Small Dog Training Obedience School 101

Having problems training your small dog? Is there a difference in training a regular-sized pup and a toy dog? Are there helpful tips that can make your small dog training life easier?

The truth is there’s really no difference when it comes to training all kinds of dogs, no matter what their breed or size. The challenges my older brother went through while training his Labrador retriever, for example, were the same challenges I had to face in training my much smaller cocker spaniel. However, how different kinds of dogs respond to training may vary. Labs are typically friendlier and more good-natured, while spaniels are a little moodier and more apt to snap.

What about small dogs or toy dogs? What’s the best way to train them? Here are some tips you might find helpful in small dog training.

1. Avoid carrying small dogs around

People who own small dogs tend to carry the pup around with them instead of letting them walk on a leash. This habit can be detrimental to your training, especially when you’re trying to potty train them. Carrying your dog to the garden or the potty box when it needs to go will give it the impression that you will always be around to do so. And when you’re not – ah, the horror. So, use a leash. And next time your dog makes a mess on your carpet, walk him to the spot, let him smell it, say “bad dog” firmly and then lead him to the proper potty place. Hopefully, he’ll get the picture before the 10th try.

2. Aggressive behavior in small dogs

Watch out for aggressive behavior in your small dog. Don’t allow your small dog to get away with it because of his size. Many behaviors which are not condoned in larger dogs seem to be allowed very often in small dogs. For example, if a small dog growls at a larger dog, it is sometimes seen as cute. This is dominant, aggressive behavior, and you should try to change it.

3. Reward and punishment

Using the reward and punishment system is perhaps the best way to train a dog – big or small. Dogs (and humans too!) learn through good and bad experiences. Humanely punishing your dog when he chews your couch will help him remember not to do it again. And rewarding him for, say, pooping in the right place, will reinforce the behavior.

Even though there is no difference between small dog training and training larger dogs, the above factors do influence their training. So watch out for behaviors that you are unintentionally letting them get away with, and you will have a more balanced pup.

Feel free to check out this great resource for small dog training advice.

For more information on small dog training visit Cris Santeiro’s Dog Training With Love blog.

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Puppy Love Dog Training Tricks

Got a new puppy? Excited to teach it how to sit, stay, fetch? Need a couple of dog training tricks to get your puppy to behave?

I remember the excitement I felt the first time I went to a pet store to purchase my very own dog. There were a dozen other pups yipping and yelping for our attention, but one puppy caught my eye. It was brownish-gold cocker spaniel with adorable puppy dog eyes, flappy ears and the softest paws. And it was just begging (i.e. jumping, yapping, whining) to be brought home. Well, needless to say, I fell for the shameless puppy-begging hook, line and sinker. But what I didn’t know then was that I was in for quite a ride.

Taking care of a dog is a lot like taking care of kid. They’re needy, helpless and quite clueless about everything. It takes a while for a dog to understand what you’re trying to say to it (“No, pillows are for sleeping not chewing”) and – unlike human babies – will never develop the capability to communicate with you through speech.

So, how can you possibly train your dog?

Remember the saying “it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks?” Well, that saying is very true. It is important that you start training your pup as soon as you can, otherwise it’ll develop habits of its own that will be hard to break. I started training my dog a few days after I got him when he was less than three months old.

Dogs learn through good and bad experiences. That’s why the “reward and punishment” system works best when dog training. If you want to teach your dog to sit, for example, make sure you have a bag of treats ready.

Hold a treat in your hand and hold it up at the dog’s eye level, close enough for him to see it and far enough so he won’t be able to snap at it. Say “sit” firmly. Raise the treat higher up until the dog assumes a sitting position. When he sits, reward him with the treat. Repeat until he learns to sit even without you holding a treat.

Once your pup has learned how to listen to you, start introducing some dog training tricks. Fetching sometimes comes naturally to some dogs, while others need to learn how to fetch. Take your dog to a fenced in yard and give him some treats while showing him how to run after the ball.

Other dog training tricks to start with are roll-over, paw-shaking, and playing dead. Always offer positive reinforcement and reward them with treats.

Feel free to check out this great resource for dog training.

For more information check out Cris Santeiro’s blog for more dog training tricks and advice.

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How Well Is Your Beauceron Groomed

How Well Is Your Beauceron Groomed?

The reason one should groom his/her Beauceron is simple - your dogs physical state influences the way he feels and the way you look at your dog. Extreme cases, where lack of proper care, cleaning and grooming can directly affect the behavior of your Beauceron, are not rare.

Proper grooming not only infuses a healthy glow to your dogs appearance, but also helps develop his self-esteem; while it makes you a very proud parent, when you show off your Beauceron to others.
The first step involved in dog grooming is: Brushing!

Brushing has been universally acknowledged by expert dog groomers as the single most important step in grooming.

The benefits of brushing are many. To name a few:

• Better blood circulation
• Shinier and healthier coat
• Better bonding

Subscribe to this FREE dog grooming mini course and learn more about brushing and combing and other grooming tools and their applications.

Even if you know how crucial brushing is for your Dogs health and well-being, we all know that there is a right way and a wrong way of doing anything. And without doubt, you would like to do everything the RIGHT way when it comes to your Beauceron.

Yes, theres a method to follow while brushing your Beauceron.

Here are FIVE steps to successfully brushing your Beauceron that will prove to be extremely useful:

• Brush against the growth of the hair first with a slicker brush and then with a medium or wide-toothed comb.
  
  
• The slicker brush removes all the loose hair and the comb takes care of the tangles.
  
  
• Brush your Beauceron along the hair growth and make sure you reach the skin as you brush his way.
  
  
• Then use a flea comb over the coat to get the fleas and remove any remaining tangles. Part the coat and start from the root and then comb through.
  
  
• If your Dogs paw pads are hairy, then clip them using electric clippers. Do not clip the hair in between the pads. Clip only the excess hair.

Brush your Dogs hairs to prevent it from matting. Matting can be a very painful experience.

Regular brushing untangles the matted hairs on your Dogs coat. Since this is a risky job to do, the best way out is to prevent them from forming in the first place. And doing this is simple: just brush and comb your Beauceron regularly. If and when you see any mats or tangles, use a detangle solution and a medium-toothed comb.

Dont wait until your Beauceron is dirty or matted to introduce him to grooming. That would make him associate the experience with unpleasantness. Moreover, many dogs learn to see their routine brushing as an alternate form of petting, i.e. another source of affection and attention.

Subscribe to this FREE dog grooming mini course and start Grooming your Dog all by yourself right from the comfort of your home Today.

Copyright (c) 2009 TrainPetDog.com

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