Archive for the Category »Puppy Kindergarten «

Common Mistakes When Teaching Your Dog to “Come”:

By Jeffery
18
Jan 2012

It is ironic that owners go to great lengths to train their dog NOT to come when called, and then proceed to complain about it. They expect their dog to just drop everything its doing and instantly come racing over to them without any proper training techniques. The first thing your going to have to do is undo the methods previously planted into the mind of your dog. Then proceed with kindergarten level obedience before achieving the results you desire.

The worst practice you as the owner may engage in is letting their dog off leash and unattended. Whether the dog is running in the park, romping up and down the backyard or playing with other dogs, the dog is learning that these good times do not include the owner. In fact, it is always the owner who ruins the fun by ordering the dog to “Come.” When the dog obediently comes to the owner, his leash is promptly attached and he’s on his way back home. This is not a good outcome from the dog’s perspective. So on each successive outing, the dog delays coming when called because by delaying, he is prolonging his off leash experience.

When the owner repeatedly calls the dog and he does not come, then the dog is learning that he doesn’t have to come or at least he doesn’t need to come until he is called over a thousand times. The dog has now learned that ignoring the owner is much more rewarding than to obey. This is definitely a losing situation. If the dog comes, he feels he is being punished for coming because his off leash fun has ended. If the dog doesn’t come, he is learning that by not responding to your command, he is being self-rewarded for ignoring you.

A very frustrated owner feels the need to punish the dog for not coming when called. Because the owner does not know how to punish the dog while it is running away, the owner punishes the dog when he eventually returns. In result, the next time the dog will take much longer to come back because not only does it end the fun but it also now means outright punishment from the owner if he does cooperate. In the end, just remember that you are in fact dealing with an animal mentality.

Category: Florida Dog Obedience Training, Florida Dog Training, Florida Puppy Training, Puppy Kindergarten  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment

Basic Things all Puppies Should Learn

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
21
Jan 2011

Dog training is a necessity, and it especially helps if you do it when they are young.  it is very important to teach puppy commands in their first year; it will form good habits that will come in handy with basic dog care, and keep the both of you out of trouble!  Here are a few basic things every puppy should learn.

Potty Training

It seems that all people should know to teach their dogs to go to the bathroom outside, but it is equally important for you to teach them to alert you when they have to go.  Unless you have a doggy door, you need to know when they have to go or you’ll end up with a soggy carpet, and that doesn’t smell so good.

Stop and Stay

Training your dog to stop and stay is very important when considering dangerous situations and manners around others.  If your dog runs off when you open the door or if they get off their leash, you need to have the control of making them stop and stay.  This also comes in handy when you have guests over and your puppy is pestering them.

NO jumping

Jumping may be adorable when they are puppies, but you don’t want your full grown dog jumping on children or elderly friends, so break the habit!

Puppy Socialization

Let your puppy be friendly and be around other animals, but know when to limit them.  It is fine to let your dog play with other kitties or dogs, but don’t let them start chasing, biting, or harassing the other animal. Don’t eliminate dog play, just watch over how your puppy acts around other dogs.  Basically, teach them their limits of puppy socialization in order to be polite around others.

Dominance

Many dogs mistakenly believe they are the alpha of the house and take over the space as their territory.  This is a horrible thing to let your dogs do.  Letting them think that they are in charge will make them lash out and become violent in situations that are not appropriate.  If your dog starts growling at you as a puppy, it is a good idea to take them to a dog obedience class.  One of my puppies used to growl, and a good way to show them that you are in charge is to simply flip them onto their back.  We repeatedly flipped him on his back whenever he acted out, and now he is now the nicest family dog you could ask for!  Doing this a few times will send the message that you’re the boss.

If you have any questions about puppy training, ask, message, or call our Florida dog training center.

