Monthly Archives: August 2013

How Does Electronic Collar Dog Training Work?

How Does Electronic Collar Dog Training Work?

5 Common Misconceptions about Dog Training
Ever since we’ve opened our training school for dogs right here in Northern Virginia, we’ve come across all sorts of inquiries—and misconceptions. We do feel bad about the latter because dog owners miss a very important service all because they’ve been misled for the longest time. 
So we opted to clear all these myths today:
“It’ too expensive!”
Definitely there are a lot of trainings that are terribly expensive they can surely break the bank, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If you’re interested in dog training Northern Virginia, you can look for training schools around the area and compare their prices. As for us, we charge around $600, which covers everything you need. Succeeding sessions will be only $100. 
More than the costs, you need to think of the value of the program. A dog training isn’t just to develop obedience and control. It’s also about building a strong relationship with your pet through more effective communication. 
“I have an e-collar, thank you.”
E-collars have become a well-known device for dog owners lately, and we at Northern Virginia dog training also use them. However, our goal is not to let those dogs wear these devices for the rest of their lives. Moreover, e-collars should not be utilized to develop submission but to foster obedience, excellent communication, and better change in behavior. The e-collars therefore are usually worn during the first phases of training. After that, they are removed since the dogs would have already been more responsive to commands even without them. 
We always say that e-collars are mere taps on their shoulders, our way of telling them that we see something wrong or aware of their bad behavior, and we want them to pay attention to us so we could correct it. 
“It’s meant for K-9s only.”
It’s true that most dog training schools around country have managed K-9 dogs from various defense departments. But that doesn’t mean the services are meant for the K-9s only. After all, all dogs need to be disciplined and nurtured properly. Nevertheless, since no dog is the same, we always try to make sure to customize the training according to the dog’s temperament and even your relationship with the pet. 
“I still have a puppy with me.”
I remember how my mom used to say, “Never underestimate people, including babies.” It’s exactly the same thing with pets. A lot of people think that only large and old dogs can be trained. In fact, on our side, we think it’s best to start very early. That’s why we have puppy training Northern Virginia! Puppies, like babies, have fewer bad habits, so they are much easier to train.
“As they say, you can’t teach old dogs new tricks.”
Again, it doesn’t really mater how old the dog is. If you have a good trainer, he or she will always learn something new and change for the better. We have trained numerous old dogs that have been into several nasty habits for many years, and yet they have changed within a short period of time. 
 
Nick White
Off-Leash K9 Training
www.offleashk9training.com

How Do I Get My Dog Into Competition Obedience?

 

Once you have gone through the processes of house training and basic off-leash training, why not go one stage further? Competition obedience training in Northern Virgina can be fun, interesting, and best of all your dog will really enjoy it. Dogs are made to be active, and competition obedience training fits the bill perfectly. Our obedience courses in Northern Virginia will exercise your dog physically as well as mentally. Mental fitness is very important for an animal that is naturally inquisitive and has a huge capacity for learning new things
If competition obedience seems beyond your capabilities at the moment, then just remember back to when your dog was a puppy. Did you think then that it would never be the happy, well adjusted animal that it is now? (if this is not the case, then you certainly need to attend one of our general obedience courses in Northern Virginia). Well, if you engage in competition obedience  training you will discover a whole new way to enjoy time with your dog. Competition obedience puts you in contact with very interesting people some of who might become firm friends, gives you the opportunity to travel and socialise, your dog will enjoy it immensely, and best of all you will experience the thrill of competition.
Don’t attempt competition work until you are confident.
The only way to judge whether you and your dog is ready to escalate to the competition obedience training level is to seek expert advice. Come along and watch one of our obedience courses in Northern Virginia and seek the advice of an expert. One of our trainers will soon be able to tell you whether you and your dog is ready. If not, they can suggest an additional training program to bring you up to the necessary level. Your dog must be willing to train and enjoy training with you more than it enjoys all the inevitable distractions around it.
We have taken many dogs up to championship level competition obedience and believe that most dogs can achieve a level which allows you to enjoy attending trials, whether they be just local fun events or more serious competitions where you will be up against some very competent dogs and owners. When you reach this level, you will find that progress becomes very rapid and the communication between you and your dog will become almost instinctive.
 
