New Dog Training book - Full of Dog Training Advice

There are a huge number of people who, for one reason or another, have problems training their dogs. I receive emails all the time from people begging for dog training advice, for puppy training tips, how to house train a dog, etc. When I delve a little deeper, their problems invariably involve a general lack of communication with their dogs and puppies. Dogs are intelligent animals and can easily learn the meaning of many words, but the key word here is "learn". All too many people think that they only need to speak to their dogs and puppies to correct or chastise them. Wrong! My new dog training e-book—Dog Training 4 Life— explains how you should start talking to your dog or puppy immediately he or she enters the house. He will love it and he will quickly learn to pay attention and listen to what you are saying. Any verbal communication is great, but make sure to include certain relevant phrases in your conversations: "Do you need to go out?" "Would you like a treat?" "Shall we go for a ride?" "Fetch your ball!" Always use the same word or phrase every time. If necessary, first repeat the dog's name until you have his attention. It's important not to use words or phrases that sound alike because that will just confuse the dog. Also, when saying something that is of importance, speak slowly and clearly. My dog training e-book also explains the importance of your quickly establishing yourself as the pack leader or top dog. Never allow your dog to dictate any situation or push you to one side. When leaving the house to go for a walk you pass through the door first. In any play session always bring an extra toy and pick it up and put it away again when play is over. Allow your dog to lick you, lean on you and rub around you. A young puppy begins life by licking his mother's lips when asking for food, so when your dog licks you it's a sign of submission and affection. When your dog leans against you or rubs around you, it's his way of telling you that he depends upon you and is asking for your protection. If you react by coldly pushing him away, you will be sending him a very negative signal. Dog Training 4 Life is an e-book that is the result of my more than thirty years of experience in dog training. I was taught by the very best and I've added my own experience and methods to that teaching. There is no such thing as a bad dog, but there are far too many dogs that have received bad training, or no training at all. Dogs love to please their owners and when you approach their training the right way with lots of praise and positive reinforcement, plus clear indication of what is expected, your dog will be happy to respond positively. Another tip—if your young dog is bursting with energy and you have difficulty focusing his attention, take him for a good walk or engage him in a vigorous play session before moving on to any actual training. Also, keep training sessions short, but frequent; six ten minute training sessions will produce far better results than one long hour straight. For much more information about my dog training book "Dog Training 4 Life" — Click Here!

