Keep in mind that the leash is not only your friend, but your dog's friend as well. However, it is important to give a bit thought to your choice of leash. For example, your choice of leash may be influenced depending on whether or not you intend to use primarily for training or for leisurely dog walks.
Leashes come in a variety of styles, materials, widths, and lengths. The following are the most common materials: Chain; leather; canvas; nylon. Chain leashes are often used with large dogs, but they are heavy and awkward. If you wanted to fold the leash neatly into one hand or the other, as required by some training techniques, you will not be able to do so without considerable discomfort. It is definitely not an ideal leash you can use for training.
For a training leash, materials of choice are canvas or nylon. Both can be readily manipulated and economical. Canvas, especially with larger dogs, is easier on your hands than nylon.
Leather leashes are also quite popular, although they are more expensive than canvas leashes. The best training leash is a 6-foot canvas leash. It is easy on the hands, easily manipulated, and just the right length. It is also the most economical. Canvas leashes are available in most pet stores or online and come in a variety of colors, although red and blue seems to be the most common.
You can more information on basic puppy training techniques at housebreaking puppies in the winter, bringing a new dog home, crate training puppies and crate housebreaking, and potty training a new puppy. You will find important information on pancreatitis in dogs at, canine pancreatitis.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Tips on Collar Training Your Puppy
Training a puppy or a dog does not mean harshly disciplining him. If you go about it properly, he will think it more fun than any game. Some dogs are more obedient than others, while few fail to recognize the "I mean it" voice. Remain calm, firm, and repeat the words if necessary, time after time until obedience is given.
Work with a puppy alone and not too long. His capacity to concentrate is limited, so stop when you see he has had all he can take. Try to stop on some achievement, which means praise, petting, and perhaps a treat. If each session ends on a positive note, he will gladly welcome the next lesson.
Keep him on a long leash when teaching new lessons. He cannot run off or get away with ignoring your commands. Although you should work with him without other people or dogs around in the initial sessions, as he learns you can gradually train him to obey commands as they would be given in normal surroundings. He must obey not just when you are alone with him, but in all circumstances of ordinary daily life. Learning to behave in all situations is essential.
When he is older, he will enjoy attending the obedience classes. For most pets, however, home training is sufficient. This is particularly so for the fundamental obedience of the commands "Come," "Sit" "Down," and "Stay!"
Some puppies seem to take naturally to the collar and leash, while others have to be patiently accustomed to the restraint and guidance that they provide. Start yours with a narrow collar, giving as little contact around the neck as possible. Be sure it is loose enough for comfort but not so loose that he can back out of it or scratch it over his head.
Repeat the word collar always in a tone of excitement and pleasure. Some pet owners never put a collar on a pup when he is indoors. However, it has the advantage; if put on immediately in the morning and taken off at bedtime, this suggests to the puppy that he is dressed for the day. Sometimes a pup will bring the collar to his owner's bedside to suggest that it is time to get going.
Also, a puppy with a collar may be easier to take hold of if you need to catch it rather than trying to grab the body or furr of the puppy. A word of warning: if your pup is turned loose in a fenced yard, be sure the collar will not catch on a post or protruding wire.
More Helpful Tips
Reliable Dog Behavior Tips
Housebreaking Puppies in Winter
Puppy Training Techniques
Work with a puppy alone and not too long. His capacity to concentrate is limited, so stop when you see he has had all he can take. Try to stop on some achievement, which means praise, petting, and perhaps a treat. If each session ends on a positive note, he will gladly welcome the next lesson.
Keep him on a long leash when teaching new lessons. He cannot run off or get away with ignoring your commands. Although you should work with him without other people or dogs around in the initial sessions, as he learns you can gradually train him to obey commands as they would be given in normal surroundings. He must obey not just when you are alone with him, but in all circumstances of ordinary daily life. Learning to behave in all situations is essential.
When he is older, he will enjoy attending the obedience classes. For most pets, however, home training is sufficient. This is particularly so for the fundamental obedience of the commands "Come," "Sit" "Down," and "Stay!"
Some puppies seem to take naturally to the collar and leash, while others have to be patiently accustomed to the restraint and guidance that they provide. Start yours with a narrow collar, giving as little contact around the neck as possible. Be sure it is loose enough for comfort but not so loose that he can back out of it or scratch it over his head.
Repeat the word collar always in a tone of excitement and pleasure. Some pet owners never put a collar on a pup when he is indoors. However, it has the advantage; if put on immediately in the morning and taken off at bedtime, this suggests to the puppy that he is dressed for the day. Sometimes a pup will bring the collar to his owner's bedside to suggest that it is time to get going.
Also, a puppy with a collar may be easier to take hold of if you need to catch it rather than trying to grab the body or furr of the puppy. A word of warning: if your pup is turned loose in a fenced yard, be sure the collar will not catch on a post or protruding wire.
