Dog Training

To choose the remote dog training collar is one of the most popular ways to train your favorite pet and man’s best friend. These remote electronic dog training collars help us train our pet, for a family pet, or for your use in a profession. The remote training electronic dog collars will allow your pet to achieve a new level of obedience. The problem is there are many different types of remote dog training collars available and you are not sure what you need. Electric Dog Collar Electronic dog collars have come a long way over the years. A good remote electric dog collar should have good range. To teach the dog using electronic dog training collar, it should be worn for at least a couple of weeks. You should also make sure to take off the electric dog collar 4-5 times a day. This removing the electric dog collar will teach the dog to remember the shock feeling with the electronic collar being off. That way the dog learns that this is a good feeling. You should also teach the dog using electronic dog training collar in a fenced area. The shock amount should be enough to just turn the dogs head. Use it Like a Leash CorrectionUsing electronic dog training collar is nothing more than a leash that is not there (invisible). The electric dog collar should be used in the same way as you would use a leash.The dog should be introduced to the electric dog collar. To think that just by putting the electric dog collar on the dog will train animal, this is incorrect. The act of putting the dog collar on the dog has meaning for the dog, rotating the prong all have meaning. You must also learn the art of pushing the buttons to get the best results.

Some people say that using the electric dog collar is like eating chocolate. There is nothing wrong with eating small amounts, but then there are some who think this is wrong. Never the less, used in small amounts, both are harmless and the dog likes both of them. The harm occurs when there is too much chocolate eaten, but no one has a hard and fast rule to what is OK for the dog and what is not. The electric dog collar gives out a small electric shock and should not be what you would get if you stuck your finger in an electric outlet.A cheap dog shock collar should be subtle in the way that they work. On cheap dog shock collars, you should use a level of shock that is minimal to achieve the obedience that you need. The shock should not frighten or hurt the animal. It can be quite easy to be abusive using electronic dog training collar. For this reason the average dog owner should not use the electric dog training collar.You need some experience when using electric dog training collar. The biggest thing is the dog should not be the one treated inhumanely or with cruelty. This is easy to do if you are careless in using the electric dog collar. You have to understand how the dog is feeling, and how the dog is reacting to the level of shock that is being emitted.What you have to do is determine the purpose of using the electric dog collar or consider the alternatives to make sure the dog is treated properly as well as trained with the best of care.For more information on this topic as well as other pet topics then visit: Remote Dog Training Collar

Have had many articles published on a variety of subjects. Co author of the best selling golf ebook called “Putt Lights Out”. You can find this ebook at http://www.puttlightsout.com For more information on dog and pet topics visit http://www.custom-dog-collars.com

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Tools used in dog training schools.

There are a great many tools that can be utilized in dog training schools. All of these tools are quite helpful when utilized in the training of a dog. The following will introduce you to some of the tools that are utilized in dog training schools and how they can benefit you in the training of your dog.

The clicker is a very useful tool that is used in a lot of dog training schools. What exactly is a clicker you might be wondering? A clicker is a small object that is made out of plastic and contains a small piece of metal inside. The clicker makes a clicking noise when it is squeezed and then released. Using a clicker is a great way to get your dogs attention and once he learns the noise that it makes he will be able to recognize it almost anywhere.

Another tool that you will often find in dog training schools would be the dog leash. The dog leash by far is one of the most commonly used while training a dog. Dog leashes come in a variety of sizes from very short leashes that are used when a trainer wants to exert more control while training to much longer leashes that are used when behaviors that require a bit more freedom are being taught to dogs. There are even leashes that allow dogs a certain amount of freedom then automatically recoil when the trainer wishes the dog to return to them.

A tool that has become quite popular in dog training schools as well as widely enjoyed by dogs themselves is the treat carrier. These special containers allow a dog trainer to be able to carry around a supply of dog treats to use while training their dog. They are quite handy and keep you from having to get your clothing dirty or having to carry around treats in a plastic bag, which could get quite cumbersome.

A tool that is often utilized in dog training schools if a dog has issues with biting is a muzzle. A dog needs to be carefully introduced to this method of training and if the training is done properly it can be extremely efficient in ridding a dog of a potentially hurtful habit.

