Tag Archives: dog training collars

Four Commands to Teach With A Remote Trainer

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Utilizing a remote trainer is often challenging. A lot of people feel awkward because they’re unclear about what to do, however with just a little practice and direction, anybody can learn how to use a remote training collar properly and effectively. When I first began, it even required a couple of days to get comfortable but now it’s virtually second nature! A few people think remote trainers are used simply to correct undesirable habits like digging in the trash or chewing, however you will find numerous good habits you’ll be able to teach and stimulate using a dog training collar. The devices can definitely improve your rapport with your dog.

1. “Sit”: This simple behavior is usually taught in a short time, and you could add an suggested “stay” so that you won’t need to train another command. Simply, tell your dog to sit when pressing the button. Keep in mind, the static amount needs to be on the setting that will get your dog’s attention yet will not frighten them. Having a treat in your other hand, proceed in the direction of your pet and hold it just over his / her nose. As his nose goes up, his tail lowers. When his seat hits the floor, stop pressing the switch. Do it again a couple of times by using a treat, and after that eliminate the reward so he / she simply learns the communication from the remote. See? Now your dog will be able to sit.

2. “Bed”: This can be a good thing to train, since it gives your pet a particular location to go and stay. It also comes in really handy if you have visitors entering your house or perhaps the pizza delivery person is at the front door. While pressing the button, with your dog on the lead, guide him or her to his / her bed and say “bed” or whichever instruction you desire (others consist of place, home, etc.). Whenever he is on the chosen place, cease giving the stimulation. Back away from the location and observe your pet’s response. If he steps away from the bed, move back next to him while once again pressing the button, and repeat the demand until he returns. Before long he’ll fully understand the place you want him during that command.

3. Voiceless “come”: Maybe you have been in a dog park or perhaps open field along with your four legged buddy playing around having a ball, however, when the time had come to call him back you end up shouting with no success? Making use of the vibration or beep functionality with a remote trainer provides you with the capability to instruct your pet to return to you without needing to say anything. This is certainly one thing that every one of my clients love! It is simple to train this once you have taught the sit command. Simply ask your pet to sit and, when he is on the leash, back away from him or her. As soon as you’re a couple of feet away, call him to you while pressing the vibration or tone button. As soon as he reaches you, quit the sound or stimulation and repeat. He’ll quickly recognize that sound or sensation signifies to join you anywhere you happen to be.

4. Off leash “heel”: Among the most typical difficulties I experience can be a dog, that has absolutely no leash etiquette. As opposed to being drug about or maybe pulled to the floor, you may use a remote training collar to prevent tugging completely. While, you’ve got a dog on the leash, press the static button as well as draw your pet towards your side walking where you would like him. Tell him to “heel,” and – when he does as you ask – take away the stimulation. In the event that he starts to pull once more, go back to the stimulation to motivate him to behave. Your pet will begin to realize what you’re requesting of him.

Using these commands you should have a well behaved dog, and every one of them can be trained in a couple of weeks. Don’t forget to have patience and relaxed throughout your training periods. Treat your dog frequently and needless to say provide them with plenty of love to ensure that it stays enjoyable for them. Very quickly, you will notice the improvement in your pet’s behavior and the relationship you share.

How To Leash Train Your Dog

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Training your dog with a leash sounds pretty easy. All you have to do is put the leash on the dog, isn’t it? That’s what non pet owners think. There is more to walking a dog on a leash than just that.

The effort is so worthwhile though. 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.

If your pet has never been collared, let him get used to it before attempting to attach a leash on it. 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. Something might catch and she could put herself at harm.

You should let your dog play with the leash the first time you attach it to the collar. Lessons don’t have to start immediately. You can put on the leash inside the house and just let the dog drag it around. This enables your dog to get used to it and play with it. Again you will need to watch the puppy to check that the leash does not get caught up in anything.

You have to talk to your dog while you teach him anything. You can start the lesson by walking her on the leash inside the house or in the yard.

