Stop the Pulling!

Of all the bad doggy behaviors out there, I think most owners will agree that pulling on the leash is one of the most annoying. That is why I want to do my part to help as many owners as I can to teach their dogs how to walk politely on the leash. Its really very easy in most cases to literally turn your dogs behavior around. Here are two simple methods I have used for my dogs during training, and for an ex boyfriends unruly adolescent 8-month-old American Bulldog who pulled like a freight train.

The Tree Method
With this method, you literally stand your ground like a tree. While you are walking your dog, and he begins pulling, you stop walking and dont budge at all, no matter how much hes pulling to go forward. Eventually, since hes not getting anywhere, your dog should stop and look back at you to see whats up. The moment he looks back at you, praise and treat, and continue walking. If you repeat this exercise a few times, your dog will stop pulling and turn his attention to you progressively quicker. Begin rewarding him for not only looking at you, but for leaving some slack on the leash, and then for walking closer to you instead of way out in front.

The Turn-Around Method
If the above method doesnt work for you, there is this one, which involves just turning around and walking in the other direction. Just like in the above scenario, you will walk at a normal pace until your dog starts pulling, but this time, instead of stopping, you will simply turn straight around and walk in the other direction for several steps. If your dog rushes ahead and starts pulling again, you will turn and go in another direction without warning. Eventually, your dog figures out that if he wants to get somewhere and not get pulled in the other direction, he should be paying attention to where you are going. He will begin to look at you, and at this point, you will praise and treat, and continue walking.
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Both of these methods work so well, alone or in conjunction with one another, because your dog wants so badly to move forward during the walk and explore his surroundings. Many owners make the mistake of rewarding the pulling dog by giving him exactly what he wants - the act of moving forward. If we take that away and give it only when he is walking politely without pulling, then he will very quickly learn that when he walks politely, he gets to continue enjoying the walk.

As with all my other training methods, I only practice these on a regular flat buckle or martingale collar, especially since this training involves your dogs delicate neck. No choke collars!

All articles on this blog are written by Victoria Steen unless otherwise stated. They are NOT to be redistributed.

Thieving how can you stop it

So your dogs thieve food in the kitchen.

It is NOT their fault.

It is YOUR fault.

I well remember our first rescue dog and the first night we had him... we had three stacking cake tins and they were in a cupboard... he still managed to get at and eat the chocolate cake which was in the bottom tin! The resultant upset stomach was not a pleasant experience!

He was amazingly quick too if you happened to drop anything somehow he always managed to appear from nowhere and eat whatever before it touched the floor.

Well never forget about the almost frozen sausages which Id taken from the freezer for lunch... the phone rang, and I had to rush to answer it... he must have had a very cold spot in his tummy. Mind you he didnt mind cold things, and adored ice-cream, he could persuade anyone to give up their ice-creams to him - just by sitting in front of them and gazing longingly. Those eyes!

It is no good chastising them after the event, even seconds after... it is too late then.

You must clear away all food, close all doors. Close the door to the kitchen if necessary.

If they have learnt to open any of these doors... you MUST make the actual opening of the door an unpleasant experience. Get a noisy alarm set up on the door which you can set each time you leave them alone.

Once they learn it is unpleasant to thieve when you are away you will be able to reinforce their good behaviour [of not thieving] with a treat when you return.

How to stop your dog rolling in muck

The first thing to know is that it is a completely natural thing for him/her to do! What they are doing is masking their own scent so that they are better able to hunt undetected! It is a throw back to their wolf days.

Next... you dont want them to do it!?!

If they are regular offenders your best option is to try to break them of the habit by stopping it happening. So keep them on a lead when out walking so that they cannot access any muck. Keep treats in your pocket and if you see any muck in your path keep a tight hand on the lead, and offer a treat to distract them. When they begin to ignore the muck and pay attention to you instead, then you are beginning to make progress.

When they are next let off the lead call them back to you regularly, talk to them in a soft voice, play with them, and give them treats when they obey your commands. You need to be the centre of their attention, they need to want to come back to you because it is fun! The recall is one of the most important things they can learn... both for keeping them away from muck, and other problems, and for the sake of safety.

If this is a new vice for them, then when you see them about to commit the crime - say ah-ah in a loud and extremely harsh voice. Hopefully, this will distract them. Then recall them to you and give them a treat for returning. You will need to be alert to what they are doing at all times.

It is far easier to stop a bad habit from forming than to correct it once formed!

How to Stop a Dog From Barking 1 By Dizzy Bayles

I have written before about general reasons dogs bark. Now lets get specific about how to stop a dog from barking in different situations.

Play with me!

Imagine that you are sitting in your recliner reading the newspaper after a long day at work. You trusty dog Spot brings his ball over and drops it right at your feet. You are not interested in playing right now, so you ignore him. He is quiet for a bit, and then picks the ball up and puts it in your lap. You still ignore him. Spot then barks, and when you turn to look at him, he is in the "Lets play" position with a smile on his face. You still do not respond, hoping he will lose interest.

Now Spot starts a series of barks, and keeps it up! After a few minutes of shrill barking, you give in, pick up the ball and begin to play with Spot. Amazingly (?), he stops the barking immediately.

What happened here? Did Spot respect you, the owner? No! He harassed you into playing with him. He did not honor your position as the one who provides food, shelter, and affection in his life. If Spot can get his way by barking, then your home is going to become a very noisy place indeed!

