You may find that an older dog latches on to housebreaking at a faster pace than a younger puppy. Housebreaking is most efficiently taught by taking your new puppy outside at any point at which you believe he or she needs to use the bathroom. Most frequently puppies will need to go after waking up, after playing, after eating, after drinking, as well as first thing in the morning and first thing at night. Larger dogs will need to go to the bathroom considerably less than puppies throughout the day, but when housetraining they should be taken outside after sleeping and after eating as well as first thing in the morning and first thing at night.
AGGRESSIVE DOG PACKAGE: $950 – Is your dog displaying aggressive behavior around people and/or other animals? This program will specifically target the aggressive issues your dog is experiencing and teach you how to maintain control in similar situations. This package includes training equipment and 8 private lessons. The first 4 lessons will cover our Basic Obedience curriculum, and the last 4 lessons will be focused around behavior modification. This program is ideal for dogs that CONSISTENTLY display aggressive behavior towards people and/or other animals.***Be prepared to practice daily for at least 30 minutes and schedule lessons 1 week apart.***
When training is started at 7 to 8 weeks of age, use methods that rely on positive reinforcement and gentle teaching. Puppies have short attention spans, so training sessions should be brief, but should occur daily. Puppies can be taught to “sit,” “down,” and “stand” using a method called food-lure training. We use food treats to entice the dog to follow its nose into the proper positions for “sit,” “down,” “stand,” and “stay”.
Unfortunately, a cause for anxiety can’t always be determined. It might be that the primary event that caused the onset of anxiety happened in the past and went unnoticed or occured before your pet became a member of your family. It’s also possible that your dog is just prone to anxiety and they get upset anytime there is a change to their routine or environment.
Most people don’t have a problem being very clear about when they are unhappy with their dogs, but, they often ignore the good stuff. Big mistake! Make sure you give your dog lots of attention when he’s doing the right thing. Let him know when he’s been a good boy. That’s the time to be extra generous with your attention and praise. It’s even okay to be a little over the top.
Dogs are highly motivated by praise and rewards. Create positive associations for your puppy when he follows your commands by verbally encouraging him or sharing a bite of kibble or healthy dog treats. Rewards not only make training more fun for your pet, but also give him something to work for. Just make sure that treats don't make up more than ten percent of his caloric intake each day to ensure he doesn't put on any unnecessary weight.
Crate training can be helpful for some dogs if they learn that the crate is their safe place to go when left alone. However, for other dogs, the crate can cause added stress and anxiety. In order to determine whether or not you should try using a crate, monitor your dog’s behavior during crate training and when he’s left in the crate while you’re home. If he shows signs of distress (heavy panting, excessive salivation, frantic escape attempts, persistent howling or barking), crate confinement isn’t the best option for him. Instead of using a crate, you can try confining your dog to one room behind a baby gate.
During desensitization to any type of fear, it is essential to ensure that your dog never experiences the full-blown version of whatever provokes his anxiety or fear. He must experience only a low-intensity version that doesn’t frighten him. Otherwise, he won’t learn to feel calm and comfortable in situations that upset him. This means that during treatment for separation anxiety, your dog cannot be left alone except during your desensitization sessions.
On rare occasions, a dog with mild separation anxiety might benefit from drug therapy alone, without accompanying behavior modification. The dog becomes accustomed to being left alone with the help of the drug and retains this new conditioning after he’s gradually weaned off the medication. However, most dogs need a combination of medication and behavior modification.
A dog with separation anxiety might try to escape from an area where he’s confined when he’s left alone or separated from his guardian. The dog might attempt to dig and chew through doors or windows, which could result in self-injury, such as broken teeth, cut and scraped front paws and damaged nails. If the dog’s escape behavior is caused by separation anxiety, it doesn’t occur when his guardian is present.
As you go about trying to train your new dog, you do want to keep several things in mind. First, the dog itself will have limits to what they can do and comprehend. You must respect these limits and not push them beyond. For example, a small puppy will certainly not be able to understand everything that an older dog will. Additionally, the puppy may not have certain skills that the older does. This may limit what they can initially do. On the other hand, an older dog may have trouble catching on to certain things, or may not be physically able to do some of the things a puppy can. Just try and get to know your dog and then respect whatever their specific limits are.
Anxiety, meanwhile, is the anticipation of future dangers from unknown or imagined origins that result in normal body reactions (known as physiologic reactions) associated with fear; most common visible behaviors are elimination (i.e., urination and/or passage of bowel movements), destruction, and excessive vocalization (i.e., barking, crying). Separation anxiety is the most common specific anxiety in companion dogs. When alone, the animal exhibits anxiety or excessive distress behaviors.
Many behavior problems can be prevented by providing “legal,” acceptable ways for your dog to express her natural impulses. There are some things that dogs just need to do. So rather than trying to get your dog to stop doing things like chewing, mouthing and roughhousing altogether, channel these urges in the right direction. Increased physical activity and mental enrichment are excellent complements to training. Please see our articles, Enriching Your Dog’s Life, Exercise for Dogs and How to Stuff a KONG® Toy, to learn more.
