Davion W asked:


Puppy dog training for obedience is a topic close to the heart of dog lovers. Now, getting a new puppy in the house can be as joyous as having a new baby at home. It brings much excitement to everyone especially the kids. But you need to make sure that buying the puppy is not a decision made in haste or at the spur of the moment. Dogs are living creatures and not just gifts that need no maintenance. Though a little puppy can bring so much laughter and happiness, they do require a great deal of training and when that happens, it is not a fun thing to do. Expect work if you want to train puppy dog well.

Dogs are like human beings. They too have temperament as well. Surprised? A puppy’s temperament depends on their birth place and his/her breed. So pay a bit of attention here about different breeds and their personalities in order to know how to train your dog puppy correctly. Rottweilers, bull dogs, boxers and German shepherds are guard dogs and they are born with natural instincts to love and protect their human companions. Gun dogs, pointer and Labradors are born and reared as hunting dogs. Because of their background, they are naturally energetic.

Bearded and border collies, on the other hand, being herding dogs are bred and reared on farmland, and are rather active and curious about their surroundings. They are known to love moving around and don’t sit still well. You have to be a little careful when you bring them to live in cities as they may be anxious and a bit scared and nervous since they are not used to the modern environment.

Training dog puppy needs time. But do not be unduly worried as it often takes a couple of weeks before it learns dog obedience. What you need is a little bit of patience and the amount of effort you put into it. One piece of good news is you do not have to spend hours to train dog puppies as it only takes a few minutes each day over a few times. That’s all it takes.

The very first task to train dog puppy is its obedience in simple commands like come, sit, heel, stay and fetch. These are easy to follow and most puppies are able to learn that quite fast. As they grow older and bigger, you can move on to include more advanced commands like rolling over, pawing and even play dead. One thing good about training dog puppies is they are very open towards learning. They are like blank pieces of paper ready to be written on. So training a puppy dog can be quite a fun experience especially when it starts responding to you.

Like kids, what they learn in their initial growing up months would be engrained in their memories. The puppy dog training for obedience would also shape their behaviors later. All it takes is a simple rule, stick with the few minutes per session routine and keep repeating as a reminder.

Puppy dog training for obedience is so important as untrained puppies can be rather mischievous. Since they are young, during their teething stage, they develop a natural chewing behavior. This can be quite damaging for your furniture as the holes they leave can be numerous in numbers. It is good to therefore start training dog puppies early so that they learn to differentiate what is wrong and what is right behavior.

Dog owners may resort to using dog training devices or products to aid puppy dog training but this is really not that essential. A little bit more of practicing and repeating the simple commands everyday would go a long way. The whole puppy dog training takes approximately a few months. Yes it may seem tough but the rewards would be great. At the end of the training, your puppy would grow up to be a loving and obedient dog that makes a great companion.

If you are keen to find out the specific commands to execute to properly teach and train your puppy, find out from my dog obedience website where you can learn some quick and effective dog obedience training techniques to train your puppy dog.



Camelia

Noah Schettini asked:


A guard dog is usually trained to protect against unwanted or unforeseen visits from people or animals. A guard dog will restrain or attack an intruder if the intruder gets into the territory that the dog is guarding. A watch dog, on the other hand, would only give warning barks at an intruder coming within its range. Guard dog training may train a dog to do either of these two extremes and anywhere in between.

Popular guard dog breeds include Doberman Pinschers and German Shepherd Dogs. These breeds are very good candidates for guard dog duty due to their innate instinct to guard. Guard dogs must be brave, intelligent and committed to work. The instincts of these dogs must be carefully known to ensure they can still be controlled when necessary. After all, no one wants to be around a guard dog that’s out of control.

Guard dog training takes careful planning and implementation. The drive and bite must be taught. Obedience and commands must always be enforced so that the dog knows when to guard and when to take it easy.

There are different types of guard dog training. There are also different levels depending on what needs to be guarded. Guard dog training also depends on how you want your guard dog to react to different situations he may encounter. You may train a guard dog to secure a particular area, may it be your house, place of business, property, or livestock, or simply to keep valuables secured.

