Posts Tagged ‘classes’

How to Keep Your Dog Motivated

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

Keeping the attention of your dog while training is not always an easy task. Dogs can be very easily distracted, and it is important to not allow the dog training sessions to be ruined by boredom. Making dog training fun for the dog and the human alike is essential to creating a happy, well-adjusted and well-trained dog.

You should provide random positive stimuli during the day in order to keep the attention of your dog. Doing things the dog like, like walking in the park, riding in the car, and playing with other dogs, are great ways to keep the dog’s attention, but you must reward him for small successes.

For example, to thank the dog for coming to you when you call him, tell your dog to come to you, without giving any clues about going for a walk, a car ride, or other treats.

After your dog has come to you and obediently sat down, attach the leash and start the reward. This can be either the before-mentioned walk in the park, ride in the car, or anything else the dog likes to do.

Giving some sort of reward, whether a treat, a special outing, or just a tickle behind the ears, every time the dog does something you want him to, is a great way to maintain your dog’s motivation while you are dog training.

If the dog knows something great is going to happen every time he obeys your command, he will be motivated to please you every time.

Distraction training.

When training any dog, it is important to not allow distractions ruin the training. The dog must be trained to ignore distractions, such as other people, other dogs, other animals and loud noises, and focus on what is being taught These kinds of distractions can also be used as rewards when training the dog to come when called.

For example, if your dog enjoys playing with other dogs, whether in a local dog park or with the neighbour’s dogs, let him play freely with those other dogs. Then go into the park or yard and call your dog.

When he comes to you, provide lots of praise, treats and other rewards, then immediately let the dog to return to playing with his friends. Do this several times and praise the dog each time he comes over to you.

The dog will soon learn that coming to you means good things (treats and praise) and not bad ones (being taken away from the park).

This so-called distraction training is one of the most difficult things for your dog to learn, because dogs are social animals by nature, and breaking away from the pack is one of the most difficult things you can ask your dog to do. Most dogs will be understandably reluctant to leave their doggy companions, but it is vital to persist in dog training.

Training the dog to come to you when you call may take some thought on your behalf at first. For example, waving one of his favourite toys, or a lure, is a great way to get your dog’s attention and put the focus back on you. If your dog has been clicker trained, a quick click can be a good motivator too in dog training.

Once your dog starts to become used to coming when called, you can begin to reduce and then stop the visual cues and focus on making the dog obey just your voice. It is vital that your dog responds to voice commands alone, as you will not always have a toy or lure to hand.

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Trendy Dog Names

Friday, June 12th, 2009

Fashion seems to dictate everything these days. From what you wear to what you name your dog, everything you do is decreed by the requirement to be cool. Cute dog names are hard to come by and even harder to choose. This is because no sooner is something in fashion, than it is out again.

Who would want to pick a cool dog name that may not be fashionable next year? So, people tend to play it safe, which is why the same names have been around for so long. To try and interrupt that cycle, five cute dog names are listed below with our reasons why you should pick one of them for your dog.

Phoenix: What could be cooler than a bird that goes up in flames and then rises from the ashes? Phoenix is one of the cute dog names that will never go out of fashion because it is rooted in mythology. It has a timeless quality which has surprisingly failed to boost its popularity.

Star: Star is one of the cool dog names because it has so many meanings that you can have a hard time finding out where to begin. A star in the sky is a phenomenon and a star can refer to someone that excels in a certain field. It is indeed a high form of praise and therefore is definitely a cool dog name.

Lady: Lady is one of the most popular dog names but it is also one of the cute dog names because of Disney. Lady and the Tramp was a huge hit and made the name popular but also gave it some credibility. In this case popularity is second to cuteness.

Elvis: The coolest of cute dog names. Elvis Presley was undoubtedly cool and remains cool today even after his death. It is immeasurably cool to call your dog after such a tremendous star who has never gone out of fashion himself.

Shadow: There is a dark and mysterious quality about Shadow that makes it a cute dog name. It would be best used on a large breed of dog though, because it wouldn’t have the same strong effect with a small one.

Whatever cool dog names you consider for your pooch, it is one sure-fire way to give them an identity of their own and make them memorable in the eyes of others. .

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Anger Management Lessons?

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

Many people with anger management issues try their best to ignore them. By neglecting to talk about their anger or sweeping it under the rug so-to-speak, these individuals assume that their problem will disappear. Many families go about their daily lives with a person who has anger management problems.

