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Introduction

There are a few potty problems that a dog owner might face with his dog. Most owners have an unfortunate experience once or twice but it is not the same for some dogs who can have issues that are either perpetual or affect the dog’s ability to function otherwise.

From such problems the most common may be during potty training. Even the most lax dog owners in the world find the need to house-train their dogs. Dogs with potty training problems become a very big issue. The issues that these owners might face can include carpeting in the house. Carpets can be tricky for puppies as the texture can feel close to that of grass which gives the puppy the impression that he can relieve himself on it.

Some dogs have a habit of peeing when people come to visit at the house. It can be a very embarrassing problem and owners become desperate to fix it. This can be due to the doorbell as that may make the dog hyper and cause him to relieve himself at the door. When a dog is faced with the doorbell, it is an indication that a stranger is at the door. This often drums up conflicting emotions of fear and excitement that can cause him to become unhinged.

Other dogs are known to pee on the plants you might keep indoors. This issue damages not only the home but also the plants. Dogs often do this while ‘urine marking’ (when a dog leaves some pee on a vertical object like walls, or in this case plants). Urine marking is usually done by male dogs who try to mark their territory with the act.

Not having your dog relieve himself at all can sometimes be as problematic as him going in the wrong place. In some ways this is worse as it can have adverse effects on the dog’s overall health. Another potty problem owners might encounter at times is that the dog becomes finicky about when he goes to the potty. This is mostly in cases of bad weather, more specifically rain.

How to Overcome Potty Problems:

When it comes to house training always keep a few things in mind, whether you are house training a puppy or an adult dog. For puppies, it’s normally about training that prevents the puppy from having potty problems. However in some occasions it is possible that your puppy might have acquired bad habits that cause him to go to the bathroom inside the house.

First thing to do might be to roll up the carpet if he is using it and finding a designated place for him to use. To counteract these issues it is also a good idea to establish a ‘happy voice’ and an ‘upset voice’. Your upset voice should not be punishing towards your puppy, it need only sound concerned to him. If your puppy is found misusing some part of the house, denounce what he is doing by your upset voice and take him to the designated place where he is supposed to go. If he goes to that area by himself, then use the happy voice to praise him. Cleaning the area the puppy uses can be very important, as if he can smell any poop or pee over there then he might be inclined to go there again. If he has already done it by the time you get there than take him back to that place, make sure he has a look at it and use the upset voice to tell him what he did was wrong.

The best way to go about dealing with your dog if he pees when there are visitors in the house is to manage the behavior by replacing  an emotional response with a calm one. Teaching your dog to settle and sit can be helpful in this scenario where these commands will allow him to associate the situation with a more gentle reaction.

The most efficient way that can be used to stop your dog from urine marking and peeing on your indoor plants is by getting him neutered or sprayed. This is because in a domesticated environment it is much harder for the dog to deal with the hormones that cause such behavior. Moreover, there are many health reasons for which neutering has been recommended. Punishing can cause undue stress but is not likely to lessen the issue.

When your dog does not want to do potty in the rain it can be a big problem. For these situations there is clothing available that can help dogs who don’t respond to the weather very well. It may not be the most fashionable wear around but gets the job done and in cases like this, applicability is very important.

Prevention

To prevent problems in potty training a puppy, one of the best things you can do is to make a schedule. This natural course of action is one that mothers often take for their puppies as well which means that the dogs will be able to function according to it. The schedule can determine when the dog eats, sleeps and goes for potty. In this schedule you will have to take your dog out rather frequently until he becomes entirely used to the idea of using the bathroom outside. Neutering or spraying the dog early (but only when the vet deems he is ready) is a way to prevent any future issues from arising. Another one of the solutions that might help would be to train your dog to go on cue. This means he will not necessarily go when his bladder is full. If the dog is taken out knowing that he will be rewarded for going to the bathroom when given the command, he will do so. If there are any predictions of rain in the area then this can be a very useful way of making sure that your dog can avoid not going to the bathroom in that weather and going earlier when he is able to instead.

Summary

Here, we looked at four potty problems that dogs and their owners might face in the course of living together. Some of the most common potty training problems were house training issues for puppies, dogs peeing when visitors come to the house or on indoor plants and dogs not being able to go the bathroom outside in the rain. There are multiple ways to solve each problem and reasons why the dogs act the way that they do. Puppies cannot distinguish between the carpet and the grass so it can be useful to keep the carpet away from them. If your dog pees when the doorbell rings, try to teach him calming behaviors like sitting.  Prevent urine marking by neutering your dog and if your dog can’t go in the rain then teach him to go on cue when you need him to. In the end, there is no one way to deal with all these issues. In fact, there are customized solutions to each. One thing they all have in common however, is that they require the owner to have patience.

Dogs can be remarkable creatures. They are loving and loyal pets that can provide so much comfort to their owner for no other reason than they are their companions. For this reason, as dog owners, a distinct connection makes us feel responsible for and protective of our pets.

