Good Manners - Stop Your Dog From Jumping On People

The number one problem people contact me about is how to stop their dog from jumping up on people. While your pet may have good intentions and is just overly excited when meeting people, injuries often occur when dogs jump up on people. They can easily knock over and injure the elderly or young children, their nails can scratch people, and they can tear or dirty people's clothing. If you went to pet someone's dog, you would not want something like this to happen to you, so make sure your dog doesn't do this to other people or you.

Training Tips to Stop Jumping

The primary reason dogs jump is for attention. The act of jumping is self-rewarding to the dog - jumping is just plain fun! If they jump up once and they get attention, they will continue to do it again and again. Neither pushing the dog away or yelling "off" commands at them is effective for stopping this behavior. The dog still considers this rewarding attention for jumping. However, if the dog is ignored every time they jump up, the behavior will extinguish itself. The key to stopping this behavior is your consistency.

1. Ignore All Jumping - Start first with family members. Since the dog is jumping for attention, all attention needs to go away when jumping occurs. When jumping occurs do NOT speak to the dog or make flailing hand gestures. Avoid eye contact, cross your arms and turn sideways to the dog, but still watch him out the corner of your eye. If necessary, take one step back to get some distance away from the dog and just wait until the dog sits. Do not tell the dog to sit, you want the dog to figure this out by himself. The dog may decide to walk away, and if he does that is fine since he stopped jumping. If he walks away just ignore the dog and resume what you were previously doing.

2. Tethering - Tethering is very helpful to use when working on jumping and greeting problems. If you have a larger dog make sure that you tie the leash to something sturdy. I have 60-70 lb dogs and they could easily pull the couch or break a doorknob. I will usually tether them to a fence post in my yard or to the leg of my cast iron stove, something I know they can't move when I work on this exercise.

Once the dog is tethered, approach from a distance of about 20 feet. It is perfectly fine if the dog is standing when you start this exercise. If the dog makes any movement to jump, lunge, fidget, bark or whine, immediately stop and turn sideways to them; remember no speaking to the dog. Once they are quiet and still you can continue your approach. Once you are within touching distance (one arms length), stop and stand facing them and if they are not already sitting, wait for them to sit - do not tell the dog to sit. If they start jumping or making any noise, walk away and start over again. Once you are able to approach the dog and they sit quietly, say "YES" and give them a few treats. Be calm and speak softly when praising them and giving them their treat. You don't want to undo all your positive work by getting them all excited. The dog needs to remain sitting while taking their treat. If they should get up, stop giving the treat (close your hand or put your hand with the treat behind your back) wait until they are sitting. If they start jumping, walk away and start all over again.

Once your training session is complete release the dog calmly from the tether. Some dog may want to jump upon being released, be prepared. If they try to jump just stand still and turn away as previously explained in the "Ignore All Jumping" section. Work this exercise with all family members as well as with some friends if possible.

Petting - Once the dog will quietly let you approach and give them a treat without any whining or jumping, now is the time to attempt petting them. Same rules apply, no jumping, whining and no paws. Many dogs want to put their front paws on you when you go to pet them, do not allow this either because before you know it they will be climbing up on you. The dog must remain sitting and quiet while being petted. If not, stop and walk away and wait for them to be sitting quietly before you resume. Once you can successfully pet the dog, say "YES" and give them some treats.

Do not work on these Jumping & Petting tethered exercises for more than 5-10 minutes. It is better to do short but frequent training sessions. When I am first starting I will try to work on this exercise 3 times a day for 5-10 minutes each time.

3. Friends - Once the dog is able to sit quietly for a greeting from family members, it is time to try it with friends and eventually the general public. Start with dog friendly friends first. Invite them over to your house or take fido to their house. In this situation your dog won't be tethered to an immovable object, now it is your responsibility to hold him and not allow him to jump. Explain the rules to your friend in advance, they are the same rules outlined in the "Tethering" section. Try this with as many friends as possible until your see your dog exhibit the understanding that sitting quietly gets them treats and pets and all other behaviors get them nothing. Once you feel your dog understand this, it is time to take it to the public. Go to places like parks or pet stores, people are always asking to pet dogs.

Until your dog is fully trained and has generalized this behavior in all settings you need to ensure that you do not allow your dog to continue jumping on people. If someone unexpected drops by either tether the dog or put them away in a room or their crate before you answer the door. The more jumping accidents you are unable to avoid, the longer it is going to take to train this. If you are consistent and practice you will make fast progress in correcting this bad behavior.

