Five New Year's Resolutions For Dog Owners

When New Year's Eve comes around, we all make resolutions which we hope will make the next year better than our last in some way. Here are five New Year's resolutions for dog owners that are easy to sustain throughout the year and will improve the lives of both you and your dog:

• The first New Year's resolution for dog owners should be to regularly exercise your dog. Dogs that are confined to a part of the house for long periods of time without exercise become bored and frustrated. A lack of exercise can lead to behavioural problems such as your furniture being destroyed and separation anxiety as well as your dog being hyper on the few walks you do have, whilst pulling on their lead. If you walk your dog for a minimum 20-30 minutes twice a day he will be less likely to get bored whilst confined to the home and more likely to settle with a chew toy or treat. Your walks will progressively improve as your dog will become calmer.
  
• Next is the commitment to train your dog which we all know is essential for basic obedience. Your dog doesn't know what you want from him unless you show him and an owner who gets frustrated and shouts will be scary and could lead to further problems. Although this may be a common New Year's resolution for dog owners, many people don't stick to it through lack of determination, patience and time. However, if you take the time and dedication to show your dog basic commands then it will help build a strong relationship between you, keep you both safe on walks and gives you a foundation for teaching your dog more advanced skills later.
  
• Another important New Year's resolution for dog owners is healthy eating. Healthy eating is essential for both humans and dogs if you want to stay fit and healthy and live to an old age. It is no different for dogs and in fact is a major factor in preventing certain diseases in dogs such as diabetes and heart disease, which are more common now than ever because of the unhealthy diets we feed our dogs. Your vet will be able to advise you on the best diet for your dog and it is advisable to stick to it as much as possible. It is perfectly fine to give treats as long as they are part of your dogs daily food intake and healthy.
  
• This leads nicely on to the next New Years resolution for dog owners, obesity! How many dogs do you know who are overweight, sometimes by a large amount. Being overweight is a contributing factor in disease which as well as being unpleasant for your dog and shortening his life, is also bad news for your wallet as you will spend a lot of time, and money, at the vets. Feeding healthy treats occasionally is fine as long as they are part of a daily allowance. Plenty of exercise will help to burn off those calories of course, but his weight should always be watched. Any dog that struggles to run around because he is overweight is not happy as he is likely to have other problems such as pain in the joints, trouble breathing and plenty more.
  
• The last New Years resolution should be to have fun with your dog. By incorporating fun and games into a daily routine you will not only be teaching him basic commands but also strengthening the bond between you. A dog is a faithful companion and will always be there for you no matter what, so enjoy your time together and have plenty of fun!

Teaching the 'Watch Me' Command

Teaching the 'watch me' command to your dog is one of the simplest yet one of the most useful techniques you will use when training your dog. However, most dog owners do not think it is a useful command to teach their dog.

The 'watch me' command gives you an easy technique to put into practice if you are in a dangerous situation. For example, if your dog is aggressive towards any pets, children or bicycles then teaching the 'watch me' command will give you a simple way to distract your dog until the other person has walked past you. All you need to teach your dog the 'watch me' command is spare time and treats to reward your dog.

Teaching the 'watch me' command shouldn't take your dog long to understand if you practice regularly throughout the day. At first, start teaching your dog in a quiet area so that he can get an understanding of what the 'watch me' command means.

To begin teaching the 'watch me' command place a treat in front of the dogs nose. Then lift the treat up to your eye, making sure that your dog can still see the treat. Once your dog looks you in the eye give him the treat. If you do this regularly your dog will recognise lifting your hand up to your eye as a hand signal. Gradually your dog will follow this command without having to use treats. Once your dog understands this command you will be able to use this in many different situations which will keep you and your dog out of danger.

Using Positive Reinforcement to Train Your Dog

Using positive reinforcement to train your dog is essential if you want your dog to obey you all the time. Positive reinforcement is giving your dog something he loves e.g. a toy or a treat as praise for a command that he has just completed successfully. This is the animal equivalent to a parent giving their child money for doing household chores or for getting good grades in an exam. This kind of positive reinforcement teaches the dog that commands such as the recall or ‘leave it’ are good to obey because they will get rewarded at the end of it.

Shouting, hitting and punishing is the complete opposite of using positive reinforcement to train your dog, so should never be used. If you shout or hit your dog because he didn’t return to you when you first used the recall command your dog will eventually connect obeying the recall command with being punished and hit. This will reverse all your hard work and you will be back to square one with training your dog.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money buying the latest hi-tech equipment to train your dog effectively. All you need is time, dedication and a lot of patience. Using positive reinforcement to train your dog will improve your dogs training for both of you as you will have a lot more fun if your dog is willing to learn.

