Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks!

The old idiom “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” does not necessarily sound true. It may require added patience and a little bit of an alternative approach, but in some ways it can even be better to teach tricks to an older dog than to a young dog, or a puppydog.

Older dogs are rather a lot calmer than puppies, which can very often make dog training methods simpler as they can be more easy to work with. They are less prone to distraction, becoming confused, or having a negative emotive reaction to your attempts. Older dogs are more patient.

You will , naturally, need to be patient too , as you're employed with your dog. Some older dogs, if they haven't experienced dog training and don't very well understand the method of being taught a trick, may take more time and effort than others.

Be consistent in your approach to teaching your older dog, and in your replies to their successes and failures. It's important with all dog training that the dog be in a position to understand what you are doing and why, which is only learned thru past experience and repetition.

Reward good behavior with treats and praise, but don't punish your dog for making boo-boos. Stay firm and consistent, and let them earn their rewards, which will fill them with pride.

As long as your dog is physically able to do hence she or he should be well placed to learn just about any trick. If the dog is extremely old, running and jumping may be a bit more difficult, but there are a bunch of tricks which are still pretty simple for an old-timer. Try teaching your dog to sit, speak, or heel, for example.

You will have to keep your dog training sessions relatively brief, as older dogs will tire more quickly, but if you keep with it, stay patient and consistent, you can definitely teach him dog tricks.

Teaching dog tricks has never been so simple with the help of this dog forum dedicated to dog tricks.

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Ways to Teach a Dog to Roll Over

Folks often ask me how they can train their dog to do a range of tricks. Some of the less complicated ones to start with is shake a paw, high 5 and roll over. From my personal experience, I've found you can learn how to teach a dog to roll over in 3 straightforward steps.

– The very first thing you need to have is some heavenly dog treats to coach your dog. It's best to use a unusual treat that your dog does not routinely get to eat so that he's positive about the training. I would recommend using turkey sausages because they are cheap and simple to chop into small pieces for training.
– Begin your coaching by putting your dog in a sit position, and then you need to bring the treat next to his nose and down to the ground, and continuously move your hand towards his neck. Give your dog a treat for following your hand and going onto his back. Next, you want to move you hand further away from him so that he rolls over. Make sure that you praise your dog regularly across the training. The most enthusiastic you are during your training programme, the more your dog is going to love training with you.
– Once your dog can roll over, you will want to say the command “Roll Over!” at the same time that you “lure” him with the treat. Remember to give him a treat after he rolls over so that he learns what is predicted of him.
– Practice these exercises each day for one week. After that, you'll need to curtail the treats so that your dog can roll over without having to use treats. I also endorse that you train in different environments; train in your yard, your local park or at your friend’s house “that way your dog will be in a position to perform his new trick everywhere he is going.

Tips:

Always reward your dog and give him a treat anytime that he is successful. You need to build on success instead of getting irritated if your dog isn't entirely understanding what you need him to do.

Always remember to teach this trick incementally. Which means to get the dog to first turn his head, then move his body onto his side, and eventually to roll over. You want to reward each stage of the rolling over.

And always keep your training sessions short! Your dog will learn more in a short five minutes session than he will with an hour of boring drilling.

Jean Cote is a Pro Dog Coach who believes in teaching tricks as a method to develop a loving relationship with dogs. He enjoys creating online dog tricks help files on his website and his dog blog.

Styles of Dog Obedience Training

A dog is always wonderful to have as a loving, faithful friend but if you want to live with one, a number of compromises have to be made. Dogs aren’t “small people” or “people with fur,” regardless of just how much we like to treat them that way. They “think” differently and even do things in a different way and are creatures of instinct. They can, nonetheless, be conditioned to do things in a certain way and this is exactly where quality dog obedience training comes in.

When to begin training

Start training as soon as your puppy reaches two months old, when his intense curiosity now extends to the environment outside of his kennel, his siblings or his mom. It’s additionally an excellent plan to begin training a puppy you just obtained or even an adult dog. Dog obedience training works for dogs of every age group and the misconception about old dogs not learning new tricks is not correct at all.