You don’t need to have a dog as a pet to know that one of the most common exercises that canines have to maintain is walking. Walking means going outside and apart from physical health, it also means stability for the dog’s mental health. Owners have a responsibility to make sure that their dogs get their appropriate hours of walking daily. Often, this exercise involves using a leash.

Now, walking can be a very difficult task for some owners because their dogs get excited. Being cooped up in the home all day can leave them excited when outside among the stimulating distractions. This can lead to them running in all directions and pulling on their leashes. This can be a very natural reaction for a dog, so try not to worry too much and instead focus on training your dog.

Loose Leash Training Methods

‘Off-leash training’

This form of training can be done inside a house if there is a passageway big enough or even outside in a contained area that is fenced. Try to walk the dog without the leash and keep him by your side using an encouraging and affectionate tone of voice. This should keep his attention drawn towards you and stop him from running away. After a couple of steps of him walking next to you reward him with a treat.

After a while, stop communicating with the dog and remain aloof to him. If you do this then the dog will lose interest and go away. Call him back in sixty seconds or so and wait for him to accompany you again. When he gets back, start talking to him and giving him treats again as you did before.

This can be helpful to keep the dog at your side. When you eventually use the leash to walk him he will be inclined to stay next to you as he has been trained to do so.

‘Stop and be still’

One of the reasons that a dog might persist in pulling on his leash is that the owner is easily guided by the dog every time, taking him where he wants to go. This makes the dog believe that he can pull on his leash constantly, going wherever he wants to.

The way to make sure that this does not happen is that every time the dog pulls on his leash, stop walking and stay still. When you do this, the dog might step or look back to see why you have done so. As he does this the leash will loosen considerably and you should start walking again. You will need to put this method in to practice a few times before your dog understands that pulling on the leash will not result in him getting what he wants as a reward.

 

‘Reverse Direction’

In this method, when the dog pulls on his leash say ‘let’s go’ or anything else that might mean signaling a change in direction and move away from the area the dog is ushering towards. This can be in any direction towards where the dog does not want to go.

Be gentle and do not pull and force the leash. This can be difficult as a dog’s pull can be very hard to shake: the best way to go about it is to use a high and excited voice that can get his attention and make him move the way you want.

Go in this direction until the dog stops pulling on the leash. When he is done you can turn back to your original path with a loose leash. This can be confusing for the dog so you must try it a few times, until the dog can be sure that you will not let him think that pulling on the leash will take him where he wants to go. As he realizes this from your demeanor, he will stop pulling on the leash on a regular basis.

 

Use Treats

One way of teaching your dog not to pull on his leash is by using treats. This training requires that you be a little fast-paced with your dog. Start walking in a random direction where your dog is walking behind you. As he comes closer to you drop a treat next to your leg. The dog will see this and stop to eat it and you should wait for him to finish. The dog should at this point clearly know that you have the treats in your hand.

When he is finished, walk in a different direction with the dog being behind you or at least a position where he is next to you. Just make sure that he is never walking ahead or in front of you. Again drop a treat close to your foot or even behind yourself and wait for the dog to eat it. After he is done, begin in the same manner again.

The aim is to walk a greater number of steps every time before you drop the treat, ensuring that the dog stays next to you as long as possible without encouragement. The whole idea is that the dog should not run ahead, so be careful where you throw the treats: they should be nearer behind you. Timing is also quite important as you have to do everything to keep the dog next to you, so you can’t wait too long to drop the treats. This conditioning should result in the dog staying closer and thereby not pull on his leash.

Be sure to remember that no matter what the method is, dogs learn by practice and practice needs patience. Most importantly, remember that they are all different when it comes to training. So if your dog is taking some time to understand the directives, be patient – he will learn.

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Introduction:

Leash reactivity, lunging, and mouthing are all aggressive behaviors of dogs, and they are caused when a dog is frustrated, threatened, or uncomfortable due to a stimulus. Normally, when a dog is not leashed, it will start barking or move away from the stimulus which is causing fear and frustration. But if a dog is leashed, and unable to run and keep a distance from the stimulus, it will start acting aggressively. In the hope that the stimulus will go away from him, he will start acting defensively. Leash aggression is a common issue in dogs and is faced by many dog owners. Fortunately, there are many tips and techniques that you can adopt to overcome the issues you have with leashing your dogs.

Types of problems:

Leash issues such as pulling, mouthing, and lunging are very common in dogs. These behaviors can turn a pleasant and soothing walk into a terrible one. The way your dog behaves when it is leashed can cause serious troubles for you and the people around. Once you understand why your dog is behaving aggressively while it’s leashed, you can find ways to handle the situation. The following tips can be helpful in overcoming leash issues of your dog:

How to overcome leash issues?

