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11.23.2010
8.18.2010
7.03.2010
Are You Sick Of Chasing Leads and Getting Nothing?
Every affiliate marketer has felt the stresses and worries that come with the job. Is my copy good enough? Should I do more SEO? How are my supporting articles? While affiliate marketing is often touted as the be all end all internet career, it does involve its fair share of stress inducing moments, and outright frustrating dynamics. Every uber-successful marketer out there has had times where they've been forced into a corner by the nature of the industry, and many of the most talented marketers don't ever make it out.
What corner am I referring to? The never ending chase for new customers. We all know it -- you spend your precious hours and money building up your sales page, body copy, and link building, and then have to spend your valuable time chasing after sales leads, maintaining your page, and worrying about sending a steady flow of traffic to it. It's often something that's out of your control, and more up to the nature of the affiliate marketing industry than anything else.
Well, there's a simple maxim that many of the most successful marketers follow: "If you can't control it, don't try to." What does this mean? Lets put it in the terms of the affiliate marketing industry:
Traditional affiliate marketing is dependent on a steady stream of new customers buying your product. After they've bought it once, they don't often do it again.
However, subscription based marketing is dependent on uber-dedicated customers that will stay with your service forever. It's the ultimate marketing form. When you appeal only to the customers that are truly passionate about what you're offering, you can built a marketing asset that generates cash while you sleep! Don't spend your precious time on the small stuff, instead focus on the big ideas, and let your subscription businesses earn you money all day long.
Click Here To Download Your Membership Site Report
This free report includes all the information that you need to start down the path towards your own subscription based online income. Whether you're an absolute newbie to the online world, or a hardened and experienced market, the information included in this free report will help you supercharge your journey towards massive subscription success online. Don't become the marketer that's always worrying about the trivial few, instead use this information to focus on what's truly important, and watch your money roll on in.
Click Here To Download Your Membership Site Report
What corner am I referring to? The never ending chase for new customers. We all know it -- you spend your precious hours and money building up your sales page, body copy, and link building, and then have to spend your valuable time chasing after sales leads, maintaining your page, and worrying about sending a steady flow of traffic to it. It's often something that's out of your control, and more up to the nature of the affiliate marketing industry than anything else.
Well, there's a simple maxim that many of the most successful marketers follow: "If you can't control it, don't try to." What does this mean? Lets put it in the terms of the affiliate marketing industry:
Traditional affiliate marketing is dependent on a steady stream of new customers buying your product. After they've bought it once, they don't often do it again.
However, subscription based marketing is dependent on uber-dedicated customers that will stay with your service forever. It's the ultimate marketing form. When you appeal only to the customers that are truly passionate about what you're offering, you can built a marketing asset that generates cash while you sleep! Don't spend your precious time on the small stuff, instead focus on the big ideas, and let your subscription businesses earn you money all day long.
Click Here To Download Your Membership Site Report
This free report includes all the information that you need to start down the path towards your own subscription based online income. Whether you're an absolute newbie to the online world, or a hardened and experienced market, the information included in this free report will help you supercharge your journey towards massive subscription success online. Don't become the marketer that's always worrying about the trivial few, instead use this information to focus on what's truly important, and watch your money roll on in.
Click Here To Download Your Membership Site Report
Ready To Start Your Recurring Online Income?
How can I create an online income without having to sell to such a wide audience?
It's a question that thousands of affiliate marketers have asked themselves. For many years, just getting started online took months of market research and dedication, hundreds of dollars invested in targeted ads, and a massive amount of content to produce.
Those times have changed.
Now, all it takes to get started is an affiliate account, a few domains, and a lot of determination. With the amount of online outsourcing services that are now available, finding freelance workers to create content, market your product, and service your website is as easy as logging in to an online marketplace and putting up a job. With this kind of convenience penetrating every aspect of the online marketing world, it's little coincidence that many affiliate marketers are splitting their resources across a massive variety of niches, topics, and products.
The things is, it doesn't have to be done this way. You don't have to create 100 pages to build a steady income. You certainly don't need to spend all your time flicking from website to website, never really investing enough time in each one to see it fully blossom. You don't have to invest all of your energy into fruitless pursuits, just because the market demanded that you experiment.
The real fruit for internet marketers is in subscription based websites. These type of businesses create a recurring online income, and demand relatively little work from you in order to maximise their profits. Outsource some articles, and keep your members happy. Then watch your money roll in. This free report, compiled using advice and solutions from some of the most successful marketers, contains all the details you need to get started on this path.
Click Here To Download Your Membership Site Report
Online marketing doesn't have to be about pushing hundreds of products that you don't really care about. When you take advantage of the huge earning abilities of niche subscription websites, you unlock the door to a recurring online income. This is the ideal lifestyle for any internet affiliate marketer; minimum input and maximum financial return. Don't be the marketer that spend all of their time flitting from one project to the other. Instead, invest your energy in creating a subscription website and watch your income snowball. This free report contains all the information that you need to get started on your subscription earning journey.
Click Here To Download Your Membership Site Report
It's a question that thousands of affiliate marketers have asked themselves. For many years, just getting started online took months of market research and dedication, hundreds of dollars invested in targeted ads, and a massive amount of content to produce.
Those times have changed.
Now, all it takes to get started is an affiliate account, a few domains, and a lot of determination. With the amount of online outsourcing services that are now available, finding freelance workers to create content, market your product, and service your website is as easy as logging in to an online marketplace and putting up a job. With this kind of convenience penetrating every aspect of the online marketing world, it's little coincidence that many affiliate marketers are splitting their resources across a massive variety of niches, topics, and products.
The things is, it doesn't have to be done this way. You don't have to create 100 pages to build a steady income. You certainly don't need to spend all your time flicking from website to website, never really investing enough time in each one to see it fully blossom. You don't have to invest all of your energy into fruitless pursuits, just because the market demanded that you experiment.
The real fruit for internet marketers is in subscription based websites. These type of businesses create a recurring online income, and demand relatively little work from you in order to maximise their profits. Outsource some articles, and keep your members happy. Then watch your money roll in. This free report, compiled using advice and solutions from some of the most successful marketers, contains all the details you need to get started on this path.
Click Here To Download Your Membership Site Report
Online marketing doesn't have to be about pushing hundreds of products that you don't really care about. When you take advantage of the huge earning abilities of niche subscription websites, you unlock the door to a recurring online income. This is the ideal lifestyle for any internet affiliate marketer; minimum input and maximum financial return. Don't be the marketer that spend all of their time flitting from one project to the other. Instead, invest your energy in creating a subscription website and watch your income snowball. This free report contains all the information that you need to get started on your subscription earning journey.
Click Here To Download Your Membership Site Report
6.26.2010
6.24.2010
Mike Filsaime Free News Letter
Hey guys,
It's true!
You can get 3 FREE copies of Mike Filsaime's MDC Monthly.
Best Marketing Newsletter Click Here
Mike Filsaime is using a new way to spread the word.
He is not asking for any tell a friend of even an OPT-IN
He is experimenting with a new type of Social Viral Marketing that appears to
get him backlinks to his site just for sharing the word.
Best Marketing Newsletter Click Here
This seems to be the truest form of Viral marketing I have seen yet. It uses
social media and blogs to get the "news" out about something rather than
Tell-A-Friends etc.
But the main thing I want to share with you is that you can get 3 Kick-Butt
copies of his latest newsletter and you don't have to pay $89.00 to get it.
Just click the link below and it is yours Free!
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P.S. - Even if you THINK you are not interested in his newsletters (Which are
pretty good from what I see) I suggest you give it a shot for 2 reasons. 1- You
may be surprised at the quality. And 2- Wait until you see how he is trying this
new viral marketing.
