By Michael Marsden
If your dog won’t stop biting, it can be much more than a frustrating habit. A biting dog can become a huge problem and a liability. If your dog is still a puppy, you know that part of a puppy’s nature is to nip during play. Although puppies may nip and bite gently during play, you must train him not to do so, to avoid potentially larger issues when the dog is full grown. A grown dog that has not been trained to stop biting will likely use its mouth during rough play and end up hurting someone.
So, how to you stop your dog from biting? There are different techniques that you can use to train your puppy to stop biting. You can also use these techniques on your adult dog. Here are five effective ways to stop a dog from biting.
1 – Communication
Communication is a key element in learning for dogs just as it is with humans. When it comes time to train your dog to stop biting, communicate to your dog in its own language. Dogs understand more tone of voice rather than the meaning of the words you say. When the dog bites during play, instead of using a shout or angry voice, try yelping. The yelping is understood as a painful response and will encourage your dog to refrain from biting.
When you communicate to your dog using the yelp, a high-pitched “ouch” will do the trick. When you use this technique, be sure to stop all play immediately and turn your back on the dog. Tone and body language are important to a dog. The dog will eventually come around to you and when he does, reprimand him in a firm tone with a command such as “bad dog” or “no bite” and he will quickly get the idea.
2 – Divert Attention
Another way to stop your dog from biting is to divert his attention from biting you to something that he can chew on, like a toy. By replacing your flesh with a chew toy each time the dog turns to inappropriate biting, he will get the idea that your limbs are not meant for biting. Remember to quickly provide the chew toy if your dog resorts to biting during play again to reinforce the habit.
3 – Positive Reinforcement
A sneaky yet effective way of training your dog to stop biting is positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is a training technique that rewards good behavior with something positive. An example of positive reinforcement with a biting dog is to give him wonderful praise during play when he does not bite. The praise could be a pat on the head, a belly rub, a treat, or extra attention. Positive reinforcement is a great way to show your dog the type of behavior that you prefer.
4 – Tap the Nose
If your dog begins to bite or nip, quickly tell him to sit. Once he is seated, take your index finger, hold it in front of his nose, and then tap him on the nose as you say “bad dog” in a stern voice. Just remember, the tap itself is not the punishment, so it should not be particularly strong. It is just meant as a startling element to encourage him to stop the bad behavior. Don’t scream; just use a stern tone, which he will understand. Eventually, your dog will come to understand the raising of an index finger as an indication to stop a behavior.
5 – Avoid Biting and Nipping Games
A good way to stop a dog from biting is to avoid biting and nipping games in the first place. If you don’t encourage these types of games from the get-go, the dog will not be prone to biting and nipping at inopportune times. For example, a chasing game, while it may be exciting and provide plenty of exercise, will likely encourage your dog that you are prey. This is where his nipping and biting instincts will kick in.
Tug-of-War is a game that should also be avoided when playing with your dog. It will encourage him to think that humans are his equal and may promote biting as well. He won’t mean any harm with the biting, but he will want to win, so he will likely nip at your hands to make you lose grip on the toy. Replace Tug-of-War with fetch and retrieval games, and teach him the “drop and release” commands so that your authority is never questioned.
In Conclusion
Biting during play can quickly evolve into a serious problem, which is why consistency is a key way to stop this from happening. It is important that you stop the biting behavior as soon as it starts, and discipline for the bad behavior while reinforcing the good. Remember, dogs do not understand the meaning of “sometimes” so be sure to consistently train the dog until he knows that biting is never allowed.
About the Author:
If you want to learn more about Dog Obedience Training then visit: DogObedienceShortcuts.com – where you will learn about training specific dog breeds and curing common dog problems like getting your dog to stop biting.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – 5 Ways to Stop a Dog Biting
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
The Importance of Pet Toys
By Joseph Devine
Although you may give your pets toys because you just like to watch them play, providing your cats and dogs with toys is actually very important. Playing with a fun toy can provide your animal with both physical and mental exercise, and both of these are key to maintaining good overall health in your cat or dog. This article will provide an overview of cat and dog toys as well as show why this type of entertainment is a key component of your pet's well-being.
Perhaps you only see your cat when you feed him, because otherwise he's hiding underneath your bed. However, providing your kitty with a toy can help him come out of his shell a little bit and want to play. A device that you can use to get your cat's attention, such as a string with feathers on the end, may help her interact more with you as well, promoting a stronger bond between you and your pet.
