Dog and Owner Obedience Training 101

Dog Obedience Training

What do you mean teach that dog to mind? That mutt is about as smart as a fence post. You can not teach him nothing. Lets pause a moment and think about this statement. In my experience it is not always the mutt that needs the training. We as canine owners need to be educated so that we are able to train the dogs. My family and I have raised about every furry animal that Texas has to offer. We have bred and raised Dobermans, Chow Chows, German and Australian shephards,Chow/Shepard mix, Brittneys, Cockapoos, Peekapoos, Schnauzers, and now a Chilky and a Chihuaha. All being said, in my opinion the Schnauzers were the easiest to train, but a bit high maintenance. Everyone has their own choice of breed. One thing every owner should do prior to bringing home a dog is to really be selective and research the breed indepth. Just because your best bud has free pit puppies does not mean that breed is what you need to bring home for a lap or house dog. Not saying that you could not train the dog to be a house pet. You just have to realize that he is going to do what puppies do in the house until they are trained. Need I go in depth about this issue? OK then here is your first tip, be forewarned, puppies don't know that the carpet is not grass, your favorite sunday go to meeting shoes are not chew toys, or that the couch is not their bed. After all you sit, lay and sleep on it, right? If not right now, you just bring a puppy home for a week without your wifes consent and you will be sleeping on the couch. No I am not trying to say that you and your family don't need a dog. The point I am trying to make is that you need to decide what you want the dog for. Then you do the research on what type fits your profile. For example you would not want to get a Doberman to work livestock or get a Peekapoo for a watch dog. There is a wealth of information in books and the internet to help you find exactly what type of canine you need. Lets look at some examples of a few different breeds there are to choose from.

HUNTING THE PERFECT HOUND

Due to some unscrupulous breeders and unmindful owners, a few breeds within the terrier group have developed a rather notorious reputation of being dangerous. To find out a little more about the canine kinds, here are some areas to consider in selecting what mutt to adopt:

Herding dog breeds. This group has a variety of both behavioural and physical-attributes that need to be discussed. These animals are very hyper, possesive and territorial. They are very intelligent and easy to train.They tend to take to one owner. The American Kennel Club created this dog group to honour what is one of the oldest of dog professions:herding livestock. The hounds breed, have a history of hunting assistance which is often the only regular bond or common bond in this breed. Some of the oldest breeds of domestic dogs are the speedy sight hounds. A retired racer should be tested with small children and other pets. Some of these dogs have a habit of chasing smaller pets as they have chased mechanical rabbits in their earlier career. Made up of the guardians of livestock and property, police dogs, sled dogs and rescue dogs, these workers come in all shapes and sizes, from the standard Schnauzer to the Great Dane. But without the right training and socialization, and in irresponsible hands, these can be dangerous dogs. Sporting dogs however are alert, active, intelligent and have historically been used by hunters to locate, flush or retrieve game from land or water. Some were even bred to finish the job of taking the game themselves.Normally these canines are the most mild tempered of the canine family. They seem to be more social than the other breeds. In the small animal group is the companion breeds like the pampered poodles. A surprisingly still popular and active companion today. It once was a skilled truffle hunter. In more modern times, the poodle's intelligence and trainability saw it employed in show business, commonly in circuses. Today the slow, prodding bloodhound is usually used by law enforcement to track renegades or missing persons. Be especially careful in finding a reputable breeder of these dogs. This is just a quick overview of the few available breeds to pick from.

