Agility Dog Training and Pit Bull Terriers

Spending time training your Pit Bull can be very rewarding and fun for you both. It helps build a stronger bond between dog and owner that is important for the happiness of both parties. There are many different types of training that you can choose to do with your Pit Bull, one such is agility training.

Agility training is the process of teaching your dog to successfully navigate an obstacle course. If the training is successful, your pet should be able to do it by only listening to and obeying your commands. During an event, the dogs are timed and to win must not make any mistakes and must have the fastest time. It takes a lot of practice for a dog to be successful at this, but can be quite fun for both dog and trainer. This activity is especially good for Pit Bulls because it gives them a good outlet for all the extra energy they seem to have.

Most experts recommend not starting agility training until your dog is at least one year old, at least not to enter in a competition before that age. Many owners who train their dogs to participate in these events will purchase their own equipment to have at home, so that they can begin training the dog at an earlier age. Agility training equipment can be quite expensive, so some trainers prefer to build their own equipment. Instructions can be found online and in books that should be available either in your local library or bookstore. Owners should be careful to watch the dog for any signs of injury, because occasionally working on agility training while the puppy is still growing will put a lot of strain on joints and bones that are not fully conditioned yet. It is recommended to have your dog cleared by a veterinarian before beginning any type of agility training.

The dog should also understand and obey basic commands before beginning any other type of training. Any type of training helps dog and owner to build a better relationship with each other, allowing them to work better and better together as time goes on. You should also work through any behavior or aggression issues your Pit Bull may have before considering agility training. The results will be less satisfactory and take longer to achieve if the dog is also working through other issues.

Most Pit Bull owners that are serious about their dog competing in agility competitions will enroll him in a training class, at least to help teach him the basics, then work with the dog on their own to enhance what he has learned. Being in a class will also help your dog work on his socialization, which will make him behave better around other dogs. Pit Bulls tend to want to fight when around other dogs, especially those of the same gender.

The most important thing to remember is no matter what type of training you do with your Pit Bull, you both should enjoy it. Spending time together will help build a better bond, leading to a lasting relationship. Whether you want your dog to compete or not, the benefits for both you and the dog are many.

To learn all about Pit Bull puppies and training a Pit Bull terrier, visit http://www.pitbullsrevealed.com/ today.

Posted by admin on January 6th, 2009 under Dog Training • No Comments

Dog Training - Is Your Dog Under Control

All dogs are going to have to learn some kind of dog training. They need to learn to be obedient to you.

It’s never too early or too late to train a dog. If you have just brought a puppy, then puppy training is great, the younger the better! But whatever the age of your dog, you can teach him to obey your command.

As dog owners we have a responsibility to control our dogs. They must be well behaved around people and other dogs. They should not be loud, excessive barking must be controlled. An uncontrollable dog is only going to lead to problems.

So where do you start? Well, you can start by teaching your dog some basic dog obedience commands. Basic commands such as sit, stay, come and down will go a long way to controlling your dog in most situations. You also need to get him used to a leash and walking calmly by your side.

Reward your dog when he does something right and a short, sharp reprimand with your voice when they do wrong. You should never hit or spank your dog; this can only lead to more problems

If your dog as some dog behavior problems, it could be through boredom or lack of exercise. Be sure to exercise your dog regularly and set time aside to play with him regularly. Have fun with your dog and give him plenty of stimulation. If problems persist then you should probably start seeing a professional dog trainer.

If you’re looking to find a dog trainer. Then try consulting your veterinarian or local humane society for some recommendations. When you find a dog trainer, see if you can go along and observe a class in action. See how the dog trainer treats the dogs; does he/she appear to enjoy working with dogs?

It really is worth the time to train your dog. An obedient dog is a happy dog!

Mark Gardner is a known authority on dogs. For more information and resources on the subject, please visit http://www.at-dogs.com/

Posted by admin on January 2nd, 2009 under Dog Training • No Comments

Clicker Training - For Positive Dog Training

Looking for an easy, fun way to train your dog? Clicker training is the answer. Clicker training uses a small device, that when pressed makes a clicking sound. This click signifies to the dog, job well done. The click is usually followed up immediately with a treat.

The clicker training method doesn’t use punishment, or violence to teach the dog obedience. Clicker Training is a totally positive experience for the dog. The click provides the dog with confidence that he or she is performing the required task correctly, and the follow-up treat rewards him or her to encourage that required behavior.

Clicker Training can be used to train almost any command you can think. For example, to teach a dog to sit, you might move the treat over her head, and her head will move up forcing her butt down. When her butt hits the floor, you can click and treat. Repeat the process several times adding the “Sit” command. The dog has now been trained to sit, using the clicker training method. This is a very basic example, but this method can be applied to any aspect of the dogs training. Many experts agree clicker training is the most gentle, safest way to train a dog.

Brian Thibault is a dog training hobbiest, who specializes in clicker training. To find out more about clicker training visit, http://www.helpthedog.com.

