Making your pets behave during training sessions sure is a tough work for all those involved in the training: the owner, the dog, and most of all, the trainer. Despite the obstacles your dog has faced during these sessions, still the frustrations and hard work that all you have poured in have been rewarded by obedience. It must have been a very joyful day for you when your pet was able to follow your command. You can’t wait to show off your pet’s achievement to your friends. Only to find out that it was more of a disaster. Most people would think that once a dog is able to master acting on its owner’s commands, everything will go well in every situation that the dog is in. However, it has been shown that this is not the case. Dogs are able to act on cue only in one situation, and [...] Read more »

Dog training has certain fundamentals that will ensure a positive program going forward. It’s important that they are followed from the start to provide a solid base for your puppy going forward. Jeff Allen, a dog trainer in Surrey, offers these simple tips as you start out in training your puppy: New dog or puppy owners should remember that their first few weeks together are the most important, so it is important to develop a good bond between owner and dog at this point – start as you mean to continue! Make training session fun for both you and your dig and keep them brief! Three ten minute sessions will be more beneficial than a full half hour. Personifying a dog is a mistake often made by new owners. Remember dogs do share the same intellect and emotions as people! Dogs get confused if you talk to them as though [...] Read more »

Long before Cesar Millan became known as the “Dog Whisperer” Dr. Ian Dunbar was applying the same principles in training dogs. While there are many training programs what Dr. Dunbar teaches is respect for the animal and emphasizes building a relationship with him during training. He also places a great deal of importance on early socializing and was perhaps the first to form puppy classes. Allen St. Johns interviews Dr. Dunbar on Forbes: “When I’m training a dog I develop a relationship with that dog. He’s my buddy and I want to make training fun,” says Dr. Ian Dunbar. “Training a dog to me is on a par with learning to dance with my wife or teaching my son to ski. These are fun things we do together. If anyone even talks about dominating the dog or hurting him or fighting him or punishing him, don’t go there.” To read [...] Read more »

Dog agility is gaining speed as one of Europe and America’s best animal sports. In dog agility, a handler guides the dog in going through a course in the least amount of time possible. The dog cannot be confined to a leash during agility competitions. As the clock ticks on, the dog has to complete various obstacles, ranging from jumps to pipes as spectators watch from the stands. Dog agility is a knock off of equestrian stadium jumping, but it now has its own obstacles, rules and scoring agenda separate from the original root source. There are numerous organizations that cater to dog agility participants. In the United States, you can find organizations that conduct trials through local dog training clubs. These groups adhere to the rigid international rules for agility performance. During a dog agility competition, the participants are judged, not only on speed, but also on physical performance [...] Read more »