Training Your Dog
by: Amy Howells
Training your dog can be time consuming and frustrating at times, but it’s well worth it. Here are several tips that should help things go much smoother and faster… plus reduce the frustration both you and your dog feel!
Conduct “play training” where by the training tasks are made into fun games and your dog’s play drive is used as motivation. There are a lot of really good books available on this type of training.
Intelligent dogs can also be stubborn, so you may have to outwit them!
While training your dog, you have to make him want to do what you want him to. You can’t make him do stuff unless it is fun. Otherwise you are wasting both your time and his.
Try to make your dog’s training so fun that it becomes his or her favorite activity. This will make learning much easier and more enjoyable.
Most dogs love to play! You can make your dog the happiest just by spending some time with them, giving your undivided attention each day. Without this, your dog will feel ignored, bored, or think they’re in trouble. When this happens they’re more likely to chew, tear things up, and not listen to you.
Here are some tried and true tactics you can use to make your dogs listen to you more:
When playing with your puppy, play at his level. If play is encouraged at ground level, this builds your role as the dominant, or “top dog”, when you are standing and training your puppy. If the puppy is allowed to jump up and initiate play, then this can lead to unwanted jumping up as your dog gets older.
From the very beginning, make sure your dogs know you are the master. This is usually accomplished with simple tasks such as teaching the dog to raise it’s paw for a handshake; kissing your hand; or rolling over on command to show submission.
There is no need for extreme measures to prove you are the boss. Obedience training should be both fun and rewarding for you and your dog.
Make sure your dog always eats after you do. This is one of the easiest ways to show your dog who is the boss. This is especially important if you share your food with your dog, because if you let them eat while you are, they could develop the habit of taking food right off your - or someone else’s - plate. You may need to train your family to follow this rule too… and that could be harder than training the dog 
Very active young dogs have short attention span, and some breeds are worse than others. So it’s best to have several short 5-10 minute training lessons instead of one long one.
Start the training at quiet places familiar to your dog, and be sure there are very few things and people around to distract him. Gradually move the training to places with more and more distractions so he will learn to obey your commands despite those distractions.
Speak to your dog strongly but not in an angry voice. Be kind but be firm while training and never give in to what they want. It seems cruel but in the long run you will have a much better relationship with you dog.
Celebrate after every training session for a good job done. Have a big play by running and throwing his favorite toys. If you give them a lot of playtime with yourself they’ll listen to you more.
Don’t confuse your dog by trying to use different words for one command. One word commands work best, and they should always be consistent. For example, when your dog gets on the lounge with you, say “sit” and he should sit. Then if you want him to lay down, say “lay” and he should do so.
Also note how well your dog seems to understand your command words. Some dogs may not be able to distinquish between two words that sound the same. For instance: “lay” and “stay” sound very similar. With one of my own dogs, I’ve had to use the word “sleep” in place of lay, in order for him to understand me fully.
To keep your dog from charging the front door each time it opens, try putting up a door or gate that he can’t see through or hop over. Have him wait until people enter and come up the stairs. Then give him a treat for waiting.
In closing: no matter how well trained you think your dog is, he usually has an attention span of seconds. So be careful not to let him run away, because some dogs will simply keep going and going as they find new things to chase.
Always keep your dog leashed securely when they’re outdoors, unless you have a secure fence. Beware though: Some dogs can actually jump fences, even when you think they’re high enough, and some even climb trees too. And most dogs run much faster than any human can so if your dog gets loose, it could be quite dangerous for him.
Resistance Training With Your Dog
by: Nick Nilsson
You may be wondering, “How can I possibly do resistance training with my dog?” Well, here are a few exercises you can do with the aid of your faithful furry companion.
- Leg raises - if you have a male dog, he’s probably already shown you how to do this one.
- Abdominal crunches with a paw on your forehead - laying down on the floor and grunting in pain can cause your dog to do it’s own investigation to find out if you’re all right. The scratch marks across your forehead are simply a byproduct of that concern.
- Deadlifts - if your dog has any inkling that you’re taking him to the vet or someplace else he doesn’t want to go and you’ve had to scrape him up off the floor to get him in the car, you’ve just done a deadlift.