To prevent this unacceptable behavior, the simplest way is to simply ignore Spot. Dogs read our body language, so this needs to be an active technique. Let him know that if he behaves this way, he will not get your attention. Simply turn away from him, do not look at him, touch him, or say anything, not even "no".

The first few times, Spot will be confused because his manipulative barking has worked in the past. All dog training needs consistency to work, so it may take a few times for spot to get the message, and he will. Do not give in, or you are signaling that persistent barking will eventually work. Remember to reward with affection the behavior that you desire.

Sometimes we just need to know how to respond to a barking dog. Dogs bark to communicate, but they need to be taught what appropriate communication is and what is not. You can learn how to stop a dog from barking!

Dizzy Bayles is a dog expert from Socal. Check out his blog, including his preferred training method at:

http://dizdogblog.blogspot.com

Stop Puppy Mills Puppy Farms

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How do I stop my Dog from Chewing Problem

How do I stop my Dog from Chewing Problem?

Dog Trainer Schools

Training Your Dog to
be Home Alone

Chewing is another natural instinct that needs to be controlled. When dogs are young, usually less than a year old, it’s fairly normal for them to engage in significant dog chewing. Dog need to chew and they will chew almost constantly in the early months. Your dog should be given plenty of chew toys and know the difference between his toys and forbidden things. This an important behavior to teach for the safety of any items in home people hold dear, and also for the sake of the dog, who could accidentally chew or choke on dangerous items.

Dog chewing may continue well after the first year for a variety of reasons, and one of these is usually boredom, while another is lack of exercise. It is not always necessary to completely stop dog chewing, but to direct it to items that are healthy for him to chew. Like for children, provide a large box or basket for the toys to be placed in. Objects that the dog can get them out of by themselves are the best option. It is preferable to stop dogs chewing on the furniture. With some dog training, perhaps they will learn to pick up the toys.

How To End Bad Dog Habits
Forever-Stop The Whining
-Chewing and Other Pet Destructive Behavior

Dog chewing problems are a combination of natural doggie behavior and habits it develops to deal with, teething, territory defending, and jaw strengthening and human interactions.

Keep in mind, it is not wise to stop dog chewing all the time because it is good for the dog in order to keep their teeth clean and healthy. Remember too that they want nothing more than to love and please their owner.

Boing has written extensively on puppies obedience training. You may want to check out his other guide on dog obedience school tips and dog training collars guide!

Stop habitat destruction petition

The Defenders Organisation is trying to get everyone who is interested in ecology, birds, wildlife, and forests in general to sign a petition online - very easy to do.

The following is a quote from an email they sent out... "One of the world’s largest intact forest ecosystems -- the breeding grounds for many of the world’s warblers, ducks and other migratory birds -- is in big trouble.

Oil and gas, timber, mining, and other industries are destroying vital habitat for birds and other wildlife in Canada’s boreal forest. We need your help to stop them."

Please click on the link above to visit their website and join in!

My Dogs Barking Is Annoying Me And My Neighbors How Can I Stop Excessive Barking

We have all heard it whether it is your dog or your neighbors dog a dog that barks too much; that it becomes so annoying. If it is your dog you are most likely asking yourself "how can I stop excessive barking?" It may feel at that present moment that you can not control your dogs barking however with the proper training you can learn how to stop your dogs excessive barking.

So now that you understand why your dog barks you are asking yourself "how can I stop excessive barking?" You can try the following to teach your dog to quit barking:

• bark collar
• exercising them more so that they become tired
• getting them a companion so they do not become bored while you are away
• let them know that you will not tolerate that behavior consistently whenever they do it

The dogs bark can be frustrating and annoying but remember it is a way of your "best friend" attempting to communicate with you. It can mean different things like "hello" or "good bye." They get excited especially when you have just come home after being away and they are happy to see you. If someone they do not know and does not belong there they become very protective and they will bark.

You have to learn why your dog is barking and what they are attempting to tell you. If they are constantly barking and it seems to you as if there is no apparent reason; there are ways to stop excessive barking.

Some breeds are going to bark more than others and you should be aware of this before you go out and get a dog to bring home for the family. You must first decide do you want a quiet dog or do you want one that is a little more boisterous than most? listed below are the breeds that tend to bark more than others take a look at them and realize that if you currently own one or you are thinking about getting a family pet; they are going to bark more than any other dog:

• Beagle
• Yorkshire Terrier
• Cairn Terrier
• Miniature Schnauzer
• West Highland White Terrier
• Fox Terrier

Another thing we must carefully look at is ourselves; did we somehow encourage this unwanted behavior? Many times we encourage this behavior without realizing it. Maybe in the past you have rewarded your dog for barking and they have taken it as a sign as something to do. You may have attempted to scold them, however they took it as a sign of attention. Many people will pet their dog or talk to them in a cooing tone right after they do something they do not approve of and your dog will take it as a reward for positive things and will continue to do the unwanted behavior.

You can get your dog to quit barking excessively with the proper training done consistently; if you would like more free tips on how to properly train your dog then feel free to visit the website below.

Did you find these tips on How Do I Train My Dog helpful? Get your FREE 6-part mini-course that will teach you little-known Dog Obedience Training Secrets to correcting dog behavior problems using REAL-LIFE scenarios.

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