1. Get your beagle puppy to love its food

Beagles love food. However, some beagles tend to be pickier than others. In this case, try several brands of dog food, and use the one that your beagle loves. Getting your beagle puppy interested in its food is a major step in getting it trained.

2. Use elusive training props

Make your training equipment (e.g. ball, hoop, dog bone) exclusively available only during training. Your beagle puppy will look forward to its training session when it realizes that these "toys" are only available during training.

3. Start ’em young

Beagle puppies can be trained from as young as 5 weeks old. Eager to please their owners, beagle puppies are able to learn rapidly during their puppy days.

4. Be firm, but remember to praise

Don’t spoil your beagle puppy. He is more likely to be obedient if it sees you as its pack leader. Letting your beagle trample all over you will you its peer in the dog’s mind. However, being firm doesn’t mean being lack of praise. Always praise your beagle puppy for each thing it does correctly.

5. Patience, perseverance and fun

As they are stubborn, some beagles may take several lessons or even weeks to master a trick. Patience and perseverance will help a great deal in getting your beagle puppy trained all the way. Also, as beagles love to have fun, being excited during training will help in prolonging your puppy’s attention span.

6. Use the right methods

Many owners think they know better and train their beagles from a human perspective. The fact is, beagles and all dogs for that matter, learn best when they do something voluntarily. You’ll be amazed how quick a beagle puppy can learn when you use the right training methods!

Written by N.Y. Chow

Save your Stuff!

Puppy crate training, first and foremost, will prevent your new pet from tearing up your home when you are not there. If confined to a crate, your puppy will learn to chew only on his toys and the things you give him to last during the day. Often times the relationship between owner and puppy comes from destruction of properly. Crate training your puppy is one of the tips you will often see for saving your property from your pup.

The Den Instinct

Puppy crate training also helps your little one with a natural instinct. Dogs like to have a small den or home. This is a leftover from their days in the wild. Though your puppy may emit whining initially when put in the crate, he will eventually come to see it as his own personal space and den. Whether your dog is a Labrador or a small terrier of some sort, your dog will enjoy having this space that is all his own.

Teach Proper Bathroom Habits

Puppy crate training also puts your little pooch on the road to proper house training. The crate will help him get on a schedule that will make house training at around six months much easier than without a crate. Check almost any ebook or book with tips on house breaking and almost every one will mention crate training your puppy.

Puppy crate training may be controversial. After all, as many people think it is cruel and solitary as think it is a fantastic way to go. However, the only time you run into real problems with crate training is if you do it improperly.

Written by Dean Iggo

There are many people that are under then assumption that a young puppy cannot be trained. This is not true at all as a young puppy can actually be quite easily trained if the training it is receiving is done properly. Purchasing things that your puppy is going to need such as food and water dishes, a collar and leash and a dog crate is the first step in the right direction for being able to properly train your puppy. In addition before you begin training your puppy you and your family all need to agree on the puppy’s routine as all dogs no matter what their age need this in order for training to be successful.

Puppies are very eager to learn and it is best that training involve nothing but positive reinforcements. You never want to hit a puppy of yell at them in a truly harsh tone of voice. The damage either act can do can be very hard to repair. You should reward your puppy with things like puppy treats and praises when they are doing something right. Getting your puppy out for socialization is also integral in being successful in training your puppy.

Training an adult dog can be another adventure all together. The statement “You can’t teach and old dog new tricks” can often have a thread of truth in this situation. There is no need to be discouraged though. As many older dogs have already had some degree of training with their old owner it can be hard to train them to get them to learn the rules of your home. That is not to say that it is an impossible task to accomplish. In some ways training an adult dog can be easier then a puppy just because it already has some basic knowledge of things like being housebroken so really all you would need to work on is changing some behavioral patterns. As with puppies offering plenty of positive reinforcements will be the easiest way to train a dog as all dogs crave positive attention.

There are positives and negatives about training both puppies as well as adult dogs. You really need to pay attention to your lifestyle and how much time you have available to devote to the training of a dog and that will give you the best idea of what will be easier for you.

