‘Dog Training’ Category
An obvious limitation in puppies is that they tire easily, both emotionally and physically. Being young, the prey instinct isn’t synchronized with the outside world; the puppy can’t pace himself. He’ll go at full tilt toward whatever is interesting him until he’s exhausted. Conversely, he’ll easily panic if something is upsetting him. When tired, a puppy will only learn to be nervous rather than how to do an exercise.
In addition, a puppy can’t be expected to inhibit a natural impulse. Puppies just want to have fun through the drive to bite; that is what millions of years of instinctual development are telling them to do.
Another limitation in the puppy is that outside the scope of the simple prey instinct, he can’t change direction or moods quickly. He gets into following the prey instinct along its natural path and can’t get out of it until it reaches a natural…
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To get your dog training on the right track, go slow with your puppy; allow him his puppy hood without rushing him through his training. Develop his prey instinct instead of repressing it so that you maximize its flexibility. With the flow of drive cooled by the prey instinct, limits that normally make dogs nervous can instead be converted into positive stimuli to work. On the other hand, if the prey instinct is violated, the puppy is filled with dread and a sense of alienation, giving a host of undesirable behaviors in his temperament.
The limit is inside the dog. You just need to let the prey instinct tiptoe up to the danger line, and then get in tune with whatever is in the dog’s heart so that you can smoothly redirect his attention your way. It could be something as gentle as a warm touch, or as active as a…
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A popular veterinarian, behaviorist, and dog trainer, Dr. lan Dunbar has developed a six-level system of classifying bites. Below are the levels and a brief description of each:
1. Level 1 bite – Harassment with no skin contact. This level is also referred to as a snap. A snap is a bite from a dog with high bite-inhibition. It is a warning signal, telling us that we need to identify what causes the dog to become stressed and manage his behavior to avoid exposing him to the things that cause him excessive stress.
2. Level 2 bite – Tooth contact on skin but no puncture. Once again, this is a bite from a dog with high bite-inhibition and a warning that the dog is serious. You have to remove the dog’s stressor at this point, before he takes it to the next level.
3. Level 3 bite – Skin punctures, one to four…
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The dictionary defines discipline in several ways. I favor the following: “Discipline is a branch of knowledge or of teaching.” I interpret this to mean that when an individual is motivated, he becomes self-disciplined by virtue of what he learns. It is an internal phenomenon. A musician isn’t controlled by the conductor; his passion for music is channeled and orchestrated. The musician controls himself, as does an artist or a football player or anyone dedicated to his field.
In martial arts training, if the student doesn’t display the correct attitude in his training the sensei ignores him. When the student shows spirit and dedication the sensei will seek to shape him in the discipline of the art. Whatever the art form, discipline is more the responsibility of the teacher to know his subject, and to be able to teach, than it is something to be imposed on the student.
This subtle…
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All dogs learn through experience. However, the number of times a particular action must be repeated for a dog to learn and to commit it to memory varies. If the dog perceives the action as being particularly advantageous to him, he may learn it on the basis of one experience.
Similarly, the dog learns to avoid particularly disadvantageous situations on the basis of one experience. Like the child who touches the hot stove, the dog will shy from activities that have previously produced discomfort or fear.
The actions and exercises that we teach our dogs in training are not, in themselves, viewed by the dog as either advantageous or disadvantageous. For training to succeed, we must clearly distinguish in terms understandable to the dog what is to his advantage and what is not. Once the dog perceives that it is to his benefit both to refrain from conduct we consider objectionable and…
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“Stand” is one of the basic commands that the American Kennel Club (AKC) requires for its Companion Dog degree. It is formally called Stand for Examination and your dog must not move a toe while the judge goes over his body.
At first glance, the “Stand” does not seem a necessary command for pet dogs. You may, indeed, decide to skip it. But before you do, here’s what you can use it for if you decide to teach it. The “Stand” is a wonderful piece of vocabulary to have when you want to groom your dog. “Stand” is nice when you want to cancel out the automatic sit on rainy days, when there’s mud underfoot, or when it’s too cold for your dog to sit outdoors. In addition, you may want your dog to stand for examination informally. If he’s shy of strangers, not well socialized or skittish, having people…
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