Tether Training
The purpose of tethering is to confine your new dog an area near you where he/she will be safe and secure without causing problems in your home. The tether is a short plastic coated wire cable with a snap on one end and a loop on the other. It should be approximately 2 to 3 feet long. The short length of the tether is essential to prevent the dog from becoming tangled. The snap enables you to quickly attach the tether around any heavy furniture leg or through an eyebolt. It is plastic coated to prevent damage to the furniture. It can also be used in the car around seat belts. The cable is wire to prevent the dog from chewing through it. We suggest using several tether locations, one in the kitchen, in the living room, near the bed, and in the car.
When you bring your new dog or puppy home and have time to spend with him/her, the dog must be tethered near you or on a leash with you at all times. If you cannot supervise your dog, he/she should be in the crate or outside. The tether is used for training, not as a crutch.
The tether enables your dog to be in the house at all times. Never use the tether outside and do not use the tether if your dog is alone in the home. You don't need to be in the room but you must be at home. This will actually increase your dog's freedom. The dog will be able to go more places with you if you can place the dog knowing he/she will fell secure and not create a problem.
We recommend continued use of the tether and crate until the dog fully understands the new environment, with a gradual reduction thereafter.
Use of the tether allows for the following:
Bonding - Allowing the new dog to be with or near you is essential to creating a loving and secure relationship between you and your dog. If there is no place available to tether the dog, keep the dog with you at all times by holding the leash or securing it to your belt loop.
Security - Tethering gives the dog the security of knowing where he/she belongs and how to act, not only in your home but when you take the dog to a new environment.
Housebreaking - Dogs do not like to relieve themselves in their immediate area. Make sure you take your dog out on a routine basis and praise appropriate elimination. If elimination does not occur, return the dog to the crate for 15 to 30 minutes and then take out again.
Calming - Tethering calms the dog inside the home or car. The dog should be on the tether for a minimum of 30 minutes and can stay tethered for longer.
Destructive Chewing - Close tethering prevents the dog from destroying your possessions. Provide stationary toys such as Nyla-bones or Flossys. Do not use balls that might roll away and cause the dog to bark.
Socialization - By using the tether you are allowing your dog to be near you but not to be the center of attention 24 hours a day.
A dog who can be tethered without causing problems, possesses a skill that will be handy in many situations over his/her lifetime. Remember the dog's greatest joy in life is to be near you and to please you. ASPCA
Monday, May 26, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
The value of teaching "Place" to dogs & puppies
Getting a new puppy or adopting an older dog is a wonderful thing and can be a very rewarding experience. However, being a dog trainer with young kids in the house, I have found that the excitement of a puppy tends to wear thin after only a few short weeks. Then the duties of raising a puppy or caring for an older dog can become a chore. Compound these newfound responsibilities with destructive behavior and potty training problems and there’s big trouble in Paradise. People will surrender their fresh sod, lawn lighting, Bar-B-Q covers, hoses, Roses and pool toys to a crazy lovable Lab. But when the couch has already been replaced, the chair legs are nawed down to stumps and every room smells like urine they start looking for a new home for their four-legged friend. I have found that the most tolerant of people typically will give up a puppy after about a year of dealing with these problems. The easiest way to avoid these problems is with proper management and obedience training. For me, “proper management” means know where your pup/dog is at all times. ensure that they are safe and unable to get into trouble at all times. I try to achieve this by using a crate or a puppy pen in the house and teaching the “Place” command early on. I would also add that the outdoor area where your dog can play or lie around must be secure to keep him from running into the street and MUST provide shelter from the elements and fresh water. The business of managing your dog is a lifetime commitment. Dogs don’t move out when they grow up but if you teach them well, you will be glad that they don’t. The management of your dog will loosen up as he begins to mature and handle more responsibility. First he will have limited freedom in one small area and when he does well there the area will eventually increase to the entire house if that is your desire. Remember that dogs are domesticated animals and have been bred to live with us not against us. I hope this short video gives you an idea as to what I mean by “Place”. It is a great way for dogs to be a part of the family and learn to have some self control. Oh, if you have a mouthy puppy give’em something like a peanut butter filled Kong toy to chew on while they hang out on their bed. If you need some help just give me a call at: 866-957-DOGS (3647) you can also get a lot of free info on my site. Visit us at: http://WWW.BEYONDTHELEASH.COM Thanks for taking the time time to visit my blog.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
If I Did Not Have Animals
If I Didn't Have Animals . . . .
‑ author unknown ‑
© I could walk around the yard barefoot in safety.
© My house could be carpeted instead of tiled and laminated.
© All flat surfaces, clothing, furniture, and cars would be free of hair.
© When the doorbell rings, it wouldn't sound like a kennel.
© When the doorbell rings, I could get to the door without wading through fuzzy bodies who beat me there.