Introduce treats to distract:

When your dog starts behaving aggressively with the leash, for example, pulling, lunging, chewing, or mouthing it; you can give treats to distract him. Start distracting your dog to decrease his frustration and take his mind off from whatever is causing him behave this way. Make sure that your dog is hungry when you take him out and this way he will be more attracted to the treats. Keep a lot of treats with you especially the ones which your dog loves.

If you have figured out what is causing your dog to react aggressively, wait for that stimulus to come and then introduce the treats. For example, if your dog starts behaving aggressively with the leash when he sees another dog, give him a treat when another dog passes nearby. Then if another dog passes by, give him another treat. This way he’ll learn that when a dog passes by, he will be given a treat and then he will stop behaving aggressively.

Look out for how you hold the leash:

If your dog is very disciplined and calm when he is unleashed, then there must be some trouble with the leash or how you hold it. If your dog isn’t scared of anything such as other dogs, strangers, or any other stimulus when he is unleashed, but starts mouthing, pulling, or lunging when he is leashed, you should change the way you hold or pull the leash. Sometimes the leash can cause irritation and hurt the dog, therefore you should take care of this factor too and loosen the grip to make your dog comfortable. Also, make sure that your dog is leashed with a no-pull harness. You should also train your dog earlier than leashing him because if he is not trained to wear a leash, he will act aggressively.

Desensitize your dog:

Desensitizing is an effective technique and is used to treat many problems and issues in animals. While you’re walking with your leashed dog, keep an eye on the surroundings and analyze what’s causing your dog to show aggressive behavior. When you have figured out what’s causing your dog to be fearful and frustrated, use that stimulus to train your dog and make your dog used to it. For example, if your dog gets frustrated when he sees cats when you go out for a walk, try and introduce him to a cat. Show a cat to your dog from a big distance and make sure that he doesn’t get aggressive – and make sure that your dog is leashed. Then give him some treats or things to play so that he feels that the stimulus is nothing to be scared. When you feel that your dog is no more frustrated or aggressive, move the stimulus closer to him. If your dog is being aggressive and has started showing leash issues, that means you have moved the stimulus close to him very quickly.

How to prevent leash issues?

If your dog has no leash issues and he behaves very calmly and nicely when he is leashed and is out to walk with you, then that’s a good habit, but you should also train him to maintain this behavior. There are certain behaviors that can lead to pulling, mouthing or lunging of the leash and they should be avoided. As a dog owner, you should be aware of the factors or stimuli that can cause dog aggression and frustration. The following are some things to remember if you want to prevent leash issues with your dog in future:

• It is better to use a front-clip harness so that it gets easier for you to control your dog. A front-clip harness will cross the front of your dog’s chest so that you can pull it gently. These types of leashes also prevent unwanted pulling from the dog. If your dog is big in size, you can use the head halters that can stop pulling. Black-clip harnesses, choke chains, flat collars, and prong collars, are all types of leashes that can cause the dog to pull it.
• If you want to prevent leash mouthing, you can use a chained leash. Chained leashes are difficult to chew as compared to leashes that have a plastic or rubber rope. If you use a leash made up of a chain, your dog will never want to chew it as it is not fun at all.
• If you want to prevent your dog from being leash reactive, you should always know your dog’s triggers and limits. If your dog is scared or afraid of some stimulus, make sure that it doesn’t come near him when he is leashed. If the dog sees something that he feels as a threat, make sure that you don’t take him near to it when you have changed him. Avoiding some triggers can be useful if they don’t frequently appear when you are outside with your dog.
• Always keep some motivations with you when you have leashed your dog, and you are out for a walk. Motivations such as treats and tools for playing could be helpful for distracting him if he came across a trigger.

Conclusion:

Leash issues can be dealt with positively, and they are very curable if you train your dog and handle the situation wisely. Remember never to punish your leash reactive dog as this is something which it can’t control. By using the above tips and techniques, you will not only overcome the aggressive and frustrating behavior of your dogs, but also be able to prevent it in the future. If your dog has leash issues, only your hard work and passion can make him get rid of this bad behavior. If you feel you aren’t able to train him properly, feel free to get the help of a professional dog trainer. Leash issues are correctable and can be eliminated by caring and paying proper attention to your dog.

SHARE TO YOUR FRIEND:

Dog owners often face problems when their dogs have a habit of frequently jumping onto others. Dogs jumping on you or your guests can be annoying, and it can be dangerous too if the dog is powerful and of a large breed. People who can’t balance well can easily fall when dogs jump on them, and this can hurt them. Some pet owners find this behavior adorable at the start, but when it gets too frequent, they start feeling irritated and annoyed. A puppy jumping on you can be adorable, but when it turns to a mightier and heavier dog, it can cause problems.

Why do dogs jump?

