The Secret To Dog Training

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The Secret To Dog Training

THE SECRET TO DOG TRAINING

Some researchers in canine and human relationships offer proof that the bond goes back for more than fourteen centuries. Of course both species have evolved a lot since those days, but the friendship is stronger than ever. The fact is we love our dogs and they love us back.

TRUE LOVE
So why is it we love our four-legged friends so much? There are a number of reasons depending on who youre talking to, but probably the most important is that they provide companionship. A lot of people live by themselves for various reasons, and having a pet in the house is a godsend. This is especially true when the human has lived with other people in the past and is feeling lonely now that theyre alone. Dogs are also not very demanding and offer us unconditional love. There arent too many of our human friends and family that we can say that about! Too often we make demands on each other and dont like to give something for nothing. On the other hand our dogs look at us with their adoring eyes, wag their tails, and follow us anywhere we ask them to go. They can also be spoiled brats and a royal pain! Usually when that happens its the humans fault. One important aspect of the dog-human equation is that we establish ourselves as boss upfront. Dogs by nature are pack animals and there is always a leader or alpha dog that the others obey and respect. When we adopt a dog, we become pack members and we must assume the alpha role or live to regret it. One way of looking at dogs is to compare them to children. They both need rules and guidelines to function well in life. That doesnt mean you have to be overbearing or mean. You can show leadership and respect at the same time. Well be talking about some of the ways to establish boundaries and still love your dog with all of your heart. Its all about knowing about the species.

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THE CANINE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

The Secret To Dog Training

The Canine Communication System is one that is based on the principle of seeking first to understand your dog, before expecting your dog to understand you! All too often, we see people jumping right in to obedience training or behavior modification and expecting their dog to know exactly what it is they want him to do and yet only to get disappointed when theyre not getting the results theyd expected. The main philosophy behind the Canine Communication System is in the study of the psychology of the dog which you will be introduced to more over the next few weeks. Study this! As this is the key behind successful training, and a longterm loving and enjoyable relationship with your dog. In fact the Canine Communication System is one which so many professional dog trainers out there are furious that I am reveal to you. The Secret Dog Training formula is one which has four main components. 1. A solid understanding of Dog Psychology 2. A complete knowledge of How Dogs learn 3. Obedience training methods and techniques 4. Problem behavior solving

If you look at successful dog trainers, they all seem to know how to communicate with dogs at the most basic level. One thing to remember is that communication happens on both sides of the equation. We talk to our dogs and they talk with their barking. It can be helpful for you if you know how to interpret the various bark patterns that dogs use. Also keep in mind that communication from dogs is about more than just barking. Ear position, facial expression, tail action, and overall body language also tell us things.

You see, hundreds of professional dog training schools base their whole business around this secret formula, and I am sure you can appreciate their displeasure that I am spilling the beans here and now. Before we go on, please understand that mastering the Canine Communication System and Dog Training Formula requires a lot more time than we have available at the moment. So later I will let you in on where you can get a complete insiders scoop on the secret to training your dog! More on that later..

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The Secret To Dog Training

UNDERSTANDING YOUR DOG

When most of us look into our dogs eyes we see that sweet, loving pet that we adore. As we play with our dogs and spend time with them, we start to notice little quirks, personality attributes, and even signs of what we think of as our dogs intelligence. Our dogs may be cute, loving, protective, and smart all the characteristics we associate with people. But while we may think of the dogs as almost little humans, in reality dogs dont have the personality or thought process of humans. A dogs brain is completely different from humans; how their brain interprets sensory information is an important part of how they learn. For you to understand your dog and train him well, you need to have an understanding of his brain and how it works.

DOGS BRAINS
A dogs brain is far simpler than a humans brain; it doesnt have the capacity for speech or memory. Yet it is a vital part of the dog and how he functions. The dogs brain is similar to a humans in that it interprets and analyzes information, the dog acts based on how he thinks the information should be processed. Sounds very analytical, doesnt it? Basically, it just means that a dog takes in information through his senses. There are some things to know in order to learn to understand what your dog is telling you. As you probably know, tail wagging is a big part of a dogs communication. When they are first born, puppies learn certain dog behavior from litter mates and their mothers. For example, they dont know how to wag their tails until theyre several weeks old. Thats because its a way of socializing with the other puppies and for the first weeks they just eat and sleep. Once they start playing then the tail is a signal that they want to play or that they are ready to feed and arent mad at anyone when the crowding at the nipple starts. Once a human adopts him, he uses his tail early on to signal that he wants food and that he is feeling friendly. It is generally believed that dogs think in images. Obviously they dont speak the same way that we do, so many interpret this as a lack of intelligence. As we get to know them, we can get a good idea of what our dog is saying to us. For example if youre both in the kitchen and he keeps looking from his food bowl to you, its pretty easy to figure out that its dinner time and he wants you to put his dinner in it.

