate with other dogs, calming signals and when it’s not
okay to bite! At four weeks of age, puppies begin to learn to form an attachment to humans. It is then that
we can begin to socialize the dog by gentle handling, and preventing any trauma that would result in fear or shyness developing
in the dog. Breeders and their entire family will take great steps to ensure that your puppy is socialized before you
bring it home.
At eight weeks of age, your dog is ready to go home with you and
you should begin socialization and obedience training right away. Socializing your dog is an important step in their healthy
development. Dogs that are not properly socialized can become shy or fearful of people or other dogs. It
is important to introduce puppies to new sights, sounds and places every day. Some experts use the “Rule of Seven”
to begin socializing puppies. Between 8-12 weeks of age, you introduce your puppy to seven new kinds of people, seven
new types of surfaces, seven new foods, seven new sounds, and seven new places.
Until your dog is fully vaccinated, avoid dog parks. To facilitate
socialization with other dogs, consider puppy socialization classes, or arrange play dates with older, mellow dogs.
Pet stores are also a great place for dog interaction. However, keep your dogs away from animals that are being sold
at the pet store.
Even shy dogs can be taught to develop confidence. Resist
the temptation to comfort by saying things like “its okay,” because you will be reinforcing the shyness.
Your dog will look to you for confidence. Training will establish your role as leader and allow you to communicate confidently
with your dog.
Shy dogs will need a series of confidence builders. Introduce
them to one person at a time. Tell the person to sit sideways on the floor or yawn (this is a calming signal for dogs).
Explain to people that they should not to touch the dog’s head or neck. Shy dogs will interpret this as threatening.
While socializing your dog, instruct people to approach from the side, moving the hand in from the side and then touching
the back, shoulders or under the chin. Slowly increase the interaction with people, don’t overwhelm the dog.
To keep your dog’s mind engaged and off of their fear, practice
training commands. Tell her to “sit” or “heel” and reward for obedience. You can correct
your dog if she does not follow commands but do not correct for being shy.
Obedience training is a must for socializing your dog. A well
trained dog is happy and much more confident. With a little time, effort and lots of love, socializing your dog can
be rewarding for you and your pet.
There are many training methods, but the goal of all training should
be to teach and motivate the dog to repeat the desired behavior. This is best achieved by positive reinforcement rather
than negative punishment. Whether you use dog clickers, treats or simply “good dog,” training should be
accomplished in a gentle, positive manner.
Socialization teaches your dog how to behave with other people and
animals. Obedience training establishes the communication system that will allow you to teach your dog appropriate behaviors.
Dog obedience training will set the tone for a happy relationship with your pet and should not be considered optional.
It is also not temporary or short term. You will “train” your dog daily for the rest of his life.
Be sure to keep your training sessions short and fun. You
should also end all sessions on a positive note so that your dog is confident and looks forward to training time. For
working dog owners, training your dog before work will tire them out and they will be content to rest while you’re away.
The basic commands are Attention, Come Sit, Stay, Attention, Down,
Leave it and Heel / Stop.
Come. This is the first command you should teach your dog.
The easiest way to teach “come” is to kneel down and say your dog’s name. As she begins to move, open
your arms wide and say “Come.” As she approaches, praise.
Attention. This teaches your dog to make eye contact and focus
on you. To teach attention, say your dog’s name once, and when she looks at you praise and reward.
Sit. Stand facing your dog at a distance, with a treat in
hand. Call the dog using the “Come” command. Once the dog reaches you, slightly raise the treat above
her head and back from the nose to the eyes or ears. As the dog follows the reward, she will naturally go down on her
haunches. As she bends her hind legs, give the “Sit” command.
Stay. You should teach the sit command before teaching stay.
Have the dog sit and then show her the palm of your hand as you calmly and firmly say “Stay.” At first keep
the sit-stay duration brief, gradually increase the time and distance.
Down. This is a submissive stance for dogs so some will be
harder to teach. To teach “Down,” begin from the sit position. Hold the treat in front of the dog’s
nose, and use a sweeping motion to move the treat down to the floor. Your dog will lie down to keep track of the treat.
