Category: Dog Care Tips

Some dogs love to be social while others not so much.  You have to be sure your dog wants a playmate before finding one.  Some older dogs just do not wish to socialize with canines anymore.  They prefer the company of humans.  Also, if you have an older dog that did not socialize much while young, then it may not be a good idea.  The best indicator of what your dog needs can be spotted through your dog’s reaction to others while on walks.  Does your dog get excited when seeing other canines?  Does your dog wish to play with others passing by?  If your dog reacts positively while around other dogs, then it may be time to find your dog a buddy.

Where to Look for a Dog Playmate

The first place to look is at dog training classes and dog parks.  Frequent these locations and see how your dog interacts with others.  Does your dog enjoy being around other canines?  Does your pup sniff and play?  What is your dog’s body language say about the encounter?  Is your dog tense or relaxed?  If your dog is relaxed, running around in a good mood with certain dogs then talk to the owners of these dogs.  You will be able to tell which dogs your pup appeals to the most by the type of interaction occurring.   And pay attention if there are specific dogs your pup stays away from completely.  Do not attempt to put these two as a match.  Your dog is trying to tell you that he/she does not like this particular dog.

Dog playmates encourage socialization, communication, mental and physical growth.  Dogs play games with each other emphasizing the overall development of your dog.  Thus, locating a dog playmate is a good idea if your dog’s personality excels while being around other canines.

If you are having trouble finding a playmate for your dog talk to a Florida dog training professional today.  He/she will be able to guide you on how to manage this process ensuring there are positive outcomes from the experience.

What if you just adopted a new dog and the dog’s name was that of your ex-business partner who swindled you out of thousands of dollars?  You do not want a reminder of the scoundrel every time you call your loving puppy.  Alternatively, what if the dog’s original name was the same as your ex-wife, but the current wife would not find that too amusing.  Thus, change your dog’s name to something more suitable and appealing for the entire family.  Talk to a Florida dog training professional about name training, but in the meantime, here is an outline on how to start implementing the name change through positive reinforcement.

Name Training is Easy

Name training your dog is not that difficult.  All you need are treats, patience, and a positive attitude.  Start by holding out a treat in your hand while stating your dog’s new name.  Once your dog responds by looking at you, hand the dog the treat immediately.  Provide an abundance of praise.  Now, repeat this technique again.   It is essential to the training not to call the dog’s name for anything other than positive praise.

For instance, if your dog is in trouble do not call the dog by name to implement punishment.  It will only confuse your pup later on.  For the dog remembers the name was associated with punishment.  Therefore, the dog will not come when called to.  Hence, keep the name usage to positive moments and commands.

For more information about how to rename a dog in a positive manner, talk to puppy kindergarten instructor today.

Some dog owners like to use voice commands while others may utilize hand signals.  But what exactly are hand signals?  How do hand signals work when training a dog? Here are the basic aspects of training with hand signals providing you with a better idea of how it works.

Hand Signal Training is Effective

Hand signals are a way to communicate with your dog without saying a word.  It provides your pup with a visual that correlates to a specific command.  For instance, if you are training your dog to “stay” then you need to signal this in comprehensive manner.  One way is to place your hand out away from your body with your palm facing the dog motioning stop with an open hand.   After practicing this motion your dog will understand this means “stay.”  Just be careful not to place your hand in a different manner while trying to convey the same command.  Dogs will become confused and not understand that it is supposed to mean the same thing.  Thus, once you choose a specific hand signal for a command, do not change it.

If there are other people in the household, be sure to teach them how to implement this task too.  You want everyone in the house to be consistent.  It helps the dog feel at ease.  It keeps your dog calm and relaxed when everyone is executing the exact method of training.  Furthermore, if you have someone who dog sits for you, teach him/her how to accomplish the command in an identical fashion.

Dogs understand hand signals.  You just need to spend time with your dog ensuring your pup comprehends the training.  If you have any questions talk to a Florida dog training professional or a k9 obedience instructor today.

Any Florida dog training professional will tell you that you have to be creative when training a smart dog.  Smart dogs are able to sense and figure things out at a faster pace.  For instance, if a dog wishes to leave the yard, then your dog will find a way to leave the perimeter regardless of how secure it is.  Here are a few tips on how to train a smart dog.

Add Variety to Dog Training Exercises

When smart dogs are being trained it is essential to find new ways to keep them engaged while training.  Thus, play hide and seek games with dog treats.  Try agility classes to engage the physical aspect and mental capabilities of a dog.  In addition, add different training techniques in one session.  Smart dogs pick up fast on commands.  They are able to comprehend what your voice and emotion emits.  Therefore, once a command is mastered move on to the next training session.  If you stick on one command for too long, a smart dog’s mind wanders.  Keep your dog engaged and you will have effective and successful results.

Stay Light-Hearted

Smart dogs have a tendency to react to your emotions.  As a result, and as stated in prior blogs, remember to stay upbeat when interacting with a smart dog.  Smart dogs are more in-tuned with your emotions and understanding what the final goal is you are trying to achieve at a faster pace than other dogs.  Thus, remain happy when providing training and your dog will react in a positive manner to your commands.

Smart dogs need the same guidelines as other dogs.  The only difference is to provide further assortment of training lessons to a smart dog ensuring your dog stays engaged and happy.  If you have any questions please talk to a k9 obedience training professional 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.

It is essential to remember there are different approaches to training a dog when it comes to various breeds, including size.  Smaller dogs have general traits a dog trainer and yourself must adapt to.  Here are a few tips to remember when training a smaller breed dog.