Dogs naturally jump on their owners and other people to greet them. They do this because they are shorter in height than humans and they want to make a face-to-face contact to say hello. When dogs jump on you, they sniff your face and want to talk to you. Mostly dogs jump on people to get attention and greet them. When your dog jumps on your guests, he is letting them know that he is also a member of the family and that he is responsible for many things in the house. There are many types and reasons for jumping: attention seeking, excitement jumping, panic jumping, or table jumping. This behavior of dogs is, however, unacceptable because they can unintentionally hurt others. Unfortunately, just telling them not to can’t do the work and you’ll have to train him properly to eliminate this problem.

How to overcome the jumping problem in dogs:

You can’t tell or teach your dog through talking; you will have to teach them with actions. When your dog jumps on you, he is most probably trying to get your attention or is greeting you when you have returned home. To teach your dog not to jump, you will have to teach him other acceptable and pleasant ways to earn your attention. The main part of training is to make your dog learn how to behave properly and not get annoying for strangers. Following these tips will be helpful in training your dog to overcome the jumping issues:

• Set a routine for training your dog daily. The key to train is right from the beginning when you bring a puppy to your home. Training after returning home from a tired and exhausting day is not feasible because that way you won’t be able to train him properly. Also, make sure to be careful when you open the door as paying less attention to your dog can make him jump on your guests to prove his existence.
• Use the reward-training method because it is a very effective one. You can make your dog sit on a mat or a specific place when your guests are at home, and then you can offer him treats or things to play as a reward for staying there. If there are other people at home, you can ask someone to open the door while you pay attention to your dog.
• Use the distraction technique. If you think your dog is about to jump on you, give him some other command or offer him something to play at the very moment. Have your dog sit in front of you peacefully and quietly and involve him in some activity which he loves. Don’t scold or punish as this can cause aggressiveness in dogs.
• Another technique is to ignore the jumping behavior. Your dog jumps to seek your attention, and when he learns that you are not paying attention to him this way, he will gradually stop jumping. If your dog jumps on you, don’t push him away and just ignore the behavior. If he doesn’t stop jumping at you, move away from the place.
• Training him not to jump is the best way to get rid of this jumping behavior. When your dog is about to jump, order him to sit down patiently by moving your hands. Tell him to sit down calmly and keep telling him until his front paws are on the floor. If they try to jump on you again and lift their front paws, ask them to ‘stop’ or ‘sit down.’

Preventing jumping problems:

Dogs jump on people to greet them and show their affection. However, they can get very excited or can jump in a panic too, especially if there are strangers in the house. To prevent your dog jumping on other people, make sure that you have taken preventive measures otherwise your dog can cause harm to others. Follow these effective tips:

• When your guests arrive at home or you have taken your dog out to walk with you, make sure that he doesn’t jump on others. To prevent his jumping behavior to avoid embarrassment, keep some treats with you or something for him that he carries in his mouth such as a boomerang, ball or any other toy.
• Don’t shower your dog with hugs, kisses, and affection when he jumps on you when you arrive home. This act will make his jumping behavior stronger as he will feel that you are happy with it. Though jumping sometimes can be pleasing but jumping all the times can be annoying, especially if the dog is heavy and powerful. Moreover, you will love that your dog is jumping on you but others will not.
• Train your dog to jump on request and greet your guests nicely and politely. You can train him by inviting many guests at your place and make him learn how he has to meet and greet them.
• Always appreciate him and reward him for his good behavior such as giving treats and patting on the head and saying, ‘good job’ or ‘good boy.’ This way he will learn that he is doing a good job by not jumping.
• Dogs often jump on children and other dogs to show their dominance. If your dog does this, you will have to train him more properly and strictly. You can organize group play sessions and classes with other dogs and make him more social. Make him learn that he should be friendly towards other dogs and not aggressive.
• You can also use the desensitizing technique if your dog jumps on other people and animals due to panic or fear. This type of jumping behavior can be very dangerous because if a dog jumps in fear or panic, he will try to harm the stimulus.

Conclusion:

Dog jumping is a very typical behavior, and dog owners often complain about this. The jumping issues are natural, and most of the dogs don’t mean anything when they jump on other people, animals, or things. However, when your dog frequently jumps on you and others, its time to analyze the situation and train him not to do so. Dog jumping can get annoying and irritating especially for your guests, and if there are children in the house, it can be dangerous too. It is important to teach your dog how to behave with others and how to greet everyone politely. Always remember that there is nothing wrong with your dog and this is a very natural behavior. Only its excess can cause problems.

Teaching your dog how to stay is one of the essential commands that you should teach. It’s one of the first instructions to teach a dog, and it comes handy in a lot of situations such as when you have guests over and you don’t want your dog all over them or when you’re carrying something your dog shouldn’t be around.

It might seem like a lot of work and can take quite a lot of your time, but it is quite achievable if you work hard and are persistent about it. There are a number of steps that you have to follow in order to train your dog how to stay successfully. Let us go through them!

