Guard Dog Training

This is such a common problem and sometimes quite entertaining, especially if you see a youngster being pulled along by a strong dog. Or even a grown up being pulled for that matter. But you love walking your dog and it’s really not a joke if he won’t listen to your commands. To stop your dog from pulling on the leash you need to know a few tricks.

Why they pull on their leashes is because they actually can walk faster than we can and they just can’t wait up. There basic instinct kicks in to chase when they see other animals or pick up strong scents. It’s natural and we have to just work around it.

To get rid of this bad behavior it would be ideal for you to start training at an early age. If your dog is a few years old then it can be done, but will take a bit more patience, love and perseverance. Do not use a choke collar on your dog as it will hurt his throat and cause a lot of pain and damage.

Do your initial training indoors and in a room where there are no distractions. He does not need a harness at this stage of his training as you will first teach him to follow you. Step one – To get him to follow you, place an object small enough to fit on the palm of your hand. Get your dog’s attention by showing him the object and saying the trigger word “touch”. Let him come up to the object and he must touch it with his nose, but not be in front of you but behind you or next to you. Once he has done that, then walk away some and let him follow you. He must touch the object again with his nose when you say touch. Remember to give him a treat if he touches the object but stays behind you every time.

Do take into consideration that you are teaching your dog a completely new and strange behavior and it will take a while before he gets what you want from him. Persevere and you will be rewarded as well.

Secondly, put his harness around his body and clip on the leash. Take him outside into the garden and repeat the program exactly like you did indoors. Now there are more distractions and he has to only listen to your voice. Teach him to walk next to you or behind you even if he hears sounds and picks up scents. Remember the touching of the object with his nose still plays a big role in his lesson. Even bigger role is your treat and confirmation that you are happy.

Whatever program you choose to stop your dog from pulling on the leash, you have to be consistent, patient and reward for correct behavior.

About the author: Remco van Reenen helps people to train their dog and on his website positieve hondentraining you can read a lot more articles. You can also get lots of accessories to help you with dog training in the section puppycursus

As many an animal lover would know, dogs are generally a happy, loyal, and lovable breed. Sometimes we hold off adopting a puppy because training her would require too much of an effort. Fortunately, there are simple dog training tips available that cover the basics and help get you started to a colorful and rewarding relationship with your dog.

Before anything else, make sure your dog knows who’s the boss. His animal instincts will follow you better as soon as he acknowledges this fact. You can do this with simple everyday things. When you’re eating, don’t feed him yet. Let him see you eating and then allow him to have his meal. If he is blocking your path, don’t step over him or go around him, push him gently to make room for you. You are his superior and the sooner he understands this, the easier the teaching process will be.

Dogs can read emotions, especially when you are near them. Be strong and authoritative when you train them. But keep in mind that it is with positive reinforcement that dogs respond well to. Lavish him with accolades. when he obeys a command perfectly. Have doggie treats on hand to give him when he does well. Of course when he makes a mistake you have to correct him at the time it happens and not after. Training should go for around ten to fifteen minutes a few times a day.

You will notice that dogs have similar behavioral patterns indicative of their mood. When happy they wag their tails, have an open look and bark a happy sound. Angry dogs bare their teeth, growl and tense up. Understanding your dogs mood will allow you to gauge him better, subsequently giving you response time to be able to train him more effectively.

Be patient in teaching your dogs new tricks. Ideally you start as early as six weeks but even older dogs can still learn. You will encounter some difficulty at first but remain calm and patient. Consistency will win out and he will learn sooner or later. Do not change your training patterns or schedule. Dogs get confused easily and you might lose ground if that happens.

Train your dogs in a place with no distractions. A playful butterfly or whizzing car will distract him from your lessons. You will find it difficult to get his attention then. A peaceful backyard or any indoor area will be satisfactory.

More than anything, keep in mind the reason you got the dog in the first place. Enjoy his doggie company! When training is beginning to seem like a chore, take five and just play around with him. Dogs will lavish you with unconditional love whatever may have happpened to you this week. And at the end of the day, it’s not how well he rolled over but how he got you to smile that makes him the perfect pet to have.

Geraldine Dimarco is an avid fan of everything canine. Find out more about doggie information your pet will want you to know.