Posted by admin on December 29th, 2008 under Dog Training • No Comments

Dog Training Equipment You Will Need

Training your dog to perform basic obedience commands can enhance your relationship with him, boost his confidence, and overall, help both of you to lead a more peaceful and happy life together! A well-trained, well-mannered dog is truly a great companion to share your life with!
In order to begin training your dog, you will need certain items that will facilitate the learning process. First of all, you will need some type of collar. We recommend using a flat, nylon buckle collar, or for very small dogs, a harness. The collar can also serve to display your dog’s identification tags in case he gets lost.

In addition to the nylon collar, you will need a 6-foot leash. You may choose any material type that you please, but we recommend using a nylon leash. Leather leashes also work very well, but can sometimes be a temptation for your dog to chew on. Metal chain leashes can be very hard on the hands during training and retractable leashes tend to be very cumbersome and hard to handle for training purposes. Nylon leashes are durable, comfortable to use and generally long-lasting.

Another essential tool for training your dog is some kind of motivator. Different dogs will be motivated by different things, so the best way to choose a motivator is to get to know your dog! Generally speaking though, nearly all dogs will respond to food or treats and those that do not, will most often respond to toys or just love and attention. For the purposes of this training ebook, we will focus on using treats as the main motivator for your dog. If your dog is motivated by toys or attention, then simply use that in place of the treats. We recommend using soft, easily breakable treats, as opposed to hard, crumbly treats. The reason being that hard treats tend to crumble onto the ground and can distract your dog from learning because he will be too busy picking up the crumbs from the ground! You will want to break the treats into very small pieces, so that they last longer and so that your dog does not start to feel full and lose interest in the treats while you are still training.

This last tool is absolutely essential to any training program. Make sure you have this tool before beginning any training exercise and, in fact, anytime you are working with you dog at all. The tool is: A Positive Attitude!! Always approach training your dog with a fun and positive outlook. Your dog will most likely pick up on your mood and respond in kind. The idea is for training to be fun and enjoyable for both of you. If you start to feel frustrated, then take a break. If you feel stressed at all, then leave training until later.

So, gather up your training equipment, round up your dog, and get ready to start training.

http://www.tall-indoor-dog-gates.com Tall indoor dog gates is a site dedicated to dog training and healthcare - give us a visit.

Posted by admin on December 25th, 2008 under Dog Training • No Comments

First Steps to Search Dog Training

The first step in training a search dog is to start with an appropriate dog. You will want a puppy if at all possible. Dogs which are rescued from shelters and so on are not necessarily your best candidate, for they may have issues from the past which will make your job much more difficult. The dog you select may be any breed but a breed with a large nose is preferable, for the nose is the most important part of the dog’s ability to scent and as a general rule, the larger the nose, the more scenting capacity is available.

The first thing to consider is that the dog must be well socialized. To “socialize” simply means to assure that the puppy has received as much exposure to all kinds of things as is possible. Begin early to get the puppy out into the world. Think of any circumstance you want your dog to be in…from the wilderness to the urban scenarios , to thunderstorms, to large crowds, to flapping flags, to noisy construction sites…and take the puppy into these environments. Begin to teach the puppy especially to love people and to insure that it receives the most joy in its life from its exposure to people. You will want to make sure that the most fun this dog ever gets is the fun it gets from being with people, for in the end the whole focus of this dog should be to find a human being.

a moving object or a toy that you have thrown? Is he afraid of anything, such as cats, other dogs, noises? Evaluate the puppy before you begin by setting up a few simple tests: is he happy to be with people? Is he brave and courageous? (will he follow you or someone else into strange rooms or strange places?) Will he go into underbrush after a toy? Will he retrieve, or at least chase and follow

The search training actually begins when you set up a “puppy runaway”. The first few times you set this up you should be the person who runs away. Use a harness because you do not want the puppy to be choked with a collar in this process and he will struggle mightily to give chase. (If he doesn’t then perhaps you need to consider a different dog.) Have someone else hold your puppy. Pick a windy day and make sure you know which direction the wind is coming from, for you will run away from your puppy into the wind. You then squat down and give him a “lovey” and a smooch, then turn and run away from your puppy, a distance of anywhere from 30 to 100 feet depending on the size of your puppy. Drop down into tall grass or hide behind a tree or bush. Then have the person release your puppy with the one word or command that you have chosen to use as the command word. A simple command: “Search!” is fine. The puppy should run after you and find you quickly and efficiently. When he does, give him lots and lots of affection, kisses, belly rubs, all of these things are preferable to food, but a food treat will do if this is the only thing that turns your dog on. This “puppy runaway” should be done two or three times a week, no more than twice each time, gradually switching to different people and YOU will handle the puppy. Do not proceed further until you know for certain that the puppy will give chase and has begun to know the meaning of the word “search” . Set it up so that he will not always run directly to the person, that there will be obstructions in the way, or very little wind, or something that will ensure that he is beginning to use his nose rather than just rushing blindly to the place he saw the person disappear. (You can even turn him around so that he can’t watch when the person is running away.) When it is clear that he is using his nose and when he understands that the word “search” means to find someone, you are on your way to the next step, the puppy’s first real “search” when he has NOT seen someone run away from him.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Dog Training

Posted by admin on December 21st, 2008 under Dog Training • No Comments