Proper training of your dog should begin when he is a puppy. The first four months of a dogs life are very important in the training of your dog. This is when they learn behaviors that they will practice in the future.

Socializing your dog is one of the most important things you can do to influence your dogs future behavior. As soon as you bring your new puppy home, you should start letting him interact with other puppies, dogs and humans. Take your dog to parks where there will be other pets and people. Ask your friends if it is okay for your dog to visit their dog at their home or yours. Puppies will learn how to get along with other puppies and dogs if they are allowed to play with them when they are young. Introduce your dog to new experiences. Give him rides in the car, walk him on a leash around the park, let him hear the vacuum cleaner running. Help your puppy get used to a regular routine of baths, brushing , and healthy meals.

Housebreaking your puppy takes a lot of patience. Fix up a nice little space or room for your puppy. Place his food and water bowl there along with some favorite toys. Be sure to put newspapers all over the floor and replace them often. When you are at home with the puppy, let him out of his room for a short period of time to roam around and play. Return your puppy to his room and the newspapers after about 30-45 minutes to help with his housebreaking. Do not punish your puppy for having an accident. It could take up to six months before he is fully housebroken. Remember, most puppies cant control their bladder overnight until they are about four months old.

Your puppy will undoubtedly want to chew on things he shouldnt. Train him to leave your things alone by keeping them out of reach and by providing him with a variety of doggy chew toys. If he chews on your favorite slipper, dont punish him. Simply replace the slipper with one of his own chew toys. Praise him for playing with his own toys.

Sometimes, you will have to leave your dog home alone. Help him to feel comfortable alone by leaving on the television or radio for company. Leave an adequate amount of food and water. Dont forget to leave lots of doggy toys for him to play with.

You may be having trouble training your dog. Maybe hes not responding to your commands or seems to be ignoring you. Or maybe the housebreaking is backfiring and your dog is having accidents all over the house. These may be signs of a medical condition. Be sure to visit the vet regularly to rule out things like loss of hearing or bladder infections. Always be sure your dog is healthy, happy and well cared for.

If you feel this job is too big for you or you just want some additional instruction or behavioral training for your dog,, there are many reputable professional dog trainers and obedience schools. Do some research and ask questions to find the right school for your dog.

Most importantly, you must be a responsible owner in order to train them properly. If you want your dog to trust and respect you, you must do the same in return. Never hit, kick, or slap your dog. Include your dog in family outings and games and general family life. Do not play aggressive games with them as this can cause them to behave aggressively. Reward good behavior and yet do not spoil your dog. Remember, if you practice lots of patience, love and respect for your dog, you will receive the same from him.

About The Author

Wendy Yeager

http://www.wenmarcorp.com/dogs-go2

mjy222@hotmail.com

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If your dog is an important part of your life, you will want to provide the best of care for her so she can enjoy a long and rewarding life. A trip or two each year to your veterinary clinic does not guarantee that your loyal canine will maintain her healthy appearance and youthful spirit. It is you, the dog’s owner, who can make the difference between your dog living a long, full life or one of physical disease and health problems.

Many dogs are treated like they are immune from common heath problems – they are NOT! They suffer many of the same health issues that afflict humans; teeth and gum disease, ear infections, toe nail problems, and hair issues, just to name a few.

Well, don’t get discouraged, because a few simple and easy grooming practices can help you prevent the premature aging of your pet. Basic personal dog grooming is the key to early recognition of skin and tumor issues, dental problems, and mobility difficulties.

To help you establish a regular dog grooming regimen, the following tips are provided covering five key areas; brushing, bathing, nail trimming, ear cleaning, and dental hygiene.

Brushing Your Dog

Brushing, or grooming, your dog is a great time for bonding with her and providing the physical contact that all dogs desire. This practice promotes a lustrous shine on the dog’s coat, whiling eliminating dirt, debris, and dead fur.

