Labrador Retriever Dogs Blog

If you have never owned a puppy before, this article should help to prepare you for the many things that you should know and expect from your puppy and some of your responsibilities as the owner, as far as how you should go about properly training them. Dog training is very important and the earlier that you start with it, the much better off that you will be, no doubt about that one. Puppies come into our homes and you need to keep in mind that even though they are very small usually, they are also very, very inquisitive and will surprisingly catch on to many things very quickly. It is so important for anyone who is considering to get themselves a little puppy to definitely remember that you will just have to make sure that you apply some dog training skills on them right away, the longer that you put it off, the more difficult they will be to train.

Rewarding our little puppies with tons of praise and even some little treats, is the best way to teach them right from wrong. They love to make their owners happy and will go out of their way to every single time, as long as you have constantly given them that praise that they deserve for being such a good puppy and listening to your commands. Everyone wants to be the proud owner of a very well behaved lil puppy but most people do not want to put forth the effort to actually try and get their puppies trained by a professional or train the puppy themselves, which is why so many of us really need to get educated a little bit more about puppy care and the many reasons why it is so very important to properly train our animals, especially our little curious puppies. They are so adorable but can turn out to be very ugly later on if they are not immediately properly trained, so that they will know exactly how they are really supposed to act.

There are just a few things that everyone who owns a puppy should remember, when they are ready to begin applying their dog training skills. Learning just the few basics on dog training will really help to prevent any bad behavior out of your puppy in the near future. It will only take a little bit of your time and a great deal of consistency ofcourse, and then you will have the opportunity to show off your dog training skills to all of your friends and family, they will all be very impressed by your pooches good manners and adorable tricks. There are so many different books available that can teach you even more about dog training and all of the different dog training techniques. You will be so surprised once you begin learning more about this, surprised at how simple things could be for you and your new little friend with the most appropriate dog training skills.

Dog training aids involve more than just a simple collar and leash and over the years have seen good improvements in the range and availability of these training tools. If you are taking on the task of training your own dog then there are several advantages you can benefit from by using good dog training aids to assist you in achieving the goals of your training with your dog.

An obvious case of where this is true is whilst teaching your dog to fetch. It simply can’t be done without having something to be thrown, collected by the dog and brought back to you. Typically a stick is a good choice, but if you are in a park and there are dozens of similar sticks then your dog may become confused and you won’t have the same success.

An alternative to the stick would be something like a training dumb-bell. These can be thrown a good distance without much effort. They are bright and easy to retrieve – even when your dog doesn’t and many of these float on water if you are using it on a pond or lake. These are also easy and comfortable for your dog to pick up whereas I have seen sticks cause damage to a dogs mouth and gums over time.

Teaching your dog to heel can be aided by the use of a dog training line. This is essentially a long leash that can be used to indicate, by tugging, that you wish the dog to return to you when you issue the heel command. These training methods do not do away with the need for voice commands but instead make it easier for your dog to understand the desired response you are looking for when you do call to him.

Other training aids can include collars that discourage barking. These collars emit a pungent spray when your dog barks. The smell is not liked by the dog and over time the dog will realise that not barking prevents the release of the spray. The collar can be removed and hopefully the dog will not bark just as often as before.

If you are training your dog for more sporting activities then the use of whistles can be effective. Here you will typically issue a command to the dog like heel or sit and then back this up with a whistle command. The dog will eventually associate the whistle with the desired response. The trainer or owner can now issue the same command to the dog but over a larger distance. This technique is also used extensively by sheep farmers or herding dog owners for the same reason.

Training your own dog can provide lots of rewards and satisfaction, however it does take considerable patience. Good dog training aids can help reduce the amount of time required to reinforce the training and provide positive results. Remember to reward your dog when you see them showing the right response regardless of what training aid is being used.

Training your dog is a difficult undertaking. This also strengthens the bond between you-the owner and your dog. It is advisable to start training them in early, between six-eight weeks of their age. In training the dog, you will need basic dog training equipment to aid you. There is a large selection of training aids for professional and amateur that is available in the market these days. Depending on the type of training that you want to teach your dog, you should use the corresponding equipment for the training.

Basically in training your dog, you will need a collar and leash which is essential in most type of training. Dog collars come in different styles that are designed for specific purposes. There’s the buckle collar, prong collar and electronic dog collar. Buckle collar is used for walking your dog. A prong collar also called pinch collar is a series of chain links turned towards the dog’s neck so that, when the collar is tightened, it pinches the naturally loose skin around the dog’s neck. This type of collar can help you train an uncooperative dog. Electronic dog collars are used for controlling your dogs excessive barking or used for invisible fencing.