6.23.2010
10 Most Important Tips To Training Your Puppies
All of us dream of parenting the perfect dog, a pup that is a CGC or canine good citizen and is well behaved and dependable at all times. Well dreams do come true if the training is done with care and dedication. Remember pups learn from day one and need to be taught what is right, what is wrong, and proper socialization.
Pups are like children, they need constant supervision and training. Training a pup need not be an ordeal all you need to keep in mind are a few simple rules:
• Until your pup learns you need to keep an eye on him at all times. When you cannot then you must crate him. Create a schedule for the pup this will help the pup settle down quickly. The schedule must include things like hourly bath rooming visits, eating times, rest periods, walks, play time, training, and so on. A pup that has a busy day has no time to be bored and get into mischief.
• Teach the pup to respect you. Dogs live in packs and instinctively follow a leader. If you establish your leadership in no uncertain terms then training will become easy as the pup will obey you at all times and not challenge your authority.
• Use only positive training methods. Never shout at, hit, or punish a dog. It is not just cruel but can lead to behavioral problems. Use of electric shocks, prong collars, sprays, and so on could hurt the animal.
• Teach the pup “nothing in life is free.” This is a system that is widely acknowledged as a useful training tool. If you practice this, the pup will learn that to get something like love, a walk, or treat, he must behave well.
• Teach the meaning of “No,” from day one. Do not encourage behaviors like jumping, mouthing, tug-o-war, barking, or running out of open gates and doors. Praise good behavior and ignore or walk away when there is bad behavior. The pup will learn that if he misbehaves he will loose his companion/playmate.
• To correct a behavior you must catch the pup in the act and startle him by rattling a can of pebbles. Once you have done this make him correct his behavior and immediately offer him a treat and praise. Pups do not recall what happened earlier so scolding him after an event is of no use.
• Always call/use his name positively. Never say “Bad TOM,” or “No Tom,” this will cause confusion and the pup will think that if you call his name then it is something bad. The pup must associate his name with happy events like hugs, petting, walks, treats, and such. If this happens he will come willingly when you call out his name.
• Create a training schedule that is short and sweet say 10 minutes thrice a day. Long repetitive lessons can be boring and the pup will loose interest in learning. Make learning fun and use trick training to teach commands like sit, down, come and so on.
• Bond with the pup and both of you will enjoy your lessons. The pup must look forward to spending time with you and not avoid you by running away or hiding. Be sure to socialize the pup early. Socialization is one of the most important lessons. The pup must learn to be around other animals, people, sounds, vehicles, and other activities. So, slowly introduce the pup when he is little to everyday activities and sounds. Take him to the mall/ park, introduce him to children and other pets, and make him unafraid of the vacuum and garden hose.
• Learn all about crate training, leash walking, house breaking, as well as food training. These are kindergarten lessons that every pup must master. Know about all the idiosyncrasies as well as peculiarities of the breed this will give you valuable insights on how to successfully train the pup.
As a pet-parent you have many choices. You could choose to train the dog yourself or register at a professional training school. Training a dog has many stages: kindergarten, obedience training, doggy sports, showing and conformation, as well as other aspects like therapy dogs, hearing dogs, and so on. What level you choose to train depends on you as well as the learning abilities of your dog. As you know, different dogs like humans have varied talents. Choose well and both you and your pup will have fun times together.
More Tips And Advice
Pups are like children, they need constant supervision and training. Training a pup need not be an ordeal all you need to keep in mind are a few simple rules:
• Until your pup learns you need to keep an eye on him at all times. When you cannot then you must crate him. Create a schedule for the pup this will help the pup settle down quickly. The schedule must include things like hourly bath rooming visits, eating times, rest periods, walks, play time, training, and so on. A pup that has a busy day has no time to be bored and get into mischief.
• Teach the pup to respect you. Dogs live in packs and instinctively follow a leader. If you establish your leadership in no uncertain terms then training will become easy as the pup will obey you at all times and not challenge your authority.
• Use only positive training methods. Never shout at, hit, or punish a dog. It is not just cruel but can lead to behavioral problems. Use of electric shocks, prong collars, sprays, and so on could hurt the animal.
• Teach the pup “nothing in life is free.” This is a system that is widely acknowledged as a useful training tool. If you practice this, the pup will learn that to get something like love, a walk, or treat, he must behave well.
• Teach the meaning of “No,” from day one. Do not encourage behaviors like jumping, mouthing, tug-o-war, barking, or running out of open gates and doors. Praise good behavior and ignore or walk away when there is bad behavior. The pup will learn that if he misbehaves he will loose his companion/playmate.
• To correct a behavior you must catch the pup in the act and startle him by rattling a can of pebbles. Once you have done this make him correct his behavior and immediately offer him a treat and praise. Pups do not recall what happened earlier so scolding him after an event is of no use.
• Always call/use his name positively. Never say “Bad TOM,” or “No Tom,” this will cause confusion and the pup will think that if you call his name then it is something bad. The pup must associate his name with happy events like hugs, petting, walks, treats, and such. If this happens he will come willingly when you call out his name.
• Create a training schedule that is short and sweet say 10 minutes thrice a day. Long repetitive lessons can be boring and the pup will loose interest in learning. Make learning fun and use trick training to teach commands like sit, down, come and so on.
• Bond with the pup and both of you will enjoy your lessons. The pup must look forward to spending time with you and not avoid you by running away or hiding. Be sure to socialize the pup early. Socialization is one of the most important lessons. The pup must learn to be around other animals, people, sounds, vehicles, and other activities. So, slowly introduce the pup when he is little to everyday activities and sounds. Take him to the mall/ park, introduce him to children and other pets, and make him unafraid of the vacuum and garden hose.
• Learn all about crate training, leash walking, house breaking, as well as food training. These are kindergarten lessons that every pup must master. Know about all the idiosyncrasies as well as peculiarities of the breed this will give you valuable insights on how to successfully train the pup.
As a pet-parent you have many choices. You could choose to train the dog yourself or register at a professional training school. Training a dog has many stages: kindergarten, obedience training, doggy sports, showing and conformation, as well as other aspects like therapy dogs, hearing dogs, and so on. What level you choose to train depends on you as well as the learning abilities of your dog. As you know, different dogs like humans have varied talents. Choose well and both you and your pup will have fun times together.
More Tips And Advice
5 TIPS FOR TRAINING DOGS SUCCESSFULLY
Training dogs is not a hard. You just need patience, dedication and some simple tactics and you will teach them successfully.
Here are five top tips on how to train your dogs successfully:
1. To avoid your dog getting confused and so that they can learn to recognize commands easily only one person should be responsible for training the dog initially. If too many people are trying to train the dog at the same time this can stop progress in its tracks.
2. You should use positive reinforcements. If the dog does something good, you should reward this behavior so that he will know that what he did was right. If the dog cannot understand or follow your commands, never push him.
Dogs are not as intelligent as humans, they make mistakes. What you should understand is that they won’t easily understand your commands in just one teaching, it takes repetition to train a dog successfully.
Do not scold your dog as he might develop fear which will hinder his learning and willingness to be trained. You can use treats in order to encourage your dogs, although don’t overdue it.
3. Teach commands one at a time. Try to teach him one command after the other. If he cannot absorb it, try to stay on that command only because adding additional commands will just confuse the dog. Start with the basics.
4. In executing commands, you should keep your voice cheerful so that the dog will happily follow your commands. Dogs will respond to a low and coaxing voice. If you shout out loud, he may become startled and unresponsive.
5. Train your dog in various places. If you keep your dogs in a certain place like your home, he will not be able to adjust with the environment new people. Take him to the park or through the neighborhood. This will help your dog associate with other dogs and people.
Training your dog can sometime be tough, but it will be worth it. In the end, you will be the one to benefit when your dog is trained. You don’t know he might even save your life one day and pay back everything you taught him.
Checkout Specialized Training Test Click Here
Here are five top tips on how to train your dogs successfully:
1. To avoid your dog getting confused and so that they can learn to recognize commands easily only one person should be responsible for training the dog initially. If too many people are trying to train the dog at the same time this can stop progress in its tracks.