Adopting a Shelter Dog - How to Introduce Your Shelter Dog to His New Home

I ask people all the time, why spend money to buy a dog when you can adopt a needy, loving dog from your local animal shelter and it will cost virtually nothing. Purebred puppies are often plagued with health issues, caused by over breeding - problems that are often completely removed from dogs of mixed breeds. But if your heart is set on a purebred, this can still be achieved at your local shelter. When I visited mine recently there were two spaniels, two black Labradors, one golden retriever and a Boston terrier that were without question, purebreds. As far as I could see they were all great dogs and were only dumped at the shelter because their owners had no idea how to train them properly - or had little time to devote to them. Another way to find a great purebred dog in need of a caring home is to search on the breed name + rescue on the Internet. Many breed specific organizations maintain connections with pounds and shelters and move quickly to pick up dogs, then hold them for adoption into permanent homes. The majority of shelter dogs need little more than a ton of love, attention and some time spent in obedience training to become trusting, affectionate companions. It's my experience that shelter dogs are inevitably more devoted and loving than dogs that have never experienced abandonment and hardship. Some pound and shelter dogs may have had to endure assorted unhappy circumstances before arriving there. Possibly they were mistreated, abandoned by their previous owners, or wandered the streets alone for some time. Initially they will be confused and won't understand why they are being taken to yet another new location - they will have no way of knowing that this time you are taking them to their new forever home. The method I recommend to teach your rescue dog to settle in and adapt quickly, is to immediately set up a regular schedule and stick to it for several weeks. Set feeding times, exercise, walks and play times will all help your new friend fit in as quickly as possible. Dogs can be especially quick to adapt to the schedules of their owners and many seem to have well defined internal clocks. I had one dog who without fail went to sit next to the door from our garage into the house at five o'clock every day, waiting for me to arrive home. A perceptive owner may discover that his or her dog wants to set his own schedule. Your dog may prefer to play early in the morning and again in the late afternoon. To indicate this he could start bringing you his toys and trying to gain your attention at those times in the day. Never be inflexible, you should be able to adjust your schedule to whatever best fits your dog. Should it ever be necessary to discipline your shelter dog, you should always start with the minimum amount of correction, just relying upon your tone of voice to indicate your disapproval. Usually that is all that is needed as a disciplinary tool. Remember that some dogs may have been mishandled, mistreated and even abused. Any sudden or threatening movement on your part will confuse and frighten your dog and he may cringe or growl. Should this happen it will tell you immediately there are some issues to overcome. Kindness and patience will resolve the problems and heal the mental wounds, but It will take time to gain the total, unquestioning trust of the animal. Beginning the day you arrive home with your adopted pet, handle him and communicate with him frequently. Examine his ears and his paws; inspect the skin underneath his coat closely. Why? What are you looking for? Nothing really. What you are doing is conveying the message to your dog that from now on, you will constantly be touching him and looking at him closely. It's quite common for a dog to become very anxious with this attention but it is crucial to establish your "right" to do this. In fact, grooming, bathing and trips to your veterinarian will depend upon you and others being able to handle the dog easily. You should also begin behavior training immediately you arrive home for the first time. Lavish him with treats and dog biscuits, but gently insist that he sits before receiving each reward. Take him for walks - but establish that you are his "leader" by always going through the doorway first. Through your voice and its tone, make sure the dog knows exactly what is expected of him and when he has done wrong. Never rebuke your shelter dog for anything unless you actually catch him in the act. Follow this advice and your dog will understand what is expected of him and he will quickly settle in and learn to trust you as his new owner. Adopting a shelter dog can be an amazingly rewarding experience. Shelters all around the country are bursting at the seams with dogs that have been cast aside for no better reason than their owner didn't have time for them any more, or the child they had originally been bought for had moved on to another fad. Many dogs are abandoned at shelters because their owners never made the effort to train them properly. The cute little puppy grew into a boisterous youngster with no manners. Dogs love to please but they were never given the opportunity to learn how to do so. For much more help and information about training dogs of all breeds and ages, please take a look at my recently published, instantly downloadable e-book Dog Training 4 Life.

Give Your Dog a Forever Home

Why do you want a dog? If it's because you saw a cute puppy and thought pet ownership looked like a fun thing to try – do the pet a favor and buy a plant. That adorable small pup will grow and mature. Responsible pet owners know that with proper care, good nutrition and patient training the puppy will grow into a true companion. Tied up as a lawn ornament and ignored, he will have a miserable life. Abandoned by a person who loses interest, he doesn't know what he did wrong. Far too often, dogs are purchased or adopted to fill an empty space in the life of a person. They aren't meant to be temporary accessories to show off to friends or to fill the void left by divorce or job loss. Many shelter dogs were once spoiled pets - for a short time. They were pampered and petted and cared for only until their owner moved on to a new relationship or found a new hobby. This type of owner is less likely to provide structure and behavior training for their animal - and the most likely to drop the pooch at a shelter or, worse, by the side of the road. Responsible pet owners know that adding this new canine member to their household is a long term commitment. They understand that teaching the house rules is a process that requires patience and understanding. Grooming, feeding, fresh water and playtime are not optional but are daily commitments. The life span of pets varies with breeds. You may be surprised to learn that the larger breeds have a significantly shorter average lifespan. Awkward and funny when young, the Great Dane will be an oldster at age eight while a small terrier breed may not show any signs of advancing age until many years later. Good nutrition and health care will extend the life of your pet and each stage of their life has something to offer to you as their owner. The little Fido you brought into your home will play and chew up everything in site, bark at every new experience and be constantly underfoot. The potential is there for him to grow into a friend that will follow you everywhere, fetch balls, do tricks, and even protect you and your property. Responsible pet owners will also treasure the old age of their canine companion as his movements become slower and his main occupation is sleeping at your feet. Whether purchased or adopted, give your dog a forever home. If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe to my RSS Feed? See the link to the right.