One of the biggest decisions that a new dog owner faces is what to do with the dog while you are sleeping or while you are out. Some dogs do a great job of behaving during these times, and others have some definite trouble. As a new dog owner I figured our dog would lie down and go to sleep on the new doggie bed we had purchased for her. Boy was I wrong! She wandered around, getting into garbage cans, chewing on everything in sight, and making a lot of noise! A friend’s dog chewed up his new bed comforter while he was at work. Some dogs just can’t be left out unsupervised. So, what do you do with these energetic puppies? The answer may be crate training.
Crate training is teaching your dog to go willingly into its crate or cage, and to behave in there during the night or while you are out. It has been said that putting a dog into a crate is cruel and unfair. This does not have to be the case. Done properly, crate training can be great for you and your dog. Everyone needs a place to call their own, and dogs are no different. Once we crate trained our dog, she spends much of her quiet time in her crate voluntarily. It is her special place. Leaving your dog out unsupervised can be destructive and harmful to your dog. Your dog could get into any number of things that could hurt him. Keeping him in a safe place while you are away is a much better option. Crates provide security and safety for your dog, help prevent damage from chewing and elimination, make travelling with your dog much easier, and help improve the relationship between dog and owner by cutting down on discipline problems. As long as your dog has been given plenty of exercise and an opportunity to eliminate before going into his crate, then crate time is neither cruel nor unfair.
Your first step is to purchase a crate. There are a couple of different kinds to consider. There are actual crates and there are cages. To decide which one is right for you, you need to think about a couple of things. First, you need to consider the size of your dog now and in the future. If you have a puppy, he is going to grow. You want to try to get a crate or a cage that will accommodate his future size so you don’t have to purchase another one as he grows. You want a crate or cage that is large enough for your dog to stand in and turn around. In general, cages are larger than crates, so if your dog is large now or will be large in the future, you may want to consider a cage. Second, you need to consider how your crate will be used. Will your crate only be used at your home, or do you plan on travelling with the dog in the crate? If you are only using your crate at home, then either a crate or a cage will work. However, if you plan on using your crate to travel with your dog, whether in the car or on a plane, then you will need a crate, not a cage. The third thing to consider is cost. In general, the cages cost more than the crates. This is probably because they are made of metal instead of plastic. But the cages tend to be more durable as well, since the dog can actually chew on the plastic crate. The final thing to consider is that very small dogs may do well in a playpen and that very active dogs may do better outside in a dog run.
Now that you have chosen a crate, you need to consider where you are going to put it. Dogs are very social animals and don’t like to be put in an isolated area. Your dog will be much more open to being in the crate if it is placed in an area where your family spends a lot of time, such as the family room. I know they aren’t the most decorative things, but I am sure you can find a spot where it is out of the way but still allows the dog to feel like part of the family. Remember that you want your dog to go willingly into the crate, so you want the crate to be a pleasant experience. Some dogs do whine or cry when left alone in their crate. If this problem doesn’t go away after a couple of weeks you may want to consider leaving a radio or TV on while you are out to “keep the dog company.” This can get costly if you are leaving the dog daily while you are at work though, so it should only be used as a last resort if you can’t find another way to keep the dog from whining. You will want to place some of the dog’s favorite toys in the crate so that he isn’t bored.