This is also the perfect opportunity to examine your dog’s skin for fleas and ticks, lumps, cuts, or contusions. And while you’re at it, take a moment and examine her ears, eyes, teeth and nails.

Bathing Your Dog

Here is the good news – most dogs only need bathing once a month, unless she likes to play in the rain and mud. If she does get dirty on a regular basis, adjust your bathing schedule accordingly.

A prerequisite to bathing is a good brushing. This loosens up any dead hair or dirt and makes the bathing process much more productive. A good practice is to start bathing your dog as young as possible. Generally start when she is about 14-15 weeks old, or earlier, if they tend to get into messy situations.

Find a good location to bathe your dog, preferably one that is contained and has good drainage. Undoubtedly, water will be spilled or shaken near and far. An enclosed shower or tub is an ideal location, or if your dog is a smaller breed, the kitchen sink can also work.

Wet your dog thoroughly, avoiding her head to keep water out of her eyes and ears. Plug your dog’s ears with cotton balls if there is a risk of flooding the ears. Use a dog shampoo and lather up the dog. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and squeeze off the excess water. The face should be washed with a soft, damp cloth. Towel dry your dog, and blow dry if desired, but it is best to keep her confined until dry.

Trimming Nails

Nail trimming can be a traumatic experience for some dogs. So, it is best to start the nail trimming experience as early as 2-3 months old to let your dog become accustomed to the practice. For puppies, you can often use finger nail clippers to tip the ends of the nails.

If this is just too much for your dog or puppy to handle all in one sitting, you may start with trimming only one paw at a time, giving your dog an extended break between sessions. The key to successful nail trimming is providing your dog lots of praise when she lets you cut a nail. Kind, soothing words of praise will let her know that she is loved and this experience is nothing to fear. Of course, a few dog treats after the session is over can’t hurt either.

Cleaning Ears

Inspect your dog’s ears often, but only clean them when there is evidence of dirt in the opening or canal. Use a cotton ball, never a cotton swab, to clean the dirt out of the ear. Soaking the cotton ball with a good ear cleaning solution provides the best results. Hydrogen peroxide can be substituted for the cleaning solution, if necessary.

If you notice that the dog’s ears are red, swollen, or emit a foul smell, the problem might be more serious and demand veterinary attention. Yeast infections, ear mites, and other ear problems are more easily treated by medications only available from your vet.

Keeping a Bright Smile

As a dog’s life span has been extended over the years, it is even more imperative that your dog maintain healthy teeth and gum tissue. You can assist her by brushing her teeth regularly. Start as early in life as possible, to get your dog accustomed to the feel of your finger or brush in her mouth.

Starting with your finger, or a special dog toothbrush fitted for your fingertip, begin massaging your dog’s gums and gently rubbing her teeth. Once she has become accustomed to the practice, try using a dog toothbrush, or small soft bristled human toothbrush, with dog-specific toothpaste. Never use toothpaste designed for humans on your dog.

Continuing this practice throughout your dog’s life will ensure that she will avoid gum disease, loose teeth, and related eating problems.

These easy-to-follow grooming tips take very little time compared to the years of enjoyment your dog will provide you and your family. Take care of your loving best friend and she will certainly return the favor many times over!

Bill Wilcox is a long time dog owner and experienced trainer. He is an avid author of dog care articles and writes for superior-dog-supplies.com and smart-dog-training.com. For more information visit: http://www.superior-dog-supplies.com
http://www.smart-dog-training.com

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The excitement of choosing your dog is over. You are arriving home and the family is rushing out of the car and into the house with the new puppy. As you look at the cute little face you ask yourself one question. Am I ready for this?

What to Feed This New Puppy.

First things first. You will have to decide on what this little puppy is going to eat. You need to choose a high quality diet. You need to do a little reasearch and make some decisions. Your first decision is what type of dog food you will choose.

1. Canned Dog Food
2. Dried Dog Food

Some people choose canned dog food because they feel it is more like real food. It retains about 70-80% of the water that is naturally in the vegetables and meat. This usually means that the puppy will drink less water. Be sure to supplement with some hard dog biscuits that are suitable for puppies which will help to keep their teeth clean.