Guard dog training should only be administered to a dog once he has undergone basic dog obedience training. Dog obedience training is your dog’s foundation for guard duty. The better the obedience training your dog gets, the more quickly and efficiently he will be in catching on to guard dog training.

In guard dog training, it is crucial that you teach your dog to keep itself indifferent to other dogs (especially those of the opposite sex), as well as cats and mice. These distractions can cause your dog to lose focus and neglect his duty. You should also hone the dog’s barking skills. Barking is your dog’s way of alerting you when there is an intruder. The barking is also an attempt to scare away would-be intruders. However, if barking doesn’t deter the intruder, a guard dog is trained to attack or restrain.

There are different training courses for taught in guard dog training schools, all of which are tailored depending on the amount of protection you feel you need. The simplest course of guard dog training involves testing the dog for his temperament, in addition to training him with good watch dog skills. The next level may involve drive and bite work, while the most intensive courses train the dog to protect individuals and families, and are also taught how to attack and subdue intruders.

The objective of these courses is to make your dog confident, courageous and powerful. Guard dog training also establishes in your dog a passion to protect you, your family and/or your property.



Evangelina

Chris Simpson asked:


There are many wonderful benefits from learning how to appropriately train your little dog and if any of you out there are confused on how this is accomplished then perhaps you should consider purchasing yourself some dog training books, they could really be quite helpful to you. Your dog is just pretty much there for you, to play and love and feed and whatever else that you see fit. Unless you properly and efficiently train them, that is about all that they are going to do. Well, that and chew up furniture, shoes and anything else that they can get their teeth into. Not only chewing but they will also probably bark entirely too much, for no apparent reason, along with not listening to anything that you try and say to them. This is why dog training is just absolutely necessary and important for anyone who is thinking about becoming a dog owner. There are countless dog training books out there, available for teaching anyone how to properly train their dogs and all it takes is just a little bit of reading, time and some patience.

If you really are consistent with your dog training abilities, your dog will reap from it and the benefits are so worth any amount of hassle that you might have had to go through in order to properly train them. You have the ability to purchase dog training books right from your home computer system because there are so many different websites available that do offer dog training books and usually they are fairly inexpensive. There is no way at all that you could possibly read up too much about dog training because there is just always something to be learned from it and it will be so rewarding for you and your dog if you could just take the time out to spend training them and teaching them everything that they need to know. Rewarding your dog is the best way to get them to do what you are wanting them to do and being persistent ofcourse. They learn when you repeat things over and over and before you know it, they could be as well trained and well behaved as any other wonderful and amazing dog out there and it does not matter which breed they are, they are all capable of learning.

Dog training books can be so very helpful and if you find some that interest you then you should continue with your readings because you might just be amazed as to how much useful information is in these types of books. Your dog will benefit from this tremendously and you will just be thrilled by the results, no doubt about that. Talk to a friend who has experienced dog training and ask them what they think of it or which dog training book they might recommend to you, that could be very helpful in properly training your dog.



Booker

Chris Simpson asked:


There are so many different ways that a person can train their dogs and one of the best places to locate more information on this kind of stuff is right from your own home computer system. There are countless websites that are available that will provide you with free information regarding many different dog training techniques. It is very important to learn about this type of thing before you ever get yourself a dog because the older the dog is, the more difficult it is to train them. Training a new dog has its challenges but so do most other things in life right. This is something that anyone can accomplish, with the right amount of knowledge and enough determination and patience. The more you learn about dog training, the more prepared you will be and the better this whole process will turn out. It will take quite a bit of time and each dog is quite different but once you start seeing results you will be motivated to continue on with the many different dog training techniques that you have learned from doing the research.

So many people make the huge mistake of allowing their dog to think that they are the one in charge, when that is not the case at all. If you make the mistake of not letting your dog know who is in charge, there is just no chance that you will ever have the ability to properly and efficiently train them. Right from the get go you are the one in charge of your dog and you have got to teach them this from the very beginning or else you will not be very successful at training them. If you can show them who is in charge right away then you will definitely be more successful at dog training and it will show each time that you do speak a command to them. The response that you can get from your dog when you are going about dog training correctly will just seriously blow your mind at first. They have the ability to do exactly what it is that you are telling them to do, if you do things appropriately right from the beginning. Reading about all types of dog training techniques and really studying dog training will surely help you to get more prepared for successfully training your friend.