Alongside using positive reinforcement to train your dog and voice commands try to use hand gestures as much as possible. This will make it easier for your dog to understand what you want. For example, if you are practicing the recall command your dog will be far away from you. Therefore if you only use a voice command your dog could become confused if he has misheard what you said. If you use hand signals as well as voice commands, your dog will be able to see you from a distance so the training will be a success every time.

Teach Your Dog the 'Leave It' Command

To teach your dog the 'leave it' command is an essential exercise if you have a dog that chews furniture, clothes or even chasing bicycles. This command could keep you and your dog out of danger.

Even though you many want to teach your dog the 'leave it' command to prevent them from chasing vehicles or destroying household items, begin teaching the command using dog treats or a chew toy. This is so they understand the command fully before proceeding to more advanced techniques.

Begin by putting a small treat or dog toy in your right hand and place it in front of your dog. Keep a reward in your left hand and place it behind your back. As your dog advances for the treat in your right hand say 'leave it'. Once he has moved away from the treat, either by moving his nose away from your hand or looking straight at you, reward him with the treat or toy in your left hand. To teach your dog the 'leave it' command successfully this exercise will need to be repeated several times until your dog understands this basic command.

Once your dog understands this basic exercise you can then teach your dog the 'leave it' command using different objects that will challenge each individual dog e.g. if your dog chases bicycles practice by asking a friend or a member of your family to cycle past you on in the street while you tell the dog to 'leave it'. If he does, reward him and praise him and then repeat the command. If not, walk in the opposite direction, focus the dog's attention back onto you, and when he is calm start again.

Obedience lessons are often easier understood if you can watch them being demonstrated by a professional trainer such as Dove Cresswell. To watch a free lesson of dog obedience tricks click here.

Separation Anxiety in Dogs

Separation anxiety in dogs often involves whining, barking and being destructive. This is mostly caused by letting your dog have access to you at all times as a puppy and then suddenly leaving him in a restricted area for a long period of time. However if you teach your puppy that being left alone isn't a negative thing your dog will not suffer from separation anxiety and you will have a stronger relationship with your dog.

A key rule to prevent separation anxiety in dogs is to start leaving your dog on his own for short periods of time when you are still in the house. Separate a specific area away from the rest of the house by a dog gate and treat it as your dog's area. Once there is a bed or a kennel with food and water in this area your dog will start to see this as a positive place.

After your dog has become used to his area in the house begin leaving your dog on his own for short periods of time, making sure that you are always in the house to check on him. When you are leaving him don't give your dog any treats or talk to him. This is a common mistake with separation anxiety in dogs, as giving him what you think is reassurance gives him a reason to become worried. When you return to your dog remember to praise him if he's calm and settled. This will reinforce this positive behaviour.

Sometimes, separation anxiety in dogs is mistaken for boredom. A dog that is unstimulated and full of energy will chew your furniture out of boredom. Walk your dog before you leave the house and after you return to ensure that your dog has burnt off excess energy. It may also be a good idea to leave stimulating toys such as a stuffed Kong for your dog to pass the time.

How To Teach Your Dog Recall

How to teach your dog recall is one of the most common questions asked by dog owners everywhere. When out on walks with your dog it is essential to keep your dog safe and also to avoid him becoming a nuisance to other dog owners when out on your adventures.

Walking with your dog is an enjoyable experience as well as being good for your health and social well being but becomes a chore when your dog refuses to return to you on command. This can leave you frustrated, scared for his safety and also make you very unpopular in the dog park.

Here are some tips to teach your dog recall:
* The first step is to ensure that your dog wants to be with you on walks and finds you fun and interesting to be with. Just walking round a field and ignoring him will leave him to find his interests elsewhere such as chasing the local wildlife!
* Before letting him run off lead, begin to teach your dog recall on a long training line and keep calling him back to you when out. Use a specific command such as 'here' and only use this command so you don't confuse your dog. Call in a happy, excited tone and make sure you have a tasty titbit waiting to reward him. Of course, the treats should make up his daily food allowance to avoid piling on the pounds!
* Don't keep calling him back to you while you are out, as this will become boring. Focus on the quality of the recall rather than the quantity as cramming loads of training into your walk will be counter productive.
* If your dog doesn't come to you immediately on your initial recall, turn around quickly and run the other way so that he has to follow you. Don't forget to praise him with a tasty treat!
* If you have a bad day when you try to teach your dog recall, take a break. If you become frustrated your dog will sense this and will be less likely to respond and may see the command as a punishment. The aim is to make the recall fun, your dog will want to come back to you as he gets loads of praise and treats.

It can be easier to watch a video or DVD on the television and see how the training is done before putting it into action. For a free demonstration click here!

