Dog training videos and DVDs are becoming a favourite, easy way of learning how to train your dog.  Dog training classes and private dog trainers are pricey, so more people are now finding it less demanding to download dog training videos which they can watch at their own tempo and in the comfort of their own home, on the move on their laptop or listen to dog training books that are on audio.

In an ideal world where cash and time are not an issue my first option for training my dog would be a series of classes with a well-known  professional dog trainer but like many people I simply cannot stretch to afford this.  We all want the best training for our dogs though and there are many other excellent solutions available.

Cesar Millan is a household name now and you can buy his dog training DVD course for just over $ 130 which is quite affordable but there are further costs, such as the Illusion collar you need to buy for your dog to follow Cesar’s dog training video course.  The collar is around $ 40.  A great option though.

Dog training DVD courses have been proven to work better than just reading a book as you can actually watch the dog trainer in action, hearing how the voice is used to give commands and secondly seeing the body language which should be used.  Your dog watches you constantly and hears you second.

It was these advantages to dog training videos that prompted me to find out more information online with a view to finding a good dog training DVD course by a professional dog trainer.  I was quite surprised that most reviews online were for mainly ebooks with maybe just a short video included and most reviews I came across were written by people who had clearly never been near a dog and neither were the dog training videos or books written by a proper dog trainer!

I finally found a dog training DVD course through going into dog forums where I was given a personal recommendation from someone who had been using a dog training DVD course by a well-known professional dog trainer for 6 months and she had rescued her dog who sadly had been abused and needed to regain trust with people, which he did with the help of the training and of course, love and care.

Some research online about the dog trainer himself was very positive so I downloaded this Dog training DVD course – written by a long standing British professional dog trainer.  There are 21 dog training videos, and over five hours of an audio book which is also supplied as an ebook to print and download.  I also receive a newsletter regularly (plus all the previous newsletters) and can contact the trainer personally should I ever need.  The videos are of the professional dog trainer with real dogs and the method of training does not involve harming your dog or require any special, pricey equipment.

I was happy with the price of $ 59 for this complete dog training DVD course which covers everything from preparing to bring your pup home, house training and ongoing training covering each stage of your dog’s life.  Common dog obedience problems are also addressed in depth.  These simple dog training videos helped me sort out my jealous little westie’s naughtiness!

Show Dog competitions are popular all over the world. Thousands of dog fanciers find enjoyment through show dog competitions. Obviously, these owners of show dogs are very proud of their dogs, and they just love showing them off and hopefully win the competition.  Show dog training requires  a combination of obedience training, and also presenting your dog to the judges-where it will be prodded and probed as it is examined by the judge. Your dog must meet the standards of its particular breed, which the judge’s are closely looking for, and also maintain a perfect posture while remaining  relaxed throughout the examination.

There are several different categories that the show dogs compete in. Each category is  based on the variety of breeds within them  and the types of activities those breeds are best skilled at. The seven different categories include: Sporting, Non-sporting, Hound, Terrier, Working, Herding and Toy. Besides have a terrific confirmation, each dog must impress the judges with its skills -whether it is working livestock in the case of the herding dogs, or performing an obstacle course for a working dog. Sporting dog, such as Labradors will be tested in field trials. As you can see, there is a niche for every breed of dog.

Here is a list of the various show dog categories. Check out which one best fits your dog.

Sporting Dogs – These types of dogs were bred for hunting  game birds-either on land or in the water. Breeds in this group include Retrievers, Spaniels, Pointers and Setters.

Hound Dogs – These types of dogs were bred for hunting  game by sight or scent.  Breeds of hound dogs  include:  Beagles, Bassets, Dachshunds and Greyhounds and many other hound varieties.

Working Dogs – These breeds of dogs were bred to guard property, pull a cart and even to  perform search and rescue services. Included in this group are such dogs as the Akita, Doberman, Boxers and St. Bernard breeds.

Terrier Dogs-Terriers are breeds that specialize in hunting and eliminating vermin from farms – Included in the Terrier group are dogs  such as the Airedale, Cairn Terrier and Scottish Terrier, Jack Russell terrier and many more.

Toy Breeds – These little dogs have been bred to be household companions. Included in the Toy group are Poodles, Pugs, Pomeranians, and Maltese.

Non-Sporting Dogs – This category is formed by a more diverse group of breeds, that come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and includes Bulldogs, Standard Poodles, Chows and Dalmatians. The dogs in this group are primarily companion dogs.

