Teaching your dog two targets

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December 20th, 2010 by Minette Learning to Target the Hand

I love to teach my dogs to target.  This trick/skill is useful in many facets throughout my dogs lives.  Targeting can also be built upon to teach other skills and more intricate skills, it is a building block to good obedience!

What You Will Need

Getting Started

I like teaching this command with very few distractions so find a secluded areaAt first I like to teach my dog to target gold "touch" my handPut treats in one hand or in a treat bag or your pocketWith the opposite hand, open it wide with your fingers to the side and put it in front of your dogs faceWhen your dog his nose to hand your keys or sniffs at your palm, click and treatContinue opening and closing your hand, click and treat when your dog makes contact with your handKeep doing this until your dog knows what he has to do to get you to click, now you may add the command "touch" next hold your hand higher up, over to the left, the right or behind your backYour dog should follow your palm wherever it is and touch it with his nose on command.If at first he has trouble understanding when you move your hand go back a step and be patient.Once your dogs confidence is built and he understands the command you can have him repeat the behavior a few times before clicking and treating, then you can enter off the clicker. Teaching Your Dog to Target Your Hand Can Help Him Gain Confidence and Approach Things in His Environment

This behavior can be used to help fearful dogs feel more confident in their environment, it also builds a foundation for retrieving for delivering items to a specific area, it can be used for a competition send away, and even in agility.

I have a nervous dog, who is often afraid of things that he does not recognize.  I can use the "touch" command and my hand to get him closer and closer to objects he would not normally approach.  When my hand is on the object it gives him confidence to approach it because he trusts me.  It is also an easy way to get his focus back on me when he is exhibiting apprehension!

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Dog Training Two Approaches

Are you interested in a Career in Dog Training, or would like to become a Dog Trainer?

Do you desire to train your canine friend? Then, as you become a dog trainer, you have to choose between 2 equally effective methods to dog teaching: classical and operant conditioning.

Classical conditioning is a subject of association. Basically, you will be required to introduce motivators to your dog, to train him to response in a certain way when he comes across specific motivators. For instance, ringing a bell right before feeding him a meal will make him anticipate a meal every time he perceives the sound of a bell ring. Treating him a dog treat each time he turns over on the floor will in due course make him turn over on the floor when shown a dog treat.

Classical conditioning is said to be the more effective of the 2 methods in dog teaching.

Though, operant conditioning is a very close substitute.

Operant conditioning involves the introduction of negative or positive fortifications throughout the program of dog teaching. Positive fortifications are rewards you will give for your pet whenever he does anything approving. The thought is to educate your pet to keep on doing these achievements so that he can get his rewards. Negative fortifications are castigations inflicted upon the pet whenever he does anything unfavorable.

Some dog trainers would say that positive fortifications should be preferred over negative fortifications. Who would wish to see his pet be in pain, after all?

Though, some dog types take action better to negative fortifications rather than positive fortifications. English bulldogs, pugs and spitzes, for instance, are more sensitive to education when punished for their errors.

Negative fortifications, on the other hand, can be devastating for specific dog breeds. A German Shepherd, once punished, may resent his master forever. A Shih Tzu can cut his liking for a master who commences negative fortifications all through his training. The same goes for a Pomeranian.

Inexperienced at dog teaching or the Career in Dog Training?

It is sensible to take the classical conditioning course first because it is undemanding to pull off.

A career in Dog Training, or just the desire to become a dog trainer entails serious consideration.

If you would like to learn more about a career in dog training or how to become a dog trainer, click on Dog Training Career .OR Become a Dog Trainer

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Puppy Training Part III the worst two weeks to own a dog

I think the hardest two weeks to own a dog are weeks 14 and 15.
Because of the way a dog’s mind develops weeks 8 (usually the youngest age a breeder will sell a dog) through week 14 are pretty easy. Again during that time you aren’t really training, you are conditioning.