Nick White
Off-Leash K9 Training
www.offleashk9training.com
www.youtube.com/offleashk9training
www.facebook.com/offleashk9

How To Solve Behavioral Issues In My Dog?

 

Whether your dog has behavioral issues such as: eats your house while your away, doesn’t travel well or gets snippy with invited guests, most behavior issues come from two possible sources.  Sometimes dogs are received from places that did not breed very well, and sometimes as their owner it can be hard to know what to do to teach them, and so we do the wrong things. Here are some useful bits of information on behaviors. If you puppy or dog is displaying any of them, you’ll be more informed if you decide to talk to a trainer.
Behavior #1: Separation Anxiety: I have a Eurasier, and he can’t stand to be left inside when my family leaves. He is a family oriented breed, and doesn’t appreciate being left behind. To show his great disapproval, he would chew the corners off our walls, and eat our doors until we had to replace them. Separation Anxiety in dogs is a very common mis-behavior in dogs, and is easily fixed.
Cure: While no behavior issue can be solved overnight, there are some steps you can take to help your pup adjust better when he’s left behind. If your dog has a crate, try putting them inside it, during the day. Even when you’re home, they should spend time throughout the day in their crate. If you don’t have one, you can use a bedroom to enclose them. This will help them learn to “be alone” even while you’re still home and this is one of the many ways you can deal with separation anxiety training in Northern Virginia
Behavior #2: Aggression: While some people think that aggression is bred into dogs, it in fact is generally not genetically aggressive. No dog wants to be aggressive, and will usually only exhibit this behavior when needed. There are some simple steps to help you deal with the aggression in your dog to return it to a easy going, loveable member of your family
Cure: Start by leading. If a dog doesn’t see it’s owner as a “pack leader” it will assume that role and try to dominate the situation by showing aggression. Don’t show fear. Dogs are very sensitive to fear and will react accordingly. Your dog needs to feel secure in your leadership, that you can be in control of yourself, him and the environment you’re both in.  We do a lot of dog aggression training in northern virginia and are able to help fix these issues by teaching the owners steps they need to take and teach the dogs how to interact with other dogs properly.
Behavior #3: Disrespect/Bad Manners: Dogs can sense that their “leader” isn’t really leading. If they sense this from you, they may act out by showing disrespect for your attempts to lead. If you catch your dog growling at you when you get near his food bowl (etc) than that’s a good sign that he doesn’t respect you as the pack leader.
Cure: Learning proper correction techniques, and assertive leadership will help you curb this behavior in your dog before it becomes a bad habit. Talk to an Off-Leash K9 Training trainer in order to learn more about how to correct this bad behavior in your dog, and how to learn how to be an effective leader.  We will teach you pack leadership techniques to start working on at your house as well as incorporating our dog training in Northern Virginia.
Whether your dog is showing aggression, disrespect or simple bad manners, these behaviors can be turned around.  We use simple 5-step method of: obedience, confidence building, pack leadership, correction for the negative behavior, and positive reinforcement for the desired behavior.
Contact your local trainer for more information. For those of you who live in Virginia, you can contact the qualified trainers at www.offleashk9training.com
 

What Are Things I Should Know About Getting A New Puppy?

 

