Everything You Need to Know About Dog Training!

 

Everything You Need to Know About Dog Training!

Many people believe that dog training is hard. Many also believe that some dogs are simply not trainable. Both of these views are wrong. The truth of the matter is this: all dogs are trainable, and training a dog doesn't have to be hard work. Indeed, training a dog can be fun. It is of course true that some dog breeds are easier to train than others. 

What we disagree with, however, is the assertion that there are dogs which can't be trained - because that is so untrue. What we venture to explore then, are some of the things you need to do, in order to get the training of your dog right.

Parameters for gauging success

You'll be deemed to have gotten the training of your dog right if you manage to pass on the essential dog skills to your pooch within a reasonable amount of time.

You'll further be deemed to have gotten the training of your dog right if you manage to the essential dog skills in an enduring way. This is to say, in other words, that you won't be regarded as having been very successful in training your dog if the pooch forgets the skills taught within a day.

Thus, in a nutshell, the parameters through which success in dog training can be gauged include:
- The duration of time expended in passing on the essential skills to the dog.
- The skills inculcated in the dog.
- How long the skills are retained by the dog.

Of course, if you are taking too long to pass on certain skills to the dog, if you are finding it impossible to inculcate certain skills in the dog, or if the dog keeps on forgetting skills taught to him or her, it doesn't necessarily mean that you aren't doing things well. You have to keep it in mind that there are two variables at play here. The first of those is your skill, aptitude and dedication as a dog trainer. And the second of those is your dog's natural ability - against a background where some dog breeds seem to 'get' things faster than others.

Early initiation as a key to success in the training dogs

Simply put, there are some skills that you can only teach to a dog when he or she is young. This means that the commonly held belief that puppies below six months of age shouldn't be trained is altogether wrong. In fact, there are some skills you'll find hard to teach to a dog that is older than six months.

 It is worth noting that unlike us humans, dogs are (in some ways) highly evolved animals - whose life skills learning process starts the moment they are born. That is why a puppy that loses his mother at three months of age may be able to survive in the wild, whereas it would be very hard for a human baby who lost his mother at the same age to survive on his or her own in a similar environment.

Now the best time to start training a dog would be when he or she is learning basic life skills, so that the skills you want to pass on to him or her are also adopted alongside those basic canine life skills. That way, the required behaviors would be part of the dog's personality. They would be more deeply ingrained in him or her. This is not to say an older dog can't be trained. It is just that you'd have a harder time (and less fun) training the older pooch.

It later emerges that some of the people who end up getting the impression that their dogs are not trainable tend to be folks who make an attempt at teaching their dogs certain skills too late in the dogs' lives.

 When the dogs fail to pick such skills, they are labeled boneheads - whereas it is not really their fault that they are unable to pick the skills, but rather, the trainer's fault for not having initiated training earlier.
The right use of rewards and corrections as a key to success in training dogs.

When we get to the nitty-gritty of dog training, it emerges that various skills and behaviors can only be transmitted and ingrained in dogs through the right use of rewards and corrections.

The biggest reward you can give to a dog is attention. And conversely, the biggest correction/punishment you can give to a dog is deprivation of attention.

Thus, if you want to get you dog to pick a certain behavior, you need to simulate (or rather illustrate) it to him or her, and then reward him or her (with attention) when he behaves accordingly, whist also punishing him or her (with deprivation of attention) when or she fails to behave accordingly. 

Just looking at the dog lovingly is a way of 'rewarding' him or her with attention. Petting him or her is another form of attention reward. Praising the pooch verbally is yet another way of rewarding him or her with attention. True, the dog may not understand the words, but he or she can sense the emotions behind them. Dog seem to have that ability.

Meanwhile, if your dog was enjoying your attention whilst doing something right and you deprive him or her of that attention the moment he or she starts doing something wrong, he instantly senses the reaction and makes the connection between his misbehavior and the deprivation of attention. He is inclined to correct the behavior, in order to regain your attention. These things work particularly well if the dog you are trying to train is still young.

What you mustn't do, however, is to hit the dog as a form of punishment/correction: the simple reason being that the dog won't understand that being hit is a form of 'punishment.' Rather, the hit pooch will assume that you are just being violent to him or her. 

If the dog keeps on doing things like running to the road or messing up neighbors stuff, you'd be better advised to find ways of restraining his movements, rather than hitting him.

Patience as a key to success in the training of dogs

You won't be successful in dog training unless you are patient. You have to keep it in mind that it takes dogs some time to pick ideas that seem too simple to us as humans. There are people who have this misconception that you can only be successful in dog training if you are 'tough.' On the contrary, this is one of those endeavors where kindness and the 'soft approach' seem to work better than the tough Spartan approach to training.

