2. Do you keep your home very warm? Some dogs are bothered by warm room temperatures. A Chihuahua would be a better choice than Shih Tzu in that case.

3. How much dog can you lift? A Pug is a happy-go-lucky companion but may weigh 18-pounds while a Yorkshire Terrier usually doesn’t exceed 7-pounds.

4. How much grooming can you do? If arthritis is a problem, avoid longhaired breeds such as Pekingese or Maltese and look at short, smooth-haired dogs such as Toy Manchester Terrier. Beautiful coats are beautiful because they’re groomed daily.

5. How much exercise does the dog need? Any Terrier is a high-energy dog requiring outdoor exercise. On the other hand, an English Toy Spaniel or Japanese Chin can get all the exercise they need inside an apartment.

6. Is the breed’s temperament a good match with you? Some people find Toy Poodles too challenging and would do better with the sweet-tempered Papillon.

7. Are you prepared for the costs of dog ownership? The bare minimum estimate for dog ownership is $1 a day.

8. Can you acquire pet insurance? Many companies offer group rates to their employees and retirees.

9. Would being a “foster” owner satisfy your need for canine companionship? Even if you don’t want to take a dog into your home, shelters always need people who can walk and play with the dogs or provide temporary housing.

10. Finally, have you considered what happens to your dog if you can’t care for him? Toy breeds often live 15-years or longer. Be sure to include instructions in your will on how your pet should be placed.

With a little forethought and planning, you can select the right breed of dog for your lifestyle and enjoy many happy years together.

Crate training is a wonderful part of an overall family training program if handled correctly. Your puppy will feel secure in his space if you make it a pleasurable experience from the very beginning by following these 14 tips.

1. Get a crate large enough to allow your pup space to turn around, stand up and lie down for a nap.

2. Put a soft blanket in the crate, preferably with his mother’s scent on it when you bring him home.

3. Make sure to put his toys for chewing and a treat or two in the space furthest from the ‘door’.

4. Put the crate in a corner of the room where he can feel out of the way, yet have access to you.

5. Let your pup wander in and out of the crate to get a feel for it, the crate makes a nice ‘den’ for your puppy and he will likely take to it for comfort and solace when he is tired, over-excited or worried.

6. Remove your pet’s collar/s before closing the crate to avoid any choking.

7. Have a bottle of water with ice hooked to the crate if you will leave your puppy for more than an hour.

8. When it’s time to be crated, tell your puppy “Crate” or “Bed” and show him to the crate. You may put a treat in there if you have been training him with treats.

9. Don’t ever scare him into the crate, put him in there as a punishment or otherwise encourage a negative connotation to the crate.

10. Practice this several times a day during his first few weeks home. Leaving him in the crate for short intervals while you leave the house. He will soon realize that you come back and let him out.

11. If your dog needs something to chew, make sure you give him a toy that he cannot shred, break or otherwise harm himself with. If he is an aggressive chewer, I recommend the Galileo Bone by Nylabone.

12. When you let your puppy out of the crate, immediately take him outside to relieve himself. For very young puppies, this will likely be every 4 hours. On average a puppy needs a break in as many hours as he is months old – if your puppy is 4 months, please give him a potty break every four hours.

13. When you are leaving, or putting him in the crate, give him his command “Crate”, praise him gently when he complies (but do not get effusive – you don’t want him to get all riled up) and then leave without a commotion.

14. Upon returning, open the crate and let your puppy come out at his own pace. Don’t make a big fuss, simply praise him gently, put on his collar and leash and take him outside.

Crate training is a valuable asset to any training program for new puppies and can help enhance your relationship with your canine pal. A happy and comfortable puppy will mature into a well-mannered and loving companion.

Dog training with an obedience instructor can vary in price and it usually takes place in a class. If you do the dog training yourself, it is usually free and you can do it from your own home. If you do choose to do the dog training yourself, it is best to get educated on dog training.

There are 3 basic things your dog should learn through basic dog training. These are: sit, stay, and come. The first part of dog training is to teach your dog to sit. To start this dog training, you will first need some dog treats.