Currently the most popular choice seems to be the dried dog food. Always choose the best quality food you can afford. You have to remember that if you were only going to eat one thing all your life it had better be good for you. Dried dog food is now a scientific blend of all the nutrients your dog will need but the better ones have less filler and the puppies need a lot of protein to grow.

For the first few days you might want to give the new puppy that same food that they were receiving at the kennel you bought them from. After that you can slowly start mixing in your new choice, using more each time until you have 100% of the new food. You may as well start with some dog training basics now by not leaving the food on the floor all day. Only put the food out when you decide and take it away after they have eaten. Do it often as they have to learn that food is only available when you decide.

Sleep Time Comes Fast.

Hopefully you have thought ahead enough to buy a crate. Get your puppy started sleeping in the crate from the first night and it will eventually treat it as a safe place to stay. Make sure that the bottom has a soft blanket for the puppy to curl up in. Unfortunately if you think that is the end of it for the night, you are wrong. As you try to sleep you will be constantly woken by the sad little cries of a puppy missing its mother and siblings. They are used to lots of warmth and noise so it might be a good idea to add a hot water bottle under the blanket and to leave a radio or TV on for a while. Some people even leave a loud ticking clock near the cage to simulate the heart beat of the mother.

Who Is Entertaining Whom?

You will soon realize that your puppy is not just entertaining but also needs to be entertained. You should have a selection of safe toys for them to play with such as:-

- Chew Ropes,
– Balls and Bones of Nylon
– Soft Toys

Make sure to be careful of the squeaky toys as the puppy could chew the toy and swallow the squeaker. This has often ended in surgery and even if it does not the squeaking will drive you insane as they catch on pretty quickly on how to bite in exactly the right spot. Only let them play with rubber balls if you are supervising as swallowed rubber can upset their stomachs.

Start With Dog Training Basics

A crate is useful training tool both for house training and puppy behavior in general. Treat it as you would a childs bedroom. It is a safe comfortable place to sleep but occasionally they will be sent there when naughty.

You should begin your dog training basics by putting your puppy in its crate any time you need to leave them unsupervised in the house, or at night. This gets them used to it and they will often go there on their own when they want to get away from people. They will cry at first but do not let them out right away. If you do they will quickly learn that all they have to do is whine and you will let them out.

There will come a time when you need to discipline your puppy. You should never hit your puppy or raise your voice. You can use the crate as a time-out place. This is useful if your puppy is play biting too much or if you have caught them chewing the furniture. Make sure that the punishment instantly follows the bad behavior or they will not know what they are in there for. Put them in quickly with a firm, No, and leave them in there for a few minutes. If you have to repeat it then increase the minutes until you get the action to stop. This one tool will give you some control and get you started on the dog training basics you will need.

Louise Nova endorses quality information and the best in dog behavior training programs on her site at Dog Training Basics.

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Why is your dog displaying destructive tendencies? Many people erroneously believe that destructive dog behavior means their dog is punishing them for being left alone. This is quite untrue, as most dog trainers and dog behaviorists will confirm. Let me show you with examples from with my two young rescued dogs, along with a couple of basic dog training pointers.

All dogs have a lot of energy. The more high energy the breed, the more exercise your canine requires. If you have a problem with dog hyperactivity or over-excitation, insufficient exercise may be a root cause. The same holds true for destructive behavior in dogs.

What to do?

Walks and ball-chasing are great ways for your dog to exercise. That is a daily requirement. Also, you can put the dog on a treadmill for 30 minutes or so. Yes, it is good for dogs just as for people, for cardio-vascular health, weight control, muscle toning, and stress release.

Psychological challenges are very critical, too, in reducing destructive or aggressive behaviors. Common challenges experienced on walks include such attractive nuisances as passing cyclists, squirrels taunting the would-be chaser, and the inevitable encounters with other humans and dogs. These can make a dog very excited, forgetting his leash training, and sometimes incite his protective, territorial, or dominance instincts or aggressive tendencies.