- Pull-ups - this involves pulling up furniture, rugs, carpets, clothes, etc. to pick up all the fur that gets into the strangest of places.
- Pushdowns - one for the overly-enthusiastic dinnertime beggar.
- Lunges - when you’re trying to grab her for a bath.
One final word of advice when doing resistance training with your dog is never yell out “Spot me!” if your dog is not housetrained. It’s a mistake you’ll make only once.
Puppy Crate Training — Fast Track to a Contented Dog
by: Charles Burke
Puppy crate training is one of the most effective ways to housebreak your new puppy.
Puppy crate training takes a little patience, but it’s a good way to set your puppy on the right path. This method has an impressive track record.
Be sure to prepare everything ahead of time. Even before you bring your new puppy home, have the puppy crate ready and waiting.
The size of the crate is important. For proper puppy crate training, you should have plenty of room in the crate for the puppy to turn around, stand and lie down, but don’t get one that’s too big. Puppies feel uncomfortable in a crate that’s so big they rattle around in it.
If your puppy is a breed that will grow large, it’s okay to buy a bigger crate for him to grow into, but make sure it has an adjustable partition in the back. This lets you keep his living space comfortable and cozy, but you can still expand it by moving the partition back as your puppy grows to full size.
When you are ready to begin puppy crate training, place your new puppy gently in his crate. Make sure you’ve also put a towel or small blanket and a treat or toy in the crate. If you’re using a wire crate for puppy crate training, always remove the puppy’s collar first so it won’t get snagged on the wire.
You may hear some whining or even crying at this point. You need to ignore it. Sometimes it helps to cover the crate with a blanket so his home feels a little cozier. Remember, dogs are not claustrophobic. They like an enclosed space. It’s their den.
After your puppy has remained in the crate for about twenty minutes, remove him from the crate and take him outside. As soon as he goes potty, praise him, pet him and make him feel loved and close.
The next step in the puppy crate training process is to bring your puppy back inside and play together for twenty to thirty minutes. Then it’s time to put your puppy back in the crate. You’ll be able to gradually increase the crate time to two hours.
Puppies will not usually go potty in their crates. If your puppy has an accident, never scold. They really don’t understand the idea that going potty is bad, so scolding doesn’t help. It only confuses them.
For best results with puppy crate training, you’ll need to have a schedule. And when you take your puppy outside, always make sure you take him to the same spot each time. Especially at first, every time you remove him from his crate, you’ll want to take him outside. This builds a clear association in his mind.
As your puppy begins to get the hang of puppy crate training you’ll be able to leave him in the crate for longer periods. Eventually he’ll feel so at home in the crate that you’ll be able to leave the crate door open overnight and for short periods during the day.
Successful puppy crate training has two simple requirements: patience and a regular schedule. With those two things, your new puppy will soon be a happy, well-adjusted member of the family.
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About The Author
Charles Burke
Puppy-Toy-Tips.com
Learn great ways to use puppy toys for training and socializing your new pup. Make sure you’re on the right track wnen training your dog. Also, go and get the free eBook of puppy coloring pages for your kids.
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I found this interesting article of “Associated Press” on the “Timesleader.com”
It talks about a woman who is facing $600 per day in fines because her son refuses to euthanize a dog that allegedly bit a mailman.
The mother is being fined because she was caring for the dog named Slim on May 31, when it allegedly attacked the mailman. At the time, Traian Jovanov was jailed on a probation violation
The mother states “Me putting my dog to sleep is like me putting my kid to sleep. I’d pay a lifetime of fines before I’d let that happen,” said Traian Jovanov, 20, whose defiance has led to nearly $20,000 in fines for his mother, Elizabeth Jovanov.”
Slim is a 2-year-old Staffordshire terrier, a relative of the American pit bull. City health officer Mark Thompson ordered Elizabeth Jovanov to have the dog euthanized after the mailman reported being attacked. A citation Thompson filed on June 15 said the dog had attacked people without provocation twice before.
The dog was loose and off the owner’s property when it bit mailman Andrew Debalko, according to Thompson.
