Tag-Archive for » puppy training «

Why to Train Your Dog

Dogs are notorious for peeing on floors, chewing up clothes, barking at neighbors, and so many other unfortunate qualities they hold.  Dogs are animals, and unless they are properly trained, they’ll act like a one.  Obedience training can improve your dogs behavior by setting a standard for them. Training sets a foundation to solve problems so that you can keep them out of trouble and handle them with ease. Florida Dog Training will also open up communication between you and your dog so you can understand each other.  This will benefit you by keeping them from becoming a job instead of an enjoyment, and will help you understand how to interact with your pet.

Puppies

When you first get a dog, you begin to learn how they act and cope with your home surroundings.  Many people automatically notice behavioral problems in their pets, and think that they will work them out in time because it’s a puppy and they can’t help it.  But beware, because what you initially see as a small issue can become a BIG problem.  Puppy training, as opposed to training them when they are grown, can be very beneficial.  It will insure that your pet will not become aggressive when they grow up along with establishing that they are indeed not the alpha in the house.  By taking a few classes, you can easily solve future behavioral problems, and make having a dog more fun and less work.  Teaching your dog while they are young will also help your dog interact with others and learn how to handle unfamiliar situations without feeling threatened.

Family

A dog should be not only a pet, but also essentially a family member.  Classes can help them become a well-tempered friend for you, and will make your dog safe and appropriately friendly around children.  Obedience classes will teach your dog to obey simple orders, such as sit, stop, and lay down.  These easy commands will save them from potentially dangerous situations such as darting out into the street when you open the door, slipping out of their leash when you go on walks, or chasing wild animals as a back-yard game.

Keep your dog safe and happy by enrolling them in an K9 obedience course today!

Top Lessons to Teach Your Puppy

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.

Top Two Signs You Found a Positive Breeder

How to Find the Right Dog Breeder

When trying to find a dog to add to your loving home, the best option is to try rescue and animals shelters first.  But if you are set on finding a specific type of puppy, then a breeder is the way to go.  However, you need to be careful.  You need to find a loving, experienced and reputable breeder.  A Florida dog obedience instructor could probably help you.  In the meantime, check out these tips on how to find an honest, caring breeder.

Good Breeders Do Not Encourage Holiday Sales

It is commonsense to understand that puppies are in high demand during Christmas, but you need to be leery of breeders that sell during the high season.  For an understanding breeder comprehends the holidays are not the best time for a dog owner and the puppy to bond.  There is much chaos going on with decorations, family, houseguests, holiday desserts left out and more.  A puppy should be brought home to a calmer environment.  It helps the puppy make the transition of being away from the litter and allows you to pay attention to your puppy properly.

Loving Breeders Communicate

Watch out for breeders that sell a puppy after one exchange of communication.  Credible breeders wish to ensure the puppy is suitable for your home and lifestyle and will ask lots of questions.  In addition, the breeder will be happy to answer lots of questions too.  Find a breeder equipped with an abundance of information and advice making the transition a smooth one for you and the puppy.

To find out more about choosing the right breeder, talk to a Florida puppy training expert today.

Why Socialization in Puppies is Ideal

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.

What to Expect with a German Shepherd Puppy

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.

How to Teach Your Puppy Not to Chase

Dogs have the natural instinct to chase after passing objects and live beings, such as vehicles, people and other animals.  But how do you teach your dog not to engage in such behavior?  Is it possible to teach an animal not to act on intuition?  It is possible and necessary when keeping your dog safe.  You do not want your canine to run across the street to chase after a squirrel and put itself in danger.  Here are a few tips on how to prevent a negative outcome from occurring.

Use a Long Line Leash

Take your puppy out to an area where wildlife frequently visits.  Make sure your dog is on a secure, long line leash without tension.  It needs to provide the sensation of running free without a leash.  Leashes that provide tension will not do.  Next, have treats and your dog’s favorite toys with you.  Currently, when another animal passes by your dog, call to your dog to “come” and show the treat and/or toy while running in the opposite direction as the animal.  This will encourage your dog to follow.   Once your dog reaches your location, play games with your dog.  Engage your dog in physical activity with a positive aspect.  This will distract your puppy from Hela monsters, lizards, snakes and other animals that may come along and harm your puppy.

To find out more about how to teach your puppy not to chase meet with a Florida dog training professional or enroll in a puppy kindergarten class today.

Avoid These Top 3 Puppy Training Mistakes

There is so much material about puppy training on the internet making it difficult to decipher the positive from the ineffective methods.  Thus, I have decided to sift through the material for you and provide the top three puppy training techniques to avoid.  These methods encourage good behavior from your pup, and you.