© I could sit on the couch and my bed the way I wanted, without taking into consideration how much space several fur bodies would need to get comfortable.
© I would not have strange presents under my Christmas tree ‑‑ dog bones, stuffed animals, toys, treats nor would I have to explain to people why I wrap them.
© I would have money and no guilt about going on a real vacation.
© I would not be on a first‑name basis with 6 veterinarians, as I put their yet unborn grandkids thru college.
© The most used words in my vocabulary would not be: out, sit, down, come, no, stay, and leave him/her/it ALONE.
© My house would not be cordoned off into zones with baby gates or barriers.
© My house would not look like a day care center ‑ toys everywhere.
© My pockets would not contain things like poop bags, treats and an extra leash.
© I would no longer have to Spell the words B‑A‑L‑L‑, F‑R‑I‑S‑B‑E‑ E, W‑A‑L‑K, or T‑R‑E‑A‑T.
© I would not have as many leaves INSIDE my house as outside.
© I would not look strangely at people who think having ONE dog/cat ties them down too much.
© I'd look forward to spring and the melting of snow instead of dreading mud season.
© I would not have to answer the question "Why do you have so many dogs/animals?" from people who will never have the joy in their lives of knowing they are loved unconditionally by someone as close to an angel as they will ever get.
How empty my life would be.
‑ author unknown ‑
© I could walk around the yard barefoot in safety.
© My house could be carpeted instead of tiled and laminated.
© All flat surfaces, clothing, furniture, and cars would be free of hair.
© When the doorbell rings, it wouldn't sound like a kennel.
© When the doorbell rings, I could get to the door without wading through fuzzy bodies who beat me there.
© I could sit on the couch and my bed the way I wanted, without taking into consideration how much space several fur bodies would need to get comfortable.
© I would not have strange presents under my Christmas tree ‑‑ dog bones, stuffed animals, toys, treats nor would I have to explain to people why I wrap them.
© I would have money and no guilt about going on a real vacation.
© I would not be on a first‑name basis with 6 veterinarians, as I put their yet unborn grandkids thru college.
© The most used words in my vocabulary would not be: out, sit, down, come, no, stay, and leave him/her/it ALONE.
© My house would not be cordoned off into zones with baby gates or barriers.
© My house would not look like a day care center ‑ toys everywhere.
© My pockets would not contain things like poop bags, treats and an extra leash.
© I would no longer have to Spell the words B‑A‑L‑L‑, F‑R‑I‑S‑B‑E‑ E, W‑A‑L‑K, or T‑R‑E‑A‑T.
© I would not have as many leaves INSIDE my house as outside.
© I would not look strangely at people who think having ONE dog/cat ties them down too much.
© I'd look forward to spring and the melting of snow instead of dreading mud season.
© I would not have to answer the question "Why do you have so many dogs/animals?" from people who will never have the joy in their lives of knowing they are loved unconditionally by someone as close to an angel as they will ever get.
How empty my life would be.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Training Your Dog To Heel
Training Your Dog To Heel
Article Written by Anthony Stai
1
points
One of the first commands your dog learns ought to be the 'HEEL' command. This command will be useful in insuring the security of your dog while out in public and will make you look like the proprietor of a well-mannered and lovable dog. To add to the magnificence of all this, the command itself is rather easy and almost any dog can be taught the meaning of the command with 30 minutes or so of effort.
So what is the function of the 'heel' command? This one word command tells your dog that the animal is to saunter in a straight line at your side, not earlier than or following you. This provides security for your dog in public places as well as for yourself. The command keeps your dog at your side rather than running throughout the picnic blankets of recreational area goers and, if you possess a larger more menacing breed, makes you appear a less friendly target to would-be criminal elements.
Wow, that sounds great' How do I educate my dog? Well, it isn't as tricky as you might believe. There are two all-purpose methods of training. One uses merely positive reinforcement and the other uses a combination of both positive and negative strategy. First we will discuss the positive reinforcement method.
In this technique, you have to first put your dog on a short leash and acquire quite a few of the dogs preferred foodstuff treats, little pieces of dried out kibble from the animals dog food is normally appropriate. Decide which side you have a preference your dog to walk on and train from this side in the subsequent manner. With the dog by your side, in front of in the same direction, put a treat in your hand subsequently to your hip. In a hard, yet kind voice, say 'heel' and walk onward. When the dog responds by stepping with you, commend them and reward them with the treat. Remember to be consistent and not to reward prior to the feat is carried out, yet at all times reward for a good performance. With a lot of patience, this technique will work fine for most dogs and results in a close bonding of the dog to the owner. However, some dogs are just naturally harder to train, just like some people. If you are blessed with one of these independent and physically powerful willed pets then you might have to avail yourself of a different technique of training, which was mentioned previous in this discussion.