These are just a few tools of the trade that can be found in dog training schools. There are many more out there and the training tools can vary greatly depending on what type of training you are planning to do with your dog. If you are unsure as to what training tools you are going to need before you begin training your dog contact your local dog training school, as they will be able to point you in the right direction.

Gray Rollins is a featured writer for DogTeachers.com [http://www.dogteachers.com/] – a site dedicated to provided dog training advice. For more tips, including how to obedience train your dog [http://www.dogteachers.com/obedience/] and potty training for puppies [http://www.dogteachers.com/pottytraining/], visit us.

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If you currently own a dog that seems a bit hard to train then you might be considering buying an electronic dog training collar. While the idea of using an electronic collar may be appealing it is important to understand that it is just another method of training your dog. It is not the be all and end all of dog training, but used properly it can deliver very good results when other training methods just don’t seem to work.

When you go to buy an electronic dog training collar be aware that you will find several different types that have differences in how they work. The type most people are familiar with is the electronic shock collar, which emits a low voltage charge that gets the dog attention. There are two other types of electric dog collars, one that works by emitting a high pitched sound that the dog finds extremely annoying and the other choice is a citronella collar that works by squirting citronella in front of the dog’s nose. Dogs do not particularly like the smell of citronella. No matter which version you choose they all work by getting your dogs attention and annoying it in an unpleasant way. Dogs, much like humans, will do whatever is necessary to avoid these annoyances even if it means obeying their owner.

Using an electronic dog training collar is rather straightforward, but remember, it is only a tool to help you achieve the results you want with your dog. The collar won’t train your dog for you; it is a tool that you use to reprimand your dog when it does not obey your commands. For instance when training your dog to sit give the command “sit”, push gently but firmly on the lower back which makes your dog assume the sitting position. You must do this several times so the dog understands what you are asking it to do. Only after demonstrating to the dog several times what he is to do with a certain command do you try and give the command without any human intervention, ie pushing his but down. A dog that catches on quick and obeys should be praised and rewarded with a treat. If the dog refuses to obey this is the time to use the electronic collar. After getting your dogs attention with the collar start over by giving the command and pushing his hind end down into the sitting position and repeat the whole process over.

One of the more popular uses for an electronic dog training collar is the invisible fence. By running a thin wire around the outside of your yard the dog that sets off a beeping alarm whenever your dog approaches the property boundaries the dog learns to stay on your property and not wander off. If the dog ignores the beeping and continues to approach the boundary the collar will give a low grade shock that gets his attention. Soon the dog learns to recognize the beeping and what ignoring the warning means. It should be mentioned that while this method works with the majority of dogs if your dog is overly aggressive no amount of beeping, citronella, or electrical shock will keep him from running through an invisible fence boundary.

Using an electronic dog training collar is a good alternative to training a hard to train dog as long as it is used for its intended purpose. This type of dog collar should be used as a training tool that helps modify a dog’s behavior. It should never be used as a way to punish or in any way inflict needless pain on a dog. Used correctly chances are you will only need to use it sparingly and before long your dog will learn to obey your commands without it.

If you are having trouble training your dog and are thinking of buying an electronic dog training collar then visit Designer Dog Collars to learn more about their use and where to purchase the right one for your dog.

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Puppy obedience training and older dog obedience training use a lot of common sense, some understanding of dog pack behavior, and a few simple techniques. I begin with a reminder to you all – one of the puppy training tips that I have found to help immensely. Be sure you walk for a few minutes with your dog on a proper heel. Starting him off in the follower position with you in the lead makes it a lot easier on you, and it gets you both in the mode to respect you as the Pack Leader.

With that done, here is a simple way to make your dog familiar with the commands “sit” and “down.” Tell the dog “Good sit” as he sits by you looking for affection, and “Good down” when he is lying at your feet after you have had a long day. If he does not seem to understand when you ask him to lie down, push his rear down and work his front paws down. (Obviously, he starts in the sit posture when you do this.)

Command an action from the dog with your hands (or simultaneously with hands and voice). It is easy for him to watch them, and using your hands for direction causes him to respect them. Also, take time to touch and handle all parts of your dog’s body often to avoid fear at the vet or any time he needs to be checked over.

