Many people don’t know that anything that happens to a dog in between the ages of 4 through 9 weeks of their lives is ingrained into their minds. Anything their mother does to them, they will remember. If they are unfortunately abused at an early age, they remember all the details.
For example, if a tall man that always wears a hat abuses a dog, then every time the dog sees a tall man with a hat, they become very submissive and think they will get hurt. If there is one puppy that is very hyper and is going to get the other litter mates hyper, the mother will grab that puppy by the scruff of the neck with her teeth, give a growl until the puppy submits and calms down, then she will release them. So, when we grab the scruff of the neck of a puppy or dog, they will remember the feeling and calm down quicker.
Obedience Training:
The earlier that you start training your puppy, the better it is because they are little sponges and they absorb it all. Obedience training with different commands is so important for the peace in your household. You gain the dominance of the dog and the dog gets more tired than just running around playing with toys because dog training takes mental stimulation.
Dogs are capable of learning hundreds of one or two word commands but you must say the commands firmly because if you draw out the command (siiiiiiittttttt), then you are asking the dog instead of commanding them to do it. A dog’s psychology and a child’s psychology are almost exactly alike because if they know that they can get away with just a little bit, they will push it for everything they can.
For example, if you are not watching your dog, they can sneak into the bathroom and make a mess.
Do not make excuses for your dog and make sure you do not feel bad that you have to reprimand them for doing something wrong. Try to catch them in the act of doing something that they should not be doing. Do Not Give Up when giving your dog a command. Always make them do whatever you want them to do. Just remember, PATIENCE and PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!!!!!
As I was saying, the leash is your tool, a dog can sense exactly how you’re feeling and what you’re thinking because your energy goes from you through the leash and to the dog.
Please be confident that your dog will do a certain command because if you are uncertain and don’t think that your dog will do it, THE DOG KNOWS, so in their minds they think, ” well if you don’t think I can do it, then why should I.” A dog’s mind and a child’s mind are almost exactly the same, if they know they can get away with something they’re going to push it for everything that they can no matter what!
Dogs know whether a person is a good person or a bad person the second you open your front door. They know if a person walking 10 – 20 feet away is dangerous and they start barking aggressively to warn them and you.
Although a human brain is ten times larger, the part that controls smell is 40 million times larger in dogs! Wow! A dog’s sense of smell is 100,000 times stronger than ours.
Even if a puppy is extremely hyper, they know when you are not feeling well and most of the time they will have the ability to calm their body down and lay next to you just to make you feel better.
Every dog trainer has their own preference in what they use for training.
I like to use collars instead of the harness because you have more control and when they feel the pull against their chest then it gives them more dominance and they think they’re all big and bad.
Yes of course there’s the no pull harness and other tools but I honestly have not used them. Think of sled dogs, as soon as they feel the pull against their chest then they feel the dominance and they want to start pulling so no matter what the size of the breed is that is what they feel.
The dogs do not care if you pull their body to try and correct them but it is more uncomfortable for them to feel the pull around their neck. As long as you get a nilon or leather collar, it does not harm the trachea. If the dog is a medium to large dog, please get a thick collar because it is uncomfortable for the dog when the collar is to thin. It can loosen up easier and fall to the bottom of the throat, which will make them cough and then scare you because you think they are choking.
When the leash is on the collar and you give the dog a leash correction, you do not have to pull back with all your strength. Just a little pop back on the leash toward the tail is good enough.
Hello everyone, this is very important news that has been really bothering me lately and has been a very big problem this year especially while I have been training puppies. Unfortunately, breeders are selling puppies way to young. There is no reason why puppies should leave their mom and littermates less than 8 weeks old. They learn so much from their mother and littermates.
Not only are they selling the puppies to young, they put them in a crate and on an airplane in cargo. Their immune system is not strong. This is causing major crate anxiety and plenty of fear from noises because it is so loud in cargo and unfortunately the people that get them out are probably not gentle getting the crates to where they need to be. The puppies are filled with pee and feces.
