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Posts Tagged ‘leader’

Due to constant comparison with their canine counterparts, people have said that cats cannot be trained. True, they may not be trained like a soldier but cats are incredibly intelligent animals that can be trained towards developing good habits if effort is put into work and understanding them.

Most cats that are adopted from a shelter, bought from a breeder or even just rescued from the streets don”t require a lot of instruction or guidance. Cats are quite self-sufficient but can still benefit from some training. Cat training is well worth doing because it will do good for the health and safety of both cat and owner.

There is no standard procedure to follow for cat training but there are a few cardinal rules in doing so. The first is that owners need to favor incentives over deterrents when possible. Cats also have self-interests so owners and trainers would want to leverage those. Using the cat’s natural preferences to induce the cat to the desired goal will prove to be helpful. Second rule is to not let training damage the important bond of trust between owner and cat. Cat training would ideally strengthen the bond between pet and owner during training sessions. The third rule is that owners need to consult with a veterinarian to investigate any possible medical issues for any observed behavior problems. Some cats that exhibit aggression with no previous incident of violence may be showing pain aggression due to an illness or injury. Training the cat during this case is not advisable.

Before starting cat training, it is advisable that a bond be established with the cat. Cats value and look forward to attention and affection that can be gained from training. But cats would only participate when they can determine that they would not be put in any harm by the handler. It would seem that the cat is more dependent due to that aspect of their training. Although cats in the wild tend to work alone, domesticated cats are quite social.

Cats may not be pack animals that carry the instincts to please a leader but due to their curious nature, they respond to learning, playing, eating and relaxing with their human owners. Although the relationship between cat and owner would aid in training, cats still have that independent streak. Any cat owner who opts for cat training must keep their expectations realistic to avoid working under false pretenses while going through the training sessions.

Many people don’t have the patience, energy and/or time to dedicate to training their dog. There are not many other activities that require as much as all this, if the end result is to have a safe, well-adjusted dog and be a happy human. For those people, the answer is to hand the reins of training your dog over to the efforts of a professional trainer.

As in any other profession, price and quality will vary. And, like many professions – particularly those involving human-animal interactions – training philosophies differ considerably. So, you already have some constraints to guide your selection of a trainer for your dog.

Assess your budget and your needs. Depending on where you live, dog training can range anywhere from free – sometimes supplied on a weekly basis by volunteers at parks or shelters – to $100 or more per session. What determines a reasonable fee will differ depending on geography, trainer experience, length of program and the goals for your dog.

Take a look at your schedule. Training programs can be weekly while others are more often. Sometimes, you will be required to leave your dog and pick it up later or, more likely, you may prefer a program where the training involves you directly. Many will advise that you spend some time training the dog each and every day consistently, whether at home or at the trainer’s facility.

Think about your commitment. Dogs, especially at the beginning of training, require regular, large blocks of time and attention in order to learn. An hour a day is not all that unusual.

In certain cases, ‘boot camp’ training programs are preferred. The dog goes away to a special facility for a predetermined length of time usually up to several weeks. The training is consistent, long and rigorous. Don’t worry about your dog. They love the intense training! At the end of the training period, you will probably be required to participate in order to ‘transfer’ the obedience from trainer to you.

But the results can very often be amazing. Dogs, who ‘graduate’ even when not special service dogs, are disciplined and ready to follow instructions. Yet, the irony is, these dogs show no signs of being repressed. They’re happy and play with much enthusiasm.

Examine your goals. You may want a dog that can be entered in shows, or you may just want them not to chew on the furniture or dig up the yard. In either case, regular training is necessary. How much and what kind will vary with breed and individual temperament.

Some dogs are fearful, either through being mistreated formerly or from a natural tendency toward submission. Some are too assertive, again through abuse or natural striving for alpha (pack leader) status. Whatever type of training you select will be dependant on how you want to influence them and what attributes they have you want to shape.

Whatever your goals, budget or commitment you want a trainer who exhibits enormous patience and boundless energy, of course, along with a deep love for dogs. Most have these characteristics in spades and then some.

