When attempting to shape the behavior pattern of the animal utilizing the clicker, small steps must be taken. For example, if you are trying to teach your dog to roll over, you would first click when he lies down. Then once that is mastered, once he continuously lies down, you no longer give clicks for that behavior. The clicks will now only come as he starts the actual rolling motion. This method insures that progress is made at a faster pace.

The clicker is also used as a means of communication between the dog trainer and the animal. In communication training, you will want to combine a treat or snack that the animal enjoys along with the clicker. Once the dog associates the treat with the clicker, then the communication training can begin.

Trainers that use the clicker report that their animals learn quickly, have longer retention, and actually enjoy the sound that the clicker makes. It has been discovered that the sound of the clicker creates a stimulus in the animal that is equivalent to hearing a siren or seeing bright colorful lights which in turn cause an alert reaction from the animal.

 Trainers find that their animals master problem solving tasks with ease, exude confidence and perform their tasks effortlessly. The clicker itself is quite user friendly. To introduce the concept to your pet or animal, you simply begin behavior training and follow the desired results with a click. After that, then you just use the clicker as a marker when the animal exhibits the behaviors or actions you seek. This technique is referred to as ‘loading the clicker”. It is also called “charging the clicker”. This method is most commonly used with dog training. Dogs typically use the “nose touch’ method and so once you load the clicker and put the treat to their nose, then the clicker has been successfully introduced to the canine. The load or charge method is not used in the training of horses. When training horses, its best to use the target method. This way the horse will not anticipate a treat that it has not yet earned.

Some concerns that people have with the clicker method is obesity of the animal from so many treats. This can be solved in one or two ways. You can either incorporate the animals regular diet into the treats offered, or you can substitute the treats for another reward such as a toy.  Train My Dog Now offers one of the most popular training programs on the market.  Canis Clicker training can be viewed by clicking the banner below.

Those that use positive reinforcement methods swear by the effectiveness of their techniques, and it is true that the majority of dogs respond well to these dog training methods.

In recent year, reward training has become increasingly popular and chances are some sort of reward training between humans and dogs has been going on for hundreds if not thousands of years.

 One reason that positive reinforcement training is so effective is that is uses rewards to train the dog what is expected of it.  When the dog performs the desired behavior, he is provided with a reward, most often in the form of a food treat, but it could be a scratch behind the ears, a rub under the chin or a pat on the head as well.  The key is that the dog is rewarded consistently for doing the right thing.

What makes reward training so effective is having some knowledge of the history of humans and dogs is very helpful.  The earliest dogs were probably wolf pups that were tamed and used by early humans for protection from predators, as alarm systems and later for guarding and herding livestock. 

 It is possible that the wolf pups that made the best companions were the most easily trained, or it is possible that these early dogs were orphaned or abandoned wolf pups.  There is little doubt today that the vast variety of dogs we see today have their origin from wolf.

 Wolf packs, like packs of wild dogs, operate on a strict pack hierarchy. The wolf and dog packs hunt as a group, this type of hierarchy, and the cooperation that it brings  is essential to the survival of the species.  With the exception of death or injury the hierarchy of the dog pack rarely changes and every dog in the pack  knows it’s place.

Because of this, every dog is hard wired by nature to look to the pack leader for guidance.  The basis of all good dog training, including reward based training, is for the owner to set him or herself up as the pack leader.  The pack leader is more than just the dominant dog, or the one who tells all the subordinates what to do.  Most importantly, the pack leader provides protection and leadership.   Their leadership is vital to the success and survival of the pack.

It is important for the dog to see itself as part of a pack, to recognize the human as the leader of that pack, and to respect his or her authority.  Some dogs are much easier to dominate than others.  Watching a group of puppies playing for a little while, you will quickly recognize the submissive and dominant personalities. 

A dog with a more submissive personality will generally be easier to train using positive reinforcement, since he or she will not want to challenge the owner for leadership.  Even dominant dogs  respond very well to positive reinforcement.  You will find very few dogs that do not respond well to positive reinforcement, also known as reward training.