Remember whenever you do attempt any type of dog training technique that the most important rule to never forget is constant repetition. Repetition is what teaches them and if you truly stick with it and enforce it every single time, then before you know it you will have on hand a very well trained and well behaved dog, which you should be so very proud of. Dog training will never be something easy and not for anyone, however, anyone is capable of properly training their dog, if they really put their mind into it.



Doloris

Chris Simpson asked:


Anyone who has ever owned a dog knows how important it is to think about maybe applying some of those dog training techniques that you have heard from other dog owners. There are different ways to go about training any dog but some of the ways that people choose are just not acceptable at all and really do not work either. If you are going to get into dog training your dog you should really consider studying it for awhile first, so that you do not make some of those big mistakes that others have made and are still making now. There are wrong ways to go about training your dog and there are right ways, you should really try and make sure that you keep all of those negative dog training “techniques” away, because all you are doing is setting yourself and your dog up for some serious disappointment. It is now time for you to learn a little bit more about some of the very best ways to begin dog training and also learn more about some of the things that you should not be doing when trying to train your dog the right way.

The most important thing for all dog owners to keep in mind is the fact that negative dog training is only going to frustrate you, as well as your dog. There is never any reason why any dog owner should decide to punish their dog by screaming at them, cursing them or hitting them, this is just unacceptable behavior on the owners part and it is not an appropriate way to go about training them, it just will not work, ever! The very best way to teach your dog and to properly train your dog is by using positive reinforcement every single time, as well as giving them delicious treats when they do something right. Dog training is most efficient when the owner keeps his cool and treats the dog the way that he would want to be treated, without all of the negativity occurring. Start practicing right now with your dog, using positive reinforcement and rewards because it does truly work, just about every single time actually. It is your responsibility to teach your dog good habits and maybe even a few little cool tricks too. They are animals but can be very well behaved with the right kind of dog training.

Whenever your dog does what it is that you are telling him to do, then you should always remember to praise him plenty, give him a treat and never forget the positive reinforcement tip because it does work when dog training. That sweet precious dog of yours is highly capable of being the best dog around and with the right kind of dog training and a very good, happy attitude, the dog will just really surprise you, to say the least.



Isidro

Chris Simpson asked:


Anyone that does own a dog definitely hopes that they will be well trained and well behaved because of it. Well, for so many families, they have the unfortunate experience of having to deal with a dog that is just really too aggressive, which can really create some problems and concerns within the family. It is very, very important for anyone who owns a dog and has children to remember that they are responsible for using good judgment while choosing the best dog most suitable to be around children and once they get their dog at home, it is also their responsibility to properly train their dogs so that there is no reason to have any concerns about the dog being too aggressive with your children. There are plenty of different websites online that can provide you with endless amounts of helpful information regarding proper and efficient dog training techniques, for any families that do possibly have these types of concerns about their dogs.

So many dog owners make the terrible mistake of “training” their dogs in a very inappropriate manner, which can really turn a good dog into a dangerous dog, seriously. If you are an owner of a dog and do have small children there are so many different things that you should really take into consideration in order to protect your children and raise a healthy, happy and very friendly canine. With the appropriate dog training techniques, which you can learn about over the internet or even in books, you should have the ability to have your very own, well behaved, very well trained and safe dog, for you and your family, including your little ones, to love and enjoy for a very long time. The family dog is just that, a member of the family, so be sure that you take the time out to perform every task necessary to ensure the safety of your children when your dog is around, by teaching them how to behave at all times. They are very smart animals and with the right kind of training they are really capable of doing just about anything that you ask of them, if they are taught.

