Training your dog can take its toll on both you and the pup.  But you have to remember why you are partaking in dog training, which is to bond with your dog and have fun.  If you keep this in mind when going into training sessions, it will keep the experience enjoyable for all parties involved.  Here are some dog training tips to remember during your Florida dog training lessons.

Provide Positive Reinforcement

If I have said one thing throughout this entire dog training blog, it is to implement training with positive reinforcement.  Dogs react well to positive rewards.  They think, “Wow.  If I roll over, I get a tasty treat.”  Thus, the dog will keep rolling over on command.   It is affirmation that the dog’s behavior is desired.  It is what works with canines.

Make it Fun

When you are training with your dog, make it a fun experience for the two of you.  Engage in lots of praise and playtime in-between training techniques.  If you do then it causes your dog to reflect on the situation by thinking if I endure these lessons, I get playtime.  Therefore, your dog will not be resistant to training, but rather looking forward to it for there is playtime when the training is completed.

These Florida dog training tips are the basics of how to engage in effective and successful dog training lessons.  To find out more about how to manage your puppy’s training sessions, enroll in a puppy kindergarten class today.

Some new dog owners tend to forget training a pup takes lots of patience.  Your dog is not a robot.  You cannot control a dog with a remote control.  You need to provide patience, love, understanding and consistency when implementing training techniques.  Here are a few standard rules that apply when teaching your dog new commands.

Be Gentle with New Puppies

A new puppy has not had any training except what was learned from the litter.  Therefore, remind yourself of this fact and be gentle when executing commands.  You don’t want the puppy to react in a negative manner.  Thus, keep the frustration level to zero.  Use treats along the way.  It helps your pup understand what is considered acceptable behavior.  Positive reinforcement is a great way to achieve the results you want in a light atmosphere.

Not All Dogs Get Along

If there are other dogs in the home, introduce them to each other slowly.  Do not be taken aback if the older dogs are not accepting of the new pup in the beginning.  New puppies have more energy and wish to play; whereas, an older dog may be set in his/her ways.  Do not force the two to interact.  The bonding will improve overtime at their leisure.  Try to encourage positive interaction but talk to a Florida dog training professional for tips on how to ensure this occurs correctly.

There are many concepts to keep in mind when training a new dog to your home.  If you are unsure about a certain technique then enroll in a puppy kindergarten class today.

Dogs can be expensive.  There are food, health, grooming and k9 obedience training costs.  But the rewards of owning a dog outweighs any monetary expense accumulated.  If you are debating on whether getting a dog is the right choice for you, check out our list of the top two widespread reasons dog owners cannot imagine life without their dogs.

Dogs Provide Companionship

If you survey dog owners across the board, companionship will be the number one universal reason why people love their dogs.  Depending on the breed, a dog could be your running, walking or hiking partner.  Your dog is present when you come home from work every day providing you with lots of excitement and joy.  You have playtime set aside dedicated to your dog.  Your dog is always there to provide unconditional love without having to say a word.  It is companionship at its best.  It is the reason why a dog is a man’s best friend.

Dogs Elevate Moods

When you are in a funk, it is difficult to snap out of it.  However, a dog’s presence automatically helps ease you out of the tough times.  For instance, my friend has a dog, and when my friend is in a sad state, the dog is able to sense it.  The dog will tug at the covers in the morning ensuring she gets up out of bed and starts her day off the right foot.  And it works!  It does not matter if my friend swore the night before that she is never leaving her bedroom for the next eight days.  Her dog knows when she is in the dumps, and pulls her out of it.

A dog brings joy to our lives.  A dog is able to lift our spirits and provide an abundance of positive emotions our way.  To find out more about how to sustain your dog’s health, grooming and training talk to a Florida dog obedience training professional today.

Ask any Florida dog obedience training professional, and he/she will state that dogs need to be active.  It is part of their natural make-up.  But what if you already present plenty of play and your dog still has difficulty calming down?  Here are a few techniques to implement teaching your dog to relax.

Ignore Unwanted Behavior

If you wish to relax, and have your dog remain calm during specific moments, then do not acknowledge your pup jumping on you or others in the room at the time.  Ignore it.  If you respond, your dog may interpret that as play interaction.  On the other hand, if your dog is laying down or sitting still, then reach down and pet your pup.  Pay attention.  If your pup starts to get rambunctious from you petting, then stop.  Repeat this until your pup learns to remain tranquil.  Eventually, the repetition of acknowledging the wanted behavior computes with your dog.  Your pup will make the correlation and learn if he remains calm, then attention is given.

Engage in Repetition

Once your dog understands the behavior you crave, provide your dog with treats during relaxation.  Some k9 obedience dog training professionals suggest offering a piece of cheese, chicken or doggie treats every 10 seconds, as long as your pup is laying down calmly.  Once your pup gets into the habit, widen the gap of time in-between treats.  After a while of applying this technique, your dog shall initiate the calming state without any prompting from you.

Dogs are able to learn calming behaviors.  Thus, do not underestimate the possibilities.  Talk to a Florida dog training center and find out the different tools available allowing you to bond with your pup in a positive, loving, healthy manner.