2. You should use positive reinforcements. If the dog does something good, you should reward this behavior so that he will know that what he did was right. If the dog cannot understand or follow your commands, never push him.
Dogs are not as intelligent as humans, they make mistakes. What you should understand is that they won’t easily understand your commands in just one teaching, it takes repetition to train a dog successfully.
Do not scold your dog as he might develop fear which will hinder his learning and willingness to be trained. You can use treats in order to encourage your dogs, although don’t overdue it.
3. Teach commands one at a time. Try to teach him one command after the other. If he cannot absorb it, try to stay on that command only because adding additional commands will just confuse the dog. Start with the basics.
4. In executing commands, you should keep your voice cheerful so that the dog will happily follow your commands. Dogs will respond to a low and coaxing voice. If you shout out loud, he may become startled and unresponsive.
5. Train your dog in various places. If you keep your dogs in a certain place like your home, he will not be able to adjust with the environment new people. Take him to the park or through the neighborhood. This will help your dog associate with other dogs and people.
Training your dog can sometime be tough, but it will be worth it. In the end, you will be the one to benefit when your dog is trained. You don’t know he might even save your life one day and pay back everything you taught him.
Checkout Specialized Training Test Click Here
6 EASY WAYS TO FIND A GOOD DOG TRAINING PROFESSIONAL
Finding a good dog training professional
With so many people advertising in the field of professional dog training today, trying to determine who's truly qualified to look after your dog can be overwhelming. What to look for when choosing a professional to help you with dog training :
1) A good reputation, ask around and get recommendations from your vet, other dog owners, or local kennel clubs.
2) Experience. - Inquire about their background, i.e. number of years experience.
3)A genuine love of and devotion to dogs.
4) Extensive and up to date knowledge. Dedicated trainers keep themselves updated by attending dog training and animal behaviour courses, conferences, seminars and workshops.
5) Their training methodology and handling skills. A good trainers first concern should be the dogs well being.
6) Memberships with reputable associations, organizations and training clubs.
General dog obedience tips
Training should be a positive and enjoyable experience for both you and your dog. If you are not in the right mood for training, don’t even begin. Always reward your dog for obeying your commands promptly! A reward is anything that your dog wants and is willing to work for.
Treats are an obvious reward but other rewards could be verbal praise and toys. Several shorter sessions are usually better than one long one. Training should not involve any negative components or punishment .
There should be no shouting, no hitting or smacking, no chain jerking on choke chains or collars, and absolutely no electric shocking! Each training session should be enjoyable and positive with rewards for jobs well done.
Training with head collars
Pulling on the lead is one of the few unpleasant experiences of bringing up a new puppy or dog. Using a head collar for dog training has become very popular over the last few years.
Training with a head collar does have some advantages over the traditional training collar. Although very simple to use, it is important that head collars are fitted correctly and your dog properly introduced to the collar.
Head collars are generally more intuitive to use than a traditional training collar. Head collars are very effective when controlling dogs in difficult situations.
Ckeckout This Article On My Website My Pet Solutions.com
With so many people advertising in the field of professional dog training today, trying to determine who's truly qualified to look after your dog can be overwhelming. What to look for when choosing a professional to help you with dog training :
1) A good reputation, ask around and get recommendations from your vet, other dog owners, or local kennel clubs.
2) Experience. - Inquire about their background, i.e. number of years experience.
3)A genuine love of and devotion to dogs.
4) Extensive and up to date knowledge. Dedicated trainers keep themselves updated by attending dog training and animal behaviour courses, conferences, seminars and workshops.
5) Their training methodology and handling skills. A good trainers first concern should be the dogs well being.
6) Memberships with reputable associations, organizations and training clubs.
General dog obedience tips
Training should be a positive and enjoyable experience for both you and your dog. If you are not in the right mood for training, don’t even begin. Always reward your dog for obeying your commands promptly! A reward is anything that your dog wants and is willing to work for.
Treats are an obvious reward but other rewards could be verbal praise and toys. Several shorter sessions are usually better than one long one. Training should not involve any negative components or punishment .
There should be no shouting, no hitting or smacking, no chain jerking on choke chains or collars, and absolutely no electric shocking! Each training session should be enjoyable and positive with rewards for jobs well done.
Training with head collars
Pulling on the lead is one of the few unpleasant experiences of bringing up a new puppy or dog. Using a head collar for dog training has become very popular over the last few years.
Training with a head collar does have some advantages over the traditional training collar. Although very simple to use, it is important that head collars are fitted correctly and your dog properly introduced to the collar.
Head collars are generally more intuitive to use than a traditional training collar. Head collars are very effective when controlling dogs in difficult situations.
Ckeckout This Article On My Website My Pet Solutions.com
BASIC PRINCIPLES IN A DOG LOVERS CLUB
There are lots of dog lovers clubs in the US that offer a lot more for both the dog lovers and their dogs. Here are some of them.
The American Kennel Club has a dog lovers sections called “For the Love of the Purebred Dog”. This article is more than a canine purebred section. It is dedicated to living at home with dogs. This dog club gives informative and educational materials pertaining to pet care, training, nutrition and a lot more. It also includes funny stories, art, pet history and the more popular Companion Animal Recovery method. There are also more popular sites like the dog breeds and events page.
The American Mixed Breed Obedience Registration or (AMBOR) on the other hand was created in 1983 with the objective of taking into accounts the perseverance and accolades in obedience contests of mix breed dogs and handlers. This dog lovers club also gives support and inspiration to dog handlers.
Important Information for Members:
1. Mixed-breeds
Unlimited full membership is open to handlers and owners of mixed-breed dogs as long as the pet is spayed and nails are cut. There should be front and side photo shots of the dog that will be included in the application. This is the ticket to all the obedience and agility programs, automatic tabulation in the agility and obedience nationwide ranking system. This also includes a given eligibility for the annual awards.
This achievement will be given honor in AMBOR highlights (AMBOR’S newsletter) and on the website. The member will be eligible to any agility and obedience national competition in the future. Dogs with assigned numbers are marked as purebred and should be enlisted as a purebred. Also, dogs that are listed as mixed-breeds that are given a number based on the owner’s application causes its membership to be changed to a status of a purebred.
2. Purebreds
Purebred dogs can be listed with AMBOR with a rule that entry is limited to the AMBOR-supported agility program. All dogs that are purebred, listed with AMBOR and exhibits AMBOR-supported programs on agility will have competition points monitored and there will be an automatic issuance of certificates.
Dogs that are purebred and listed with AMBOR are not qualified to be a part of the agility and obedience scoring systems. They will also not be included in the website on highlights and not qualified for any mixed-breeds national competition in the future.
Handlers that register to the AMBOR-supported trials on agility should put their AMBOR number on the form at the club’s entrance so that competition points will be monitored.
For More Cool Things About Your Pet Visit,
My Pet Solutions.com
The American Kennel Club has a dog lovers sections called “For the Love of the Purebred Dog”. This article is more than a canine purebred section. It is dedicated to living at home with dogs. This dog club gives informative and educational materials pertaining to pet care, training, nutrition and a lot more. It also includes funny stories, art, pet history and the more popular Companion Animal Recovery method. There are also more popular sites like the dog breeds and events page.
The American Mixed Breed Obedience Registration or (AMBOR) on the other hand was created in 1983 with the objective of taking into accounts the perseverance and accolades in obedience contests of mix breed dogs and handlers. This dog lovers club also gives support and inspiration to dog handlers.
Important Information for Members:
1. Mixed-breeds
Unlimited full membership is open to handlers and owners of mixed-breed dogs as long as the pet is spayed and nails are cut. There should be front and side photo shots of the dog that will be included in the application. This is the ticket to all the obedience and agility programs, automatic tabulation in the agility and obedience nationwide ranking system. This also includes a given eligibility for the annual awards.