Allow your dog to be free sometimes, take them for walks, or maybe take a trip to the park nearby, you and your dog will definitely enjoy this bonding experience and it has many wonderful benefits as well. Your dog will begin to enjoy your company and trust in you, which will seriously make your dog training techniques actually work, every single time. Before you know it, you and your family will have a friend, your dog, to love and have fun with every chance that you get. If you have a dog and are having trouble getting them trained properly then perhaps you should consider taking them to a professional dog trainer. It will cost you but the peace of mind that it gives to you and your family will make it so worth it.



Georgiann

Dan Skriver asked:


A lot of people have pets and most have either a cat or a dog. Pets are more common in the households of older people and as the large baby boomer generation grows older, it will lead to a substantial increase in the pet population. For many baby boomers, getting a pet later in life will present some unexpected challenges. Especially if the pet of choice is a dog. A cat is in general much easier to have than a dog. However, many people prefer a dog because it is loyal and, as we all know, man’s best friend.

However, more so than cats, dogs should be properly trained. Not that dogs are inherently bad, but they become very enthusiastic and they will take over your house and your life, if not trained.

Dogs are pack animals. They need structure and above all they need a leader. For you and your dog to have a good life together you must be the leader and training the dog will get you there.

The are a number of options you should know before you embark on a dog training program. Dog training is offered everywhere, at many different prices and of many different types.

One type of dog training is known as puppy preschool. This is a dog training course meant for puppies that are about 6 weeks to 5 months old. These puppy preschool classes generally last for no more than 6 to 8 weeks. In these training sessions, your puppy is essentially taught how to socialize with people and as well as other puppies. Here your puppy also begins to learn how to sit down, stay at a place, and how to come.

A second type of dog training course is meant for the dogs that are at least 5 months old. This type of dog training is known as the basic dog training. The duration of these classes is usually about 8 to 10 weeks. This is the basic course, where your dog is taught the art of walking properly on a leash, sitting, staying, coming and heeling.

The third type of dog training course is known as the intermediate dog training. This dog training aims at teaching the dog mostly the same things that are taught in the basic training course, in a more detailed form. Here the dog is trained to stay for a longer span of time, and is also taught to follow the orders given by other people.

The intermediate dog training generally lasts for about 8 to 10 weeks, and is meant for those that are no less than 5 months old. It is essential for the dog to have completed its basic dog training course, or to be accustomed to the basic commands that could have been taught by the owner.

The next type of training course is known as the advanced dog training course. Here, once again, the course is quite similar to its previous one, i.e., the intermediate dog training course, except for the fact that this time it is more detailed. Here, the dog is taught how to sit even without you in the view.

This training course is about 8 to 10 weeks long, and is meant for those that have completed their intermediate training. Here, they are also trained to walk beside their owners without a leash. Moreover, it gradually prepares the dog to take the Canine Good Citizen training course.

The Canine Good Citizen training for dogs is the last course. To pass this course, your dog will be taught the 10 necessary aspects.

This course is strictly meant for those dogs that have completed all the previous courses. The test is quite tough and can only be passed if the dog is really well behaved. Depending on whether your dog can pass, the course can last for several weeks.

Keeping this information in mind, you should be able to decide the dog training course best suited for your dog. However, you may seek the opinion of your local dog trainers to know more. Many trainers consult for free. So now you should be at least a step closer to introducing your dog into a training course!



Arline

Jay Jacovitz asked:


“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Mahatma Gandhi.

MYTH #1 — You need to use a choke collar to leash train your dog. This is just not true and choke collars should only be used by those experienced in their use if at all. Choke collars do exactly what they say — they cut off your dog’s air supply! Needless to say, it’s a health hazard and you can do serious damage to your dog’s esophagus!

MYTH #2 — You need a prong (spike) collar to train “tough” dogs. This is not true just like myth #1 is not true. Prong collars have spikes that jab into your poor dog’s neck every time the leash is jerked. The truth is that most people do NOT need to discipline their dogs in this aggressive way! Only experienced dog-training professionals should be using prong collars, and they know the special situations that call for it. This collar should NEVER be used by the average dog owner.

MYTH #3 — You need an electronic shock collar to stop your dog’s barking. No feeling person should imagine that this modern convenience is a humane act, and in truth it is just not necessary. It’s EASY to stop a dog’s barking without using something as inhumane as SHOCKING! 