Training puppies to use a crate can be very simple. You should start by introducing the puppy to the crate as early in the day as possible. This will give him a whole day to get used to it before nightfall. Put a few treats, toys, or some food into the crate to motivate the puppy to enter on his own. If you give him a little while he will probably venture in there on his own out of curiosity. If he does, tell him he is a good dog. The first time you confine the puppy to the crate should be after a period of exercise and elimination, when he is ready for a nap. Put your puppy in the crate with a toy and a treat and close the door. Leave the room but stay close by so you can hear the puppy. I can almost guarantee you that the puppy will start to cry, whimper, bark, or howl after a couple of minutes. This is perfectly normal. This is probably the first time he has been separated from the family, and he will be a little distressed. Never let him out when he cries or whines just ignore him. When the crying has stopped, you can let him out. If the crying doesn’t stop on its own after 15 minutes, you may need to correct your puppy lightly. You don’t want to correct him harshly because he will be frightened which can cause him to dislike his new crate. You should try to correct your puppy without being seen by him so that he doesn’t learn to associate the correction with your presence. Try using something that makes a loud noise, such as shaking a soda can containing a couple of coins. Most times this will disrupt the barking or crying. You can also try a small squirt of water from a squirt gun. We just used our voices from another room and told our dog no in a firm voice. Obviously, you will need to do this several times for the puppy to learn his lesson. With a puppy, it is best to try to stay home for a few days while crate training so that the puppy gets used to the crate and you can observe his reactions. You don’t want to introduce him to the crate and then leave him locked in it for several hours on the first or second occasion. Remember, you want the crate to be a positive experience, so take the time to help your puppy adjust. Each new time you put him in, put in a treat and a toy, lock the door, and leave the room. After a couple of weeks the puppy should be happily going into his crate when told to do so and the crying should have stopped.
Training older dogs to use a crate is very similar to training a puppy, except for the initial introduction to a crate. You will want to set up your older dog’s crate in his feeding area, at least for a couple of days. Leave the crate door open and place a couple of treats and toys in the crate. Your dog will probably wander in on his own, since his feeding area is a comfortable area for him. Let him wander in and out for a couple of days with the door open. Once your dog is entering into his crate freely, it is time to close the door. Again, close the door and leave the room, but remain close by. You may need to correct his vocalizations just like you do with a puppy. Gradually increase the amount of time you require your dog to stay in the crate quietly. Some dogs may adapt better to the crate if you place it in their sleeping area and allow them to sleep in it at night. Again, dogs like to have a place of their own.
Once your dog is used to the crate, you can try travelling with your dog. Try short trips first, keeping in mind that many dogs get motion sick. Let your dog accompany you to the store or the park, anywhere that will be a positive experience for your dog. That way your dog will come to enjoy travelling and will probably overcome most of that motion sickness. Once your dog is used to short trips, you can go for longer trips and eventually consider flying.
Crate training can be a positive thing for you and your pet. One word of caution, never use your dog’s crate as a punishment location. If you lock the dog in the crate because he chewed up your new shoes, he is going to view the crate as a negative place and will not want to be in there. Always make the crate a positive place for your dog. Then you can leave the house knowing that your dog is happy, safe and secure in his crate.
Showing posts with label dog training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog training. Show all posts
Friday, April 18, 2008
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Teach Your Dog to Stop Those Aggravating Vocalizations!
Do you have a noisy dog? Is it driving you crazy? When I was growing up we had a dog that was noisy from puppyhood. He just loved to bark! Luckily, he was an outside dog. However, our neighbors were none too happy. We tried everything! At that time, we couldn’t afford dog training classes, so we had to make do with our own limited knowledge of dog training. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. After several months of trying and several phone calls from Animal Control, we ended up finding another family for our dog. I was heartbroken and never wanted to go through that again. Luckily now there has been a lot of research done on the subject of why dogs bark, and we can benefit from the knowledge of others. My personal research deals with why dogs are vocal (not all vocalization is barking) and how to get to the root of the problem. Ultimately our goal is to create harmony within your family, within your neighborhood, and to create a happier dog.