Do this dog training in a quiet environment so your dog doesn’t get distracted. Tell your dog to sit repeatedly as you hold the dog treat just over their head. This way the dog has to look up and may sit on there own to reach the treat.

If not, gently push there rear down. When they sit, praise them and reward them with a treat. This kind of dog training works because the dog constantly hears “sit” and will learn to associate the command with sitting and receiving praise.

The next part of dog training is to teach your dog to stay. This is often a difficult part of dog training. This kind of dog training is also incorporated with teaching your dog the command “come.” Sit your dog in an area with no directions.

Tell your dog to stay repeatedly as you back away. Start out by keeping eye contact with the dog. If the dog gets up, tell it “no” and start again. Remember this dog training takes a while. You may need someone to sit with the dog to help reinforce the dog to stay the first few times.

Once you have made progress with this dog training, you then start by walking away with your back turned. Dogs will often get up to follow you at this point. Tell your dog “no” and start the dog training again by repeatedly telling your dog to stay as you walk away.

Once your dog has mastered this part, you can teach it to come. After your dog has stayed, tell it to “come.” Have a happy voice and pat your knee as you say “come.” Your dog should respond to this dog training right away and you may then reward it.

Always use praise instead of punishment with dog training. Dogs respond best to positive dog training, rather than negative. With all of this in mind, you should be able to teach your dog the 3 basis commands.

Follow all of this advice and you should soon have a more obedient dog that is worth everyone’s praise!

No matter why you have a dog, he should at least have some very elementary dog training. No one wants a dog who isn’t housebroken, who runs away or into the street, who won’t sit, come or stay when you want him to. Both you and your dog will be happier with a little common ground on obedience training. 

One of the first things to take into account when dog training is that dogs are programmed for a world of leaders and followers. You have to be the leader in your relationship. Signs of a leader are absolute consistency. Know what you want your dog to do and keep that constant from day to day and training session to training session. Don’t shout. That is a sign that you have lost control. And keep your dogs attention focused on you during the entire training session. 

Attention is the second important thing to keep in mind for dog training and one of the hardest to maintain. It has been said that ninety percent of dog training is getting and keeping his attention. Dogs are very much like small children and have short attention spans. Keep training sessions short – 20 minutes is fine, or even a couple of 10 minute sessions. Work with your dog in a quiet environment that is free of distractions. Talk to your dog in a quiet voice. Use his name and explain what you want him to do. He may understand no more than, “Blah blah blah, Toby”, but your voice will keep him focused in your direction. 

Experts have found that positive dog training is more effective that a system of rewards and punishment. A dog who looks forward to training sessions as fun and full of rewards is a dog who will learn faster and better. Reward accomplishments with treats or words of praise or pats. As your dog learns new skills, you can reward him for each step along the way. If he doesn’t respond the way you want, rethink what you are asking him to do and how you are asking him to do it. What worked as a dog training method for one dog may not work as well for the next. 

Your dog may need to review some more basic dog training lessons before going on to new lessons. Rather than punishment, a stern NO, blocking a movement with your hands, or withholding rewards when he doesn’t perform, and remaining consistent are the best ways to encourage your dog to exhibit the behavior you want. Remember that it is in his nature (as well as yours) to want to test limits and see how much he can get away with. Consistency in dog training and rewards are what get positive results, not punishments. 

Dogs are very much like us. They want to follow a leader they respect. And dog training is just like school. They like to do things that are fun and make them feel good, where they get rewards for accomplishing what is asked of them. And they want the same thing their owners want, a happy and safe relationship with the ones they are love. A little dog obedience training will go a long way in making this happen.

When giving a command to your dog, be sure to make eye contact with him. This shows your pet that you are the “leader” of the pack. It is important for your dog to understand this, as dogs instinctively follow and obey the leader of their packs.

After you have established eye contact, call your pet by name and then give the command in a deep, firm voice. Do not yell, as that only frightens the animal. Also, keep your commands to one or two words. Dogs only understand a few human words…spewing out a long sentence only confuses your pet. After giving the command, follow through by showing the dog exactly what you want him to do, while repeating the command.