Positive reinforcement is also the best way to retrain a dog that has behavior problems, especially one that has been abused in the past. Getting the respect and trust of an abused dog can be very difficult, and positive reinforcement is better than any other training method at creating this important bond.
                                               
No matter what type of dog you are working with, chances are it can be helped with positive reinforcement training methods. You should base dog training methods on respect and trust, rather than on intimidation and fear, is the best way to get the most from any dog.  Train My Dog Now owns 3 dogs and highly recommends Dove’s Cresswell’s online training program and videos.  You can check it out by clicking the banner below.

 You can start your dog training with a variety of drills, exerises and skills,  using four jumps.  Four jumps will allow you to work on a short jump chute or jump grid.  You can setup a “box” with your jumps and practice handling, collection, and 270 degree jumps.  You can train  your dog jumping from the left and right.  You can handle your dog  from the inside of the box or you can be outside the box.  Your jumps can be setup in a horizontal line, so that you can practice threadles and serpentines.
 
Get eight jumps by going to the next step.  You can now setup two boxes with one introductory jump.  You’ve now doubled your drills that you can practice with your dog.  Your jump grids can be of recommended size and quantity of jumps.  You can also setup your jumps in a circle with the jump bars perpendicular to the circle or on the circumference of the circle.  You cantrain a variety of skills with this pattern.
 
You can next move onto a double jump and a triple jump.  You could set two or three single jumps together to make your expanded jump.   Having double and triple jump in your course work is really valuable to practice.  We’ve seen many dogs run a clean course and the last obstacle is a triple and the dog is not prepared for it, and  down comes the bar.
 
Get ahead of the pack and have two sets of eight jumps.  This is the ultimate in dog training since you can keep a jump grip up at all times that is separate from your course work, and have eight single jumps to have for course work.  And when you include your double and triple, you can really practice all the jumping skills and drills necessary to get you those “Qs”.  Let us know at Train My Dog Now by posting a comment on how this worked out for you and your pet!

It is probably the dream of most dog owners to be able to teach their pet to do some of the tricks they see other dogs doing, but there is one thing they must remember above all others before starting down the path of teaching tricks. The dog must have at least some basic dog obedience. There is not much chance acomplishing dog training  your pet to do tricks if it is a badly behaved dog in the first place. 

The basic commands such as sit, down, heel etc, should be known by your dog before trick dog training starts, as this will make life so much easier later on. Once these have been mastered you can begin to build on them and your dog will soon be amazing your friends with the following three simple tricks.

Begging

To start teaching this trick it is best to have your dog sit in a corner of the room with his back to the wall and you standing in front of him. The walls will support your dog and give him the confidence that he won’t fall over if he raises his front legs off the floor.

Take some small pieces of food and hold it above your dog whilst enticing him to reach up for it. Each time he takes the food, praise him and repeat the procedure slowly encouraging him to reach higher each time.

Whilst encouraging the dog to reach up for the food, you must make sure that he is keeping his haunches on the ground. This is achieved by moving the food back over his head slightly making the dog shift his weight back over his haunches and teaching him to keep his balance.

Once the begging dog trick has bee mastered in the corner of the room you can gradually begin to move away from the wall and practise the trick where the dog has no back support. You must expect at this stage that the dog will seem to go backwards in his learning, but this is to be expected until he can perfect it just using his own body weight.

Shaking hands

There are two parts of this dog trick for your dog to learn. A verbal part and a non-verbal part which both work together to give the dog a cue that you want him to perform the trick.

Firstly the dog should start off in a sitting position. Give him a single word verbal command such as ‘shake’, whilst at the same time reaching out with your right hand until it is just a few inches from your dogs’ right leg. Your outstretched hand is the non-verbal cue.