Written by Gray Rollins

1.) Do not excessively scold or punish your puppy

In Shih Tzu training, scolding or punishing will be not be an effective means for training your puppy. In fact, this can actually make it harder to train your dog! This is contrary to popular belief and how many people approach training their pet. Don’t make this mistake! Shih Tzus best respond to positive and non-violent reinforcement.

2.) Use dog treats the right way

Treats can be very effective way in Shih Tzu training but only if they are used properly. Another mistake that is frequently made is to use treats as a way to bribe your puppy into good behavior. You do not want to use treats as a method for bribing your puppy into good behavior but as a way to reinforce good behavior patterns that your puppy is demonstrating.

3.) Do not force training upon your puppy

Shih Tzu puppies can have a very short attention span. So in Shih Tzu training, take time to train them in short periods of time. If you find your puppy is becoming distracted by something, don’t try to force them into training, but simply come back at a later time. The last thing you want to do is cause your puppy to resist training because you uncomfortably force them into training sessions!

Shih Tzu training can be a very tiring, and sometimes discouraging process, but the rewards are astounding! Stick with it, be patient, and take the time to apply these tips, and you will be on your way to successfully training your puppy!

Written by Kathryn McDonald

1. You will want to be brief: Compared to a child, how short do you imagine your puppies attention span is. We all know that a child’s attention span is short so we will have to make sure that we remember this as we are working with our puppy. Our teaching will only be effective when we have his attention. If your puppy is physically exhausted and tired mentally, while your are trying to teach him new things, you can not expect to see the results that you wish. You will want to put your puppy through his training activity and then move on. You will have to keep it brief.

2. You want to keep things very simple: You will want to teach your puppy in a progressive step by step manner. Puppies learn the best this way so it will be the best possible process for you to take. You will find this will increase enjoyment and your puppy learn at an higher rate of speed if you will take this step by step approach.

3. Please be patient: You do not want to create a bad experience for your puppy. If you expect to have results immediately you will be frustrated and will have your puppy training loose focus. Puppies learn in spurts and these training’s will take time. Your puppy will also go through lapses of memory and this is normal. One day your puppy might remember his training perfectly and the next day have completely forgotten it. When it comes to his training you want to relax and be patient.

4. You will have to be gentle: A young puppy can not handle a lot of psychological or emotional stress. They are sensitive and you will have to work with them accordingly. They can learn quickly and if they are handled too roughly while going through their training they will pick up fears that will hinder their learning ability. You will have to be nice but also be firm.

5. Work on building confidence: You will find that every health dog will have a fair amount of confidence. This will start with you building confidence in your new puppy. This is not hard to do. You will want to start out by spending as much time as you possibly can with your puppy. If you make sure that this is a positive experience you will find that this will have a huge positive effect in building his confidence. Take time to relax with your puppy. You do not want to always be in a training mode. You will want get down and spend some time with your dog. Roll around with him and have some fun. If you will let him know that you are his friend he will be your friend for life.

Written by Jason Beachy

Easy to fix

Most recipes for healthy, homemade dog foods are very easy to fix. And when you fix these yourself, you are guaranteed that your dog will receive the correct nutritional variety for good health.

Before your start preparing your own dog food recipes, make sure you know the dangerous foods that can harm your dog. Bones can not be easily digested an can effect your dog’s digestive tract. Other foods that you should need feed your dog include avocados, mushrooms, chocolates, grapes, onions, garlic and macademia nuts.

How about a nice hamburger

One easy-to-fix recipe is dog hamburgers. You make them out of a combination of cooked hamburger patties, chopped boiled eggs, oatmeal, green beans, carrots an cottage cheese. These are easy to prepare since you only need to mix the ingredients. You can store any leftovers in the refrigerator where they will last for three days. These dog hamburgers contain lots of minerals and many vitamins.

Another good dog food recipe is homemade dog biscuits. These are made from what flour, white flour, baking powder, oatmeal, peanut butter and milk. Just combine the ingredients and mix well. Cut the cookies into treats and bake them at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Maybe you won’t like the smell, but your dog will

Dogs choose food by smell as they are color blind. Dogs usually like food with gamey flavors such as liver, fat, horse meat, lamb, beef, cheese and fish.

