Crate Training Tips

Question of the day: Do you have any Crate training tips for training my new dog?

Answer: Crate training doesn't have to be tedious, it can also be fun and enjoyable! Clicker training seems to be the best way to get your dog going into his or her crate on their own and also enjoying being in there. Some good Crate Training Tips;

• Always try to make going in the crate fun. Throw a treat in there for them, or even a stuffed kong to keep them busy.
  
• You always want to start out just tossing some treats in there and letting them come right back out. Slowly start closing the door for a second then right back out. Gradually build on this.
  
• You can also help their crate become a good place by feeding them in their crate.
  
• You can even use their food from breakfast or dinner for training sessions with the crate.
  
• NEVER let our dog out of the crate if they are throwing a fit! This will teach them that when they do throw a fit (Howling, barking, whining, screaming) they get let out and will do it every time. Always wait till your dog is calm before letting them out.
  

My absolute Favorite DVD on Crate training is Susan Garrett's Crate Games for Self-Control and Motivation . This DVD is fun to watch and a lot of fun to do with your dog. They give so many ideas, much further than just the crate! My dogs all loved it, I'm sure yours will too weather they are just a puppy or an adult dog! They even show you great ways to use it while training Agility! A absolutely wonderful DVD. They have just about all the crate training tips you could ask for!

I hope I gave you some good crate training tips. If your really wanting to succeed with it, that DVD will come in handy!

If your looking for crate training tips in book form, you can check into these books:

• Quick & Easy Crate Training
• Crate Training Your Dog (Storey's Country Wisdom Bulletin A-267) (Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin, a-267)
• Easy Crate Training - How To Easily Train Your Dog

Hopefully you can find something that will help you and your dog!

Need a Dog Crate?

Training Tip of the Week: Make Training Fun!

Dogs learn best when they are having fun! What is fun they are more likely to do time and time again! Keep training sessions short and have frequent play sessions. Incorporate their toys into the training sessions themselves, such as having your dog sit for you to throw a ball. Have your dog do a down, then play a game of tug with them. Keep it fun and your dog will be learning with flying colors! Enjoy!

Games With Your Dog!

Game of the week:

I've decided to make Thursdays, Game Day! This week is Hide & Seek. This is a great game to play with your dog, and even better if you have kids! This game is an excellent way to build on your dog's stay command and also work on their recall (come command)! If your dog doesn't know how to stay, then you can simply have somebody hold your dog. Play this inside the house or outside in a fenced in area.

To start, show your dog something fun such as their favorite toy or a favorite treat. Get them excited about it. Now tell them to stay or have somebody hold them and go hide! If this is the first time playing this game with the dog, make finding you easy the first few times. Gradually make it harder over time. Call your dog. Stay quite for a bit, if your dog is having trouble you can call them again or make a sound. When they find you, praise them like they just did the best thing in the world, play with their toy or give them their treat! Now repeat! Great exercise and training practice!

Book of the Day: Raising A Champion : A Beginner's Guide to Showing Dogs

If your into showing dogs, or thinking about getting your first show dog, this book is a great read! It covers a lot of ground, here's a list of contents;

• Introduction
  
• Understanding Your Goal
  
• Getting Started
  
• The Perfectly Stacked Dog
  
• Stacking a Dog
  
• Teaching a Puppy to Stack
  
• The Moving Dog
  
• Teaching a Puppy to Gait
  
• More About Gaiting
  
• The Exam
  
• Teaching a Puppy to be Examined
  
• Putting it All Together
  
• Adding Some Polish
  
• Matches
  
• Picking Your First Show
  
• Premium Lists
  
• Entering a Dog Show
  
• Entry Confirmations and Judging Schedules
  
• Before the Show: Time lines and Planning
  
• Before You Enter the Ring
  
• Showtime!
  
• Counting Championship Points
  
• Minoring Out and Finding Majors
  
• Keeping Dog Show Records
  
• A Well-Balanced Dog
  

Like I said, it covers a lot. It is a fun and easy read, yet very informative. If your into showing, check into it!

Question of the Day: How to find a breed of dog, best suited for our lifestyle?

