Obedience

Most pet owners have probably at least flirted with the idea of putting their pup in an obedience class — maybe right after their four-legged friend has jumped on the table to go after Thanksgiving leftovers, or chewed their human’s driver’s license beyond recognition. But while these things might seem silly — despite how frustrating they can be at the time — obedience class really can help. Jennifer Gray, trainer at Cesar’s Dog Psychology Center, recommends that everyone who gets a puppy or rescues a dog puts their new pack member into an obedience class as soon as possible. “The

Have you ever wanted to take your dog to a street fair, Saturday market, parade, or a pet expo but haven’t because you are afraid of controlling your dog in large crowds? Or, have you taken your dog to one of these events and then had to leave because you just weren’t able to control your dog? Don’t worry, you are not alone. Handling a dog in a crowd can be a difficult and stressful situation. There are a lot of dangers within the crowd itself — people stepping on your dog, tripping on them, other dogs that may or

You may think that your dog understands the words you’re saying, but that’s not necessarily the case. In two easy exercises, we’re going to show you how to connect with your dog without a word. “Sit” by any other name If you’re bilingual, have you trained your dog in more than one language? If you only speak one language, have you ever tried nonsense words on your dog? Either way, the purpose of this exercise is to separate the language you speak from the commands you give your dog. Whether you’re bilingual or monolingual, for this exercise you will need

Last time, we asked you to spend a week giving commands in a language your dog doesn’t know. This time around, you get to communicate with your dogs in a language you thought you didn’t know. Silence Is Golden The instructions for this week are simpler, but also more difficult. For one week, use all your usual commands on your dog, but… you cannot say a word. You can use gestures, posture, and facial expressions. You just cannot say words or make sounds. If it helps, you can pretend to say the words in your head, but that’s it. In

Just like people, dogs have different learning abilities. Some dogs learn quickly, some slowly, and some learn at different rates depending on many factors including what you are attempting to teach them. You should never compare your pup against another of the same age. Even if they are from the same litter, their learning ability can be very different. The most important thing you can do is spend time with your pup and watch how he learns and is developing. Watch for a willingness to work with you; watch for independence and stubbornness. Look for sensitivities; identify what pleases and

There are many different approaches to training. The key is to do your research, use your best judgment, and most important, know your dog and remain calm and assertive. Training is about communication; conditioning your dog to respect you as the pack leader as you set rules, boundaries, and limitations. As the human, you need to practice patience and know yourself, too. If you start to get frustrated or nervous, the dog will sense your energy and the work could be counterproductive. Take it in small steps. Even a minute of calm, focused training can make a difference. Here are