For more information to trainning your dog, you can click here. It have 7 modules and 4 bonus:

• Module #1 Communicating with Your Best Friend
• Module #2 Basic Obedience
• Module #3 Potty Training and Crate Training
• Module #4 Behavior Modification Techniques
• Module #5 Dog Training Tools and Toys
• Module #6 Advanced Obedience
• Module #7 More Behavior Problem Solutions
• Bonus #1 Clicker Training
• Bonus #2 Fun Tricks
• Bonus #3 Cure Your Dog of Separation Anxiety
• Bonus #4 Body Handling and Grooming

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Personal Dog or Family Dog?

Although by looking at the title one may think: what is the difference between having a personal dog or a family dog? that difference does exist.

Circumstances in the lives of humans vary from one person to another and also continuously. We have read many times that the only constant in life is change, so the reason or reasons one may have today to want a dog may not be the same ones to be considered tomorrow.

Take, for example, a person who has always lived within a family nucleus: spouse, children, the whole enchilada. Due to sad circumstances in life, the spouse is no longer present because death has hit, the children are all grown up and live far away and the person in question finds himself alone for the very first time. What typically hits him? The sense of loneliness, of course. If that person still works, some of his hours are probably filled with the company of others, but when he reaches home, the same feeling is there.

If, on the other hand, he has retired, those hours need to be filled with something else. Television and computers can occupy certain moments of the day but they can never substitute the company of a living thing. That is when, as it happens many times, the person in question might start considering getting a dog to keep him company.

Let us think now about a young person who was used when living with his family to having a dog around and now finds himself again with the empty space in his life.

There are those who suffer some kind of physical limitation and know there are dogs that are specially trained to help people like him.

Others fear living alone and like having a guard dog around that makes them feel a little more secure. Still others look at the dog as a means of business or making money by selling the puppies and making extra cash that way.

All of the above, and there are other examples, look at dogs for personal reasons or purposes and those dogs will be there to fulfill whatever their master needs are.

If we imagine, on the other hand, bringing a dog home because we live in a family and consider dogs as part of that family and not as something to serve our personal needs, then we should be thinking about a family dog. That dog is there to give but also to receive all its members can offer in return for its company, loyalty and love.

Bringing a dog into the family also requires analysis before making that decision. I have talked before about the composition of that nucleus. Are there only adults, or are there children or adolescents too? What are their ages, obligations, needs and interests? Those questions have to be answered thoroughly before bringing the dog in because depending on those answers, we can determine not only what kind of dog to bring home, but also what are the family members willing to give the animal. This reciprocal relationship has to be there. The dog is a living thing, one who needs attention, care and love and is not just another ornament in the house.

Personal or family dogs, these wonderful animals will certainly fill anybody's life in many fantastic ways.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7997776

Who Makes Dog Food?

Learning to make homemade dog food has become a popular trend over the past six years. Pet parents have become concerned over frequent recalls and dangerous preservatives in commercial food. This has led to an increased interest in easy dog food recipes.

Cooking for dogs is remarkably easy and economical. Most of the ingredients can be found in any grocery store. Also, the best homemade dog food recipes can easily be adapted to feed the human members of the family, as well.

Many dog parents turn to homemade food after their cherished pet exhibits signs of illness from eating commercial food. This was certainly true in my case. My husky mix, Cody had trouble digesting commercial food. Every four or five days he would refuse to eat and had episodes of vomiting and diarrhea. In desperation, I searched for the best homemade dog food recipes. After switching him over to natural food, the digestive problems disappeared.

Another contributing factor in this trend is a growing distrust in the processed food industry. As pet parents seek organic, locally grown food for their dinners, they naturally want their pets to eat high quality food as well.

Making homemade food also allows you to cater to your dog's individual tastes and tolerances. For example, my dog has trouble digesting chicken. Most commercial food contains some form of chicken no matter what flavor is listed on the bag. By making his food, I can eliminate the chicken and use turkey instead, which he adores.

There is a debate over whether it is better to feed dogs with raw meat, eggs and vegetables or if the food should be cooked first. Many pet parents think that Salmonella and E.coli contamination is caused by unsafe meat and egg handling practices in large, commercial facilities. Therefore, they reason, if the meat and eggs come from small, local, organic farms they may be safely eaten raw. Others contend that it is always unsafe to consume raw meat and eggs. The best way to determine which method is safe for your dog is to consult your veterinarian.

The best homemade natural dog food recipes have a balance of protein, calcium, fat and carbohydrates. If your dog is dairy intolerant, you would need to use recipes that derive calcium from plant sources, such as broccoli, kale and almonds. However, the most important ingredient is the love with which it is made. As we all know, love doesn't come in a bag!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8010333

5 Tips For Dog Walking

We all know that we should exercise our dogs regularly. However, sometimes our dog is so out of control that we sometimes don't bother because we don't want the embarrassment of having to go through tantrums in front of the neighbours. If this sounds like your daily routine when taking your dog for a walk then you need to read these 5 tips for dog walking.