If you’re making a meat meal, it’s always a good idea to add a grain such as kibble, wheat germ, cooked oatmeal or whole wheat or bread.

Once you begin making dog meals yourself, you will find that it’ relatively easy and you will also save money. Remember that all dog meals should be served at room temperature - don’t serve food right from the stove or refrigerator.

A few dog food recipes

Veal Stew

Combine 1/2 pound stewing veal, one cup canned tomatoes, one cup water, one chicken bouillon cube, 1/2 onion (chopped), parsley, add a dash of garlic powder in a pot and simmer. Remove all bones when the meat becomes tender.

Cut the meat into chunks an mix the stew with kibble or some other grain.

Chicken Soup

Combine one chicken liver, one giblet, one chicken heart, one chicken neck, two cup water and one tablespoon finely chopped parsley. Add one 3 1/3 jar of strained liver baby food or homemade blended liver. Still until everything is well mixed. Cover and simmer until the giblet is tender. Remove the bones, chop the meat and mix with kibble.

Liver cookies

Preheat over to 3500 F. Combine 1/2 cup dry milk and 1/2 cup what germ. Drizzle one teaspoon honey on top. Add one 3 1/3 oz. jar of strained liver baby food or homemade blended liver. Stir until everything is well mixed. Form the mixture into balls. Place the balls on a greased cookie sheet and flatter with a fork. Bake 8 to 10 minutes.

You can store the cookies in a jar in your refrigerator or freeze them if you intend to keep them for more than a few days.

Dog morsels

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 cups white flour
• 1 cup skim milk powder
• 2 eggs
• Water
• 1/2 cup melted beef or pork drippings (or lard)

Mix ingredients together with enough water to make a stiff dough. Roll out and cut into Christmas shapes. Preheat over to 3500 F. Bake morsels on cookie sheet until hard.

Fish cookies

Just follow the recipe for liver cookies except use 3 1/2 oz. of mashed and boned mackerel, either caned or freshly cooked.

Where to get more healthy dog food recipes

If you’d like more dog food recipes and to see videos that will show you exactly how to prepare them, just go to the website expertvillage.com

Will your dog be killed by its food?

Did you know that the wrong diet can cause your dog to die prematurely? The fact is, commercial dog foods that are high in preservatives can cause cancer in dogs, as well as liver failure, leukemia and even increased aggressiveness - something that can be a real problem if the dog is around kids.

Written by Douglas Hanna

Mastiffs as war dogs

Phoenician merchants introduced the Mastiff to ancient Britain in the 6th century BC. The ancient Celts began using them as combat dogs who accompanied their owners into battle. This was the beginning of a long history of Mastiffs as fighters, soldiers, protectors, and watchdogs. A popular story tells that when Sir Peers Legh was injured in the Battle of Agincourt, his Mastiff stood over him and protected him for many hours while the battle raged on.

When the Romans invaded Britain around AD43, they took Mastiffs back to Italy and used them to protect property and guard prisoners, in addition to fighting in the arena. The Mastiff is said to have been Julius Caesar’s favorite dog. Kubla Khan had a kennel of 5,000 Mastiffs for hunting and war use. When Hannibal crossed the Alps, he took several battalions of war Mastiffs.

Mastiffs in Britain

Back in Britain in the 11th century, the Mastiff was one of the few breeds listed by name in The Forest Laws of King Canute, the first written laws of England. Mastiffs were recorded as being kept for protection, and the middle toes of their front feet had to be amputated so the dogs could not run swiftly enough to catch deer (which traditionally belonged to royalty). British royals kept Mastiffs to protect their castles and estates, releasing them at night to ward off intruders. Henry VIII is said to have presented Charles V of Spain with 400 Mastiffs to be used in battle.

From the 12th through 19th centuries, Mastiffs were used for bear-baiting. This "sport," in which dogs attacked chained-up bears, bulls, and even tigers, was especially popular during Queen Elizabeth’s time. Such fights were often staged for the queen’s entertainment.
The size of the Mastiff and its need to eat about as much food per day as an adult man made a Mastiff too costly for most common folk, except butchers, who had enough meat scraps to feed a Mastiff well. Therefore, the Mastiff was often called the "Butchers Dog."