Read full article
here
I found this article that talks about a cruel story.
The Humane Society of the United States is offering a $2,500 reward for anyone who gives information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for skinning two dogs alive last week in James City County. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is also offering a $1,000 reward.
On June 29, a pit bull mix was found in a park on Forest Glen Drive with a 2-foot-long cut on its back. The dog’s skin was partly peeled away. The following morning, James City County authorities found a partly skinned pit bull in approximately the same area, in the parking lot of James River Baptist Church on Centerville Road. The second dog had no owner and was euthanized by James City County Animal Control.
Read full article
here This article was taken from “dailypress.com”
Read this interesting story about a dog groomer charged with animal cruelty.
Chris Carmody is accused of hitting the 3 year-old dog with a fist while it was being groomed at the Pet Set, a business owned by his mother Laura Carmody.
A hearing on the cruelty charge was set for next month.
Defense lawyer Jeffrey Jones said his client is being wrongly accused by a former employee of the Pet Set who told police she saw the dog being hit several times.
Read full story
here
This story was taken from the website of NewsChannel5.com
Here is an interesting article about general information about Rottweilers, this article was written by Harry Jomanal, I’m sure you will find it very useful:
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The Rottweiler, or Rottie, is a medium to large sized
robust dog. Rottweilers are black in color with
carefully placed mahogany markings; and are loyal to
their master. The breed has forthright intelligence and forgiving nature. It probably descended from the Italian Mastiff. During the Middle Ages, it was used as a herd dog. According to historians, it appeared in the little town of Rottweil in Germany, where the Roman armies had left them as they continued their travels. The name Rottweil literally means das Rote Wil or the red tile. Some of the Rottweilers talents include: tracking, herding, watchdogging, guarding, police work, carting, competitive obedience, and schutzhund.
Over the years Rottweilers have changed in physical
appearance, but they still have that invisible aura of
dignity that surrounds their intelligence, loyalty and
humor. A well-adjusted Rottweiler is quiet, generally
laid-back and will readily adapt to apartment living. As
with any large dog, Rottweilers should never be left unattended. The exceptional characteristics and versatility of the Rottweiler has made it the second most popular breed in America.
A correctly schooled Rottweiler is a very calm, courageous
and loved playmate with a reliable temperament. The
development of this temperament requires firm and careful training that needs to start when he is a puppy. A rottweiler that is not well trained can end up as a powerful and overly aggressive dog. Despite training, they should be kept on a leash in public places as they tend to be aggressive with other dogs.
Care for a Rottweiler
To ensure that your rottweiler does not become a dreaded
member of the family, you must socialize your rottweiler
puppy with children, other animals and people. Certain
steps that must be taken to ensure a well-behaved and well- groomed rottweiler are:
o~Your rottweiler needs to be completely vaccinated
including yearly booster vaccinations to maintain immunity
to diseases. De-worming is necessary every three months and advise on de-fleaing products must be sought from your veterinarian.
o~A big dog like a rottweiler should be fed high-grade
dog food with adequate meat, protein and crude fat.
o~Every two to three weeks, nails must be rimmed.
o~A powerful dog must be taken for a walk or a run at
least twice a day.
o~When you are away from your home, a rottweiler should
be kept on a leash.
o~All rottweiler love to run, swim and play catch.
Therefore, their dail routine must have lots of play.
Understand that a rottweiler is prone to certain health problems, such as hip and elbow dysplasia (a malformation of the joints), osteochondrosis dissecans (a bone disease that causes lameness and arthritis), paneosteitis (a rotating lameness), Von Willebrand’s Disease (a bleeding disorder), bloat, heart disease and allergies.
Adult male rottweiler grows to between 24 and 27 inches in height and weigh between 95 and 130 pounds. Females will grow to between 22 and 25 inches and will weigh between 85 and 115 pounds.
Average life expectancy of rottweiler is full 10 to 12
years.
Harry Jomanal is the webmaster of
My Rottweilers
one of the leading information resources on the
subject of rottweilers available on line. For more information, and immediate access to his articles library, visit http://www.myrottweilers.com