To teach your dog to stay, bring him to one spot and tell him to sit. Then say “Stay” and step back a little. Go forward three steps, then five, then ten.

Mix up the amount of steps so the dog cannot predict what you are going to do. If the dog can guess what you will do, he may cheat.

Sit, move forward two steps, and sit again. If the dog cheats or does not stay when you say to, you must take him back to the original spot and start over. If you do not fix the mistakes immediately, you are likely to have a dog that will cheat way too often and not listen to you at all.

Dog training is really not hard. It simply is a matter of nailing down a few key points. Here are some more dog training and puppy training tips:

Your dog will not be unhappy with you for telling him what to do. On the contrary, he will be angry and frustrated if you don’t!

Always be consistent and follow through in the simplest of things. The little things go a long way. The little things are also remembered.

Do not take it out on your dog if you have had a bad day. It will not help, and it is not his fault. It is better to skip it if you are really ticked.

Always introduce a new command in stages — one step at a time. Let each step be understood and assimilated before adding more. You want to lead and instruct your pet, not confuse and frustrate him.

If you are having difficulty implementing these dog obedience training steps with any modicum of success, then there may be other dog behavior issues – physical or psychological – that underlie the problem. Ask a dog behaviorist for help. Not just any dog trainer will do. You need someone who will help you understand if it is you, the dog, or both. I know better than to buy the popular myth that “a bad dog is the sign of a bad owner.”

GET HELP from Rena Murray at the Dog Obedience Training website. Proven Dog Behavior Modification Expert-Dog Obedience Trainer-Platinum Expert Author, Rena debunks Dog Training Myths in hands-on Articles, free “Best Ezines” newsletter – PAW PERSUASION POINTERS, and blatant Blog to help you better understand, communicate with, control and enjoy your dogs. Rena boldly addresses all your Dog Training and Dog Rehabilitation needs – whether puppy house training, destructive dog behavior, obsessive dog behavior, dog instinctive behavior, or cool dog tricks. Get your FREE Newsletter Subscription at http://www.PawPersuasion.com where you also find Dog Products, Dog Houses and Crates, Dog Lover Gifts, and all things dog-related. Need more help? Contact Rena for Coaching.

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Dog training teaches your dog how to behave and identifies any minor problems your dog might need work on. A trained dog is a happy dog, as is the owner. Dog training is all about properly communicating with a dog, and while it takes around seven to eight weeks to train an older dog, young pups can be trained in as little as two to three weeks.

Dog behavioral problems can be resolved through effective training methods coupled with patience and understanding on the part of the trainer. There is no need for physical discipline or strong language in order to adequately train your dog. There are many methods that make training a fun time for you and your dog. There are also trainings to make the dog useful for particular tasks such as guide dog for the blind, rescue dogs, hunting dogs and many more.

When training, make sure to choose a quiet and open place with not many distractions. Make the experience a pleasant one for you and your dog in order to make sure that your dog gains more confidence, stays happy and is well behaved. The tone and way of speech matters in dog training. For commands such as ‘heel’ and ‘come,’ use a happy and friendly tone. ‘Sit down,’ and ‘stay’ commands should be issued in a lower and firmer voice. Learn to appreciate the dog or puppy when it obeys the command by offering it some food or a toy. Take a little time playing after the training class. Try to develop a bond with your puppy or dog during the training. Avoid harsh punishment and maintain good endurance to carry out the training. By doing this, you not only develop a well-behaved dog, but also a faithful friend.

Dog Training [http://www.z-DogTraining.com] provides detailed information on Dog Training, Dog Obedience Training, Dog Agility Training, Dog Training Collars and more. Dog Training is affiliated with How To Build A Dog Kennel [http://www.e-DogKennels.com].

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The Reward method is probably the oldest form of training a dog. Most probably, this form of Dog Training may have started from early days when wolf pups were trained. However, there is a misconception that rewarding is a morden type of training. The misconception could be due to the reason that reward training became popular over the past 15 odd years.

Many reward-training enthusiasts are less enthusiastic about other forms of dog training, such as the traditional leash and collar method. However, the best approach to training any individual dog is often a combination of leash | collar training and reward training.