This achievement will be given honor in AMBOR highlights (AMBOR’S newsletter) and on the website. The member will be eligible to any agility and obedience national competition in the future. Dogs with assigned numbers are marked as purebred and should be enlisted as a purebred. Also, dogs that are listed as mixed-breeds that are given a number based on the owner’s application causes its membership to be changed to a status of a purebred.
2. Purebreds
Purebred dogs can be listed with AMBOR with a rule that entry is limited to the AMBOR-supported agility program. All dogs that are purebred, listed with AMBOR and exhibits AMBOR-supported programs on agility will have competition points monitored and there will be an automatic issuance of certificates.
Dogs that are purebred and listed with AMBOR are not qualified to be a part of the agility and obedience scoring systems. They will also not be included in the website on highlights and not qualified for any mixed-breeds national competition in the future.
Handlers that register to the AMBOR-supported trials on agility should put their AMBOR number on the form at the club’s entrance so that competition points will be monitored.
For More Cool Things About Your Pet Visit,
My Pet Solutions.com
5 GREAT TIPS ON BUILDING A DOG HOUSE
Over 50% of the population allows their dog to stay indoors and sleep on the couch or in their owner’s bed. For those of you who are interested in building a dog house for you beloved pet here are some simple rules to follow when considering what type of shelter you want to provide.
1. You should begin your dog house building process by making sure the house is big enough to accommodate your animal’s potential adult size. Humans enjoy having about 2 feet of air above us in a room in order to live without feeling claustrophobic. Your dog will probably also enjoy having that much room. The comfort zone for both humans and dogs is about 1/3 of their standing height. To figure out how much room the dog will need get out a tape measure and measure your dog. Measure him standing straight up, sitting on his haunches and above all measure the full dimension of the dog when he is the most comfortable, relaxed and stretched out position he can get into. Your dog should be able to look out the front entrance while both standing up and sitting. So the dog will not have to significantly lover his front shoulders or scrape his belly make sure that entrance is high enough. Stand over the dog and measure the width of the widest point of the animal’s shoulders.
2.Remember to raise the dog house several inches from the ground to allow air and water to flow underneath. To dissuade pests from invading the dog house and taking your dogs health into consideration remember how important ventilation is. Put in a few nickel-sized holes in the walls under the eaves. Install a wind block inside the house so the dog can use the heat of its own body to warm up the area if it is really cold or windy outside. Consider adding a partial wall which will allow your dog to escape the bad weather. Your animal can choose to just sleep in the entry room or go around the inner archway maze wall into the inner sanctum. Your beloved pet would probably love having a pillow or some sort of bedding to sleep on.
3. To avoid rain coming into the dog house make the floor just a bit slanted toward the doorway and build the roof a little bit slanted, as well. Make sure the house is well insulated but you should not paint the inside.
4. In the United States most storms come from the south and west so make sure the dog house faces a different direction. Most dog house plans suggest that the dog house door faces east. The cold air will not be able to whip through the entryway then.
5. It is suggested that you put hinges on the roof of the dog house. This makes it easier for you to clean out your dog’s home. You should clean the dog’s house as often as you give your dog a bath.
If your dog lives outside then he deserves to have a comfortable place to sleep and get out of harsh weather. Hopefully these easy tips on building a dog house will help you get started.
For more Tips on How To Keep Your Pets Happy Visit My Website,
My Pet Solutions.com
1. You should begin your dog house building process by making sure the house is big enough to accommodate your animal’s potential adult size. Humans enjoy having about 2 feet of air above us in a room in order to live without feeling claustrophobic. Your dog will probably also enjoy having that much room. The comfort zone for both humans and dogs is about 1/3 of their standing height. To figure out how much room the dog will need get out a tape measure and measure your dog. Measure him standing straight up, sitting on his haunches and above all measure the full dimension of the dog when he is the most comfortable, relaxed and stretched out position he can get into. Your dog should be able to look out the front entrance while both standing up and sitting. So the dog will not have to significantly lover his front shoulders or scrape his belly make sure that entrance is high enough. Stand over the dog and measure the width of the widest point of the animal’s shoulders.
2.Remember to raise the dog house several inches from the ground to allow air and water to flow underneath. To dissuade pests from invading the dog house and taking your dogs health into consideration remember how important ventilation is. Put in a few nickel-sized holes in the walls under the eaves. Install a wind block inside the house so the dog can use the heat of its own body to warm up the area if it is really cold or windy outside. Consider adding a partial wall which will allow your dog to escape the bad weather. Your animal can choose to just sleep in the entry room or go around the inner archway maze wall into the inner sanctum. Your beloved pet would probably love having a pillow or some sort of bedding to sleep on.
3. To avoid rain coming into the dog house make the floor just a bit slanted toward the doorway and build the roof a little bit slanted, as well. Make sure the house is well insulated but you should not paint the inside.
4. In the United States most storms come from the south and west so make sure the dog house faces a different direction. Most dog house plans suggest that the dog house door faces east. The cold air will not be able to whip through the entryway then.
5. It is suggested that you put hinges on the roof of the dog house. This makes it easier for you to clean out your dog’s home. You should clean the dog’s house as often as you give your dog a bath.
If your dog lives outside then he deserves to have a comfortable place to sleep and get out of harsh weather. Hopefully these easy tips on building a dog house will help you get started.
For more Tips on How To Keep Your Pets Happy Visit My Website,
My Pet Solutions.com
6.17.2010
Training the Trainer
Dog training philosophies vary as much as dogs and trainers do. Most professionals agree, however, that a large part of training dogs consists of training the trainers.
Whether those trainers are pet owners or professionals they need many of the same attributes. Most dogs are neither stupid nor intelligent in the same way humans are. But whatever their natural aptitude they require and benefit from consistency, repetition and a patient style of guidance.
Dog trainers need to have or develop an attitude of restraint, calm and focus. Not everyone has, nor can acquire, the patience to carry out a training regime that takes weeks to months or longer. Training is sometimes as short as an hour per day, often as long as all day, broken up into shorter segments. Taking up that effort is a task not all are equipped to master.
Trainers need to be patient, firm and fair not only with dogs but also with their owners. Honest answers to legitimate questions breeds the respect essential to successful training. A willingness to explain in clear, patient terms what training will involve and to set out the goals of training is vital.
Variations in breeds, individual temperament and owners themselves makes guaranteeing results impossible. But before training begins, trainers need to communicate answers to questions owners may not know enough even to ask. Realism is the only way to properly set expectations.
Dog trainers need to learn a substantial amount about canine veterinary medicine. While they make no pretense to be vets, they need to recognize the external possible signs of hip dysplasia, bacterial infections, diabetes and other diseases and conditions. Training can only proceed with a healthy dog.
Trainers need to learn safety procedures, both for the sake of the dog and the trainer. Even friendly, well-behaved dogs can become excited during play. Dogs are emotional creatures and once their hormones begin to flare, they often take several minutes at best to calm down again.
During those periods of excitement, teeth are often bared and the dog is moving around erratically. It's easy for a trainer's hand to get in the path, or for the dog to injure itself over a leash or training block.
Trainers have to develop acute powers of observation and communication. Trainers aren't merely dog lovers. Though, they are almost always that. They're individuals who have or acquire the ability to carefully observe dog behavior, even subtle cues and clues. That observation has to be understood to the point that reacting becomes automatic.
Dogs will often signal when they are about to bolt, or to vomit grass, or exhibit a slew of other behaviors. A good trainer has a keen eye and the knowledge of how to use those observations to maximize the effectiveness of training.
The Association of Pet Dog Trainers in the U.S. provides guidelines and training for trainers that help keep trainers and owners satisfied with the results. Not all professional dog trainers are members, and not being a member doesn't mean a professional is unqualified. Nevertheless, the organization is a good place to start to learn more about dog trainers and their methods.