Cats also tend to get bored at home alone. You might realize this when you see tufts of carpet pulled up or eaten while your kitty was playing while you were gone. Giving your cat a toy can provide a beneficial alternative that may distract your cat from eating carpet-saving both her stomach and your flooring. Also, kitty towers give your animal a place to scratch on, rather than destroying your possessions. Noisy toys that can move without your help, such as balls that roll around, can entertain your furry friend without you having to be there.
You might have heard someone complain about a puppy chewing up their entire house: the wiring for the internet or phone line, the siding or the moulding, the sofas or table legs. Sure, a puppy requires a ton of attention and time to train it into a well-mannered dog, but you can help it stay happy and entertained by providing it with toys other than your furniture.
Yes, it might annoy you to no end, but giving your dog a squeaky toy can make it so happy that it ceases its destruction of your loveseat. The squeak can give your dog mental stimulation, and it makes the pet feel like it is in control because it is the one causing the squeaking. It is easy for dogs to get bored at home alone, so you want to give them safe, fun alternatives to chew on.
If you have a retriever, you may want to invest some of your time and money in teaching your dog to fetch properly. Some dogs love frisbees, while others tend to gravitate towards tennis balls. If your companion is rough on his toys and goes through them fairly quickly, you may want to think about getting retrieval dummies used by actual dog trainers. They are usually thicker and able to withstand more playing time than a simple squeaky newspaper.
Of course, you probably can't be with your furry friend 24/7. However, giving them toys can provide mental stimulation as well as physical exercise as the pet chases its toy around. Another great way to make your pet happy is to give it delicious, 100% natural pet food. A wonderful source of this beneficial food can be found at Flint River Ranch today.
Joseph Devine
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Devine
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Importance-of-Pet-Toys&id=2780121
Although you may give your pets toys because you just like to watch them play, providing your cats and dogs with toys is actually very important. Playing with a fun toy can provide your animal with both physical and mental exercise, and both of these are key to maintaining good overall health in your cat or dog. This article will provide an overview of cat and dog toys as well as show why this type of entertainment is a key component of your pet's well-being.
Perhaps you only see your cat when you feed him, because otherwise he's hiding underneath your bed. However, providing your kitty with a toy can help him come out of his shell a little bit and want to play. A device that you can use to get your cat's attention, such as a string with feathers on the end, may help her interact more with you as well, promoting a stronger bond between you and your pet.
Cats also tend to get bored at home alone. You might realize this when you see tufts of carpet pulled up or eaten while your kitty was playing while you were gone. Giving your cat a toy can provide a beneficial alternative that may distract your cat from eating carpet-saving both her stomach and your flooring. Also, kitty towers give your animal a place to scratch on, rather than destroying your possessions. Noisy toys that can move without your help, such as balls that roll around, can entertain your furry friend without you having to be there.
You might have heard someone complain about a puppy chewing up their entire house: the wiring for the internet or phone line, the siding or the moulding, the sofas or table legs. Sure, a puppy requires a ton of attention and time to train it into a well-mannered dog, but you can help it stay happy and entertained by providing it with toys other than your furniture.
Yes, it might annoy you to no end, but giving your dog a squeaky toy can make it so happy that it ceases its destruction of your loveseat. The squeak can give your dog mental stimulation, and it makes the pet feel like it is in control because it is the one causing the squeaking. It is easy for dogs to get bored at home alone, so you want to give them safe, fun alternatives to chew on.
If you have a retriever, you may want to invest some of your time and money in teaching your dog to fetch properly. Some dogs love frisbees, while others tend to gravitate towards tennis balls. If your companion is rough on his toys and goes through them fairly quickly, you may want to think about getting retrieval dummies used by actual dog trainers. They are usually thicker and able to withstand more playing time than a simple squeaky newspaper.
Of course, you probably can't be with your furry friend 24/7. However, giving them toys can provide mental stimulation as well as physical exercise as the pet chases its toy around. Another great way to make your pet happy is to give it delicious, 100% natural pet food. A wonderful source of this beneficial food can be found at Flint River Ranch today.
Joseph Devine
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Devine
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Importance-of-Pet-Toys&id=2780121
Friday, June 26, 2009
Some Crate-Training Tips
One thing that's crucial to helping your dog be comfortable in his crate is to pre-condition him to being there. This means getting him to go in a number of times for short periods, then letting him out and rewarding him for being good about it.
Of course, once you manage to get him into the crate, it's essential that you strictly maintain some discipline. Never let him out when he asks, such as whining or barking. It's not easy, but you must ignore those behaviors, or he'll think that's how to get your attention and get his way.
However, if he starts whining after he's been in there a while, it could be a sign that he needs to go outside for a moment to eliminate. This behavior does need to be rewarded, at least by recognizing what it means. Just try to let him out between whining, or he still may associate the whining with getting out.