We must bear in mind that there is no one method that is suitable to all dogs or breeds. You must be alert to watch, how you dog respond to the various types of trainings. Some dogs respond wonderfully to reward training and they may not be encouraging at all, to leash and collar training, while others respond to leash/collar training woderfully and are not at all motivated by reward training. Most reward training uses some sort of food reward, or a reward that is associated with getting food. Usually, teaching complex behaviors can be easily overcome using this kind of positive reinforcement, and you will find that the people who train dogs for movies and television use reward training almost exclusively.

Clicker Method

Another kind of interesting training method is using the clickers. Surprising, clicker training is one of the method many dog owners prefer to use. In clicker training, the dog is taught to associate a clicking sound with a reward, like a treat. The trainer clicks the clicker when the dog does something good, followed immediately by a treat. Eventually, the dog learns to respond to the clicker alone.

It makes a great deal of sense to get the dog to perform the desired behavior without any physical intervention on the part of the handler. Getting the dog to perform a behavior without being touched is important.

To enforce positive reinforcement, it is wise to reward your dog with a teat. After the dog has performed what you instructed the dog to do, giving a reward is encouraged. Giving reward or treat is a method adopted by many dog trainers and praise, such as “good dog” or a pat on the head, can also be an effective rewards.

For your information, uniformed groups when training their dogs, adopt the rewarding method extensively. These trainings include scent detection, tracking and other related services used by the military and police forces.

Copyright 2006 Mdarma

Mdarma had several years of training dogs and associate with other dog trainers. His love for dogs, prompted him to put into words what he knows about dogs. Hope you will find this article useful to you dog-darma.blogspot.com

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After you’ve housebroken your dog, he needs to learn four behaviors to be a well-mannered pet. You can’t teach them to him all at once, however. Focus on one behavior for a week or so. If your dog is mastering one behavior, add another.

If you have the time, work with your dog twice a day for about 15 minutes. “All work and no play,” applies to him as well. Use your dog’s leash and training collar during each training session.

1. Sit. This is usually the easiest behavior for your dog to learn, and most trainers start with it. There are two ways to teach it, but both involve you taking the slack of the leash with your right hand. Don’t pop the leash.

In method one, use your right hand to offer a treat slightly over and behind your pet’s head. Give the command, “Sit.” This will cause your dog to sit because he’s off balance. Praise him and give him the treat. If you are training a puppy, use this method but without the training collar and leash.

In method two, you press your dog’s rump, exerting gentle pressure down. The first few times he may not sit down completely, but praise him and give him a treat anyway.

Only say the command one time. Give your pet up to 30 seconds before trying again. He may want to think about it. If he doesn’t sit, tell him, “No,” and try again.

Develop a word to let you dog know that he doesn’t have to sit anymore.
Called a “release” word, it’s similar to the military term “at ease.” Most
trainers just say, “OK.”

2. Stay. “Stay” is a command used in conjunction with another, like sit. You are asking your dog to hold the position you put him in. After your dog learns “Stay” in relation to another particular command, it’s easy for him to understand what to do when he’s in a different position.

To teach your dog to “Stay,” start by commanding your dog to sit at your side. Hold the slack leash in a straight up from his head. Hold an open palm in front of his nose and say “Stay.” Step in front of your pet so you can block his forward motion. If he moves, give him the stop signal with your hand again, and repeat “Stay.” If he stays, move back alongside him, wait a second, then praise him.

Once you get your dog to stay, build up time and distances slowly. When
you can get him to stay at the end of a six-foot lease, tug a little. If he
moves, correct him by telling him, “No.”. Repeat and try again. Continue
to work on this with a 20-foot retractable leash if you want.

3. Come. This is probably the most important command you’ll teach your dog, because a loose dog can easily be injured or killed. Knowing this command could literally save your pet’s life. Many dog owners think this is the hardest thing to teach your dog, but actually it’s the easiest! All you have to do is ask your dog to sit while he’s on the leash, call his name, say “Come,” and praise him when he comes to you. Use longer and longer leashes over time, and your dog will come when called.