Persistence as a key to success in the training of dogs

Closely related to patience (as a key to success in dog training) is persistence. You won't be successful as a dog trainer if you give up too easily - that is, like where you illustrate a desired behavior to a dog, and then give up if the dog fails to pick it up immediately. The truth of the matter is that you have to illustrate a desire behavior to a dog several times, whilst using the necessary reinforcements, till the dog eventually comes to learn what is expected of him or her.

Consistency as a key to success in the training of dogs

This is a scheme where, for instance, having settled on a particular reinforcement (reward or punishment), you need to apply it consistently, so that the dog under training can understand what it actually means. One of the worst things you can do in the course of training a dog is to send mixed signals, because once a dog gets confused, it becomes very hard to train him or her.

Further keys to successful dog training

On top of these, you may need to undertake further research (online or in the library) before getting started.

And should your DIY efforts at training your dog fail, you should consider enlisting the help of a professional trainer before giving up on the dog altogether.

For for Free information about dog training, just go HERE [http://bestdogtrainingprograms.com] for professional Dog Training Advice [http://bestdogtrainingprograms.com]

By Branden Swanson 

 
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6958988

Everything YOU NEED to KNOW to TEACH your DOG a PERFECT FETCH!

10 Easy Lessons Learning The Cat Language In

 

Ever wonder why your cat rubs against your leg? Cats speak to us mainly through body language. Each cat is different, but here are some basic cat body language signs and what they mean:

1. Eyes Half Closed - If you are talking to your cat and she looks back at you squinting her eyes, she is listening to you.

2. Tail Straight Up - This is a sign of a very happy cat.

3. Stiff Quick Upward Flick of the Tail - This is how cats say "hello" to both humans and other cats.

4. Lashing the Tail -You have a mad kitty on your hands!

5. Belly Up - This is a huge compliment from a cat, this means the cat trusts you completely.

6. Fur Standing Straight Up - This is a frightened cat, the fur standing on end is supposed to make the cat look larger and more tough.

7. Rubbing Against an Object - Cats have scent glands in their forehead, mouth and chin, they rub objects with their scent to mark it as theirs.

8. Flattened Ears - This is a sign of an annoyed cat or a frightened cat.

9. "Pawing" or "Kneading" At You- This is a sign of a very content happy kitty.

10. Clawing at Furniture or Cat scratching post- If your cat is de-clawed, she is leaving her scent on the object. If your cat has her claws, she is sharpening her claws. When this behavior is displayed in front of other cats, kitty is showing off and expressing self confidence.

If your cat is in a not so happy mood there are things you can do to snap her out of her funk. The first thing I like to try is giving her favorite cat toy. If this does not work then I will put her on her cat condo and let her get her frustration out. This usually does the trick.

By Leigh Adams

HOW TO UNDERSTAND YOUR CAT BETTER

 

 

Don’t give your dog this food

 

While it is tempting to share your food with your fury family member, you should be aware that many of the human foods are poisonous for dogs. You should avoid ordering foods for your dog from the below menu.

APPETIZERS 

Baby Food - Many people try to give baby foods especially to pups when they are not feeling well. Baby foods are not bad in general. However, you should make sure the baby food you are giving does not contain any onion powder. Also, baby foods do not contain all the necessary nutrients for a healthy dog.

Chewing Gum - Most chewing gum contains a sugar called Xylitol which has no effects on humans. However, it can cause a surge of insulin in dogs that drops a dog's blood sugar to dangerous level. If your dog eats large amount of gums, it can damage liver, kidney or worse.

Candy - Many of the candies also contain Xylitol, the same type of sugar as Chewing gum. So, keep candies and chewing gums away from the reach of your dogs and puppies.

Chocolate - Chocolates are considered poisonous for dogs. Chocolates contain caffeine and theobromine which can be toxic for your dog. Chocolates can cause panting, vomiting, and diarrhea, and damage your dog's heart and nervous systems.

Corn on the cob - Dogs can eat Corn, but not the cob. M

ost dogs cannot digest cob easily, which can cause intestinal obstruction, a very serious and possibly fatal medical condition if not treated immediately.

Macadamia Nuts - Macadamia nuts also known as Australia Nuts can cause weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia in dogs.

Mushrooms - Mushrooms are tricky. While some types of Mushrooms are fine, others can be toxic for dogs. Some types of mushrooms can cause serious stomach issues for dogs. As a cautious dog owner, you should try to avoid giving mushrooms to your dog.

Tobacco - Never give tobacco to your dog. The effects of nicotine on dogs are much more worse than humans. The toxic level of nicotine in dogs is 5 milligrams of nicotine per pound of body weight. In dogs, 10 mg/kg is potentially lethal.