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The Secret To Dog Training Something that we dont usually understand is coming home to a chewed up shoe, magazine, or even defecation in the house. Many times this isnt just random bored activity. Dogs adapt to our routines. If we go to work at the same Heres a TIP! time and come home at the same time, If you learn nothing else, you must they get used to the schedule pretty understand what it means to be the quickly. The first time were late the ALPHA in your home. Experts say normal picture that the dog expects to that failure to establish yourself as see has changed. Sometimes he chews the Alpha is the main cause for all on something of yours to at least get a problem dog behaviors. scent of you. Or his other bad behavior may be signs that hes stressed by the change. If you learn to understand more about how your dog perceives the world, you will be better at training him out of these disruptive activities. I can show you where to find more info about this later on..

ALPHA DOGS
As already mentioned, every pack has an alpha dog. He is the undisputed leader who establishes his dominance early on with his fellow pack mates. There may be a few skirmishes but usually the followers accept their roles early on. Each pack member knows his or her place in the hierarchy. They learn to submit to the leader and show it by certain behaviors, such as rolling onto their backs or approaching with their heads held low, ears down, tail wagging and licking the muzzle of the boss. When you bring a puppy or dog home they are naturally going to try and dominate the new pack which is you and your family if you have one. Its up to you to show that you are in fact the alpha dog here and earn the dogs respect, and therefore obedience. The exact methods you use will depend on the dogs age. Youll use slightly different strategies for the very young, adolescent and adult dogs. Being the Alpha dog is a very important concept to not only understand but to take action on. Its for this reason why we will spend the next few days concentrating on exactly how to become the alpha in your home.

THINK LIKE A DOG

What many of us may not think about is that dogs havent really changed, but their environment has. Centuries ago dogs and humans roamed the earth trying to survive by finding food and avoiding their enemies. Now, humans have become more civilized and the dogs are now our subordinates. At least thats

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The Secret To Dog Training the ideal situation. It can just as easily work the other way if you let it. Weve all seen spoiled or ill-behaved dogs that jump all over everyone, bark when they want to, and beg from the table. Thats only because hes been allowed to think all of those things are okay. Just like children, they will try to get away with anything they can. Once you start training him and he gets a little more mature, you want to achieve mutual respect. Maybe he cant read your mind, but just as you learn about him, hes also learning about you. Dont make the mistake of thinking that just because he doesnt speak human, hes not intelligent. Your dog can learn a lot about you from your body language, your mood, and even your facial expressions. If you dont establish yourself as a qualified pack leader, he will soon have your number and wont respect you. Many of us who love animals credit them with forming whole sentences in their minds that we would understand if only we each spoke the same language. As I mentioned before, there is evidence to suggest that dogs think in images. For example when we tell Fido hes probably hungry and he starts salivating, hes probably responding to some other cues he picked up from you. You may have looked at his food bowl or even been starting to fix his dinner. If you havent started working on his dinner yet, once he picks up the message that youre thinking about it, he will prod you on with tail wagging, salivation, or hopeful yipping. Does all this mean that you guys share the same thought processes? No, but it does mean that you two can communicate. So how do you know what is going on in your dogs mind?

BE A DOG WHISPERER

There are people who are able to communicate with animals directly, mind-tomind. Some of you might think this is a lot of silliness and that the communicator is just out to take some of your money. In some cases this is definitely true, but its more than likely that there truly are people who have this ability. We are all animals at our core and most of us dont use our full potential on the spiritual level. Whatever you believe or dont believe there are ways that you can act as a dog whisperer at least to some degree. Actually the ideas Im going to suggest have more to do with common sense and above all respect for animals. They are more than just possessions; they are living beings and will be an integral part of your life and those of your family, housemates, and friends.

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The Secret To Dog Training

DOG PSYCHOLOGY
In this section well be talking more about how dogs think and address some of the questions that often come up when people are comparing dog stories. Weve all heard some amazing ones about their incredible feats and its time to look at some possible reasons motivating them.

