Posts Tagged ‘Bad Behavior’
Dog Training – Group Dog Training Classes & What Questions To Ask The Instructor
Are you looking for the most efficient way of training your dog in the fastest time possible?
We would all love to learn how to be world-class dog trainers and teach our puppies and adult dogs all they need to know when it comes to basic training, however, for most of us it just isn’t practical. We have busy lives and hectic schedules and there isn’t enough time in the day to devote a lot of training towards our pets.
This is why joining a group dog training class is ideal. Not only is it fun to watch your dog interact with the trainer and the other dogs, these classes can be a very efficient way to teach your dog the basics when it comes to the minimum requirements for an obedient pet.
One word of caution though, and that is to be very careful about which group training class you and your dog participate in. To help you become aware of what questions to ask the trainer of these classes, below are a few pointers to get you going.
1. For starters, ask the instructor exactly what your dog will learn in the class. You want to be sure that the basic commands are going to be taught. Such examples are learning to Sit, Stay, Come, Heel, and Down. And on the same note, ask the dog trainer if he or she will also take time to go over these commands with you so that you can help your dog master them in your spare time.
2. Group dog training classes should not be too large in numbers. To avoid getting involved in a class that has too many dogs, be sure to ask the instructor the number of dogs and puppies that will be participating. A good rule of thumb to look for in terms of members is between five and fifteen. 15 dogs is of course on the high side. Any more than that then you may be paying for classes without your dog getting the full benefits of training that is offered.
3. Dogs and bad behavior sometimes go hand in hand. It’s the nature of the beast, literally. So ask the instructor if he or she discusses behavior problems during the class. It is not typical for a group class to go full-blown into dog behavior training because it is this area that becomes a little more personal and unique to each individual dog. However, it is a good sign if the class discusses basic behavior problems and how to counter them in training your dog.
What You Need To Know When Puppy Training – Part 1
Whatever your pup’s pedigree and whatever your goals for him, when it comes to puppy training they’re still an emotionally immature animal.
At the same time, no two pups are exactly alike and what works for one puppy is not necessarily best for another. You must constantly be aware of your pup’s personality and of how you can get him to pay attention to you.
However, there are some general characteristics of puppy training that are important to working with all puppies. These are basic principles which should be adapted by you as the basis of working with your puppy.
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Do not get tough: Emotionally and psychologically, the puppy is still extremely sensitive. This means that learning takes place quickly, but also that fears can easily occur and inhibit learning. Pups cannot take pressure or harsh treatment. Repetition is the key to puppy training.
Never punish him if he does not do what you want him to do. This will defeat the purpose of the training and cause him to dislike the entire procedure.
Bad behavior during puppy training sessions is more often than not a sign of the pup’s lack of confidence or understanding of what you want him to do.
Therefore, many repetitions will be needed.
Keep it simple: A puppy learns to do things in a step-by-step manner.
For example, in teaching him to stay, do not expect him to stay put for several minutes at a time while you are off someplace away from him. You must first teach him to stay while you stand toe-to-toe in front of him, then to stay when you are standing a couple of feet out in front of him, then to stay while you walk around him, then to stay while you are standing several feet away and not holding on to the leash.
Many pups will take several weeks to progress through these steps, but they are necessary if you want to teach “Stay” effectively. If you tell him to do something before you have properly trained him to do it and then scold him for not doing it, you are asking for trouble. The pup will lose his confidence and will learn not to try.
Be brief: Puppies have a very short attention span. A pup learns only while he is paying attention to you, so it does not accomplish anything to keep on puppy training when he is mentally tired even though physically he is still very lively.
Five minutes at a time is long enough. With many puppies, two minutes is long enough to begin with, gradually moving up to five minutes.
Build confidence: Your puppy needs confidence-building as well as discipline and he will constantly be telling you by his body language which one he needs more at any particular time. Relax while you are with him; smile; speak in a pleasant voice; play running games with him.
In puppy training, building confidence means knowing what you expect from your pup.
How To Approach Strange Dogs (Part 1)
Knowing the right way to approach a strange dog will go a long way toward ensuring your safety, and the safety of those around you. At the same token, knowing how not to approach one can do the same.
Children should also be educated of the correct procedure. Some of their little innocent ways can trigger an otherwise well-behaved dog into aggressiveness and worse, biting.
Dogs normally bite for one of three reasons: Indiscriminate biting, fear biting, and protective biting.
Indiscriminate Biting
Knowing which type of biter you are confronted with depends on the situation you are in at the time. For instance, if you are walking along the sidewalk in a residential street, minding your own business, and a dog suddenly leaves his yard, runs directly at you and bites, this is indiscriminate biting.
This is a spoiled dog that is probably the dictator in his household. He is the type of dog that merely allows his family to co-exist with him in the house. It could be any breed, from a Toy Chihuahua to a Giant Schnauzer.
Fortunately, dogs that fall into this category are in the minority and are usually confined and restricted because the owners are fully aware of the their bad behavior. Undoubtedly, they probably have been the recipients of occasional bites from their own dogs whenever the animals didn’t get their way.
Fear Biting
The fear biter falls into another category because his demeanor could be genetically inherited, or he could be a product of under-socialization with different types of people and situations when he was a puppy. He could be in a panic-stricken mind at the time of the bite.
A friendly but injured dog, he could suddenly become a fear biter depending on the circumstances. If you stop on the highway to rescue a dog that has been struck by a car, the dog may think that you are the one who hit him, rather than understand that you are there to rescue him.
Protective Biting
Finally, a protective biter is one that’s unable to reason any farther than the fact that he feels the need to protect someone or something. Usually, the protective biter is in the group known as the working breeds.
That is, dogs whose ancestors were originally bred to herd livestock or to protect properties and real estate. Most dogs have this protective instinct but it seems to manifest more predominantly within the working group.
To learn more about how to effectively train your dog in all situations check out Chet Womach’s Hands Off Dog Training