|
Dog Information Content Area
NEW
Featured Videos for Dog Owners
Expert Basic Dog Training Video Series
This video series is an invaluable resource for Dog Owners to get and stay on the right track when training their dogs, and provides basic dog training information from an expert that will help you to:
- Understand the importance of building a relationship with your dog and setting boundaries for your dog.
- Learn how and when to properly use rewards or no rewards to obtain your dog's obedience.
- Find out what dog training equipment is available and how to properly fit and use the dog collar your chose, whether it be a prong collar, head halter, or pull harness.
- Learn how to mark your dog's behaviour to achieve success in your training efforts.
- Find out how to use and obtain results from your dog when giving it commands, and learn how to get your dog to pay attention, sit, stay, heel and lie down.
- Learn how to stop your dog from barking at the door, a common problem faced by dog owners.
The above is a brief outline of the Expert Basic Dog Training Information series. You will find the video series by clicking on the red "read more" button below.
NEW
Featured Articles for Dog Owners
What You Should Know About Your Dog's Health Series
This article series is a valuable resource for all Dog Owners and they will help to answer your most common questions and concerns surrounding the health of your dog, as well as help you to:
- Recognize the ailments that may affect your dog, including cancer, canine distemper, canine parvovirus, external and internal parasites, heartworm, rabies, and the west nile virus.
- Select a new dog, chose a veterinarian, understand what vaccinations your dog may need, and get information on spaying and neutering so that you can make an informed decision.
- Prevent dog bites, and eliminate household hazards that can put your dog in harms way.
- Prepare your dog for safe travel and what supplies you should include in your dog travel kit.
- Understand the use of pain medications in the treatment of pain in your dog.
- Learn about the grieving process and find coping suggestions after the death of your companion dog.
The above is a short highlight of the dog health series, and you will find a more detailed explanation of the articles within the dog health series by clicking on the red "read more" button below.
Dog Training Fundamentals
Enjoy Part 1 below... there is more to come!
Obedience and the Three Senses
Successful dog training is possible only in the presence of perfect understanding between the dog trainer and his/her dog. As such the dog trainer must have full knowledge of the dog's mental capacity and an understanding of its character, as well as personally possess and apply essential attributes to the training.
Because of the close bond of affection between every person and their dog, many people in the past held to what they believed to be true, that the dog can and does reason.
After much study of dog psychology during the First World War, scientists determined that dogs cannot and do not reason. Rather, dogs react to directions given to them in the form of some visible or audible sign, signal or command.
The dog trainer uses different methods to attract the dog's attention through its senses. The voice is used to attract the dog's sense of HEARING. Next is the sign for its sense of SIGHT; and third, the quality of sensitiveness or perception through FEELING. It is on these three senses that the entire program of dog training is built. There is a forth sense, being the sense of smell, which is used for trailing. But first we must have an obedient dog, so we will use the three senses - hearing, sight and feeling - in order to lay the foundation stone of all training which is OBEDIENCE.
Keeping in mind that our objective is to appeal through the dog's three senses to train an otherwise dumb animal for companionship, and accomplish great things. We can, for instance, save the dog much unnecessary correction brought about by our own impatience: we can save our selves the physical strain of the dog's constant pulling upon the leash. True, we do not want a mechanical robot, rendering blind obedience to our every command, but we do want a real companion as close to us in understanding as man and dog can ever be. The three senses, then, operate in combination by our use of short commands issued in varying intonations; by certain important signs of the hands made in conjunction with the voice, and by appeal to the sense of feeling by encouragement or punishment.
The three mentioned senses are interwoven like threads in a piece of fabric, and the use of these senses will follow through the whole of the training of the dog. And just how important the combination of the three becomes, you will realize when you see how the dog associates with HEARING, commands given by means of words; with SEEING, commands given by means of signs; and with FEELING, such things as petting and leash correction. Were the trainer to disregard even one of these senses, the trainer would straightway find out why it, or the dog, failed in one or another lesson. Particularly are the signs, frequently almost unnoticeable to the layman and the amateur, which will mean the success or failure of the lesson.
And what of the trainer itself! There are three fundamentals with which the trainer must be concerned - PATIENCE, CONCENTRATION and SERIOUSNESS OF PURPOSE.
PATIENCE is probably the trainer's most necessary tool. Nervousness, quick temper or the slightest impatience never go hand in hand with successful training. A person subject to any one of these failings should think twice before undertaking to train a dog. It is far easier to spoil a dog than to correct it afterwards.
Of equal importance is the matter of CONCENTRATION. No one can train a dog and carry on a conversation at the same time... it would be like attempting to drive a car while reading a newspaper. It cannot be done. Immediately sensing a trainer's divided attention, the dog will respond to it not by implicit obedience but by a type of obedience perhaps more to his own liking. And the trainer, not quite aware of the pupil's mistakes, can never obtain correct results. So the trainer places the blame on someone else; rarely on himself/herself. If you would train a dog, then, forget everything that goes on about you. If you are to do a really commendable job, then you must Concentrate.
Another consideration vital to successful training is SERIOUSNESS OF PURPOSE.
You need to ask yourself whether you are really determined to train your dog.
Is this dog under your hand to become a well behaved animal? Or is it going
to be a spoiled pest, inclined to destructiveness; vicious with people, an
eternal barker, constantly committing nuisance!
Founded upon a thoroughly tried and approved dog training system, the patient training of a dog by its beloved master is a worthy and satisfying work which not only benefits the dog but also reflects credit upon the dog and the dog's owner. All this can be achieved with a sacrifice of but fifteen or, at the most, thirty minutes a day!
Dogs In The News Today
Pittsylvania County group trains search & rescue dogs for our region (
When a person goes missing in Western Virginia, search and rescue dogs are often called in to help. Right now, the closest dogs are in Charlottesville, but a group in Pittsylvania County is training a local team to help. Animal shelters say dog fighting a growing problem (News 8 Austin)
Officials with the Humane Society say dog fighting is a problem sweeping the nation, and Central Texas is no exception. Animal experts say dog fighting is a growing problem. Owners breed dogs for sport because it draws big betters and big money. Fighting dogs get a fighting chance (Deseret Morning News)
Two months ago, Shadow was one uncooperative pit bull. He had no interest in toys placed in his kennel and would firmly anchor his paws in the middle of walks, refusing to continue. Man Charged in Dog Fighting Case (R News)
An update to a story we first told you about Friday night: a Rochester man arrested on suspicion of dog fighting has been charged. Ulyssees Russell is charged with training with intent to fight dogs and possession of an animal with intent to fight. Dog wash to benefit neglected, abused animals (St. Clair County Journa
Annabel the pit bull has been fortunate in her life; now she has the opportunity to share her good luck with other dogs.
|