Other than these basics, you’ll want a trainer whose philosophy makes sense to you and consistent with your goals. Some insist that dog training is more about training the owner than the dog – and there’s some truth to that in some cases. Some are relaxed and friendly, leaning toward the ‘touchy-feely’ style. Others tend more toward police or military style training. And the others lie between these two extremes.

It’s doubtful that there is one training style that will suit everyone, but neither is it entirely subjective. Even where there are disputes there are common principles that most will agree on. Patience, persistence, consistency and the requirement for the human to lead are only some of these.

Request recommendations from those you trust and don’t hesitate to shop around. Don’t be afraid to change trainers once or twice to find one suitable for your needs. Be careful, though, not to change on a whim. Dogs need consistency and a regular environment in order to take in what’s being taught.

Good luck and good hunting for your dog trainer!

Dog training helps you to change your dog’s behavior. By training your dog in a proper way, they will listen to your commands such as walk, come, sit, stand and hence your dogs will decrease jumping, barking and biting.

Few dogs are very friendly and easier to train. In case, if your dog is not responding to your dog training program, then you need to follow the below given tips:

1. Spend at least 10 minutes every day to train your dog. Few dogs will not respond to your commands because the training program is a collection of fits and starts. If you spend a few minutes on Monday, nothing until Thursday, and again you start on Saturday, then it would be difficult for your dog to learn the commands.

2. Managing your dog’s behavior is a major part of dog training program. To make success we need to understand and apply basic management skills. Dogs misbehave a lot when you are not around them. Destructive behaviors, chewing, house training all these tend to happen when you are not at home. One of the best management tools is use “crate” which allows you to leave your dog lonely without the opportunity to get into trouble.

3. Don’t feed your dog frequently because “food” can be used as a strong motivator to your dog. It’s very difficult to use the food to reinforce behavior, when your dog is allowed to eat whenever it feels like.

4. Make your dog to look at you when you give any command to it. Most of the dogs fail to pay attention to owners command. So, always make sure that you have your dog’s attention before you give the command.

5. Dogs are always active animals. Most dogs were bred work long hours in the field. They have never had to herd sheep or any other type of livestock. We have to make sure that they get exercise in other ways such as retrieving games, tug games, hiking, and swimming.

6. Whatever you are trying to teach your dog has to have a value. If you are teaching your dog a behavior that you want to happen it over and over again, start to get back the behavior. You need to apply the type of value for the behavior.

7. Dogs are animals that always respond to a social structure. If you are really serious about dog training then you should establish the leadership quality. The better you are at being the leader the better your dog will respond to you. Establish the leadership quality and your dog will listen to you much better.

By these basic tips, you will start to get the results that you are looking for. It is also very important to remember that you can train your dog.

All of us have seen or experienced it. You come home and your dog is so excited to see you that he jumps on you and knocks you off balance. While it may cute when the dog is a puppy, once they become adult, it can become a real issue.

Most dogs will jump on people at times. The frequency will vary with breed and by individual. One theory suggests that dogs use their nose and eyes to explore and that whenever they try to get close to a person’s face it is not to attack, but to interact.

If this theory is true, then one way to prevent jumping is to kneel down and interact with the dog at its level. Keep an eye out for excessive enthusiasm but let the dog explore your face. If you have taken the time to become the pack leader, you should not fear a bite by interacting in this way.

In the case of an older rescued dog, or an unknown dog, you should take proper precaution when using this technique. Keep a thumb inserted in the dog’s collar, just behind the neck and be prepared to jerk sideways, if necessary. Whenever possible, use a sideways jerk as opposed to a sharp pull backwards as the dog’s throat can easily be bruised. The movement is not meant to punish but to protect the owner and inform the dog.

You can also discourage jumping using off-leash training. Begin by having the dog stand in front of you. Using a sit command is very useful against jumping but your dog can’t sit all the time. Start the exercise with the dog standing as jumping usually follows standing or running.
Keep a close eye for any body tension that precedes jumping and when youyou’re your dog about to jump order a ‘sit’. At first, your dog will probably jump anyway. In that case, lift your leg slightly and bump the dog’s chest with your knee or thigh. At the same time, you want to thrust a palm near the dog’s face. Follow this by a sharp command: ‘off!’. (‘Down’ is a separate behavior.) Using a raised knee helps to keep the dog off and puts it off balance while the hand in the face both obscures its vision and discourages a repeat jump.

