Posts Tagged ‘Couch’
Dog Training – How To Train Your Dog To Get Her Own Leash
When it comes to effective dog training, remember dogs love to go for walks.
Though as a dog training technique teaching them to get their leash might encourage some late night deliveries, this trick is really neat to watch.
1. When your dog is not wearing her leash, encourage her to take it in her mouth.
2. When she’ll do it readily, say “Get Your Leash!” and praise/click and treat.
3. Fold the leash neatly and secure it with a rubber band or string. Place it on the couch and encourage your dog to get it by saying “Get Your Leash!” and pointing to it.
4. If your dog grabs the leash, click and treat. If your dog’s not interested, encourage her by running over and making a fuss over the leash.
5. Repeat Step 4, but reward only when your dog brings the leash to you.
6. Remove the string and let your dog grab the leash on her own. The weight and pull of the leash may seem awkward at first, but praise your dog as you encourage her to come to you.
7. Go to the area where you keep the leash and place it in an obvious spot. Stand just a few feet away and encourage your dog’s delivery.
8. Extend your distance from the leash as you repeat the request, and reward good deliveries.
Now how’s that for a neat dog training technique!
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Adopting A Shelter Dog & Raising Him To Be Well Behaved
The number one reason dogs are brought to shelters is that they have “behavior problems.” That label covers a multitude of common canine misbehavior’s such as house-soiling, chewing, digging, and general rowdiness or hyperactivity.
If one of those bad habits is what landed your dog in a shelter, you’ll have to be willing to work to overcome it when you bring her home.
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Remember, too, that your dog will probably have been calling a shelter “home” for some time, and the rules of the shelter may not quite correspond to the rules of your household.
Your dog will have been living in a cage where housebreaking was irrelevant and barking was nonstop. He will not have seen furniture or stairs recently (or perhaps ever), and he won’t immediately understand that he isn’t allowed to teethe on your couch and climb on your kitchen counters.
If he’s been living by his own devices for several months or more, he’ll need some extra training so that he learns his manners and can live peacefully in your home.
If he’s a young puppy, especially if he was taken from his mother and litter-mates too early, he’ll need a lot of socialization from you and your family so that he grows up to be a normal, well-adjusted dog. You’ll have to teach him the things he should have learned, but may
not have, during his first few weeks of life: how to play, how to respect authority, how to accept correction and praise.
It’s never too early or late for a dog to learn all these things. While it may take somewhat longer to train and socialize a shelter dog or puppy, you’ll find that the training process will bring the two of you even closer together and help you learn to appreciate and respect each other right from the start of your relationship.
One thing your adopted dog does not need is your pity. There are a lot of adopted dogs who get away with shameful behavior because their people feel sorry for them. And we know many humans who use their dogs’ uncertain histories as excuses for all their problems. But dog needs your understanding and leadership, not your indulgence.
That is the lesson here: if your dog grew up on the streets, that may explain why he has no qualms about shredding your curtains, but it doesn’t give his license to do so. If he was or have been unkindly treated by someone in her past, that may explain why he initially mistrusts people, but it doesn’t give him the right to growl or snap at them. It’s going to take a magical mixture of forbearance and toughness on your part to help him adjust to the world outside the shelter.