So why is it that so many dogs bolt out open front doors and take off for the hills? Some dogs are bored. If your pet isn’t stimulated enough, he’ll head for the places that he smells may have more entertainment – like your neighbor’s yard with its inviting trash cans. Keeping your dog stimulated helps.

Mostly, bolting dogs that won’t come back to their owners are the result of poor dog owner training. Your pet, having been mightily scolded for tearing off down the street, narrowly escaping speeding cars, chasing the neighbor’s cat and knocking over trash cans, knows he’ll be in big trouble. The key is, once you’ve cornered the escapee, DO NOT scold him or yell at him. As hard as it is, try not to show him your anger or fear. Squat down, open your arms, and every time he moves toward you, praise him more. It is important to never, ever correct or punish a dog that comes to you, even if it’s too late for the trash cans. Try positive methods instead like commanding him to sit – most dogs do this well. Some errant dogs respond to their owners running away from them.

Other dogs don’t know the “Come” command. That’s because you probably just call your dog’s name to have him come to you. It’s important to use the “Come” command daily around the house.

If you really are a remedial dog owner trainee, your dog won’t come because you haven’t been training him or showing him that you are the leader of the pack. Your dog has to respect you and know what you expect of him to listen to your commands.

Be sure to train your dog to “Come” under all kinds of circumstances, including when other animals are present, when there are a lot of distractions, and in different settings. If you don’t teach your dog anything else, teach him to come to you for his own safety.

4. Off. This command teaches your pet not to jump on people or furniture. Your pet will try to do jump on people to elevate his order in the pack – it’s normal dog behavior. It’s up to you to remind him that you are the leader. Keep your dog’s leash on him when he’s in the house. When he jumps up on you or other people, snap the leash to engage the slip collar, and say, “Off.” Praise your dog when he stops jumping.

This is the same command you use when you want your dog off a piece of furniture. Simply take him by the collar, say, “Off,” lead him off the sofa and praise him. Remember, if you let your dog on your bed or furniture, it’s important to remind him that he has to be invited. If he jumps up next to you uninvited, be consistent with the “Off” command.

You’ll notice a difference almost immediately. Don’t stop the daily training sessions. He needs reminders, just like humans do!

Marilyn Burnham

Author: ‘Dog Owners Boot Camp’

The How To Guide, Dog Training Secrets Professional Dog Trainers Don’t Want You To Know!

For More Information On Dog Training

Marilyn Burnham was the owner operator of 4 successful dog grooming stores in British Columbia, Canada for more than a decade. To spend more time with her children Marilyn made the decision to sell her business in the mid 90′s. Get a copy of her book: ‘Dog Owners Boot Camp’ The How To Guide, Dog Training Secrets Professional Dog Trainers Don’t Want You To Know!

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Dogs are considered to be man’s best friend so understandably, getting a dog or puppy is always an exciting experience for every family. However, getting a puppy is one thing, but training him to be an understanding and obedient part of the family, is another. Dog training requires some necessary skills and attitudes to be effective; you will learn most of these as you train your dog. It is always better to opt to train your dog personally, though there is nothing wrong with hiring a professional dog trainer to handle the task. Both have merits and perhaps, disadvantages.

Though, you may be prone to mistakes and inconsistencies along the way, training your dog yourself could be a very effective way of establishing that important communication between you. You also learn how your dog reacts to some situations and what triggers some actions, like barking. On the other hand, employing the services of a professional brings you instant results and takes away the “trial and error” process that is mostly experienced in personally training your dog.

Some people will advise a blend of the two. Training your dog yourself, but joining a professional dog training class. This achieves several ends, you can describe it as ‘eating your cake and still keeping it’. The training class reduces the cost of employing direct professional services but still provides you with professional direction for home training of your dog. Thus, it does not deprive you of the ‘bonding’ and understanding that is established each time you and your dog start that training session.

No matter how you want to go about your dog’s training, patience, the environment and rewards/praises are vital factors that will greatly affect the success of your efforts.

Patience, in the sense that you are trying to communicate with an animal that doesn’t speak the same language or employ the same communication methods as you do. Whenever you get stuck with training your dog, when you feel your efforts are not yielding any results, remember that you wouldn’t fare better if asked to bark. It is going to take time before you can make you dog sit, by just saying the word, that is not his natural language. A lot of repetitions and praising your dog each time he does it right will reap results.

