A good coach will vary his or her soccer training drills during practices.

There are so many different ways of coaching soccer, what you want to have are practices that the players like to come to and look forward to the next one.

I have found that there are basically 5 different tips or suggestions for coaching soccer to young players. Here are the 5 points.

1. Be Ready
A good coach comes ready with all of his soccer training drills and skill sets planned out. You also need to have the fun activities planned out. The worst thing is to have downtime for the players while you come up with the next drill.

2. No Downtime
If you have prepared ahead of time and have all your drills, skill sets and activities ready there should be no downtime. Downtime is deadly for a practice the players get bored while they wait for you and that is when you loose them and their interest.

3 Make Sure Your Practice Area Is Safe
Make sure that your practice field or area is safe and ready for the players. You will have to do this before the players show up or the night before. Simply go the field where you plan to practice and scope the ground for dangerous materials and discard them. The worst thing is to have a player making a slide tackle and getting cut up and he slide across a piece of glass.

4. Equipment
You always need to make sure you have enough equipment for all the players to use. Extra balls, a pump to pump up flat balls, extra shin guards, goalie gloves, cones, pinnies, whistle etc. You don’t want to have to end a practice or not even start because you forgot equipment.

5. Be On Time
You will want to emphasis with your players and coaching the importance of being on time. You probably have a limited time on the field so making sure the players and coaches are ready to go at practice time is important. This will ensure that you have successful soccer training programs.

People often say to me they wish they had trained their dog when he was a puppy, thinking it is now too late and that they have to live with the bad habits that their dog has accumulated along the way.  It is not true.  All dogs no matter their age or breed can learn basic training and understand a range of commands at any time.  The only difference is that the training may take a bit longer and require additional reinforcement for the older dog.

Dogs are all motivated by the same factors, they want to please you and earn your love and respect.  They are eager for acceptance into your family, just like they would be keen to fit into a pack if they were in the wild and are quick to learn how to do this by responding to your reactions.  It is therefore important to remember the way you respond to your dog after every action he or she makes will affect how they will act ongoing.  Praise, be it in the form of food, a cuddle, a scratch or a walk will enforce the behaviour that went before, while a stern word or ignoring the dog will deter from a repeat of the preceding behaviour.

Below are some simple training tips and techniques you can introduce at home.  Of course if you have a puppy, enrolling them in puppy training school is definitely recommended.  The skills that both you and your puppy will learn in obedience training are essential to maintaining a happy and harmonious household.

Crate Training

One method of training that is gaining popularity is the use of a crate.  The crate provides your dog with a secure place which is their own safe and happy home.  By slowly increasing the amount of time the puppy is in their crate, especially over night or while you are out, the crate can become your puppy’s happy space, reducing barking and separation anxiety.  Never use the crate as a form of punishment.

Training on a Lead

Ensuring you are in control while walking your dog is essential for both your dog and your children’s safety.  It is therefore important to teach your puppy good lead etiquette early on.  If your dog starts to drag or pull you, stop walking, say “sit” in a loud, clear voice (if they do not understand, use your hand and firmly press down on the back of the dogs bottom, your dog should then sit), wait for a moment and then start walking again.  Do this every time your dog pulls or tugs and they will soon associate the stopping of their walk with the fact they are pulling and will over time be content to walk beside you.

Basic Commands

At home you want to make it clear to your dog you are in control and what you expect of him.  This will provide your dog with a level of security, as he will know how to please you.  Start with simple commands such as sit, down and wait.  Once mastered move on to teaching him other useful skills like how to indicate he needs to go outside to go to the bathroom.

Patience and Consistency

While not a training technique in itself, having plenty of patience and ensuring everyone in your house is consistent in the way they train your dog will ensure you are granted with success.  If you are not consistent your dog will get confused, especially when they are excited and this will lead to your puppy acting in the wrong way.

As the title suggests, praise and positive re-enforcement are your keys to quick and easy obedience training for your dog.

The old saying “dogs are man’s best friend,” didn’t work its way into our every day life by accident. It has taken centuries of man working alongside the Canine and breeding desirable traits into the popular breeds of today. From the tiniest Chihuahua to the biggest Bull Mastiff and everything in between, each breed carries a desirable trait for its master. Along with size, color, type of fur and demeanor. The inherent trait of wanting to please its master, is probably the most desired and useful trait a dog could own. Using your dogs trait to please its master is the most effective way to train any dog. Ever hear the old saying “You attract more bee’s with honey?”  Well, the same holds true with training your dog. Good dog obedience training is simply about praising the good behavior of your dog and ignoring the bad.

Praise that can re-enforce wanted behavior can be anything from a simple “GOOD BOY” to a nice piece of steak! A good pat on the head or scratch behind the ears are a couple of my favorites. This type of training can be done under many situations. Let’s say you are working on the command “sit.” If you find your dog in a nice sitting position even without your command. You can use this as an opportunity to positively re-enforce the command”sit.” As the dog is all ready sitting you can tell him/her “good boy! Sit, that is a good sit!” (pet or give him a treat).

Now lets talk a little about handling the not so good behavior. I know that this can be the most challenging part of training a dog. Let me point out the most important thing you have to remember when it comes to dealing with bad behavior. IF YOU DON’T CATCH YOUR DOG IN THE ACT there is no chance for learning or correcting the behavior. If you do catch your dog in the act of say chewing on your brand new dinning room table, (which has happened to me), you must first control your emotions. Then firmly say,”NO!” and re-direct them to what they are aloud to chew on. Now comes the really hard part… praise them for chewing on the correct chew toy. Keep your rage for that Saturday morning kick boxing class.

So, remember “Good Dog!” Obedience Training. Is the best and fastest way to train your dog. And you will be rewarded as you develop confidence in your dog and your relationship with your dog. An unbeatable combination for a long lasting rewarding companionship.

Happy training, thanks for reading.

Matt

You may be the biggest dog lover in the world, but that doesn’t mean everyone in your family or circle of friends is a fan of canines “” even your cute Havanese may look scary. They might have had a bad encounter with a dog as a child or they might simply have an irrational phobia.
Or, it’s possible that they may be frightened by specific behaviors your dog may exhibit. It’s important to not only learn what is causing the fear, but then to figure out what you can do, as the dog owner, to cut it off.
The Source of the Fear
Step one is to talk to your family or friends about what is going on. Imagine if you were afraid of someone’s dog because it growled at you. How would you feel if the dog’s owner blamed you for the problem, assuming you have some irrational fear?
So, you shouldn’t do the same to them. Always start by assuming there is a sound reason for their fear and talk to them about it. Ask if they have seen something in your dog that causes the fear or if they were attacked as a child. The second you can figure out what started the cycle, you’ll be able to start dealing with it.
If Your Dog is Causing the Fear
If you find out that something your dog is doing in particular is causing the problem, keep an open mind. Most dog owners have blinders that keep them from seeing the negative things their dogs might be doing. You look at your Havanese and you see a perfect little angel.
If they happen to be growling whenever your friends go near their water bowl, you have a real problem that needs to be dealt with. It cannot be written off as the person’s fault.
To start with, address the behaviour. If the dog is showing aggressive tendencies based on their space or territorial actions, you need to take control of the space and show the dog that you’re in charge. Once you’ve done that, make sure no one is treating your dog improperly. If they’re up front or physical and that makes your dog uncomfortable, it can create an environment where fear is bred.
If the Fear is from a Past Incident
If it turns out that your dog is not causing any of the anxiety and fear that your family or friends are having, it very well may be the result of a past incident. In this case, it can be easy to simply blame them and tell them to “deal with it”.
But, again, would you want someone to be that callous with you? Probably not. I’m not telling you to hide your dog in a corner and keep him there until they leave, but you can introduce certain safeguards to maintain the safety of your home.
First, teach your dog to stop jumping at strangers. Make them stay calm and well behaved when new people enter the house. Second, make sure they understand that they do not have to pet the dog or greet him.
For most dogs, being ignored will breed ignoring. They will respond the same as this is a clear body language signal to be left alone – presuming there is no direct eye contact or touching.
With time, if you can show them that your dog is well behaved and patient, you may be able to communicate to them that the dog is not going to do anything bad. But, first you must show that the dog is under control.

German Shepherds first started being developed in the late 19th century by a man named Max von Stephanitz. Stephanitz is still today credited as having fathered the entire German Shepherd breed. An admirer of the German sheep dog of the time, he chose to breed selectively to procure his most desired traits and weed out those that were unnecessary or undesirable. Stephanitz bred his dogs for years, creating the founding root of the German Shepherd breed and eventually become the dog we know today.

When the German Shepherd was brought over to the United States, the breeders in America changed up the bloodlines of the breed by mating it with other types of dog. It is still up for debate whether these breeders aided or damaged the development of the German Shepherd, as American breeders were working towards a show-quality dog while the original German Shepherd was intended primarily for work.

German Shepherds in the United States have coats that are on the shorter side of medium, usually brown and black, tan and black, or cream and black, but not uncommonly producing an all white or all black variety. The truly German variety of the breed has a longer coat which is occasionally (but rarely) seen in the U.S.

German Shepherds were initially developed by Stephanitz as a working breed. To this day, even with the American cross breeding, German Shepherds excel in the work force as hunters, farm dogs, service dogs, narcotics dogs, and law enforcement dogs. German Shepherds are an exceedingly agile, strong, and athletic breed, with a very malleable temperament. They can be trained to work as aggressive guard dogs or be gentle helpers on the farm.

In their native country, the breeding of German Shepherds is so meticulously monitored that a registered shepherd must have had both its sire and damn Shutzhund certified, which means that they have been evaluated for temperament and ability by professionals. Shutzhund certification pays no mind to the size, coat, or general appearance of the dog, which is vastly different from the American variety of canine judging.

The primary visible difference between true German Shepherds and American German Shepherds, besides the length of their coat, is the lack of sloped hips. True German Shepherds have hips level with their shoulders, as the original breed was intended to. American German Shepherds have a distinct slope at the back of the torso into the hips. Sloped hips are argued over by many international breed enthusiasts, being the desired trait for showmanship in America, but also leading to an earlier onset and more significant risk of hip dysplasia.

Whether you are choosing to acquire an American German Shepherd or seeking out a true German Shepherd, you must research your breeder thoroughly. Because of the popularity of this breed and its potential for strength, there are many unethical breeders out there who are trying to turn a quick profit by mating irresponsibly. With proper research, either variety of German Shepherd can provide you with a loyal worker or a loving family pet.

Puppy Potty Training 101
By: Cyd Oldham, Dog Behaviorist

Before you bring a puppy home, plan to take one or two weeks off of work, so you have uninterrupted time to focus on the puppy — and, in particular puppy potty training. Otherwise, it will take much longer to housebreak your pup.

Puppies learn new skills at different rates. It will take time for your puppy to develop a firm understanding of where it’s acceptable to potty and where it is not. It will take time for your pup to consistently understand that all of the house is the den, an area not to be soiled.

There are basically two methods to choose from when potty training your puppy.  Once you have chosen a method – stick to it so you don’t confuse your puppy.

Potty Pad Method:
Prepare a “Safe Room” for your puppy (many people use a laundry room or bathroom for this purpose) by covering the entire floor with potty pads except for the place where puppy’s bed or crate is placed.  Puppies will not soil their bed, so any place else puppy chooses to potty will be on a pad.  After several days remove one pad from the room.  The puppy will continue to use the potty pads to do his business.  Every day or two remove another pad until there is only one left.  This is a good method for people who must be gone from home for several hours, as puppy can learn to use the potty pad and finally be allowed out of the safe room with continued access to the room and his potty pad.

Outside Only Method:
You must spend time with your puppy for this to work.  Remember that dogs “poop” after they eat – so if you free feed your puppy (leave food down all day long) you will never know when he needs to go.  Feeding puppy 3 times a day is best.  As soon as he is finished eating, take puppy outside to the place you would like him to go potty and tell him “Go Potty,”  then wait for him.  When he goes, praise him heavily then take him back inside.  Puppies “pee” much more often – sometimes as often as every 30 minutes to an hour.  You will need to take your puppy outside to that same spot and tell him “Go Potty” very often, giving him a couple of minutes to go.  If he does, praise him heavily before returning to the house.  If he does not, take him back inside, but don’t wait the full time before taking him back outside again.  You might try taking him out again after 10-15 minutes.  Also, some puppies sniff around to find a “spot” before they potty in the house, some don’t.  Keep a close eye on your pup – if he has lost interest in what he was playing with and seems to be wandering aimlessly – He Needs to Potty. 

A very important tip – dogs never understand punishment after the fact.  When an accident happens, just chalk it up to your not watching puppy closely enough, clean it up, and move on.  “Rubbing his nose in it” accomplishes nothing except to make puppy afraid of you.

Finally you decided to have  a dog at home however you don’t know for sure about visiting the local rescue shelters. What do you feel last time you helped someone, was it comfortable as you expected? Who does not want to be a true example for your family that they are proud of their life? Imagine  the great feeling of welcome a puppy in need.

There are a lot of reasons that every year many pets end up abandoned at rescue shelters which breaks every pet lovers’ hearts. If you think that dogs are in shelters because of their behavioral problems, most of the time this is not the case. Dogs are in the shelters since their previous owners might not have enough time and money to take care of them or Separating, divorcing and moving to a place that pets are not allowed, change of lifestyle like having a baby or going to a nursing home or did not do enough research before bringing a pet in to their life and understood that their lifestyles were not a good match. It might be any of the reasons that lovely dog ended up in an animal shelter.

While searching for your new dog, I recommend to search also shelters. Most rescue shelters have pure breed dogs and most of the breeds have specific rescue shelters for just that specific breed so you may want to search by breed if you have any experience with dogs. Please learn more about breed types if this is going to be your first puppy.

Take a note which puppy breed type you might be interested in. When you go to shelter, you can talk with everyone, you can ask their opinions about that lovely dog and if they know anything about that excellent pet’s history or previous family. Remember many people find their best friend from the shelters.

When you go to shelters, taking a little toy or tennis ball with you is a wonderful idea. Visit the dogs you might be interested in, see if the dog is outgoing, playful and gentle with you. Watch how they act when you give the toys or try to get back the toy if you ever see any aggression, biting or growling. Second thing you may want to examine is while playing with the dog; try to rub the dog’s belly which is one of their vulnerable parts. Dogs generally do not want to give belly if they had been hurt or hit by previous owners. You may want to see the dog walking around the room casually. Try to touch the dog, the tail, ears, hips, face and paws. It is a great sign that if the dog is comfortable around you while you are touching and playing. When you find the right pet, you will just feel it in your heart.

Most of rescued dogs live with foster parents for a while so they are ready to live in a peaceful home. Foster family can tell you more about the training level. You may want to know if the dog had house training or obedience training or had any health problems.

After initial visit to rescue center and talking with foster family if you are still interested in the puppy and believe that this puppy is the perfect match for you, your family and puppy’s lifestyle then learn more about adoption requirements. Every shelter has different adoption requirements some of them even want to see your home if you can give a peaceful home for this lovely friend.

Visiting the puppy with your kids might be another helpful trip for your family. Always go to first initial visit without kids because you never know how dog is going to act around the kids or the adoption requirements. While visiting watch how the dog acts around the kids and how kids feel around your next pet. If everybody feels comfortable and happy, this might be the best pet for your family.

It is always helpful to learn more about dog obedience training and house training before bringing your new puppy to your home. Even if the foster family thinks that the dog house trained you may still have small accidents. Give your new friend some time to adjust to new lifestyle and new home. After couple weeks you and your dog will feel much comfortable around each other.

Getting a rescue dog makes you feel better; you are helping a wonderful pet who really deserves the attention and a safe home. Thanks for helping the community and adopting a dog.