For example, to get your dog to sit:

• 1. Look him in the eye.
• 2. Call him by name and say the command: Rover Sit!
• 3. Hold his collar under his chin and push down on his rump with your other hand to get him to sit. Repeat the command as you do this.
• 4. Give the dog a piece of a dog biscuit as a reward and praise him.

Giving your dog a reward, even though you had to physically show him how to sit, is important. The dog feels as if he’s done something to please you and will be more willing to cooperate as you continue your instruction. Break your dog biscuits into small pieces however, you don’t want to over feed your pet by giving him full dog treats.

Don’t forget to praise the dog whenever he follows through on your commands without your prompting him with your hand. However, keep your praise light and quick…”good dog” or “good boy” said in an uplifting tone. No more than this… otherwise the dog may think it’s play time and you’ll have lost your willing pupil.

Now, the real fun starts….repetition and patience. Continue to repeat this command and exercise for about 10 minutes.

Don’t continue any longer than 10 to 15 minutes. Like all “children” pets get tired and bored doing the same thing over and over. Set aside a certain time of the day for training each day and repeat the process until the dog will sit on command. As you continue this each day, reduce the treats you give as well, giving a treat say every 2nd time he obeys the command, so on and so forth, until he sits without expecting a treat.

Now, move onto the next command you want your dog to learn. Remember to only do one command at a time until your dog learns it, before moving on to the next. And also remember not to yell or hit your pet. Frustration and anger will get you no where. Patience, repetition, praise and love is what your dog needs…and you will soon have a dog that obeys you with little problems.

Your dog isn’t human.

Unless you believe in pet psychics, there’s really no way for you to read your pooch’s mind and figure out exactly what she’s thinking. The good news is that, like many dog owners, the problems you’re having can probably be traced to one simple thing: you’re trying to communicate with your dog from a human standpoint, and your dog isn’t a human. Sure, you know that, but lots of humans try to relate with their dogs in the ways that they think are rational as humans. The problem is that dogs are driven in every act and every moment by very strong instincts. Deciphering those instincts and leveraging them to build a productive relationship is like finding the keys to the city.

Your dog doesn’t speak English.

Take the word “no,” for example. Does your dog speak English? Not understand English. Does she speak it? What’s meaningful to her is your tone of voice, not the word itself. Now let’s think about that – we’re taking up excess time trying to teach our dog a word she’ll never speak and that probably doesn’t mean much to her anyway. Sure, it’s meaningful to us, but that’s only one side of the equation. What about something that’s meaningful to both human and dog?

You know what a growl means, and your dog knows what a growl means.

If you think that mutually meaningful language doesn’t exist, you’re not thinking creatively enough. What does it say to you when a dog growls at you? Anything from “get away from my food” to “back off, dude,” right? Yet in every case, a dog’s growl typically means that she is not happy with whatever you’ve done. And you’ve seen dogs react to other dogs’ growls, right? So you know what a growl means, and your dog knows what a growl means. Where’s the disconnect? Growl at your dog!

No, seriously. The next time your pooch starts stepping outside her bounds or doing something you don’t like, growl at her. A nice, strong, guttural growl that would put the alpha wolf in a pack to shame. While you’re growling, look directly into her eyes. You’re almost guaranteed that she’ll back off. It might be best to try it in your home environment to start with – I don’t want to be held responsible for you getting funny looks in the street!

Instincts save time and communicate effectively.

See that? You worked with her instinct and the information hardwired into her brain, and the result was instantaneous. Why spend tons of time trying to work against that instinct and end up frustrated, angry, and still miscommunications? This approach works in everything from basic discipline to full-on obedience training. You just need to figure out how to apply it in each of those situations.

To start your dog house training, the first thing you’ll need to do is buy your best pet friend a nice dog training collar, lead and dog crate. You should choose one made of nylon or soft leather. When your puppy grows older, you can buy him a heavier collar, and if he’s a large breed, it should be made of heavy leather, with a strong buckle and clip. Dog house training can be simple. We’ll need to be patient and prepared to spend enough time to work with your new friend right from the start. We can avoid your doggie being among the 60% that land up in humane societies (dog pound) because of behavioral problems. It’s like being on a dog rescue mission.

