Dog Training: Puppy Housebreaking Tips

Many dogs develop bad habits from puppyhood and beyond. A lot of owners chalk it up as "he's a bad dog" or "he's just too darn stubborn to listen." While your dog might be stubborn, he isn't all bad and he can certainly listen. In reality, although it is hard to admit, you might just be a "bad" owner! Dogs develop habits because they do not know right from wrong and at the end of the day they are an animal. They need to be taught, with love and patience, what exactly it is that you want. They will return the favor tenfold if you make time for them. Having said that, there really are no bad dogs or bad owners, just ones that haven't been conditioned to teach or accept right from wrong.

A lot owners complain of the same types of bad habits: not listening, pulling on a leash, jumping on people, digging and difficulty housebreaking. Although there are some helpful hints that can potentially make things easier, most of these habits stem from a lack of respect and knowledge on your dogs behalf; things that they need to get from you and you alone to succeed. If a dog does not respect you, he will not listen, period. If a dog doesn't have the knowledge, he will not know what you are talking about or what is expected of him, period. Imagine if you weren't taught to respect others and where you would be with a lack of education - the same goes for your pooch! If you don't train his brain and teach him these simple ideals, he will have the capability to become the dog he could have been.

Now for those helpful hints mentioned previously on those largely recognized bad habits that form in many, many dogs.

Not Listening, Period: Dogs that don't listen at all have a complete lack of respect for their owner, whether the owner wants to believe it or not. Earning a dog's respect as well as letting him know his "rank" within your family is key. Think about a wild dog pack. They have the leader at the top and everyone else falls beneath him or her and has utmost respect for their master. You absolutely have to establish this same sense of rank with your dog or he will make himself King. This is where the King rules and says that listening to you ain't happening.

Pulling on a Leash: Many owners forget that there are two ends to the leash and that both ends must cooperate and work together for success. You want your dog to feel relaxed when he has the leash on so yelling and pulling him around will not help. If you have used the steps above to get him used to the leash, this should not be a huge problem. However, if he starts to pull you, not only could you fall and get hurt, he could also get loose and become injured. Pulling can also cause throat damage in many dogs so letting your dog yank you around is not an option. All you have to do is simply stop moving. Your dog will become frustrated at the lack of progress and you will be amazed at his quick response to move alongside you to prevent further stops.

Jumping on People: A lot of breeds, like Boxer's, are prone to jump at people to show their affection. Boxer's especially feel around with their front paws (hence the name) as do other breeds. Although it is an instinct it is not an acceptable habit, especially when you have guests over or you are in public. Curbing this habit is easy. All you have to do is say "No jumping!" once and turn around until the dog stops. Whatever you do, do not give him attention, period! Don't push him down or tell him to knock it off. He will start to associate jumping with touching and talking, even if it is not the good kind, and will continue with the habit. After he has stopped jumping, turn around again and tell him "Good dog" and continue on your way. Warn guests that they may have to partake in training and do the same if jumping occurs.

Digging:  Digging is also a natural yet unacceptable habit dogs pick up, largely in part to lack of supervision. Stopping digging is easy; prevent it. Don't let your dog stay outside for extended periods or he is sure to ease his boredom with something! If he insists on digging, box in an area of yard where digging is allowed and tell him "go to your pit!" if he starts digging elsewhere.

Difficulty Housebreaking: Housebreaking is difficult, period. Some dogs take longer than others, up to 2 years even, before they are fully housebroken. The key here is persistence. Stick with it. Make sure your dog respects you and knows his place. If you have a male dog, have him neutered. Don't let your dog wander off to sneak an accident while you're not looking. Take all of the precautionary steps you can and simply wait it out. The day will come.

Keep in mind that different hints work for different dogs. Your dog may be so far gone or may be so stubborn that you might want to seek professional help before a problem worsens. However, it never hurts to try out any advice. You never know what might work for your situation.

Dog Training Advice: Leash Training

You can't expect to throw on a collar and leash and have your puppy heel instantly at your command. Dog leash training is a step by step progression, with the end result being your dog walking happily by your side. The heel command should be considered a more advanced command and should be left for another day.

The first step in leash training is to simply get your pup used to his new collar. Just like a new piece of jewelry might feel awkward against your skin at first, the same goes for your dog. He may take to it just fine the first time or he may need some further guidance. Allow him to scratch at it and mess around with it. Let him take a look at it before and after it has been on. While it is his job to be curious about this new object around his neck, it is your job to distract him from the object after the first session or two with it. Try to put the collar on when he is eating or playing so he will forget that it is there. Do not remove the collar when he is fussing with it. Although you know that you took it off, he might think that he fought it off himself and it will only encourage him to wrestle with the collar anytime it comes near. You will also want to remove the collar whenever he is unsupervised (while he is still young) and whenever he is in his crate (no matter what his age is). Collars can easily get caught and choke or traumatize your pet. Some breeds do better with specific collar choices so ask your vet what collars are best for your dog.

After your dog is good and used to his collar, start adding the leash into the equation. Some puppies take to the leash well while others are beside themselves with the leash, as if they don't know whether they've sprouted a new tail or found a funny toy! If your dog seems too flustered, start small with a string or old shoelace and add on from there. If he chews through his first leash, fantastic! Save it and use it for these training sessions. You can add a full length one when you are good and ready to hop on the other side. As with the collar, try to distract the puppy from the leash. Put it on when he is eating or playing but always make sure you are present so he does not get tangled. Remove the leash when you feel that the puppy has forgotten that it is there and put it away until the next training session.