Category: Florida Dog Training, Florida Puppy Training, Puppy Classes, Puppy Kindergarten, Puppy Preschool  Tags: , , , ,  Leave a Comment

How to Holiday Travel with a Puppy

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
17
Dec 2010

Traveling with a puppy for the holidays is different from traveling with an adult dog.  Florida dog training experts point out how adult dogs are calmer and relaxed under a wide array of scenarios.  If a party is going on, then an adult dog may be accustomed to the noise, people, food and drinks associated with the event.  To a puppy, it is all fresh.  A puppy needs positive reinforcement on how to behave during these circumstances.  Here is a guideline on how to prepare you, and your puppy for upcoming Christmas and New Year’s festivities.

Wear the Puppy Out Before You Arrive

This is a no-brainer.  Puppies have tons of energy.  Exercise your puppy before arriving at your destination.  Do not assume the homeowners will entertain and tire the puppy out for you.  It is common courtesy to arrive with your puppy prepared to rest.

Watch Out for Safety Hazards

When arriving at your holiday destination, take a look around the venue or house.  Watch out for anything the puppy could get into.  If there are Christmas lights hung too low, then ask if it is okay to raise it to a higher location.  If there are chocolates lying about, find out if you may move it out of your puppy’s reach.  Review the place just as if you were at home.  Make sure there is nothing puppy accessible, which may cause harm.

Stay safe while traveling with your precious pet for the holidays.  Be considerate of those you shall visit.

If you need more guidance, talk to puppy kindergarten instructors today.  They will provide tips on the best way to handle traveling situations.

Happy Holidays!

Category: Florida Dog Training, Florida Puppy Training, Puppy Kindergarten  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment

How to Teach a Puppy Not to Jump

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
17
Nov 2010

Puppies are a ball full of energy jumping on furniture and people everywhere they go.  Unfortunately, this causes a nuisance to visitors and destroys furniture.  Here are some tips to teach your puppy how not to jump on furniture…or people.

What to Do When Someone Enters

Does your puppy jump on visitors upon arrival?  It is a common trait amongst puppies, but this habit can be changed.

First, keep treats by the door.  Put these somewhere out of your puppy’s reach.  Then, whenever the doorbell rings or someone knocks implement the “sit” and “stay” commands.  Use the treats to reward your pup for sitting still and listening.  If your pup starts to stir, just give your pup a look.  Your dog will understand what it means.  Remember to never yell at your puppy.   Yelling doesn’t work on dogs.  It just confuses your pet.

What to Do When YOU Enter

How do you enter the house after a long day at work?  Do you call for your puppy in an excited voice?  Your actions have a direct impact on your puppy’s behavior.

For instance, if your pup is jumping when you open the door, and you are petting your pup at the same time, then this translates to your pet that the jumping action is rewarded.  The pup jumps, your puppy gets attention.  Instead, teach your puppy to be calm when you come home.  This will stop the jumping habit from escalating out of control.

For more advice about how to use positive reinforcement methods with puppies, talk to a puppy kindergarten instructor or enroll in puppy preschool today.

Category: Florida Puppy Training, Puppy Classes, Puppy Kindergarten, Puppy Preschool  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment

Top Lessons to Teach Your Puppy

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
10
Sep 2010

Adding a new puppy to the home is an exciting time for the entire family.  You have the puppy crate ready, the puppy bed, puppy food, leash, toys, but are you ready to teach your puppy the essentials to healthy living through necessary commands?  It can be a bit tricky if you are a first time dog owner.  But it is not difficult.  All you need is love, positive reinforcement, and guidance from a professional.

To get you started in the right direction, here are a few standard lessons that will enhance your puppy’s development into a healthy dog, and improve the bond shared between the two of you.  There are more lessons then what is covered, but at the least, this will give you a starting checkpoint.  To find out specifics, talk to a Florida puppy training instructor or a puppy kindergarten instructor today.