Get yourself a crate large enough for your puppy to stretch and lie down in (for those naps). But not one that’s too big either. You don’t want your doggie to be able to potty in one corner and sleep in the other. Your little pet should be in the crate anytime you’re not available for watching your doggie. Our attempt is to get your friend to understand that they’ll have to wait until we come to their rescue teaching them to “hold” the potty which is obedience training.

Your little sweetie can be left in the crate for 6-8 hours at a time. You mostly do it at night time when you go to bed, but can also do it during the day if you have to be away.

When you’re at home, leave the puppy out of the crate, but set a timer (you know, one of those we use in the kitchen for timing) for every 60-90 minutes (no cheating; 90 minutes is the maximum). Each time the timer rings, take the pup out for a walk for 10 minutes, giving them the chance to eliminate, and reward them when they are successful. Positive reinforcement and love is the way to go. Don’t be surprised if you walk them for 10 minutes, nothing happens, and when you come back in the house they have an accident on the kitchen floor. BE PATIENT.

These are only some guidelines, but take your time and do not become frustrated. In a month or so, you will look back and laugh.

Remember that your puppy will grow very fast, so his first dog collar should be adjustable. Often the puppy’s breeder will give you a collar and lead with your puppy when you pick him up. Dog care and training really can be fun. You and your best pet friend so to speak grow up together.

If your puppy is not used to a collar yet, he should start his dog training by wearing the collar in the house for a few days. At first he will try to get rid of the collar, but in an hour or so he will get used to it, and then you can remove it. Remember dog house training benefits everyone. Wait till you see that puppy smile when they know there’re pleasing you.

Agility is a fun team sport that you and your dog can enjoy together. Agility is a combination of Advanced off-leash obedience, Directional commands, and Obstacle familiarization. In order for your dog to have off-leash control to run around a 100′ x 100′ ring, you first want to develop that control on leash. Control behaviors that are beneficial for your dog to have are “Come”, “Sit”, “Down”, and “Stay”. Your dog does not have to be perfect at these commands, but the better he is the more you can accomplish with the actual running and playing of agility. The formal obedience “Heel” on the left side is not necessary for agility because you will be working with your dog on both your left and right sides. You can develop these behaviors from your own training or taking classes. There are a multitude of books on the market on obedience training.

The main Directional Commands we teach are “Come”, “Go” and “Back”. Come means approaching and moving to you. Go means you and the dog are facing and moving in the same direction and the dog moves out ahead of you and keeps going until other wise directed. Back means the dog turns away from you. This can occur when he is facing you and turns away or when he is at either your left or right side, and turns away from you. We teach Directional Commands using a table. For training we use 12″ high agility tables for all dog sizes. First the dog must be comfortable jumping up on the table. Once he is comfortable on the table, use his Sit-stay or Down-stays on the table. Develop your distance away from him slowly. Release your dog to you with Come.

Place your dog in a Sit-Stay about 3′ from the table, facing it. Leave your dog in a sit, walk to the other side of the table, call your dog, “Come Table”. When he gets on the table step toward him and praise him. This will help prevent him from jumping off the table to come to you. Build your dog’s distance from the table, move him away from the table in increments, 4′, 6′, 8′, and so on. As your dog is comfortable coming to you and sitting on the table, the next step is for you to build your distance from the table as you call him to the table. Build your distance also in increments. Have your dog sitting 10′ from the table, you walk to the other side of the table about 6′ away from the table, call your dog, “Come Table”. Build your distance slowly so that your dog can succeed at staying on the table. 

Starting from about 3′ from the table, with your dog on leash, you are both facing the table, send your dog to the table by saying, “Go Table”. You may need to extend your arm, point or step to toward the table. Practice this until your dog is able to go to the table without you having to place him on the table. Practice with the dog on both your left and right side. When the dog is on your left side use your left arm to point to the table, and when the dog is on your right side point with your right arm. Develop your distance so that you can send your dog easily from 30′. 

