Sadly the days are getting shorter and soon the snow will fly so what does that mean for you and your dog and your training?
Here are some things to keep in mind. When it starts to get colder if your dog is not an outdoor dog their coat will not prime like an outdoor dogs coat would. Also their feet will not climatize to the colder weather. You will need to have a coat on hand for outdoor dog training when the temperature dips and you will also need booties for those extra cold dog training days. Now is the time to start getting your dog used to booties and their winter coat. You don't want to do this when it is -25C outside and you have to take your dog out.
You are better off slowly easing your dog into their winter booties over a few trial periods of a week or two.
When the temperature does drop you can still easily do many dog training exercises. If you are doing any treat training then you will want to get a pouch where you can easily access your treats. Buy yourself a pair of mits that flip back to expose your finger tips for ease of access to treats. Many people say they will continue training their dog in the Spring when it warms up because it is too cold to handle treats. So remember there are still many dog training exercises you can do without the use of treats.
One that you can do is training recall with a harness and a long rope. Having mitts makes this easier on your hands if you need to grab the rope while it is moving. Also practicing loose leash walking to eliminate leash pulling can be done using the techniques we will show you all without having to take off your gloves.
Deep snow is also an excellent exercising tool when your dog runs through it and plays. Another trick is if you can get your dog to start digging a tunnel, this will also help tire them out if they are high energy before a training session.
Keep in mind that many dogs with thicker coats will seem to have more energy in the winter because the heat does not tire them out as quickly. Cross country skiing is also a fantastic way to tire out a dog if you are skilled enough on skiis and your dog is trained to follow your commands.
Always dress in layers and buy a few of these items if you don't have them:
Balaclava - to cover your neck and part of your head
Ski Goggles - very awesome for training on days it is blizzarding out
Winter Hiking Boots - a necessity for traction on snow and keeping your feet warm
Micro Spikes - available at MEC for your boots and give awesome traction on ice
Windproof ski pants and jacket
Multiple warm layers
Moisture wicking base layer clothing
If you dress for the weather no matter what it is it can feel like a Spring day even if it is -20C and it is blizzarding outside. Many dogs love being out in a blizzard and not to mention you usually get the dog park all to yourself. Happy training.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Puppy Training
Puppies are very cute and make a great addition to the family household. Many people who have had dogs before often get a puppy. In every case we hear them say "I forgot how much work a puppy was".
When it comes to puppy training, what things do you need to know? There are many common mistakes we see made with puppy training that turn into life long problems.
First and foremost with puppy training is potty training. Many people give their puppy the whole free range of the house when they first get them. To make your puppy training easy here are some things you should follow:
Whenever the puppy is out always keep an eye on the dog. If you are unable to watch your puppy put them in a kennel or exercise pen where they can't get into trouble. This will make puppy training much easier and you will eliminate problems.
Have scheduled feeding times so you can regulate when your puppy has to have potty breaks.
Take your puppy out often to go to the bathroom and reward them for going potty outside with praise or a very small treat. Give your puppy time to play after going potty before bringing them in or else your puppy will learn to "hold it" when going oustide.
Give supervised playtime when back in the house.
Use a bell to teach your puppy to ask for outside. You can buy special dog bells that your puppy can ring to go outside.
Just remember when you are puppy training make sure there is no free range with complete run of the house unsupervised. Even supervised is a bad idea as your puppy is likely to find things to get into. Give your puppy something constructive to do and find ways to tire out your puppy. A tired puppy is a good puppy and this will make your puppy training much easier.
For help with training your puppy contact a Calgary Dog Trainer to get you set up on a plan for success.
When it comes to puppy training, what things do you need to know? There are many common mistakes we see made with puppy training that turn into life long problems.
First and foremost with puppy training is potty training. Many people give their puppy the whole free range of the house when they first get them. To make your puppy training easy here are some things you should follow:
Whenever the puppy is out always keep an eye on the dog. If you are unable to watch your puppy put them in a kennel or exercise pen where they can't get into trouble. This will make puppy training much easier and you will eliminate problems.
Have scheduled feeding times so you can regulate when your puppy has to have potty breaks.
Take your puppy out often to go to the bathroom and reward them for going potty outside with praise or a very small treat. Give your puppy time to play after going potty before bringing them in or else your puppy will learn to "hold it" when going oustide.
Give supervised playtime when back in the house.
Use a bell to teach your puppy to ask for outside. You can buy special dog bells that your puppy can ring to go outside.
Just remember when you are puppy training make sure there is no free range with complete run of the house unsupervised. Even supervised is a bad idea as your puppy is likely to find things to get into. Give your puppy something constructive to do and find ways to tire out your puppy. A tired puppy is a good puppy and this will make your puppy training much easier.
For help with training your puppy contact a Calgary Dog Trainer to get you set up on a plan for success.
Obedience Training
Here is the good news for all those people who are lost with their Obedience Training. Obedience Training can actually be fun for both you and your dog. Some people believe Obedience Training has to be all about using treats, others think it has to be all about corrections with a dog training collar.
Often we get two different scenarios. The first one involves people who have been to obedience training where they strictly use treats and we hear that their dog sometimes performs but not very well around other dogs or their dog is great when the treat is there, but as soon as it is gone their dog's obedience falls apart. These people are lost on how to transition from treat training to just having their dog do what they want all the time no matter what the distraction is.
The other scenario of Obedience Training involves people who have tried choke chain collars and say their dog just chokes themselves on this dog training collar no matter what we say or do.
So hear is the great news about Obedience Training: It can be very fun for the both of you and it should be. Your dog will also respond to you in all distractions and you don't need to be yanking on the leash during obedience training.