Studies show shock collars work on only a small percentage of dogs and it teaches the dog to be afraid of the collar! What is worse, you are creating tremendous stress and most likely serious damage to your dog’s immune system!

MYTH #4 — You need to dominate your dog by using physical force (smacking, hitting, and choking). Your dog needs to view you and the family members as the “pack leader”. But this respect is not accomplished or earned by beating your dog!!!!! In the wild, a pack leader doesn’t suddenly overreact and beat its pack members into the ground.

A pack leader is calm, consistent, and fair. Sure you can beat a dog into obedience. You can smack it, yell at it, and shock it to force it to obey your every command, but this abuse will not gain your dog’s  respect — it’ll just make your dog fearful of you and have to suffer a life of anxiety! It won’t love you… and you will NOT have earned its unwavering loyalty. Your dog will be afraid of you, cower and grovel submissively every time you make a fast move in its direction and will always be looking for a way to escape your company.

Is THIS the kind of relationship you want with your dog? Of course not…

MYTH #5 — You need to YELL at your dog, so it perceives you as tough. Yelling accomplishes little with people and even less with dogs that do not speak your language. To a dog yelling sounds like frantic barking — which the dog will interpret as something is wrong! Good trainers can easily control their dogs with a quiet whisper, body language and hand signals…. And, of course, there are other less than intelligent and inappropriate training recommendations like throwing bottles filled with rocks at your dog, putting your dog on prozac, isolating it from the family, and tons more horrible actions directed at dogs in the name of discipline and training.

Make your dog LOVE you…not SCARED of you!

You may be wondering, if negative reinforcement doesn’t work, why do so many dog trainers insist you should PUNISH your dog to train it?

This is how a lot of so-called “professional” trainers make their money!

These are trainers who intimidate and force the dogs to do what they want (the William Koehler trainers) that today we regard as old school “yank and crank” trainers being kind, cruel and abusive to be accurate. The problem with yank and crank trainers is the dogs seldom like their handlers and in fact are often afraid of them, and their training produces inconsistent results along with dogs that don’t like or respect their owners. If you don’t have a good bond with your dog, or if your dog does not respect you as a pack leader, you will never reach consistency in training.

A modern compassionate “Hands-Off Dog Training Program” focuses on teaching YOU how to train your dog using simple voice commands, handle signals, and well-timed positive reinforcement. Free Video CLICK HERE

This type of training program gets results QUICKLY because your dog actually has fun!

This type of training can Stop your dog’s WORST habit in just 6 days…Without laying a finger on your dog!

Problems such as:

1. Constantly pees on your favorite rug or couch

2. Barks out your window like crazy at people and cars

3. Growls at you for “invading” its favorite couch space

4. Jumps on you, your family, and friends

5. Plays too rough with your kids

6. Refuses to “come” when called

7. Ignores basic obedience commands like “sit”

8. Tries to dig or chew its way out of your backyard

9. Constantly begs for food at the kitchen table

… Or whatever other problems you may be having.

 

You can be taught how to tap into your dog’s natural canine instincts and manipulate its behavior. And the best news is it will only take you 5-10 minutes of training per day so within just 6 days of starting this program, you’ll have put an end to your dog’s most annoying and destructive habits…

… And best of all, it’ll only take you 5-10 minutes of training per day!

For the rest of the story…CLICK HERE



Elizabet

Chris Simpson asked:


Everyone that owns a dog needs to know about the different ways that you can properly train your dog and teach them to be very well behaved, which they are totally capable of doing. In this article I want to discuss with you some of the important information regarding dog training techniques that can and will eventually help you to teach your dog. There are many different dog training schools where you could take your dog, so do not worry about things, you will have several different options to choose from. Some of these dog training schools are very expensive, so you should be well prepared to take care of these expenses in order to have your dog professionally trained. Each of these dog training schools all have pretty much the same thing in mind, high hopes of properly and efficiently training your pooch, however, they do all have their own little speciality training, depending on what your specific needs are for your dog and ofcourse it also depends on the age of your dog as well.