Now, its time to teach the next Directional Command, “Back”. Have your dog on leash again, and start from 3′ away from the table, but this time your dog is sitting on the ground facing you with the table behind him. From your dog sitting tell him, “Back Table”. Extend your arm pointing to the table and guide him with the leash if necessary until he understands the new word. Practice sending your dog to the table several times using your Left arm, “Back Table”, extending your left arm. Then practice with your Right arm pointing to the table, “Back Table”. When your dog is turning to go to the table then start building your distance from the table. These are three very versatile commands that you can use and develop on all obstacles and throughout an agility run.

When you are looking for a puppy and see those adorable puppies in the local Pet Store it is alluring to take one home with you. But be aware most of those puppies are coming from puppy mills. 

A puppy mills is a commercial business, the kennels are usually overcrowded and there is little or no attention for the puppies needs. The owner of a puppy mill is a breeder who produces puppies without a breeding program. Commercial kennels like this often produce many dog breeds. The dogs are living in overcrowded cages, often under filthy conditions, with no proper health care and food.

When you buy such a pup it is likely it is not seen by a Vet and it did not get the proper puppy vaccinations. Some puppies are taken away from their mother much to soon. A puppy should not leave the nest before he is at least 7 weeks old, 8 weeks is to prefer. Puppies coming from a Puppy Mill are very difficult to housebreak, not so strange, they needed to do their relieve sitting in an overcrowded cage all day. 

Puppy Mill puppies often have health problems, or genetic diseases because the breeder did not test their dogs. A pup needs to be socialized, this means contact with adults, children, other dogs and the pup needs to go to other places like a playground, school or a ride in the car.

When a pup is living isolated his behaviour will be nervous and scared, he even may become aggressive later. Not all local Pet store holders will get their dogs from a Puppy Mill, but they do get their pups from commercial kennels. They sell but don’t feel responsible to give information to help you making the right decision about your new pet.

With so many of a dog’s happiest moments spent running, jumping, catching, and stretching, dog agility training can really help dogs age gracefully and happily.

What is dog agility training?

You’ve probably seen dog agility training on television. The dogs run a course of tire hoops, tunnels, seesaw, dog walk plank, jumps, hurdles, weaving poles, and a 3-meter A-frame. Heeling, sitting, down stays, send-aways as well as walking off leash are also included.

Who can participate?

Anyone with a dog can do agility training. There is not age limit for people or dogs. In fact, children and puppies are encouraged to take part. All breeds and sizes of dogs without a physical disability can benefit from agility training. Be sure to check with your vet before you begin agility training if you have any doubts about your canine’s fitness.

What equipment is needed?

You as the handler will need comfortable shoes and clothes that you can run in, because this is not exercise for the dog alone.

Your dog needs a leather or webbed buckle collar and a leather, nylon or rope lead of fairly long length. Do not use a chain lead; it could get caught in the jumps.

Agility Training Courses for Dogs

There are two sides of agility training for dogs. They are the obstacles and the control training. There are also tips for training your dog.

1. Obstacles. Although it seems high to many handlers, the A-frame is the best obstacle to begin training. The dog walk plank, low jump and the tunnel (dogs love this obstacle) are also excellent for training the novice dog.

2. Control training is important to keep your dog disciplined both on the agility course and off. Everybody knows that a dog must heel and sit. You must also teach your dog to know and obey different commands: to go left and right, lay down, and wait. After those are mastered, the dog must learn normal recall (returning anytime you call) and recall over obstacles. Also important is the “send away” command, making the dog go ahead you.

Tips for Dog Agility Training:

• Begin training by getting your dog’s attention.
• Talk to him and offer a small treat. Coupled with the love he has for you, he’ll be all ears.
• Be sure you have the correct lead (generally 6 feet) and a comfortable collar (measure the dog’s neck and add 2 inches) for your dog.
• Give praise often.
• “Tune in” to your dog to be sure she and you are ready to train.

Here’s a final tip: Make sure that you and your dog enjoy yourselves. After all, jumping through hoops is supposed to be fun–at least if you’re a dog.