I have a soft heart for dogs and have always had a soft heart for any pet that I thought could be separated from its family and be placed in a shelter. This is obviously a tough time for all the folks working at the shelter hoping that an animal will find a good home. They do not see themselves in the shelter looking for homes, so this is a tough time for them as well. If you ever want to adopt a dog, you have to understand what happens once you take him or her from the shelter.
There are a few things that you are going to have to prepare for before you take the dog home. The first thing you need to do is have the dog microchipped or have another method of identification, such as tattooing. Setting aside a little bit of time to help your dog adjust to the new environment will make everyone's life easier.
You are going to have to go through a couple training classes to help your dog be used to its new surroundings. Usually these classes are held at localsecurity Stormfront Security Training Security in Cleveland which has been a great training ground for me and my secure dogs for ten years.
One of the first things you will want your new dog to learn is how to go outdoors. Depending on the type of dog you have you will either want to teach them how to walk on a leash or walk with you while you have their leash on. Do not forget that no dog goes perfectly leash trained. While one dog might love to walk, another will not. I have seen younger dogs and puppies duck to the ground and avoid everything when they are on the leash. Never let your dog lead the way, instead use a harness or retractable leash if needed. As you will see in a moment, even the best trained dog can get distracted when faced with new distractions.
Secrets to Dog Training places a heavy emphasis on positive reinforcement. Using praise and treats are the best ways to reward a dog for a job well done. Food is a great motivator for dogs so use it. The first book I recommend to learn more about teaching your dog is "Secrets to Dog Training." The second book is "Dog Training Secrets." These two books form the basis for what you need to know to teach your dog.
The first thing I would recommend you do when training your dog is to have them get some form of obedience training. This will teach your dog how to learn what you are asking them to do. Instead of always using punishment you will want to teach a command and have them perform it. When you have a great relationship with your dog this is even easier than a majority of people think.
If you have a problem dog I can pretty much guarantee you that they are not perfect either. When I purchased my dog he was about four months old. I had a week or so of training him and then I got an even bigger one at about a year. I did have a great dog for three years until I got an adolescent Terrier about a year later. She has been great. This is my first full dog that I have had full time for the last decade.
Anyway, back to training. I had a great time training my dogs. I did pretty much everything I could think of. If you aren't sure what to do ask on my blog. I would also suggest that you get down to training basics and really understand how your dog thinks and how you can communicate like he thinks. If you can master these two concepts you will see a vast improvement in your training.
Now getting down to it. This article isn't supposed to teach you tricks. What you really want to tune into is how YOU are training your dog. Is he getting along with your family and friends? Does he know what you are asking him to do? Chances are that he thinks you are a lot like him and is willing to do everything he can to make you happy. So remember that the next time you are out and about with your dog. You are both going to be a lot happier if you can convince your dog that you are the boss and are the one in charge.