Cooking dough - Raw bread dough made with live yeast can be hazardous if ingested by dogs. When raw dough is swallowed, the warm, moist environment of the stomach provides an ideal environment for the yeast to multiply, resulting in an expanding mass of dough in the stomach. Expansion of the stomach may be severe enough to decrease blood flow to the stomach wall, resulting in the death of tissue.

Rotten food -Spoiled food have mold and other bacteria which can cause serious damage to your dog's health.

MAIN ENTRIES 

Cooked Bones - While raw bones are beneficial for your dog's teeth, cooked bones can be dangerous for your pup. Cooked bones are more brittle, which means it is highly likely they might splinter and cause internal injury to your dog.

Cat Food - A little cat food eaten by your dog may not be an issue. However, you feed cat food regularly to your dog, it can cause some health issues. Cat foods usually have higher level of protein and fat which are not healthy for dogs.

Fat Trimmings - Meat fat trimmings, cooked or raw can cause pancreatitis in dogs.

Liver - Feeding liver occasionally might be OK, but do not feed too much liver to your dog. Excessive consumption of liver can adversely affect your dog's muscles and bones.

Yeast - As mentioned earlier, too much of yeast could rupture your dog's stomach and intestines.

Dairy Products - Some dogs would be fine with dairy products. However, dogs generally have relatively poor levels of tolerance to lactose which is found in milk. As a result, it can cause diarrhea and other digestive issues.

DRINKS 

Alcohol - You should not even let your dog taste any kind of alcohol, let alone consume it in large quantity. The main ingredients used in beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages are toxics and dangerous for dogs. Alcohol can cause poor breathing, abnormal acidity, intoxication, lack of coordination and even coma and/or death for a dog.

Coffee - Too much Coffee can be poisonous for your dog. Common signs of a coffee overdose include vomiting, tremors, restlessness and rapid heart rate. In severe cases, seizures can appear. It's possible for dogs to collapse if high amounts of caffeine have been consumed.

Milk - Many dogs especially puppy drink milk. Most dogs may not experience any issues with milk, but some dogs may be intolerant to lactose found in milk. Dogs allergic to lactose may experience upset tummy and other allergic reactions after drinking milk.

Citrus Oil Extracts - Oil extracts from citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and limes can cause irritation in your dogs digestive system especially if consumed in large quantities. Dogs may experience diarrhea, vomiting, drooling, and trembling.

FRUITS AND SALADS 

Apple Seeds - Apple seeds contain amygdlin, a form of cyanide. It can hinder blood from carrying oxygen throughout the body. Keep your pup away from apple seeds.

Avocado - Avocado fruit, its pit and plant are toxic for dogs. Avocado damages heart, lung and other tissue in dogs in addition to stomach upset, vomiting and pancreatitis.

Grapes & Raisins - Dogs usually get allergic reactions after eating grapes and raising. Dogs may experience vomiting, fatigue, diarrhea, and possibly kidney failure.

Onions - Onions are dangerous for dogs. Try to avoid feeding onions (raw or cooked) to your dog. If the dog eats a small amount of onions every day for many days, it may gradually develop anemia over weeks to months.

Chives - Chives can cause hemolysis, anemia, or hemoglobinuria in your dog. Some of the symptoms of too much chives consumption include weakness, lethargy, pale mucous membranes and discolored (red to brown) urine.

Peaches - Dogs may not experience any issues if they just consume peach flesh. However, pits of peaches are toxic to dogs. They may cause your dog to experience dilated pupils, dizziness and excessive drooling.

Plums - Stems, leaves, and seeds of plums are toxic for dogs. Dogs may experience brick red mucous membranes, dilated pupils, difficulty breathing, panting, and shock.

Tomato Leaves - The leaves of a tomato plant contain the glycoalkaloids alpha-tomatine and dehydrotomatine which are toxic for dogs. Some of the symptoms of eating tomato leaves include; drooling, stomach upset, diarrhea, vomiting and changes in his behavior. Tremors or seizures could also occur if your pup has consumed too much tomato leaves.

FISH 

Raw Fish / Fish in general - Some amount of fish in your dog's diet may not cause any issues. However, If fish are fed exclusively or in high amounts to your dog can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death.

SIDE DISH 

Human vitamins - Some human vitamins can be toxic for pets, in particular those that are fat soluble like vitamins A, D and E. Also, iron tablets can damage the digestive system lining, and prove poisonous for the liver and kidneys of your dog. So, keep your vitamins away from your dog especially puppies.

Human Snacks - Some of the human snacks might use ingredients such as onion and garlic powder, raisins, chocolate which could be toxic for dogs. Try to give your furry friend snacks and treats made just for them instead of sharing yours.

If your dog has an emergency after eating or drinking something, please call your veterinarian immediately.