Phil's Dog Training Tips

A collage of my dog family

2012-01-15T04:49:00.000-08:00

How to train a Dog Not To Jump?

2010-09-29T18:01:00.000-07:00

How can I train my dog not to jump? This is a question that most dog owners ask. We may not mind the dog jumping on us, and in fact many people like it if their dog makes a big fuss of them when they come home from work. But we probably do not want him jumping on certain pieces of furniture or on strangers or visitors to the house, especially kids.
Dogs jump on people for two reasons. The first is a greeting. This is the behavior that you enjoy in your dog, but if you want to stop him jumping at everyone, it’s good to encourage him to greet you in a different way.
You could move down to his level and let him come lick your face. That will stop him needing to jump on you.
The other reason that dogs jump on people is to assert themselves and make the person submit. This is the behavior that most people want to stop when we are asking how to train my dog not to jump.
You will first need to teach the dog a command, either Off or Down. Say this firmly and be careful not to reward the dog with playful attention or laughter.
Another possibility is to give the dog the opposite response to the positive love and affection that he is expecting. You could catch his legs and put him back down on the floor while firmly saying the Down or Off command. You can do the same when he jumps on furniture. Other family members will also need to start doing this so the the dog receives a consistent message.
Alternatively, when he jumps on you, do not touch him but show your teeth in a snarl. This can be very effective with a puppy because it is what his mother would do. It is not scary for the puppy as long as you do it silently, but it shows him who is the boss.
The hardest thing I found when I would train my dog not to jump was that most people like it when a dog jumps on them in a friendly way. This is especially true with a puppy or a small dog. Most adults welcome it and will either play with the dog or laugh or speak to him in a friendly way. They don’t like to say ‘Down!’ because they don’t want people thinking they are scared of the dog!
For this reason you may want to explain to friends and frequent visitors what you are doing. Remind them that although it’s fine right now, if your dog is going to grow into a large dog it could cause problems later. Even a small dog could frighten children, or if the dog is muddy it could be annoying for anybody. So this really is something that you need to teach your dog not to do.
When friends understand this, they will usually be willing to help you train the dog. I found this worked well if I explained to my friends that I needed to train my dog not to jump so that he does not frighten strangers and children.

How to Teach Dog's Tricks?

2010-09-29T17:57:00.000-07:00

If you are wondering how to teach dogs tricks, it is really quite simple to do. Of course, some dogs learn tricks more easily than others. It depends on the age, breed and the individual personality of the dog. However, just about any dog can learn if you know how to teach dogs tricks in the best way.
You have probably heard the saying ‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ but this is not necessarily true. There are many stories of dogs ten years old and more who still learn to do something new.

It is not all about intelligence either. A dog who wants to please you is likely to learn whatever you want to teach more easily than a more intelligent but independent minded dog.
Assuming that your dog has already been house trained, you can build on the same training method when you begin to teach her tricks. That is, rewarding the right behavior.
How to teach dogs tricks successfully involves starting with a simple trick. You want her to grasp the idea as fast as possible so that she can start doing it correctly and get the reward. Examples of easy tricks for a dog are shaking hands, or catching a ball.
Do not mix up the tricks that you are teaching. Be sure that she has completely mastered one action before you start teaching something different. This requires patience. Remember that you will get bored a long time before the dog does. You only have to think of how often a dog will fetch a ball to understand that. It’s virtually certain that you will get tired of that game way before the dog does. The same is true of tricks.
Nevertheless it is important to keep the training sessions short in the beginning. Knowing how to teach dogs tricks in a way that gets results means practicing a trick two or three times a day but only for a few minutes each time at first.
Remember that it can be frustrating for the dog because at first she will not understand what you want of her. She will know that you are expecting something and she will probably try other behaviors that have pleased you in the past, such as fetching something, or sitting. But this time, that’s not what you want, and that can be confusing for her.
So when you are beginning a new trick with your dog, be sure to give a small reward such as praise for any behavior that goes in the right direction toward the new trick.
Then when she actually gets the whole thing right and does exactly what you want, you can give a treat or similar large reward. Repeat this until she does the trick perfectly every time. Then you can go back to mixing some rewards with just praise at other times. But never stop praising, even years later. Then you will know how to teach dogs tricks the best way and even become an expert.