Initially your dog will probably just sit motionless unsure of what to do, so with your left hand, gently push or prod his right leg forwards until it rests in your right hand. When he has done this, praise him so that he knows he has done what you wanted him to do.

Practice this dog trick several times; praising after each successful result and gradually reducing the amount of left hand prompting until only the verbal and non-verbal cues are all that are needed.

Shaking the head: ‘No’

Before you can begin to teach this trick to your dog, you will need to find something which will make him shake his head naturally. Some things which may help are blowing gently on the ear, tickling the ear with a feather or even lightly attaching a paperclip to the ear – remembering that you should not cause the dog any pain.

Once you have found the dog training method which makes him shake his head you will then have to decide on which verbal and non-verbal cue you want to use. A single word such as ‘head’ along with shrugging of your shoulders is just one idea.

Again your dog should start in a sitting position when first teaching him this trick. As in the shaking hands trick, use both cues together, along with the prod (tickling his ear, etc) in an effort to stimulate your dog to shake his head. Once he does, reward him, even if it is just a small movement.

This dog trick is best learned in short sessions with momentary breaks in between, so don’t try to repeat the exercise more that five times in one session or the dog will become confused and not learn.

Gradually reduce the amount of prodding so that all that are needed are the verbal and non-verbal cues. Once your dog has mastered the trick, he can be progressed to learn it in standing position and laying positions as well.

The main thing with training dogs to perform dog tricks is for the owner to learn that patience is a virtue and that the dog will learn in his own time. Do not scold the dog if he does not seem to be learning, it is always better to be patient and encourage him more.  We would love to hear about your dog training success at Train My Dog Now, so please post them.  You can find some wonderful nutrional information by clicking the link below.

The phrase “destructive chewing” may sound redundant, because – by its very nature! – all chewing is destructive. Your dog has strong jaws full of sharp, pointy teeth: just about anything she starts to chew on is probably going to show the effects of it inside of a minute. So just to clarify, when I use the phrase “destructive chewing”, I’m referring to inappropriate chewing: the kind of chewing that’s focused on your own possessions and household items, instead of on your dog’s own designated toys and chews.

The three main reasons why dogs chew:

- Most dogs have a natural desire to chew. It’s fun, it passes the time, and it’s a self-rewarding, self-reinforcing activity (for example, if she’s chewing on something that tastes good.)

- Chewing provides a nervous, bored, or lonely dog with an outlet for her emotions. To an anxious dog, the repetitive act of chewing is soothing – it’s the doggie equivalent of comfort food.

- Underexercised dogs often use chewing as a way of burning up nervous energy and giving themselves something to do.

- How to prevent destructive chewing -

Dogs are perfectly capable of learning not to chew your stuff – you just have to put in a little effort first, that’s all.

1. Take control of the situation: manage your own possessions. Your first step should be to dog-proof your home. Even if you have the best-behaved dog in the world, there’s still no reason to test her self-control – after all, dogs explore the world with their mouths.

Dog-proofing your home means taking whatever you don’t want to end up in her mouth, and making it unavailable. Consider her size and agility when deciding whether something’s out of reach: can she jump? Can she climb, or leap onto something else to reach the desired object? How tall is she when standing on her back legs?

Common targets in the home include books, eyewear, clothing, shoes, garbage, and small crunchy appliances like cameras, cell phones, and remote controls.

It should go without saying that all food needs to be put securely away: don’t leave snacks on low tables (or even countertops – you’d be surprised how acrobatic she can be when there’s food at stake!), put all food into containers or the pantry. Rinse your dirty plates clean of any food scraps before leaving them by the sink.

2. Prevent her from learning the joys of illegal chewing. The more times she manages to snatch a jawful of a forbidden substance – a chair-leg, a pillow, a running shoe – the more readily she’ll target those items in future. If you can prevent her from chewing your stuff in the first place, it’s a lot easier for her to understand what you expect of her. Practically speaking, this means confining her in a dog-proofed area until you’re confident of her understanding of the house rules.

