Beginner Tips For Dog Training
1. What age should I start using the prong collar?
[Adam replies: ] Generally speaking, at about four months of age when you see the adult teeth begin to come in.
2. What should I be teaching, obedience wise, with 8 month puppy?
[Adam replies: ] At eight months of age, there really isnt ANYTHING you cant teach the dog, obedience-wise.
3. When you say pop, when teaching the down command,do you mean I should pop the prong collar? So for example if the dog gets up from down/stay position and walk away, you said to say NO, pop the leash, then say
NO all the way back to manhole, then pop the leash again? Do you mean to pop the prong or to guide him
into down/stay position?
[Adam replies: ] When I say pop I mean to tug on the leash. Make sure youre starting and ending with slack. So, you say, No! then go to the dog and give a pop on the leash, then walk him back to the spot and reissue the down command and then pop downward (or to the side) on the leash and put him back into the down position.
5. What's the difference between obedience training and sport training (i.e. Schutzhund)? Why do they say you shouldn't train your dog in obedience if you want him to be in Schutzhund? (I just want to know for my own knowledge)
[Adam replies: ] Schutzhund is a dog sport the incorporates an obedience routine, as well as a protection and tracking routine. The obedience exercises are mostly route exercises, and are not trained in a street-smart context. As for why you supposedly shouldn't train your dog in obedience if you want him to be in Schutzhund this is a myth. Some macho types will consistently over-correct their dog in the obedience phase and this will kill drive. But anyone with even a shred of common sense will avoid this predicament.
6. What do you think of raw diets for dogs? Worth it??
[Adam replies: ] Not worth it. Feed the dog a high quality dog food and your dog will be fine.
7. What order should I teach the dog the commands?(first sit, then down then come?? How should I do it?)
[Adam replies: ] I like to teach the Walk on a loose leash exercise first, followed by the curb/street/boundary training, as this teaches the dog what a correction is (if he doesnt know already). Then you can teach exercises in any order you wish. To be honest, the order of basic exercises is largely irrelevant. It DOES become relevant in later training, when you begin chaining behaviors together, such as Go to the fridge, open door, retrieve beer, then close door.
8. To teach the dog to not run out of the house, when I slam the door I'm afraid it is going slam on him too hard and hurt him. How do I go about doing it? Do I shut it softly or will he be fast enough to stop?
[Adam replies: ] Youre thinking too much. Just slam the door shut. Assuming its not a toy breed, its not going to kill him. If it is a toy breed, keep your hand on the door and guide it shut. The idea is that the door slams on the dog not to injure the dog, but to be uncomfortable so that he waits and watches you for the release command before walking through. You are the alpha dog. You walk through first. It is your job to make sure its safe for him to leave the property, and he needs to look to you for the Its Okay cue. If you dont give the A-okay cue then bad things could happen. Like the door suddenly slamming shut. Ever sit on a dirty chair and ruin a clean pair of slacks? Once it happens to you, youll always check first. Its the same concept with the dog.
To read more of my dog training ramblings, read about my book (click below): http://tinyurl.com/4efaq
Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!
About the Author
Author, Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer! which you can read more about at:
http://tinyurl.com/4efaq
Written By: Adam G. Katz
 USA TODAY | Dogs in race shoes finish 1st in MSU profs' picks Lansing State Journal The winner: Shoe maker Skechers, its dogs-racing-in-sneakers ad already the target of protests, edging out a slight victory over a humorous ad for M&Ms candy. "I'm more impressed this year than the last couple years," said Pat Huddleston, ... Super Bowl ads go to the dogs Skechers Super Bowl Ad Ignites Twitter Doritos Super Bowl commercials 2012: Dog Park, Hot Wild Girls, Sling Baby |
Mushroom pickers lost hope, considered eating dog Boston.com "She's that good a dog, she'd have done it, too," Conne said. But help finally arrived Saturday when a volunteer helicopter pilot decided to look outside the search area and spotted the family -- Dan, his wife, Belinda, and their 25-year-old son, ... |
 HereComeTheDawgs.com | Olekaibe leads 'Dogs past Aggies The Collegian By Angel Moreno | February 06, 2012 | Sports, Top Sports Story Kevin Olekaibe put on a paramount 28-point performance as the 'Dogs beat defending Western Athletic Conference champion Utah State 60-54 in Saturday's Heroes Night at the Save Mart Center. 'Dogs End WAC Skid Women Stay Perfect in WAC |
 WNYC | Handler, dog headed to Westminster Dog Show Lexington Dispatch Tamara Meeks holds her toy Manchester Terrier dog, Pati. They are getting ready to compete in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York next week. By David Bodenheimer Pati, a 2 1/2-year-old toy Manchester Terrier, has been a show dog for most ... Wildwood dog show preps pups for the big contest in NYC Hundreds of dogs compete for top honours Coonhounds and Ceskys and Xolos, Oh My! |
 NewsNet5.com | Pit bulls may no longer be singled out as vicious dogs Wooster Daily Record By MARC KOVAC COLUMBUS -- The Ohio Senate has moved legislation that would create a multi-tiered system for categorizing potentially dangerous canines, with pit bulls no longer singled out as vicious dogs. The legislation passed on a vote of 27-5 and ... End dog-breed bias Owners of pitbulls say thier dogs are more bark than bite, hold rally Saturday ... Law Could Give Pit Bulls a Better Reputation |