House Training My Puppy

2010-09-29T17:54:00.000-07:00

I need help house training my puppy’ is a familiar cry that anybody who trains dogs hears all of the time. In fact, it is probably the most common dog training issue. A dog owner might not care so much about having a dog that comes when it is called, but every new owner wants a puppy that is house trained – and fast!
When I was house training my puppy I realized that there were certain principles that it was important to follow if the puppy was going to be potty trained quickly and easily, with minimum upset to the dog and minimum mess in the house. Here are what I consider to be the 3 golden rules of house training my puppy.

1. Love and patience
Puppies, like babies, need lots of love and patience as they start to learn their way around the world. When a puppy first comes into your home it is likely to be a traumatic time for him, even if you are very affectionate with him.
Remember that he has suddenly been taken away from his mother and siblings into a strange environment with people and maybe other animals that he has never met before. He may have had a long car journey like nothing he has known before. His food may be new and unfamiliar. Your house may be colder, warmer, noisier, quieter or smell different than he is used to.
So when he first arrives he is likely to suffer from a little stress. Dogs, like humans, tend to suffer from digestive disorders when they are stressed. Keep this in mind and be very patient with him through the training.
2. Set a schedule
I found that house training my puppy in the fastest way meant setting a firm schedule. Feeding times need to be consistent from day to day. You will need to feed in the morning and evening at the same times every day and then give the puppy a chance to go potty outside afterward.
This is not always easy if you do not follow a regular schedule yourself – for example, if you are used to getting up a lot later on weekends. But while you are house training a puppy it is vital. Dogs need boundaries and schedules both psychologically and physically. Your puppy will be house trained much faster if his digestive system has a schedule to follow.
3. Do not punish
There is no point in punishing or being angry with a puppy who has a potty accident in the house. A puppy cannot understand that something as natural as going potty could be bad, and they will just get scared if they are punished for it.
Instead, remind him in a loving way that the place for going potty is outside. Don’t take him outside right after the accident because that will reward the unwanted behavior. But take him out after he eats and be real pleased with him when he does his business outside at those times.
Of course, be sure to make going outside a fun and happy time so that he associates going potty outside with happiness. This was the best way for me when I was house training my puppy.

Dog Obedience Tips: Stop Barking

2010-09-29T17:49:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for dog obedience tips that will help you to stop your dog barking so much, you have come to the right place. In this article we will look at how to keep your dog calm and quiet for more of the time.
Of course it is natural for dogs to bark just as it is natural for us to talk and sing and laugh. Therefore you cannot expect to prevent a dog from ever barking. It would be cruel not to allow dogs to express themselves sometimes. But there is a big difference between a dog that occasionally lets out a bark and one that barks loudly and incessantly, annoying you and your neighbors.

If you have an adult dog that has been encouraged to bark in the past, it will be very hard to stop it. For example you might have a rescue dog whose previous owners liked it to bark at visitors or guard the house. That kind of behavior is going to be very hard to change.
On the other hand, it should be possible to teach a young dog not to bark so much. In fact, the method that you can use is just like the method that you have probably seen in other dog obedience tips. Give a command such as ‘Quiet!’ and then reward the dog if it stops barking.
The problem with applying dog obedience tips like this to a problem of barking is that we often forget to reward the dog for good behavior. For example if a dog is quiet for an hour, you probably would not give it a treat just for not barking in that time. Even if you did, the dog would not understand what the reward was for. It is not like a child who can understand an explanation.
So at the same time as following our dog obedience tips by teaching the dog to respond to the command, you will need to think about why he is barking so much and what you can do to prevent this.
Many dogs bark when they are bored or lonely. Dogs like to be around people or other animals. If you are leaving a dog alone in the house or yard for long periods of time, he is likely to bark a lot.
The ideal solution to this would be to stay home with the dog, but of course this is probably not possible. Could you take him to work with you? If not, you might want to get another pet to keep him company. Sometimes, having a cat in the house will work well, but only if they do not chase each other around the house and wreck everything!
Another possibility could have somebody stop by and take the dog out for a while. You can often get a dog walking service to do this. If the dog gets plenty of exercise in the middle of the day while you are at work, he is likely to stay calm the rest of the day and not bark so much.
You can also use anti bark collars to help to teach your dog not to bark. These will give the dog an unwanted stimulus when he barks. In some cases it is a very mild electric shock. In other cases it might spray a scent that the dog does not particularly like, such as citronella.
Bark collars can be very effective because they will work when you are not around. In fact, one of these collars could be the only way that you can keep the neighbors from being annoyed by your dog when you are not home. So you may want to consider buying an anti bark collar to use along with our dog obedience tips.