More Helpful Tips
Reliable Dog Behavior Tips
Housebreaking Puppies in Winter
Puppy Training Techniques
Monday, February 2, 2009
Bringing a New Dog Home--Making Your New Puppy Feel at Home
Training your new puppy really begins the day you bring your pet home. Bringing your new dog home is really where your journey with your pet begins, and it is important that you make it feel at home. This first step should be fun for both you and your puppy, but this is real training even if done with a light touch.
To start off with, I'd like to suggest a short list of supplies that you should have on hand before you pick up our new dog. My suggestions:
The first thing I recommend in giving the puppy a tour of your house, apartment, dorm room, or wherever our residence happens to be. You may even want to have a camara or video camara on hand for the occasion.
Conduct the tour with the dog on a leash. Lead the dog gently from area to area in the house. This will help start the process of the puppy getting used to the leash. Be sure to identify as many of your personal belongings as possible that you don't want damaged by your puppy and put those, if possible, out of reach.
Next, as you are guiding the puppy through your residence, you can use the leash to alert the puppy to items that off limits. Simply give a short, sharp tug on the leash when it approaches objects that are "taboo." This is not intended to be punitive. It is really more of an alert. At this beginning stage in new puppy training, you are merely introducing the puppy to boundries you will to establish. Remember to give you pet lots of praise for all right actions.
When you finish with the tour, show the puppy where its food and water bowls are. Do not change the location of the feeding place. Show the puppy its bedding, and let it sniff and start becoming accustomed to sleeping place. Again, do not change the location. If you happen to have a crate, you begin letting the puppy investigate it by going in and out and sniffing. At this stage, don't put the dog in the crate. If your puppy is 8 weeks, you can start crate training and crate housebreaking. The object in crate training is let your dog make friends with the crate. When done properly--and this is not difficult--your dog will consider the crate a special place of refuge, a sort of den. The crate should never be thought of or used as a cage.
Last, when you observe that your puppy has become accustomed to the physical surroundings of its new home, after a few days, you can start the process of socializing to its new surrounding environment. Keep in mind that if your puppy is under 8 weeks, you may want to postpone aggressive introduction to large, loud, and possibly scary seeming urban environments. Also, before you take it out to meet the outside world, be sure to have its immunizations in place
I think it is important to keep in mind that your puppy needs lots of affection, a predictable environment, and established, predictable routines. Bringing a new puppy home should be a fun, happy occasion, and this will start you on the path to long and happy relationship with your pet.
More helpful links
Housebreaking Puppies in Winter
Housebreaking and Potty Training Inside
Housebreaking Your Puppy--Safe, Humane Tips for Success
To start off with, I'd like to suggest a short list of supplies that you should have on hand before you pick up our new dog. My suggestions:
- leash
- collar
- I.D. tags (or as soon as possible)
- food
- food and water bowls
- toys
- bedding
- a designated spot where the puppy will sleep
- a designated space where you can put the puppy when you can't be there to watch it
- a crate, though this isn't essential right at first
- cleaning supplies
The first thing I recommend in giving the puppy a tour of your house, apartment, dorm room, or wherever our residence happens to be. You may even want to have a camara or video camara on hand for the occasion.
Conduct the tour with the dog on a leash. Lead the dog gently from area to area in the house. This will help start the process of the puppy getting used to the leash. Be sure to identify as many of your personal belongings as possible that you don't want damaged by your puppy and put those, if possible, out of reach.
Next, as you are guiding the puppy through your residence, you can use the leash to alert the puppy to items that off limits. Simply give a short, sharp tug on the leash when it approaches objects that are "taboo." This is not intended to be punitive. It is really more of an alert. At this beginning stage in new puppy training, you are merely introducing the puppy to boundries you will to establish. Remember to give you pet lots of praise for all right actions.
When you finish with the tour, show the puppy where its food and water bowls are. Do not change the location of the feeding place. Show the puppy its bedding, and let it sniff and start becoming accustomed to sleeping place. Again, do not change the location. If you happen to have a crate, you begin letting the puppy investigate it by going in and out and sniffing. At this stage, don't put the dog in the crate. If your puppy is 8 weeks, you can start crate training and crate housebreaking. The object in crate training is let your dog make friends with the crate. When done properly--and this is not difficult--your dog will consider the crate a special place of refuge, a sort of den. The crate should never be thought of or used as a cage.
Last, when you observe that your puppy has become accustomed to the physical surroundings of its new home, after a few days, you can start the process of socializing to its new surrounding environment. Keep in mind that if your puppy is under 8 weeks, you may want to postpone aggressive introduction to large, loud, and possibly scary seeming urban environments. Also, before you take it out to meet the outside world, be sure to have its immunizations in place
I think it is important to keep in mind that your puppy needs lots of affection, a predictable environment, and established, predictable routines. Bringing a new puppy home should be a fun, happy occasion, and this will start you on the path to long and happy relationship with your pet.
More helpful links
Housebreaking Puppies in Winter
Housebreaking and Potty Training Inside
Housebreaking Your Puppy--Safe, Humane Tips for Success
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