My family recently bought a shih-tzu dog. All cuddly and very tamed, our shih-tzu dog is allowed to roam around the house unguarded. This is despite the presence of two kids who both loved to play with our dog. Reading your article though on dog leash, i got the impression that having a dog leash is a must have. Here are just a few of my questions related to the topic:
1. Is a dog leash a requirement even for the most tamed dog like a shih-tzu?
2. Is a dog leash training effective to ensure dog obedience? Should this be part of dog training?
3. Are there available flexi dog leashes in the market?
4. Is running dog leash not dangerous to a dog, i.e. would this not cause injury to the dog?
5.As a dog leash is used to lead or hold a dog in check, is this not a form of dog control which could be similar to placing a dog in a dog cage? Will this not increase dog aggression? Or will this be an effective thing to controlling dog aggression?
Showing posts with label dog training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog training. Show all posts
March 9, 2010
February 24, 2010
How to Train Small Pet Dogs
We all love the cute little antics of our puppies - their high energy level, their constant love of playtime and their undying love for romping and running with you and your family. Play time is a great way to create a bond between you and your new puppy. It can also be a way to get in some much needed training, without your puppy even knowing!
Because puppies have such a high energy level, creating a game that releases that energy is great for you and for him! Try making an obstacle course for your pup to run through, around and under. And it doesn't have to be expensive. Get a few old, large cardboard boxes and cut off the top and bottom flaps so that it is open on both sides, making it easy for your pup to run right through. Set up a few cones or other objects that your puppy can weave in and out. Anything you can find around the house that is safe and will make a great obstacle for your dog.
Have your pup sit a few feet from the first obstacle, show him the treat and put it on the other side of the cardboard box. When your pup runs through the box, give him the treat on the other side and reward him with lots of praise.
With the cones, lead your pup around each cone, treat in hand and in sight. When he completes the obstacle, give him the treat and lots of praise. Pretty soon, he will be running through on his own at lightning speed!
Tug-of-war is also a favorite game among all dog owners. You should never let your dog win the match though. Letting him win makes him think he is the alpha dog or pack leader. Tug-of-war gives you the opportunity to teach your puppy "drop it" or "give". This is perfect for when he has a shoe, remote or any other item he shouldn't be playing with. Teaching these commands will create a well-balanced and behaved adult in the future.
Fetch is a game that never gets old for your pup. Throw his favorite toy and tell him "come" when he retrieves it. This is a great way to practice the command and to burn off that extra energy for your puppy.
There are tons of games and exercises that can be helpful to you and your puppy. Playing is not just a way to have fun but creates that friendship that each owner should have with their dog. The next time you're wondering how to entertain your puppy, just use your imagination and have fun - your pup will be sure to join in!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com
Because puppies have such a high energy level, creating a game that releases that energy is great for you and for him! Try making an obstacle course for your pup to run through, around and under. And it doesn't have to be expensive. Get a few old, large cardboard boxes and cut off the top and bottom flaps so that it is open on both sides, making it easy for your pup to run right through. Set up a few cones or other objects that your puppy can weave in and out. Anything you can find around the house that is safe and will make a great obstacle for your dog.
Have your pup sit a few feet from the first obstacle, show him the treat and put it on the other side of the cardboard box. When your pup runs through the box, give him the treat on the other side and reward him with lots of praise.
With the cones, lead your pup around each cone, treat in hand and in sight. When he completes the obstacle, give him the treat and lots of praise. Pretty soon, he will be running through on his own at lightning speed!
Tug-of-war is also a favorite game among all dog owners. You should never let your dog win the match though. Letting him win makes him think he is the alpha dog or pack leader. Tug-of-war gives you the opportunity to teach your puppy "drop it" or "give". This is perfect for when he has a shoe, remote or any other item he shouldn't be playing with. Teaching these commands will create a well-balanced and behaved adult in the future.
Fetch is a game that never gets old for your pup. Throw his favorite toy and tell him "come" when he retrieves it. This is a great way to practice the command and to burn off that extra energy for your puppy.
There are tons of games and exercises that can be helpful to you and your puppy. Playing is not just a way to have fun but creates that friendship that each owner should have with their dog. The next time you're wondering how to entertain your puppy, just use your imagination and have fun - your pup will be sure to join in!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com
February 23, 2010
Training Dogs to Be a Loving Friend
The most popular dog training problem is aggression. More than 4.3 million people every year are bitten by dogs. That is about 2 percent of the population of the United States. Not a small number.