How to Teach a Dog to Fetch

2010-09-29T17:44:00.000-07:00

How to teach a dog to fetch is one of the first dog training tasks that many people want to find out about. It is so much fun for both dog and owners to play fetch with sticks in the park. Even in the yard, you can encourage the dog to have a lot more exercise by throwing something for her. And if you cannot take much exercise yourself, it is great to be able to remain in one place while your dog does all of the running around.

However, many people make a lot of mistakes because they do not know how to teach a dog to fetch in the best way. It does not have to be difficult – in fact, it should be a lot of fun – but you have to remember that in the beginning, the dog does not know the rules.
Many dogs will run after something that you throw for them, especially if you choose something that they are already familiar with and consider to be their property, like a ball or a toy. What they will not necessarily realize is that the idea is that they bring it back to you and drop it so that you can throw it for them again. Most likely, they will go fetch their toy and then sit around playing with it.
This means that when you are finding out how to teach a dog to fetch it is best to start in a small, enclosed space. You do not want to be in the park where you might have to chase the dog around and around, tiring yourself out before you can get the toy back from them. Even your yard is not the best place. There are too many other interesting things for a dog to do outside.
You want a place where the dog is totally focused on you. In most cases the best place is inside the house, maybe in a hallway. Here there are no distractions and if you close the doors into the rooms, you can set things up so that the dog has nowhere to go except back toward you.
This will make it much more likely that she will do the right thing by accident, and bring the toy back to you. Then you can reward her and she will begin to pick up the idea of the game right from day one.
Want to know another thing that you can do to make it easier on yourself when you are starting out with how to teach a dog to fetch? Instead of just using one toy, bring all of the dog’s toys that you can find. This means you can throw many times before you start having to go collect everything up.
If the dog is distracted, make sure to get her interested in the toy before you throw it. You can do this by waving it around her nose. In the beginning, praise her for just chasing after it.
A dog who has already been trained to come when called can then be called back to you. Often times you will find that at first, she drops the toy before coming. You can praise her for coming back but save the treats for the time when she actually brings the toy back with her too.
It has to be the right toy – the one that you just threw – not a different one that you threw five minutes before. This is because later, when you are playing this game in the park, you do not want to throw a ball for her and then have her bring back something completely different that she finds in the park.
Most dogs learn this game easily but if you are having trouble, you can try borrowing a friend’s dog who loves to fetch. Let your dog watch while you reward the other dog for bringing back the toys and dropping them at your feet. This can make it easier to figure out how to teach a dog to fetch when she does not seem to want to learn.

Teach Dog To Come When Called

2010-09-29T17:39:00.000-07:00

One of the earliest basic dog training skills that most people want to master with their new dog or puppy is how to teach her to come when called. This is a very important command for any dog owner to master.
An obedient dog who comes when called by her owner is much more likely to stay out of all sorts of trouble. You can prevent her from getting into fights with other dogs, frightening children, getting dirty in situation where you do not want that, and you can often keep her off the road and out of danger simply by calling her to you at the right moment.

It seems that this basic dog training skill would be a very simple thing to teach your dog. However, there are many reasons why dogs and puppies do not want to leave whatever interesting thing they were doing and come to you whenever you call. They love to explore and to check out all of the fascinating scents that they come across when they are taking a walk.
This means that in order to teach the dog to come every time, instead of only when she has nothing better to do, you will need to set up some kind of reward. The idea of rewarding dogs for the right behavior is common to all basic dog training techniques.
The main types of reward that you can use with a dog are praise or other forms of positive attention, and treats. When you start out with basic dog training you will want to minimize the distractions so that your puppy understands the connection between coming to you when called and getting a treat.
The fewer distractions you have, the faster she will learn that these two events are not happening together by pure chance. So it is best to start training her in the house in a one-on-one situation when there is nobody else around. You can start out giving her praise and a treat.
When she understands that ‘Come’ or ‘Come here’ means she should come to you, you can move the training to outside. You may find it useful to start by putting her on a long leash. This will stop her going so far away that she cannot hear you clearly.
When she has learned the skill thoroughly, you can stop giving the treats. But never stop giving the praise. Even when she is 20 years old you should still praise her for coming to you when she is called.
Make sure that you only reward her in this special way for coming when you call her, and not for coming to you at other times. You have to be the one who is in charge.
Remember that a dog does not have a long attention span for most things. The lessons need to be short so that the dog does not become bored or frustrated.
Another thing to watch out for is your tone of voice. People have a habit of speaking to dogs in a serious or stern voice when they are trying to train them. This is not great because the dog may think you are angry before you even start. This will make the training stressful for her. So try to use your normal voice most of the time when you are starting with basic dog training.