Answer: Finding the right breed of dog for you takes a lot of research. You should first think about what type of lifestyle you live. Are you active? Do you go jogging & Biking a lot? Perhaps you love to hike. Or would you rather just relax at home? You also need to look at where you live. If you live in a small home with no yard, a smaller dog will probably suit you better. If you live in a small home with no yard, but your active 'Everyday' by jogging, biking, hiking and can provide daily exercise in these ways to the dog, then perhaps a medium or large dog would be okay for you. If you'd rather relax on the couch, then a medium or large, hyperactive dog probably wouldn't be the best choice. A good website to check into would be the American Kennel Club. They list all of the recognizable breeds that are registrable. Keep in mind they do not list any of the 'designer' breeds that are popping up now a days. When looking at breeds, take note on how much grooming & exercise they will need. How big will they get, and is the breed known to get along well with other dogs and/or kids? Write down any breeds that interest you, then research them further. Look up info online, research good, reputable breeders and ask them any questions you might have. Dog shows are another great way to get to know the breeds! You'll meet many knowledgeable people here and can learn a lot. Do your research! Good luck on finding the breed best for you!

Dogs and Jumping Up

Book of the Day:

Today's book is Click For Joy!



This book is amazing. If you have ANY questions about Clicker Training, this book is for you! I own this book myself and enjoyed reading through it. Click for Joy will answer all of your questions plus more about Clicker Training. Pair this up with the book I posted yesterday and you'll be set! Click for Joy has a lot of great ideas, Highly recommended by me!


Advice of the day:

Does your dog Jump up on you? Maybe they jump up on people when they come to your house. If this behavior bothers you, it most certainly bothers your visitors! Not many people, if anybody, enjoys a dog jumping up on them unless they've asked for them to do so. Especially if they are getting them dirty. Here are a few different training methods you can try to help your dog no longer jump on people. Use which ever works for you and your dog.

1. The clicker way-

If you're familiar with clicker training and use it with your dog, then get some treats handy and your clicker. Don't forget the dog! You can do this at times when your dog is full of energy and most likely going to jump up on you or even when your dog is being calm and not jumping on you. You want to click and reward your dog for having all four feet on the ground or even sitting. If your dog jumps up on you, ignore them or turn your back on them. When they return to the ground, click and reward them with a yummy treat! Always reward them when all four feet are on the ground or if you'd rather they sit, then reward them when they sit. You don't have to say anything, just wait for them to offer the behavior you are looking for, click and treat! Don't be greedy with those treats! You can even divide up your dog's regular meals and use their regular food during training sessions. Be sure to practice this with other people and when others come to your door. Be ready to reward good behavior!

2. The Balanced Way -

Perhaps clicker training isn't for you. You use rewards and/or treats in training but you also correct your dog perhaps with a pop of the collar. If this is you, then you'd try this method. You want to start out the same as you would with the clicker and treats. You want to reward your dog for being good weather it be with a toy, treat, or regular food every time all four feet are on the ground. You want to be sure your dog knows what you want before they are being corrected for what you don't want. Be sure you've rewarded your dog several times in different training sessions before adding in a correction. Once you're sure your dog knows what is wanted of them, then if they jump up, you can add in your correction (a pop of the collar with a leash) & tell them OFF! Once they have all four feet back on the ground give them their reward. Practice this a lot and with visitors. Before long you'll have a dog who keeps all fours on the ground.

3. Praise & Discipline -

If you're against using treats during training and have the mind set of a dog should listen and want to please me, not just because I have food, then this method would be for you. When dog jumps up, you can do a correction with leash & collar, or a bump in the chest with the knee. You start off easy with your corrections, then build up from there, each time they do it you do it a little harder. When they are being good and keep all four feet on the ground be sure to praise them with lots of petting and maybe a favorite toy. Play a game with them, make it rewarding to not jump up and uncomfortable to jump up.


All three methods are effective, it just depends on what type you want to use with your dog. Go ahead, try it out today and have a dog that no longer jumps up!



Recipe of the Week:

I hope have each day be themed with a once a week kind of a thing. Tuesday is Recipe day! Recipes will either be for treats or for homemade dog food.

Today's Recipe is: Cinnabone

Needed:

• 2 tablespoons honey
  
• 2 tablespoons molasses
  
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  
• 1/2 cup milk
  
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  
• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
  
• 1/2 cup brewers yeast (can be found in health food stores)
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix together honey, molasses, oil, milk and cinnamon. Gradually add flour, yeast, and wheat germ. Roll dough to 1/4" thickness and cut into bone shapes or another shape you might like. Bake at 350 degrees on an ungreased cookie sheet for 20 minutes or until bottoms are brown. Makes 1 1/2 dozen.

This Recipe comes from the book: The Doggy Bone Cook Book