Do Not Abuse Crate Time

Crate training is designed to teach your dog how, when and where to go to the restroom.  A puppy will not go to the bathroom where the puppy plays, sleeps and lives.  Thus, use the crate in such a manner.  Do not use the crate as a means of punishment for your puppy.  Your puppy will not understand and it will confuse your puppy further.

Never Use Physical Force

There is absolutely no reason to hit your puppy.  Instead, gently correct your puppy’s behavior when the pup does something wrong.  If you implement physical harm upon your pup, then you will end up with a nervous, aggressive, and confused grown dog.  Puppy’s need to be taught in a loving environment with positive reinforcement.

Rid the Old Concept of Rubbing Your Puppy’s Nose in an Accident

The old method of teaching your puppy where to go the bathroom via rubbing your pup’s nose in accidents no longer works.   Instead, concentrate on positive reinforcement by showing the puppy where to go, and provide plenty of praise when done correctly.

If you would like more tips on how to train your puppy, enroll in a puppy kindergarten class or a puppy preschool today.

How to Rename a Dog

What if you just adopted a new dog and the dog’s name was that of your ex-business partner who swindled you out of thousands of dollars?  You do not want a reminder of the scoundrel every time you call your loving puppy.  Alternatively, what if the dog’s original name was the same as your ex-wife, but the current wife would not find that too amusing.  Thus, change your dog’s name to something more suitable and appealing for the entire family.  Talk to a Florida dog training professional about name training, but in the meantime, here is an outline on how to start implementing the name change through positive reinforcement.

Name Training is Easy

Name training your dog is not that difficult.  All you need are treats, patience, and a positive attitude.  Start by holding out a treat in your hand while stating your dog’s new name.  Once your dog responds by looking at you, hand the dog the treat immediately.  Provide an abundance of praise.  Now, repeat this technique again.   It is essential to the training not to call the dog’s name for anything other than positive praise.

For instance, if your dog is in trouble do not call the dog by name to implement punishment.  It will only confuse your pup later on.  For the dog remembers the name was associated with punishment.  Therefore, the dog will not come when called to.  Hence, keep the name usage to positive moments and commands.

For more information about how to rename a dog in a positive manner, talk to puppy kindergarten instructor today.

Tips on How to Train Your New Pup

Some new dog owners tend to forget training a pup takes lots of patience.  Your dog is not a robot.  You cannot control a dog with a remote control.  You need to provide patience, love, understanding and consistency when implementing training techniques.  Here are a few standard rules that apply when teaching your dog new commands.

Be Gentle with New Puppies

A new puppy has not had any training except what was learned from the litter.  Therefore, remind yourself of this fact and be gentle when executing commands.  You don’t want the puppy to react in a negative manner.  Thus, keep the frustration level to zero.  Use treats along the way.  It helps your pup understand what is considered acceptable behavior.  Positive reinforcement is a great way to achieve the results you want in a light atmosphere.

Not All Dogs Get Along

If there are other dogs in the home, introduce them to each other slowly.  Do not be taken aback if the older dogs are not accepting of the new pup in the beginning.  New puppies have more energy and wish to play; whereas, an older dog may be set in his/her ways.  Do not force the two to interact.  The bonding will improve overtime at their leisure.  Try to encourage positive interaction but talk to a Florida dog training professional for tips on how to ensure this occurs correctly.

There are many concepts to keep in mind when training a new dog to your home.  If you are unsure about a certain technique then enroll in a puppy kindergarten class today.

Top Reasons Why People Love Their Dogs

Dogs can be expensive.  There are food, health, grooming and k9 obedience training costs.  But the rewards of owning a dog outweighs any monetary expense accumulated.  If you are debating on whether getting a dog is the right choice for you, check out our list of the top two widespread reasons dog owners cannot imagine life without their dogs.

Dogs Provide Companionship

If you survey dog owners across the board, companionship will be the number one universal reason why people love their dogs.  Depending on the breed, a dog could be your running, walking or hiking partner.  Your dog is present when you come home from work every day providing you with lots of excitement and joy.  You have playtime set aside dedicated to your dog.  Your dog is always there to provide unconditional love without having to say a word.  It is companionship at its best.  It is the reason why a dog is a man’s best friend.

Dogs Elevate Moods

When you are in a funk, it is difficult to snap out of it.  However, a dog’s presence automatically helps ease you out of the tough times.  For instance, my friend has a dog, and when my friend is in a sad state, the dog is able to sense it.  The dog will tug at the covers in the morning ensuring she gets up out of bed and starts her day off the right foot.  And it works!  It does not matter if my friend swore the night before that she is never leaving her bedroom for the next eight days.  Her dog knows when she is in the dumps, and pulls her out of it.

A dog brings joy to our lives.  A dog is able to lift our spirits and provide an abundance of positive emotions our way.  To find out more about how to sustain your dog’s health, grooming and training talk to a Florida dog obedience training professional today.