How to Train Your Dog to Stay

The first step is to make sure that you are in the mood for a training session. You should be feeling well and fresh for a session like this one as it requires a lot of patience. If you’re busy or have a number of things on your mind, it won’t work.

Another situation in which it probably won’t work is if your dog is young. In that case, it will be disobedient. This could result in you getting annoyed, which will change the mood of the session to a negative one.

Ask your dog to stay in the position you want it to stay in with the command you want. This can be stay, sit, sit down or any other command you prefer. If your dog obeys and remains in the desired position for around a couple of seconds, then give it a treat.

In the beginning, you are supposed to treat it even if it stays for just 1 second in that position. After you are done treating, it is allowed to move, so it’s okay if your dog changes its position after that.

When you beckon your dog to stay, you are supposed to make eye contact. Show it your palm, make constant eye contact, and start backing from it slowly. If you are a considerable amount of distance from it and it is still in that position, reward it with a treat.

Before doing this, say OK or any other word which allows your dog to be released from its position. After that, you can either go up to your dog to give it its reward or wave at it to come to you.

You are to repeat this exercise until your dog has perfected it. The only difference you are to make is to increase the distance or decrease it. If your dog breaks the cycle and comes to you before you release it, do NOT give it its treat; simply repeat the cycle.

Another step that you can include in this training is to introduce distractions. You can do this by asking people to walk by your dog when you are in the middle of training. It would be great if these people carry with them some sort of an object of distraction. This could be a ball they could be tossing or any other object that could be hard to avoid for the dog. If your dog stays put, reward it with a treat.

If you notice that your dog has moved or is trying to move during the time you have asked it to stay, raise one of your hands right above its head. You can do this with its leash as well. Let it stay there for a little while before bringing it down and then put your hand back to its original position.

You do not have to repeat your command right now. Count to 30 and go back to your dog. You are to keep your body completely straight during this process and make sure you are not leaning over your dog. Right before you are moving away from it, make sure your hands are by your side again.

Another important point to make sure is to always end the sessions on a good note. If you and your dog end up frustrated and annoyed at each other, it can never learn. Make sure both of you are happy and still friendly or playful with each other.

If your dog has still not learned how to stay, end your session with another instruction or command which your dog already knows such as sit. Try to slowly move away from your dog, and increase the distance a bit every day.

In the beginning, try to stay in the same room. After a few days, you can leave the room as well. Try this command out when your dog is either standing or lying down. If your session is successful, it will not change its position. If you want to try this in an open area such as a garden, make sure the area is well-fenced or surrounded by a boundary.

Try to decrease the number of treats you give it over time. Once your dog gets slightly better at it, you do not need to treat it all the time. However, you can reward it through ways such as praising it verbally.

Another important tip to keep in mind is to make sure your training sessions are evenly spread throughout the week. These sessions must be short and frequent. Having a long session once a week is a bad idea as your dog might forget the instructions. This is why it is not recommended to skip any day.

Conclusion

Teaching your dog how to stay is not a very difficult task if you are persistent about it. You just need to follow the steps with a calm mind and when you have the time.

The stay command is closely linked to the sit command. Therefore, it is necessary that your dog knows how to sit before you teach it how to stay. Once its knows how to do the former, the latter isn’t difficult at all.

A dog is said to be a person’s best friend. The communication and connection a person has with their dog may go beyond imagination – dogs are there for you when nobody isn’t. This connection is built up through years of exercise and love, which serve as the foundation for the bond that exists between a person and a dog.

The training that you should provide to your dogs should revolve around affection and discipline as that would complement the dog’s psychology and allow it to easily learn basic commands such as “sit.” Before we go into the teaching process of the “sit” command, it is necessary to lay some ground rules which would allow for an easier learning experience for your dog.

The Ground Rules & Guides

Actions & Expressions Are Key

A dog does not understand the meaning of terms like “sit” or “come.” Everything to it is associated with actions and expressions that the person has to offer. The energy that is channeled is what allows for leadership which eventually conditions the dogs to obey. Communication is practiced through simple sounds and actions which are interpreted by dogs however the person chooses to condition them. Dogs pay close attention to a person’s body language and interpret the command accordingly.

Your Energy & Technique Matter

It is necessary to approach and train dogs with a calm and positive energy. Once you seem frustrated or annoyed, you lose your leadership and, hence, your training methods. A dog looks up to its owner and expects them to be the leader and to offer guidance. Therefore, more than just saying the “sit” command, it is important to add energy and sound to the command as well as action. Furthermore, some dogs may respond to other techniques such as a “click.” Remember that this is not about language but more about a signal, so feel free to experiment with whatever works best.

Treat the Dogs

Every time your dog behaves as per your needs during a training session, make sure to reward it. The reward could be a treat, a toy, or even a belly rub. It is better for you to work around and play with your dog to understand what reward makes it most satisfied. However, do note that it is important to only reward it upon the successful completion of a task. The reward is what will allow the dog to learn. This is its key motivation, so it is important that it’s not overdone.