Herding Dogs – This category includes dogs such as the German shepherd dog, Collies, Australian Sheepdogs, Old English Sheepdogs, and more. These types of dogs were bred to help shepherds manage their flocks, Depending on the breed of dog you want to have, after you have thoroughly trained your dog you can enter him in a dog show in the category you would like him to compete in. Each dog breed falls within a certain category, so the dogs he competes against will have similar skill sets.

If you are interested in dog show competitions, get more familiar with what’s happening in your area. Check out your local Kennel Club to find out more about coming dog shows. You can meet and network with other show dog handlers to get some good advice getting started with show dog training for your dog.

For example, if your dog is a working dog, you will want to concentrate on that particular type of competition and what you will need to train your dog for his particular category’s competition. Watching and learning from an experienced dog handler will help  you will quickly learn the right way to go about the type of show dog training your dog needs.

Of course, you can’t really get involved with show dog training until you have already done a very thorough job of obedience training your dog. If you haven’t already fully obedience trained your dog, of course you will need to concentrate on that first of all.

Known for their spirited character and complete devotion towards their human companions, Chihuahuas make an exceptionally good companion dogs for elderly owners and apartment dwellers. However, these tiny tyrants would rampage your household if they aren’t trained properly. Although small in size, these Chihuahuas have big attitude and can learn most of the tricks that a big dog is capable of. So, you must be really patient while training a Chihuahua. A trained Chihuahua can be the pride of your family so do try to cultivate in it better manners by providing it some obedience lessons from the day it bonds with you and your family.

A dog must be encouraged often when it is learning a new trick. Giving rewards is the usual practice of any dog trainer. But rewarding a Chihuahua puppy might be a bit challenging. As a tiny sized dog, Chihuahua puppies have, no doubt, also got a very less desire for food. A few treats will make it full-stomached, making it lazy and unenthusiastic for any more training. And what’s more? It will also destroy its diet, causing nutritional deficiencies. So, luckily we are glad to say that we have an easy solution up in our sleeve for this nasty little problem. What you have got to do is to dip a wooden spoon in cream cheese or peanut butter and reward your Chihuahua with just a single lick of that spoon during training. In this way, you can give regular rewards to your Chihuahua for about 15 minutes during training sessions. Training a Chihuahua puppy is not that hard if you know the proper way to train it.

Now when you have mastered the way in rewarding your Chihuahua, let’s start teaching them some good behaviors. Always use a unique word like “Okay!” or “Good!” as the bridge signal the moment your puppy obeys your command and shows the right behavior. Then give it a reward quickly for the best effect. However, it’s the bridge signal that is much effective than giving rewards or praise for the correct behavior during training session. A scientific study also says so.

No doubt, touching the target is the first good manners for a small dog. So, hold your intention out and be patient until your puppy makes a move towards it. Use your bridge signal the moment your Chihuahua puppy makes a move towards the target and then offer it a reward. Go on continuing this process until your puppy finally learns to figure out the target or if it begins to show apathy towards that activity. It may take a good deal of time before your Chihuahua puppy finally realizes that you want it to get the target to earn the treat. Once your puppy masters this behavior, then it can also learn the other behaviors easily. For example, you can teach your puppy other funny tricks such as jumping a small blockage to reach towards the target.

Do make sure that your training periods are short and fun. This will make your puppy always eager for the next training session. And to be frank, the attitude of your dog depends upon the manner in which you have trained it. So, take good care of it. A well-behaved Chihuahua who knows some cute tricks like “Say Your Prayers” or “Wave Bye-Bye” will be beloved by everyone and the pride of its master. Anyway, training a Chihuahua puppy is not that difficult or boring as some people think. On the contrary, Chihuahua puppies are intelligent and learn quickly if they are provided with proper training.

Coins

There is a lot to the sale of precious metals. While you might have some gold bullion sitting around in your home not doing anything for you, you might not have so much as considered the possibility that you could make some money off of it. Whether you have a few gold coins, a little bullion or just scrap gold lying around, if you can part with it you can make some money from its sale. When you sell gold coins and other goods of this nature, you have the potential to make a good deal of money because of the high prices that gold has been commanding lately. Of course, you also run the risk of bumping into a lot of shady people and useless people who are all masquerading as legitimate buyers.

Scrap

The buying market for gold lately has been incredible. With so many scrap gold buyers that seem to be popping up out of the wood work everywhere, it might be obvious to you. But if it is not, be warned that gold’s prices have risen to unbelievable levels. If you are holding onto some gold, it might be time to sell gold and make some profit on it. This is particularly the case if you are looking to sell scrap gold and not have to bother holding onto things that you no longer have any interest in. With so many possibilities open to you, all you have to do is be careful.