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Imagine being less than 2 months old and being totally traumatized like this. It is not fair. It is very difficult to fix crate anxiety and separation anxiety because they pee and defecate from the anxiety as soon as they are put in the crate. Even if you switch to a playpen, which gives them more space, it has been causing major anxiety. Granted, every dog is different, just like every person is different. They can hurt themselves from trying to bite the cage or dig at the bottom.
10 – 13 weeks is a perfect age to adopt a puppy. I have trained plenty of puppies that are extremely fearful of noises and just the world around them. They are shy and it is dangerous to walk them because they can slip out of their collars and go running in the street once they hear a loud truck, motorcycle, or garbage truck.
Separation anxiety can lead to mass destruction and will only worsen with time. The most important thing to start with is to choose a confinement for your dog. It could be a crate, playpen, or certain small room in the house. Do not see the confinement as a negative thing. Dogs are like wolves and they see their den or confinement as their safe place. Your dog will not have the opportunity to bite and destroy furniture. I have seen some horrible destruction of the home caused by one dog.
If you are a stay at home parent or you work from home, DO NOT have the dog with you at all times. If you have the chance to leave the house for a little bit, even if it is for 15 minutes, please do, so your dog will get used to you leaving and coming home. When you do leave and come home, do not make a big deal because it raises the dog’s anxiety.
A rescued dog with separation anxiety:
If you rescued a dog with separation anxiety, it will take some time and patience but the problem can be solved. Please be patient!!! First, put the crate in an area of the house where the dog can not see you leaving the house. You might also want to get a plastic covered crate, so the dog does not hurt themselves trying to get out.
You can set the dog up by putting the dog in the crate, put a deer antler or empty marrow bone with a little bit of peanut butter in the middle to try to get their attention focused on the bone instead of you leaving. Every dog is different. Go outside for 3 – 5 minutes then come back in and let him or her out of the crate. DON’T say anything, just let the dog out, so they realize that they can be comfortable being in the crate. Also, before you start getting ready to leave, put the dog in the crate, so they can not see you getting ready because that causes the anxiety as soon as you start your daily habit before leaving. By the time you leave, their anxiety is very high. That is why people think that the dogs are having an accident on purpose. They can not hold it. It is like a person with a nervous stomach, who can not help but to throw up or they have to have a bowel movement.
Training will definitely help with separation anxiety:
Obedience training is so important for the peace in your household. You gain the dominance of the dog and the dog gets more tired than just running around playing with toys because dog training takes mental stimulation. The best part is that it does not take long on a daily basis. Even if you work with the dog for 10 – 15 minutes before you leave, that will be perfect. Take the dog out before you go and remember give them the bone in the crate and walk out without saying anything.
When the dog does not have the leash on then they are in control. They have to much freedom and think that they can chew on whatever or go to the bathroom throughout the whole house.
If the dog cannot be trusted in the house without having an accident or chewing on something you need to keep them on a watch or confine.
When the dog is on a watch, you keep the dog on the leash inside the house, so the dog cannot sneak off to have an accident or destroy something. You can put a belt on and put the loop of a 6 ft. nylon leash or a 4 ft. chain link leash, if they are biters, through the belt, so your hands are free.
You can also wrap the leash around the leg of the couch and put clasp through the loop then attach it to the collar.
When you cannot watch the dog then put the dog in their confinement even if it is just for a short time for you to go to the bathroom because that is when they take advantage and get in trouble.
This may sound strange but if you have a large puppy that is extremely strong, clumsy, and doesn’t know their own strength then please keep the leash on them inside the house even if they’re housebroken.
If you open up the crate door and they literally knock you down because they’re so excited to get out and then they grab everything that they’re not supposed to, then they are just pushing their limits and getting away with way too much.
You can get really hurt if they are hyper and in their puppy Zoomies and banging to you knock you down and hurt your body.
Best thing to do is put the leash on before they get out of the crate.
When you get a new dog or puppy, there are so many toys to choose from. Toys and bones are important to keep your dog occupied when you are not home or can not pay attention to them. Think of certain toys as a pacifier for them.
Stuffed animals are not good to give to plenty of dogs because if they tear the stuffing out of the toys and swallow it, it can get wrapped up in their intestines then they can get bored with that and tear up pillows. The pillows have the same stuffing in them as the stuffed animals. For teacups and toy dogs, the stuffed animals are probably ok because they can’t tear them apart.
