Obedience

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

The fall can mean back to school for kids as well as dogs. Obedience courses are great for young dogs that need to learn basic commands, manners, and socialization skills. Typically, obedience courses will teach them things like how to sit and lie down, they will learn how to interact with other dogs and people, and they will become better behaved in general. Dogs of all ages are welcome to come, but experts recommend that dogs receive training when they are puppies, before they develop bad habits. Most dog obedience classes will meet for about one hour every week for

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

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