At night, it may help to cover the crate, as it may help him to feel secure, not to mention, diminishing the light in there, so he can settle down and get to sleep.
Never use the crate as punishment, however. You don't want him to associate it with anything negative, or it will become increasingly difficult to get him to use it. And if you love your pup, you don't want him to be miserable, either.
As long as he feels secure, happy and comfortable in there, his crate will become his refuge and personal hideaway.
Of course, once you manage to get him into the crate, it's essential that you strictly maintain some discipline. Never let him out when he asks, such as whining or barking. It's not easy, but you must ignore those behaviors, or he'll think that's how to get your attention and get his way.
However, if he starts whining after he's been in there a while, it could be a sign that he needs to go outside for a moment to eliminate. This behavior does need to be rewarded, at least by recognizing what it means. Just try to let him out between whining, or he still may associate the whining with getting out.
At night, it may help to cover the crate, as it may help him to feel secure, not to mention, diminishing the light in there, so he can settle down and get to sleep.
Never use the crate as punishment, however. You don't want him to associate it with anything negative, or it will become increasingly difficult to get him to use it. And if you love your pup, you don't want him to be miserable, either.
As long as he feels secure, happy and comfortable in there, his crate will become his refuge and personal hideaway.
Monday, February 16, 2009
What a Winter! Didn't Do Much Dog Training!
This has been a strange winter, and my time was spent making sure all the animals were warm and safe and fed. Not much time for training, I'm afraid. We had lots of snow, ice and cold weather, always with plenty of wind out here on the prairie. We spent more nights huddling together than walking or working on tricks or manners. But signs of spring are around and we hope to get busy with some fun games and more walks.
Being indoors, I worked on the computer a lot more, and I'm finally working on my other websites. Just updated this one, for example:
http://www.hipaws.com
There is still much to do over there, like adding some links and making the sub pages. For now, some of the links don't go anywhere. But you can still get some information and downloads. Take a visit! Thanks!
Being indoors, I worked on the computer a lot more, and I'm finally working on my other websites. Just updated this one, for example:
http://www.hipaws.com
There is still much to do over there, like adding some links and making the sub pages. For now, some of the links don't go anywhere. But you can still get some information and downloads. Take a visit! Thanks!
Friday, December 26, 2008
Did You Get a New Puppy For Christmas?
How fun! A new puppy for the holidays! If you already have other dogs at home, you probably also already know how to raise the new pup.
However, if this is your first puppy, you may want to learn some "tricks of the trade" so you can raise a well-behaved and happy dog. You don't have very long to do this, considering that a puppy becomes an adult dog within a year or two. Mistakes made now will follow you into the dog's adult life and possibly create problems you weren't expecting.
Sadly, that's the stage when many people give up their dogs to shelters, or worse, simply tie them out back and pay very little attention to them anymore.
If you want to avoid that kind of sad outcome, now is the time to get some useful and appropriate information to help you raise the happy companion you are planning on.
You can get my free report, How I Taught An Old Dog New Tricks, by filling out the form on the right. Then, please take a look at the materials being offered by my friend, who is an expert dog trainer with 40 years experience. Don't worry, I've set it up so you can see automatically what she has on her web site. If you do not want it, that's fine. Just take my report and enjoy it.
Good luck with your new puppy! And drop me a line to let me know how it's working out!
However, if this is your first puppy, you may want to learn some "tricks of the trade" so you can raise a well-behaved and happy dog. You don't have very long to do this, considering that a puppy becomes an adult dog within a year or two. Mistakes made now will follow you into the dog's adult life and possibly create problems you weren't expecting.
Sadly, that's the stage when many people give up their dogs to shelters, or worse, simply tie them out back and pay very little attention to them anymore.
If you want to avoid that kind of sad outcome, now is the time to get some useful and appropriate information to help you raise the happy companion you are planning on.
You can get my free report, How I Taught An Old Dog New Tricks, by filling out the form on the right. Then, please take a look at the materials being offered by my friend, who is an expert dog trainer with 40 years experience. Don't worry, I've set it up so you can see automatically what she has on her web site. If you do not want it, that's fine. Just take my report and enjoy it.
Good luck with your new puppy! And drop me a line to let me know how it's working out!
Saturday, October 18, 2008
The Best Way to Train Your Dog
If you're having problems training your dog, here's a little secret:
Have someone watch you. It could be a friend, family member, or even a professional trainer. If you're in a class, ask the instructor to give you some personal time to see if you are doing things correctly.