So you have decided to take a big leap, and pick yourself up a new puppy. You find the cutest, fluffiest, most adorable puppy ever, and you bring him home.  Then you ask yourself, “What are things I should know about getting a new puppy?”The next morning you wake up to find that your cute puppy chewed through all your shoes, and is nosing his way through your garbage with a string of toilet paper trailing behind him. And you can’t call puppy trainers in Northern Virginia fast enough! Here are some tips for boosting your puppy’s overall success. 
Tip #1: Train Well: Every well behaved puppy starts with great training. Puppies and dogs, just like humans, have to start out with learned behavior. And there’s no better way to train a brand new puppy, than our puppy training in Northern Virginia.  This is where we discuss pack leadership, confidence building, house breaking, and many other things!
Tip #2: Bonding Time: Puppies need to know who’s in charge. That’s why people who own dogs have always been referred to as the pack leader. Puppies grow up to be dogs, and dogs run in packs. If a dog is going to integrate well into your life,  it needs to know that you are the pack leader, so that it will obey when you give it a command and respect your higher position.
Tip #3: Eat Good, Be Good: Proper nutrition is just as important for your new puppy as it is for you. If you’ve ever binged on chocolates and other sugar filled foods, you’ll know how true this is. Talk to a vet or your puppies trainer if you need help determining which food(s) are appropriate for your puppy.
Tip #4: Play Time: While training is a vital part of helping a puppy develop the skills needed to be a great companion, play time is vital to their overall growth too. Be sure, in the midst of your busy schedule, that you take time to play with your new puppy. Both of you will benefit from the general activity of play time.  You will see that your new puppy will become very tired and will sleep for a couple hours after your interactive sessions.
Tip #5: Location: Wherever you live be sure to find a reputable trainer, preferably one who has references, to train your new bundle of joy. If you happen to live in Northern Virginia, there’s no better place to take your pup, than Off Leash K-9 Training. We teach your dog everything it needs to know in order to be your best friend.
Whether your new puppy is starting out on the right foot or not, sometimes specialized training is needed to help them reach their ultimate potential. Find a great trainer, remember to play around, feed your pup the best, and most importantly enjoy every minute of your new friend’s time.  If you’re having trouble locating a trainer, ask friends and family for a reference, and always talk to a trainer before scheduling any sessions. Ask for their credentials, references, and videos. This will undoubtedly put your mind at ease, to know that your puppy will be well trained, and well taken care of. To learn more about training your new puppy or to get important information you can visit: www.offleashk9training.com.
Nick White
Off-Leash K9 Training
www.offleashk9training.com
www.facebook.com/offleashk9
www.youtube.com/offleashk9training

How to Deal with Separation Anxiety in Dogs?

 

Nervous dogs, or those which have had a history of abuse, often exhibit anxiety when left alone. This can manifest itself as barking or whining, chewing furniture or simply cowering away somewhere it feels more protected. The general term is separation anxiety, and can affect many animals and even humans  So, you may wonder “How do I deal with a dog with separation anxiety?”. For most dogs it is easy to cure. Separation anxiety is something we work with daily at our facility in Northern Virginia.  Generally caused in most cases by the dog not being confident that it is an accepted part of your ‘pack’. In our Northern Virginia dog training sessions we can show you how to gradually correct separation anxiety and in the process make a happy, well adjusted dog which is a pleasure to own instead of a liability.
If a dog is properly trained from birth, then you are unlikely to have any problem with separation anxiety. It is a learnt behaviour, although sometimes particular breeds are more prone to it at birth (Malinois, GSDs, etc).. As such, and as with any learnt behaviours, it is possible to correct if you are prepared to put in the effort. In our Northern Virginia dog training courses we have specialists who are very experienced with separation anxiety cases. We will work with you to show you that it is not difficult to correct, as long as you have patience.
Take small steps and never allow your dog to become stressed.
Every dog is slightly different and requires slightly different approaches to the separation anxiety problem. Some dogs get anxious as soon as the owner is out of their line of sight. Some are OK as long as there is a person somewhere in the house. Still others only become stressed after a certain time of separation. The symptoms of separation anxiety also vary widely, as discussed above. In all cases, though, the same basic principles apply, though the way they are best applied require expert assessment. This is why you need advice from experienced trainers such as those at our Northern Virginia dog training courses.
Rescue dogs seem to suffer from the symptoms of separation anxiety more than most, probably because of some past physical/mental or being bounced around numerous homes. This should be born in mind when taking on a rescue dog. Furthermore the behaviour of the owner when leaving can significantly stimulate anxiety. Consequently, eliminating this problem is as much about training owners as it is about dog training.
 

Generally, dogs with separation anxiety need more separation.  Meaning, you should put them in their crate or in another room all throughout the day, even when you are still home.  Just to get them accustom to being alone and separated throughout the day while you are still in the home.  Also, try to make it a positive experience, such as giving them a favorite toy or treat.