HOW DOGS THINK

Weve talked about this to a degree earlier. Scientists seem to agree that they think in pictures, while humans think in both pictures and words, and can articulate what they see both in their minds and with their eyes. So while some dogs are very smart, there is still going to be a difference in how we perceive each other. Going back in time for a minute, weve already seen that dogs and man have been friendly for many generations. Its likely that dogs decided to be companion animals based on their pursuit of food. Theyd find a group or tribe of humans and hang around the campfire because the food smelled good. If the humans actually fed them, then that was a great reason to stay around. Its been noted that the more wolf-like the breed the greater its able to pick up on human signals and commands. Another way to put it is that some dogs remain more puppy-like throughout their lives, while others are sharper and more independent. This probably evolved as a result of some dogs became pets early on because they were so cute, while others were more useful as members of the human pack. All of the differences took thousands of years to develop once man began breeding dogs. Although scientists have come up with all these theories about dogs thinking ability, lets try to imagine for a minute what it must be like for the dog. Lets say that you spend every Saturday morning with your dog in tow while you do a few chores. You start by making the bed and maybe while you do that you stop and pet Rover and talk baby talk to him and give him lots of affection both verbally and physically. You may even let him up on the bed and let him help put all the sheets, blankets, pillows and everything else you keep in place back on the bed. This gets to be a routine with the two of you and may even extend to weekdays if you have time. Rover follows you

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The Secret To Dog Training around the house while you pick up things from the floor and generally make things neat and tidy. Youre in a good mood and youre feeling especially close to him. So what happens when you are late getting home? As weve discussed, unless youve carefully trained him, you may come home to a mess. The bed that you two made up together is in disarray. The pillows may be on the floor and the covers are disrupted. Possibly some items like the sofa cushions that he has seen you plump up and place in a certain way are also on the floor. Maybe a shirt or pair of shoes, belonging to you, that he can get to have been dragged to another room and chewed on. It is very possible that while his anxiety increased as he was waiting for you to walk through the door at the usual time and didnt, he saw a visual of the happy times youve had together. Some part of his mind is so stressed at your not being there that he tries in his own way to feel closer to you by retracing the steps and physically interacting with the objects you worked with together. We can actually put this theory to good use when it comes to shaping how we want our dogs to behave. Its hard for us as humans to know exactly how this works and imagine precisely what they see. Experiments over the last thirty years or so seem to confirm that dogs remember not only in pictures, but also through scents and sounds. One thing is certain though, if we stop to remember that they arent humans in different bodies, we can use what we do know about them to help us communicate with them and teach them appropriate behaviors.

WHAT MAKES A DOG TICK

We already know that dogs are by nature pack animals, so by nature they usually will fit in well with a family or group of people and pets. They have intuitive knowledge of a social structure and if we teach them efficiently they will be quick to learn in most cases. In a typical dog pack the authority figures train the puppies not to bite hard, eat only when its their turn, and generally submit to the will of the pack leaders. They also reward them when they behave well. Rewards include play time, food, and grooming. Just watching a bitch with a litter of pups can give us cues on some ways to structure our own dog training. Dogs by ancestry are also den animals, which is why we are able to housebreak and crate train them. Their early socialization instilled habits of cleanliness as well as being used to living in close quarters.

DOG INTELLIGENCE

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The Secret To Dog Training There are a lot of people who naturally assume that a dog that learns quickly and easily is more intelligent than one who takes longer to train. Some people believe that the dog that learns faster is just more willing to obey and that it has nothing to do with how smart they are. They often think that dogs who are escape artists or wily hunters are actually the ones with the brains. Opinions vary as to the intelligence of guide dogs as well. One school of thought says that since they learn certain cues and signals they are just trying to please their masters each time they perform. The other school would remind us that in fact they must learn a lot of complex commands and must constantly be on the alert. They are responsible for the safety of their human companion and new situations arise all the time. Various ways of measuring a dogs intelligence have been devised. Some of them evaluate how they respond to specific events, while others see how many human words they can recognize, a vocabulary test of sorts. How intelligent is your dog? Want to find out? We will go over this in a few days time.

CANINE LEARNING THEORY

Want to know a secret? A mistake so many people make with their dog, is jumping too quickly into teaching obedience only then to sadly fail. The real trick to doing it RIGHT the first time, is first by u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h e psychology of your dog, and then knowing how he l e arn s be st . It s li k e learning how to balance riding a bike! Once you master this, you can train your dog to do almost anything Todays dog is in a new era as far as his learning programs are concerned. During the last 20 or so years dog training has taken on an entirely new look. Humans have become more enlightened in many cases and want to do more with their dogs than just teach them the basic commands. Many people are taking more care with how they choose a dog that will fit in with their families and their lifestyles. They also want to understand more about their four-legged friends motivation so that they can learn to use behavior modification when its called for. More people than ever before are opting to take their dogs to a trainer, but they arent just picking a name out of the phone book. They want to know that the obedience trainer they choose is well-qualified and actually has insight into dogs and why they act the way they do. As a result youre much more likely to find someone to help you with your dog who has received special training on a much deeper level than in the past.