I don’t want her pretending to like me for food. As it is, she only shows affection through snuggling or licking to get close to items she isn’t allowed to have that are placed behind me so she can’t get them. When she is close enough, she disregards me and grabs the item and tries to run with it. Occasionally, “leave it” works when she gets her teeth on something she shouldn’t, but most of the time I have to take it away and she she immediately begins to try to get it back with force or sneaky behavior.
A dog learns from interactions it has with its environment.[1] This can be through classical conditioning, where it forms an association between two stimuli; non-associative learning, where its behavior is modified through habituation or sensitisation; and operant conditioning, where it forms an association between an antecedent and its consequence.[2]
In this Article:Article SummaryPreparing for Dog TrainingApplying General Training PrinciplesTeaching the “Heel”Teaching the “Come”Teaching the “Listen”Teaching the “Sit”Teaching Your Dog to Lie DownTraining Your Dog to “Wait” at DoorwaysTeaching Your Dog Positive Food BehaviorsTeaching the “Take” and “Drop It” CommandsTeaching the “Stand”Teaching the “Speak”Crate Training Your DogCommunity Q&A13 References
Increasing numbers of pet parents swear by pet-safe cannabis-derived treats that have a calming effect without the compound THC. You can read more about marijuana for dogs here, and about one owner’s experience with CBD treats here. In addition to treats formulated with CBD, Canna-Pet is one popular brand. It’s also possible to buy CBD oil for your pets.
The American Kennel Club CGC is rapidly becoming recognized as the standard of behavior for dogs in our communities. Canine Good Citizen resolutions have been passed by 18 state legislatures and the United States Senate. Insurance companies are starting to use CGC to insure breeds they would not otherwise insure, and some condominium associations around the country now require that all dogs in the complex have earned the Canine Good Citizen award.
Finally, it’s okay to admit that you need a cheerleader to support you as your train your dog. A good trainer will help you troubleshoot setbacks, give you a gentle push if you get stuck and most importantly, help you achieve your goals. Having someone hold you accountable is a great way to ensure that you and your dog get all of the training you need!
"Fur & Feathers Pet Resort training program with Jennifer is awesome. She explained everything in detail and then applied it to the dogs. She took the time to help me with our two dogs. The program was structured and hands on. I was provided a detailed report and was given a comprehensive departure lesson and shown what was done during Heidi and Gunnar’s training stay." - Nancy, Oakland, FL
Does your dog have specific concerns that cannot be addressed in a larger class such as extreme fear issues? If so, then you will need to be aware that these issues cannot be addressed in a traditional obedience class and need to be handled before class. In these cases, it is best to enroll in a fearful Fido’s class or bring in a specialty trainer to conquer these concerns before enrolling in a large obedience class.
Everyone loves a good massage, and the same can be said for our pets. Massage can help to calm an anxious dog by using long, slow strokes so soothe the nerves. A popular dog massage method is called TTouch, created by Linda Tellington-Jones. It is "a method based on circular movements of the fingers and hands all over the body. The intent of the TTouch is to activate the function of the cells and awaken cellular intelligence." The result is a relaxed dog. Plus, studies have shown that petting a dog or cat can help calm your own nerves, so it is a win-win solution. It's easy to find guides for how to massage your dog to help calm her.
With my dog (Sephy), I try to re-establish as much certainty and consistency as possible. After we moved, I quickly set up a fixed routine and a consistent set of rules. I also increased supervision and spent more time with Sephy, engaging him in various positive and structured activities. We also went on longer walks, in quiet hiking trails. In this way, he gets to explore and relax in a peaceful environment. The structured activities redirect him from his stress, and gives him positive outlets for his energy.
Together, we will take a hands on approach to find a solution to resolve the problems you are having with your dog! Take the Lead K9 Training offers board and train services for obedience training and dog behavior modification. I will help you resolve a variety of dog behavioral issues like aggression, anxiety, fear, not listening, jumping up, barking, biting, chewing, running away, chasing the cat, pulling on leash, and not coming when called. I teach basic dog obedience, such as proper leash walking, sit, down, extended stay, and recall to puppies and adult dogs alike! I also train off leash advanced obedience with low level remote collar training, where your dog will respond to you off leash with high levels of distraction. Big or small, your dog can learn and listen to you - in public, around distractions, off-leash, and without having to always have a treat to get your dog's good behavior!
Once your puppy can turn around to face you, begin adding movement and making the game more fun! Toss a treat on the ground and take a few quick steps away while calling your puppy’s name. They should run after you because chase is fun! When they catch you, give them a lot of praise, treats or play with a tug toy. Coming to you should be fun! Continue building on these games with longer distances and in other locations. When training outside (always in a safe, enclosed area), it may be helpful to keep your puppy on a long leash at first.
To train your dog to come when called, start on leash in a quiet area. Back away from your dog while enthusiastically telling her to “come!” Only give the command once, but be enthusiastic, and keep your body language relaxed and open. You can show your dog a treat to encourage her to head your way. Once she starts towards you, say “yes!” (or click) and reward her with a treat.