First, let’s look at why dogs are vocal. Dogs usually express themselves by barking, whining, growling, or howling. I am sure you know dogs that fit into each of these categories. Every dog is different, and each dog will express himself differently. Some dogs will bark at everything, while others only bark on rare occasions. Others whine constantly, while still others growl at the drop of a hat! No matter how your dog is vocalizing, you need to find the root of it to fix the problem. My suggestion is to pick a day to start and keep a daily log of your dog’s vocalizations for at least one week, preferably two. Try to pick a time when you will be able to really dedicate yourself to keeping up with the log. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Staple together a few pieces of paper, write the starting date, and you are ready to go! What you need to log is the date, the type of vocalization (barking, whining, etc.), the time it occurred, and what was happening at the time. For the last item, examine what you were doing, what your family members were doing, and what the dog was doing. For example, did you turn on the vacuum? Were you leaving the house? Did someone knock at the door? Did the clock chime? Were you eating? I could go on and on with examples, but I think you get the point. This will probably need to be a project that the entire family works on together, since you obviously can’t be with the dog at all times to see what caused the vocalization. Let your other family members know about the log and ask them to tell you any time they hear the dog vocalize and if they can identify what may have caused it. One other suggestion, when you leave the house, step to the side of the door after locking it and spend a minute or two listening outside the door. You may be surprised to hear your dog inside barking, whining, howling, etc. after you leave. Many of us don’t realize how much noise our dogs make when left alone. No one is perfect, and your log isn’t going to be perfect either. Try to capture information regarding as many of the vocalizations over a one to two week period as you can. Once you have reached your designated end date for your log, it is time to take a few minutes to examine your results. Try to compile your data in a way that is meaningful to you. Look at times of occurrence, types of vocalizations, and especially what was occurring at the time the vocalization occurred. You may find that your dog whines anytime a sudden, loud noise occurs. You may find that your dog howls every morning when you leave, but seems fine when you leave at other times. You may find that your dog is only vocal in the evenings. Whatever your results show, they are going to give you valuable information to use to fix the problem.
Whining and howling in a dog are usually signs of discomfort, fear, or loneliness. If your daily log showed an abundance of these vocalizations, you will need to look at the reasons for them. If your log indicated that loud noises, rambunctious situations, or new people caused these vocalizations, then you need to work on getting your dog more socialized. Do this gradually by introducing new people or loud noises in a situation in which the dog is comfortable. Bring in new people while you are with the dog at home. Only bring in one or two new people at a time. Unless your dog is already comfortable with children, don’t introduce him to new children right away. If it is loud noises that are the problem, try petting your dog when the noise begins. For example, when you start the vacuum, have another family member sit with the dog and reassure him that it is ok. Once your dog is doing better with situations at home, you need to take your dog out into the world to become fully socialized. Take him to the park where he will experience many new noises and lots of new people. Reassure him continually that he is ok and let him know you are still there. The first time you take him out, only go for a short period of time, say 15 minutes. Then gradually build up the amount of time until he is comfortable with new situations. If your log indicated that your dog whines or howls when you leave him, he is probably fearful of your absence and lonely while you are gone. You should always leave favorite toys and food and water out for your dog while you are gone. Also, this may sound strange, but leaving your dog with an item of your clothing that hasn’t been washed since you wore it can be comforting. Underwear (strange, I know) is especially good. This carries your scent well and many dogs will use it almost the same way a child uses his blankie. Provide your dog with a comfortable place to be while you are gone. If he is crate trained, make sure his favorite things are with him in the crate. Though many of us have to be gone for work, try to limit the number of hours you leave your dog alone in one day. A dog that is left alone for many hours a day is likely to be very unhappy.
Growling and barking are often signs of fear or assertiveness. Dogs become assertive when they feel the need to control a situation. If the dog perceives a threat, he may growl or bark, however real or imaginary the threat may be. Again, look back at your log to find out when and why your dog barks or growls. If he continually growls at new men, it could be a size issue or aggressiveness issue. Men tend to be larger than women and can seem more threatening, no matter how gentle they may be. To a 40 pound dog that stands 2 feet high, a 180 pound man standing 6 feet tall is very intimidating. Try bringing men down to the dog’s level. Encourage men to squat down and approach the dog slowly with their hand extended out, palm face up. Have men talk in a calm, quiet voice to the dog. Also, men tend to play much rougher with a dog than women do. Some dogs love this, while others are overwhelmed by it. If your dog gets really aggressive during play, you may need to make play time calmer. Try going for a run or playing fetch instead of wrestling or playing tug. If your dog growls when he is eating and someone comes near, he is probably expressing a desire to show possession of his food. To break this habit, let the adult that your dog loves the most work with the dog on this. Have this adult feed the dog and then stay with the dog while he eats. At first, just stand near the dog and reassure him with your voice. Once he is comfortable with this, have the adult approach the dog while he is eating. Again, reassure him with your voice. Once you can safely approach the dog, try touching the dog using slow movements and a calm voice. This may take some time, but with patience you should be able to get the dog to be comfortable in this situation. If you can identify the cause of the aggressive behavior, you can usually come up with a way to stop the behavior from occurring.
