Dog Training - Teaching a puppy to accept his collar and leash
Learning to walk on a collar and leash is the basis of all further training for every puppy.
Until the puppy has learned to accept the collar and leash, it will be impossible to perform any additional training.
The first step toward getting the puppy to accept the collar and leash is to find a collar that fits the dog properly.
It is important that the collar be neither too light or too heavy, neither too thin nor too thick.
A collar that is too light for the dog can be easily broken, while a collar that is too heavy may be uncomfortable for the puppy to wear.
It is also important that the width of the color be appropriate for the size of the dog.
Determining the proper length of the collar is relatively easy.
Simply wrap a tape measure or a string lightly around the dog's neck to get an accurate measurement.
It is important that the tape measure not be tight, just slightly snug.
Most collars are sized in two inch increments, so you may have to round up to get a properly sized collar.
For instance, if the dog has a 13" neck, you would buy a 14" collar, and so on.
After you have purchased the perfect collar, the next step is to put it on the dog and allow him to wear it around the house. Do not be dismayed if the dog whines, paws at the collar or otherwise tries to remove it.
This is normal, and the dog should not be punished for it.
It is best to simply ignore the dog and allow him to work out his own issues with the collar.
The dog should be allowed to wear the collar 24 hours a day for a number of days to get used to the feel of the collar on his neck.
After the dog is accepting the collar well, it is time to start introducing the leash.
A lightweight leash works best for this process.
Simply attach the leash to the dog's collar and allow him to walk around the house with it.
The dog should of course be supervised during this process in order to make sure he does not get the leash caught on anything.
Getting the leash caught or snagged could frighten the dog and create a leash phobia that will be hard to overcome.
In the beginning, the leash should only be attached for a few minutes at a time.
It is important to attach the leash at happy times, such as playtime, meal time, etc.
It is important for the dog to associate the leash with happy things.
When the leash is not attached to the dog, it is a good idea to keep it near the dog's food and water bowls.
The dog should be encouraged to investigate the leash, and to discover that it is not something to fear.
After the dog is used to walking around with the leash attached, take the end of the leash in your hand and just hold it.
Allow the dog to walk around.
If the dog bumps into the end of the leash, just allow the dog to react and move as he desires.
The goal of this exercise is to simply allow the dog to get used to the feel of the collar and the leash.
It is important to allow the puppy plenty of time to get used to wearing the collar and leash before ever attempting to lead the puppy.
It is best to perform this exercise in the home or other environment where the puppy feels safe and secure.
After the puppy is comfortable and content walking on the leash in the home, it can slowly be taken outside.
It is best to make these outside trips very short at the beginning, and to lengthen them slowly over time.
Some puppies take to the collar and leash immediately, while others may require some additional time.
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Puppy Housebreaking 101
Many people are hesitant to get a new puppy out of fear of the housebreaking process. While the puppy housebreaking process can be consuming it doesn't have to be hard if you follow the tips we have outlined for you below. Housebreaking your puppy is best started with puppies are six-sixteen weeks in age. When puppies are this young, they tend to go to the bathroom predictably and frequently. The earlier you start the housebreaking process, the happier you will be as a new dog owner! The most important tip for successful puppy housebreaking is "Persistence is the key".
1? First, you need to teach your puppy where you want him to go to the bathroom. Your puppy will not know where to go if you don't show him. Therefore, he won't know if he went in the wrong spot. We suggest starting the housebreaking process outside. Many people tend to paper train and in essence you are making the training process harder for you and may end having to retrain him.
2- Praise is essential in...
Puppy Housebreaking 101
Puppy training > Puppy Housebreaking 101
Puppy Love - Wonderful Companions
Everybody loves puppies.
Who can resist those cute little faces and wet noses?
Puppies can be a lot of fun, but they also come with a lot of added responsibility.More than five million puppies are born every year in the United States.
In fact, one in every three families owns one or more dogs.
A female dog carries her puppies for a term of approximately 60 days before they are born.
Puppies are born blind, deaf, and with very little sense of smell.
Their eyes stay closed for about 10-15 days.
By four weeks old they have complete vision.
A puppy's sense of smell and hearing develops quickly.
Puppies have 28 temporary teeth, which start to appear around 3-4 weeks.
Their 42 permanent teeth begin to emerge around four months.
Be sure to have plenty of chew toys for your puppy.
Puppies need to chew to stimulate the loss of their baby teeth and to help place their permanent teeth.Puppies...