Once the dog begins to lie down, say “Down.” Keep moving the food along the floor until the dog is all the
way down and then praise and reward.
Leave It. This command can keep your dog safe when you’re
out walking. An easy way to teach “leave it” is to use the good treat/boring treat method. Hold out the
good treat in the palm of one hand and say “Get It.” As the dog happily eats it, praise. Repeat this
a few times. Now hold out the boring treat (such as Cheerios), palm up and as the dog goes for it, calmly say “Leave
It” and close your hand. Do not praise until the dog pulls his head back. Once he does this, praise and
reward with a good treat.
Heel/stop. A dog that is properly heeling is close by the
owner’s side to the left. This command keeps you in control when walking with your dog around lots of distractions.
To teach heel, you will need a collar, leash and an area free of distractions. The leash should be loose and the
dog should be sitting or standing. Say the dog’s name one time to get his attention and then begin walking.
Take one step and then stop, praise and reward. Take two steps and praise and reward. Now, you will only praise
and reward when the dog is in “heeling” position. Some trainers give a quick, tug on the leash and sharply
turn each time the dog goes out of position. If the dog gets distracted or goes ahead of you, stop. Regain his
attention and start again.
Training and socialization are important to your dog’s health
and development but will also ensure that you dog is a canine good citizen!
© 2006 Kevin Nguyen All Rights Reserved
This article brought
to you by LuLu’s Dog Treats,
providing all natural premium dog treats.
Visit http://www.lulusdogtreats.com for good wholesome treats for your dog.
Clicker Training Introduction by Valerie Dancer
Clicker training with dogs is fairly well known, but all animals
can be trained with the “Clicker” method, cats, birds, horses and most others.
Dogs soon learn that when they perform a particular action it gets
them a reward immediately after hearing the click, this is a very positive way of training, which dogs react well to. They
soon start performing the action in the hope of getting another treat. The training sessions are totally pleasurable for the
dog so they learn very quickly, once they have realised that they get a reward.
The difference between clicker training and other reward based training
methods is that with the clicker training method the dog immediately understands which action has resulted in his receiving
the reward. As he hears the click, as the correct action is performed, he immediately receives the reward.
The clicker is a more positive way of training than the spoken word
simply because the dog will very rarely hear the “click” at any other time, except when training, but he hears
spoken words all the time, most of which he does not understand.
You need to exercise a little patience when you first start, but
most dogs will start to understand after hearing the click 5 or 6 times. You will know when your dog understands, as he will
look up at you when you click.
Start by going somewhere quiet so your dog is not distracted by
other noises. Arm your-self with some really tasty treats, that are not usually given to him, like very small pieces of roast
beef or chicken, cheese, liver or hot dogs. Use your clicker and give him a treat, do this say, three times so that he associates
the click with a treat. Should your dog be of a very nervous disposition, and is frightened of the click then muffle it by
putting it in your pocket to begin with. You can start by playing games. Have his toys with you. Throw one and as he picks
it up “click” and reward.
Once you know that your dog understands you can start using words
to go with the action. After a short while you can introduce the words “ fetch” and “give” as he performs
these tasks, click and reward.
You have to wait for the action you want.
Mark that behaviour
by clicking.
Reward the behaviour.
Repeat.
He then quickly learns what is required of him.
You can also teach him to react to hand signals, in the same way.
Once you get to this stage you only reward him when he has responded to your commands, you no longer reward him when he performs
the action without the command.
To teach “sit” or “down” you have to use
the toy as a lure to encourage your dog into the correct position, as soon as he “ sits” or goes” down”
click and reward. Do not use any verbal instructions until you are confident that your dog will perform what you want him
to. Only then do you use a command, and when you believe that he will perform to command then you can stop using the toy,
or treat, as a lure.
Teaching him to stay is an important lesson to learn. Start by putting
him in a sit or down, which ever is your dog’s favourite position. Tell him to stay but don’t move, if he holds
it for a few seconds click and reward. Do this a couple of times before you try taking just one step away, if he holds it
click and reward. If he moves just return to him and put him back into position. Keep practicing until you can walk unlimited
distances away, but don’t try to go too far too quickly.
