E Learning Dynamics

Getting Your Dog’s Attention

If you have been working on obedience training with your pooch, you have probably been pretty amazed with your results. Dogs are just fast, competent learners! Sometimes, though, you may have a problem with getting your dog’s attention. Sure, he’ll sit and rollover; that is, once you yell his name a dozen times. Establishing eye contact with your pooch can be a huge help in training; it can also keep him safe if a dangerous situation arises. Here are a few tips for training your pet to look at you.

If you take your pet to a public place (even if it’s just a walk through your neighborhood), then it’s extremely important that you have control over your dog. Yes, a leash can help, but dogs do not always react to leashes the ways we would like for them to. Establishing eye contact with your dog not only gets his attention, but it also gets him ready for whatever you need him to do. In essence, it gives you control. This can be especially important when the dog across the street is tempting your pooch. As your dog ages, he may lose his acute sense of hearing. Having eye contact training already established can help you with a deaf pet.

So, now that you know a few benefits of eye contact training, it is time to get started. Before you gather the supplies, think about what verbal command you want to relate with eye contact. If you want, you can simply use your pet’s name to get his attention. This is not always ideal, though, because there are cases where you do not want your pet to look at you every time you say his name. So, come up with your own command. “Watch me” or “look here” are always good options. Now, it is time to move onto the training. As with all training, you’ll need a pocketful of treats. If you use a clicker for training, then you should go ahead and grab that, too. Take your pet to a quiet room in your home with no distractions, so that he can focus on you.

The methods of teaching eye contact are numerous. This is just one way, but there are many others. If you want to modify this training to fit your pet, then feel free to do so. Some people recommend having your pet on a leash that is tied around your waist; that way, if your pet is easily distracted, there are not too many directions he can look.

Have your pet sit in front of you. Pull a treat from your pocket, but be careful not to show it to your pooch yet. Say your chosen command as you display the treat out of your pet’s reach. He will probably be hypnotized by the treat in your hand, staring hard. But, most pooches will look to their owners when it comes to something they want. Keep the treat in your hand until he looks up to you. The moment he looks up to you, praise him with a “good” or any other verbal praise, and let him have the treat. If you use a clicker to train, the click the clicker the instant he looks to you and give him the treat. Repeat this a handful of times. If your pet refuses to give you a glance, then you may have to move the treat towards your face. Let’s your dog’s eyes follow as you put the treat nearly level with your eyes. Repeat this several times, but then move the treat away from your face.

As your pet begins to make eye contact, you should begin to add your own distractions. With the treat in hand, move your hand away from your body. Your dog will look at the treat and then you. Give the command. Once again, when he looks at you give him the reward. Eventually, he will learn that looking at you, instead of looking at the treat, gets him the treat. Then, move the training into an area where there are other distractions and continue the routine.

Getting your pooch’s attention is necessary for a number of reasons. Training him to look at you is not a tough instruction, but it should be tailored to fit your pet. For instance, if you are clicker training, then use the clicker; if your pooch likes to be pet instead of getting a treat, then give him a good rub. Once your pet understands what you want from him, then practice the training outdoors.

This article is sponsored by Pet Super Store. A great website for pet carriers, dog crates, and orthopedic dog beds

2,779 comments September 10th, 2008

What to expect from a shelter pup

Adopting from a shelter is a great choice! There are many dogs that need and deserve loving homes. When you bring your new pooch home, there may be a period of adjustment. Depending on the dog, there may be issues that arise that do not necessarily fit with your daily lifestyle. Getting accustomed to a new dog takes time and patience, so don’t give up before you try!

Just because a dog is at a shelter, does not mean that he is a bad dog. Instead, the previous owner was unable to take care of him for one reason or another. However, there is a chance that the dog will exhibit behavior problems as a result of his previous environment. For instance, a dog that was rescued from an animal hoarder may show neglect or anxiety issues. Which leads me to my first point: never get angry with the dog for associating his new home with a past experience. Instead, provide a comfortable, loving home to get him back on track. You can feel rest assured knowing that a shelter will not allow you to adopt an unhealthy or overly aggressive pooch. Below are a few tips to make the transition and beginning stages a bit easier.

Let your pooch sniff things out. When he arrives at your home he may be overwhelmed with all the new sights and sounds. Let him take however much time he needs to get accustomed to his new situation. If he wants to sit in the corner, then allow him to sit in the corner. By letting him get comfortable and not forcing any extra stress upon him, you are helping him deal with his anxiousness and helping to keep his anxiety to a minimum.

Be realistic. It’s highly unlikely that you are going to leave the shelter with a perfectly trained, well-behaved pooch. The fact is that, prior to you, he may not have received much love or attention. It’s up to you to start him on a proper training program just as you would any other pooch. It’s also up to you to teach him the house rules, which leads me to my next point…

Don’t take it personally. When you arrive home, if the first thing your pooch does is urinate on your floor, don’t worry about it. The worst thing you can do is punish him right off the bat. Remember that he may not have had any rules or training prior to you, so he really just doesn’t know any better; he isn’t doing it out of spite.

Take some responsibility. If your new dog goes straight for your favorite plant, then come up with ways to keep the plant away from the dog until you can get the training started. In other words, don’t ask for an unnecessary situation. If your dog shows certain behaviors from the beginning, then realize that the behaviors will persist until you take responsibility.

Balance out the training. Just because he likes to eat your socks does not mean that he should not be able to leave his crate. Yes, a training program should be started, but it should also be started slowly. Your pet is going through a pretty significant change; the last thing he needs is cruel or harsh punishment and strict training. Give him a few days or a couple of weeks to get accustomed to his new life, while slowly introducing the training.

Enjoy the new company. Maybe your new dog won’t be perfectly trained or maybe he won’t understand what you want from him, but he will be a great companion. In the beginning, keep him on a leash when you walk. Play with him and brush him daily. The little segments of time that the two of you spend together will help create a strong bond between you and your pooch.

Bringing a pet home from a shelter is a great idea! He will be happy and grateful for what you have done. Being happy about your new pooch is inevitable, but you must also remain realistic in the situation. Remember that he may not have had training or rules before going home with you, so don’t expect him to be perfectly well-behaved. Instead, take time slowly easing him into training, while spending quality time with him. Before you know it, the two of you will be best friends!

Article courtesy of Pet-Super-Store.com where you can find dog beds, dog crate pads and dog car seat covers.

1,299 comments September 2nd, 2008