Puppy training > Puppy Love - Wonderful Companions
Puppy Housebreaking 101
Many people are hesitant to get a new puppy out of fear of the housebreaking process. While the puppy housebreaking process can be consuming it doesn't have to be hard if you follow the tips we have outlined for you below. Housebreaking your puppy is best started with puppies are six-sixteen weeks in age. When puppies are this young, they tend to go to the bathroom predictably and frequently. The earlier you start the housebreaking process, the happier you will be as a new dog owner! The most important tip for successful puppy housebreaking is "Persistence is the key".
1? First, you need to teach your puppy where you want him to go to the bathroom. Your puppy will not know where to go if you don't show him. Therefore, he won't know if he went in the wrong spot. We suggest starting the housebreaking process outside. Many people tend to paper train and in essence you are making the training process harder for you and may end having to retrain him.
2- Praise is essential in...
Puppy Housebreaking 101
Puppy training > Puppy Housebreaking 101
Here?s a Way To Make Your Dog Love Its Dog Crate!
A dog crate is a necessity for your dog, through his puppy days and for his whole life. Your dog's ancestor, the wolf, had a den to call home, a place of safety. The dog crate takes the place of the den, which is deeply embedded into your dog's instincts. The crate should be kept in a room where the dog can go for a retreat to rest. A dog crate can make an enormous difference in house-training your new puppy.
He will not want to do his ?business' in the close quarters of the crate. If you take him immediately from the crate to the backyard, where he can conveniently do it there, he will get the idea quickly. Using his dog crate will make dog training easier on you and your puppy.Dog crates come in many different styles and sizes; everything from a standard dog crate to designer dog creates.
It's best to get a crate for training your dog that's only just big enough for your dog to lie down in, because that gives him more of a sense of security. Some dog crates come with...
Puppy training > Here?s a Way To Make Your Dog Love Its Dog Crate!
Good Dog Health Starts Early
Good long-term dog health has many causes, but the one common factor is an owner who takes his puppy care duties seriously right from the start. It's no coincidence that in study after study, veterinarians and animal scientists report that when dog health is a primary concern of the owner from the outset, that pet often lives longer and suffers fewer canine diseases. The clear message to owners: put good puppy care at the top of your list from the moment you get your new friend home. The first step to ensuring excellent dog health for the life of your furry friend is to get him checked out by a vet within a few days of bringing him home. Most doctors will recommend a puppy care regimen consisting of a series of vaccinations in the early months and good nutrition from the beginning.
While a dog's psychological needs might make many readers scoff, it's important to understand that proper dog health includes bonding with owners in a loving environment. That's why puppy care involves...
Good Dog Health Starts Early
Puppy training > Good Dog Health Starts Early
Puppy Basics: Potty-Training, Reprimanding, and Rewards...
Potty Training Your Puppy:Make sure you feed your dog at regular times every day as this makes bathroom breaks regular as well. Feed your puppy 2-3 times a day. As soon as he is finished eating, take him to a grassy "potty area". Speak the words "go potty" or "go in the grass" before and while he is eliminating. Be sure to praise him when he is done.
What you are doing is building word associations with the dog that will allow you to encourage his potty activity on command. This comes in handy when you and your dog are at unusual locations and at pit stops during long haul travel. It also saves you from cleaning unwanted fecal material off the carpet at home.It is a good idea to train your puppy to use a place where you can easily clean up and dispose of the droppings into the sewer. This is because worms that infect dogs and make them sick get spread around through the eggs or larvae found in the feces. Some, like the roundworm, can also infect children.Reprimanding Your Puppy:Talk...
Puppy Basics: Potty-Training, Reprimanding, and Rewards...
Puppy training > Puppy Basics: Potty-Training, Reprimanding, and Rewards...
Training Your German Shepherd Dog
The German Shepherd Dog truly is a wonderful animal and not only do they make good working dogs, they also make superb family pets. They are however very different from other pet breeds and need to be handled and trained with a different approach to say your average labrador or poodle for instance.
The GSD is a large, strong athletic dog, which needs a lot of mental stimulation and exercise but a well trained shepherd can learn to do almost anything. These dogs positively thrive on challenging activities and they are so willing to serve their master and please. As a working dog used by most police forces, the very look of a GSD is usually enough to act as a deterrent but when called into action there are few dogs that can match the German Shepherd as an all rounder.
If you are considering becoming an owner of a GSD then you need to consider the commitment to training in order that you have happy, well...
Puppy training > Training Your German Shepherd Dog