For more stubborn cases, enlist the help of a partner and do some leash training. Have your partner jerk sideways as you issue the ‘off!’ command as soon as the dog starts to leap. As you need to have the dog focus and obey you, you should issue the command, not your partner.
If you are working outside without the help of a partner, you can use a long leash wrapped around a tree or post. This will be more difficult and the jerk may be more back than to the side.
Another option is to use positive reinforcement techniques. With the use of a treat or a favorite toy, hold out the treat or toy above and slightly behind the dog’s head as soon as the dog starts to jump. This will distract the dog and puts it slightly off balance. It will also encourage a sit, just when the impulse was to jump.

Be patient and firm when training the ‘off’ command. Repetition and consistency are, as with any training, will be your key to success.  With time, most dogs will learn to control this natural behavior until and unless they receive permission to jump.

The key to a happy and healthy relationship between you and your dog is good training. All dogs need to be trained to be obedient for their own health and well-being, just as much as making them manageable is easier for you.

Often, if dogs are not trained correctly, they will become unruly, aggressive and in some cases completely unmanageable. This is not just bad for the dog’s owner, it is also incredibly distressing for the dog. We humans intentionally bred only the submissive traits of wolves when creating the domesticated dog. Therefore, when it comes to leadership, it is not a role that our dogs feel comfortable in. However, all packs must have a leader and if its not you, then a dog will feel that it has to occupy the post even though it finds it confusing and stressful.

Moreover, a well-behaved dog is a pleasure to be around for all people, even non-dog lovers. Therefore, it is in everybody’s best interest to train your dog and ensure that he, or she, recognizes you as the boss.

The Basics of Training Your Dog

Because a dog is genetically programmed to want to please its master (you), the very best way of training is with positive reinforcement methods, such as clicker training, using treats as rewards or simply providing praise for good behavior. Almost all dog trainers recommend this approach to training rather than punishment of negative or naughty behavior.

It is advisable to begin training your dog as soon as possible. If you have a puppy, then training will be easy if you start from day one. However, even if you adopt an adult dog training is not difficult as long as you begin as you mean to go on. In other words, do not get carried away by the joy of having a new pet and spoil him, or her, because you will be making life difficult when it comes to enforcing rules. For example, if a house rule is no dogs on the furniture, make sure this is upheld from the day a new dog is welcomed into your home. Remember, mixed messages will simply confuse and distress a dog.

Manners All Dogs Should Have

Of course, each home will have its own rules. However, there are some basic rules that all dogs should abide by, partly for his, or her, safety, partly to reinforce your position as boss and partly to ensure that no visitors to the home are distressed by your dogs behavior. For example:

Dogs should never jump up on people – you may think of it as an affectionate way to greet you, but if a dog puts its paws on your shoulders, it is likely to think this is an acceptable thing to do to anyone who walks through the door and not everyone enjoys being leapt on. Additionally, jumping up to your height can be a gesture to challenge your authority, so it is advisable to make a dog wait patiently until you are ready to greet him, or her.

Dogs shouldn’t beg at the table – begging will often occur if your dog has been fed at or under the table in the past. Therefore, if you do not wish your dog to drool at the sight of you eating, do not offer him, or her, sneaky treats.

Dogs should never be possessive over bones or toys – In case your dog gets hold of something it shouldn’t, it is important that you are able to take any item away from him, or her. Moreover, this is a great way to establish your authority and gain your dog’s respect. Therefore, it is a good idea to take a favorite toy, bone or food away from your dog at random points when he, or she, is a puppy. This may seem a little cruel, but if the dog behaves well, you can replace the item straight away and give him, or her, lots of praise. If, on the other hand, the dog growls or is aggressive, you may need to take things from him, or her, more frequently and for longer periods. The aim is to get the dog to recognize all items as yours – you just let him, or her, play or chew them.

Obviously, these are just some of the things that a dog owner should consider. However, they are great foundations from which to expand your dogs training. If you are having difficulty with your dog, seek the advice of a animal trainer, behaviorist or veterinarian.

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