Most of the dog training courses usually last up to about ten weeks atleast, except for the training of puppies, they normally only would go to puppy training school, which is kind of like a preschool for dogs, for about up to six weeks. Generally at the end of any of the dog training courses there will also be some type of dog training test that your dog will actually be required to pass before they can “graduate” dog training school. These types of tests are definitely pretty complicated and in order for your dog to actually pass this type of test they will really need to be adequately, professionally trained in several other dog training courses. Once your dog has gone through several weeks of really tough training, and have also passed the last and final dog training tests, your dog will then be able to come back home and show off all of his new found structure and training skills, among many other things as well. You will be more than pleased by the results of the dog training school that you had sent them through and they will be so confident and proud of themselves and willing to show off in front of company constantly.

Dog training schools can definitely change your dogs entire persona, as well as giving the owner a tremendous feeling of happiness and thankfulness that they dog training school had it in them to really pull this off. It will totally be worth any amount of money spent and the results will seriously blow your mind, each and every time that you get to witness their wonderful, well trained behavior. The internet, along with talking to dog training professionals, is a great way to get information that is quite helpful, as well as getting so much helpful information regarding dog training, that can and will really help you out.



Bridgette

Phil Donahoe asked:


When it comes to dog training there are two differing sides of opinion when it comes to dogs and their digging habits. Firstly, many dog trainers think that a dog is a dog, and we should permit him to express his true canine nature by allowing him free reign over the yard and flowerbeds. The other dog training experts feel that a flowerbed is a flowerbed, and no dog should even think about expression his dogginess if such an expression comes at the price of a ruined flowerbed.

Most leading dog training experts favor the middle ground for training your dog. Although many dogs do love to dig, and it is healthy for them to be permitted to dig once in a while, there’s a difference between allowing your dog to express their inner puppy, and allowing him to run rampant in the backyard. No dog training professional would agree that a dog should have to come at the price of a garden, and vice versa. When if comes to dog training, flowers and dogs can coexist peacefully if you train your dog correctly. If your dog’s developed a taste for digging, it will just take a bit of time, and some ingenuity, on your part to resolve the dog training problem satisfactorily.

To start with, if you have yet to adopt a dog and your concern for the fate of your garden is purely hypothetical, consider the breed of dog that you would like. If you’ve got your eye on a specific mixed-breed dog, what aspect of his mixed dog heritage seems to be the most prominent?

Dog breed often plays a significant role in any given dog’s personal opinion of digging as a rewarding and valuable dog pastime – many terriers and Nordic breeds in particular (Huskies, Malamutes, some members of the Spitz family for example) seem to particularly enjoy digging.

Every dog training expert will, of course, say that when you get right down to the sum and substance, every dog is first and foremost an individual, and there’s no real way to predict whether or not your chosen four legged friend is going to be a burrower or not. However, if you’re trying to reduce the likelihood of an involuntarily-landscaped garden as much as possible, It is suggested you stay away from all breeds of terrier (and for those that did not know, the name means ‘go to earth’, after all!) and the Nordic breeds.

Why do dogs dig?

Dog training professionals often agree on the following reasons, and they are in no particular order, as to why a dog will dig:

* General Lack of exercise. Digging is a good way for a hyped-up, under-exercised dog to burn off some of their nervous energy.

* Boredom. Bored dogs will find a ‘job’ to do, something rewarding and interesting, to help the time pass by.

* Digging is often the ideal solution for a bored dog: it gives him a sense of purpose, and distracts him from an otherwise-empty day.

* The need for broader horizons. Some dogs are just escape artists by nature – no matter how much exercise and attention they get, it’s nearly impossible to confine them to an area. For a Doggy-Houdini, it’s not the digging itself that is the reward, it is the wonderful unknown that exists beyond the boundaries they were confined to and dogs love to explore a world of unfamiliar scents.

* Separation anxiety. Often when a dog is seriously pining for your company, digging under those confining walls represents the most direct path to you. Separation anxiety is an unpleasant psychological issue relatively common among dogs – but because it’s so complex, we won’t be dealing with it in this article but keep an eye out because I will be writing about that in detail in another article.

