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  • 07.04.08 More on Dog Training Hand Signals
    07.01.08 Dog Training - Dog Hand Signals
    06.28.08 So Which Dogs Are Good for the Young?
    06.27.08 Some Dog Training Success Tips You Should Know
    06.23.08 What Separation Anxiety and Dog Aggression Have In Common
    May 27th, 2008
    How To Succesfully Train A Deaf Dog

    Just like people, there are dogs that are born deaf but this disability should not hinder us from training these endearing animals to do what we want them to do, especially if they serve to be our companion in our homes.

    Deaf dog training is just the same as training a healthy and hearing dog. The basic concept of training is to reward the dog for behavior that you want to see them doing, and not rewarding them for the behavior you do not want them to do. Dogs understand commands this way as they will repeat whatever behavior wherein they get something in return for.

    The only difference of deaf dog training from normal dog training is the way of communicating your dog. As normal hearing dog training is training where commands are spoken, with deaf dog training, the commands are more on the visual signals. When dealing with deaf dogs, you can take advantage of their vision, sense of touch and ability to smell.

    Since dealing with deaf dogs involve hand signals, you have to make sure that the visual signals you use will be clear, consistent, visible even from a distance, and are distinguishable from other signs and gesture. Your body language and facial expressions are also important since your dog will base their reactions to your commands using these.

    First step in training a deaf dog is to establish a sign that means good job. You may use any hand signal that you want but you have to make sure that you are consistent in the signals that have a positive meaning. Every time you use this signal, it is important that there is a reward attach to this so that the dog will understand that this signal means he has shown you the correct behavior. In training the dog, make sure you include toys, games, and lots of petting. In time, your dog will recognize acceptable behavior by repeating the sign that means good job.

    After sign training your dog, you can now teach him to do what you want. You will need other forms of hand signals to command the dog to pay attention. Or you can use your foot to create vibrations on the floor that your dog can identify as to telling him what you want him to do. You can also use a vibrating collar to be able to aid your dog in following your command.

    Being fair with your dog is also an important step in the training process. You have to correct his mistakes before scolding him, although it is not really advisable to scold your dog because he may resent being scolded and hamper the training process. Rewarding and praising the dog during the time you actually catch him doing something nice is very effective in dog training.

    These are just some of the things to remember in deaf dog training. As you may notice, these training tips are not so different from training a normal hearing dog.

    Have a great "dog training" day,

    Dr. Alfonso

    May 24th, 2008
    Key Concepts of Basic Dog Training

    Dog training is the only way to get the most out of your pooch. It will save you from all the frustrations that taking care of a dog brings. Even if your dog is an adorable one, if they remain untrained, you might even think of giving them away. So if you want to get the most out of your dog, and have them for life with minimal problems, then it is just right to indulge in basic dog training.

    Basic dog training is a series of training commands and signals that you make your dog understand and follow. The length of the training usually depends on the character and ability of your dog. If you choose to have your dog professionally trained, then you will have to invest a lot in its training. However, basic dog training can be done in your home and it just takes a few little mindful reminders in to successfully training your dog.

    Basic dog training is basically teaching your dog to follow certain commands that you will give him. The way to training your dog is similar to the way a teacher helps her students understand the subject at hand. The concepts are even more or less the same; the only difference is that this time you are teaching a living thing that bases its learning from constant repetition and habitual commands. There are several concepts that can be used in training your dog and the six major concepts into doing this right are timing, consistency, praise, firmness, and fun.

    Timing is an important concept because as dog trainer, you have to get the right time into praising your dog as well as correcting its behavior. Praising a dog must happen when he does what you want him to do. It will be too late to praise him or correct him if proper timing is not observed and in the end, will make training an even bigger task.

    You also have to be consistent in the ways you want your dog to act. For example, if you do not want your dog to eat on the carpet, then you must not give him food where the carpet is. It will end up being very confusing for your dog if you allow him to do forbidden things sometimes because dogs only understand always or never. The consequence of your being inconsistent in the manner that you want your dog to act is that eventually your dog will lose respect for you.

    Praise as a positive reinforcement is important for dogs. Dogs love being praised for the things that they do correctly so as home trainers, make sure that every now and then praise is given to your dog. Even a simple "Good Dog" will do.

    Being firm in the commands you give your dog does not mean giving our harsh commands. It just implies that you have to tell your dog to do a certain thing, not ask him to do something. If the dog does not do what you are trying to tell him, then you can assist in showing him how to go about the task.

    Of course, since dogs are fun loving animals, you also have to inject some energetic games in the training of your dog. Just like humans, dogs will get bored and will be stressed if there is a strict routine in training. Besides, playing with your dogs will also give you a boost of the happy hormone.
    These are just some of the key concepts of basic dog training and following these concepts will surely end up with successful home training.

    Have a great "dog+training' day,

    Dr. Alfonso

    May 23rd, 2008
    The Importance of Dog Obedience Training

    Dog obedience training is probably the best gift you can give to the new addition to your family — a newly acquired puppy or dog. It is not only a gift for your pup but also for yourself. It is wise to note however the dog obedience training will not solve the all behavior problems but it will serve as the foundation for solving most of the basic behavior problems that dogs have.

    The most important thing in dog obedience training is communication. Training opens communication lines between you and your dog. The opening of these communication lines during training is necessary since it will be the mode of learning for you and your dog. It is in these communication lines that you will learn to command your dog, with the result of the dog aptly responding to the commands you give him.

    Dogs are animals so no matter how adorable they get, if they aren't properly trained, they will act like animals. And acting like animals mean that they have the tendency to soil the house, destroy your belongings, chew your furniture, bark terribly, fight with other dogs, or even bite you. These are quite understandable behavior since it is their natural instinct to do so, however, if you want a domesticated pet to live in your abode, then it is wise to teach your dog in redirecting his natural behavior to a more acceptable one for domestic setting.