Mastiffs in the United States

The first Mastiff in North America was brought from Britain on the Mayflower by the Pilgrims. The breed didn’t become prominent in America until the 1800s, when Mastiffs were often found on plantations in the South as property guards.

During the World Wars, Mastiffs were commissioned to pull munitions carts at the front lines. However, their popularity was declining at the same time, partly because of their size: It was considered unpatriotic to keep a dog that ate as much in one day as a soldier. By the 1920s, Mastiffs were almost extinct in Britain, and by the end of World War II, Canada and the United States were sending Mastiffs to Britain to save the breed. Now, the breed is well-established in both continents.

From war dogs to family pets

How did Mastiffs go from hunting and fierce war dogs to the gentle pets we know today? Part of the reason is that breeders have bred the Mastiff for gentleness and have thus created an excellent companion. In addition Mastiffs are simply treated differently today. No longer are they used for barbaric practices like bear bating or lion fighting. As for being war dogs, modern warfare has made them obsolete as war dogs. Instead, Mastiffs are either kept as pets or put to use as watchdogs, guards, police or military dogs, search and rescue dogs, or as weight pullers.

Written by Autumn Louther

Dogs dig to hide something. For them, burying food could keep it safe from others. Their natural instinct for dens is another reason why dogs dig. They consider the holes they dug as their shelter to cool themselves down or warm themselves up. If your dog is digging under the fence, it is just an indication that your dog wants to go out to search for a mate.

One solution to this problem is to provide various activities and exercise to stimulate him physically and mentally. Labrador Retrievers will surely enjoy retrieving balls and other activities such as agility, frisbee and flyball. If your pet digs to bury food, limit his access to scraps of food and bones. This will somehow refrain him from digging often since he has nothing to bury in the first place. Another way to lessen digging in inappropriate places is to emphasize and make it clear to him where he can and cannot dig. Bury his favorite toy or treat in spots where you want him to dig. If you see him digging in the wrong place, reprimand him and teach him the correct spot. But always remember to correct him every time your dog starts digging holes, not when he the digging is already done. If he continues digging in the wrong place, you may want to bury chicken wire under the surface of that area. Your dog won’t like the feeling of his paws scraping along the wire. You can also try mixing chili powder and water and wet the area you do not want him to dig. If you won’t be around to supervise your dog, place him in a kennel or crate. This will refrain him from doing things you do not want behind your back.

If the reason of digging is to cool down or to warm up, provide him the warmth or coolness depending on the season. Provide warm and comfortable shelter during cold season or warm and shaded area during summer.

By Richard Cussons

How much free time do you have?

One of the first considerations has to do with the amount of time you will be able to spend with your new pet. Do you work long hours that leave you with little free time? Perhaps your work requires that you travel frequently, which means you will need to place your pet into a kennel on a regular basis. If these two factors apply to you, then think long and hard before getting a dog. Pets need attention that goes beyond a comfortable place to sleep and fresh food and drink. If your pet is not likely to see much of you, then perhaps goldfish would be a better choice.

Will your new dog be comfortable?

Next, take a look around your home and think in terms of how comfortable various breeds would be in your home. If you live in an apartment and have limited space, a smaller dog might be a good option. On the other hand, if you have a home with a fenced in back yard a larger dog will do very well, since there is always the option of getting some exercise in a safe place. When choosing a dog, always keep in mind that your pet will need room to roam. Only consider breeds that will fit into your living space nicely.

Why do you want a dog?

Third, consider your reasons for wanting to own a dog. Are you mainly interested in having some company? If that is the case, then you will want to go with a breed that is very loving and will provide you with an energetic welcome when you come home. On the other hand, if the point of having a dog is to add an element of security to your life and home, you may want to go with a dog that is a little larger and tends to be somewhat territorial. Most of these dogs are still somewhat affectionate, but will tend to be somewhat suspicious of strangers in the home until they get a clue from you that it is okay for the individual to be there.

Do you have children?

Last, if you have children in the home, be very careful in your selection of a dog. Some dogs take very well to children and become playmates. At the same time, they will also become very protective of your children, which is a good thing. However, not all breeds mix well with children. When choosing a dog to be the family pet, go with a breed of dogs that is known to be children friendly.