Dogs are naturally excited by their environments and they tend to get easily distracted. Imagine what happens when a cat cruises past the front of your dog during a training session; he is bound to get distracted. Your dog’s training session will be much more fruitful if you can have your training sessions in a quiet environment with less distraction. You can progress to noisier environments for more advanced obedience training, when you have your dog well grounded in basic obedience training.

As man’s friend, dogs seek to always make their owners happy and satisfied. The training sessions with your dog will be more fruitful if you let your dog know when you are satisfied. Rewarding your dog with cuddles or a treat when he gets it right, shows the dog you are happy with his conduct and reinforces that action in the dog.

Dog training can be quite a challenge, but if you follow the tips here, the task will be much easier.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Dog Training

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In the world of dog training, consistency and persistence are the keys to a well-behaved dog. It is important to be consistent in taking the dog out on a regular schedule when he is small, so he learns that going potty in the house is not acceptable. It is also important that you are persistent in making sure he goes outside.

It is important when training the dog in obedience, even if it’s just “house rules” obedience, that the rules are consistent, meaning they do not change from one day to the next. Jumping up on people as a puppy may be cute, but you cannot allow it as a pup and then expect to change it easily when the dog is grown, for instance. There is a saying, “start as you mean to finish.” It holds pretty well in the dog training world.

However, consistency does not mean quite the same as habitual. For instance, if you always work with the dog in teaching commands in the same order, he will not be willing to do them out of order. You should be consistent in that each command will mean the same thing all the time, but do not teach them in the same order all the time.

Additionally, you want to teach the obedience commands in a variety of places. It is okay to do them in the same place to start with, but once the dog has the basic idea (i.e., sits consistently on the first command), take him somewhere else to teach the same commands. The more you change the venue of training, the better trained the dog will become. The more you vary the tasks expected, the better trained the dog will become.

Plus, if you teach the same commands in the same order all the time, the dog will become bored and lose interest in learning. If you vary the order and add a new behavior occasionally, the dog will be much more eager to learn, because it means spending more time with you and getting more praise. On top of that, as he learns something new and you get excited about it, he’s really eager to learn. Too, you will want to vary the time of day you train and the length of the sessions.

Another way to vary the training is to combine actions. For example, you can teach the dog to come, then partway to you, have him do a down. Leave him there for a bit, then, have him continue to come to you. Why would you want to do this?

Imagine that your dog has gotten out of the house and run across the road to play in someone else’s yard. You call the dog home. He complies, but you realize there is a car barrelling down the road and your dog will cross the street at the same time it’s in a position to hit the dog. Dropping the dog to a down before he gets into the road could save his life. Make sense?

Once your dog has become well trained in a controlled environment, you’ll also want to work with him in a less controlled area–say the parking lot of a nearby grocery store. You will be consistent in how you work with the dog, but the change in environment will not be consistent, so you want the dog to learn to focus on you, no matter what. To listen to you, no matter what.

When I worked at PetsMart, there was a man that would bring his German Shepherd into the store for training. He would wander up and down the aisles and give a variety of commands randomly. In this way, he taught the dog that where ever they were, the dog was to listen and obey. I’m sure he took the dog other places for the same training.

Another way of combining training tasks would be to teach the dog something you’ve seen in a movie. For example, in the movie “Good Boy,” Owen takes Hubble to the park to train. Hubble does the sit-stay, he does a down, he does the roll-over, but when Owen asks him for “dead dog,” Hubble does an extremely dramatic rendition. He stands on his hind legs, walks backward several steps, drops to the ground and rolls over onto his side. The final beat is when his tail drops to the ground, limp.

How would you teach your dog that? Break it into smaller actions. Teach him the dead trick (laying over on his side without moving) first. Then, teach him to stand on his hind legs. Once he has that down, teach him to walk backward. You could even add in a bit of a twirl. Then, he drops to the dead dog and, viola, you have a trick to amaze friends and family with. Plus, you have a well trained dog.