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The Secret To Dog Training

Your goals should be to find someone who understands what motivates dogs, how to reinforce or eliminate certain actions without punishing them, can teach your dog to perform any task you wish him to, and knows the difference behind bribing him to do something and rewarding him for doing it right. To gain this knowledge there are some basics they need to study that are at a much deeper level than they formerly did. For instance they should understand the specific ways that dogs learn, how the various learning theories have evolved, how to use psychology in training, and the differences that breeds will make in dog behavior. Since weve been talking about dog psychology, some terms to be aware of are classical and operant conditioning techniques. These are terms commonly heard in the psych world.

SHAPING BEHAVIOR
Youre apt to see the word shaping when you read about dog training in books or on the web. Its actually the latest buzzword for training your dog or shaping his behavior by taking it one step at a time. It started out being used when talking about show training, but youll see the word creeping into all kinds of discussions about teaching your dog how to perform,Most of us know that the whether its for you or in the show ring. stunning Dalmatian is famous Clicker training is often used in shaping. It starts by you teaching the dog to obey a command by using a treat as a reward. Gradually he will respond to the sound of the clicker. Studies have shown that dogs do even better with a family member using this technique than they do with professional trainer. Dogs seem to enjoy learning this way, probably because the sound soon means praise to them. Not only that, but when they dont do it right the first time; they dont have to endure a physical correction. It also calls on their usual strong desire to learn new things. The sound becomes more important than lavish praise and treats or toys because it happens at the exact moment the dog performed the task. This increases the odds that the dog will do the correct thing next time he hears it.
for living with fire fighters

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The Secret To Dog Training

BASIC OBEDIENCE TRAINING For YOUR DOG

Most dog owners look forward to having a well trained dog that responds promptly to all commands. An obedient dog is a joy to have in your home, while disobedient dog can be destructive and frustrating to have around. In fact, lack of obedience training is one of the top reasons that so many dogs are placed in human society and pet rescue groups. Owners get frustrated when the dog isnt behaving properly or destroys their furniture or rugs, and sooner or later, the dog has to go. But is it really the dogs fault or his people? There are few un-trainable dogs, just owners that are unwilling to spend the time on training the dogs properly. Dogs are just like kids, they learn skills in increments. Dogs have to learn the first skills first, and then from there they can learn additional skills to build on the base of those early skills. All of this training, even the most basics of skills, creates a foundation for the dogs to prosper in and learn additional skills. Once a dog has mastered the first steps of obedience training, he will quickly learn the skills necessary to acquire additional skills. Remember, just be patient your dog is a baby when it comes to learning (whether your dog is a puppy or an adult). Hes going to learn first steps first, and with lots of reinforcement and praise, hell be mastering tricks and agility in no time. Obedience training accomplishes two things:
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It establishes a bond of communication between you and your dog. Your dog learns that when you give commands, he needs to respond. When he responds appropriately, hes rewarded for his behavior. What he wants most is to please you, when youre happy, hes happy. Obedience training keeps your dog active, thinking and involved. Dogs that are active and well exercised are less likely to be destructive as well. Basic obedience skills are the skills youll need to correct disruptive or disobedient actions. When you encounter problems with a dog that jumps up on visitors, you can turn to your sit command to get the dog to behave properly around company. The stay command will keep your dog from bolting out the door, stand is a good command to use to wipe the dogs dirty paws off before he tracks all over the house.

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The Secret To Dog Training

TRAINING METHODS
Your decision to train your dog is a very smart one. Everyone enjoys a wellbehaved dog. If youve done any research, you know that there are a variety of different methods for training dogs, almost all of them promise great results.

OBEDIENCE TRAINING PHILOSOPHIES

Before you can even begin your obedience training, you have to understand a little about getting the best results from your dog. Basically, what we are talking about is what motivates the dog what can you do to get the dog to perform in the desired behavior? Of course, earlier in this book we discussed a variety of philosophies of dog psychology. This section is all about using those basic theories and applying them to the practical needs of obedience training. Before you begin training your dog, you need to have the supplies ready on hand to begin training. There are a variety of different training methods. Some dog owners swear by one method as the best to ensure success for their dogs, others say its most effective to use a combination of methods, based on what skill you are trying to teach your dog and also what is most likely to motivate your dog. Your first job is to think about your dog, to observe him or her with other family members, see how he or she reacts to you and, if you have other pets, how he or she reacts to you pets. I will tell you where to find more about the different methods to training your dog in a little bit.

BASIC OBEDIENCE COMMANDS

Its crucial that dogs master some basic obedience skills. One of the primary reasons to teach a dog these skills is not only to have a well-mannered dog, but also to save his life. Think about it, if your dog runs into the street you want him to respond to Come immediately otherwise, it could be a horrible accident. Obedience training has saved the life of many a dog. Dogs learn basic obedience skills somewhat like a child learns a baby learns to roll over, then crawl, then stand while holding onto tables, then stand alone, walk and run. For a child, this path of learning skills will take a couple of years. Fortunately, a dog learns skills a little faster than a child, but well still use the same premise of building on skills, but instead well group the skills into sets. First your dog will learn some basics skills, then some more intermediate ones, and finally advanced skills.

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The Secret To Dog Training The following are some of the basic skills well cover first:
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Maintain Eye Contact Sit Down Come S tay He el Take and drop Off Fetch Ouch/Leave it

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The Secret To Dog Training

MORE ADVANCED OBEDIENCE TRAINING

When your dog has the basic skills down, its time to stretch his abilities a little farther. You can take each of the above commands, and can combine them and ask more from your dog to complete these skills. Did you know that you could teach your dog to follow a command simply with a special hand signal? Ill show you exactly where you can learn to do this in a minute.

FIXING BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS

Most dogs are anxious to please their owners, but they can get confused about exactly what is expected of them. Or, the dog can become bored if not given enough stimulation, or frightened and intimidated if yelled at or hit. Sometimes dogs go through stages a little like children, kind of like the terrible twos. The dog will act up just to challenge you, to see if you really mean it that you are the boss.

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The Secret To Dog Training When the dogs needs arent met or hes confused, hes likely to act out with very negative behaviors. Without even getting into the specifics of the activities, there are some basic steps you can take to improve your dogs obedience.

CORRECTING GENERAL BEHAVIOR

Most basic behavior problems can be linked to one of the following common issues: Lack of exercise Not getting enough exercise leads to boredom and frustration Not enough challenges Most dogs need some kind of stimulation, either from interactions with their owners or interactions with other dogs Health problems Sometimes dogs are suffering from poor nutrition or other health related problems Training problems Sometimes its time to go back to the drawing board. Some behavioral problems are really just insufficient training Does your Dog do any of these problem behaviors? How would it feel to finally be able to get all the latest secrets and proven techniques on how to identify, assess and correct your specific behavioral problem? o Do mi n an ce o Separation Anxiety o Destructive behavior o Jumping o Digging o Chewing Begging o Aggression o Fearfulness o Shyness o Excessive barking o Biting/Nipping

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The Secret To Dog Training o Pulling on Leash o Escaping

Coprophagia (eating own poop)

Where To From Here

If you are a person that loves dogs, you no doubt put a lot of thought in to selecting a dog and developing a relationship with that dog. Owning a dog is never a decision to take lightly. Of course, when you bring a new living being into your family, you have to give him the attention, love and devotion he deserves. And, the dog is able to reciprocate in many ways hell eagerly show you the same love and adoration. Hopefully this short eBook has highlighted some of the complexities of dogs. They are far different than many people assume. They are neither the simple, unthinking creatures many people assume nor are they animals that have the same thought process as humans. All dogs have similarities and differences. Some of the similarities are dependent on breed, but still, these dogs offer unique personalities and drives. Your dog is just like that, a unique thinking being with feelings and emotions. When you try to understand your dogs emotions, motivations, drives and instincts, you go a long way to establishing a relationship with your dog. Your dog will try to figure out what it is you want, and what makes you happy. Together, you can form a relationship that will last for years and provide you and your family with endless pleasure. Before long, your dog will be an integral part of your family and you wont be able to imagine how you lived without him.

Whats Next?
What this short eBook has provided is simply a brief insight into some of the key concepts about dog training. >> If you didnt find the EXACT solution you were looking for, then please dont worry. Our team at the Top Dog Club will be sending you everything you need to know about training your dog. << We have taken the decision to deliver this important information gradually over the coming few weeks rather than in one hit.

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The Secret To Dog Training Training YOUR dog is a process and is not something that can be done (well) in one night. So we will deliver to you (via email) a step by step guide to training your dog. We will start with some of the basics and the theory behind the training, and then move toward a more hands on approach. It is very important that you follow along. Each segment builds on the previous. In between each email, you will be given the time to allow the new concepts to Sink In which will consolidate your overall understanding on how to train your dog. As part of each segment, you will also be given special website links to additional resources plus you will be provided with some bonus eBooks to further help you with your dog so keep an eye out for them too ;-) In a few days from now, you will receive your first email with the Members Only web site address. This is where you can access the next segment of The Secret To Dog Training. See you then

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