The APDT can be contacted by mail, phone, or at their website.
Website:
http://www.apdt.com/
Phone:
1-800-PET-DOGS
(1-800-738-3647)
Address:
The Association of Pet Dog Trainers
150 Executive Center Drive Box 35
Greenville, SC 29615
Whether those trainers are pet owners or professionals they need many of the same attributes. Most dogs are neither stupid nor intelligent in the same way humans are. But whatever their natural aptitude they require and benefit from consistency, repetition and a patient style of guidance.
Dog trainers need to have or develop an attitude of restraint, calm and focus. Not everyone has, nor can acquire, the patience to carry out a training regime that takes weeks to months or longer. Training is sometimes as short as an hour per day, often as long as all day, broken up into shorter segments. Taking up that effort is a task not all are equipped to master.
Trainers need to be patient, firm and fair not only with dogs but also with their owners. Honest answers to legitimate questions breeds the respect essential to successful training. A willingness to explain in clear, patient terms what training will involve and to set out the goals of training is vital.
Variations in breeds, individual temperament and owners themselves makes guaranteeing results impossible. But before training begins, trainers need to communicate answers to questions owners may not know enough even to ask. Realism is the only way to properly set expectations.
Dog trainers need to learn a substantial amount about canine veterinary medicine. While they make no pretense to be vets, they need to recognize the external possible signs of hip dysplasia, bacterial infections, diabetes and other diseases and conditions. Training can only proceed with a healthy dog.
Trainers need to learn safety procedures, both for the sake of the dog and the trainer. Even friendly, well-behaved dogs can become excited during play. Dogs are emotional creatures and once their hormones begin to flare, they often take several minutes at best to calm down again.
During those periods of excitement, teeth are often bared and the dog is moving around erratically. It's easy for a trainer's hand to get in the path, or for the dog to injure itself over a leash or training block.
Trainers have to develop acute powers of observation and communication. Trainers aren't merely dog lovers. Though, they are almost always that. They're individuals who have or acquire the ability to carefully observe dog behavior, even subtle cues and clues. That observation has to be understood to the point that reacting becomes automatic.
Dogs will often signal when they are about to bolt, or to vomit grass, or exhibit a slew of other behaviors. A good trainer has a keen eye and the knowledge of how to use those observations to maximize the effectiveness of training.
The Association of Pet Dog Trainers in the U.S. provides guidelines and training for trainers that help keep trainers and owners satisfied with the results. Not all professional dog trainers are members, and not being a member doesn't mean a professional is unqualified. Nevertheless, the organization is a good place to start to learn more about dog trainers and their methods.
The APDT can be contacted by mail, phone, or at their website.
Website:
http://www.apdt.com/
Phone:
1-800-PET-DOGS
(1-800-738-3647)
Address:
The Association of Pet Dog Trainers
150 Executive Center Drive Box 35
Greenville, SC 29615
Training Rescued Dogs
Normal dog training requires patience that is greater nowhere else but childrearing. Training rescued dogs takes even more.
Though sterilizing dogs - spaying (removing female organs) and neutering (removing male organs) - has been common practice for decades, birth rates continue to outpace ownership. Add to that a percentage who are lost or wander away and the problem grows larger.
The inevitable result is a large number of dogs who often end in facilities where they're either adopted or terminated.
But, some of these unfortunate animals get a second chance. Either picked up off the street or taken home from shelters they find homes with compassionate and committed individuals who want to help them achieve a decent life. Such caring people can find themselves with more than they bargained for.
Rescued animals have often been physically and mentally abused by former owners, or experienced horrendous conditions before being found. Sometimes, because of impatient or unrealistic owners who found their temperament undesirable, they were simply released to get by as best they could.
Even wild dogs don't do well isolated from a pack. Untrained dogs, on their own with no other to teach them, fare even worse. But with patience and skill such animals can usually be trained to at least tolerate touching, to refrain from barking at the slightest provocation.
The first step is restoring physical health. Get the dog a thorough examination. No animal is going to be amenable to learning if it's diseased or the training is painful. Any malnutrition, common in rescued dogs, must first be overcome.
Try to obtain any history. Often this will be impossible, but knowing about any past abuse, temperament or medical history and general conditions is helpful.
Next, try to establish trust slowly. Don't force physical contact on the dog. Offer inducements to let them seek it from you. At first, instead of offering a treat at close range to a potential biter lay the treat on the floor then step back several feet. Praise the dog lavishly for taking it.
When you've worked up to physical contact, which happily some will seek immediately, try rolling them over and placing a hand on the chest. Aggressive dogs will resist and passive dogs will accept this fearfully. Neither response is desirable. Unlike normal training, don't immediately force the aggressive to accept a secondary role. Take it slow. For the fearful, provide a belly rub and soothing tone to show that being on their backs is not a prelude to punishment.
Rescued dogs tend to be older, mixed breed, have temperament difficulties and come from painful circumstances. All these tend to work against the dog learning the usual range of desired behaviors, and generally more slowly. Some conditions are such that full recovery never occurs.
Exercise even greater patience and care, but don't let the dog run the household. Even with rescued dogs it's important that the human be the alpha (leader).
The reward of the greater expense in dollars and time is often a completely devoted and loving companion. Even dogs can exhibit gratitude toward kindness.
Though sterilizing dogs - spaying (removing female organs) and neutering (removing male organs) - has been common practice for decades, birth rates continue to outpace ownership. Add to that a percentage who are lost or wander away and the problem grows larger.
The inevitable result is a large number of dogs who often end in facilities where they're either adopted or terminated.
But, some of these unfortunate animals get a second chance. Either picked up off the street or taken home from shelters they find homes with compassionate and committed individuals who want to help them achieve a decent life. Such caring people can find themselves with more than they bargained for.
Rescued animals have often been physically and mentally abused by former owners, or experienced horrendous conditions before being found. Sometimes, because of impatient or unrealistic owners who found their temperament undesirable, they were simply released to get by as best they could.
Even wild dogs don't do well isolated from a pack. Untrained dogs, on their own with no other to teach them, fare even worse. But with patience and skill such animals can usually be trained to at least tolerate touching, to refrain from barking at the slightest provocation.
The first step is restoring physical health. Get the dog a thorough examination. No animal is going to be amenable to learning if it's diseased or the training is painful. Any malnutrition, common in rescued dogs, must first be overcome.
Try to obtain any history. Often this will be impossible, but knowing about any past abuse, temperament or medical history and general conditions is helpful.
Next, try to establish trust slowly. Don't force physical contact on the dog. Offer inducements to let them seek it from you. At first, instead of offering a treat at close range to a potential biter lay the treat on the floor then step back several feet. Praise the dog lavishly for taking it.
When you've worked up to physical contact, which happily some will seek immediately, try rolling them over and placing a hand on the chest. Aggressive dogs will resist and passive dogs will accept this fearfully. Neither response is desirable. Unlike normal training, don't immediately force the aggressive to accept a secondary role. Take it slow. For the fearful, provide a belly rub and soothing tone to show that being on their backs is not a prelude to punishment.
Rescued dogs tend to be older, mixed breed, have temperament difficulties and come from painful circumstances. All these tend to work against the dog learning the usual range of desired behaviors, and generally more slowly. Some conditions are such that full recovery never occurs.
Exercise even greater patience and care, but don't let the dog run the household. Even with rescued dogs it's important that the human be the alpha (leader).
The reward of the greater expense in dollars and time is often a completely devoted and loving companion. Even dogs can exhibit gratitude toward kindness.
Training Styles - Part II
Training styles differ, but some traditional techniques have proven their worth.
Training styles are sometimes divided into those that use both positive and negative reinforcement, or rewards and punishment and those that rely solely on rewards. Using the word 'punishment' naturally turns off many who want to treat their companion with care. Substitute the word with 'discouragements' and you have the more accurate sense.