Fathers, mothers and even children can disrupt the whole family due to fits of uncontrollable anger. Some people think that keeping it quiet is the way to cope with it. But, denying the problem and refusing to deal with the anger issue does not solve anything. In fact, ignoring an anger problem for too long, can eventually lead to unnecessary violence and even death.

It is certainly a better strategy to admit that there is a problem and set out to find the solution. Finding the right course of treatment depends on the individual or family involved. While some may choose a one-on-one counselling session with a counselor or psychiatrist, others may feel more comfortable in a support group. What about anger management classes? This may be an option that a person with serious anger management behavioural problems may consider.

Anger management lessons, overseen by a professional in the arena of anger management, give an chance for people to learn anger management techniques for controlling their anger. Learning how to deal with their anger through lessons such as letting go of unwanted, harmful emotions is one of the goals of anger management classes.

Teaching yoga relaxation exercises such as deep breathing, meditation and the postures would probably be in the anger management lesson plan. Helping people to find positive and constructive methods of getting through their anger management problems is the main goal of anger management classes.

Some people, especially those who are new to anger management, may feel intimidated by the thought of anger management class settings, but it is essential to help these people understand that anger management classes are not meant to be threatening or demeaning. In fact they are supposed to be the exact opposite.

Anger management classes are supposed to be relaxing and informal without any feelings of embarrassment. Anger management lessons are supposed to assist you work through your anger issues, which can be difficult, which is why the classes offer support and encouragement.

Where would an interested person enroll for anger management lessons apply? The first point of contact for those who are thinking about signing up for anger management classes, might be a government supported social program in the vicinity. Social workers ought to be able to provide information about any anger management classes being held in your area.

If this doesn’t work, the Internet is always a useful resource for details about anger management including anger management lessons. Searches via Google or Yahoo, or any search engine really, will provide plenty of information to an individual requiring details about anger management classes. By offering contact information, dates, times and locations for various anger management classes, the Internet proves itself to be an exceptional resource.

The Internet also gives the interested person options including online anger management classes, which means the opportunity to study at home. There is absolutely no need for anybody to struggle with feelings of uncontrollable anger and misplaced emotions. Nowadays, there is plenty of help available, a person simply needs to ask for anger management classes.

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Keeping Your Dog Motivated

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

Keeping the attention of a dog during training is not always an easy task. Dogs can be very easily distracted, and it is important to not allow the dog training sessions to be ruined by boredom. Making dog training fun for the dog and the human alike is essential to creating a happy, well-adjusted and well-trained dog.

You should provide random positive stimuli during the day in order to maintain the interest of the dog. Doing things the dog enjoys, like walking in the park, riding in the car, and playing with other dogs, are great methods to keep the dog’s attention, but you must give him rewards for his successes.

For instance, in order to reward the dog for coming to you when you call him, ask the dog to come to you, without giving any clues about going for a walk, a car ride, or other treats.

After your dog has come to you and obediently sat down, attach the leash and start the reward. This can be either the before-mentioned walk in the park, ride in the car, or anything else the dog enjoys doing.

Providing some sort of reward, whether a treat, a special outing, or just a tickle behind the ears, every time the dog does something you want him to, is a good method to maintain your dog’s motivation while you are dog training.

If the dog knows something great is going to happen every time he obeys your commands, he will be more motivated to do want you want every time.

Distraction training.

When training a dog, it is important to not let distractions ruin the training. The dog must be taught to ignore distractions, such as other people, other dogs, other animals and loud noises, and focus on what is being taught These kinds of distractions can also be used as rewards when training the dog to come when called.

For example, if your dog like playing with other dogs, whether in a local park or with the neighbour’s dogs, let him play freely with those other dogs. Then go into the park or garden and call your dog.

When he comes to you, provide lots of praise, treats and other rewards, then immediately allow the dog to go back to playing with his friends. Repeat this several times and praise the dog each time he comes over to you.

The dog will quickly realize that coming to your call results in good things (treats and praise) and not bad ones (being removed from the park).

This so-called distraction training is one of the hardest things for your dog to learn, because dogs are social animals by nature, and breaking away from the pack is one of the most difficult things you can ask your dog to do. Most dogs will be understandably reluctant to leave their doggy companions, but it is vital to persist in dog training.

Training the dog to come to you may require some creativity on your part at first. For instance, waving a favourite toy, or a lure, is a good way to get your dog’s attention and put the focus back on you. If your dog has been clicker trained, a quick click can be a good motivator too when you are training your dog.