To use the second training technique, you have to start with a somewhat longer leash of approximately seven to ten feet. Allow your dog a little moments to travel around the boundaries of the leash and understand how it works. Then call the animal to your side and position manually as before with the animal next to you, facing the same direction. In a hard voice, say 'heel' and walk onward. At this time, the dog will most likely not walk with you. It will, in its place, begin to travel around most probable running in a different direction than wherever you are leading. To fix this behavior, revolve in the opposite direction of the pets' direction of travel and take a few steps onward, fairly briskly, as you hoist the leash to shoulder height and let it play out after you. The outcome of this act will be seen as the animal rapidly reaches the finish of the leash and their onward impetus teaches them the era aged physics lesson that 'Every deed has an equivalent and opposite reaction.' The animal will fairly rapidly learn that to refuse to comply the heel command results in a discomforting feeling from the abrupt stop at the end of the leash and, after a short while, will be taught to abide by the command. When the dog reaches the condition of obedience, be certain to reward them with lots of positive reinforcements, such as play time and treats, along with rich spoken praise.
Whichever of these methods you choose in the training of your dog, the 'heel' command is certain to go a long way in making you a greatly more contented dog owner who will be proud to demonstrate your dog anyplace. Remember to train with love, patience and consistency and your dog will return you with devotion and many, many years of companionship.
About the Author:
Anthony Stai is a proud contributing author and writes articles on several pet related topics including dog training. You can see more of Anthony's articles on his Dog Training informational web site located at http://www.petinformation4you.com
Article Written by Anthony Stai
1
points
One of the first commands your dog learns ought to be the 'HEEL' command. This command will be useful in insuring the security of your dog while out in public and will make you look like the proprietor of a well-mannered and lovable dog. To add to the magnificence of all this, the command itself is rather easy and almost any dog can be taught the meaning of the command with 30 minutes or so of effort.
So what is the function of the 'heel' command? This one word command tells your dog that the animal is to saunter in a straight line at your side, not earlier than or following you. This provides security for your dog in public places as well as for yourself. The command keeps your dog at your side rather than running throughout the picnic blankets of recreational area goers and, if you possess a larger more menacing breed, makes you appear a less friendly target to would-be criminal elements.
Wow, that sounds great' How do I educate my dog? Well, it isn't as tricky as you might believe. There are two all-purpose methods of training. One uses merely positive reinforcement and the other uses a combination of both positive and negative strategy. First we will discuss the positive reinforcement method.
In this technique, you have to first put your dog on a short leash and acquire quite a few of the dogs preferred foodstuff treats, little pieces of dried out kibble from the animals dog food is normally appropriate. Decide which side you have a preference your dog to walk on and train from this side in the subsequent manner. With the dog by your side, in front of in the same direction, put a treat in your hand subsequently to your hip. In a hard, yet kind voice, say 'heel' and walk onward. When the dog responds by stepping with you, commend them and reward them with the treat. Remember to be consistent and not to reward prior to the feat is carried out, yet at all times reward for a good performance. With a lot of patience, this technique will work fine for most dogs and results in a close bonding of the dog to the owner. However, some dogs are just naturally harder to train, just like some people. If you are blessed with one of these independent and physically powerful willed pets then you might have to avail yourself of a different technique of training, which was mentioned previous in this discussion.
To use the second training technique, you have to start with a somewhat longer leash of approximately seven to ten feet. Allow your dog a little moments to travel around the boundaries of the leash and understand how it works. Then call the animal to your side and position manually as before with the animal next to you, facing the same direction. In a hard voice, say 'heel' and walk onward. At this time, the dog will most likely not walk with you. It will, in its place, begin to travel around most probable running in a different direction than wherever you are leading. To fix this behavior, revolve in the opposite direction of the pets' direction of travel and take a few steps onward, fairly briskly, as you hoist the leash to shoulder height and let it play out after you. The outcome of this act will be seen as the animal rapidly reaches the finish of the leash and their onward impetus teaches them the era aged physics lesson that 'Every deed has an equivalent and opposite reaction.' The animal will fairly rapidly learn that to refuse to comply the heel command results in a discomforting feeling from the abrupt stop at the end of the leash and, after a short while, will be taught to abide by the command. When the dog reaches the condition of obedience, be certain to reward them with lots of positive reinforcements, such as play time and treats, along with rich spoken praise.
Whichever of these methods you choose in the training of your dog, the 'heel' command is certain to go a long way in making you a greatly more contented dog owner who will be proud to demonstrate your dog anyplace. Remember to train with love, patience and consistency and your dog will return you with devotion and many, many years of companionship.
About the Author:
Anthony Stai is a proud contributing author and writes articles on several pet related topics including dog training. You can see more of Anthony's articles on his Dog Training informational web site located at http://www.petinformation4you.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)