I never allow my dogs to say hello to humans or other dogs when they are over-excited. Greeting an unfamiliar dog this way is rude in the dog world.

The younger of my two dogs, Joy, does tend to become over-excited when she sees another dog. Sometimes I remove her from the situation. Other times I have her sit or lie down as the other dog walks by. Sometimes I intentionally expose her as a training exercise.

Joy is catching on as any dog will, and is rewarded with permission to say hello if she is calm. As she learns to control this excitement during her exercise walks, her self-control and obedience in other areas increases as well . . . including right behavior if alone, and avoidance of destructive or aggressive tendencies.

The coming together of two over-excited dogs for a first-time meeting (quite different from the understandably excited greeting of old friends) can result in a fight. Not always, but frequently. The overly-excited dogs must be separated.

In a first-time meeting of two dogs, if aggression seems evident, WALK the dogs together with the people in between to separate and control them. (This can also be done with one excited and one calm dog, but not with two over-excited ones.) Have two people take them on walks together regularly until they acclimate. Thats what we do.

With my dogs, there was no aggression but clear excitement on Joys part when they were introduced, but obviously time was needed for the two to explore each other and to establish a pecking order. With only one excited pup, a friend and I frequently walk the two dogs together.

As the dogs get worn out from the joint walk, they are more calm and relaxed with each other. Aggression toward each other or general snits are far less likely then, and they are too tired to tear up a yard or house!

I have no destructive dog behavior problems with my dogs because they are walked about two miles every day. They also have at least an hour of playtime with each other or with me daily. Note: There is nothing wrong with more than one hour of play — Just be sure you control it!

I also gave Joy plenty of toys as a young pup, so she always had something of her own on which to chew and did not suffer from boredom. She loved her toys, and so she had no interest in my things. She even recognized the names I gave to her individual toys, and by six-seven months old, she would retrieve the specific toy from her toy box on command and bring it to me for play!

With Labrador blood and a great mouthing need, Joy also destroyed her toys faster and more completely than I have ever seen anywhere. Even things labeled indestructible! She viewed that as her hunt and kill duty and displayed her handiwork with great pride. She felt she had a purpose as she accepted and destroyed her own things — never mine. We had NO destructive chewing problem with this puppy, even during the teething periods, which is almost unheard of for a Lab!

Destructive behavior in mature dogs is caused by energy bursts. If the energy is drained through exercise, however, there is no need to tear something up to get rid of the energy. Obsessive behavior of any kind in a dog — from jumping, running, fixation on balls, whatever — a result of an energy burst.

The solution? Exercise!

Aggressive dogs need more exercise than any other. Aggression usually comes out in a dog who is anxious, fearful, undisciplined, or dominant. Aggression dog dominance, people aggression, and other dog aggression issues will be addressed in other articles and are not within the purview of this one. However, it is important to note that while taking away the dogs energy through exercise does not solve the underlying problem, nevertheless, it sure helps to lessen its impact!

Owners must be cognizant of their dogs exercise requirements. It is not an option nor a matter of what is convenient. It is a necessity! Do not have a dog if you cannot provide for this most basic need.

Remember, too, that any sort of dog behavior you dont like must be handled immediately. Dogs live in the moment and stay in it until it is addressed.

Rena Murray is a professional Dog Obedience Trainer and Dog Behaviorist with extensive Dog Behavior Modification experience. Committed to helping Dog Owners as well as Pets, Rena seeks to educate as many people as possible through her self-help articles on Dog Behavior, Training a Dog, Aggression Dog Dominance, Dog Breeds, Shelter Dogs, Puppy Training, Dog House Training, Dog Training Equipment, and related matters posed by clients and bloggers. Rena also publishes a free e-mail newsletter: PAW PERSUASION POINTERS to help people better understand communication and control of their dogs, debunk dog training myths, explore right and wrong dog training techniques for specific situations, address destructive dog behavior, excessive and obsessive dog behavior, and other canine issues and concerns, from new puppy to old dog. Subscribe for free and obtain other free articles at http://www.PawPersuasion.com.