Teach your dog the difference between “stay” and “wait”.
Stay is when you are going away from him and will return to him. Wait is for a variety of occasions;
1) You don’t want him to jump out of the car until you say.
2)
he may be ahead of you and you want him to wait till you catch up with him.
3) he may be about to cross the road without
you, and you want to check it first.
There are countless needs for the command to wait.
If your dog is not good on recall then start using the clicker to
get him to respond to his name, he will soon learn that he gets a reward when he responds. No dog will come to call if you
can’t get his attention when you call his name. So when he looks up at you click and reward. The next step would be
to call him when he is a distance away, somewhere quiet where there are no distractions, click when he looks up, call him
click again and reward. You will soon be able to have good recall when you are out.
The use of the clicker is generally only used while the dog is learning
the cue, as in the word or hand signal, once it is understood then you no longer need to click, but the occasional reward
is always worthwhile.
Clicker trainers prefer not to reprimand their dogs as they prefer
to build a strong relationship with their dogs and they don’t believe they can do this if they are punishing wrong behaviour.
They also think that they get more enthusiasm from their dog if it is receiving no punishment. It is believed that any bad
habits will slowly stop, as they get no reward. If the bad habit persists then the habit needs to be studied to understand
why it exists, remove the cause and the bad habit should go away.
I was bought up in a family which always had dogs. My Mother trained
her dog to county standard, using "old fashion" methods, and did a good job. Over the years I have come to prefer kinder ways
of training, only giving praize for good behaviour, and ignoring the bad behabiour. I have found it works very well. visit
http://www.dogtrainingproblems.biz
Secrets of Professional Dog Trainers: Top 10
Tips To Successfully Training Your Dog Yourself by Dr. Nicholas Dodman
Dog obedience training is one of the best things you can do
for your dog and yourself. Obedience training doesn't solve all behavior problems, but it is the foundation for solving just
about any problem including soiling your house, destroying your belongings, barking excessively, digging holes in your yard,
fighting other dogs and even biting you.
For most dog owners, dog obedience training is a daunting task. However,
training your dog is about to get much easier, if you follow my advice below.
Here Are My Top 10 Tips For Training
Your Dog
1. Dog training should be an enjoyable experience for you and your dog. If you are not in
the right mood for training, don't even start.
2. Keep dog obedience training sessions short (5-10
minutes) to maintain your dog's motivation. Dogs will learn much more from regular short sessions than from longer,
less frequent ones. Once the dog has learned several useful commands on the continuous reward schedule, the schedule should
be changed to one of intermittent rewards.
3. Always end training on a positive note. Ask your dog
to respond to a command you know he or she will obey. Then reward your dog for a job well done and issue a finish command
such as “free” or “release.” Avoid common words such as “okay.” Following a training session,
both owner and dog should be left with feelings of accomplishment.
4. Keep in mind that your dog's
motivation to respond to a command decreases as the complexity of the task increases. If your dog doesn't respond appropriately
to a command after several attempts, don't reward him or her. Resume training a few seconds later using a simpler command.
Return to the more complex task later.
5. Remember, the odds of success hinge not only on the degree
of sophistication of the task, but also your dog's motivation to respond. From a dog's perspective the question is, which
is more rewarding: chasing the squirrel or returning to the owner? Understanding this aspect will increase your patience
and chances for dog training success.
6. Training should not involve any negative or punishment-based
components. There should be no yelling, no hitting, no chain jerking, no hanging, and absolutely no electric shock. Remember
that the opposite of reward is not punishment; it is no reward. If you ignore unacceptable responses, your dog will not be
rewarded for his or her failed response. Most dogs want to please their owners or, at the very least, to obtain highly valued
resources (food, attention and toys).
7. Ensure that your dog's motivation for reward is highest
during a training session. If food is the reward, train before a meal, not after. If praise, petting and other aspects of
your attention are to be used as a reward, schedule the training session at a time when your dog hungers for your attention
(for example, after you have returned home from work).