3. Don’t set her up for failure by blurring the boundaries between her stuff (OK to chew) and your stuff (not OK to chew). Don’t offer your dog cast-off clothes, shoes, or towels to chew and play with: realistically, you can’t possibly expect her to be able to tell the difference between your current shoes and the one she’s got in her mouth that you gave her five minutes ago.

4. Provide her with lots of tasty alternatives to your stuff. If her environment is relatively barren of attractive, appropriate chewing objects, you can hardly blame her for targeting your possessions. Remember, most dogs need to chew; if she’s an adolescent (under three years) or a puppy (under one year), her needs will be even more pronounced. Go on a toy and chew shopping spree, then give her two or three to play with at a time. Rotating the available toys every few days will keep things novel and interesting for her.

5. Spend lots of time in active supervision. Yes, it might be easier for you to just keep her penned up in her dog crate, run, or the yard – but that’s boring and horrible for her, and hardly much fun for you either (if you wanted a pet that you don’t need to interact with, you’d have got a goldfish, right?) She can’t learn what you expect of her if she’s spending all her time boxed up in the dog-proof zone: she needs the opportunity to explore the boundaries of your expectations, so she can understand what’s appropriate and what’s not.

6. When you catch her chewing something inappropriate, interrupt her by making a loud noise: clap your hands or make an “Ah-ah-aaaah!” noise. Then, immediately hand her a tasty and dog-appropriate alternative (a rawhide bone or other chew toy); as soon as her jaws close around it, praise her lavishly. There is no better way to get your dog to understand that chewing “her” toys equals praise from you, but everything else equals trouble.

- Maintain a productive attitude -

Above all, remember to keep your expectations realistic. You’re not perfect, and neither is your dog: there’s likely to be at least one incident where a cherished item is damaged by her curiosity.

Particularly in the early stages of your relationship, she’s still learning the ropes: it’ll take awhile before she’s completely reliable (and even then, if she’s left by herself for too long or feels neglected, she may choose your stuff over hers to occupy her time and jaws with.) Remember to give her time to learn the rules, and plenty of ‘you-time’ to help her learn faster – and don’t forget to take precautions and keep things out of reach until she’s got the hang of the chewing rules! 

You can find some great chew toys at the Train My Dog Now online store and another great dog training resouce can be found by clicking the link below.

Pups are like children, they need constant supervision and dog training. Training a pup need not be an ordeal all you need to keep in mind are a few simple rules: 

• Until your pup learns you need to keep an eye on him at all times. When you cannot then you must dog crate him. Create a schedule for the pup this will help the pup settle down quickly. The schedule must include things like hourly bath rooming visits, eating times, rest periods, walks, play time, training, and so on. A pup that has a busy day has no time to be bored and get into mischief.

• Teach the pup to respect you. Dogs live in packs and instinctively follow a leader. If you establish your leadership in no uncertain terms then dog training will become easy as the pup will obey you at all times and not challenge your authority.

• Use only positive training methods. Never shout at, hit, or punish a dog. It is not just cruel but can lead to behavioral problems. Use of electric shocks, prong collars, sprays, and so on could hurt the animal.

• Teach the pup “nothing in life is free.” This is a system that is widely acknowledged as a useful training tool. If you practice this, the pup will learn that to get something like love, a walk, or treat, he must behave well.
• Teach the meaning of “No,” from day one. Do not encourage behaviors like jumping, mouthing, tug-o-war, barking, or running out of open gates and doors. Praise good behavior and ignore or walk away when there is bad behavior. The pup will learn that if he misbehaves he will loose his companion/playmate.

• To correct a dog  behavior you must catch the pup in the act and startle him by rattling a can of pebbles. Once you have done this make him correct his behavior and immediately offer him a treat and praise. Pups do not recall what happened earlier so scolding him after an event is of no use.