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Dog training is the process of teaching a dog to display certain desired behaviors in particular circumstances. This includes teaching a dog to do tricks, rudimentary obedience commands, helping a dog to perform instinctive behaviours at the right time, and even aiding the blind. In the wild as animals, dogs have natural instincts that favour dog training. These instincts are manifested when the dog lives with people as a desire to delight a handler, as a dog would please older members in a pack in the wild.

Basic dog training can start as early as 8 to 12 weeks of age in terms of learning tricks and commands. Formal classes usually begin at 3-6 months. Dog training is predominantly about communication that centres around reward, no reward, bridge & punishment markers.

10 Top Tips For Training Your Dog:
1.When walking your dog, keep the leash loose. A tight leash can teach your dog to pull ( not recommended )
2.Food should reinforce a behaviour. Do not use food to control a behaviour.
3.Do not call your dog to you and then punish it.
4.Don’t give your dog more than one command at any one time.
5.Dogs don’t know the difference between good and bad. They just know that certain behaviours have certain consequences.
6.Don’t train your dog just after it has eaten. Dogs should not train on a full stomach.
7.Train one behaviour at a time before moving to the next.
8.Name a behaviour in order to have some control over it.
9.Reward will increase a behaviour.
10.All the people in the house should be handling and training your dog the same way.

Article by Jane Ashcroft of http://www.dog-training-infozone.com ( The information resource for training your dog )

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Dogs that provide mobility and independence for a blind person come in a variety of shapes and sizes. These dogs provide more than simply eyes for those who are blind. They become their companion, protector, and guide.

The majority of guide dogs are German Shepherds, but there are also many Golden and Labrador Retrievers. Training for their career starts when they are just a few months. During this time, they are placed with a foster family one or two years. These families give love and support, and teach fundamental manners and social skills. Once the dog reaches maturity, he returns to the sponsoring organization to begin formal training and evaluation. Training is intensive and encompasses all circumstances that the dog might come across in the day-to-day work of guiding his blind or visually impaired partner.

A guide dog must be able to disobey his partners command when the situation requires it. The guide dog is responsible for his partners safety, the standards are high, and not every dog that is considered is selected for placement. Though specifically bred and trained, they are eventually selected for their job based upon individual intelligence, endurance, and disposition. A guide dog is not approved until the handler has placed them through ultimate test putting their own life at risk by putting on a blind fold and letting the dog guide them.

Upon completion of the dogs formal training, the guide dog is paired with a blind or visually impaired person. This step is not taken lightly and there are several considerations that are taken into account before the match in final such as:

• The personalities of the individual and dog
• The relative size, strength and energy level

This human-canine team then tackles a rigorous teaching period lasting from three to four weeks to educate the partners for the future life together. The outcome is a distinctive dog-human bond built upon a solid groundwork of trust. That team will work together effortlessly for a ten or more years. This match will increase the blind persons mobility and opportunities for independence.

One of the most significant aspects of rearing a future guide dog is to get it relaxed with all kinds of situations. Socialization is vital for any dog, but it is crucial for guide dogs. Guide dogs must be able to go anywhere without being sidetracked from their work. They have to be comfortable with loud noises, unfavorable weather conditions, crowds of people and complicated obstacles. A guide dog needs to be confident in any condition its handler might experience. If you begin training the guide dog as a puppy and you want them to do extremely well in advanced training later on. The puppy needs to get a little familiarity with obedience early in life.

