What Kind Of Collar And Leash You Should Use
I definitely don't recommend choke collars. Sometimes these are called slip collars or training collars. I used them for years -- and even required them in the obedience classes I taught. It was conventional wisdom that all dogs had to wear a choke collar in order to be trained. But I started seeing too many cases where dogs' throats were damaged by choke collars. A choke collar applies sudden, sharp pressure concentrated at one point on your dog's neck. This can damage the trachea your dog's...
Heeling is a terrific exercise for teaching your dog to pay attention to you
But as I mentioned earlier, on a normal walk you want your dog to have some freedom on the leash so he can sniff around a bit, and relieve himself if necessary. You don't want him to be so concerned about maintaining an exact position beside you that he can't even look around at the passing scenery. So for normal walks, DON'T PULL or RELAX should be sufficient to keep your dog reasonably close to you without pulling on the leash. But there are times when you need more control. For example, if...
In your bedroom is okay
IF both you and your spouse agree. Place your dog's bed, rug, or crate on the floor beside your bed. If your dog keeps jumping up onto the bed, close the crate door. Problem solved. Or tie him to the leg of your bed with a short enough rope that he can shift around to sleep, but can't make it up onto the bed. By the way, if you're looking for the perfect bed for a toy dog, I have a suggestion. Most toy dogs love the pita pocket beds and cuddle sacks made by Whitehouse Designs. The fluffy...
Dogs who pee against every vertical object are obsessed with marking their
Marking makes them feel bossy and self-important. This attitude often carries over into other areas of their life, such as ignoring your rules or bickering with other dogs. Unneutered males are by far the biggest offenders, but some neutered males do it, too. Dominant females, spayed or not, may also do it. Cut it wa-a-ay down. Choose one or two likely hydrants or poles at the beginning of your walk and take your dog to these immediately. If he tries to stop elsewhere during the walk, tell him...
Heres how to put on a prong collar
1. Grasp one prong with one hand and its neighboring prong with your other hand. 2. Pinch one of these prongs together until it disengages from its neighbor. 3. Move your hands apart to open the collar into a U-shape. 4. Place it around your dog's neck, up high behind his ears. 5. Slip the two disengaged prongs back together, closing the collar around your dog's neck. 6. The collar should be snug enough that it doesn't slide around. If you need to make it smaller, take it off and remove one of...
The Compulsive Retrieve works the same way
You start out by teaching your dog to open his mouth and hold the toy, just as you did with the Step by Step Food Method. Then when you get to the step where your dog must reach forward for the toy, you add negative consequences if he refuses. Negative consequences means pinching his ear between your thumb and forefinger until he reaches forward to take the toy. Now, calm down Try this. Take your thumb and forefinger and pinch your own earlobe. No, don't use your finger NAILS Just the PADS of...
Your agility words and your dogs agility skills are perfect for building his
The teeter-totter requires too much balance and calculation for puppies, but you CAN begin accustoming them to the concept of, as the old song goes I feel the earth -move -- under my feet Look for everyday obstacles. A large rock he can jump onto. A fallen log he can walk across. Playground equipment at the park. The neighborhood kids on their hands and knees, bunched up next to each other, arching their backs and forming a tunnel your small dog can run through
A more elegant crate
Finally, if you'd like something a little more handsome, a little more unusual than your typical crate, consider a PetZazz Enduro. Its corners are rounded, which makes it look more sophisticated and also helps prevent the crate from damaging floors and walls. The plastic base won't snag carpeting, and it snaps off for cleaning. Click here if you like the look of this crate and would like to order
Fun heeling patterns
By now you're probably bored with walking in a straight line, making an about turn, and walking in another straight line Try these different heeling patterns. Make a 90-degree turn to the left, and continue walking. Make a 90-degree turn to the right, and continue walking. Walk faster. Break into a trot with long floating steps. Walk more slowly. Take l-o-n-g, s-l-o-w steps. Drag out each step so your foot is in the air longer than usual. Don't take short baby steps Your dog will become...
How to stop inappropriate behavior toward other dogs
If your dog is being aggressive or fearful, your most important goal is to stop it. It may surprise you to hear that fearful behavior is just as unacceptable -- and can be just as dangerous -- as aggressive behavior It's true. A dog who is afraid may react defensively, by lashing out at whatever is frightening him. MANY dogs have snapped and bitten because they were startled, or nervous. So shyness is a big problem. ESPECIALLY in large breeds who can do a lot of damage if they snap, whether out...
Buy the right size
Buy a crate that will be large enough for your dog when he is an adult. That means tall enough for him to stand up in wide enough for him to lie flat on his side deep enough for him to lie on his chest without needing to curl up. Use this chart as a guide Now, for housebreaking purposes, you'll need to make the crate smaller by walling off the back area with some type of divider. Otherwise, your puppy will go to the bathroom in one half of his crate, and sleep in the other half -- and...