Dog Training - Why Training Is Vital

The word ‘vital’ has its roots in the Latin word for life. That gives us a clue to why dog training is so important, both for owner and dog - it enhances the quality of life for each.

Though dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years, they still have much of the wild in their natures. They adapt well to home life, but they are still dogs, not furry small children. Training helps maximize peace and security for both the dog and the family.

Read the rest of this entry »

Dog Training - Training Show Dogs

Over 130 different breeds compete in major dog shows, such as the Westminster in the US or Crufts in the UK. But there’s a good deal more to developing a show dog than simply acquiring a dog of one of those breeds and teaching it to sit or stay.

Within any breed there are dogs that are closer to the ‘ideal’ than others. This ‘conformation’ is an important first criteria. Conformation refers to the specific arrangement of parts - legs, tail, head, ears, etc - that determine the dog’s appearance. Since this is difficult to judge in young puppies, show dogs are often the offspring of other show dogs.

Read the rest of this entry »

I think a big reason for the success of the Sit Means Sit businesses, and the successful model is the simple fact of how our technology allows us to keep in constant communication with our dogs.

It is very similar to back quite a few years ago when we could only talk on the phone that was attached to the wall with a limited cord on it. Today we have cell phones that give us a lot more flexibility in our communications. This is the same with our dog training, and gives us a tremendous advantage over company’s that are ‘limited’ to just the length of a leash. We can do everything they can do, plus a lot more and in a timely fashion, that can also have the information more easily transferred, and the obvious advantages in dealing with deaf dogs, and with people that have disabilities.

Read the rest of this entry »

Dog Training - Training Rescued Dogs

Normal dog training requires patience that is greater nowhere else but childrearing. Training rescued dogs takes even more.

Though sterilizing dogs - spaying (removing female organs) and neutering (removing male organs) - has been common practice for decades, birth rates continue to outpace ownership. Add to that a percentage who are lost or wander away and the problem grows larger.

The inevitable result is a large number of dogs who often end in facilities where they’re either adopted or terminated.

Read the rest of this entry »

Dog Training - Training Non-neutered Dogs

Not every dog gets spayed (removal of female reproductive organs) or neutered (removal of male organs). Whether through an intention to breed or other motive, many individuals leave their companions intact. Left with a full complement of nature’s hormones, these dogs can react differently than their surgically altered counterparts.

Males with the normal amount of testosterone tend to be prone to seek alpha (leader) status, and when exposed to a female in heat will often ignore commands. Licking behavior increases, the male will gently head butt a female in the neck, and eventually try to mount.

Read the rest of this entry »

Dog owners often run into the same issues and I can relate to them from experience. I have fallen for the same tricks when Kensho played them on me.

Question from a desperate dog owner:

“My 7 month old pup is more than picky when it comes to her food! She just doesn’t LIKE any of it, so she won’t eat very much. I’m to the point where I think if she’s hungry enough she will eat it!

I started with Nutro Lamb & Rice, she won’t eat that anymore, then changed to Chicken Soup… it gave her the runs… then to Canidae Chicken & Rice.. she wouldn’t eat it… now I have California Natural Lamb & Rice, which she will only eat if I mix in a little canned food (and even then she will only pick around and eat the canned food). It also gave her runny poop today.

Read the rest of this entry »

Dog Training - Training Older Dogs

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 of unlearning old ways. Dogs do have a strong tendency toward habits, and modifying or extending those habits after years of repetition takes extra patience and focused guidance.

Read the rest of this entry »

Dog Training - Training Devices, Tools Not Substitutes

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 health. Even the gentlest of collars or training regimes can do harm if the dog has a skin sore or twisted dew claw.

Read the rest of this entry »

Dog Training - Training the Trainer

Dog training philosophies vary as much as dogs and trainers do. Most professionals agree, however, that a large part of training dogs consists of training the trainers.

Whether those trainers are pet owners or professionals they need many of the same attributes. Most dogs are neither stupid nor intelligent in the same way humans are. But whatever their natural aptitude they require and benefit from consistency, repetition and a patient style of guidance.

Read the rest of this entry »

Our in-home dog training is the one of our fastest growing training packages simply because of the variety of affordable training choices you get to choose from without leaving your home. Our latest feature for in-home dog training packages includes a trainer coming to your home with or without the owner being present. For instance, we would evauluate your dog on the first visit and fill out necassary paperwork and find out what your expectations are form the training program. Once we decide if your dog will need basic obedience, advanced obedience, and/or behavior modification then the training begins. If you decide not to be present for the training sessions at your home then we can decide how many visits per week you would like for us to schedule your training!

Read the rest of this entry »