Here are a few more tips. You should start socializing a puppy right away. As with most learned behaviors, puppies learn them better when they aren’t given time to develop bad behaviors to start with. It is easier to control a vocalization problem with a dog that has learned basic obedience. Training can be done with vocalization in the same way basic training is done. With a series of rewards and affection. Reward a dog for quiet behavior and give him lots of affection. Each time you work on training, demand a longer period of quiet before giving a reward. You want to eventually move to using only affection and not rewards. Punishment is generally not effective in curbing vocalization problems, and can actually lead to more problems in the form of whining.
Vocalization problems in dogs can be stressful for you and your dog. Finding the cause of the vocalization is key. Once you know the cause, you can work out an effective method of improving or eliminating the vocalization issues.
First, let’s look at why dogs are vocal. Dogs usually express themselves by barking, whining, growling, or howling. I am sure you know dogs that fit into each of these categories. Every dog is different, and each dog will express himself differently. Some dogs will bark at everything, while others only bark on rare occasions. Others whine constantly, while still others growl at the drop of a hat! No matter how your dog is vocalizing, you need to find the root of it to fix the problem. My suggestion is to pick a day to start and keep a daily log of your dog’s vocalizations for at least one week, preferably two. Try to pick a time when you will be able to really dedicate yourself to keeping up with the log. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Staple together a few pieces of paper, write the starting date, and you are ready to go! What you need to log is the date, the type of vocalization (barking, whining, etc.), the time it occurred, and what was happening at the time. For the last item, examine what you were doing, what your family members were doing, and what the dog was doing. For example, did you turn on the vacuum? Were you leaving the house? Did someone knock at the door? Did the clock chime? Were you eating? I could go on and on with examples, but I think you get the point. This will probably need to be a project that the entire family works on together, since you obviously can’t be with the dog at all times to see what caused the vocalization. Let your other family members know about the log and ask them to tell you any time they hear the dog vocalize and if they can identify what may have caused it. One other suggestion, when you leave the house, step to the side of the door after locking it and spend a minute or two listening outside the door. You may be surprised to hear your dog inside barking, whining, howling, etc. after you leave. Many of us don’t realize how much noise our dogs make when left alone. No one is perfect, and your log isn’t going to be perfect either. Try to capture information regarding as many of the vocalizations over a one to two week period as you can. Once you have reached your designated end date for your log, it is time to take a few minutes to examine your results. Try to compile your data in a way that is meaningful to you. Look at times of occurrence, types of vocalizations, and especially what was occurring at the time the vocalization occurred. You may find that your dog whines anytime a sudden, loud noise occurs. You may find that your dog howls every morning when you leave, but seems fine when you leave at other times. You may find that your dog is only vocal in the evenings. Whatever your results show, they are going to give you valuable information to use to fix the problem.
Whining and howling in a dog are usually signs of discomfort, fear, or loneliness. If your daily log showed an abundance of these vocalizations, you will need to look at the reasons for them. If your log indicated that loud noises, rambunctious situations, or new people caused these vocalizations, then you need to work on getting your dog more socialized. Do this gradually by introducing new people or loud noises in a situation in which the dog is comfortable. Bring in new people while you are with the dog at home. Only bring in one or two new people at a time. Unless your dog is already comfortable with children, don’t introduce him to new children right away. If it is loud noises that are the problem, try petting your dog when the noise begins. For example, when you start the vacuum, have another family member sit with the dog and reassure him that it is ok. Once your dog is doing better with situations at home, you need to take your dog out into the world to become fully socialized. Take him to the park where he will experience many new noises and lots of new people. Reassure him continually that he is ok and let him know you are still there. The first time you take him out, only go for a short period of time, say 15 minutes. Then gradually build up the amount of time until he is comfortable with new situations. If your log indicated that your dog whines or howls when you leave him, he is probably fearful of your absence and lonely while you are gone. You should always leave favorite toys and food and water out for your dog while you are gone. Also, this may sound strange, but leaving your dog with an item of your clothing that hasn’t been washed since you wore it can be comforting. Underwear (strange, I know) is especially good. This carries your scent well and many dogs will use it almost the same way a child uses his blankie. Provide your dog with a comfortable place to be while you are gone. If he is crate trained, make sure his favorite things are with him in the crate. Though many of us have to be gone for work, try to limit the number of hours you leave your dog alone in one day. A dog that is left alone for many hours a day is likely to be very unhappy.