It is very important that future guide dogs are helpful and quick to respond to their handlers, and that they have the self-confidence to handle intricate commands and demanding situations. The most important job of a puppy raiser is nurturing these qualities. It is also imperative to teach puppies the fundamentals of obedience to sit, lie down and walk acceptably on a leash and get them accustomed to extensive training sessions several times a week. When training a puppy it is vital to train them with leash corrections and praise, never treat rewards. It is very important that a future guide dog not be obsessed on food because when they are on the job, they will have to work without the anticipation of a reward and they will have to sustain focus in restaurants and other areas with food distractions.

Zahid N. Sindhu is a dog enthusiast who, after noticing the lack of an online resource for dog lovers in Pakistan, decided to launch http://www.DogsPK.com The site features a comprehensive list of dog breeds, breeders, veterinarians and online classifieds. The site also has a forum where people meet to discuss their canine friends.

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Search and Rescue dogs are trained to find victims (alive or dead) during times of tragedy or disasters. Dogs have a magnificent sense of smell and can penetrate small areas that humans cannot navigate through easily. These dogs are heroes during disastrous times and they work very hard. They live for praise and what we perceive as work they see as fun. They live for the reward and praise.

It is essential that these dogs be focused on the task at hand in spite of of the obstacles they face including thousands of other odors they encounter. Different breeds of dogs have specific abilities that are valuable during search and rescue endeavors.

• Bloodhounds are renowned for their ability as a search dogs
• Newfoundlands are recognized as avalanche rescue dogs
• Labrador Retrievers are the absolute best cadaver dogs in the world

For a wide variety of search and rescue work German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, and Golden Retrievers are exceptional at tracking and following scents. What most individuals may not realize is that the breed is not as significant as the attitude of the dog. If a dog is to be regarded as part of a search and rescue team, first they need to be assessed. Dogs with a strong yearning to play are favored. These types of dogs love to play and be rewarded.

A dogs sense of smell is a thousand times more acute than humans are and is more discriminating. A dog can pick out a target odor among millions of odors, particularly if his immersion is strengthened by periodic contact to an item of clothing or other object handled or worn by the person he is searching. When tracking a person, a dog focuses on the scent of skin cells that come off off the body. These skin cells drift in the air and drop to the ground as the person moves about, and they float to the surface of the water if a victim has drowned.

There are dogs that are trained in air-scenting. This is when the dog will hold their head up and sniff the air to find the scent and then follow it to the victim. This type of search and rescue dog is valuable when there are collapsed structures and drowning victims. The advantage of this type of search and rescue dog is that they can also be effective in areas that have been contaminated by searches that have been conducted by humans. They remove everyone and allow the air to settle for a bit and then the victim (or body) will give off a scent in the air that the dog will track.

Many dog owners would love to have their dog trained in search and rescue techniques so that if it were necessary they could help their owner out if there were an emergency. This sounds like a wonderful idea but remember training your dog for search and rescue techniques is intensive and requires commitment on your part as well as your dogs. In training your dog, they will learn:

• Positioning – This is training to condition the dog to take up the correct position at the right place of the handler for the exercise that is to be executed.
• Chaining This is when a series of exercises is put into one complete exercise. The dog is first trained in separate exercises and then they are combined into one complete unit.
• Eyes Eyes are very expressive and the dog can read both the handlers mood and what they are looking at. This is another tool that can be used with other non-verbal signals in training for search and rescue.

Remember if you want to train your dog in search and rescue techniques to research the subject thoroughly as it will require a commitment in both time and money. You may want to start by having your dog evaluated to see if they have the proper temperament and then move forward.

Zahid N. Sindhu is a dog enthusiast who, after noticing the lack of an online resource for dog lovers in Pakistan, decided to launch http://www.DogsPK.com The site features a comprehensive list of dog breeds, breeders, veterinarians and online classifieds. The site also has a forum where people meet to discuss their canine friends.

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The purpose of a tracking dog is to follow the scent of a person or thing and locate it in a timely manner. If you would like to train, your dog in tracking techniques be prepared for a long journey but one filled with many great rewards. Whether you want your dog to learn tracking for recreational (hunting) purposes or as a working dog (search and rescue), the training process will tune you into the subtle signals that your dog will give to you when they have located the target.