THE ANATOMY OR MAKE UP OF A CANINE

Another thing to consider is the make up of the canine. For instance take in account the coat, the size and the body parts of the canine. First let us look at the most noticeable dog feature, the hair, fur or coat. The fur can be puffed or stand outright to release the heat from their body in the summer season. Or just the opposite the hair is held close to the body to hold the heat in, in cold weather and to help shed water. A point to make here is that you should consider a short haired dog if you live in the south and longer haired for the north. You want the canines to be comfortable in their environment so choose accordingly. Keep in mind the longer the hair, the more hair shedding. Breeds such as the Husky or Malamute that inhabit the colder climates will have an undercoat also used for extra protection from the environment. Their shedding is usually what gives them that rough wild matted up look. This is probably one of the main reason for the Poodles and Schnauzers popularity as house pets. It is not just that they make perfect house companions; they don't shed hair all over the furniture and your clothing. The ears, dogs have the most unique ears of the animal kingdom. They sport any thing from small pointed to the long floppy hanging ears. And no, they are not the handles for your children to hold on to while playing like they are the next PBR champion. Many canids, both wild and domestic, can scan their environment for sounds using one ear at a time. Like independent radars. The tounge and size of the mouth is something to consider if you are choosing an inside or outside pet. Dogs use their large, spongy tongues like ladles to lap up water. Special taste receptors on their tongues are believed to allow canids to recognize chemical composition variances such as salt and impurities in different water sources. The bigger the tounge and the bigger the mouth the bigger the drool. You should take it from an expert, when a Bull Mastif or Saint Bernard start slinging slobber it is not a pretty sight to behold. Anything within twenty feet get a good thick coating of drool. The tail sounds and seems like a harmless appendage, after all it is just used as a rudder for balance when a dog is running and turning corners. It is said that a dog with a tail is more apt to out run and out corner a dog without a tail because of the balancing attributes of the tail. But inside a home the tail of a happy hound becomes a weapon of mass destruction. Any trinkets, coffee cups, soda glasses or decorations should be put up above striking distance of the tail. That means keep them off the coffee table, end tables and dining trays. Oh and one more thing to keep out of the furry wagging weapons reach is your knee high children. A tail upside the head of an unsuspecting child can make for an unhappy outcome of crying and a demand for mom's and dad's attention until they have milked all the attention they can from it. These are just a few important facts that I wanted to share so that you would understand why I suggested that you do your homework before you choose a pet. The animal shelters are full to capacity and overflowing with unwanted animals. The reason for most of this issue is because people don't take the time to research before they pick out the perfect match of " mans best friend" and the best friends man. Another thing to keep in mind when selecting a canine is that ninety nine percent of all puppies are cuddly and cute as a button when they are an 8 to 10 inch ball of fur. They grow up!!!

WHY THE HELP WITH TRAINING?

Now that you have made the perfect choice in canine companionship, let us talk a little bit about why you are reading this article to begin with. You don't talk dog and he/she don't talk people talk. To coin a phrase, "What we have here is a failure to communicate." That dog just does not listen to anything I tell it. It has a mind of its own. You are right about one thing the dog does have a mind of its own. So what we have to do here is get inside his/her mind and persuade it to accept the fact that you are the boss. That sounds a little tricky doesn't it. It is not as difficult as it sounds. You don't have to bite the dog on the ear until it submits and you don't have to be an expert to train the mutt. You also don't need to have a past knowledge of dog training. With a little bit of patience and a willingness to learn. You can have the canine of your dreams. You will be the envy of your peers and might even surprise yourself to see how you and your new found buddy are mutually consenting to your commands.You can actually see your dog wait next to the door when he/she needs to go out to use the bathroom. I have found a training program that is getting awesome results and very easy to learn even if you are a novice. This program works with any dog breed. You can learn the whys and hows of the following situations:Barking All The Time - Halt this annoying habit and preserve silence.Is the dog Digging In Your Yard - Learn the easiest and most effective way to stop your dog from destroying your yard. Jumping Up On People -Learn the fastest way to teach your dog to stop jumping on everyone they see. Escaping - Does your dog always seem to find a way to escape or run away from his pen or house? Learn how to stop this frustrating and dangerous habit. Constantly Whining - Does your dog whine for food or whenever he/she is put up? Finally, be able to stop this Going to the Bathroom Inside - Finally be able to teach your dog to stop this nasty habit. Take a little bit of time to check out the link at the end of this article. Take it from me this program is invaluable. It is a wealth of information and training techniques that gets positive results in shorter periods of time than any of the other programs that I have found. It is time to learn how to talk canine and it is time to teach your canine how to live civilized. You owe it to yourself and to your furry friend. Now lets get to teaching and bonding with your new best friend and companion. Happy hounding!!!

J C

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