Use a Short Leash

A short leash gives you more control over your dog. Attach the leash to the top of the neck and ensure that it is secure and not too tight or too loose. This heightened control can help you to easily guide and correct him when he is trying to control you. You need to be in control of him at all times, not the other way around.

Walk in Front

As stated above, you need to be in control of the dog. If the dog is pulling you on the walk, it is controlling you. Instead, make sure that you hold the dog's leash close to your body (use 2 hands if need be) and that you're always walking ahead of the dog. This will show dominance and show him that he doesn't have control over you and that you are, in fact, the pack leader.

Rewards

Dogs have a really strong sense of smell and they will want to sniff nearly everything that they walk past. If the dog has been well behaved up until this point in time, you can loosen the leash slightly to give him more freedom to sniff around and do what dogs do. However, when you decide that this reward is over, you should stop the dog and continue with your walk, maintaining your position in front.

Arriving Home

The walk doesn't end when you get home, instead you need to remove the leash, remove your shoes and enter the house. Here you still need to be in control of the situation and you need to have the dog wait patiently when you are preparing to enter your home. If he can't wait patiently, don't remove the leash. Hold the leash close to you until the dog calms down and you can both enter your home when you decide it is the right time.

More Rewards

If you dog goes through all these steps without a problem, it is time to reward it again. Allow it to drink water and eat something. By doing this, the dog will feel that he as earned his right to eat and drink and will help him to remember the best way to behave the next time you go out for a walk.

If you're having problems it can be stressful time for both you and your pet. If you follow these simple steps it will help the both of you overcome issues you might have. If you are having persistent problems with your dog it might benefit both of you to seek professional help.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7991737

Get Rid Of The Neighbors Complaints With The Efficient Dog Training Collars

If you are the happy owner of a dog, you have certainly shared many pleasant moments with your pet. The unpleasant part of being a dog-owner comes when your family and neighbors are disturbed by the continuous and annoying barking of your best friend. Nobody can deny the fact that barking is a natural thing. If a stranger approaches and the dog barks in order to warn about the danger, that is its natural behavior and it deserves to be appreciated. If the dog barks because it is trying to communicate something to the master (perhaps it is hungry, sick or it wants to be taken out for a walk), this is also natural. However, a dog that barks constantly, at the slightest sound, is a great discomfort for everyone around it, especially if it happens during the late hours of the night, when most people are trying to rest.

You love your dog, but don’t want to spoil the relationships with the entire neighborhood for the sake of your animal friend. So what can be done about it? The only solution is to train the dog and teach it to bark only when something important is involved. However training takes long hours and a lot of patience. You probably haven’t got the time to go through it with your dog. In order to save time and energy, get your best friend a dog training collar. It has been proven that dog training collars are highly effective and they represent the fastest way to convince your dog to quit its annoying barking habits.

When you train an animal, it is important for the animal to understand what you want from it. The next step is to reward the animal when it is doing the right thing and punish it (of course, a symbolical punishment is enough, under no circumstances should the animal be submitted to violence) when it misbehaves. This is exactly how dog training collars function. When the dog is doing something that it shouldn’t do (for example, barking in excess, stealing things or running away) the dog training collar that the dog is wearing takes a corrective measure, which is different depending on the type of collar you choose to use. The corrective measure can be a very slight electrical shock, some ultrasonic sounds that are disturbing for the dog, a smell that the dog finds unpleasant (for example, Citronella scent) or a cold spray on the animal’s neck. What is essential is that the dog will quickly understand the connection between its misbehavior and the unpleasant consequences. Therefore, it will know what is required from it and will avoid such behavior in the future.

About the way a dog training collar detects the dog’s barking, you must know that there are many methods. Some dog training collars use microphones, while others are activated by the vibrations a dog’s vocal cords cause when it barks. A good dog training collar will be activated only by the barking of your dog and not by other environmental sounds, such as the barking of your neighbor’s dog. This is important, as you don’t want your dog to be “punished” without any reason; otherwise the poor animal will be confused and won’t know what you expect of it anymore. Actually, you mustn’t think of it as a punishment, as by no means will the dog be hurt, but as a reminder for the dog to behave correctly. When the dog stops barking, the effect of the collar immediately stops.