Know Your Limits

Even though you may have multiple successful attempts at training your dogs, remember that it is not good to overdo anything. Ensure that you end every training session without exhausting your dog. It is also important to end the training on a successful note. Do not come to a point where the dog refuses to obey and chooses to run off. Just like humans, dogs may become burnt out and would need a run across the field to cool off. During such instances, learning becomes minimal which is why it is important to ensure your dog is interested and well.

Practice & Patience

The most important part of dog training is patience. Remember not to burden your dog or even yourself. Every creature has its own pace when it comes to learning. More than learning, this is about creating a connection with your dog. Furthermore, practice is key and efficient practice is what will help most. Take a few minutes out every day and practice your routine. All the practice and patience you make use of now would be evident in the future in your communication and connection with your dog!

Training Your Dog

1. Begin by showing your dog a small treat. Preferably keep it right in front of its eyes and slightly above its head such that your dog is looking upward at an angle.
2. Slowly move the treat toward the dog’s eyes and over its head. Say the word “sit” while performing the movement. The dog’s natural response to this should be to sit. Positioning is key, so ensure that the dog is in a position where it does sit.
3. Once the dog is sitting, give it the treat and praise it verbally.
4. If the dog fails to sit in the second step, go ahead and physically place your hands on its chest and back to bring it into the sit position. Allow it to remain in the position for a while before finally treating it.
5. Once your dog gets the hang of it, continue to use the treat to make it sit. Ensure that you say the word “sit” every time the action is being performed. This would allow it to associate the word with the action, turning it into a command.
6. Continue to practice the same routine multiple times during the day. At first, it may seem difficult, but once you get the hang of it, there will be progress. Certain dogs may take longer than others as everyone has their own learning rate.

The reward is the dog’s biggest motivation, so make sure to treat it and to pet it every time it obeys and follows your instructions. This will only catalyze the learning process and enhance the connection you have with it.

The “sit” command is definitely one of the fundamental commands a dog should learn. It shows discipline and obedience and allows for a better connection between the owner and the dog. If one is to follow the rules mentioned above accordingly, they will certainly develop a connection with their dog that would remain unmatched. It is key to be able to understand each other as it is only in such cases that learning and communication are effective. A dog may certainly be an individual’s best friend, but to guarantee a beautiful bond, it is necessary that the individual is also the dog’s best friend.

Introduction

A pet can be one of the most delightful things to have in your life. Spend some time caring for one and you will realize how such a trivial subject that people often take for granted has become something very special and meaningful to you. If you have ever had – or have – a dog as a pet , you’ll know what amazing pets they can be. They are loyal and dote on you infinitely in exchange for the smallest acts of caring and kindness. As owners you want to be able to protect your dogs from all kinds of harm, those they know about and those they can’t often detect. You also want them to be able to become an integrated part of your life so that they don’t create hassles for you and run out of control.

For this, all kinds of training are super important and the quicker you get around to it the better. Your dog really needs to know the rules before he can get punished for breaking them. Dog training can be accomplished through using a specific set of actions and stimuli to modify the behavior of the dog the way you want. Conditioning the dog is not meant to be abusive to the dog if all the tactics that are used are safe and keep him out of harm.  Additionally, if the training given to the dog is causing him any harm then it is completely wrong and should not be allowed.

Dogs love taking things in their mouths, most of the time its grab first and think later. When it comes to those great new shoes you bought for a night out with your friends, you really don’t want to risk any chance of them getting spoiled by your canine friend. For occasions like this, teaching your dog to ‘take it and drop it’ can be pretty important. The ‘take it’ direction commands the dog to pick an object in his mouth and the ‘drop it’ order will direct him to release an object he already possess from the hold in his mouth. There are many ways to go about doing this.

Training Method

One way of training your dog to ‘take it or drop it’ is composed of two primary modes of action. First, by familiarizing the dogs with the directives associated with taking and dropping items and then, allocating importance to the objects that are presented to the dog, successively using higher value objects to accomplish the task.

Start by choosing two objects that the dog can play with, however they must be relatively low importance items, that do not hold too much value in the eyes of the dog. Begin by showing one of these objects to the dog and hiding the other one behind your back. Wait until he shows any indication that he wants to play with the item that you have presented to him.

As the dog opens his mouth to grab the object, be sure to say ‘take it’. Enunciate this properly so that the dog can hear it. This will help the dog associate saying these particular words with the action of picking up an object. Identifying and familiarizing the dog to directives that signal specific actions is one of the most important parts of dog training so try to be as clear as possible.

After the dog plays with the object for a while display the other object which is hidden behind your back to the dog and wait for him to notice it. As he sees it he will want to play with it, this will require letting go of the first object he was previously playing with. As he releases the first object from his mouth say, ‘drop it’. Simultaneously, as he picks up the second object introduced say ‘take it’.