For complex tasks, such as the off leash down-stay, your
dog will be more motivated to comply if he or she has received moderate exercise before the training session. Asking a dog
that is bursting with energy to remain in a prolonged reclining position is asking for failure during the early stages of
training.
8. Make sure the reward you offer in training is the most powerful one for your dog. Food-motivated
dogs work well for food, but the treats used should be you dog’s favorite food. If praise is used as a reward, deliver
it in high singsong tones, which are most pleasing for the dog. Also, enthusiasm in your voice will be much appreciated. If
petting is to be used as a reward, it should be in a way that the dog enjoys, such as stroking the dog's hair on the side
of his or her face in the same direction that it grows, or scratching him or her on the chest.
9.
After a correct response, reward your dog within 1/2 second of the command. This will ensure your dog makes the connection
between the behavior and the reward.
10. Use short commands such as sit, down, leave it, quiet, out, and
off. Say the word once. Do not repeat the command. Dogs will remember a command for about two minutes before the notion is
lost. Shorter words are better than longer words and words that end in a hard consonant (C, K, T, X) are better than those
that end in a vowel because you can “spit” them out.
A Bonus Dog Training Tip:
The “Holy
Grail” of training is to have the dog reliably obeying commands off lead, even when other things are going on around
him or her. This level of training can be achieved, but only after a lot of hard work and investment of time. It's something
to strive toward.
As a PetPlace.com columnist, Dog trainer & behavioral specialist,
Dr. Nicholas Dodman has provided thousands of pet owners just like you with valuable insights in keeping their dogs obedient,
healthy, and happy. To get your free daily dose of pet crazy stories and access to over 8000 veterinarian approved advice
articles guaranteed to help you train your dogs and keep them living longer, stronger lives, go to: http://www.petplace.com/dogs.aspx
Train Your Dog To Stop Chewing on the Wrong
Things by David Slone
Most dogs go through a phase where they will chew on anything
that will fit in their mouth. There are also dogs that don’t even grow out of the chewing phase. There are even some
breeds that have a tendency to chew more than other breeds.
It may be cute at first when your puppy begins to chew on your shoes
or socks but can be very dangerous. If your dog gets into something poisonous or swallows an object it could lead to death.
Puppies typically will chew more than an older dog and will chew
on pretty much anything. It is much easier to teach dogs not to chew at younger ages than it is an older dog. Use this to
your advantage.
The first thing to do when training your dog not to chew is
to put the items he likes to chew out of reach. It is important to keep these away from your dog at all times. The less exposure
the dog has with the items, the less likely he is to chew on them at later times.
When you get everything out of your dog’s reach give him something
that you don’t mind him chewing on. This can be a chew toy, rawhide bones, or rubber bones. Buy one of each and see
which one your dog prefers. It may take a while before you dog will stop wanting to chew on other things such as your shoes
but be patient.
After your dog has something good to chew on is when you want to
start training him. If you catch your dog chewing on something it isn’t supposed to you need to let them know that what
they are doing is wrong. You can tell your dog this by speaking in a sharp tone and giving him a gentle tap on his head.
Remember to be persistent, dogs are not stupid, if they know they
can get away with something they will keep doing it. You should also refrain from yelling at your dog or hitting him at all
times, no matter how frustrated you get. When you yell at or hit a dog it only prolongs the dog’s learning.
You can even practice with your dog by putting him on a leash and
putting an object in front of him. When the dog gets the urge and moves too close to the object give the leash a small jerk.
This will teach the dog that you do not want him to chew on the object.
When you are training the dog with a leash make sure to stand off
to the side. You do not want to be standing directly behind the dog when you jerk the leash, it could cause damage to their
throat. Remember, leash training is not to hurt or punish the dog; it is to simply tell the dog that his actions were wrong.
Training your dog will take a lot of time and persistence. Do not
give up, if you do your dog will never learn. Remember to be patient, your dog will not stop chewing over night, it may take
weeks or even months.
To read more articles about how to train your dog and lots of other
pet and animal information visit http://www.animalpetsandfriends.com. If you are having obedience problems with your dog visit Dog Obedience
Training for more great resources to help you train your dog.
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