Your dog will pull on the leash if there’s something interesting to look at or smell. You should try to balance out the control over your dog and her freedom. The leash should not be used to pull your dog, nor should it be used by your dog to pull you.

How will you be in control then? The answer is to use your voice along with gentle movements or flicks of the leash to recall the dog to you. If you want her to go to a certain direction, say her name a number of times to get her attention.

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. Once she learns how it’s done, you’ll be met with less and less resistance. You’ll have an easier time walking your dog on a leash if you teach her to come to you whenever you call her.

Training your dog with a leash sounds pretty easy. All you have to do is put the leash on the dog, isn’t it? That’s what non pet owners think. There is more to walking a dog on a leash than just that.
The effort is so worthwhile though. 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.
If your pet has never been collared, let him get used to it before attempting to attach a leash on it. 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. Something might catch and she could put herself at harm.
You should let your dog play with the leash the first time you attach it to the collar. Lessons don’t have to start immediately. You can put on the leash inside the house and just let the dog drag it around. This enables your dog to get used to it and play with it. Again you will need to watch the puppy to check that the leash does not get caught up in anything.
You have to talk to your dog while you teach him anything. You can start the lesson by walking her on the leash inside the house or in the yard.
Your dog will pull on the leash if there’s something interesting to look at or smell. You should try to balance out the control over your dog and her freedom. The leash should not be used to pull your dog, nor should it be used by your dog to pull you.
How will you be in control then? The answer is to use your voice along with gentle movements or flicks of the leash to recall the dog to you. If you want her to go to a certain direction, say her name a number of times to get her attention.
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. Once she learns how it’s done, you’ll be met with less and less resistance. You’ll have an easier time walking your dog on a leash if you teach her to come to you whenever you call her.

Harness or Collar – What’s Best?

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Used imprpperly collars can do damage to your dog’s neck (including the trachea, esophagus, and more) over the years. An easy way to prevent the damage is to attach your dog’s leash to a harness instead of a collar.

If your dog pulls a lot on his leash, you can buy a training tool such as an Easy Walk Harness or a Gentle Leadeer Head Collar and use that tool on walks while you teach your dog to walk more nicely. (Be sure to follow the instructions when using training tools like these.) Once your dog understands how to walk politely on leash, you can remove the training tool and simply walk your dog in a regular body harness.

Budget Dog Training

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Hiring a professional dog trainer can be very expensive. And browsing the training aids in the aisles of a pet supply store may leave you reeling from sticker shock. Not to worry! You don’t have to spend a ton of money to have a well-behaved dog. The following tips will help you train a dog on a budget:

Consider Clicker Training

Clicker training is a method of positive reinforcement dog training. It involves using a small device called a clicker to let your dog know when he does something you like. As soon as you click the clicker to mark the behavior, you give your dog a small dog treat. It’s easy to learn how to clicker train a dog, and you can purchase a clicker from any dog supply store. There are also a lot of inexpensive options for dog training treats, and since you only use a small treat each time you click, a bag of treats can last awhile.

Check Out Local Animal Shelters

Many dog rescues and humane societies offer free or low-cost dog training classes and seminars. Because so many dogs are surrendered to shelters due to behavioral issues, they offer dog training classes as a community resource in the hopes of keeping dogs from being given up by their families. Many shelters also offer behavior helplines, informational handouts on dog training, and on-site dog trainers who can help answer behavior and training questions, all for no charge.

Exercise is Free

While exercise won’t cure every dog behavior problem, it can make a big improvement in a number of issues, such as destructive chewing, digging, and excessive barking. A long walk or a game of fetch is a great way to burn energy and offer your dog some mental stimulation. And best of all, it’s free!