The gold market is great, and this means that there are a lot of buyers. Unfortunately, this also means that there are veritable tons of scam organizations out there who are pretending that they are interested in buying your gold for a fair market price. While you might have gold coins, these companies are not paying for the numismatic value. While you might have gold bullion, the mint date and commemoration is irrelevant to these kinds of buyers. All they want is your gold, and they may or may not end up paying you.

The fact of the matter is that whenever a market becomes crowded, greed gets the better of some people. They make promises they have no intention of keeping and try to swindle people. In the past, there was no way to identify a swindler and even less of a chance to catch one after the deed was done. You do not want time wasters, and shady individuals are even worse for your time and cash flow. Ultimately, it is more in line with your best interests to simply deal with a company that brokers deals online and lets you make basic choices. 

Bullion

One of the best things about just about every kind of market that has ever been active is the fact that markets largely keep themselves in check. When there is a market, there is a good reason for everyone to keep their prices reasonable. This keeps the bids you will inevitably receive in line, too, so you get a fair price instead of a bunch of low balling.

When you use an online broker to handle selling your gold, you can get fair prices for everything without having to scrounge around looking for a buyer. You can sell your bullion, your coins and even your scrap gold while you actually live your life. You only have so much time in your day, and it should not entirely be spent on silly things like trying to sell your gold.

In the same vein as selling gold, you also need to make sure you are selling your silver in the easiest and simplest way possible.

Potty training a Chihuahua isn’t that hard as with other dog breeds. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that they do not respond to the negative attitude and harsh discipline. Positive reinforcement is the key for the successful Chihuahua potty training. And also, you have to start the training as soon as your dog is in the home for the first time. Some of the tips are given to make sure that the potty training is smoothly running.

1. Use crate: Dogs have an instinct that they do not go for potty in the place where they sleep. While they are inside the crate and you are out of the home or at night, they usually don’t have an accident. But remember to take them out when you return back or at the morning. Give them a treat as they finished with bathroom as showing them they are doing it rightly.

2. Be consistent with the time: Taking them out is the first thing to do in the morning, after the meal and before the bed time, and it is the best principle to apply. Doing this will make sure that they are more likely to prevent accidents and keep their bodies in routine.

3. Positive reinforcement: Chihuahua doesn’t respond to the negative attitude like yelling and shouting. They will not learn properly and won’t get you if you become mad and you lose temper. Instead they will respond wisely to positive reinforcement as well as to treats every time. They will learn more quickly and the possibility of accident will be less.

4. Never rub their nose in it: As the old school training prefers to rub the dog’s nose in it as accident occurs inside the house. But, this might not be the proper idea for Chihuahua potty training. It is usual that accidents do happen, so it is better to take them out as soon as it is about to happen. This will make sure that they shouldn’t do it in the house; instead they must go out for it.

5. Never let them be sneaky: Little puppies are able to hide and can go to the corner and you can’t even realize that they are doing there. You have to track them all time until and unless they are house broken completely. It is hard to stop them from doing potty inside the house than not letting them to do it.

It could be hard for both the owner and the dog for successful potty training, but only it requires is a bit of patience for the task done. The house breaking should be done properly and get the dog nicely trained if you want Chihuahua as a pet. You must be willing to put all the efforts and time that it will need for the successful potty training.

It can be difficult for many dog owners to stop dog barking.  Find me an owner of a dog that barks incessantly and you will find a person who has strained relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and even local police, especially if your town or city has a noise ordinance.  

What can a dog owner do to stop dog barking?  One easy way is through corrective training. This training requires the owner to wait for his dog to bark and then take decisive and immediate corrective action. Ultimately, corrective action helps the dog associate an unpleasant consequence due to his barking. Once the dog makes this connection, he is less likely to bark because he will want to avoid the unpleasant consequence. 

Loud noises and bark collars are two forms of corrective action. Making a loud noise every time your dog barks is a good way to teach your dog not to bark. You can use almost anything to make a loud and unpleasant sound for your dog to hear – clap your hands, drop a book on a table, shake a coffee tin full of nails or pennies. The dog owner who remains consistent with using loud noises may find that his dog learns to stop barking to avoid the loud noise or, at a minimum, will bark a lot less. 

Dog owners and trainers also use bark collars to stop dog barking. These collars basically look like regular collars, except they have a small box that causes a corrective action when it senses the dog barking.  This corrective action may be an unpleasant sound, a mild shock to the dog’s neck, or the release of citronella, a citrus scent.   Just like unpleasant noises, the bark collar’s corrective measures are unappealing as well. In due time, the dog will learn that his barking is the cause of the corrective measure, thus will curtail his barking to prevent unpleasant consequences.