Rewards run the gamut from praise - which should be lavish and frequent when the dog exhibits a desired behavior - to petting and belly rubs or back scratches, to treats. All these are useful for rewarding learned behavior.
But when using treats, don't go overboard. High in calories and packed with flavor, dogs will often eat as many treats as are offered. Dogs prone to weight gain can have too many, and too many treats can produce fussy eaters when regular food is served. The goal is to eventually elicit the behavior solely from verbal commands and hand signals.
Leash and collar training are essential, at least for a time, for almost every breed and individual. Like young humans, dogs have a natural desire to do what they want when they wish. Self-restraint doesn't develop spontaneously.
When training a 'sit', a short and gentle pull on the leash can encourage slow-learners or the reluctant to comply. Pull back, not up. But not hard, you don't want to bruise a throat. When training to exit - not jet - the house a restraint is imperative, especially if something interesting (like a rabbit or cat) just zoomed by.
Discouraging unwanted behavior also involves a large variety of techniques, some requiring considerable creativity. Stopping plant chewing, for example, can often be accomplished with a little cayenne pepper paste applied to the leaves. Harmless to most plants, be sure to check with your gardening expert before applying.
But the same technique can't be used for, say, shoe or furniture chewing. Most dogs aren't leashed inside the house, so that tool isn't available either. Creativity and experimentation is called for. Sometimes it's necessary to substitute with rawhide bones, cotton chew balls, ropes and other more esoteric objects.
Wrapping an old cotton-shirt around a 'peanut butter bone' - a pigskin or rawhide toy suffused with peanut butter odor - has rescued me more than once. But those who keep laundry within dog's reach won't want to encourage chewing on t-shirts.
Common sense will help individuals avoid bad training techniques.
If you were slapped with a newspaper when you vomited on the rug, would you regard that as an appropriate response? Dogs are not humans, but they are aware and have some reasoning capacity. Physical punishment or loud, harsh words for unavoidable accidents injures trust and creates fearful dogs. Fear is counter-productive, except in extreme emergencies, where the dog or a person is in danger.
Dogs can be trained to do amazing things. One well-known woman has a dance routine with her companion that goes on for several minutes. Few would have said it was possible before she spent the years of attention needed to create that range of behaviors.
Find a style that generates trust and attention, that leads a dog to want to cooperate, and you've reached an important goal: leading your willing 'pack'.
Training styles are sometimes divided into those that use both positive and negative reinforcement, or rewards and punishment and those that rely solely on rewards. Using the word 'punishment' naturally turns off many who want to treat their companion with care. Substitute the word with 'discouragements' and you have the more accurate sense.
Rewards run the gamut from praise - which should be lavish and frequent when the dog exhibits a desired behavior - to petting and belly rubs or back scratches, to treats. All these are useful for rewarding learned behavior.
But when using treats, don't go overboard. High in calories and packed with flavor, dogs will often eat as many treats as are offered. Dogs prone to weight gain can have too many, and too many treats can produce fussy eaters when regular food is served. The goal is to eventually elicit the behavior solely from verbal commands and hand signals.
Leash and collar training are essential, at least for a time, for almost every breed and individual. Like young humans, dogs have a natural desire to do what they want when they wish. Self-restraint doesn't develop spontaneously.
When training a 'sit', a short and gentle pull on the leash can encourage slow-learners or the reluctant to comply. Pull back, not up. But not hard, you don't want to bruise a throat. When training to exit - not jet - the house a restraint is imperative, especially if something interesting (like a rabbit or cat) just zoomed by.
Discouraging unwanted behavior also involves a large variety of techniques, some requiring considerable creativity. Stopping plant chewing, for example, can often be accomplished with a little cayenne pepper paste applied to the leaves. Harmless to most plants, be sure to check with your gardening expert before applying.
But the same technique can't be used for, say, shoe or furniture chewing. Most dogs aren't leashed inside the house, so that tool isn't available either. Creativity and experimentation is called for. Sometimes it's necessary to substitute with rawhide bones, cotton chew balls, ropes and other more esoteric objects.
Wrapping an old cotton-shirt around a 'peanut butter bone' - a pigskin or rawhide toy suffused with peanut butter odor - has rescued me more than once. But those who keep laundry within dog's reach won't want to encourage chewing on t-shirts.
Common sense will help individuals avoid bad training techniques.
If you were slapped with a newspaper when you vomited on the rug, would you regard that as an appropriate response? Dogs are not humans, but they are aware and have some reasoning capacity. Physical punishment or loud, harsh words for unavoidable accidents injures trust and creates fearful dogs. Fear is counter-productive, except in extreme emergencies, where the dog or a person is in danger.
Dogs can be trained to do amazing things. One well-known woman has a dance routine with her companion that goes on for several minutes. Few would have said it was possible before she spent the years of attention needed to create that range of behaviors.
Find a style that generates trust and attention, that leads a dog to want to cooperate, and you've reached an important goal: leading your willing 'pack'.
Training Styles - Part I
Contrary to popular belief, there are not as many training styles as there are trainers. Despite individual differences, people handling dogs fall into clearly recognizable categories. And no matter your individual style or that of your dog, there remain certain truisms.
The Too-Easily Frustrated
No activity apart from human childrearing requires as much patience as developing cooperative behavior in a dog. And most individuals don't spontaneously possess that much. So, along with training the dog, self-training is usually necessary.
Be prepared to invest the time daily, at least half an hour but preferably an hour, to developing the desired behavior in your companion. And when you feel you're at your limit of patience, whether at 10 minutes or an hour, end the session.
Strive to lengthen that 'time to boiling point' a little each day. Remind yourself you are dealing with a dog. Even the most easily trained breeds or individual dogs understand at roughly the level of an average two-year old human. Of course, there are those rare exceptions.
The Too-Ready To Surrender
Dogs by nature are pack animals that develop in a hierarchical social structure. There are alphas (leaders) and omegas (passive, sometimes fearful) and those in the middle. For any training program to succeed it's essential that the human (male or female) be the alpha male of the pack. You are training the dog, not the reverse. Though it can understandably feel like the latter, sometimes!
Be firm, but not harsh. Have the patience not only to avoid the anger prompted by frustration at failure to obey, but to persist. Don't surrender your authority. Training a dog to obey isn't for the purpose of ego-gratification or feeling superior. The benefits are increased safety for your dog, your children and neighbors, and a well-adjusted companion.
This won't always be easy - some dogs are natural alphas. But even in purely wild packs that role can and does change among individuals, when the more assertive individual insists on taking it. Be consistent, don't give up, and your dog will follow your instructions.
The Unreasonable
Even the best-trained dogs will not always do what you want when you want. Expecting a dog to too-quickly understand a new command or to unfailingly remember a previously learned one is a recipe for frustration. Dogs' memories work very differently from humans, even two-year-old humans. Take the time to learn your individual dog's capacity and limitations.
Some breeds are inherently more easily trained, and individuals vary. Some are more naturally energetic (terriers, retrievers, dalmatians) and some more low-key (basset hounds, collies). Age obviously makes a difference. Ten-week old puppies will invariably display less attention than a three-year old dog.
Work with your dog's nature, not against it. Harsh tones at the least provocation, strong physical punishment for less-than-instant obedience, and other tactics are self-defeating. The goal is to build trust so the alpha (you) will be obeyed by preference, not fear.
In Part II, we discuss some of the more productive styles.
The Too-Easily Frustrated
No activity apart from human childrearing requires as much patience as developing cooperative behavior in a dog. And most individuals don't spontaneously possess that much. So, along with training the dog, self-training is usually necessary.
Be prepared to invest the time daily, at least half an hour but preferably an hour, to developing the desired behavior in your companion. And when you feel you're at your limit of patience, whether at 10 minutes or an hour, end the session.