Training differs from conditioning in that in training we give the dog a command and if it performs, we reward the behavior. If it does not we correct. In conditioning there are no corrections, just distraction.

We take advantage of the fact that during that period, the puppy’s whole world revolves around its owner(s). When we tell the puppy to sit we raise our closed hand. Since a dog has to sit down to look up, it sits and we praise. When the dog comes running to us we praise it effusively while giving a recall command. Since puppies are all about pleasing us, the praise reinforces the reaction to our words.

If we walk by and the puppy stands up we tell it “good stand” and if remains laying there we tell it “good down.” If it bites our hand we shriek or use a rattle can while saying “no bite.” When it releases we praise.

Because a puppy is all about pleasing us during these weeks, it seems like the puppy is already training. And if it were not for what happens in weeks 14 and 15, it would be.

Then the puppy hits week 14. This stage in a dog’s development can be described as the worst parts of the terrible twos and puberty all wrapped up in one. The world is not about you, it is about the puppy. The dog has gone from pleasing you to pleasing itself. It truly believes it is now smarter than you and you are there to do what they want, not the other way around.

I see this all the time in Neighborhood Pack Sessions (group). Puppy came in for puppy class and now comes to Neighborhood Pack every week. It sees how the adult dogs listen to their owners and tries as hard to work for its owner as the big dogs do for their people. Exposure to adult dogs in a pack situation is one of the best things you can do with a puppy.

And Mom and Dad are just beaming. By week 13 I can see it in their eyes. Their little darling is going to be the best dog ever. Why they won’t even have to spend the time or money on adult class.

The next week the phone rings here at Pikes Peak Manners In Minutes. It is puppy’s owners. I get told that the dog will be 16 weeks and one day (the point where it can train as an adult) on the 22nd. They would like the 7:00 AM appointment.

I know what they are going through. And I can usually give them the 7:00 AM appointment.

Oh and the picture is Vino, the legendary service dog Rottweiler, as a puppy in 2009.

Doug

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Aggressive Dog Behavior You Better Take Charge of Your Dog if You Rather Be Safe Than Sorry

Aggressive dog behavior can be very dangerous. It should never be taken lightly. An aggressive dog is a dog that has become dominant and will continue to act out until he is properly trained to change his behavior.

Dog aggression does not happen overnight. Usually aggressive dogs become more aggressive with time. Aggressive dogs do not necessarily bite or growl, but they may exhibit other signs that demonstrate that the dog has become a dominant, alpha dog.

What are some common signs of aggressive dog behavior to watch out for?

1. A dog who is willful and stubborn. If a dog wants to get his way and doesn’t listen to you, he has become the leader.
   
   
2. A dog who runs ahead of you out the door and walks ahead of you on the leash. Humans should always be leading the way, if they are the leader in the relationship.
   
   

3. A dog that begs, nudges or barks for you to do what they want. This indicates that the dog believes you should do what he wants, instead of the other way around. Again, he has established himself as the leader.
   
   

4. A dog that jumps on your lap without being invited. The dog has taken possession of you; he believes he owns you and can do as he pleases with you. Even though a lot of people don’t believe this is aggression, a submissive dog will not jump on your lap until he is invited.
   
   

So how do you go about stopping aggressive dog behavior?

Besides being expensive, a dog trainer would train the dog, but would not help you to make the changes you need to make. In all the above situations, you can see that the dog has taken on the role of the leader, and you have become the submissive one. These role have to be reversed. The fact is that you need as much training as the dog. You will have to learn how to assume the role as his leader, and teach him that you are in charge.

Take action to correct aggressive dog behavior. Don’t wait until it is too late. Not only will your dog become more aggressive with time, but you can prevent a bad accident from happening. Don’t run the risk of having an aggressive dog injure you or someone else.

Here is the #1 recommended method of dog training which has helped hundreds of thousands with their dog’s aggressive behavior.

This method is guaranteed to help you and your dog with his aggressive dog behavior.

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