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Dog Training - Teach Your Dog to Stay

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Dog Training - Teach Your Dog to StayBy Andrew Strachan

You would be surprised to see how much a dog or canine can make you dance to his tune. It can be an exasperating task running after your dog, chasing tennis balls, fetching treats, and fuming and fretting when you can no more handle this chaos, your dog however enjoys it. It therefore becomes necessary to assert your alpha status to tell him YOU are in command. In order to train your dog and teach him basic etiquettes, you first need to teach your dog to stay so that he remains stationary allowing you to take control of the situation. Before you move on to the "stay" command, you must first train your dog to "sit" with the help of verbal signals and gestures. Many trainers use the technique of snapping fingers and flipping their extended finger at the same time at an angle to the ground so as to grab his attention. This works well for trainers who are averse to use clickers for directing dogs.

When it comes to training pups, teen or mature dogs in the "sit", you may consider a common technique wherein you need to thrust a hand in the dog's direction palm first and fingers raised and simultaneously give out the voice command 'stay'. One this you must remember here is that your voice should be distinct and just loud enough to be heard despite other noises and distractions and must not sound harsh. Similarly, hand movements must be precise and should be such that the dog can associate them to that particular command/behavior only. Having done this, you need to confirm if the dog is following your instructions. So, take a step back and repeat the hand movements to execute a sit and stay command when the dog follows. Some dogs may not bother to respond or may not have yet understood the correlation of the command and the behavior. For such dogs, you need to lure them with a treat or toy and move it over his head, a small on the side of his eyes in such a way that he has to force his chin in the upward direction to see it. While some dogs may be tempted to rotate around and you may have to repeat this step several times until you get the desired behavior. And don't forget to praise your dog lavishly for correctbehavior before you go on to repeat the command.

Once you are able to keep him in one place, you need to ensure that your dog continues to remain stationary even when you are away. So, take a step back, then another, then four steps more, and so on. You will realize that the further you go, lesser the control, as the dog will be tempted to follow you, the alpha.

Alternatively, you can use a leash or rope to control his movements. Just tie it to a tree or a post a small away from the dog, and hold the leash before you give the stay command. Face the dog and when he stands and takes a step forward, gently tug on the leash as you give the verbal command along with hand gesture. Make sure that you don't pull too hard; after all you are only trying to train him!!!

For dogs that tend to relax and stretch while exercising especially and particulary when you are a few feet away, you may need to train an 'up'-'sit' combination before you proceed to the next fundamental step "stay".

Techniques used in training sessions and the time required will vary according to the breed of the dog however, all of them will eventually learn these fundamental behaviors at some point of time. Once your dog understands the "stay" command and remains stationary for some time, give the "come" command in a particular tone and hand gesture. Increase the duration of the "stay" gradually and pamper him with treats and praises as he learns these important behaviors.

Article By Andrew Strachan. Find lots more information and details about training your dog to stayand different types of dogs at types-of-dogs.com

Lots of help and advice too.

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Dog Training - Train Your Dog to Come

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Dog Training - Train Your Dog to ComeBy Andrew Strachan

Just as you would teach your children good manners and etiquettes as kids, you need to train your dogs as well so that they behave themselves. To do this, you must teach your dog to come. Dealing with a dog or canine who has no training can be quite a nightmare so train your dog as pets using these simple techniques.

Dogs are not as stubborn as they seem to be, however they are often confused about what's expected from them. To begin with, you need to establish the alpha (dominant leader) status so that they know who's in command here. You will require loads of patience to get the desired behavior and of course you will also have to exercise force when it's necessary. With thousands of things to distract them, training a "come" can be particularly challenging. Dogs are basically fun loving by nature and like to explore their surroundings. They can spend hours sniffing things, turning things over, playing with tiny objects, or digging into the ground and you need to therefore ensure that the training session has no room for such distractions. You must also make it a point to conduct training sessions at a place far from people, or sounds that can hinder their concentration. A large room with just a few tiny objects or a big backyard may serve as an ideal location to train your dog.