• Always call/use his name positively. Never say “Bad TOM,” or “No Tom,” this will cause confusion and the pup will think that if you call his name then it is something bad. The pup must associate his name with happy events like hugs, petting, walks, treats, and such. If this happens he will come willingly when you call out his name.

• Create a training schedule that is short and sweet say 10 minutes thrice a day. Long repetitive lessons can be boring and the pup will loose interest in learning. Make learning fun and use trick training to teach commands like sit, down, come and so on.

• Bond with the pup and both of you will enjoy your lessons. The pup must look forward to spending time with you and not avoid you by running away or hiding. Be sure to socialize the pup early. Socialization is one of the most important lessons. The pup must learn to be around other animals, people, sounds, vehicles, and other activities. So, slowly introduce the pup when he is little to everyday activities and sounds. Take him to the mall/ park, introduce him to children and other pets, and make him unafraid of the vacuum and garden hose.

• Learn all about crate training, leash walking, house breaking, as well as food training. These are kindergarten lessons that every pup must master. Know about all the idiosyncrasies as well as peculiarities of the breed this will give you valuable insights on how to successfully train the pup.

As a pet-parent you have many choices. You could choose to train the dog yourself or register at a professional training school. Training a dog has many stages: kindergarten, obedience training, doggy sports, showing and conformation, as well as other aspects like therapy dogs, hearing dogs, and so on. What level you choose to train depends on you as well as the learning abilities of your dog. As you know, different dogs like humans have varied talents. Choose well and both you and your pup will have fun times together. 

Train My Dog Now highly recommend the Dove Cresswell’s online dog training program, which you can find by clicking the banner below. 

Not only is it unsightly, you will also have to come out of your pocket to get your yard fixed up.  Plus, if you do it yourself, that is time spent there when you could be doing something else.

 Dogs are not thinking when they are doing this.  They may get tired of playing with their toys and they are not hungry.  One thing that you cannot do is to impose punishment to get them to stop. 

 If you do try to punish them, you may face the dog rebelling against you.  You will need to find the root of why they are digging in your yard to begin with.  Then you will be able to work from there to make changes in your dog and stop him from digging holes. 

 Here are some dog training methods that you can try to get your dog to stop digging holes in your yard:

•  Place barriers in certain areas of your yard to keep your dog out.  They should be placed in the areas where he likes to dig holes.  Once they realized that their favorite areas are blocked, they will stop trying to gain access to dig more holes.
•  You may want to have a sprinkler that will spray water on your dog.  Dogs are not too keen about having water sprayed on them.  They are not animals that like to get wet. 
•  Make sure that your dog gets plenty of exercise.  That can help them to stop thinking about wanting to dig holes in your yard.  One of the main reasons that they do it because they get bored and feel that they have nothing else to do. 
•  Make time to play with your dog.  Spend quality time with him.  When they know that you are investing time with them, they will be less likely to think about messing up your yard.
•  Your dog should have plenty of toys to keep them busy.  Make sure that they have a variety so that they won’t get bored easily.
•  If playing with them and taking them out for regular exercise is not enough, you may want to get your dog a sandbox.  Or you can section off a portion of your yard where they are allowed to dig.  You can also allow them to have toys and treats in that area.  Once they get accustomed to it, they will not see the need to dig holes anywhere else in your yard.
•  Dogs don’t like the heat, so they will dig holes and use the dirt to keep them cool.  If you want to stop them from digging, give them a place where there is shade and provide them with plenty of water.
•  One thing that you can do to keep or stop your dog from digging may not be a pleasant one.  However, you may be surprised to find out that it can be effective.  You can place some waste in the holes that are being dug up.  Once the dog gets to the waste, they will want to stop digging up holes in your yard. 
• You can find information about dog fencing in the store at Train My Dog Now. 

Another great dog obedience training course that deals specifically with stopping your dog from digging can be found by clicking the link below.

Studies show that pet ownership helps reduce stress, lowers blood pressure and fends off feelings of loneliness and depression.