The most common reason people dismiss this behavior is that "the dog is an animal" and it is going to behave as such. It has natural instincts. It is always no matter what behavior it is engaged in, good or bad, playing to those instincts. Now the good thing about dog pets, the reason that they are so loved as pets is because they have been bred to be domesticated animals. So that means that one of the dog's instincts is to try to please.
So along with this being a symptom of a dog being a dog there is also the fact that dogs have an instinct towards a pack society. Now what this means is that there is a hierarchy of respect that a dog will give other dogs and/or humans according to how the dog perceives you in the hierarchy.
So to make it more clear, if you are clearly an authority figure to that dog it is much less likely to engage in some of the behaviors that we do not appreciate such as dog aggression or the dog biting you. The reason for that is that if you are seen as the authority figure, the alpha of the pack, then your dog would not dare play in a certain manner.
So for example, let's say there are two members of your household; one has trained the dog from the beginning. There is a certain bond to their relationship with the dog. Many people now mistake this and say well, the dog loves me but hates my husband, that is why he bites him. But that is not really accurate. It is somewhat of an oversimplification.
It is not so much about love, instead it is how the dog perceives you versus your husband. Say you have trained the dog from the day you brought it home from the breeder, pet store, shelter, or pound, and you have been constant with this dog. You are the one giving it treats. You are the one responding to its behavior. And let's say your husband or boyfriend or significant other, whoever it may be, even a friend, encounters the dog and the dog jumps up on the friend or the dog bites the friend. This is someone that the dog just does not perceive as being higher than it in the social standing of your little household pack. So in that case the dog feels more freedom to do certain things.
A perfect example would be let's say at work you may say you act a certain way with your coworkers who are in the same job as you with the same title or even with someone of a lower job title in your company where you work than you would with your boss or the head of the company. You are going to be much more guarded with your boss, much more careful about everything you do than you would be with the buddy that is in the next office or next cubicle or the next desk. The same is true with your dog.
So, I am sure you are starting to see a pattern. The key to making your dog less aggressive is to increase your standing in the pack with proper dog training. Being authoritative is required. Crate train your dog if you haven't yet. The uninformed see that as cruel. However, dogs are den animals. They enjoy having a space of their own. Lets put it this way-remember your first apartment. You didn't care how small it was because it was "all yours". Your dog is no different. If you take those steps you should able to make strides in having a much less aggressive dog.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Whitmann
The most common reason people dismiss this behavior is that "the dog is an animal" and it is going to behave as such. It has natural instincts. It is always no matter what behavior it is engaged in, good or bad, playing to those instincts. Now the good thing about dog pets, the reason that they are so loved as pets is because they have been bred to be domesticated animals. So that means that one of the dog's instincts is to try to please.
So along with this being a symptom of a dog being a dog there is also the fact that dogs have an instinct towards a pack society. Now what this means is that there is a hierarchy of respect that a dog will give other dogs and/or humans according to how the dog perceives you in the hierarchy.
So to make it more clear, if you are clearly an authority figure to that dog it is much less likely to engage in some of the behaviors that we do not appreciate such as dog aggression or the dog biting you. The reason for that is that if you are seen as the authority figure, the alpha of the pack, then your dog would not dare play in a certain manner.
So for example, let's say there are two members of your household; one has trained the dog from the beginning. There is a certain bond to their relationship with the dog. Many people now mistake this and say well, the dog loves me but hates my husband, that is why he bites him. But that is not really accurate. It is somewhat of an oversimplification.
It is not so much about love, instead it is how the dog perceives you versus your husband. Say you have trained the dog from the day you brought it home from the breeder, pet store, shelter, or pound, and you have been constant with this dog. You are the one giving it treats. You are the one responding to its behavior. And let's say your husband or boyfriend or significant other, whoever it may be, even a friend, encounters the dog and the dog jumps up on the friend or the dog bites the friend. This is someone that the dog just does not perceive as being higher than it in the social standing of your little household pack. So in that case the dog feels more freedom to do certain things.
A perfect example would be let's say at work you may say you act a certain way with your coworkers who are in the same job as you with the same title or even with someone of a lower job title in your company where you work than you would with your boss or the head of the company. You are going to be much more guarded with your boss, much more careful about everything you do than you would be with the buddy that is in the next office or next cubicle or the next desk. The same is true with your dog.
So, I am sure you are starting to see a pattern. The key to making your dog less aggressive is to increase your standing in the pack with proper dog training. Being authoritative is required. Crate train your dog if you haven't yet. The uninformed see that as cruel. However, dogs are den animals. They enjoy having a space of their own. Lets put it this way-remember your first apartment. You didn't care how small it was because it was "all yours". Your dog is no different. If you take those steps you should able to make strides in having a much less aggressive dog.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Whitmann
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