Teach Your Puppy Basic Training

Every puppy should learn to sit, down, stay and wait.  It will keep your puppy healthy and away from danger when need-be.  For instance, if you and your puppy are on a walk and traffic crosses your paths without warning, then tell your pup to stay via the stay command.  It will keep your pup from running out into the traffic causing fatal injuries.  It keeps your pup out of harm’s way.

Teach Your Pup Not to Nip or Mouth

Puppies tend to nip and mouth when starting.  You need to teach your puppy that it is not desirable behavior through applying positive reinforcement.  You do not want your puppy to grow into a dog that bites even during playtime, and that is occurs without this lesson taught from the beginning.

These are only two basics of puppy training.  There is much more to learn.  Talk to a Florida dog obedience instructor today.

Category: Florida Puppy Training, Puppy Classes, Puppy Kindergarten, Puppy Preschool  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment

How to Feed Your Puppy-Part #2

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
25
Aug 2010

In yesterday’s blog, we talked about the dos and don’ts of how to feed a puppy.  Today we shall continue that discussion and give you further tips to provide your puppy with a strong foundation to grow up and be a healthy adult dog.

When puppies reach three or four weeks old, they start to eat puppy food.  And the first time they see it, do not be surprised if they solely play around with it.  Puppies are not used to getting their food in such a manner.  Do not fret.  It does not take long for a puppy to understand the food is there to eat not to play around with.  Just allow your puppy time to figure it out.  Keep in mind, by the time a puppy reaches around eight weeks old, then dry puppy food should be eaten on a regular basis.

For medium, large and giant breed puppies, the food should be administered in a portion control technique.  It helps keep a puppy’s weight at a healthy number.  For if puppies develop too quickly then there are issues with growth spurts.  Too many calories taken cause a puppy to grow too quickly and develop bone growth issues.  However, if you notice any issues with your puppy be sure to consult with a veterinarian.

To find out more about how, when and what to feed your puppy and other puppy care tips, enroll in a puppy kindergarten or puppy preschool class today.  Florida dog training experts are here to help.

Category: Florida Puppy Training, Puppy Classes, Puppy Kindergarten, Puppy Preschool  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment

How to Feed Your Puppy

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
23
Aug 2010

Puppies born into a new home is an exciting time for everyone involved.  The entire household gets to watch the puppies develop and grow.  But to make sure you start your puppy off on the right paw, there are a few rules experts agree upon across the board in regards to feeding your new puppy.  Here is a basic outline providing you with a guideline on puppy feeding rules.

When puppy newborns arrive, it is important to keep the puppy with the mom.  The puppy, for the first four weeks, receives complete nutrition from a mother’s milk.  Thus, you want to keep the two together until the puppy has passed this stage.  And do not make any food substitutions for the mother’s milk.  It is a necessity for the puppy to grow up strong and healthy.  It is the foundation of the puppy’s entire life.

Next thing to pay attention to is that puppies expand much energy.  It takes a lot for the little one to move around.  So you need to feed your puppy lots of protein for this is what allows your puppy to have the energy to move about in a fit manner.  You need to check with a Florida dog obedience professional regarding the requirement for specific breeds, but for the most part, you need to feed your puppy food that contains twenty-five to thirty percent protein.

These are basic feeding tips for your puppy.  To find out more enroll in a puppy preschool or puppy kindergarten class today.

Category: Florida Puppy Training, Puppy Classes, Puppy Kindergarten, Puppy Preschool  Tags: , , , ,  Leave a Comment

Why Socialization in Puppies is Ideal

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
03
Aug 2010

It is essential to your puppy’s development to be handled and trained by you and other people.  It allows your puppy to understand that humans are not something to fear, and begins the socialization skills off on a positive start.

Puppies need nail trimming, grooming, shots, and training.  And sometimes these tasks are not always completed by you.  There are professionals who handle these duties with ease.  But if your puppy is not common to new environments and other people, then your canine could react in a negative manner to these fresh elements.  Socialization is a means of making certain that nothing bad occurs when placed in an unfamiliar setting.