While nothing can top the love and companionship of a dog, there are some unpleasant behaviors that just won’t do – from a dog barking all night to wetting the floor to dog chewing on your shoes when you’re not looking.

If your dog is exhibiting this type of bad behavior, it may be acting out due to boredom, pent-up aggression or because of lack of dog training. That were train my dog now can help you find the right resources.  With proper lifestyle adjustments and diligent training, you’ll be on your way to having a happy, well-behaved pet. The following tips will help your furry friend become more obedient:

* Spay or neuter. The Humane Society of the United States says that this common procedure can help your dog live longer, be healthier and have fewer behavior problems.

* Help your pet relax. Just like people, dogs can get anxious, agitated and stressed. That’s why some veterinarians suggest giving your dog a calming product, such as Pluto Pet’s Pet Calming Spray, to help relieve hyperactivity.

Made with natural ingredients, Pet Calming Spray acts quickly to relieve restlessness, fear, nervousness and aggression and helps antsy pets sleep through the night, according to the manufacturer.

* Have a workout routine. Provide your canine companion with regularly scheduled walks twice a day. This will help your dog avoid boredom, which can lead to destructive behavior.

* Go to school. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, enrolling your dog in a dog obedience class will teach you how to control your dog’s behavior both safely and humanely.

* Be patient. Though teaching your furry friend to be more obedient may take determination on your part, it’s worth it. After all, as man’s best friend, your dog will appreciate bonding with you during the process. 

A great dog obedience program can be found by clicking the link below and please post  your sucess on Train My Dog Now

Crate training is fairly intense for you. The rule is: if you are not actively paying attention to your dog, your dog is in the crate. Period. Even if you’re in the same room. If you’re not watching your puppy, it’s in the crate. If you think “caging” your dog is cruel, get over it. It’s worse for your dog not to know the rules of the house.

Crate training is not an excuse to ignore your dog for hours at a time. A puppy cannot go more than a couple of hours during the day without a “bathroom break.” If your dog learns to mess in its crate the behavior is very difficult to correct. It’s one of the biggest challenges when adopting strays or rescues from shelters. It can be done, but requires patience and dedication.

Dogs should be taken out at regular intervals; after meals, after naps and after play sessions.  And “business” walks are not playtime. Put the collar and leash on, take the dog to a specific spot you want it to use for its toilet area, give your dog a command “go potty.” If it does, reward it with praise and cookies, say “good go potty.” Forget about public embarrassment. If you’re easily embarrassed, don’t get a dog. Of course you can use any words you want – a friend of ours used “hit it” with her dogs. She just had to be careful not to use the phrase under other circumstances.

Your puppy should also sleep in the dog crate, ideally in your bedroom. Dogs are social animals, they need to know their “pack” or family, is close by. If the dog wakes you in the night, take it out on leash. Give it 10 minutes to “do its business,” go back in, pop him in his crate, say goodnight and go back to bed. Don’t let the dog out by itself, even in a fenced yard. Again, this isn’t playtime.

As your dog learns what’s expected of him, the next phase is to keep the dog on leash, out of the cage. Tie the leash around a belt loop so that you can go about your daily routine with both hands free. Keep one eye on the dog. When you see his “gotta go” signals, drop what you’re doing and go. Some people are successful in hanging a bell on the doorknob. They ring the bell whenever they take the dog out. The dog learns, over time, to ring the bell when it has to go. Others teach their dogs to “speak” as a signal to go out.Our dogs are always crated when we leave the house. At this point, they see us reaching for their crate toys (which we stuff with a little peanut butter or kibble) and run for their dog crates. We don’t necessarily even lock the crates, but they are available to the dogs at all times. It’s their “room,” a safe place they can always go to.

Just a note of caution and safety: never leave a collar or harness on your dog in the crate. It can get caught and cause problems otherwise dog crate training is a natural safe environment.

You can find all types and sizes of crates in the online store right here at the Train My Dog Now Site at fantasic prices.