Nick White

Off-Leash K9 Training

www.offleashk9training.com

www.facebook.com/offleashk9

www.youtube.com/offleashk9training

 
 

How Can I Train My Aggressive Dog?

 

Our aggressive dog training courses in Northern Virginia work on the principle that there is no dog in the world that  prefers to be aggressive. An aggressive dog will be just as unhappy as its owners about the situation. Aggression is caused by the dog’s environment putting it under some kind of stress. This is why our Northern Virginia dog training courses focus on the dog owner as much as the dog. It is essential for owners to understand that dogs are animals with well developed social needs which differ in many respects from human social structures. Smart owners will recognize this and work to understand the dog’s natural needs and instincts. Attending one of our Northern Virginia dog training sessions will quickly show you how simple it is to make an aggressive dog into a relaxed and happy member of your family.

 We specialize in training for aggressive dogs in Northern Virginia. Our experienced trainers will observe and analyze your dog’s behavior and show you exactly why it is exhibiting this behavior. When it is explained to you, you will quickly get insight into the way a dog reacts to it’s environment. There is no mystery, although you might just now be at your wit’s end trying to figure out what is causing the aggression. Come along to one of our Northern Virginia dog training sessions and you will see how quickly aggression can be turned around.  Literally on a daily basis, we work with dog on dog aggression at our training facility in Northern Virginia.

 

Learn how aggression is a natural reaction when your dog is under stress

 Your dog is probably not aggressive all the time, though red zone dogs may exhibit extremes of bad behavior. Red zone or not, here at Northern Virginia dog training we understand that aggressive behavior is not related to the dog’s breed. Tiny chihuahuas can be as bad as pit bulls, although of course some breeds are naturally stronger and can do more damage. The fact is that any dog will be aggressive if it thinks the situation demands it. Our Northern Virginia dog training sessions explain clearly the main causes of bad behavior as well as why your particular animal is straying from the right path.

 The chief amongst the causes of aggression are fear, the natural instinct to step into the role of pack leader if the owner is not fulfilling this role and frustration. For example, often times leash aggression occurs when the dog does not view you as pack leader, i.e. not in control of both it and other dogs in the area. When it is happy to accept you as leader its behavior towards other dogs will mirror your own. The same applies to bad behavior towards humans. Our training sessions for aggressive dogs in Northern Virginia are your first steps towards a happy and well behaved animal which will be a pleasure to own.

 Here in this video below, you will see a dog aggressive dog we worked with at our facility in Northern Virginia.  As you will see in the before video, he is highly reactive and in the after video you will see him calmly walking next to the same dog.

 

 

 

 

Nick White

www.offleashk9training.com

www.facebook.com/offleashk9

 

Puppy Training with Positive Reinforcement in Northern Virginia

Train your puppy quickly and effectively with positive reinforcement techniques

The modern approach to puppy training, and indeed dog training in general, is a far cry from the old methods of punishing bad behaviour. It is now know that using positive reinforcement, such as treats and praise, works far better and will cause your puppy to want to behave well and be always seeking your approval and respect, rather than behaving simply out of fear.

Our methods of puppy training in Northern Virginia rely exclusively on positive methods, added to which we train owners to understand the social aspects of dog behaviour. They are not human beings and have their own doggy culture, standards and behaviours. Many of these are built in to their genes and can only be adapted to human society. This is particularly true of puppy training in Northern Virginia. Puppies do not yet have any learnt behaviours, so owners will be able to learn by observation how a dog would behave in the natural world and gain a deeper understanding of their dog.

The right approach leads to a well adjusted and happy animal

Our courses in puppy training in Norther Virginia are aimed at producing a dog which has confidence in itself, is happy with its status within your family, is not continuously trying to dominate (this will only happen if the dog senses weakness in its owner) and is fully in control of itself. We help you to achieve this by educating you in dog psychology and how to maintain your place as leader of the pack. In fact for a fully balanced dog it is essential that the dog knows its status is at the bottom rung of the social scale. This does not mean it will be unhappy, just the opposite in fact. It will enjoy its life without feeling the need to compete for a better status. This is such an important factor that we pay great attention to it in all our courses of dog training in Northern Virginia. If you want an animal which is not living in a permanently stressed state it is vital to get this right. For first class courses on puppy training in Northern Virginia contact us today.