The overall purpose of testing the dogs is to see if they are able to first recognize a human scent and then follow the scent and locate the target. The test will also show if the dog enjoys doing this type of activity and is eager to track. The majority of dog owners enjoy the sport of tracking because it allows them to spend time with their dog and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors at the same time, to say nothing of getting fresh air and exercise. There is not a specific dog that is better than another in tracking is because they all have an amazing sense of smell. Some dogs, however, are more trainable than other dogs. The only prerequisite is that the dog be in good health.

If you want to train your dog for tracking by yourself, you will first need a healthy dog. The equipment that you will need includes a tracking harness, a long lead (at least 25-feet), a few articles, some treats for rewards for the dog, and several flags to mark starts and turns of the tracking route. You want to begin in some open fields or grassy areas. You will need only a couple of acres in the beginning. As you advance in the training process, you should consider going to where you have at least twenty acres or more. Just as it is important that your dog is healthy, you will also need to be in good physical condition. You will be doing a great deal of walking in uneven terrain. Of course, this is a great way to get exercise and fresh air.

For a dog to track they use tremendous mental concentration and this added stress may keep the dog from getting as much endurance training as he needs. While you are training for tracking, you also want to include going for walks right after each tracking training session. The reasons for this are to reward the dog for working during the very intensive workout. The dog loves to run and will find this very rewarding for his efforts. If you are able to let him run freely with other dogs this is even more motivating. Another benefit to talking the dog for a walk or letting them run is to relieve any stress the dog may have after an intensive session. The most important reason is that it continues to build endurance in your dog.

While you have the pattern down for your tracking training sessions, how long should your endurance training sessions be. They may not be as long as the tracking sessions. Most tracking sessions (once the basics are learned) is once per week and that is for the high-spirited dogs. You may want to schedule your endurance training sessions at least three times per week and not on the same days as the tracking training sessions. It is important not to overwork your dog. Once your dog loses the enthusiasm for tracking and does not consider it fun anymore you may never get them back to the sport.

Zahid N. Sindhu is a dog enthusiast who, after noticing the lack of an online resource for dog lovers in Pakistan, decided to launch http://www.DogsPK.com The site features a comprehensive list of breeds, breeders, veterinarians and online classifieds. The site also has a forum where people meet to discuss their canine friends.

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Every child when they get their first dog wants to teach them tricks. Parents delight as they watch their child trying to teach their dog how to sit, jump, and fetch. What is even more delightful is the look on your childs face the first time the dog does what they say! This article is going to look at several tricks you can teach your dog whether they are a puppy or an older dog. You will find that your dog can be very helpful as well as fun.

When teaching your dog tricks you should use positive reinforcement when they perform the right behavior such as teaching them how to turn the light off/on, shake hands, or roll over. Tricks are not only fun but also they can improve agility in your dog such as teaching them to jump through a hoop, balancing a biscuit and catching it. Dogs love to learn tricks. They keep your dog alert and energetic and give you and your dog a chance to have fun as well as get some things done around the house. You can train your dog to bring you the remote control, find your keys, or bring you the dirty clothes. If your hands are full you can train them to open the door (this can be any door or drawer) for you on command (you do not want your dog to go wandering around outside alone). If you are thirsty, you can combine a trick of opening a door and bringing an item to train your dog to go to the refrigerator and bring you a soda!

Before you teach tricks to your dog, it is important that they have the basics down such as, sit, stay, heel. Once your dog has mastered these you can delight and entertain friends by having your dog take a bow, or sit up pretty. Remember when you are training your dog always to use positive reinforcement and lots of praise and hugs. Do not forget the special treats that they love the most! When teaching your dog new tricks do so in short intervals. You do not want to your dog to become bored and uninterested. A little bit throughout the day is good. They will learn the trick and to your delight will perform it without being asked (for the treat and loves of course).

