5 Critical Mistakes to Avoid When Training Your Dog
Training your dog ensures the right behavior in everyday situations, allowing you to enjoy the most of your pet friend. During the training period, you will have to follow a precise schedule and offer plenty of exercising opportunities for your dog to learn various tasks. It is also true that certain training mistakes might have a negative impact on your dog’s overall progress. Even though these can seem insignificant at the moment, you might be surprised to see how big of a role they actually played. Here are five critical mistakes to avoid when training your dog. #1 Delaying the start of the training You should begin the training as soon as you take your puppy home. The older your pet friend gets, the harder it will be to achieve obedience. Moreover, your dog will develop negative habits and these can be quite difficult to break. You should never delay the start of the training, especially if you want to achieve great results. Even though a young puppy might not be patient enough for complex commands, you can start slow and with easy requests. Take your time to accomplish the necessary house training and proceed with basic commands. Even when you go on a trip, you can continue the training with collapsible dog bowls for travel for more facile eating, as these can be taken anywhere and they are highly resistant to damage. #2 Repeating the command too many times This is known as command nagging and it can actually prevent your dog from responding at the right moment. Imagine you are asking your dog to sit, repeating the command several times. Upon noticing that your dog does not obey, you will keep on repeating it. The dog will take this as a cue that he does not necessarily have to respond to your command immediately. Repeat the command just once, making sure that the dog is attentive. #3 Training does not occur regularly In order for a dog to learn certain tasks, commands or behaviors, you have to engage him in regular training. When you train frequently, your dog’s responsiveness improves and certain behaviors become automatic. Additionally, you should strive to teach him a new command regularly, so as to ensure variety. The more diverse his commands are, the better your dog’s behavior will be. Repeat the desired commands several times per day and in different environments. #4 Not correcting a fearful behavior Dogs can exhibit a
5 Tips For Training Your Dog to Military Standards
Deciding to train your dog to military standards can ensure a correct behavior for standard situations, as well as for unforeseen ones. The first thing to remember is that the training should begin as you have met your dog, so that you can build a relationship based on trust and achieve the desired results. Keep on reading and discover several tips on effective dog training. #1 Use obedience as foundation When it comes to such form of training, obedience is the foundation. If your dog doesn’t obey basic commands, you cannot expect them to follow more complex orders. You should never think of your dog as an equal; during the training period and for the rest of your relationship, you are his superior. An obedient dog will respond to your requests, looking for you to guide him. #2 Acknowledge a correct behavior Dogs need to be rewarded and praised for their good behavior. They learn how to respond in accordance to how they are treated. Whenever you are looking to teach a new trick, you can rely on a clicker tool and mark the correct response, providing your dog with an adequate trick. In time, this will lead to an automatic response and it will help you to correct bad habits as well. #3 Training should be a fun experience Just because you are interested in training your dog to military standards, this does not mean the whole experience has to be anything but fun. Use the best indestructible dog toys for different teaching moments and organize your training sessions, so that your dog really enjoys them. The solution is to obtain the desired behavior, rather than forcing your dog into behaving a certain way. Entertaining experiences can help your dog accumulate new information, as opposed to compulsion and punishment. #4 Master non-verbal communication You should never assume that your dog understands your commands just because you repeat them. Dogs are not children and they should not be treated as such. Instead, if you want to successfully train your dog, you must rely more on non-verbal communication. Through your body posture and subsequent movements, you can guide your dog accordingly and show him that you are in command. What matters is that you position yourself as the alpha leader, allowing your dog to pick up on these cues and act accordingly. #5 Consistency ensures effective learning In order to achieve the desired behavior in your dog, you
When Should a Service Dog be Spayed or Neutered?
Every reputable Service Dog organization and program worldwide recommends or requires alteration of working Service Dogs and Service Dogs in Training. With all the conflicting reports, myths, and misconceptions surrounding spaying and neutering, though, many find it difficult to know when the ideal time is to spay or neuter a growing dog. Read on for a scientific overview! Veterinarians across the world perform thousands of routine alteration surgeries a day. In the United States, spaying and neutering has become commonplace. Spaying or neutering a dog is supposed to provide behavior and health benefits, while also preventing contributing to the overpopulation of shelters and rescues. However, this routine surgery has come under intense scrutiny, especially when performed on very young dogs. Working Service Dogs are typically altered to provide easier care for the handler. Neutered male dogs often showcase fewer temperament issues. Spayed female dogs don't require intense supervision twice a year and special hygiene practices. Additionally, working Service Dogs shouldn't be benched to have puppies, as their handlers need them. Male Service Dogs shouldn't have to face the distraction of females in heat or the urge to breed. Assistance Dog programs utilizing in-house breeding programs usually have breeding stock with the proper aptitude and temperament for producing excellent Service Dog candidates. However, these dogs very, very, very rarely work as Service Dogs. Instead, they usually live on site at the program facility or in off-site guardian homes. Occasionally, a program or breeder may take a semen collection from an exceptional male prior to neutering him. Benefits of Spaying and Neutering Spaying and neutering provide multiple health and behavior benefits. Most notably, surgical alteration reduces the chances of various types of cancers found only in intact dogs and bitches. Alteration also helps prevent reproduction-related behaviors many people find offensive, like marking, humping, or flagging. Many veterinarians believe spaying or neutering at the right time plays a part in reducing aggression or territorial behavior. Finally, multiple studies demonstrate that spaying and neutering often prolong lifespan. In females, spaying before the first heat cycle results in drastically reduced chances of breast cancer. Breast cancer occurs frequently in intact bitches, with over 50% of cases malignant. Altering a female during adolescence reduces the chances of mammory tumors to .5%, whereas spaying after the first or second heat cycle results in an 8% and 26% chance. For males, neutering eliminates testicular cancers and age-related prostate problems. By 6 years of age, 70 to 80% of