 

Nick White

Off-Leash K9 Training

www.offleashk9training.com

Changing Your Dog’s Attitude: Dog Training Virginia

 

Why Northern Virginia dog trainers need to change your dog’s attitude
Every once in awhile, even the most patient of dog owners will realize that their dog has developed an attitude problem. This may apply to you. You know that your dog has a bad attitude when he tends to take the lead in the relationship. This may take the form of snapping and snarling when he encounters guests in the house, or barking at you when you try to give him a bath or take him out for a run. If your dog has an attitude problem like this, you should seek help from Off-Leash K9 Training, Northern Virginia.
Dog training Northern Virginia should be focused on making your dog understand that you are the leader and he is simply part of the pack. Why do some dogs grow to think that they are the alpha male in the family? Well, perhaps you didn’t notice that he was developing bad habits until they were manifested recently. For dogs that have developed a bad attitude, a course at dog training Northern Virginia would be greatly beneficial.
Lesson number one in Northern Virginia dog training should always be that your dog has to learn to follow your commands with no exceptions. So you could start off with your dog being trained by Northern Virginia dog trainers to consistently come and sit on command, even outside and off-leash. Eventually the dog training Northern Virginia will focus on you so you will be trained on how to properly use our training system. Your dog should be trained to enter doors on command (after you), to heel on command, to place on command, and to lie down on command, for starters.
One reason your dog developed a bad attitude is that he was left to decipher human behavior on his own. Have you tried talking to your dog? Part of dog training Northern Virginia is to learn how to communicate well with your dog, clear and crisp without yelling. Although scolding will certainly bring a response, you should also learn to praise your dog when he does something right. Teaching your dog wrong from right during Northern Virginia dog training will help eliminate that bad attitude he had developed.
Dog training Northern Virginia should not stop once your dog has emerged from the school. Dogs learn by repetition so always continue Northern Virginia dog training lessons at home until you and your dog have learned to make the dog training Northern Virginia lessons part and parcel of your daily life.

How To House Train (Potty Train) A Puppy – Northern Virginia

 

dog training 2

First off, congratulations on your new perfect puppy! Many people do not realize how much work some puppies can be for the first six months of their lives, and that’s just the beginning. As you’ve learned, house breaking a puppy can seem impossible. Essentially, it is like having a newborn baby in many ways as you may have already figured out. Puppies require constant attention and, just like babies, are more than likely waking you up in the middle of the night.

In general, with crate training for your dog, your puppy should be almost completely housebroken by the age of four to five months. This age can vary depending on how effective you are throughout this process. Remember, your dog does not decide how long it takes to be house-trained, you do. We go over this subject daily for our puppy training in Northern Virginia.

You are probably wondering, “Where do I start?” First, get a crate, preferably one with a divider so you can expand the living space for your pup as it grows. It is nearly impossible to house-train a puppy without using a crate. Housebreaking a puppy is based entirely on the crate-training system. Crate training teaches a puppy the crate is its spot to go; it’s the equivalent of its home. More important, it becomes a location to hold your puppy during the housebreaking process when he cannot be directly supervised.

Pick a crate big enough for your dog to lie down, stand up (without his or her back touching the top of the cage), and spin around in a circle. Do not put a small puppy inside a large crate. They should have not have much more room than described above. I always recommend getting a large crate that has the adjustable divider in it. This way, you only need to buy one crate and can adjust the space as your puppy grows. If you find your puppy is going to the restroom inside the crate, you may want to reduce the size of the space. Often, if the crate is too large in relation to the size of your puppy, he does not have a problem going in the back corner of the crate because he can get far enough away from the mess that it doesn’t affect him as much.