If your dog loves to carry things in their mouth, you can very easily train them to carry a basket. When you are expecting company over you can put something special in a basket and give your dog a command to carry the basket to your friends! Make sure the basket is weight appropriate. Young children love to move around, as do dogs, so put on some music, and teach your dog how to dance and crawl. Their will be giggles and laughter throughout your house. You can amaze your friends and family by having your dog touch anything you want with their nose as well. Dancing is a great trick to teach dogs that love to jump on everything and everyone!

Teaching your dog basic commands is important because a well-behaved dog is a safe and happy dog. When you teach them new tricks you use primarily the same methods you do when teaching them basic commands. Make the command words simple one or two words at the most and make it fun with lots of praise and special treats. Make sure the treats are small you do not want to over feed your dog. A treat does not need to be an entire dog cookie. Break it into very small pieces and reward him with these smaller treats.

Zahid N. Sindhu is a dog enthusiast who, after noticing the lack of an online resource for dog lovers in Pakistan, decided to launch http://www.DogsPK.com The site features a comprehensive list of breeds, breeders, veterinarians and online classifieds. The site also has a forum where people meet to discuss their canine friends.

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There are many reasons that you should consider obedience training. One of the most important is that you do not want your beloved pet to control you. When your dog is trained, he will be much happier for the sheer fact you will have to place fewer restrictions on them because they know the rules. The more your dog is dependable, the more freedom you can give to them. It is nice to have a well-behaved dog in your home when you have company over. When they are trained, they will not go and jump all over your guests. You can tell them to go to their spot and they will.

When you take the time and effort to train your dog you strengthen the relationship between both of you. You build communication, understanding, and mutual respect. Training your dog subtly but efficiently establishes to your dog that you are the leader and they are not. It is extremely vital that your dog sees you as the Alpha dog. When you decide to begin obedience training, you may also be saving your dogs life. Obedience training provides the dog owner with the voice control necessary to prevent potential tragedies.

If your dog were to suddenly find something of great interest and there were oncoming traffic, you would be able effectively to lead him across the street safely without the worry that he may have been hit by a vehicle. If your dog, on the other hand, did not heed your commands tragedy may have occurred. There are many potential situations where you can keep your dog safe with effective obedience training.

Here are a few tips to obedience training:

• It is best to begin early when they are puppies. Although simply because your do is older does not mean they cannot be trained. The only obstacle you face is that they have their habits longer and it may take more effort and time to achieve the results you are looking for. However, the training is well worth any effort you put in to it.
• When training your dog use positive humane methods. Keep the sessions upbeat so that the training is enjoyable for both you and your dog. Your dog can sense your emotions and if you are becoming frustrated and agitated, they will respond to your emotions instead of your training methods.
• How your dog responds to you while you are in the home is a good indication of how he will respond to you while you are outside. The distractions within a home are minimal, once he gets outside you stand no chance of keeping his attention.
• When you give your dog commands, make sure that you can enforce them. If you cannot they will learn quickly that when you give a command it is optional rather than expected.
• When you are giving your dog a command, it should be only one command with one response (a gentle enforcement, if necessary). If you tell your dog to stay and repeat it several times, your dog will tune you out. The most effective method is to tell your dog to stay, for example, and then gently lure them into sitting position, and then praise them. This sequence should be repeated to achieve the desired results.
• When training your dog stay away from combined commands such as sit-down. They do not understand this. Say either sit or down. Using both words will only confuse them and they will not do either one. Keep your commands simple to achieve maximum results.
• When giving your dog commands it is not necessary to use a loud voice or to yell at them. Using a calm voice with authority is enough.

Remember, your dog will understand you when you give clear, simple commands and reward with praise and treats.

Zahid N. Sindhu is a dog enthusiast who, after noticing the lack of an online resource for dog lovers in Pakistan, decided to launch http://www.DogsPK.com The site features a comprehensive list of breeds, breeders, veterinarians and online classifieds. The site also has a forum where people meet to discuss their canine friends.

More articles at Articles Database