The upshot is, to really train your dog well, teach him consistently, but not in a habitual manner. Vary the behaviors you’re teaching, but not how you teach them. Maybe we’ll see your dog in the movies.

C. Rogers Upson is a published author on several websites and in several anthologies. This article can be published on your website or in your newsletter, so long as the resource information is intact and nothing is changed. Her website is edragonmarketing.com [http://edragonmarketing.com/] and she has a training tips blog at http://dogpotentials.blogspot.com.

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In the world of dog training, consistency and persistence are the keys to a well-behaved dog. It is important to be consistent in taking the dog out on a regular schedule when he is small, so he learns that going potty in the house is not acceptable. It is also important that you are persistent in making sure he goes outside.

It is important when training the dog in obedience, even if it’s just “house rules” obedience, that the rules are consistent, meaning they do not change from one day to the next. Jumping up on people as a puppy may be cute, but you cannot allow it as a pup and then expect to change it easily when the dog is grown, for instance. There is a saying, “start as you mean to finish.” It holds pretty well in the dog training world.

However, consistency does not mean quite the same as habitual. For instance, if you always work with the dog in teaching commands in the same order, he will not be willing to do them out of order. You should be consistent in that each command will mean the same thing all the time, but do not teach them in the same order all the time.

Additionally, you want to teach the obedience commands in a variety of places. It is okay to do them in the same place to start with, but once the dog has the basic idea (i.e., sits consistently on the first command), take him somewhere else to teach the same commands. The more you change the venue of training, the better trained the dog will become. The more you vary the tasks expected, the better trained the dog will become.

Plus, if you teach the same commands in the same order all the time, the dog will become bored and lose interest in learning. If you vary the order and add a new behavior occasionally, the dog will be much more eager to learn, because it means spending more time with you and getting more praise. On top of that, as he learns something new and you get excited about it, he’s really eager to learn. Too, you will want to vary the time of day you train and the length of the sessions.

Another way to vary the training is to combine actions. For example, you can teach the dog to come, then partway to you, have him do a down. Leave him there for a bit, then, have him continue to come to you. Why would you want to do this?

Imagine that your dog has gotten out of the house and run across the road to play in someone else’s yard. You call the dog home. He complies, but you realize there is a car barrelling down the road and your dog will cross the street at the same time it’s in a position to hit the dog. Dropping the dog to a down before he gets into the road could save his life. Make sense?

Once your dog has become well trained in a controlled environment, you’ll also want to work with him in a less controlled area–say the parking lot of a nearby grocery store. You will be consistent in how you work with the dog, but the change in environment will not be consistent, so you want the dog to learn to focus on you, no matter what. To listen to you, no matter what.

When I worked at PetsMart, there was a man that would bring his German Shepherd into the store for training. He would wander up and down the aisles and give a variety of commands randomly. In this way, he taught the dog that where ever they were, the dog was to listen and obey. I’m sure he took the dog other places for the same training.

Another way of combining training tasks would be to teach the dog something you’ve seen in a movie. For example, in the movie “Good Boy,” Owen takes Hubble to the park to train. Hubble does the sit-stay, he does a down, he does the roll-over, but when Owen asks him for “dead dog,” Hubble does an extremely dramatic rendition. He stands on his hind legs, walks backward several steps, drops to the ground and rolls over onto his side. The final beat is when his tail drops to the ground, limp.

How would you teach your dog that? Break it into smaller actions. Teach him the dead trick (laying over on his side without moving) first. Then, teach him to stand on his hind legs. Once he has that down, teach him to walk backward. You could even add in a bit of a twirl. Then, he drops to the dead dog and, viola, you have a trick to amaze friends and family with. Plus, you have a well trained dog.

The upshot is, to really train your dog well, teach him consistently, but not in a habitual manner. Vary the behaviors you’re teaching, but not how you teach them. Maybe we’ll see your dog in the movies.

C. Rogers Upson is a published author on several websites and in several anthologies. This article can be published on your website or in your newsletter, so long as the resource information is intact and nothing is changed. Her website is edragonmarketing.com [http://edragonmarketing.com/] and she has a training tips blog at http://dogpotentials.blogspot.com.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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