Contrary to popular belief, there are not as many training styles as there are trainers. Despite individual differences, people handling dogs fall into clearly recognizable categories. And no matter your individual style or that of your dog, there remain certain truisms. The Too-Easily Frustrated No activity apart from human childrearing requires as much patience as…
Like humans, dogs are individuals. Some, through a combination of genetics, circumstances and self-development display assertive characteristics and others are more passive. Assertive dogs seek alpha (leader) status, forcibly remove rawhide bones or toys from others, try to enter doors first and are generally more demanding of attention. Passive dogs – either with, without or…
Of course, ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ is a myth. Like humans, or many other species, dogs learn new things every day throughout life. My ten-year old Golden is still mentally alert and eager to ‘play’ in new ways. But, also like humans, learning new behavior is often as much a matter…
The creativity of trainers and those who supply them with additional tools is never-ending. To the new or casual trainer there appears a dizzying array of devices. Though many are useful, they shouldn’t be viewed as substitutes for training knowledge. Before using any of the tools discussed below, be sure your dog is in good…
Proper training begins even before the pup is born. While it’s not always possible to buy a pup from champions, selecting the proper breed and temperament is essential. Choosing a pup starts with choosing the dam and sire, whenever possible. The pup’s parents should be active, alert and amenable to training and preferably gaming dogs…
No project, apart from raising a child, requires more patience than dog training. All breeds have different attributes that present challenges. Some are intelligent, but boisterous and easily distracted. Some are eager to please, but dim-witted. But special considerations are required for size. Small dogs are easily transported, providing more choices for a training area…
Though dog-human interaction goes back thousands of years, communication between the two is still sometimes rough. The human half of the pair is usually the smarter party, but watching the usual training sessions one can have legitimate reason to wonder. Dogs understand and respond at roughly the mental level of a human two-year-old, but there…
And you thought normal dog training was difficult. Sit, stay, down, come, heel… all require weeks or more of dedicated trainer and dog effort to master. Now, consider the months or years needed to train a police, search and rescue, guide or other service dog. Training these special animals starts with careful selection. It’s no…
Once upon a time, seeing-eye (guide) dogs were almost the only type of assistance dog around. Over the last few decades, the field has widened considerably. Today, dogs help the hearing impaired, the blind, wheelchair bound and bedridden. Others simply provide a new kind of therapy for prisoners, burn victims, the clinically depressed or merely…
It’s no accident that some breeds are more commonly found as working dogs. Retrievers, Shepherds and a few others tend to have the physical characteristics, intelligence and temperament needed to perform the complex behaviors even they need several years to master. Specialized training for service, assistance or even therapy dogs begins before birth and continues…