Once the dog begins to get the hang of coming when called, you can start to reduce and eliminate the visual cues and focus on getting the dog to obey your voice alone. It is vital that the dog responds to voice commands alone, since you will not always have the availability of a toy or other lure.

About the Author:

Cool Dog Names

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009

Fashion seems to dictate everything these days. From what you wear to what you name your dog, everything you do is decreed by the need to be fashionable. Cute dog names are hard to come by and even harder to choose. This is because as soon as something is in fashion, than it is out again.

Who would want to pick a cute dog name that may not be fashionable tomorrow? So, people usually play it safe, which is why the same names have been so popular for so long. To try and interrupt that cycle, five cute dog names are listed below with our reasons why you should pick one of them for your dog.

Phoenix: What could be cooler than a bird that goes up in flames and then rises from the ashes? Phoenix is one of the cute dog names that will never go out of fashion because it is rooted in mythology. It has a timeless quality which has surprisingly failed to boost its popularity.

Star: Star is one of the cute dog names because it has so many connotations that you can have a hard time finding out where to begin. A star in the sky is a phenomenon and a star can refer to someone that outperforms in a certain field. It is a high form of praise and thus is definitely a cute dog name.

Lady: Lady is one of the most popular dog names but it is also one of the cool dog names because of the Disney cartoon film, Lady and the Tramp, which was a massive hit. The film made the name popular but also gave it some credibility. In this case, popularity comes second to coolness.

Elvis: The coolest of cute dog names. Elvis Presley was definitely cool and remains cool today even after his death. It is infinitely cool to name your dog after an icon who never goes out of fashion.

Shadow: There is a dark and ethereal quality about Shadow that makes it a cool dog name. It would be best used on a large breed of dog however, because it wouldn’t have the same strong effect with a small breed.

Whatever cool dog names you use for your pooch, it is one sure-fire way to give them an identity of their own and make them memorable in the eyes of others. .

About the Author:

Motivating Your Dog

Friday, May 29th, 2009

Keeping the attention of your dog during training is not always easy. Dogs are easily distracted, and it is important to not allow the dog training sessions to be sabotaged by boredom. Making dog training fun for the dog and the human alike is essential to creating a happy, well adjusted and well trained dog.

You should provide random positive stimuli during the day in order to keep the attention of your dog. Doing things the dog enjoys, like walking in the park, riding in the car, and playing with other dogs, are great ways to keep the dog’s attention, but you must reward him for small successes.

For instance, in order to reward the dog for coming to you when you call him, ask the dog to come to you, without giving any ideas about going for a walk, a car ride, or other treats.

After the dog has come to you and obediently sat down, attach the lead and begin the treat. This can be either the afore-mentioned walk in the park, ride in the car, or anything else the dog enjoys doing.

Giving some kind of reward, whether a treat, a special outing, or just a tickle behind the ears, every time the dog does something you want him to, is a good method to keep your dog’s motivation while you are dog training.

If your dog knows something good is going to occur every time he obeys your commands, he will be more motivated to do want you tell him every time.

Distraction training.

When training a dog, it is important to not allow distractions disrupt the training. The dog must be trained to ignore distractions, such as other people, other dogs, other animals and loud noises, and concentrate on what is being taught These types of distractions can also be used as rewards when training your dog to come when called.

For instance, if your dog enjoys playing with other dogs, whether in a local dog park or with the neighbour’s dogs, let him play freely with those other dogs. Then go into the park or yard and call your dog.

When he comes to you, give him lots of praise, treats and other rewards, then immediately allow the dog to return to playing with his friends. Do this several times and praise the dog each time he comes over to you.

The dog will soon learn that coming to you means good things (treats and praise) and not bad ones (being taken away from the park).

This so-called distraction training is one of the hardest things for your dog to learn, because dogs are naturally social animals, and breaking away from the pack is one of the most difficult things you can ask your dog to do. Most dogs will be understandably reluctant to leave their canine companions, but it is important to persist in dog training.

Training your dog to come to you when you call can require some thought on your part at first. For example, waving a favourite toy, or a lure, is a good way to get your dog’s attention and put the focus back on you. If your dog has been clicker trained, a quick click can be a good motivator as well, when training your dog.

Once the dog begins to get the hang of coming when called, you can begin to reduce and eliminate the visual cues and focus on getting the dog to obey your voice alone. It is important that the dog obeys voice commands alone, since you will not always have the availability of a toy or other lure.

About the Author: