Teaching your dog basic obedience will make your household a more pleasant place for all. http://tinyurl.com/z3b5sx6

Dogs are carefree animals. They do whatever they like such as peeing, pooping, licking, barking, chewing, whining, scratching, jumping, sniffing and running around like there’s no tomorrow. As they are unable to figure out how to act on their own, they do what comes naturally to them. So, they must be trained to instill good behaviors in them.

You must know that it’s never too late to train a dog. Though it gets difficult when they grow older, but it’s never impossible. If you know the nature of your dog and some methods to deal with them, then you can train them effectively in your own way. However, if you want your dog to learn quicker, train them as early as possible. Just like the proverb, “Early bird catches the worm”, you must also train them early to get the best results.

There are lots of ways for dog training and they differ with different breeds. For instance, a training approach used for Yorkshire terrier may not work for Jack Russell terrier. Likewise, beagles also cannot be trained in the way you train your pugs. Different breed of dogs have different level of understanding and learning capacity. So, they should be trained in their own unique and effective ways.

Exception to this, there is one thing that works best for any type of breeds, and one thing that should be strictly avoided for all breeds.

Positive reinforcement

This is a simple dog training method that can be implied to any dogs, yet you can get effective results. Positive reinforcement means rewarding your dog for the good behaviors. You can reward your dogs either by giving treats or by using verbal praises. Rewards or treats will motivate and promote good behaviors in your dog. Therefore, it has been one of the effective ways for training any breed of dogs.

Old School Method

This method, which simply rely on harsh and punitive measures for training should be strictly avoided as such methods only bring abnormal and unnatural behaviors in your dog. They resent you for such behaviors and may not obey your commands as often as they used to. So, don’t ever include this method for training any breed of dogs.

German Shepherd is a kind of breed that caused different oppinion among different peple. While some see it fierce and threatening, some others, especially who had a German Shepherd look at it much more tenderedly.

The German Shepherd is often aloof – they don’t often walk right up to a stranger but size them up, as if silently figuring whether you are worth their time. Some dogs take longer than others to warm up and create a bond, but once that bond is made is a dog that will face any threat imaginable to protect their family.

It is this loyalty and sense of duty that has made the German Shepherd a dog that willingly guided the blind, works as law enforcement, herds livestock, competes not only in shows but in dog sports, is a friend to the military and performs countless duties in homes throughout the world.

In the late 1800s cavaly officer Capt. Max Von Stephanitz sought to perfect a dog for farm work. As with many animals bred for function, what was needed locally was different than the dogs available. The breed today takes the look of a defined breed but not all are the same. A dog developed as a show dog might look very different from one developed for police work, which may have a different body type from one working on the farm.

American soldiers brought the breed to the US after being introduced to the breed in the military. The breed is still today used to assist soldiers throughout the world.

By the standard, the male should be 24-26 inches at the shoulder with females 22-24. They should be longer than they are tall, with an image of power and grace. Disqualifications from show include: cropped or dropped ears, nose not mostly black, undershot jaw, docked tail and all white dogs. There are many many dogs that are larger than the standard, or all white dogs, as well as all black dogs, that are still fully German Shepherd. For those interested in details of show conformation requirements they can be found at http://www.akc.org/breeds/german_shepherd_dog/

In early development it was felt the GSD should be above everything utility and intelligence. The breed is still today a working machine…functional in the ability to cover ground easily whether after a loose cow or an escaped criminal. They are distinctive in appearance and although known by different names are the same breed throughout the world.

The GSD is one of the breeds some pet food companies have developed special formulas for. They are also many people who feed a raw meat and bones diet. An important factor in feeding German Shepherds is food selection. Do not feed for fast growth – it does not necessarily mean a bigger adult but can mean a weaker adult. High energy food that boosts fast growth should be avoided especially in the rapid growth time of 3-8 months of age. This reduces the chances of displasia later. While selection of breeding dogs and testing hips and elbows before breeding is certainly a factor, equally is diet.

Many things vary within this breed. One GSD charges fearlessly into a conflict that includes gunfire while another trembles in a thunderstorm. Some have been guilty of biting while others would never except under extreme threat threaten a human. Some are bold in any circumstance, some are borderline fearful. Handling and breeding can make an immense difference in this breed. Additionally the breeding and genetic markers for disease can affect an otherwise suitable working dog. Genetic issues affecting the eyes, skin, heart, neurological system, digestive and skeletal systems are all possible within the breed – and most are found by testing before breeding.

It is this testing and the maintaining of healthy, tested clean lines that makes a good GSD an investment. A few health issues to watch for besides the hip and elbow displasia include thyroid disorders, skin allergies, Addisons, vonWillebrand’s disease, heart murmurs, cardiomyopathy, epilepsy, wobbler syndrome and spinal bifida can all affect the breed. Many problems show up at under 2 years old. A condition called EPI, Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency, is another issue that can be overlooked.

A more complete list of the health issues that can affect the breed is at http://www.awsaclub.com/healthgenetics/caninegen.htm – and remember that although it can look like they are prone to every disease known to canines, many of these can be eliminated by genetics.

Although not genetic, owners of GSD should be familiar with the danger of bloat. Like many deep chested dogs, GSD is susceptible to this critical emergency that needs immediate medical attention. This condition is fast-striking and fatal.

Do not be deterred by the list of health issues in the breed – instead, use that to choose your dog wisely. Understand that without testing you have the risk of losing a dog you’ve become attached to – and it may well be worth $ 700-800 for a dog that has a healthy genetic family rather than getting one of unknown background for $ 150 then spending thousands treating problems that are lurking unseen. For a tested, working and show type dog bred for temperament, trainability and soundness do not be shocked by prices $ 1,500 or $ 2,000 and up. Many of these come with health and soundness guarantees.

Dogs of 12-15 years are not uncommon. With a reported average litter size of eight, it’s important to choose mates wisely.

The trainability of the German Shepherd is well documented. The movie “K-9” and it’s sequels revolved around a German Shepherd, as did the infamous Rin Tin Tin. The first seeing-eye dog in 1928 was a German Shepherd. The GSD is one of the most intelligent dogs in the canine world, in one test just behind the border collie and poodle. John Kennedy, Roy Rogers and Franklin D. Roosevelt kept GSD.

Schutzhund, a competition not for the faint of heart, is but one thing the GSD excells at. This competition tests the dog’s intelligence, soundness, tracking abilities, willingness to work, courage and trainability. While photos from these competitions show dogs scaling obstacles and making spectacular leaps to latch bites onto the arm of a “suspect” it’s important to remember these dogs are highly trained. They are not vicious…they are trained to get to a suspect, restrain them and ideally get them on the ground for the safety of their handlers.

No dog, German Shepherd or otherwise, should be teased or mistreated to induce aggression. The difference between an aggressive dog and a trained K-9 is extreme. A K-9’s training is based on play – an aggressive dog is based on survival, and this difference is critical to understand. It drives an aggressive dog to unspeakable acts and reflects poorly on the many great dogs of the breed that are highly trainable.

A good dog with obedience training doesn’t need special training for protection. These operate from a position of defense of the home – and the bark of a GSD is often enough to change the minds of someone who thinks they want to do harm. The natural protection instincts of a good GSD is normally sufficient to deal with a threat.

It is no surprise that there are many heroes in this breed. Ceasar, a K-9 handled by Corporal Mark Sarna of the Shaker Heights Ohio Police Department, had a resume that included drug detection, tracking suspects as well as being a certified therapy dog and friendly with children. Griff, a K-9 with the Summit County Sheriff’s Department, and his handler Deputy Kathy Wilmot is another awarded dog and a great illustration as to the unknown these dogs and their handlers can face. Called to a domestic disturbance where the suspect was threatening to burn down the house of a girlfriend with her and her kids in it, Griff tracked the suspect through freezing rain. While he wanted to continue, the humans insisted on returning to the command unit and before long a second call came in. The suspect returned to the home and was becoming violent. A very dangerous situation evolved with the suspect assaulting the dog and handlers, attempting to kill the dog hands on despite being tazered. Griff not only never gave up but never shifted position – he put himself between the suspect and his handler, willing to lay down his life if need be. After the incident was over it was learned the suspect had commited an armed robbery just hours before, was out on bond and had a previous stint of 13 years in prison.

In the dangerous work of police and military work many German Shepherds have paid the ultimate price for their instincts and training. They serve faithfully and have confronted the worst of humanity, not only on a daily basis but also in events such as the World Trade Center and Oklahoma City bombing.

Because these are bold, intelligent and trainable dogs they must have a home that will TRAIN them. Select a good, healthy dog and put the time into training them. This doesn’t take 6-8 hours per day…it’s teaching things in small ways on a day to day basis. Left to their own devices they will be unhappy and find their own means to entertain themselves, and you probably won’t like it. A bored, untrained dog can destroy vehicles, homes and lives. Once trained then you can sit back and enjoy your beautiful, functional, intelligent and well mannered dog.

For the right home the German Shepherd is a wonderful companion and security that doesn’t fail with power outages. If yours is the right home, do your homework and find the best dog for you. They’re a wonderful breed with a big heart.

Training your pet is extremely key . It is the solution that helps you get a great connection with your dog.  If the pet you have is very obstinate, proper training can help remedy that.  You can train weimaraner if you want to do so.  If so, then you ought to have the right training method.  The best method is one that gets probably the most from your dogs.  Less than great training approaches will also result in an improperly trained animal.

Boston, MA 10/28/10 – Bill Snitterman is the CEO of a local publishing firm that specializes in dog training books.  He owns quite a few dogs himself and he is a big advocate of the importance of having the right methods. “Your dogs will respond based on how you treat them,” said Snitterman. “The best approaches have been designed so that you get the most effective of your animal.  It also releases  some of the burdens of training.” Snitterman was also one of the many who were nearby at the launch of the new webpage – http://www.weimaranerproblems.com/train-weimaraner/, it studies weimaraner training.

Taking the position of pack leader is one the top training approaches out there.  This advice has been frequently advocated by trainers all over since the idea of dog training came to be.  This works the top since dogs are pack animals and they respect their pack leader.  You won’t have as a good deal control over dogs if your weimaraner doesn’t have a great deal control over them.  

However, in training, it is critical that you do not take things too far.  Since you are taking the position of superior animal/alpha dog, it doesn’t mean that you have got to be horrible to your pets.  It does not mean that you need to snarl always. You should not hit your pet or cause them any physical harm at any time.  Doing that is likely to make your weimaraner fear you and it can also bring about issues with cowering.  It is not the way to make your dogs obey you and it is going to create compliance by way of fear.  

If you are training more than one dog, it is really key that you keep your animals from going at one another.  This shows that you are to keep your dogs from fighting.  If you do then they will determine their own superior animal/alpha dog.  Power in a group of animals should be avoided as it should be kept back for the behaviorist.  

You also should show constancy when it comes to your pets.  This shows that you have to persist with the instructions that you have earlier given out.  You should not flip-flop – it is not recommended.  You should protect your dog from doing something that you would on the whole allow.  For example, don’t let them hop on the chair without reprimanding it, especially if you usually do not on the whole allow it.  

An expert dog trainer could help you if you find that yourself stuck when you train weimaraner or any other dogs.  You can also go and use a self-help book.  There are surely a great deal of these guides out there.  They may help you train weimaraners and when followed correctly, they can prove to be some of the best training devices.

Though there is a general impression that reward training is the modern type of training, in reality this training method is very old. As old as ever since the dogs were there to train. Even before that people were using informal reward training methods to train wolf pups, which turned out to be modern dogs. Modern reward training gains popularity only for the past 10 to 15 years. But people were using principle of reward training for many decades. Dog trainers prefer this method to other training methods like leash and collar method. But in some cases the combination of these training methods is found to be more effective.

Training methods will vary from dog to dog. Some dogs can be easily trained by using a leash/collar method where as other dogs need a reward training method. These dogs are happy with the reward they get and listen to a trainer’s command thinking of reward. Some dogs fall between these two categories. They need the combination of both reward training as well as leash/collar training method.

Clicker training is another form of reward training. This method has become very popular among the trainers. When the dog does something good, the trainer will use a clicker to make click sound. As soon as the dog hear the click sound it knows that it will get a reward, a treat. Gradually the dog starts responding to the click sound.