There are many foundational building blocks to Obedience Training your dog. In many cases Obedience Training is not where you start. You may need to set structure for more foundational building blocks such as exercise and pack structure.
To find out the schedule and plan you need for your dog's obedience training you should contact a knowledgeable Calgary Dog Trainer. Even if you have a puppy that you want to perfect obedience training with you are best to start with an inhome Calgary Dog Trainer who can get you set up and then advance to a puppy class when your puppy has all their shots. You can get started with training as soon as you bring your puppy home and you should!
Take action now and contact a Calgary Dog Trainer.
Often we get two different scenarios. The first one involves people who have been to obedience training where they strictly use treats and we hear that their dog sometimes performs but not very well around other dogs or their dog is great when the treat is there, but as soon as it is gone their dog's obedience falls apart. These people are lost on how to transition from treat training to just having their dog do what they want all the time no matter what the distraction is.
The other scenario of Obedience Training involves people who have tried choke chain collars and say their dog just chokes themselves on this dog training collar no matter what we say or do.
So hear is the great news about Obedience Training: It can be very fun for the both of you and it should be. Your dog will also respond to you in all distractions and you don't need to be yanking on the leash during obedience training.
There are many foundational building blocks to Obedience Training your dog. In many cases Obedience Training is not where you start. You may need to set structure for more foundational building blocks such as exercise and pack structure.
To find out the schedule and plan you need for your dog's obedience training you should contact a knowledgeable Calgary Dog Trainer. Even if you have a puppy that you want to perfect obedience training with you are best to start with an inhome Calgary Dog Trainer who can get you set up and then advance to a puppy class when your puppy has all their shots. You can get started with training as soon as you bring your puppy home and you should!
Take action now and contact a Calgary Dog Trainer.
Dog Pack Structure
Whether you understand or follow Pack Structure with your Dog or not, your dog still does understand Pack Structure. Every dog is genetically programmed to follow the rules of Dog Pack Structure.
Pack Structure is very important in the dog world and this is why: When dogs form a pack they need to know where they stand in that pack. The reason is for when they come across new resources such as food they cannot fight over every piece of scrap otherwise they could injure themselves. One injured dog in a pack means the likelihood of the pack bringing in new food is less so everyone suffers. When Pack Structure is established the Alpha gets first rights to the food and then it follows down the Pack Structure.
Pack Structure is also what makes going to a dog park more dangerous. Every time dogs come into contact they need to establish where they are in the pack structure. This is where fights are more likely to occur to establish their rank. Omega dogs do well because they don't care if they are at the top. If you don't have pack structure established at home then your dog is more likely to get into fights at the park. Some dogs are just naturally more leader like and will try to become the leader no matter what pack they are a part of.
Pack Structure is comprised of a few items:
1. Sleeping / Resting
2. Food
3. Possessions
4. Attention
5. Walking
An Alpha is in charge of all these things. So if you want to stay at the top you need to be in control of them. For help with setting up your pack structure contact a Calgary Dog Trainer today.
Pack Structure is very important in the dog world and this is why: When dogs form a pack they need to know where they stand in that pack. The reason is for when they come across new resources such as food they cannot fight over every piece of scrap otherwise they could injure themselves. One injured dog in a pack means the likelihood of the pack bringing in new food is less so everyone suffers. When Pack Structure is established the Alpha gets first rights to the food and then it follows down the Pack Structure.
Pack Structure is also what makes going to a dog park more dangerous. Every time dogs come into contact they need to establish where they are in the pack structure. This is where fights are more likely to occur to establish their rank. Omega dogs do well because they don't care if they are at the top. If you don't have pack structure established at home then your dog is more likely to get into fights at the park. Some dogs are just naturally more leader like and will try to become the leader no matter what pack they are a part of.
Pack Structure is comprised of a few items:
1. Sleeping / Resting
2. Food
3. Possessions
4. Attention
5. Walking
An Alpha is in charge of all these things. So if you want to stay at the top you need to be in control of them. For help with setting up your pack structure contact a Calgary Dog Trainer today.
Calgary Dog Trainer
Many people inquire about canine training in Calgary. Each dog is different than the next and people come to us when nothing else has worked for them. If you are having any problems with your dogs or if you are noticing any new issues starting with your dog don't hesitate to e-mail or phone us and we will be happy to help you get on your way.
Tyson Hainsworth
Calgary Dog Trainer
http://www.dogsquad.ca/
Tyson Hainsworth
Calgary Dog Trainer
http://www.dogsquad.ca/
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Drive to Ulistic Social Media Course
The trip to the Blackfoot Inn to the Ulistic Social Media course was spectacular. The day was beautiful and the traffic was great. The sun was shining and the late Jim Rohn was giving me tips on my stereo to create a better life.
The trip was extra exciting because of the high from my wedding gift from my fiance from the night before still had me buzzing. I imagined I was riding my new gift to the social media course in style. My new gift is an 83 V65 Honda which almost has the same size motor as my car. Imagining the wind blowing in my face smelling the crisp mountain air and the sun on my back was invigorating.
Upon arriving at the social media course everyone was seated and ready to go. I quickly got set up and quickly became enraptured in Stuart and David's presentation.
The trip was extra exciting because of the high from my wedding gift from my fiance from the night before still had me buzzing. I imagined I was riding my new gift to the social media course in style. My new gift is an 83 V65 Honda which almost has the same size motor as my car. Imagining the wind blowing in my face smelling the crisp mountain air and the sun on my back was invigorating.
Upon arriving at the social media course everyone was seated and ready to go. I quickly got set up and quickly became enraptured in Stuart and David's presentation.
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