Provide a Calm Setting

Small dogs tend to exhibit high-strung personality traits.  They are aggressive, wound-up and hyperactive.  Thus, you need to be sure the training lesson facility is in a serene environment.   Be certain the instructor is able to remain calm, yet firm, when need-be.  You do not want your pup to feel overwhelmed and act in a negative manner.  An experienced dog professional will be able to successfully reel in your dog’s attention and generate a loving, bonding practice for the both of you.

Offer Training Breaks

Enroll in a puppy kindergarten class designed for smaller breed dogs.  These classes will provide more breaks ensuring to adapt to a short attention span generally found amongst small dogs.  Furthermore, it adds more value to the actual training time.  For you are able to teach your pup commands during moments when the pup is solely paying attention to you.

Being a dog owner of a small breed is convenient.  They are full of energy, easy to travel with, and do not need large spaces to roam making them perfect for a petite size home or apartment.  Just be sure to find a k9 obedience professional able to address small breed training challenges and share with you his/her knowledge.

Do you love working with dogs?  Do dogs seem at-ease with you in comparison to other people?  Have you ever thought about being a dog trainer?  It is a rewarding career with many occupational paths to follow.  For you may train dogs for law enforcement, rescue missions, eye seeing assistance and/or just creating a well-rounded relationship between the pup and the new owner.  But what does it truly take to be a great dog trainer?  Here are some tips to help you decide if this job is right for you.

Exhibiting Patience is the Key to Success

Patience is essential to being a successful dog trainer for you are working with a pup and the owner.   You need to remember that not everyone has the skills to facilitate lessons with their own dogs as you do.  It does not come natural for others.  Thus, you need compassion when teaching an owner how to train his/her dog.  If patience is one of your strong points then dog training may be the perfect fit for you.

Gaining Experience Equals Knowledge

The more experience gained from working with different dogs in various environments the better you shall be at your job.  Work with diverse temperaments, breeds, and commands.  In addition, perform with different dog ages too.  It helps to provide knowledge in regards to what dogs respond well to which technique ensuring you are able to line-up the right method of teaching with specific type of dogs.

Providing a High Level of Comfort Elevates Your Skills

You need to be comfortable during high emotional moments.  For instance, if you are working with an aggressive dog that bites, then you need to be able to remain calm through such interactions.  You need to be a person who is relaxed when working with animals and their owners.

Being a dog trainer is a wonderful occupation fulfilled with gratifying results.  You are able to see and experience your efforts pay-off right before your eyes.  To find out more talk to a Florida dog training professional or a k9 obedience trainer today.

When you add a dog to your home, you have to become a role model for your pup not just a companion.  You need to learn certain attributes on how to be an effective, successful and positive leader providing a beneficial home and bond for you and your pup.  Here are two main tips to help you attain this goal successfully.

Maintain Consistency

Dogs need consistency in the home or else the dog becomes puzzled and annoyed.  A good dog owner provides this for the pup.  One way is to be sure if you walk your dog at a certain time on specific days, then continue to do so even if you are having a bad day.  Just being outside in the fresh air exercising with your pup will lift your spirits and ensure your dog that you are a reliable and positive influence in your pup’s life.

Keep Your Dog On-Time

Along with relying on consistency, you need to be sure your dog’s day is filled with activities at appropriate times.  For instance, if your dog has been lying around the house all day long, then how in the world will your dog be ready to relax when it is time to go to bed?  Thus, engage in a certain amount of physical exercise for a set duration.  Moreover, in-between these moments, be sure to provide your dog with time to rest, eat, drink and refuel.  A dog should have a schedule just as you.  Stay on top of it ensuring your dog is able to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

These are great tips on how to be a positive, loving dog owner, but this is just the tip of the iceberg.  To find out what else you can do, talk to a Florida dog obedience professional today.  Ask a k9 obedience trainer what other elements you should be adding to you and your pup’s daily lives.

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.

When adding a puppy to your home there are a few things you need to keep in mind.  Here is a basic outline of essential tasks needed to provide your dog with a vigorous, happy life.

Implement Training and Socializing Skills

There is nothing more wonderful than bringing home a new puppy.  The puppy is excited and ready to love on every member of the household.  But with a new environment comes fresh ground rules for the pup.  For instance, you do not want your pup to think it is acceptable to chew on anything lying around the house.  Train your pup to use chew toys only.  In addition, if there are other animals in the house, it is wise to introduce the dog through socialization and training skills.

Also, if you are adding an adult dog to the home, then find a dog training class that teaches how to introduce your dog into a his/her new settings with positive reinforcement.  You want the transition to be enjoyable for all parties involved and socialization and training is the way to go.

Choose Nutritious Dog Food

Most dog professionals agree the first five ingredients in dog food are telling regarding the nutritional factor.  Within the first five ingredients, be sure two of them are high quality protein resources.   It will aid your dog into receiving a well-balanced diet.

Exercise Your Dog

Besides eating right, your dog needs to engage in exercise.  Provide your dog with ample playtime and physical activity.  Dogs are susceptible to many health issues caused by obesity.  Keep your dog active.  It is part of supplying your pup with a fit, stable, caring home.

Dogs need food, shelter and appropriate positive training.  These are the main factors to building a constructive, loving home for your pup.  If you are unsure on where or how to start, talk to a Florida dog obedience training professional or a k9 obedience instructor today.