Misconceptions about Pit Bulls

Pit bulls are stereotyped as aggressive, mean, and impossible to train dogs.  However, these statements are not true.  Pit bulls are intelligent, loyal, and kind dogs…if correct training is implemented from the beginning.  Here are some tips on how to handle various scenarios with your pit bull puppy.

Socialization Starts Young

Pit bull puppies should interact and socialize with other breed dogs at a young age. For pit bulls are strong, and when pit bull puppies play together, they tend to be rough with one another.  It does not allow the pit bull puppy to gauge when the proper time to back down during play is.   On the other hand, if a pit bull puppy plays with other breeds from a very young age, then the pit bull puppy learns.

For one example of normal play behavior in puppies is when the play is too intense, a puppy stops play immediately.  The puppy takes a break then returns to play.  It is a great lesson to teach a pit bull puppy.  This allows the pit bull puppy to discover when his/her strength is too powerful for other dogs.  It helps the puppy to socialize with other puppies preventing accidental fighting behavior to be the norm when the dog grows up.

For more information on pit bulls and how to handle different breed characteristics, talk to a Florida dog training professional or k9 obedience instructor today.

Are you getting ready to visit friends and family during summer holiday?  Is your budget low so the car is the best way to go?  What are you going to do about your dog on the trip?  You do not wish to leave your dog behind so why not bring your pup along.  It does not take much to make your dog comfortable on a road trip.  It solely takes a little preparation and viola!  Your puppy may ride with you.

Practice Makes Perfect

You need to prepare your dog by taking your dog on short trips.  Take your pup around town or to the gas station with you.  Let your dog feel okay sitting in a crate, while it being in the car.  Secure a crate in the car and have your dog ride in it.  Be certain the crate does not slide around.  You need it to remain in place in case of unwanted car movements.  This way your dog stays safe in the crate no matter if something suddenly happens and your car veers out of control.

Backseat Rider

When your dog rides along, keep your dog in the backseat of the car.  If possible, attach a harness or click a seat buckle around your dog.  And, forget about allowing your dog to stick his/hers head outside the window.  I know, I know, there is not a day that passes by where you do not see a vehicle on the roads permitting their dog to partake in this action. Nevertheless, it is not healthy.  Your dog will be at risk for inner ear damage.  Alternatively, if something was flying down the road, it may hit your dog causing life-threatening damage.  Avoid these scenarios completely.  The damage, which may ensue, is not worth it.

Do not be scared to travel with your dog on road trips.   You love to be with your dog so why not bring your pup along.  Just be cautious and smart about how to proceed ensuring the safety, health and happiness of you and your dog.  Talk to a Florida dog training professional today.  He/she will be able to provide you with more experienced advice on how to travel with your dog by car.

Adopting a Dog is Affordable

When adopting a dog, do not fret.  The cost is considerably reasonable in comparison to purchasing a dog from a breeder.  It is more cost-effective and you are saving a dog from a rescue or shelter association.  It is multi-beneficial to adopt for you, and your new dog.  For the majority of adoptions, you receive a pup with some training taught while in the shelter and socialization skills have begun.  But what do the adoption fees include?  What are you paying for when you adopt a dog?  Why do the prices vary?  Here is a brief breakdown of what adoption costs envelop.

Medical Treatments Applied are Included

Adoption fees cover various costs the shelter and/or rescue organization accrued for treatments implemented upon your new pup prior to adoption.  For example, if your dog has been spayed or neutered, the fee is covered in the adoption fees.  If a flea or tick treatment has been applied, it is naturally calculated into the adoption expenses.  Vaccinations, testing for heart-worms, microchip insertion, and basic veterinary care are comprised in adoption charges.  There is an automatic sense of reassurance created knowing medical essentials have been taken care of ensuring your pup starts his/her new life on the right foot paw.

In addition, adoption fees may include a leash, collar, dog food, crate and dental care.  There is also a portion of costs covering building utilities and staff.

Just be sure to provide your dog with proper, positive, healthy communication and training skills enhancing the bond experience between the two of you.  Check out a Florida dog training or a Florida puppy training class today.

Air Travel with Your Dog Made Easy

Some dog owners become anxious with the idea of traveling with a pup.  It is natural to feel a bit nervous.  But if you take the proper steps to ensure your dog is safe and comfortable during travel, then there is no reason to fret.

Freeze the Water

One trick to successful air dog travel is the evening prior to departure, freeze a tray of water for your dog.  The frozen water translates to no spilling during loading.  As a result, by the time your dog has settled down, the water will melt away becoming available to quench your dog’s thirst when needed.

Compare Shipping Crates

Not all shipping crates are created equal.  You need to find a USDA-approved shipping crate before taking your pup on a flight.  Look for a crate that has plenty of room for your dog to sit, stand, and turn around comfortably.  Line the crate with towels to absorb any accidents that may occur.  Dogs do not discard of waste where they sleep, but you need to take precautionary measures for possible mishaps during long flights and delays.

Make Credentials Visible

Securely attach identification tags to your dog’s collar.  Place a photograph of your dog on top of the crate ensuring recognition is straightforward.  Also, alert all traveling personnel that your dog is in cargo.  Therefore, if a delay occurs, an airline representative will remember to check up on your dog instead of leaving your dog alone.

For more tips on air travel with your dog check out Florida dog training today.