What to watch for:
Be consistent. If you say things differently or move your hands or body in different ways, you could be confusing your dog. And these are things you may not notice about yourself. Have your friend watch to see if you are being consistent.
Be positive. If you become angry when you are frustrated, this helps no one, especially the dog. When training commands aren't consistent (see above), the confused dog won't be able to follow them. Don't get mad... get happy. If you can stay positive, this helps your dog stay interested in the activity. He wants to please you, so if you are happy, he will be happy and anxious to please you.
Watch your body language. If you crouch over your dog when giving commands, he might learn that as one of the cues he associates with that command. You may not realize you are doing this, but your observer will tell you.
Give commands only once. If you find yourself repeating something many times, your dog isn't understanding the process. That's your fault... not the dog's. Ask your friend to notice what you are doing that might contribute to this lack of comprehension. Ultimately, most of these things relate right back to consistency.
Bottom line... if you're not enjoying this, neither is your dog, and it will be difficult to reach a level of comfort and good manners.
Have someone watch you. It could be a friend, family member, or even a professional trainer. If you're in a class, ask the instructor to give you some personal time to see if you are doing things correctly.
What to watch for:
Be consistent. If you say things differently or move your hands or body in different ways, you could be confusing your dog. And these are things you may not notice about yourself. Have your friend watch to see if you are being consistent.
Be positive. If you become angry when you are frustrated, this helps no one, especially the dog. When training commands aren't consistent (see above), the confused dog won't be able to follow them. Don't get mad... get happy. If you can stay positive, this helps your dog stay interested in the activity. He wants to please you, so if you are happy, he will be happy and anxious to please you.
Watch your body language. If you crouch over your dog when giving commands, he might learn that as one of the cues he associates with that command. You may not realize you are doing this, but your observer will tell you.
Give commands only once. If you find yourself repeating something many times, your dog isn't understanding the process. That's your fault... not the dog's. Ask your friend to notice what you are doing that might contribute to this lack of comprehension. Ultimately, most of these things relate right back to consistency.
Bottom line... if you're not enjoying this, neither is your dog, and it will be difficult to reach a level of comfort and good manners.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Dogs and Kids... How Much Are They Alike?
We who love our dogs are often accused of treating them like they were our kids. Well, why not? Is there something wrong with that?
Oh sure, it could be argued that "some people" go overboard about it, giving their little fur-kids too much attention, or attributing too much intelligence to them so as to interpret their behaviors in ways that do not benefit them, or us, or our families.
Personally, I see nothing wrong with "spoiling" our dogs. After all, it's not like they are going to grow up and leave home. They will always depend on us, and it's our responsibility to be always mindful of that.
The kids will, of course, grow up and leave, and we must learn to let go of them in some ways so they can mature and move on in life. So that's a big difference between dogs and kids. But the similarity remains that they will always be our kids (or our fur-kids), and we can, and should, always love them.
Another major difference, though, is that kids have the intelligence to understand why we must discipline them from time to time. They have life lessons to learn. Dogs can learn behaviors and how to please us, but it's questionable whether they have the intelligence to understand the reasoning behind discipline. This is why it's so important for us to be gentle and kind when we must discipline them. It's not useful to punish, as the dog only understands that you are angry, and may not understand why.
For the dog's well being, then, it's essential to be consistent and firm, but not angry or punishing, with set rules for behavior to help guide them. This they understand... not that you know they tracked mud into the house an hour ago and are going to make them sorry they did that... it doesn't work that way.
Oh sure, it could be argued that "some people" go overboard about it, giving their little fur-kids too much attention, or attributing too much intelligence to them so as to interpret their behaviors in ways that do not benefit them, or us, or our families.
Personally, I see nothing wrong with "spoiling" our dogs. After all, it's not like they are going to grow up and leave home. They will always depend on us, and it's our responsibility to be always mindful of that.
The kids will, of course, grow up and leave, and we must learn to let go of them in some ways so they can mature and move on in life. So that's a big difference between dogs and kids. But the similarity remains that they will always be our kids (or our fur-kids), and we can, and should, always love them.
Another major difference, though, is that kids have the intelligence to understand why we must discipline them from time to time. They have life lessons to learn. Dogs can learn behaviors and how to please us, but it's questionable whether they have the intelligence to understand the reasoning behind discipline. This is why it's so important for us to be gentle and kind when we must discipline them. It's not useful to punish, as the dog only understands that you are angry, and may not understand why.
For the dog's well being, then, it's essential to be consistent and firm, but not angry or punishing, with set rules for behavior to help guide them. This they understand... not that you know they tracked mud into the house an hour ago and are going to make them sorry they did that... it doesn't work that way.
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