Strive to lengthen that 'time to boiling point' a little each day. Remind yourself you are dealing with a dog. Even the most easily trained breeds or individual dogs understand at roughly the level of an average two-year old human. Of course, there are those rare exceptions.
The Too-Ready To Surrender
Dogs by nature are pack animals that develop in a hierarchical social structure. There are alphas (leaders) and omegas (passive, sometimes fearful) and those in the middle. For any training program to succeed it's essential that the human (male or female) be the alpha male of the pack. You are training the dog, not the reverse. Though it can understandably feel like the latter, sometimes!
Be firm, but not harsh. Have the patience not only to avoid the anger prompted by frustration at failure to obey, but to persist. Don't surrender your authority. Training a dog to obey isn't for the purpose of ego-gratification or feeling superior. The benefits are increased safety for your dog, your children and neighbors, and a well-adjusted companion.
This won't always be easy - some dogs are natural alphas. But even in purely wild packs that role can and does change among individuals, when the more assertive individual insists on taking it. Be consistent, don't give up, and your dog will follow your instructions.
The Unreasonable
Even the best-trained dogs will not always do what you want when you want. Expecting a dog to too-quickly understand a new command or to unfailingly remember a previously learned one is a recipe for frustration. Dogs' memories work very differently from humans, even two-year-old humans. Take the time to learn your individual dog's capacity and limitations.
Some breeds are inherently more easily trained, and individuals vary. Some are more naturally energetic (terriers, retrievers, dalmatians) and some more low-key (basset hounds, collies). Age obviously makes a difference. Ten-week old puppies will invariably display less attention than a three-year old dog.
Work with your dog's nature, not against it. Harsh tones at the least provocation, strong physical punishment for less-than-instant obedience, and other tactics are self-defeating. The goal is to build trust so the alpha (you) will be obeyed by preference, not fear.
In Part II, we discuss some of the more productive styles.
6.16.2010
Why Training Is Vital
The word 'vital' has its roots in the Latin word for life. That gives us a clue to why dog training is so important, both for owner and dog - it enhances the quality of life for each.
Though dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years, they still have much of the wild in their natures. They adapt well to home life, but they are still dogs, not furry small children. Training helps maximize peace and security for both the dog and the family.
Dogs are by nature hunters and therefore are inclined to chase things. Young dogs especially are prone to take off after another animal, a car or a child. Any of these scenarios can result in harm to your companion, a person or property. Training a dog early on to listen to voice commands from everyone in the family lessens the odds of bad consequences.
Teach your dog to obey 'halt' or 'stop', then 'come' and you'll be much less likely to have accidents as the dog responds to his sudden surge of emotion. At first, it might be necessary to use a leash so that you can physically jerk the dog sideways at the same time you issue the command. Try to avoid jerking backward against the dog's throat. Then, as they associate the command with the physical action, they will come to obey by voice alone.
Techniques like that help ensure the security of other animals and people, but also that of your own dog as well. Many dogs will race after another who, in fact, can do them great harm. Their emotions take control - as when the other dog has entered his 'territory' - and they don't judge, as we might, whether they have any chance of chasing the animal away. They simply react.
But the importance of training your dog goes well beyond the very basic level of safety and security, or the avoidance of physical harm and property damage. Dogs are by nature pack animals. They recognize a social hierarchy that is established very early in life. You must be at the top of that hierarchy, for the sake of your own sanity and that of your dog.
Some dogs will naturally try to take the so-called alpha role. That has evolutionary advantages when they live in the wild. But in a domesticated situation you have the greater ability to forecast consequences. You and your dog will be better adjusted if you never let even the most assertive dog be your master.
Peace of mind comes from teaching your dog that, no matter how treasured they are, you are at the top of the heap. That means they must come when you say so, stay when you command and do as you wish. Among adult humans, that sort of behavior is very dictatorial and many are reluctant to assert themselves that way. When dealing with your dog, it's essential.
Being the leader of the pack gives the dog a sense of its place in the group. It can follow your lead, secure in the knowledge that you will keep it safe from harm and well-fed. You're acting like the alpha dog would. Training is the only way to bring that about.
Though dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years, they still have much of the wild in their natures. They adapt well to home life, but they are still dogs, not furry small children. Training helps maximize peace and security for both the dog and the family.
Dogs are by nature hunters and therefore are inclined to chase things. Young dogs especially are prone to take off after another animal, a car or a child. Any of these scenarios can result in harm to your companion, a person or property. Training a dog early on to listen to voice commands from everyone in the family lessens the odds of bad consequences.
Teach your dog to obey 'halt' or 'stop', then 'come' and you'll be much less likely to have accidents as the dog responds to his sudden surge of emotion. At first, it might be necessary to use a leash so that you can physically jerk the dog sideways at the same time you issue the command. Try to avoid jerking backward against the dog's throat. Then, as they associate the command with the physical action, they will come to obey by voice alone.
Techniques like that help ensure the security of other animals and people, but also that of your own dog as well. Many dogs will race after another who, in fact, can do them great harm. Their emotions take control - as when the other dog has entered his 'territory' - and they don't judge, as we might, whether they have any chance of chasing the animal away. They simply react.
But the importance of training your dog goes well beyond the very basic level of safety and security, or the avoidance of physical harm and property damage. Dogs are by nature pack animals. They recognize a social hierarchy that is established very early in life. You must be at the top of that hierarchy, for the sake of your own sanity and that of your dog.
Some dogs will naturally try to take the so-called alpha role. That has evolutionary advantages when they live in the wild. But in a domesticated situation you have the greater ability to forecast consequences. You and your dog will be better adjusted if you never let even the most assertive dog be your master.
Peace of mind comes from teaching your dog that, no matter how treasured they are, you are at the top of the heap. That means they must come when you say so, stay when you command and do as you wish. Among adult humans, that sort of behavior is very dictatorial and many are reluctant to assert themselves that way. When dealing with your dog, it's essential.
Being the leader of the pack gives the dog a sense of its place in the group. It can follow your lead, secure in the knowledge that you will keep it safe from harm and well-fed. You're acting like the alpha dog would. Training is the only way to bring that about.
Training Older Dogs
Of course, 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks' is a myth. Like humans, or many other species, dogs learn new things every day throughout life. My ten-year old Golden is still mentally alert and eager to 'play' in new ways.
But, also like humans, learning new behavior is often as much a matter of unlearning old ways. Dogs do have a strong tendency toward habits, and modifying or extending those habits after years of repetition takes extra patience and focused guidance.
Physical limitations should always be taken into account. The three-year-old dog has a huge capacity for running, jumping, retrieval, obstacle course maneuvers and so forth. The older dog may still want to do all those things, even learning new configurations, but tires more easily and loses interest more rapidly.
Take training sessions in shorter time chunks and expect to carry out many more repetitions. Make obstacles lower and runs shorter. Throw the ball two or three times, rather than twenty. Hearing loss occurs in dogs, too. Don't assume they're ignoring you when far away and facing away.
Allow for longer recovery periods between sessions. An active game of fetch is still a possible source of enjoyment, but keep in mind the dog will often want to go longer than is safe or healthy. Ligaments get stretched more readily and injuries more likely if you over do it.
Restrain food rewards for older dogs. The desire to reward an older dog for a new behavior is even more pronounced than for younger dogs, of whom we expect more. But older dogs can also more easily be 'over treated'. They gain weight more readily and shed pounds slower.
As with younger dogs, consistency is still essential. Specific play periods that begin and end around the same time of day help cue the dog. Similar areas for specific activities help provide a sense of familiarity as background for new lessons.
When working with my Goldens the backyard is for tennis ball fetch, the forest never. But that fetch behavior in the yard can be extended to the forest to retrieve fallen deer antlers.
Conversely, digging - a natural behavior in many breeds, almost impossible to eradicate entirely - can be channeled into harmless areas even in older dogs.