Practice this exercise with your dog a few times as it may not pan out exactly in the way described so you might have wait and experiment with a few objects. Try to ensure that the series of events matches the aforementioned steps as many times as is possible. Practice in dog training, like any other form of behavioral development, can be very important and decide whether the training is actually affective.

By applying this method, your dog should be exhibiting the particular behavior regularly, this is of course is dependent on how well you can follow the previous steps. When you think the time is right and the dog is ready, start adding importance to the objects you use to train the dog. The more valuable the object you use the likelier it is that the dog will not want to let go of it.

In any case, if the dog does not adhere to letting go of the more valuable objects, find some distance between yourself and the dog and introduce a different object. Start trying to draw his attention to it by playing with it instead. As the dog becomes more curious he will let go of the object he is playing with at what point you should continue employing the same strategy by telling him to ‘drop it’ and as he approaches the new item, handing it to him and tell him to ‘take it’.

This is an easy method in the sense that it does not require any complex understanding. However ascertaining how successful it can be is entirely dependent on you and your dog. How well you can teach the ideas to him is very important as these actions are the few ways you have to communicate with the dog . They can send a wrong message if the timing and execution is not right. Dog nature also varies by breed and individual personality meaning that some are more likely to adhere whereas others may take much longer to be able to train. Just remember to be calm and patient as your dog will not be able to respond to any loud and harsh directives; instead they may make him more difficult to take care of.

Your dog can be the whole world for you, and some of the best times that you will spend with your pooch are outside during playtime. There are two choices that you can avail when you go out of the house with your dog; you take it either on a leash with you or without it. However, to take your dog out without a leash can be highly dangerous and challenging, especially if it has not been trained properly.

The dangers can be severe: Fido may run off on a busy road, run off towards another potentially dangerous animal, or run far away and losing you behind. All these may result in undesired circumstances. So, what is a good training method to stop your dog from leaving your side or at least coming back to you when you call for him? You need to teach him to respond to the recall command.

Yes, it sounds a bit complicated, and to be honest, it is as it takes a lot of work and time. Some dogs may be able to get the hang of it in a few months, while others may even take years. The key here is to be patient and not to mistreat your dog as this can have an adverse impact on it.

Though you can get a trainer to help you with the technique, it is best that you train your dog yourself as well (even with the trainer around) so that it recognizes your voice and listens to you at all times.

Why Is Recall Important?

As we already mentioned earlier, you could be in situations that could prove to be potentially harmful to your dog. Of course, your dog wouldn’t know better, and it is up to you to protect him. You need to make sure that your dog is either by your side at that time or at least away from the danger. The best way to get it to follow your command is by training it for recall so that when you call your pet, it comes running toward you.

Dogs are quite smart and know when their owner is calling them, but a little training can go a long way as sometimes they can be stubborn and not listen to you at all. If that happens, you will face quite a lot of difficulty which can strain the relationship with your dog.

Recall also ensures that your dog does not wander away from you, especially if it is off its leash. It will run back to you when you call for it, and a lot of distressing situations can be avoided. For example, if your dog runs too close to another dog that is unpleasant, by calling your dog back, you can prevent any harmful situation and move on from that place.

How to Train Your Dog

One of the first questions that arise is, how to train to recall your dog? The steps are quite simple:

• Start small – make sure that when you start training your dog, you start inside the house or in your backyard. If there is not enough space there, then take it to a secluded area around you.
• Introduce your dog to the word “come” and associate it with a happy thought or moment so that your dog will know that it will be rewarded when it answers.
• Start the command with a leash on. Call your dog when it is a little further away from you and run for a short distance with it by your side. Reward it after this run. Carry this on for a few days and make sure that the leash is short.
• Repeat the above step, but this time make sure that the leash is much longer and call your dog when it is a bit further away from you. Reward it afterward.
• Once perfected, take the leash off. Call your dog to you and give it a treat, run away, and call again. Give it a treat when it comes to you. Repeat this exercise a few times for as long as needed, and watch your dog learn the recall training.

Training Timelines

Training your dog anything is an ongoing process. However, some types of training can take longer than others. Training your dog the recall command can be a very long process or a short one, depending on how smart and obedient your dog is.

As there are many distractions outside, a dog will be tempted to explore them, thus its attention when outside may waver, which is why this particular type of training can take a long time. It can take two months, while for some dogs, it can take as long as a year or even more. However, do not lose hope in your dog at any point as it will eventually get there.

Negative vs Positive Reinforcement

There are two types of reinforcements that you can use while training your dog. Using negative reinforcement, especially in a severe form such as hitting, is highly discouraged. Yes, there will be times that you will need to use tough love and situations where you will get angry as your dog is not listening to you. However, the key thing to remember is that you must not lose your temper at any time. If you do, your dog will start getting scared of you and its personality will be negatively affected. If you ever do need to use this form, just use a stern voice. Dogs are brilliant and will understand that they did something wrong.