How to stop puppy training biting?

2010-09-29T17:27:00.000-07:00

When you are puppy training biting is one of the first things that you will want to control. If you do not train a puppy to stop biting then it is possible that the biting may turn into aggressive and even dangerous behavior as your dog grows. You may end up with an adult dog that fights, bites other dogs and maybe even becomes a danger to children.

It is tempting to think of a little nipping as cute behavior and to laugh and pet the puppy when it happens. This reinforces the behavior, which means that if you do this, you are actually rewarding them by showing them love and attention when they bite. This is the opposite of what you want to do, so it is very important to stop yourself from acting happy when the puppy includes biting in his or her play.
Remember that it is important that everybody who is close to the puppy needs to be involved with the puppy training biting techniques. Your puppy will not learn, or certainly will learn much slower, if he is receiving different messages from different people in the family. Everybody, including kids, needs to understand that they must stop playing with the puppy any time that he bites them. They should stop giving him attention at that moment.
However, there is no point in punishing the puppy for biting. A little nipping is natural when puppies are playing with each other, so of course this continues when the puppy is playing with you or your kids. Your young dog will have trouble understanding that he has done anything wrong.
Stopping playing with the puppy is the most important rule, but there is more that you can do when you are establishing good puppy training biting techniques.
When puppies are playing together, they will yelp any time that they are bitten too hard. This stops the other puppy biting them. So any time that your puppy nips your hand or foot, just yelp like his brothers or sisters would have yelped. Be sure to sound as much like a puppy as you can.
When you do that, your puppy will probably let go so you can move away. Stop playing with him at once. Do not give him any more attention by talking or looking at him, either. Switch to doing something completely different that does not involve your puppy at all. That way he will learn that you do not like being bitten and if he wants lots of attention and play, he better not bite you.
You do not have to stay away from him for very long. Puppies have a short attention span so everything is very immediate for him. The consequences of his behavior should happen right away, and after a few minutes you can go back to him if you want.
Of course it is important to reward the good behavior too. Many people with dogs (as well as with kids) make a point of correcting them when they do something wrong, but forget to reward them when they do something right. It’s like we take it for granted when they behave well. But a dog will learn just as much from a reward as from a punishment.
So when you have been playing with him and he has not bitten you at all, give him a reward for that. This form of puppy training biting that involves rewards as well as walking away will be the most successful.

Dog Training Leash Skills

2010-09-29T17:13:00.000-07:00

Using a dog training leash would seem like it should be a simple matter. You just put on the leash and take the dog for a walk, right? That is what most people think who have never owned a dog. The reality is that walking a dog on a leash requires a little discipline for both the dog and the owner.
But it is well worth doing. Even if you have a big yard where your dog will be able to get as much exercise as she wants, you will sometimes want to be able to walk her on the street. Vacations, visits to the vet’s office and other excursions all mean taking the dog into situations where a leash is very useful.

Dogs and puppies who have never worn a collar before need a little time to become accustomed to that before you start thinking of attaching a leash to the collar. It is important to get something that is the right size, with some flexibility so that it will still fit the dog as she grows.
At first you may need to watch the dog while she is wearing the collar. If it is uncomfortable she will try to get it off. This can be dangerous if she catches it on something and her neck is stuck.
When you first attach the dog training leash to the collar, you can let the puppy play with the leash. You don’t have to use it for walking right away. Put it onto the collar inside the house and just leave it loose. This gives the puppy a chance to enjoy playing and wearing the leash. Again you will need to watch the puppy to check that the leash does not get caught up in anything.
Always talk with your puppy a lot while you are introducing new dog training leash or other skills. Start by walking her around the house on the leash, or taking her into the yard.
As soon as you take her anywhere with interesting sights and smells, she will start pulling on the leash. You need to achieve a balance between letting the dog enjoy her walk and investigate some interesting objects, and keeping control yourself. Do not use the leash to pull your dog around, but do not let your dog use the leash to pull you around either!
So how do you keep control of the walk? The answer is to use your voice along with gentle movements or flicks of the leash to recall the dog to you. Say her name a lot when you want her to move in a certain direction.
Taking the same walk every day is often the best way to go. You do not have to do this forever, but just while the dog is becoming accustomed to the leash. When she knows what to expect, she is more likely to trot along happily at your side for most of the walk. Of course, teaching your dog to come when called will help in keeping her close to you when she is on a dog training leash.