We can help you train your dog and get rid of the stressful barking during the night. Our dog training collars trigger a completely harmless cold spray on your dog’s neck when it misbehaves. The surprise will make the animal stop barking. Your dog will not be in any way hurt or affected by the dog training collar. In a short time, the dog will learn to control its barking and the dog training collar will no longer be necessary. When you want to stop the training, all you have to do is remove the collar. The positive effects will be noticed right away. You will enjoy a deserved good night’s sleep and so will your neighbors.

Copied with permission from: http://plrplr.com/43038/get-rid-of-the-neighbors-complaints-with-the-efficient-dog-training-collars/

6 Easy Ways To Find A Good Dog Training Professional

Finding a good dog training professional

With so many people advertising in the field of professional dog training today, trying to determine who’s truly qualified to look after your dog can be overwhelming. What to look for when choosing a professional to help you with dog training : 

1) A good reputation, ask around and get recommendations from your vet, other dog owners, or local kennel clubs.

2) Experience. – Inquire about their background, i.e. number of years experience. 

3)A genuine love of and devotion to dogs. 

4) Extensive and up to date knowledge. Dedicated trainers keep themselves updated by attending dog training and animal behaviour courses, conferences, seminars and workshops.

5) Their training methodology and handling skills. A good trainers first concern should be the dogs well being. 

6) Memberships with reputable associations, organizations and training clubs. 

General dog obedience tips

Training should be a positive and enjoyable experience for both you and your dog. If you are not in the right mood for training, don’t even begin. Always reward your dog for obeying your commands promptly! A reward is anything that your dog wants and is willing to work for. Treats are an obvious reward but other rewards could be verbal praise and toys. Several shorter sessions are usually better than one long one. Training should not involve any negative components or punishment . There should be no shouting, no hitting or smacking, no chain jerking on choke chains or collars, and absolutely no electric shocking! Each training session should be enjoyable and positive with rewards for jobs well done.

Training with head collars

Pulling on the lead is one of the few unpleasant experiences of bringing up a new puppy or dog. Using a head collar for dog training has become very popular over the last few years. Training with a head collar does have some advantages over the traditional training collar. Although very simple to use, it is important that head collars are fitted correctly and your dog properly introduced to the collar. Head collars are generally more intuitive to use than a traditional training collar. Head collars are very effective when controlling dogs in difficult situations.

Copied with permission from: http://plrplr.com/43573/6-easy-ways-to-find-a-good-dog-training-professional/

Therapy Dog Training, Helping the Infirm

The basic definition of a therapy dog is a one that is specifically trained to provide affection, companionship and comfort to people in medical facilities, mental institutions, nursing and retirement homes. The concept of using therapy dogs to assist the comfort and recovery of patients was begun in England during the 1970's by an American Nurse who was working in the health care system there. Brought to America, Elaine Smith started the first formal program for therapy dog training. It was not long before the beneficial affects of therapy dogs was recognized. Medical professionals observed a reduction in stress, lowering of blood pressure and increased positive attitudes of patients that spent time with therapy dogs. This resulted in an increased demand for both therapy dogs and quality therapy dog training.

Unlike other service or working dogs, therapy dogs do not provide direct assistance to a person in need. The dog's primary role is to allow physical contact with strangers. The dog should genuinely enjoy this contact without fear or aggression. Frequently the people the dog will come in contact with will be in wheelchairs or hospital related equipment. The dog must be comfortable being around this equipment especially if it makes unusual sounds. Children are another challenge for therapy dogs. It is not uncommon for a child to run up and hug a dog and unless the dog is trained properly it will respond inappropriately. The dog will most likely experience petting, being laid or jumped on and being picked up. Probably the most important character at therapy dog can have is an even low key temperament. No amount of therapy dog training will change the basic temperament and personality of a dog.

Almost any dog breed can be a candidate for therapy dog training. The breed is not nearly as important as the dog's individual personality traits. The best dogs are friendly, love people, well socialized with both people and animals, gentle and very much at ease in crowded and noisy situations. A good therapy dog candidate must also have completed basic obedience training. The dog must heel, walk with a loose leash, be able to be handled and worked by a stranger, immediately respond to the come, off, whoa, sit, stay and down commands. Formal therapy dog training will require several field trips to various facilities that use and welcome therapy dogs. Trainers will be watching for any warning signs of aggression, fear or unsocial behavior. Since most of the people the dogs will come in contact with are relatively helpless any indication of problems will quickly disqualify the dog from future therapy dog training.

Owning and properly employing a well trained therapy dog will bring a great deal of satisfaction to its owner. Therapy dog training will not only improve the quality of your dog but also provide an increase in the quality of life to lonely, sick, older and infirm people. If you have a dog that meets the basic qualifications and qualities to become a therapy dog then you should contact a qualified trainer. The completion of therapy dog training will open up a whole new world for both the dog and its owner.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/733692