Your puppy should be in its crate a lot for the first couple of months it is home with you. Don’t feel bad about keeping him in the crate. To put it into perspective, a crib is simply a crate for babies. You put babies in their cribs to protect them from themselves. A puppy should be looked at the same way.

Take the initiative with your puppy. As a general rule, your puppy will have to go outside approximately 30 minutes after eating or drinking. So if you know he just ate or drank a lot of water, take the initiative and take him out; do not wait for him to go in the house. Also, it is a good idea to take him out after a good play session in the house. If you are playing tug, chasing the ball, or getting the puppy really excited, it is always a good idea to take the initiative and take him out after these sessions, as well.

Using a keyword phrase during housebreaking is very important. From the first day you get your puppy, start to implement a keyword while your puppy is going to the restroom outside. Most people prefer the phrase “go potty.” So any time your pup is sniffing in the grass when you take him outside, repeat the key phrase “go potty.” As soon as your pup uses the restroom, immediately praise him (verbally, physically, and/or with a treat). Over time, he will associate the key phrase “go potty” with the act of going to the restroom, about a month into the housebreaking process. After this period, if you see your pup start to display that he is going to go to the restroom in the house (tail up, sniffing around in circles, etc.), repeat that phrase he has been hearing from day one, “Do you have to go potty?” He will recognize that key phrase he has associated with going outside and will run to the door, indicating that he does indeed have to go out. This is the first step of progress for housebreaking.

Use a bell on a string to teach your puppy to let you know that he has to go outside. Tie a bell to the end of a string and hang it from the doorknob at approximately your pup’s chest level. Every time you take your pup outside, ring the bell with his paw. Praise him immediately and open the door. Doing this every time you go out teaches the dog that ringing the bell equals the door opening. Over a period of time, your pup will learn: “If I have to go outside to the restroom, I ring bell and the door opens.”

The most important thing to effectively housebreak your puppy is total supervision. I will state it again, because it is that important: total supervision..What does that mean? Simple; it means if your puppy is not inside its crate, you or another member of the household should be directly supervising him. Until the pup is completely housebroken, there should never come a time when he is in a room alone. To put it into perspective, if you are downstairs with your puppy and decide to take a shower, even if it is just five minutes, put your pup inside its crate. Again, think of your pup as a baby. If you have a baby and you are going to jump in the shower or leave the room to fold laundry, would you leave a baby just sitting in the living room by itself? No, you would put it in the crib. Again, a crib is simply a crate for babies. When doing our puppy training in Northern Virginia, we generally realize this is people’s biggest mistake, lack of supervision.

If, while supervising your pup, you see him squat and start peeing or pooping, immediately give a loud verbal, “No!” Pick him up, immediately take him outside, and set him down in the yard. Then repeat that key phrase, “Go potty.” As soon as he finishes, give praise (verbal, physical, and/or a treat) and take him back inside. There should never be any punishment involved. Rubbing his nose in it, hitting him, rolling a newspaper—these are all things that are proven ineffective. More important, it just breaks down the bond between you and your pup. Physically punishing a puppy for going to the restroom in the house is like spanking a one-year-old for going in their diaper.

Many people ask, “What if I didn’t catch him in the act, but noticed he went to the restroom in the house?” Very simple, do absolutely nothing. That’s right, do absolutely nothing. Write it off as a failure on your part, clean it up, and move on. Again, do not punish the puppy. You failed him, he did not fail you. You violated the biggest rule in housebreaking: You failed to give him total supervision. This is so important it is worth mentioning once more: If you do not physically catch your dog in the act, chalk it up to a loss on your behalf and move on. Make it your goal to catch him every single time. For every time your pup goes in the house without being caught in the act, you add a few more days to the housebreaking process. So, if he is going in the house a couple times per day without getting caught in the act, the housebreaking process can be really prolonged.