One of the dog training equipment that you will need in basic dog training is the leash. Like dog collars, leashes also come on different varieties designed to serve specific purpose, there’s the standard leash and nylon show leads. Standard leashes are use for any training. It is usually made of materials such as nylon, leather or chain. A leash should match the dog’s size, weight and breed. Dogs tend to bite the leash so it is recommended to use a sturdy leash. Make sure to check the leash from wear and tear. In walking your dog, keep the leash loose, this way you can avoid the tendency for your dog to pull.

A reward such as praise and treats on positive response of your dog on the training will reinforce a positive behavior. Be consistent and patient in training your dog, this way you and your dog will both enjoy the training.

Dog training does not require you to be an all-commanding power. It only requires that you keep a few, simple basics at hand. There are three techniques, that once mastered, will have you commanding everything in sight. The first of the three is to remember to show your dog who is in charge. Make sure he understands that you, not he, are the boss. Second, find a tone of voice, which you will use when giving commands to your dog, one which will let your dog know who is in charge. Finally, consistency and routine are a must, and should always be kept in mind.

Although your puppy will undoubtedly be absolutely adorable, hence the term “puppy face,” you should not let this get in the way of proper obedience. Your dog should always know who is in charge, and should learn early on that it is not he who is the boss, but you. This is the best way to teach your puppy the basics, such as house-training and what not to chew. You should set boundaries and limits with your puppy, as with a child, from early on, and this will teach your pup right from wrong. Make sure you use voice commands and also gestures, such as stamping a foot or pointing, to help your dog learn proper cues.

Dogs don’t actually grasp the concept of words, per say; however, they definitely understand tone-of-voice. The tone of your voice lets your dog know what your mood is, and also what you expect from your dog. A very firm, strict-sounding voice lets your dog know when to stay put, when to sit, when “no” means no, etc. A happy, cheery voice lets your dog know that you are pleased or that you want to play. Tone of voice is exactly what you need to establish in order to begin good communication with your dog, and to let him know what you expect from him and when.

Most importantly, be consistent, consistent, consistent! Do not slacken when you are trying to teach your dog a certain command. Keep the same techniques for the same commands ever repetitive. For example, when housebreaking your puppy, do not spank for one indiscretion, and yell and place outside for another. This does not teach your dog, and it actually confuses him on what he should be doing. Do not give him conflicting orders that may ultimately be confusing. Another way to work on consistency is to establish routines. Take him out at the same time everyday for walks, use a certain leash for walks, and another for vet visits, or give him the same goodbye pat each time you leave the house so that he knows you will return.

All of these techniques will help you to have a more happy, healthy relationship with your dog, especially if you couple them with lots of love and affection. Your dog will learn quickly what you expect from him, and will be able to give you what you want more efficiently. You will also learn how to better predict your dog’s behavior. Don’t forget the rewards and praise too.

Whatever the reason you have for having a dog, be it as a pet, or maybe as a guard dog, or a working dog for example, the dog will need to be trained. In the first instance it will need to behave as you want it to in any given situation. In most cases with dogs as pets this means getting the dog to behave around people and around other animals. This in itself can prove to be problematic, especially if the breed of dog in question means that the animal has tendencies that pre dispose it to behaviour that is different than what you expect. Point one therefore is that you must choose a dog that will be suited to whatever task you want for it.

Proper training is especially important in the case of a family dog, doubly so where children are going to be present. Studies have shown that proper training for your dog can make a massive reduction in the likelihood that your dog will attempt to bite or be prone to other undesirable traits or behaviour.

Unless you have been trained in dog training, it is likely that you will need some help when it comes to training your dog. This could be either by way of formal lessons, or with the help of a training manual. Formal lessons are great if you can afford them, or if you can find a suitable course near you. Many people find that having a book to help them is enough, and probably a lot more fun and fulfilling for you; knowing that you have been able to train your own dog.

By way of a taster, I have outlined some of the basic commands that you will need to teach your dog, should you decide to want to train it yourself. This list is just an example and is by no means exhaustive.

* Heel – it is very important that a dog learns to walk with you on a loose lead, in a good position.

* Respond to the word ‘No’ – This is absolutely critical to dog training. A dog must know when it has been told ‘No’, to stop whatever it was that they were doing, and hopefully, not to do it again.

* Sit – Your dog must learn to respond to the sit command.

* Stay – Your dog must learn not to follow you everywhere. This command is not just to prove that your dog is able to adopt the sitting position, but that it has enough respect for you to stay in that position when you move away and tell it to stay.

Training a dog is something that will help you to control an animal of course. Control over your pet is only part of the benefit to you though. Training helps you to form a bond with your dog, which is another great reason for doing the training yourself.

The concept of an alpha dog is very important to all dogs. They are pack animals, and as such, instinctively try and place themselves within a hierarchy of a group. What we need is for your dog to recognise you as the alpha dog and submit to your commands. If you fail to do this, you could find yourself with all sorts of problems with your dog.