To make sure you start off your dog on the proper training path, allocate your initial two to three weeks with each other for constant and consistent training. This can help you establish the grounds on which you can both relate to and communicate with each other.

Types of dog obedience training

There are fundamentally two main types of obedience training for dogs – the “hard” or leash style plus the “soft” or reward style. Which type you opt for will depend largely on the breed of dog you own, its disposition as well as the objective of training. Leash training, for example, works the best for dogs who have to be trained for consistency, particularly in situations where they could quickly get distracted. That is why police K9 dogs are trained making use of this technique because not only do they need to be extremely focused but they also have to resist the drive to fight.

When using the leash type of obedience training, keep in mind that this is only a tool with which to communicate with a dog and thus must be employed carefully to be able to teach, correct and reinforce good behavior. Be sure the use of the leash is absolutely consistent with the training. In the event that it confuses your dog, it will be unproductive and a waste of both of your time.

The reward type of training reinforces the wanted behavior with rewards like praise and/or treats like food or toys. It is actually an effective method to teach dogs various types of skills from the most fundamental actions to more complex ones such as performing tricks, tracking, catching criminals and detecting scents. The reward style is favored by numerous pet owners and trainers simply because it allows your dog to accomplish a specific action voluntarily and does not call for any physical nudging or manipulation by the trainer.

When you are training your dog for obedience, you should always remember to reinforce good behavior and correct undesirable behavior immediately. Train with love, compassion and understanding so that you and your pet will both enjoy the rewards of your combined hard work.

Are you looking for effective dog training information? Be sure to visit my site to read my Secrets Of A Professional Dog Trainer review and my Canis Clicker Training review.

The Best Dog Training Advice Money Can’t Buy

Dog training advice is more widely available than ever before, as professional trainers have cashed in on the desire of pet owners everywhere to have better trained canine companions. While this information can be helpful for most would-be trainers as they device an instructional program that fits their pet’s needs, there is also some simple principles that can expedite their efforts.

How dogs think

Most people recognize that dogs are pack animals. Given a preference, they will always instinctively be drawn toward playing and working with others in their group. Since the main goal of canine instruction is to help the animal learn to behave properly in society, this tendency toward cooperation is important to understand.

That fact presents a vital opportunity for the animal trainer. Since dogs naturally want to please their companions, they will strive to learn their place within any group structure and to please those they view as superior in rank. And since they view humans as other members of their pack, their main goal is to please their owners.

Leadership matters

Along with that desire for acceptance, canines also require strong leadership. Where it is absent, any pet can become disoriented and will often exhibit dominance toward anyone with whom they come in contact. Every owner must establish the fact that he is the chief member of the family pack, so that the pet can more comfortably adjust to its own place within the group hierarchy.

Avoid inconsistency

When the animal is being trained, it should always know what you want it to do. That requires a consistent approach to every aspect of the teaching program. Use a recognizable series of commands, and offer a system of rewards that the pet can understand. Avoid negative reinforcement where possible, as punishment can dramatically impact the pet’s ability to trust its owner.

Use the carrot and forget the stick

Forget about any type of negativity as you train a pet. The fact is that loud voices and erratic gestures will only cause the dog confusion. Since canines are uniquely oriented toward praise-seeking, the program should be designed around rewards that encourage that behavior. When the animal misses the mark, simply withdraw any reward. The natural intuition these pets possess will help them to understand that the failure to receive a reward is related to poor conduct.

When read together, these facts surely seem to be the height of common sense. Unfortunately, far too many people seem to grasp these concepts or use them when they train their dogs. The trainers who do, however, quickly discover how an effective teaching program built upon this essential dog training advice can produce a better-trained animal in record time.

Learn more about dog training advice. Stop by Victor Joseph’s site where you can find out all about puppy training advice and what it can do for you.

How To Potty Train A Puppy – 6 Tips To Make House Training Easier

Some people call it potty training. Others call it housebreaking. No matter what you call it, housetraining a puppy is something most new dog owners dread. Everyone you talk to will probably give you different advice, which can leave you pretty confused.