Training the habit out of your dog

Dog training experts agree that most of the reasons contributing to your dog’s desire to dig suggest their own solutions. If your dog’s not getting enough exercise (generally speaking, at least forty-five minutes worth of vigorous walking per day), take him for more walks it will help you and your dog stay fit and healthy. If your dog is bored, give him some interesting and durable toys and chews to play with during your absence, and wear him out before you leave so he spends most of the day napping. As for an escape-artist dog, they might need to be crated, or at least kept inside the house where he’s less likely to be able to break out of his or her confines.

For those dogs who just like to dig as a pastime in itself, though, here are a few basic dog training tips for controlling inappropriate excavation as much as is reasonably possible:

* Restrict your dog’s access to the area concerned. This is the most effective thing you can do: if he’s never in the yard without active supervision, there’s no opportunity for digging his own personal tunneling system.

* Use a natural deterrent. Almost all dogs will shy back, horrified, from the prospect of digging anywhere that there’s dog ****. Even the ones who like to eat **** (a condition known as coprophagia) generally won’t dig anywhere near it as it offends their basic natural, fastidious dislike of soiling their coat and paws.

* Use nature’s own protection. If the continued digging is bothering you because it’s upsetting the more delicate blooms in your garden, plant hardier blossoms: preferably, those with deep roots and thorny defenses. Roses are ideal and a natural deterrent.

* A more time-consuming, but super-effective way of dog training is to roll up the first inch or two of turf in your yard, and lay down chicken-wire underneath it. Your dog won’t know it is there until he’s had a few tries at digging, but once he’s convinced himself that it’s pointless (which won’t take long), he’ll never dig in that yard again. As we say, time consuming but very, very effective.

Accept your dog’s need for an outlet, give him a place to dig

If your dog is set on tunneling your yard into a pot marked, grassless lunar landscape, but you’re equally determined to prevent this from happening at all costs, take a moment to consider before embarking on a grueling and time-consuming preventative strategy.

Setting yourself the goal of eradicating all digging behavior, period, is pretty unrealistic. It is not fair on you (since, really, you’re setting yourself up for failure), and it’s not really fair on your poor dog either. If he’s a natural-born digging machine, it’s just part of his personality, and he needs at least some opportunity to express that in some form.

But a lawn and a dog don’t have to be mutually exclusive. The most humane and understanding thing for you to do in this case is simply to redirect his digging energy where you can live with it and he can love you for it.

The simplest dog training solution in this case is allocating him an area where he’s allowed to dig as much as he pleases. Once this zone’s been established, you can make it understood that there is to be absolutely no digging in the rest of the garden, and you can enforce your rules with a clear conscience. As set these boundaries you know your dog now has his own little corner of the world to turn upside down and inside out as he chooses and all parties are happy.

But what if you don’t have a “spare corner” of the backyard for your little digger to call his own? What if the whole thing, grass, flowerbeds, and gravel path, is just too dear to your heart? This is ok, there is a solution to this as well. You can invest in a sandbox, which you can place anywhere in the garden.

You can even make one yourself (the deeper, the better, obviously). Fill it with a mixture of sand and earth, and put some leaves or grass on top if you like for effect and get your dog interested in it by having a scratch around yourself, until he gets the idea.

Ensuring the boundaries are clear

One great dog training tip is to make it clear to him that the sandbox is OK but that everywhere else is a no-dig zone, spend a little time supervising him. When he starts to dig in the box (you can encourage this by shallowly burying a few choice marrowbones in there), praise him energetically – and if he starts digging anywhere else, correct him straight away with an extended finger or hand command and state a firm “No!” or “ahh-ah-ahhhh”.

Then, redirect him immediately to the sandbox, and dole out vociferous praise when digging recommences.

To really clarify the lesson, give him a treat when digging gets underway in the sandbox – the close proximity between the correction (for digging out of the sandbox) and praise/reward (for digging in the sandbox) will ensure that your point strikes home and you will have dog training success.



Ashton