Dog Obedience Tricks To Make Your Relationship With Your Dog A Rewarding One

When we go out and either buy our first puppy or rescue a dog from our local shelter, very few of us think very much about the problems we may invariably encounter or the training necessary to help our newly acquired friend become a pleasant addition to the household. This is where dog obedience tricks can be indispensable when it comes to basic commands for a well behaved dog.

Teaching dog obedience tricks isn't all about teaching orders to our furry friends, it's also about having fun together and ensuring your dog wants to be with you. How many times have you let your dog off the lead and he has run off to play with another dog or chase something? Could you make training the kind of activity that keeps your dog entertained and want to stay with you? It is hard work but is possible.

Keeping training sessions fun is very important but keep them down to around ten to fifteen minutes per session to avoid you both becoming tired and frustrated. You should also be prepared for the dog obedience tricks to take time to master, for both of you!

Sometimes it is easier to watch someone on a DVD or online demonstrating how the dog obedience tricks should be put into practice. Being at a dog training class can sometimes be very stressful, especially if everyone else seems to have a well behaved pet and Fido is dragging you all around the training ring too excited to concentrate. If you watch online you can put the commands into practice at any time of day to suit you both. If a training class is held at 6pm on a weekday, you may both be tired or you may not be home at that time because of prior commitments. With a training class online you can tune in when you are both feeling fresh and ready to go and work at your own pace.

Teaching dog obedience tricks can help you to build a lasting relationship with your dog and enable you to have a dog who is well adjusted and obedient.

Training your dog using basic commands

Training your dog using basic commands gives you more control without confusing your dog. Using simple commands such as “sit”, “lie down” and “stay” all give your dog a basic understanding of what is expected from him. They also help to create a foundation of knowledge for your dog which can then be used to build up to more advanced commands.

You can begin training your dog using basic commands at any stage of their life; they can be as young as 12 weeks old and still be ready to learn simple dog obedience. Even though teaching your dog can be frustrating for some people, using these tips will help you and your dog live a happy life together.

Whilst training your dog using basic commands, one of the most important rules is to keep the lessons short and frequent. After around 15 minutes (or maybe less), your dog will start to get distracted and bored, which will lead to you becoming annoyed and your dog learning nothing except that these sessions are very boring. If you keep these sessions around 10 minutes long and have 2-3 of them spread evenly throughout the day, your dog will gradually learn these basic commands.

When you first train your dog, it is essential that you find a quiet place with no distractions for your dog. Training your dog using basic commands should be simple but if there are other dogs around, food (that isn't going to be used as a reward for your dog), music or any other kind of distraction, training will become much harder and you are more likely to confuse your dog. After you have taught your dog these basic commands, try putting these instructions into everyday scenarios such as in the park, on the street or in another person's home. This will make the dog realise that these basic commands are going to be used in different surroundings other than your home.

To watch a professional dog trainer training a dog using basic commands for free click here.

My Dogs

Jacob, Dogs Trust

The slideshow above show Jacob, the dog that I sponser from Dogs Trust. He became 13 years old last month. For the year that I have been sponsering him, I have received updates, pictures, fridge magnets and even Valentines Day cards from him!
Sponsering a dog is a marvellous way to give to charity and know that you are making a difference-a perfect gift for any dog lover as well. If you have ever consider giving to a charity, I would highly recommend sponsering a dog at Dogs Trust.

Why You Need Dog Obedience Tips

Dog obedience is an essential part of owning a dog, especially if you want you and your dog to be happy! Teaching basic commands to your dog using dog obedience tips will establish lines of communication so that your dog will understand that certain behaviours are required from him and other behaviours are definitely not permitted!

A dog that is well trained using kind, gentle methods will be happy and confident allowing a strong bond to be built between you. How many of us have taken our dog out for a gentle stroll only to be dragged along at a terrifying speed and end up with a strained back or arm where you have been pulled? How many dogs are there who don't come back to you on command? This is a very dangerous situation to be in for you and your dog.

We all have good intentions when we buy or rescue a dog, we intend to go to dog obedience school or buy a book on dog obedience tips, but most of us just don't have the time and patience. I have also found that a book is often full of valuable information but if you misunderstand the instructions you could end up confusing your poor dog.

One solution is to be able to watch the dog trainer put their dog obedience tips into action! Dove Cresswell is a professional dog trainer in Hollywood and has worked on several major films. She has made a film that gives you seven lessons in dog obedience ranging from potty training to a successful recall everytime! You can download the lessons now and watch Dove's actions whilst training and hear the tone of her voice to ensure you get it right the first time.

This course is essential for anyone who wants to learn valuable dog obedience tips but doesn't have the time to go to night school with their dog or just doesn't want to read a whole book before training can commence. Take a look at a free sample lesson now!