Invest in Indestructible Toys

Offering dogs a variety of dog toys is another way to curb problem behaviors. Dog toys offer dogs mental stimulation, the ability to burn off energy, and an appropriate way to give in to their need to chew. When you first look at the price of dog toys, it can be tempting to buy the most inexpensive ones. The truth is that this is not always best for your budget because dogs can easily destroy many of the inexpensive dog toys. A better option is to invest in some indestructible dog toys, such as Mojo Treat Ball or Tug a Jug. Spending a little bit more money up front can save you a lot more money in the long run.

Visit Your Local Library

One of the best ways to learn about dog behavior is to read books by expert dog trainers. A number of dog trainers also have videos which give step-by-step instructions on how to train a dog. Rather than spending a fortune on books and videos, check out your local library. Very often they have a collection of some excellent dog training books and videos, or they can borrow them from another library.

Aversives in Dog Training

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In dog training, an aversive is something used to discourage specific unwanted behaviors in dogs. It is something the dog finds unpleasant, usually involving a dog’s senses. Some examples include shock collars, bitter apple spray and penny cans. The use of aversives with dogs is controversial topic. A lot of dog lovers consider some or all aversives inhumane (or unkind at the very least). Many others feel that the use of aversives can be highly affective in dog training.

There are many different things that can be used as aversives. They are usually related to a dog’s senses.

Taste: these aversives are usually used to prevent a dog from chewing. They include things such as Bitter Apple, pepper, vinegar, or anything else you can apply to an object to make it distasteful to your dog.

Touch: aversives in this category are unpleasant for your dog to feel. This includes the shock from a mat or shock collar, spray from a spray bottle, sticky surfaces, and slippery surfaces.

Sound: these aversives create noises that dogs find disturbing. Things such as a shaker can, air horn, vacuum cleaner, and a whistle fall into this category.

Why Use Aversives

Aversives are used to deter dogs from doing things you don’t like. They shouldn’t be used in place of other training. Using aversives is most effective when paired with obedience training.

The following are some situations in which people might use aversives:

Some people put tin foil, double-sided tape, or a shock mat on the sofa to teach their dogs not to climb on the furniture.

A squirt from a bottle of water or the sound of pennies shaking in a tin can stop your dog from jumping on the counters, chewing something you don’t want him to chew, or barking.

Shock collars can also be used as a deterrent to chewing or chasing objects, or to teach a dog to stay on his property.

Problems with Using Aversives

You should consider your options with great care before using aversives as part of any training program. While aversives may be effective in some situations, there are a number of problems associated with their use.

Effectiveness differs between dogs. When it comes to aversives, the effectiveness depends on the dog. One dog may stop in his tracks at the sound of a shaker can full of pennies while another may not even blink. While some dogs may stop chewing the table leg at the first taste of Bitter Apple, some dogs have been known to enjoy the taste, thus making them more likely to chew the item. When using aversives, pay attention to your dog’s reaction to make sure they’re actually serving the purpose for which you intended them.

Loss of effectiveness over time. Sometimes aversives become less effective the more you use them. For instance, if you spray your dog with water from a spray bottle for jumping on the counter, it may startle him and cause him to jump off. After a few sprays, however, he may be used to it, and the spray will no longer have any effect.

Can make a fearful dog more fearful. Fearful dogs usually don’t react well to aversives. A loud noise that might simply startle one dog off the kitchen counter, can make a fearful dog fearful of ever entering the kitchen again. In this case, an aversive is actually too effective, and it can break down your dog’s trust in you.

Dog may associate the aversive with you. Another problem with aversives is that you are often in control of them, so they only happen when you’re around. For instance, your dog may stop counter surfing when you spray him with the spray bottle, but he’ll soon learn that he only gets sprayed when you are in the room. Here you are not training him not to counter surf, you are only teaching him not to counter surf when you’re around.

May cause aggression. One recent study done at the University of Pennsylvania confirmed what many dog trainers already believed – dogs who are punished are more likely to react with aggression. This is the case with some aversives. If you give your dog a leash correction or hit him, for instance, he may growl, snap, or bite in response.