For those not lucky enough to have a forest in the backyard, a ten-by-twelve foot area of the pen or yard where the dog is allowed to indulge can help release the urge. The boundary can be marked by variation in scent or ground composition. Even older dogs can learn what is theirs to play with and what isn't and their sense of smell remains keen.
Focus more on building on the dog's existing strengths, since older dogs are less malleable. One individual will be excellent at fetch and release, the other more inclined to hang onto the ball. One does well with a Frisbee, the other never gets the hang of it. Rather than force desired behavior, work with each one's unique nature.
The dog more inclined to hang onto a ball is a good candidate for learning to pull a wagon by a rope. The better 'fetch and release' dog can more easily be taught to get a plastic food container. Handy things, since trainers get older too.
But, also like humans, learning new behavior is often as much a matter of unlearning old ways. Dogs do have a strong tendency toward habits, and modifying or extending those habits after years of repetition takes extra patience and focused guidance.
Physical limitations should always be taken into account. The three-year-old dog has a huge capacity for running, jumping, retrieval, obstacle course maneuvers and so forth. The older dog may still want to do all those things, even learning new configurations, but tires more easily and loses interest more rapidly.
Take training sessions in shorter time chunks and expect to carry out many more repetitions. Make obstacles lower and runs shorter. Throw the ball two or three times, rather than twenty. Hearing loss occurs in dogs, too. Don't assume they're ignoring you when far away and facing away.
Allow for longer recovery periods between sessions. An active game of fetch is still a possible source of enjoyment, but keep in mind the dog will often want to go longer than is safe or healthy. Ligaments get stretched more readily and injuries more likely if you over do it.
Restrain food rewards for older dogs. The desire to reward an older dog for a new behavior is even more pronounced than for younger dogs, of whom we expect more. But older dogs can also more easily be 'over treated'. They gain weight more readily and shed pounds slower.
As with younger dogs, consistency is still essential. Specific play periods that begin and end around the same time of day help cue the dog. Similar areas for specific activities help provide a sense of familiarity as background for new lessons.
When working with my Goldens the backyard is for tennis ball fetch, the forest never. But that fetch behavior in the yard can be extended to the forest to retrieve fallen deer antlers.
Conversely, digging - a natural behavior in many breeds, almost impossible to eradicate entirely - can be channeled into harmless areas even in older dogs.
For those not lucky enough to have a forest in the backyard, a ten-by-twelve foot area of the pen or yard where the dog is allowed to indulge can help release the urge. The boundary can be marked by variation in scent or ground composition. Even older dogs can learn what is theirs to play with and what isn't and their sense of smell remains keen.
Focus more on building on the dog's existing strengths, since older dogs are less malleable. One individual will be excellent at fetch and release, the other more inclined to hang onto the ball. One does well with a Frisbee, the other never gets the hang of it. Rather than force desired behavior, work with each one's unique nature.
The dog more inclined to hang onto a ball is a good candidate for learning to pull a wagon by a rope. The better 'fetch and release' dog can more easily be taught to get a plastic food container. Handy things, since trainers get older too.
The Best Training Diet
Nothing is more essential to good training than good health. And the foundation of good health is a good diet.
Depending on your budget you may or may not be able to feed your dog a larger proportion of fresh meat, but at least be prepared to spend enough for a good dry food. Here are a few things to look for...
All dog foods are labeled with the ingredients in order by proportion. That is, the material that forms the largest percentage is listed first, followed by the second and then others.
One of the attributes that makes cheap dog food less preferable is the high percentage of 'waste' animal parts. When you see 'by products' on the label, it's better to avoid these brands. If it does appear on higher quality dog food, which is rare, it will be listed near the bottom indicating a small proportion.
Those 'by products' consist of parts that were not considered usable for human consumption. That fact doesn't by itself make the product dangerous, but the lower quality will have a long term effect on coats, muscles and bones, and overall health.
Just as one indicator, dogs with healthy coats (particularly, long-haired breeds) will look shinier and shed less. Assuming proper bathing and brushing habits, of course.
Some experts put the proper ratio of meat, vegetables and starch at about roughly 40%, 30%, 30% respectively.
Common meats used are chicken, lamb and beef. These provide readily digestible sources of protein - essential to healthy coats, muscles, etc.
Vegetables provide minerals and vitamins that help produce proper hormone and enzyme types and amounts, as well as compounds for good bone health and other functions. Carrots and squash, for example are both excellent for almost all dogs.
The starch content is often provided by brown or white rice. Either is an excellent source of carbohydrates. These compounds are broken down in the body to form the basis for energy and cell repair.
As with any food substance, some dogs have special conditions that make special diets necessary. Many Golden Retrievers, for example, are sensitive to wheat products. Corn meal is hard to digest for some dogs.
Look for these on the label and discuss with your vet whether it's necessary to avoid them. Some indicators are soft stools, excessive scratching and frequent gas.
Some dogs will find dry dog food more enjoyable if prepared with a little water and microwaved for about 30 seconds. Feed dry at least occasionally, though, to help scrub teeth and gums.
Needless to say, go easy on the treats. Even quality treats tend to be high in fat content - one of the reasons the dogs enjoy them so much. One or two per day isn't harmful, but go for the quality brands.
The price differential for good food is sometimes considerable - with higher quality dog food often twice the cost. But considering the effects on health you'll likely make up for it in lower vet bills, or at least a healthier dog.
The shine of the coat, the clarity of the eyes and other less obvious indicators will show in the long run. And, in the final analysis, the health of your dog is priceless.
Depending on your budget you may or may not be able to feed your dog a larger proportion of fresh meat, but at least be prepared to spend enough for a good dry food. Here are a few things to look for...
All dog foods are labeled with the ingredients in order by proportion. That is, the material that forms the largest percentage is listed first, followed by the second and then others.
One of the attributes that makes cheap dog food less preferable is the high percentage of 'waste' animal parts. When you see 'by products' on the label, it's better to avoid these brands. If it does appear on higher quality dog food, which is rare, it will be listed near the bottom indicating a small proportion.
Those 'by products' consist of parts that were not considered usable for human consumption. That fact doesn't by itself make the product dangerous, but the lower quality will have a long term effect on coats, muscles and bones, and overall health.
Just as one indicator, dogs with healthy coats (particularly, long-haired breeds) will look shinier and shed less. Assuming proper bathing and brushing habits, of course.
Some experts put the proper ratio of meat, vegetables and starch at about roughly 40%, 30%, 30% respectively.
Common meats used are chicken, lamb and beef. These provide readily digestible sources of protein - essential to healthy coats, muscles, etc.
Vegetables provide minerals and vitamins that help produce proper hormone and enzyme types and amounts, as well as compounds for good bone health and other functions. Carrots and squash, for example are both excellent for almost all dogs.
The starch content is often provided by brown or white rice. Either is an excellent source of carbohydrates. These compounds are broken down in the body to form the basis for energy and cell repair.
As with any food substance, some dogs have special conditions that make special diets necessary. Many Golden Retrievers, for example, are sensitive to wheat products. Corn meal is hard to digest for some dogs.
Look for these on the label and discuss with your vet whether it's necessary to avoid them. Some indicators are soft stools, excessive scratching and frequent gas.
Some dogs will find dry dog food more enjoyable if prepared with a little water and microwaved for about 30 seconds. Feed dry at least occasionally, though, to help scrub teeth and gums.
Needless to say, go easy on the treats. Even quality treats tend to be high in fat content - one of the reasons the dogs enjoy them so much. One or two per day isn't harmful, but go for the quality brands.
The price differential for good food is sometimes considerable - with higher quality dog food often twice the cost. But considering the effects on health you'll likely make up for it in lower vet bills, or at least a healthier dog.
The shine of the coat, the clarity of the eyes and other less obvious indicators will show in the long run. And, in the final analysis, the health of your dog is priceless.
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