Closely observe your dog's actions to see when it's heading towards you so that you can make the most of its spontaneous behavior. You may give a voice-command/hand gesture pair that can be typically used to invoke this behavior, however, you must ensure that the gesture or word you select should preferably not be used other than for training purpose. To see if the dog has understood your command, first give the "sit" followed by the "stay" command and then finally the hand-gesture and voice command to see if you get the desired action. If you do, then go ahead and praiseand pamper it lavishly however don't do the mistake of rewarding for incorrect or partially correct actions. Repeat the same procedure by stepping further away and see how it responds to your commands. If it comes too soon, then you need to give the sit/stay command again first and make a second attempt. Don't give up if the dog does not budge from its place at all, as it's sure to respond to your commands if you lure it with a favorite toy.

Leash and collar training is usually used as a supplement for slow learners or dogs who just wouldn't respond to your commands. You may gently tug the leash when you give the command so that the dog is compelled to move and respond favorably. For a dog or canine with a totally opposite temperament who comes readily, you need to train it with a long leash or rope, tie it to a post or tree and give the "stay" command first with a tug. People have tried training their dogs with the help of a partner in place of tying it to a tree, however, this may confuse the dog who will may have a tough time figuring out whom to obey.

Training will be successful provided you give it sufficient time to learn these new human-induced behaviors. No matter how long it takes, you must be patient and avoid using harsh techniques at all costs.

Article By Andrew Strachan. Find lots more information and details about training your dog and different types of dogs at types-of-dogs.com

Lots of help and advice too.

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Dog Training - Training a Dog to Sit

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Dog Training - Training a Dog to SitBy Andrew Strachan

Training a dog or canine to sit is one of the most fundamental commands that you can teach your dog. Among the variety or diversity of behaviors a dog or canine can learn, the "sit" is perhaps one of the most important behaviors. Once it is established that you are the alpha (leader), you can put your dog on a systematic training program to teach him this fundamentally important behavior that is crucial to introduce other human-induced behaviors. Simply put, a dog or canine is more attentive when he sits and his gaze is fixed on you the alpha making things easier for you.

During training, what the dog is not doing is as important as what he is doing, is what he is not. In spite of being more or less stationary in a "sit", you still can't be assured of total attention, don't forget those wagging tails, after all. The breed of a dog or canine can largely influence his ability to learn and the time required to complete training. Also important, is your individual training style and how patient you can be when teaching your dog these important etiquettes. Being a very simple move, your dog is bound to learn it sooner or later.

In order to train your dog, it's important to closely observe him so that you can chalk out a training program based on his spontaneous behavior. The rationale behind doing this is that you need to catch the dog in the middle of performing the behavior and say 'sit' and gesture so that he learns to correlate the commands to that particular behavior. Once his mind is conditioned to respond to these commands, you will surely get the desired behavior. Give the command using a particular tone and with a unique hand signal so that the dog easily associates these signals to that behavior. One thing you must never forget to do is praise him lavishly when you get the desired outcome. Don't rush with food treats, as you need to save these bribes to get the dog on track. Often times, your dog is really confused and may have no clue why you are so happy,however it makes them happy to see you, the alpha happy. When these actions and praises are repeated, he will soon be able to figure out what's really happening. In order to initiate a "sit", face him and then give the command and see if he acts the way you want him to. Fast learners may learn it in just a few attempts while some may really try your patience.

For slow learners, hold a favorite toy or a treat a small above his head and slightly behind the forehead (it should be visible) to grasp his attention. This is the time to move the toy/treat gradually towards the tail to initiate a "sit". However, if the dog responds by backing up, you may repeat this technique near a fence, a wall, or a couch, where he has nowhere to go so and compelled to sit. When he is about to sit, give the command followed by the hand signal and then praise him or reward him so that he is encouraged to repeat it. For stubborn dogs, you may gently push on the back near the tail as you lift his chin when executing the command to literally force the "sit". Even "forced" sits need to be rewarded so that your dog cooperates with you during the training process. You need to be however careful with young puppies and see that you don't push them too hard.

Many trainers use a "clicker" (a plastic and metal device) that makes a distinct click-clack sound when you press and release it as an alternative for voice commands.

Article By Andrew Strachan. Find lots more information and details about training your dog to sit and different types of dogs at types-of-dogs.com

Lots of help and advice too.