Growling and barking are often signs of fear or assertiveness. Dogs become assertive when they feel the need to control a situation. If the dog perceives a threat, he may growl or bark, however real or imaginary the threat may be. Again, look back at your log to find out when and why your dog barks or growls. If he continually growls at new men, it could be a size issue or aggressiveness issue. Men tend to be larger than women and can seem more threatening, no matter how gentle they may be. To a 40 pound dog that stands 2 feet high, a 180 pound man standing 6 feet tall is very intimidating. Try bringing men down to the dog’s level. Encourage men to squat down and approach the dog slowly with their hand extended out, palm face up. Have men talk in a calm, quiet voice to the dog. Also, men tend to play much rougher with a dog than women do. Some dogs love this, while others are overwhelmed by it. If your dog gets really aggressive during play, you may need to make play time calmer. Try going for a run or playing fetch instead of wrestling or playing tug. If your dog growls when he is eating and someone comes near, he is probably expressing a desire to show possession of his food. To break this habit, let the adult that your dog loves the most work with the dog on this. Have this adult feed the dog and then stay with the dog while he eats. At first, just stand near the dog and reassure him with your voice. Once he is comfortable with this, have the adult approach the dog while he is eating. Again, reassure him with your voice. Once you can safely approach the dog, try touching the dog using slow movements and a calm voice. This may take some time, but with patience you should be able to get the dog to be comfortable in this situation. If you can identify the cause of the aggressive behavior, you can usually come up with a way to stop the behavior from occurring.
Here are a few more tips. You should start socializing a puppy right away. As with most learned behaviors, puppies learn them better when they aren’t given time to develop bad behaviors to start with. It is easier to control a vocalization problem with a dog that has learned basic obedience. Training can be done with vocalization in the same way basic training is done. With a series of rewards and affection. Reward a dog for quiet behavior and give him lots of affection. Each time you work on training, demand a longer period of quiet before giving a reward. You want to eventually move to using only affection and not rewards. Punishment is generally not effective in curbing vocalization problems, and can actually lead to more problems in the form of whining.
Vocalization problems in dogs can be stressful for you and your dog. Finding the cause of the vocalization is key. Once you know the cause, you can work out an effective method of improving or eliminating the vocalization issues.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Basic Training for Your Dog
Getting a dog can be exciting and rewarding. It can also be stressful. Whether you are getting a puppy or an older dog, you can bet that there will be an adjustment period while you all get used to each other. One of the best ways to make this transition period successful is to begin basic training with your new pet right away. Training for puppies can begin as young as 8 weeks, and with older dogs the sooner the better! Having a properly trained dog can lead to much happiness for you and your pet. Here are a few tips on teaching your dog to come, sit, lie down, and stay.
First, let’s look at the basics of basic training. All dogs, especially puppies, learn more quickly with positive rather than negative reinforcement. Just as with humans, a little love goes a long way. The best reinforcements for good behavior are verbal praise, affection, a favorite toy, or a piece or two of your dog’s regular food. Using treats can be motivating, but a dog can come to expect a treat if used too often, and using treats can become expensive. If you work on training immediately prior to your dog’s normal meal time, your pet will usually be hungry and pieces of food as a reward will be welcomed. The reward should be given immediately following every correct response in the beginning. Once your dog has progressed, verbal praise should be offered each time, but a reward should only be given for exact responses performed in a timely manner. Gradually reduce the number of rewards given until you only give an occasional reward, but offer verbal praise each time. Dogs retain their training for the longest period of time this way. Also, you should use hand signals as well as verbal cues when you are giving your dog a command. Again, like humans dogs learn better when presented with more than one stimulus. For example, tell your dog to sit while pointing at the floor. When the dog sits, offer an immediate reward in the form of food or affection, coupled with verbal praise. These techniques apply to each of the commands discussed below.