Toys and bones that are safe and unsafe for dogs:
Any rubber toys are great. A kong toy is wonderful because you put peanut butter on the far top of the toy, so they can smell it but they have to work to get it out. For the big dogs you can get the black ones, so they do not tear it up so fast. It is supposed to be indestructible but some dogs can destroy them.
For young puppies, start out with a kong toy because the antlers and marrow bone is to hard for their baby teeth! Antlers from deer or larger are Fabulous because they can bite on them and they do not break.
Please do not get rawhides. Even though they are sold everywhere, they are unsafe. As the dog is chewing on the bone it gets soft and slimy and it doesn’t break off into pieces. The sliminess can get stuck in the dog’s throat and they can choke.
Flavored nylabones, bullysticks, pig ears, and pork rolls are great. Also, marrow bones are safe and they will keep your dog busy for a long time. They are found in your local supermarket in the refrigerator or freezer section. Just ask the butcher and they will direct you.
For large dogs, do not give them small bones because they can get stuck on the top of the mouth or they can swallow them whole and choke. You can give it to the dogs raw in their crate or outside, so they get all the meat and marrow out, then they can bring it inside and it doesn’t make a mess.
Dogs have digestive acids in their stomach that break the raw meat and bones with no problem.
Use the kong toy or marrow bones as special treats. Only give it to your dog when you put them in the crate or certain confinement, so they know they are getting special treats when in the confinement. Also, it keeps them occupied when you are leaving the house, it does not stress them out, and it helps with separation anxiety.
If your dog is spoiled and has so many toys to choose from, another good idea is to switch the toys around every other day, so if they have a favorite then they are not getting it everyday. They will be more excited when they do get to play with the toy.
When you get a new puppy or dog, it is understandable that you want to spend as much time with the dog as possible but that can cause more harm than good.
When families take time off of work or have the ability to be with the dog at all times in the beginning, then their schedule changes and they have to leave the dog home, it can cause plenty of anxiety for the dog.
Dogs are creatures of habit. Before you start getting ready to leave the house, put the dog in the crate, so they can not see you getting ready. When you allow a dog to watch your every move that causes anxiety because the dog associates your habits the minute you start getting ready that you are going to leave.
Confining your dog is a good thing:
Separation anxiety can lead to mass destruction and will only worsen with time. The most important thing to start with is to choose a confinement for your dog. It could be a crate, playpen (short or tall), or a certain small room in the house. Do not see the confinement as a negative thing. Dogs are like wolves and they see their den or confinement as their safe place.
You, as the owner, will eliminate many messes from the dog urinating or defecating all over the house by confining your dog. You will save plenty of money due to the fact that your dog will not have the opportunity to bite and destroy furniture. I have seen some horrible destruction of the home caused by one dog.
Even if you are a stay at home mom or you work from home, DO NOT have the dog with you at all times. Put the dog in his confinement in another room, so he or she has time alone to sleep and play with their toys. If you have the chance to leave the house for a little bit, even if it is for 10 – 15 minutes, please do so your dog will get used to you leaving and coming home.
When you do leave and come home, do not make a big deal. Just walk out or in. When you make a big deal about leaving or coming home and you make baby talk, it raises the dog’s anxiety.
A rescued dog with separation anxiety:
If you rescued a dog with separation anxiety, it will take some time and patience but the problem can be solved. Please be patient and DO NOT GIVE UP!!! First, put the crate in an area of the house where the dog can not see you leaving the house. You might also want to get a plastic covered crate, so the dog does not hurt themselves trying to get out.
If the dog has crate anxiety and gets extremely stressed out, use the crate as a place for the dog to get his toy that he is playing with or put some treats in for them to get them out without closing the door. A playpen, even for big dogs, can be used so the dog does not destroy the furniture, walls, or door to the room.
You can also set the dog up by putting the dog in the crate, go outside for 3 – 5 minutes then come back in and let him or her out of the crate. DON’T say anything, just let the dog out, so they realize that they can be comfortable being in the crate.