Why Puppy Socialization is Essential

The more exposure your pup has to various environments, the easier it will be for your pup to remain calm or at ease during hectic situations.  For instance, let us say you are taking your dog out for a walk.  Along the sidewalk there is construction unfolding with jackhammers, traffic build-up, loud noises, lots of people and pedestrian congestion.  But you need to give your dog’s daily exercise.  You are not going to turn around and go back home.  If your dog has a certain level of socialization experience, then it will not be a problem. Your dog will adapt by ignoring these factors regardless of the sound level.  If your dog is not able to adapt to the situation, then your dog may react with undesirable behavior.  It could lead to aggressive interactions, fear, insecurities, and the desire to runaway.

Avoid any negative situation from unfolding by properly socializing your pup to a wide array of people and settings.

Learn Socialization in Puppy Classes

To find out more about your puppy’s needs, enroll in a puppy kindergarten or puppy preschool today.  An expert will be able to guide you on socialization and other necessary elements for proper puppy training.

Category: Florida Puppy Training, Puppy Classes, Puppy Kindergarten, Puppy Preschool  Tags: , , , ,  Leave a Comment

What to Expect with a German Shepherd Puppy

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
16
Jul 2010

A German shepherd is a great dog!  They are loyal, strong, protective and reliable working dogs.  But before bringing home your German shepherd puppy, it is a positive idea to gather as much information ensuring you are knowledgeable about your new addition.  Here are some basic background facts about this breed.

Senses are Keen

These dogs have sharp senses, and there are ways to enhance their development.  For instance, these dogs have a strong sense of smell.  So when you take your dog for runs allow your dog to roam around and sniff the environment.  It is a joy for your dog to embark in this experience.  Therefore, encourage it.  It is what your dog naturally likes to do.

In addition, these dogs are very intelligent, which makes training easy.  And Florida dog obedience training courses assist in showing you how you to contribute towards your dog’s progress through training.  For example, if you play fetch with your dog, it provides the dog with a skill that improves obedience.  For when your dog plays with you, he/she has to be obedient to you through positive reinforcement.  This carries all the way through your dog’s life making certain that your dog is well behaved, as he/she gets older.

To find out more information about German shepherd breeds, talk to a k9 obedience instructor or enroll in a puppy class today.

Category: Florida Dog Obedience Training, Florida Dog Training, Florida Puppy Training, Puppy Classes, Puppy Kindergarten, Puppy Preschool, k9 obedience  Tags: , , , ,  Leave a Comment

Ways to Build Puppy Confidence

By Jeffery Andrew - K9 Korral
12
Jul 2010

A puppy has a lot to learn about the world and some things may seem scary at first.  But after overcoming different tasks, a puppy’s assurance soars.  Here are a few ways to help your puppy increase self-esteem in a positive manner.

Try Obstacle Courses

Puppies love to play and have lots of energy to expend.  Thus, obstacle courses are a great way to combine both and assemble a strong character along the way.  For when a puppy accomplishes the task of walking up a ramp, going through a tunnel or proceeding downhill then it boosts inner strength. It shows the puppy not to be afraid of something and that the pup can accomplish a task that seems overwhelming at first, but is a cinch to accomplish.  When you go through these little tasks, provide lots of praise.  Make a game out of it.  Provide rewards and keep the mood positive.  Your dog will be running through the obstacle course in no time.

Socialize with Others

The sooner your pup is able to socialize, the better for your dog’s demeanor.  Introduce your canine to other puppies on the same level.  Also, if you have visitors that come on a regular basis, such as a delivery representative or your mother, then have your dog become familiar with that person.  It helps your dog grow to be social and not aggressive.

For more tips on how to build your dog’s confidence at a young age, check out puppy kindergarten or puppy preschool classes today.  The instructor will be able to provide you with additional ideas and positive methods.

Category: Florida Puppy Training, Puppy Classes, Puppy Kindergarten, Puppy Preschool  Tags: , , ,  2 Comments
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