There are so many concepts and ways of training your dog. Dog training for some are categorized into types of training that they used. For puppies dog crate training can be a challenge. Training your pet dogs to sleep on an air filled dog bed is also a challenge. Transport dog crates are very convenient use but you also need to train your pet dogs.

For most people who train their pet animals they will use the reward system. Whereby their pets are basically being bribe to do something in exchange for a toy or food. This system is not bad but there are drawbacks. This system is widely used by the popular pet name companies because it is politically correct.

When using these way of training your pet dogs tend not to listen especially if rewards being offered is not worth. Sometimes the task that is being ask of them is not worth for their effort. The results will

be that these dogs will be dominant, anti social and pushy at times. The sad part is that some of these will endup in animal shelters.

The opposite of these types of trainers are those that force and intimidate their pet dogs to do what they want. It is the old school type training. It is understood that people who trained their pet animals

this way are known to be under pressure for time. In short time is money. These method can be done in a short period of time. The problem with these method is that the dogs will seldom like their handlers or

trainers. so end up with a dog that when ask to do something will just tuck his tail or lay to the ground

and do not want to do anything.

Now that you have two contrasting ways of training, you can decide for yourself what to do. Before you start on the training process, you have to understand that dogs are a pack of animals and will follow their pack leader. So need their respect in order to have control and consistency in their training.

The best way or system of training your pet dogs is to incorporate these two contrasting methods of training.

There has to be a time where you can reward them and have to use some distraction methods or some sort of

punishment if they disobey you. In other words you have to balance between giving them rewards for good

behavior and punishment for disobedient. It will not be easy but if you can do that you are giving yourself

and your dog a favour.

To be respected by your dog you have to gain their respect and maintain leadership role with your pet dogs. Whether you are training them on an air filled dog bed, dog crate training or a transport dog crates you have to maintain your leadership role as a pack leader.

If you have a dog that just will not listen to your commands, it can be very frustrating. And if you have already unsuccessfully tried conventional training methods, such as consistent rewards for correct behavior, being consistent with your techniques, and everything else under the sun, you may be ready to throw in the towel, even though you greatly love your dog. But, you don’t have to give up on your dog just yet: you can try an electronic dog training collar.

Electronic dog training collars are ones in which the dog receives a small shock, given by the dog owner, whenever an undesirable behavior occurs. The shock is not harmful, and there are no side effects. In fact, the shock feels a lot like a “static shock” that a person can get, the type a person gets when she walks across a carpeted room in socks and then touches a wall, for example. Nearly everyone has felt that type of shock before and knows that it is quite mild. Well, this is the same type of shock that comes from the electronic dog training collars, so you won’t be hurting your dog by using this type of collar. Really, all you are doing by using this collar is catching your dog’s attention immediately and letting him know that you are serious about what you said.

Experts say that you can use electronic dog training collars on dogs of any breed and size; however, it is not recommended that they be used on puppies under the age of one year. This isn’t because it is necessarily harmful to puppies; instead, it is because it is recommended that conventional training methods be tried first before using electronic dog training collars because some dogs can be taught to listen without using them.

If you decide to get an electronic collar for your dog, you will need to take your dog’s size into consideration. It can be helpful to consult a veterinarian about the type and strength of electronic dog training collar you should get. Or, you could ask a knowledgeable person at any pet supply store.

The collar you choose should be ideal for your specific dog. If yours is a toy breed, you don’t need to purchase a heavy, thick model made of the strongest leather with the strongest electronic voltage available. Likewise, if you have a very large dog, opting for a narrow vinyl collar with only very low shock strengths available is not a wise decision. The type of collar, along with the strength of shock it can provide, should match the size of your dog.

Both online and brick-and-mortar pet supply stores carry electronic dog training collars; however, you may find more of a selection online. You can purchase an inexpensive, basic model for less than $50; this will work for some smaller dogs. Models for large dogs as well as more complicated electronic dog training collars that have more features may cost as much as a few hundred dollars.

Don’t give up on your misbehaving dog; try out an electronic dog training collar, you will see that it can work.

Dog training collars aren’t just for dogs needing obedience training. There are also many specialty uses for specific types of collars. One example is the hunting dog training collar. These collars can be a bit more expensive; however they come with additional features and are specifically designed to assist a dog owner during hunting expeditions. Given the design or limited features of traditional training collars, they can be impracticable, either due to beeps that can alert the prey or the very limited range of these collars. To address these issues, hunting dog training collars are excellent choices for dog owners looking to get the most out of their pets during their hunting trips.

One handy feature of these specialty collars can be the multi-dog feature. Many hunters utilize multiple dogs during their hunting trips. In this situation, you would have the painstaking process of using separate systems on each dog and having to use the correct controls to stimulate the correct dog in each situation.