Reward training is associated with food. The Dog will get reward as a food. After obeying any order from the master the dog expects food immediately. For more complex exercises this system work wonderfully. People who train the dogs for movies and television uses this reward training exclusively, which gives great results. Police and military dogs are trained by using a reward-training method. They are trained to smell and track. This is helpful in training the dog about basic behavior like obedience. Some reward training include lure in reward training method. The trainer uses the lure to get the dog in certain position according to trainers wish. Later on the dog will get in to that position whenever the dog feels like. It is a sensible thing to train the dog with out physically interfering.

Training the dog without touching is very important. Positive reinforcement is the reward dog gets after every good performance. Reward they get is a positive reinforcement. Not only food but also word like ‘good boy’ and a pat on their head will do wonders.

When training the dog for some important job like in police, detection of drugs etc. the dog need to be reliable. So these dogs need to be trained in such environments. Surrounding people and sounds should not distract the dogs. The dogs need to be social with people and other animals around. The biggest mistake the dog trainers do is to train the dogs inside the house or in the yards. There only the trainer and the dog are present. When the dog is taken out, the trainer will accompany the dog as its protector. These dogs will not be able to perform well at a situation where so many people are there in the surroundings.

Another important thing to remember is that while taking out the dog the dog should always pay attention to its trainer. The dog should be alert all the time what the trainer is doing.

This is just a little bit of information of all the information available on dog training. I hope you have learned a bit from this article though. Good luck!

Ashley Starling of Canine Tutors in San Luis Obispo County

When it comes time to search for the best dog obedience training in San Luis Obispo, the choices can sometimes be overwhelming for a dog owner. Thanks to an exclusive offer by Ashley Starling, owner of Canine Tutors Dog Training, residents looking for a San Luis Obispo dog trainer now have the opportunity to take advantage of a free evaluation and consultation before making a decision to enroll in classes. In addition, Starling extends an invitation to enjoy the very first dog obedience training lesson at no cost to the pet owner.

Many dog owners wonder how they can get their untrained dog to interact in the real world. I find by making this free offer, dog owners are able to see for themselves what is possible, says Starling. I can train any dog, but for most people they just have to see it to believe it.

Starling uses advanced training techniques and presents them in a simple fashion for the average dog owner to understand and utilize. Canine Tutors Dog Training specializes in getting dog off leash and under control even when experiencing severe distractions all while helping the dog maintain a happy and positive demeanor. In fact, Starling and his fellow trainers at Canine Tutors have long been considered San Luis Obispos off-leash specialists.

I have a no-conflict policy, says Starling. I never argue with the dog; I give them the tools they need in order to live with people. I work from the wow factor I keep their spirits up high and I keep them super motivated.

With years of experience in the industry, Canine Tutors Dog Training has been helping dog owners throughout San Luis Obispo County handle their pets most frustrating and challenging behavior issues with guaranteed results. Taking methods learned from dog trainers such as Bart Bellon, Ivan Balanov, Michael Ellis and Ed Frawley, Starling and his friendly, patient, and skilled team of dog trainers use positive, innovative techniques to deliver commands in a clear, concise manner. From getting a dog to come when called, sit and lay down to helping dogs break habits such as dashing out the door and jumping on guests and family members, Starling and his professional crew have provided guidance to hundreds of dog owners.

Summer in San Luis Obispo County means spending more time outside with one lesson from Canine Tutors Dog Training, owners will learn how the possibility of taking a leisurely, stress-free walk on the beach or hike along local trails with their dog can become a reality. Just in time for the summer months, Canine Tutors Dog Training is offering some warm weather tips for dog owners:

Dogs should not be shaved during the hot summer months; fur helps to protect dogs from the heat and provides insulation. Instead, opt for a good grooming session. Purchase an inexpensive hard plastic kiddy pool for dogs to splash around in. Be sure to place large containers of water within dogs reach & take extra water along when traveling or venturing outdoors. Use training tips several times daily for short periods of time 3-5 minutes at a time for a total of around 15 minutes is ideal. Keep in mind that a dogs energy level drops when temperatures reach about 70 degrees dont be alarmed if your dog is not as active during warmer weather.

For more information on private training and upcoming seminars and to take advantage of a complimentary first lesson, call Ashley Starling of Canine Tutors Dog Training at (805) 400-8309 or submit an online contact form at http://caninetutors.com. See Canine Tutors Dog Training on Google+.