Certain toys and bones are very important to leave with the dog. Deer antlers, a kong toy with just a little bit of peanut butter on the top of the toy, bullysticks, pig ears, and pork rolls are great. Also, marrow bones are safe and they will keep your dog busy for a long time. They are found in your local supermarket in the refrigerator or freezer section. Just ask the butcher and they will direct you.
For large dogs, do not give them small bones because they can get stuck on the top of the mouth or they can swallow them whole and choke. You can give it to the dogs raw in their crate or outside, so they get all the meat and marrow out, then they can bring it inside and it doesn’t make a mess.
Dogs have digestive acids in their stomach that break the raw meat and bones with no problem.
Use the kong toy or marrow bones as special treats. Only give it to your dog when you put them in the crate or certain confinement, so they know they are getting special treats when in the confinement. Also, it keeps them occupied when you are leaving the house, it does not stress them out.
Training will definitely help with separation anxiety:
The bootcamp program, where the dog stays at the facility for training for 2 weeks is the only thing that will reset the dog’s brain because the dog is taken out of the house and learns to be a dog. The follow up classes in home are EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!
The dog will be socializing with other dogs and people, get desensitized from so many noises, and gets plenty of mental stimulation from training!
Obedience training with different commands are so important for the peace in your household. You gain the dominance of the dog and the dog gets more tired than just running around playing with toys because dog training takes mental stimulation. The best part is that it does not take long on a daily basis. Even if you work with the dog for 10 – 15 minutes before you leave, that will be perfect.
Remember after you work the dog, give them the bone in the crate and walk out without saying anything.
Dogs are creatures of habit. They learn through repetition and consistency, (doing it the same way every time). Dogs are social animals and they see you as their pack or family. They do not want to be excluded from everything that is going on with the family. A properly trained dog can be communicated with just as a human family member. It takes practice and repetition.
When training your dog always remember that dogs don’t learn sentences. They learn one word commands by tone inflections. We speak to them like they understand and they are attentive and giving you a lending ear at anytime but they do not understand every word. They are fully capable of learning thousands of one or two word commands.
Gaining The Dominance Of Your Puppy/Adult Dog:
Training your dog is very important due to the fact that you are gaining dominance of your dog right from the start and you are able to stop any problems before they get worse. Training takes mental stimulation, which gets the dog more tired than running around and playing with certain toys. The best part is that training does not take long on a daily basis. Just 30 minutes everyday, split up into 2- 15 minutes or 3-10 minutes is perfect. After each session play with your dog, so they see it as something fun instead of a chore.
A dog is part of Mother Nature, which means he or she is naturally wired to expect order in his life, to expect that he must work for food and water and have structure in their life. If you as the owner do not show the dog that you are the pack leader than they will try their best to show you that they are more dominant, which means that everyone in the household needs to work with the dog. If not, you will notice that the dog will only respect the person that spends the most quality time with him/her or the most training time.
Dog Have a Sixth Sense:
Dogs learn from tone inflections and they all have a sixth sense, which means they are able to pick up on negative energy much quicker than we can. If a bad person walks in your door, your dog will sense that and different behavior will arise right away. Automatically, they will protect you, no matter what. Even if you think that your dog is the biggest lover, they are very loyal and will do whatever it takes to protect their owners.
When training your dog you must remember to always be confident: whatever you are thinking or feeling, goes from you through the leash and to the dog, so if you do not think your dog will do a command then the dog will fight you and not do it until you make them do it. BE PATIENT AND DO NOT GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!!! If you give up just one time, the dog does not know minutes but they know a time frame, so they will just wait a little bit longer until you give up and then they do not have to complete the command. Don’t let your dog win. If you give up, it’ll be the story of the dog training the human, it happens!
A shake can is a soda can, rinsed out so it is not sticky, then put around 10 – 15 pennies inside. You can put tape on top, so the pennies do not fly out. Keep the shake can behind your back. When the dog jumps up, shake can near the face and say, “Off” then put it behind your back again, so they don’t get used to the can. If they get used to the can then they will know that it is something that makes noise and it is not going to harm them.
*The noise is reinforcing the off command.
*If the dog is afraid of noises then you can get a spray bottle from Home Depot and use it just like the shake can and spray the water in the face and put it behind your back after 1 squirt. As long as it has a firm stream of water coming out