How to Potty train a dog?

2010-09-29T17:06:00.000-07:00

Knowing how to potty train a dog is one of the most important skills for a new dog owner. Even if you have had dogs before, it is useful to get a few extra tips. And if you have just picked up your first dog or puppy, you will want to know that you are going to be able to house train your new pet quickly and easily to save mess in the house.

When it comes to the question of how to potty train a dog, there is not very much difference between an adult dog and a puppy except that puppies are easier to teach. Most adult dogs have been house trained but they often have accidents when they first arrive in a new home because of excitement or stress. You can use the same techniques that you would use for a puppy.
The first thing to do is to decide on how you will reward the dog or puppy whenever she does something right. To avoid confusing the dog, it is best if this will be a reward that you can use right through all of her training.

Think twice before using food as a reward, especially with potty training. You will have most success if the dog is fed on a strict schedule. Giving snacks at other times is just going to make it harder to predict when she will need to go potty. It is usually better to reward her with approving words, petting and play.
When you have your rewards planned, you need to start figuring out when the dog is likely to need to poop or pee. The most common times are right after waking up, after eating, during or after exercise or play and when the dog is excited or stressed.
With many dogs, if you watch carefully you will notice that they do certain things right when they are about to make a mess. They might head for the same place or they might circle around, sniffing the floor.
So any time when you think the dog is likely to need it, you can take her outside. Do not just let her run free but keep her on a leash and take her to the corner that you want her to use for her bathroom. This might be a place she has picked out herself in the past. Wait there with her.
If nothing happens, take her right back to the house. Don’t reward her by letting her play in the yard if she has not done what you wanted.
If she does go ahead and use her bathroom, reward her with praise, patting and maybe some play right after. Don’t wait until you are back in the house for the reward – it must be immediate if she is to understand that it relates to her potty behavior.
There is one more thing to remember when you are figuring out how to potty train a dog. That is never to punish the dog for having accidents in the house. A puppy, an old dog or a sick dog does not have much control over these things and you will just end up with a fearful dog.
If she thinks she will be punished for messing in the house, she will not stop, she will just try to hide it from you. This makes it harder to train her because she will not let you see when she needs the bathroom, and you end up with mess in hidden places that may be much more difficult to clean up. Instead, focus on rewarding the right behavior. That is how to potty train a dog easily.

Crate Train Dog

2010-09-29T16:51:00.001-07:00

Crate train dog training techniques can be an excellent way to raise your dog. Many people use crates to help the dog and the family get used to living together and to establish ground rules for behavior inside the house.
However, the crate is not only good for potty training. What is more, many people have mistaken ideas about how to use a dog crate. They often see it as a cage instead of the dog’s own special den. You can crate train dog and puppy very successfully by following these 5 easy tips.

1. Crate train dog for learning not punishment
Many people think that putting a dog into a crate is some kind of punishment. It is not, and the crate should not be used this way. Instead you can see it as a place for your dog to have a break and take some time out. Do not send the dog to the crate with angry words or impatient gestures. Instead lead him to it in an encouraging way and then spend a little time with him, staying close to the crate while he is inside it at first.

2. The crate is like the dog’s own room
Be sure to make the crate homey. Put blankets, pillows and toys in there. But do not feed the dog in the crate or even right outside it. The crate should be associated with rest, not with mealtimes.
3. Be consistent
If you have decided to crate train dog by giving him crate time when he becomes over excited and starts jumping on people, be sure to do it every time that he jumps. Do not let him jump on some people but not others. Many people will let their dog greet family members by jumping up at them when they come home, and then expect the dog to behave completely differently with guests. These variable rules are much too complicated for a dog.
4. Do not shut the dog in the crate when you leave the house
This is another mistake that many people make – they put the dog in the crate any time that they go to work, go shopping, or whatever. Dogs are social animals and do not like being left alone so they are likely to be unhappy when you go out and leave them. If you put them in a crate at that time, they will associate being in the crate with being unhappy. They will not want to go into the crate because they know it means you might be about to leave. Remember, to successfully crate train dog you will need to keep the crate a happy place.
5. Use planned crate time
Another way to avoid making the crate a place of punishment is to have planned crate time during the day. You can think of this as like giving a child nap time. The dog may not necessarily sleep but he should be quiet and resting. Make this the same time every day, perhaps after a walk.
If you use the crate in the best way, you will find it is a great way to handle your dog. Crate train dog for maximum happiness for both the dog and the rest of the family.