The best way to train a dog is by using positive reinforcement. If your dog does something good, give it a treat or a pat on the head or use a happy voice to cheer it on. The method is more effective and will help the dog learn faster.

Conclusion

Training recall to your dog is critical, especially if you have a large dog that has the potential to scare people. This way if you are ever out and about and someone pops along, you can only call it back to you so that your dog and the other person feel safe to pass. There are also a lot more benefits which you will gradually figure out when teaching your dog.

Positive training is not a recent construct. It combines mostly positive training techniques for the dog into a pre-existing system in which it learns to be disciplined as well as being groomed in the best manner.

There are various ways to apply positive training. However, there are a few do’s and don’ts to follow:

Do’s

Immediately Commend and Reward

Just like humans, dogs want immediate gratification. They should not be left unappreciated for their behavior. They can be either shown affection or given a treat. The dog must be rewarded immediately or else it may not be able to draw the conclusion that good behavior equals rewards. If this does not happen, then the dog may feel underappreciated or may not learn anything.

Keep It Short and Enjoyable

Short training sessions allow things to stay fresh and the attention span to stay on point. Do not teach the dog too much in one day, as it may not be able to retain all of it.

Refrain from Over-Treating Your Dog

Not to suggest that good behavior should not be left unrewarded, but there should always be a balance. You need to pick your rewards carefully. This way the dog will not be good for the treats but for your affection, which is more important. You can also condition your dog to link a certain sound or clicker with receiving a treat. When you eliminate the treat, your dog will still respond to the sound.

Don’ts

Make Things Complicated

Keep things simple by giving simplistic commands like “sit,” “fetch” or “lie down.” Elongating the command would just confuse the dog. Also, do not forget to give it an appropriate reward like praise each time he gets the commands right.

Show Inconsistency

You need to maintain a balance between rewards and mere appreciation for the dog. For example, you can’t reward your dog for staying off the bed and later let it come up and offer affection. This may confuse the dog on how to behave. Also, it is important that others around you abide by these set principles adopted by you toward your dog.

Say ‘Yes’ All the Time

A common mistake that often accompanies positive reinforcement is that pet owners, in affection, allow their pet to do anything and everything. If your dog is acting up, then you must tell it right from wrong.

When Should Positive Reinforcement Be Used?

It is a good way to train your dog and must be timed appropriately. A few time periods that are generally agreed upon to enforce positive reinforcement are:

• Before letting it out the door
• Before petting it (which will help it calm down and not jump on people)
• Before feeding it (which will teach it good eating habits)

Be sure to keep track of what you reward your dog for. Out of love, you mustn’t reward a bad habit as it may be inculcated as the dog may learn to get away with trouble simply because you didn’t discipline it.

Positive reinforcement trainers often use hand and verbal signals, clickers, toys, treats, and even games to help modify behavior. A blend of positive (reward-based) and negative (removal of reward) reinforcements is to be maintained for effective training such as dog treats not being given. Do remember that not all dogs are motivated by food.

There are various approaches toward positive reinforcement, some of which are as follows.

Alpha Dog Approach

This approach is not necessarily a widely liked or effective one. It requires you to present yourself as more dominant and superior in all ways. What you say goes or else there will be consequences. This may lead to the dog feeling threatened and hesitant to learn and may act out by being agitated. Also, all dogs want to rise to the top and present themselves as alphas, so this may hurt them psychologically and they may pick fights with you to re-assert their dominance.

Sporadic Reinforcement

Start off with a small reward and go up to big rewards such as praise and food. Once you have established the level of rewards, the high-value reward (like food) should only be given from time to time. That means your dog will not get the high-value reward whenever it responds to a command.

This will help instill a good response from the dog’s perspective, making the training more efficient and reliable. The dog will know that a higher reward will be given for certain acts, but nonetheless, it will be appreciated even on small gestures.

Cesar Millan, a famous dog trainer, follows the same positive training for dogs as mentioned above. You know a training technique is effective and successful while training dogs when he suggests it. He uses it in his everyday life while training his and others’ dogs. Cesar Millan offers these suggestions to help dog trainers:

• Investigate and identify why your dog is acting the way it is. You cannot effectively deal with a behavior unless you know the root cause.
• Understand your dog.
• Learn and communicate.
• Find appropriate motivators that your dog may be able to enjoy.
• Be patient and understanding; do not resort to harsh punishments or words.
• Have patience.
• Be consistent.

Conclusion

The tips mentioned above should allow you to pave a successful path toward positive reinforcement, building a healthy relationship with your dog. It is vital to know and understand that it takes time and effort from both the dog and the trainer’s part. It is a slow and therapeutic process, which is known to ensure good results. Be patient and know how your dog feels. Take this opportunity to bond. This will help you learn how to properly take care, train, and disciple the dog, and the dog will learn how to respond and behave accordingly.