    Dog obedience training is also the best way to introduce domestic hierarchy. When the dog adheres to your command of ‘come, sit, or stay', he is acknowledging your role as leader and is showing respect and conformity to your authority. You can get this type of attention without even resorting to drastic measures like the alpha roll-over. Most dogs love performing tricks, so this is one way for them to execute a command they get from you and makes them know who is in charge.

    Training your dog must be fun for both of you since it allows more bonding and thus creating a close relationship between pet and pet owner. A well-trained dog has the definite advantage over an untrained one. And they will even enjoy the amount of freedom that is given to them than the untrained dog that will not come when called.

    People often wonder about the training process of dogs and if it is possible to train dogs of different ages. With a good trainer, it is possible to train puppies and even teach old dogs new tricks. If you are worried that your dog may not be trained because of his age, don't be because anytime is the right time to train your dogs because like people, dogs' attitudes constantly changes.

    If you want to train your dog in the comforts of your home, what you can do is read printed materials on the ways to do so or even enroll yourself in a local dog obedience training class to learn the basic steps in dog training, and from there, start training your beloved companion.

    Have a great "dog training" day,

    Dr. Alfonso

    May 21st, 2008
    Dog Training - How To Train Your Puppy Dog To Listen

    Training a puppy is usually frustrating if you do not know how to make the little one listen. As owners, most people think that there is something amiss in the dog's attitude if they do not listen to them especially if they invested much time and effort in the training. It is even disappointing for many when they think that their dogs have something interesting to do rather than listening to their owners trying to train them for their own good.

    So what does training your puppy dog to listen require you to do? Before answering this question, it is important to remember that dogs do what works for them, so your task as dog owner is to teach them how to listen by showing them how listening to you will be to their benefit.

    The common mistake in training your puppy dog to listen is repeating commands over and over again especially when your dog does not get it the first time you try commanding him. By doing this, you are implying to your dog that they can respond to your command only when they want to or that the command you are trying them to learn is meaningless.

    The first step in training your puppy dog to listen is to train quietly. Dogs are known to have a very powerful sense of training and their ears are very sensitive to the tiniest whispers so you have to make sure that when commanding your dog, you use the clearest possible tone of voice to make the dog pick up the sound signals. You should not shout during training because the dog might get used to it and will only follow commands if they are executed in a shouted manner.

    Training a dog to listen carefully will lead them to pay attention to whatever you, as trainer, are saying. Effective communication is also important in training your puppy dog to listen and this can be achieved through quality and clarity. Small talk during training is acceptable but remember dogs don't speak our language so keeping small talk at a minimum is advisable. If your dog does not respond to your cue, you might consider looking around for the possible distractions that may affect your dog's performance. Assuming that indeed there are many distractions that causes your dog to lose focus, just transfer to another place where you can train quietly or if you can, remove the distractions.

    Another way to make your puppy listen is to reward and reinforce him every time he does something good. Always have a positive tone when training your dog since this will prep him up for success. When success is just around the corner, you must always reinforce the dog's behavior with meaningful rewards.

    Training too long is a bad idea because your dog will be too tired and will lose interest in the whole training process. Instead shorten the training time, yet train more often. Training should also be treated as a game for it to be fun for you and your dog.

    Lastly, make sure that, as mentioned, you will make the dog learn to listen to you by making them see that it is worthy to do so. Earn some respect from your dog and make him feel that he can trust you as trainer and owner.

    Have a great "dog training" day,

    Dr. Alfonso

    May 20th, 2008
    Effectively Training your Dog

    There are so many dog training schools that will train your adorable ones for a fee, yet with the current economy, some pet owners have decided to save their fees for this type of training and instead train their dogs at home. This can even be a pleasant experience for both the owner and the dog, as trainer-trainee and pet owner-pet.

    The ability of dogs to be very social is one of the main reasons for their trainability, playfulness and domestication. Sometimes as new dog owners, there is the question that remains as to the correct way of training dogs. The answer to this question is many especially if you read different materials about training your dog.

    So what about training your dog is considered difficult? Actually, there is nothing difficult with training a dog. It just takes a lot of patience and a simple know-how of the training process. Here are some tips to successful dog training.

    First thing to remember about training your dog is to be consistent. Dogs learn from constant repetition of a task done. The more they are exposed to doing a certain thing, the more it will be stamped in their minds that it is the right thing to do. Exposing your dog to consistency will make them learn something quicker.

    Another tip in training a dog is to never hit the dog for mistakes that they might have committed. Fear for you is not something that you want your dog to instill in their minds because they will end up not doing what you want them to do. Instead, just make sure that they are aware that you are the pack leader and they have to give you respect for holding the authority.

    Training your dog at home will need the cooperation of the entire family so that the dog will know what his position is in the so-called pack. Since dogs are pack animals, they tend to be very dominant and if you notice any sign of dominance when training your dog with the family, be sure to dismiss this attitude at the first sign since dogs will exploit this dominance if no one will call them to it.

    When training your dog at home, always start with the basics. Yes, you might want your dog to learn all those fancy tricks but these tricks are founded upon the basics so start them this way. How can you teach your dog more complicated tricks when they can't even follow simple commands?

    Also, remember that training will take a lot of time since you just can't expect that pooch of yours to learn everything in a day. Because of this you have to learn how to be patient and have enough hard work and effort to continue training your dog. Training will not be successful if the dog's trainer do not invest their truest effort in doing so; in this case the trainer is you.

    Most importantly is to train your dog with rewards that are up for grabs. Once the dog recognizes that there is something good for his behavior, and then he will learn that it is good to do whatever he is doing when the reward is given.

    Have a great "dog training" day,

    Dr. Alfonso



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