Multi-dog systems can be a valuable tool since they can equip up to six dogs at a time with only a single unit. A simple selector on the unit will allow the owner to select the appropriate dog to receive the stimulation. In addition, further features allow for you to not only select the correct dog, but also the right level of stimulation required based on the action. So if one dog needs a heavy stimulation to get him into line but a second dog only needs a light stimulation, you can easily switch between them.

Most hunting dog training collars are also much higher quality than standard training collars in terms of their transmitters, allowing for greater ranges on the collars. There is nothing worse than having your dog run off and then needing to stimulate the dog, only to find out that he is out of range. This can especially be a problem when hunting, due to the line of sight issue. If you don’t have a clear, unobstructed line of sight between you and the dog, things such as trees, rocks, or elevation will considerably lessen the advertised range on the transmitter. Top-of-the line transmitters have ranges up to two miles, and are very useful for hunting situations.

Another good feature is the beeper system on the collars. Hunting dog training collar systems can be tailored so that they only beep when the dog is within range or only when the dog stops. This can be very useful because you know where the dog is at any time and also when the dog is moving. The ability of the system to be able to detect movement also lessens the chance of alerting the prey.

When you’re out hunting, the last thing you want to happen is to lose track of your dogs or to have them totally misbehave. Hunting dog training collar systems are extremely valuable tools for hunters who need the appropriate device for training their dogs in actual hunting situations. These particular training collars can be a bit more expensive due to the additional features that are included, but are well worth it for hunters who need to get the most out of their dog training collars.

Owning a dog that can carry out antics and is very docile and well trained is a pleasure and delight of every dog owner. Owning a dog that in reality pays attention, hangs on to each word and abides by its master would surely be appreciated and awarded. This would firmly strengthen the bond. What’s more, a dog well trained knows the way to “socialize” properly with people and other dogs.

Dogs are one of the most cherished pets in every part of the world. They are well received in more homes than any other domestic animal ever. Though they are in general affectionate, devoted and faithful, they can be taught to be more compliant. A well trained and well behaved dog is more cherished in any family and is shown more affection and consideration. The times you spent with each other performing antics and teaching equals to a connection that grows deeper each day. You will definitely feel secure in taking your dog just about anyplace, to the park, vacations, beach, if you know that they will be conducting properly.

Getting to Know How your Dog Feels

Though animals are not thought to be as refined mentally as humans are, people can make the change. Dog training permits us to comprehend how the dog experiences and behaves.

Dogs are group animals, they fit in to groups and require a head, and we will be their person in charge. In dog training we will gain knowledge of how to behave like their head and tell them what to do. When we have set up our role as their “pack leader”, the admiration and faithfulness follows next.

But apart from that, our dog is a member of our family, as each member of the family has their part to play, so does the dog. A dog training sitting would let your dog be aware of his or her part and tasks. In getting to know this, every one would be happy to co-exist with one another furnishing a good atmosphere and a strong joyful bond.

Basic Behavior Dog Training

At sometime or another, every dog owner needs to set up some sort of dog training for their pet even the most basic kind is essential. When considering what type of dog training is required it is necessary to understand what behaviour problems you need to correct, it is only when you isolate the behavioral problems that requires changing can you decide if you need professional help or by following instructions in a book or video you can carry out the training yourself. All things need to be considered carefully when making the decision, your life style, your dog and yourself all must be in harmony when selecting the method of training.

A happy dog is a dog that has had quality behaviour training, the bond that has been established between owner and dog is reflected by a faithful dog and an attentive owner. Basic training will also help to keep your dog safe when you leave home as it includes socialisation and traffic awareness. Quality dog obedience training is a gift you can give to your dog, as an untrained dog is easy to spot by it usually being a nuisance in any situation instead of being welcome wherever it goes.

If you are not able to call on the services of a specialized dog trainer to do the simple behavior dog training, then it is easy today to search the Internet for guidance, hints and tips to enable you to undertake the basic training yourself. Their is a great deal of satisfaction for both pet and owner when training produces results. Many of the simple behavior dog training problems (such as barking, biting & digging) often times stem from bad communication and mixed signals between owner and dog, this usually comes about through the owner using different words and tones when issuing the same command, a dog learns from tones and to a degree word structure, so if you constantly change your commands by saying words such as ‘fetch’ or ‘bring’ and ‘stop’ or ‘stay the dog will find it hard to recognise the command that brings the reward.

It is necessary to have a pocket full of small treats when undertaking a training session, dogs should be rewarded with a great deal of affection and a small treat whenever a task is undertaken correctly, very quickly the treat can be removed but the affection should always be there. You are the best person to train your dog as the bond that is formed will last a lifetime and bring pleasure to both dog and owner.