Your puppy should sleep in the crate every night when you go to bed (again, because if you are sleeping, you cannot directly supervise him). When you first wake up in the morning, take him from the crate straight outside and use the key phrase (“Go potty”). If your puppy does not go to the restroom, take him back in the house and put him back into the crate. Approximately 15 to 20 minutes later. take him out of the crate, back outside, and repeat the process. Repeat this until your puppy does go to the restroom outside. This does two things: It prevents him from coming back in and minutes later going to the restroom in your house and will teach your puppy that he has to go to the restroom or he will keep going back into the crate until he does. After a few days of this, he will just go outside the first time you take him out. After he goes to the restroom outside, bring him back into your house and leave him out of the crate, remembering to directly supervise him.

We recommend that you do not put padding in the crate until the pup is housebroken and more mature. We stress this point daily at our dog training in Northern Virginia, Off-Leash K9 Training. We feel this is important for a couple of reasons. Most important, if you are gone, your puppy will more than likely chew, shred, or eat this padding/bedding at some point, which can become a choking hazard for a small puppy. Additionally, often puppies who have padding in the crate will still urinate in their crate because the padding acts as a sponge and absorbs the urine. Therefore, it does not bother them to urinate there; the padding acts as a diaper.

What about puppy pads? I think puppy pads are a bad idea, especially if you have a puppy that will grow into a large dog. Puppy pads teach the puppy it’s okay to go to the restroom in the house, however, only in this specific area. I find it much easier to teach them it’s never acceptable to go to the restroom in the house. Additionally, as the pup grows into a larger dog, do you really want them going to the restroom inside your house? They may go in a specific spot, however, the smell usually permeates the whole house.

Another important thing to remember is to never let your dog out of the crate if he is actively barking or whining. This will teach your dog that if he barks and whines long enough, you will let him out. It is like the child who throws a fit in the middle of the toy store, and then the parents buy the kid a toy. The child simply learns that if he makes a big enough scene, he will get his way. Dogs learn the same way. So never let your dog out of the crate if he is actively barking or whining. Doing so rewards bad behavior. Your pup should learn that he gets out of the crate only when he is quiet. Just to clarify, your new puppy may whine in the middle of the night to let you know he has to go out. It is then acceptable to let him out of the crate, take him outside, use the key phrase, then come back in. However, once your puppy is old enough to hold it throughout the night (generally around three to four months of age), never let him out based on whining or barking.
During the housebreaking process, we usually recommend cutting off food and water around 7 p.m. This is done to ensure that all of the water has passed through the pup’s system by the time you go to sleep (assuming you are going to bed around 9 p.m. or later). If you cut off food and water at around 7 p.m., it will minimize having to go in the middle of the night. Additionally, do not put food or water in the crate with the pup; again, this will cause him to have to go to the restroom in the middle of the night.

Never use the crate as a place to punish your puppy, as hard as it sometimes may be. If you start using the crate as a place of punishment, the pup will start to hate it, will not want to go in, and will no longer see it as its “home.” Rather, he will see at is a prison. The crate should always be looked upon as something positive. The crate should be seen by the dog, as you see your bedroom, as a place to go, get away, and relax. It is also a good practice to feed him in the crate or give him a treat every time he goes in, again, associating it with something positive. When we do our puppy training program in Northern Virginia, we always stress the importance of this.

If you follow all these principles, you should have a very short housebreaking process and a dog that loves going into the crate.

Nick White
www.offleashk9training.com
www.facebook.com/offleashk9
www.youtube.com/offleashk9training

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Why Is Socializing My Dog So Important?

What is socialization and why is it so important? It is getting your puppy acquainted with as many different animals, people, and circumstances as possible. In my opinion, socialization is one of the most important things in young puppies’ lives. If I were paid every time we received e-mails or calls about people-aggressive or dog-aggressive dogs at our training facility in Northern Virginia, I could have retired by now. Almost all of these cases stem from a lack of socialization at a young age. When you get any new puppy, it is extremely important to get him to start interacting with other animals and people.

To get your dog well socialized with people, try having everyone your puppy meets give him a treat. Imagine if everyone you met gave you $50. You would quickly grow very fond of people; your puppy will, too. Your pup will start making the association of “people equal great things for me.” You should make it your mission for your puppy to meet as many people and animals as possible. Not only as many people as possible, but as many types of people as possible—male, female, children, infants, and even different races. He should have complete exposure to as many variations of humans as possible.