Teaching your dog to come can be very easy. You will probably want to use a piece of food for this lesson. Hold out a piece of food between your thumb and forefinger towards your dog. Call your dog’s name while holding out the food. As your dog starts to approach, say “come” and wave your hand towards your chest. When the dog reaches you give him the food and praise him. Then immediately step back and repeat the process with another piece of food. It’s really that simple!
Teaching your dog to sit is an invaluable lesson. You will want to start with your dog standing. If you want to use a food reward, hold a piece of food directly in front of the dog’s nose. Say the dog’s name and slowly move the piece of food up over the dog’s head. As the dog’s nose goes up his rear end will go down. As this is happening, say “sit”. Don’t move the food too high over the dog’s head, or the dog may jump to get it. When the dog sits, reward him with the food and verbal praise. If you want to use only verbal praise and affection, again start with the dog standing. Place your hand gently under the dog’s chin. Say the dog’s name and gently lift up on the dog’s chin. Again, as the dog’s chin goes up, his rear end will go down. With your other hand move your palm towards the floor and say “sit”. When the dog sits reward him with praise and affection. Gradually your dog should learn to sit with only a hand movement and a verbal cue.
Teaching a dog to lie down takes a little more practice. This works best if your dog is on a smooth surface such as tile or linoleum. This technique works best if you use a piece of food as a reward. Start with your dog in a sitting position. Hold a piece of food directly in front of his nose. Say your dog’s name and quickly move the piece of food to the floor right next to the dog’s front paws. As the dog slides down to get the food say “down”. Make sure you move the food right next to the dog’s paws, because if the food is too far away the dog will get up to move to the food. With some practice, your dog should learn to lie down with just a verbal command and a lowering of your hand.
Finally, let’s look at teaching your dog to stay. This is the most difficult of the basic training techniques to teach a dog. Most dogs love to be with people and they have a difficult time staying in one place for very long. It is best to practice this command at a time when your dog is very calm or has just had a lot of exercise. It will also be best to teach this technique after your dog has learned to sit. To get started, tell your dog to sit using only a verbal command and a hand signal. As soon as the dog sits, lean toward the dog and look him in the eyes. Hold up the palm of your hand towards your dog and in a firm voice say “stay”. For the first few times you are practicing this, wait only a second before returning to your dog, praising him, and giving him a reward while he is still sitting. Practice this several times. If you attempt to walk away from your dog when you are first teaching him to stay, he is going to get up and follow you. It is best to teach him to stay when you are only one step away from him. Once your dog will stay for at least 10 seconds with you only one step away, you can begin to work on distance. It is important for you to hold eye contact with your dog for the duration of the stay time. If he looks away, lean toward him again and repeat “stay” in a firm voice. This command takes some time to teach, but it will be worth it in the end.
Training your dog can make the transition with a new pet much more pleasant for all involved. A lot of dog training involves using your common sense. On days when your dog is fidgety or training doesn’t seem to be going very well, take a break and try again the next day. Dogs have off days too. Remember to be consistent and firm, but not angry. You should try to train the dog at a quiet time of day in a quiet location to minimize distractions. Only give the command one time. You want your dog to learn to obey with a single command, not multiple repetitions. Remember to always offer verbal praise as reinforcement of good behavior. Mostly, enjoy this time with your new dog and remember that any new addition to a family requires some adjustment time.
Thanks to the American Animal Hospital Association and to Dr. Wayne L. Hunthausen and Dr. Gary M. Landsberg for their contributions.