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be a terrible experience. With the right information, potty training a puppy can be quicker and easier than you might have expected. Here a six tips that will help make housebreaking your new puppy a lot easier.

Tip #1: Feed Your Puppy At The Same Times Each Day

Free feeding as become popular among dog owners. This is where the dog food is left out so your dog can eat whenever he wants to. This might be fine for older, housebroken dogs, but when you are house training a new dog it’s best to feed him at the same times each day.

Most dogs need to go potty after eating. By having a set schedule, you can control when your dog eats and know when he will need to go potty. You’ll have fewer accidents if you follow this important tip.

Tip #2: Follow A Consistent Potty Schedule

Even though your puppy will be going potty after his meals, you will also need to take him outside as often as you can throughout the day. Create a potty schedule above and beyond meal time, and follow it – taking your puppy out at the same time each day.

By following a potty break schedule, you’ll remember to get your new puppy outside during the day. Puppies thrive on schedules because they give them a real sense of security. When they don’t know what to expect from day to day, puppies become anxious. This anxiety can easily lead to digestive problems – and that makes the whole house training process much harder.

Tip #3: Choose A “Potty” Command And Use It Consistently

Pick a command word that you are comfortable using — no matter where you are or who you’re with. Here are a few common commands: “potty” “go potty” “go peepee” and “tinkle.”

Once you decide on a command to use, you should say it every time you want your puppy to go potty. At first, don’t ever say it until you are in the exact spot you want him to go. As he gets older, you’ll be able to open the door and say “go potty” – or whatever command you are using- and he’ll run over to the right place and go potty all by himself.

Tip #4: When Your Dog Has An Accident, Don’t Scold Or Yell At Him

Every puppy is going to make a few mistakes during dog potty training. When your puppy has an accident, just stay calm. Don’t get excited and start yelling. Don’t scold your puppy and, for goodness sake, never rub your puppy’s nose in it. That’s not just old-fashioned, it’s ineffective and downright confusing for your little puppy.

As with all dog training, positive reinforcement is much more effective than negative. Making your puppy feel bad when he makes a mistake doesn’t work. You want to teach him that good things happen when he goes potty in the right place. Which brings us to the next potty training tip

Tip #5: Always Reward Your Puppy When He Gets It Right

You probably haven’t started obedience training, but this is a good time to learn about positive reinforcement. Every time your puppy does what you’ve asked him to do, you should praise and reward him. This includes potty training.

It’s a good habit to combine sincere praise with some kind of reward. Rewards can be showing him love and affection, giving him a tasty treat, or spending a few minutes playing with him. Whatever you choose, it’s vital that your puppy is rewarded immediately so he remembers that going potty means getting a reward.

To start, be sure to praise him verbally while he’s actually going potty. Use a friendly, happy voice and say “Good boy! Good potty!” As soon as he’s finished, immediately give him the reward. You can toss his favorite ball for a game of fetch, or if you’re on a walk, bounce it and let him catch it. You could also give him a treat or belly rub.

Again, be sure to reward him immediately. Praise combined with affection, treats or play will make your puppy happy – and he’ll soon associate going potty at the right time and place with happiness and joy.

Tip #6: Reduce Accidents With Crate Training Your Puppy

It’s beyond the scope of this article to explain crate training in detail, but there are some great reasons to consider it – especially when potty training your new puppy

Crate training lets you put your puppy in his crate when you aren’t able to watch him. Since dogs don’t like to soil their “dens” your puppy will naturally wait until you let him out to go potty.

The key is to never leave your puppy in his crate for long periods of time – and to take him out to go potty immediately when you let him out. What’s great is he will usually have to go potty when you let him out – and by taking him outside, he’ll be doing it when and where you want him to!

Your new puppy will love you as much as you love him – maybe even more. These six potty training tips will help you quickly housebreak your new puppy. By giving him the proper training, he’ll become a dog everyone will love being around.