There's nothing better than coming home with a brand new puppy! They're cuddly and cute and so much fun! And while it's easy to fall in love and put playing over training, there's no better time to start your pup on the right track.
So how do you start on the right track? Puppy kindergarten is certainly a step in the right direction. Or perhaps even a private dog trainer. But what happens when you're home at night with your pup, and no one's there to tell you how to train her? Puppy Training 101 will give you simple tips that will help you make small changes in your training that will make big changes in your dog's learning!
Rule number 1: Consistency!
The number one, absolute most important thing to remember when training your puppy is CONSISTENCY!
Let's use an example. Say you're helping to teach a baby what an apple is. You would put an apple in front of her and say "apple." The next person puts an apple in front of her and says "apple." Everyone calls an apple an apple. And soon the baby does the same.
So what would happen if every once in a while, you put an apple in front of the baby and say "banana." The next person says "apple." The person after that says "banana." The baby is never going to learn that an apple is an "apple!"
Same thing goes with a puppy. If you teach her sit, you say sit, she sits, and you give her a treat. But what if she isn't really paying attention, you say "sit," she doesn't sit, and you just give up and go watch tv? She'll learn that sometimes "sit" means you expect her to sit, and other times you do not. She'll never be sure of what you're asking her to do, and will eventually decide to ignore you most of the times.
Dogs are naturally consistent animals and communicate through consistency. Any stable dog that your puppy meets will communicate with her the same way as any other stable dog. She will look to you to be consistent as well. And by doing so, you will gain her trust and understanding. She will be quick to learn and you'll have a healthy, stable dog.
So remember that regardless of how you train your puppy, where you train your puppy, when you train your puppy, and who trains your puppy...always be consistent!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Dog Training 101: Repeat Commands
Here's rule number 2: say your commands only once.
Why? Because you want your dog to know that "sit" means to sit. Not "sit, sit...puppy sit. SIT!"
If you begin your training by repeating a command, your puppy will quickly realize that when you first say a command, you don't expect her to respond immediately. And she'll carry that on to adulthood. So when you have company over and she's all excited, it's not until you've screamed "sit" about a hundred times will she finally listen!
Consistency, of course, is key for this rule. Believe me, I know training your dog can be a frustrating task! More than once she'll be way more interested in the dog playing in the yard next door or the chipmunk that ran across the street than in you calling "come!" And when your dog doesn't listen, it's only human nature to become frustrated and call "COME!" over and over again! So what do you do in this situation? Call "come," if puppy doesn't listen, walk over to her, take her caller and walk her back to the place you had called her from. Then reward her for being such a good girl with treats and playing! Soon she'll realize that "come" means lots of reward and attention from her awesome owner and that it's not a word she wants to ignore! And continue this pattern with all commands. And make sure there are lots of reward when she does the right thing!
It's key to use this concept as soon as you begin training...when you're puppy is at her peak of learning. As a puppy she will learn to understand your expectations and those expectations will be carried on throughout her life. And remember to remain consistent! Even when you're late for work and it's pouring rain and puppy decides to run after a squirrel. Only call "come" once!
Why? Because you want your dog to know that "sit" means to sit. Not "sit, sit...puppy sit. SIT!"
If you begin your training by repeating a command, your puppy will quickly realize that when you first say a command, you don't expect her to respond immediately. And she'll carry that on to adulthood. So when you have company over and she's all excited, it's not until you've screamed "sit" about a hundred times will she finally listen!
Consistency, of course, is key for this rule. Believe me, I know training your dog can be a frustrating task! More than once she'll be way more interested in the dog playing in the yard next door or the chipmunk that ran across the street than in you calling "come!" And when your dog doesn't listen, it's only human nature to become frustrated and call "COME!" over and over again! So what do you do in this situation? Call "come," if puppy doesn't listen, walk over to her, take her caller and walk her back to the place you had called her from. Then reward her for being such a good girl with treats and playing! Soon she'll realize that "come" means lots of reward and attention from her awesome owner and that it's not a word she wants to ignore! And continue this pattern with all commands. And make sure there are lots of reward when she does the right thing!
It's key to use this concept as soon as you begin training...when you're puppy is at her peak of learning. As a puppy she will learn to understand your expectations and those expectations will be carried on throughout her life. And remember to remain consistent! Even when you're late for work and it's pouring rain and puppy decides to run after a squirrel. Only call "come" once!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Why Hire a Dog Walker?
I have recently entered the world of dog walking. I started my business in January, called Impromptu Dog Walking, and I absolutely love it! My current clients are a joy to walk, and with a wedding coming up, I've enjoyed my daily walks as a relaxing, energetic, stress relieving exercise for both me and my furry friends.
So why should you hire a dog walker? (Other than to pay my bills.) Well lets first consider the obvious. Just like Americans, our dogs are overweight & don't get enough exercise. A daily walk could be just what they need! Imagine how much better you would feel if you walked an extra half-hour each day!
But more important than that, dogs are social animals. They thrive on companionship. Working five days a week means your poor little pup is alone for 8 hours a day! A simple visit provides a break in the day and some fun, personalized socialization. As well, I actually bring my dog, Elsa, with me upon request. She provides a great opportunity for my clients' dogs to socialize with another dog!
Your dog is a family member, so keep him happy and healthy with a dog walker!
Check out my website for more information on my service:
www.ImpromptuDogWalking.com
Or for a dog walker in your area, check out Pet Sitters International for their pet sitter locator:
http://www.petsit.com/owners/
So why should you hire a dog walker? (Other than to pay my bills.) Well lets first consider the obvious. Just like Americans, our dogs are overweight & don't get enough exercise. A daily walk could be just what they need! Imagine how much better you would feel if you walked an extra half-hour each day!
But more important than that, dogs are social animals. They thrive on companionship. Working five days a week means your poor little pup is alone for 8 hours a day! A simple visit provides a break in the day and some fun, personalized socialization. As well, I actually bring my dog, Elsa, with me upon request. She provides a great opportunity for my clients' dogs to socialize with another dog!
Your dog is a family member, so keep him happy and healthy with a dog walker!
Check out my website for more information on my service:
www.ImpromptuDogWalking.com
Or for a dog walker in your area, check out Pet Sitters International for their pet sitter locator:
http://www.petsit.com/owners/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