Socializing your puppy with other dogs and animals is also extremely important. Again, most cases of aggression result from a lack of socialization. As I write this paragraph, there is a extremely people-aggressive dog in our facility in Northern Virginia on its first lesson. When I asked the owner how the dog got that way, he replied, “We never really had him around anyone other than our family.” With this particular Lab, you cannot even touch him without him trying to bite you. This is why socialization is so important. This should be something you start doing almost immediately after you bring your puppy home. This teaches him to properly interact with other dogs at an early age. Ensure you are socializing your dog with other dogs that are very friendly. Initially, we recommend this socialization should be with only a few dogs at a time. Also, it should be supervised to ensure it stays safe play.

Do not take your puppy to dog parks for socialization. Yes, you read this correctly, dog parks are a bad idea in my opinion. Again, we receive many e-mails from people whose dogs are now aggressive toward other dogs after being bitten at a dog park. People do not realize that this happens all the time, and they just do not hear about it. Only attacks on people make the news, not attacks on other dogs. The dogs at dog parks come from a wide variety of backgrounds and their owners often know very little about their own dog. Unlike a doggy day-care, in a dog-park environment, there are no trained supervisors walking around, ensuring the play is safe. Also, no evaluations are done in order to accept the dogs into the dog park. Essentially, you are taking a big gamble by exposing your dog to other dogs you know nothing about.

Usually, the dogs in dog parks are of various sizes, backgrounds, and levels of training. Essentially, they are a pack of dogs. Dogs usually consider themselves a pack when there are four or more dogs present. As you know, any time there is a pack, there has to be a pack leader. In order for a dog to become the pack leader, he has to assert his force onto other dogs to show them he is in charge of the pack. The end result is a dog getting bitten. Now, your dog that you have done so great with is now dog-aggressive because he was bitten by another dog at a dog park, and now he associates dogs with being harmed.

There are numerous other ways to socialize your dog without the use of a dog park, such as taking them to a doggy day-care. As I mentioned above, doggy day-cares evaluate dogs before admitting them into their facility, drastically reducing the chances of a dominant dog being there. Additionally, they have trained personnel constantly monitoring the dogs’ behaviors. In the event that a dog does start displaying any dominant characteristics, they are immediately corrected or separated from the group. Another good way to socialize is one-on-one with other known dog-friendly dogs. Or take them to a pet store on the weekends so they can interact with other dogs and people.

A big misconception many people have is something along the lines of “I want my dog to protect my family; I don’t want him to be friendly with everyone.” Unfortunately, most people don’t know that socialization and a protection dog have absolutely nothing in common. In fact, almost all trained protection dogs are extensively socialized. They love people, kids, animals, and other dogs. They are friendly with everyone, and are taught to bite only a specific individual on command. An under-socialized and low-confidence dog is more prone to bite a person at random (a family member, child, neighbor, etc.).

Regardless of what your goals are with your new dog—show, protection, detection, search and rescue, or just a regular household pet—socialization is one of the most important things you can do with a new puppy. A well-socialized dog is a much more confident dog, as well. It is confident around all people and animals. This is an essential step to ensure you have a happy, confident and well-trained dog.

Below is an example of a dog aggressive dog we trained in Northern Virginia, so you can see the importance of socialization.

Nick White
www.offleashk9training.com
info@offleashk9training.com

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Nosework Training Virginia Dog Training and dog trainers in Virginia, VA canine behavior experts. Offering an alternative to lessons, dog obedience and puppy classes in Alexandria, Annandale, Arlington, Blacksburg, Bon Air, Bristol, Burke, Charlottesville, Chesapeake, Christiansburg, Colonial Heights, Dale City, Danville, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Front Royal, Glen Allen, Hampton, Harrisonburg, Highland Springs, Hopewell, Laurel, Leesburg, Lynchburg, Manassas, Martinsville, Mount Vernon, Newport News, Norfolk, Petersburg, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Radford, Reston, Roanoke, Salem, Staunton, Suffolk, Tuckahoe, Virginia Beach, Waynesboro, Williamsburg and Winchester Virginia.