First, let’s look at the basics of basic training. All dogs, especially puppies, learn more quickly with positive rather than negative reinforcement. Just as with humans, a little love goes a long way. The best reinforcements for good behavior are verbal praise, affection, a favorite toy, or a piece or two of your dog’s regular food. Using treats can be motivating, but a dog can come to expect a treat if used too often, and using treats can become expensive. If you work on training immediately prior to your dog’s normal meal time, your pet will usually be hungry and pieces of food as a reward will be welcomed. The reward should be given immediately following every correct response in the beginning. Once your dog has progressed, verbal praise should be offered each time, but a reward should only be given for exact responses performed in a timely manner. Gradually reduce the number of rewards given until you only give an occasional reward, but offer verbal praise each time. Dogs retain their training for the longest period of time this way. Also, you should use hand signals as well as verbal cues when you are giving your dog a command. Again, like humans dogs learn better when presented with more than one stimulus. For example, tell your dog to sit while pointing at the floor. When the dog sits, offer an immediate reward in the form of food or affection, coupled with verbal praise. These techniques apply to each of the commands discussed below.
Teaching your dog to come can be very easy. You will probably want to use a piece of food for this lesson. Hold out a piece of food between your thumb and forefinger towards your dog. Call your dog’s name while holding out the food. As your dog starts to approach, say “come” and wave your hand towards your chest. When the dog reaches you give him the food and praise him. Then immediately step back and repeat the process with another piece of food. It’s really that simple!
Teaching your dog to sit is an invaluable lesson. You will want to start with your dog standing. If you want to use a food reward, hold a piece of food directly in front of the dog’s nose. Say the dog’s name and slowly move the piece of food up over the dog’s head. As the dog’s nose goes up his rear end will go down. As this is happening, say “sit”. Don’t move the food too high over the dog’s head, or the dog may jump to get it. When the dog sits, reward him with the food and verbal praise. If you want to use only verbal praise and affection, again start with the dog standing. Place your hand gently under the dog’s chin. Say the dog’s name and gently lift up on the dog’s chin. Again, as the dog’s chin goes up, his rear end will go down. With your other hand move your palm towards the floor and say “sit”. When the dog sits reward him with praise and affection. Gradually your dog should learn to sit with only a hand movement and a verbal cue.
Teaching a dog to lie down takes a little more practice. This works best if your dog is on a smooth surface such as tile or linoleum. This technique works best if you use a piece of food as a reward. Start with your dog in a sitting position. Hold a piece of food directly in front of his nose. Say your dog’s name and quickly move the piece of food to the floor right next to the dog’s front paws. As the dog slides down to get the food say “down”. Make sure you move the food right next to the dog’s paws, because if the food is too far away the dog will get up to move to the food. With some practice, your dog should learn to lie down with just a verbal command and a lowering of your hand.
Finally, let’s look at teaching your dog to stay. This is the most difficult of the basic training techniques to teach a dog. Most dogs love to be with people and they have a difficult time staying in one place for very long. It is best to practice this command at a time when your dog is very calm or has just had a lot of exercise. It will also be best to teach this technique after your dog has learned to sit. To get started, tell your dog to sit using only a verbal command and a hand signal. As soon as the dog sits, lean toward the dog and look him in the eyes. Hold up the palm of your hand towards your dog and in a firm voice say “stay”. For the first few times you are practicing this, wait only a second before returning to your dog, praising him, and giving him a reward while he is still sitting. Practice this several times. If you attempt to walk away from your dog when you are first teaching him to stay, he is going to get up and follow you. It is best to teach him to stay when you are only one step away from him. Once your dog will stay for at least 10 seconds with you only one step away, you can begin to work on distance. It is important for you to hold eye contact with your dog for the duration of the stay time. If he looks away, lean toward him again and repeat “stay” in a firm voice. This command takes some time to teach, but it will be worth it in the end.
Training your dog can make the transition with a new pet much more pleasant for all involved. A lot of dog training involves using your common sense. On days when your dog is fidgety or training doesn’t seem to be going very well, take a break and try again the next day. Dogs have off days too. Remember to be consistent and firm, but not angry. You should try to train the dog at a quiet time of day in a quiet location to minimize distractions. Only give the command one time. You want your dog to learn to obey with a single command, not multiple repetitions. Remember to always offer verbal praise as reinforcement of good behavior. Mostly, enjoy this time with your new dog and remember that any new addition to a family requires some adjustment time.
Thanks to the American Animal Hospital Association and to Dr. Wayne L. Hunthausen and Dr. Gary M. Landsberg for their contributions.
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