Agility training will also allow your dogs to perform obstacles. With this kind of training, dogs can improve coordination through the basic training exercises used to teach jumping and ramp work.

More importantly, you and your dog will build a better bond. This training teamwork nurtures a good communication between the pet owner and the dog which improves their working relationship.

In line with that, there are different kinds of dog agility equipment that will complete your dog’s obstacle training course. Every piece of equipment provides excellent improvement to your dog’s whole being and attitude.

Below is a list of benefits that you and your dog can get from agility training.

Benefits to Dogs:

º Keep your dog healthy.
º Allow your dog to perform his needed exercise.
º Establishes trust and confidence to you as their friend and owner
º Learning to follow basic obedience and instructions
º Develop flexibility
º Sharpens your dog’s mind
º Increases your dog’s endurance and confidence
º Develops your dog’s speed and accuracy
º Improves his communication skills
º Allows your dog to form his own strategies

Benefits to Pet Owners:

º Keep you in shape, healthy and alert
º Develop flexibility
º Helps to lose unwanted fats and gain muscle
º Increase your perseverance

Indeed, agility training gives your dog a great and exciting bonding time with you and other members of the family. Including it in your daily or weekly activities will surely strengthen your relationship with your dogs.

By Andrei A Smith

Defined within each category are also things that are considered faults. Beyond these faults, there are a couple of things that will automatically disqualify the dog from being a Golden Retriever standard. These things are a deviation in height of more than one inch from the standard, either too high or too small, and also if there is an undershot or overshot bite. These are the only two automatic disqualifiers.

The American Kennel Club has specific standards for dogs to meet the category of the perfect dog. For specific information, one should consult the AKC website. Some of the things included in the standard are that the eyes should be dark brown, but medium brown is considered okay. They should have a lot of expression in them, and be friendly and intelligent looking. They should have short ears, where when pulled forward the tip of the ear just covers the eye.

The coat of the Golden Retriever should be smooth and rich. There are various golden shades that are acceptable, but the mid-gold range is best, avoiding the lightest and darkest. The fur should be dense and water-repellent. The fur should lie close to the body, and can be wavy or smooth. The natural look of the coat should be left, and it should not be cut or clipped unnecessarily, though it is appropriate to trip the feet and some stray hairs.

A Golden Retriever should meet the American Kennel Club standards if at all possible. These standards can be found at the AKC website, and include many items such as coat, gait, head, eyes, tail, forequarters, hindquarters, etc. The dogs that meet the American Kennel Club standards will have some certain things in common. They will be beautiful dogs, with lustrous coats, usually in the mid-gold range. Their coats will be dense, with feathering on the forelegs and underbelly, and tail and back legs. They will muscular, and have a lot of energy, as they are hunting dogs and like to stay active.

They will be eager and self-confident. Their tail should be held out, and their eyes will be friendly, alert and intelligent-looking. They will be eager to interact with people, and love to please. Dogs that meet the American Kennel Club standards are dogs that any owner would be proud to show off and enjoy owning.

Written by Carol Matthews

Conduct 3 training sessions a day, each session lasting approximately 20 minutes while allowing at least 1 hour rest in-between sessions. In a 2-week period, there should be a total of 30 sessions.

Week 1 And Week 2

1. Teach your dog the "heel" command. Repeat a series of 3 to 5 circles and perform 5 series of 4-step "heels" per session.
2. Teach the "sit" and "release" command. Command your dog to "sit", let it stay in the sit position for a moment then give the "release" command to release your dog from the "sit". Repeat this series 5 times per session.
3. For each session, work on a series of 1 exercise and move to another exercise (i.e., work on one series of 4-step "heel", then a series of "sit" and "break", and finally a series of 4-step "heels"’).

Although dogs need repetition to learn a skill, you need a variety of exercises to keep them interested as they bore easily.

Week 3 And Week 4

1. Reinforce the "heel" command. Test the "heel" command from lessons learned from week 1 and week 2.
2. Reinforcing the "sit" and "release" command. Begin training your dog to hold the "sit" position starting from 5 seconds and gradually stretching the time to 10 seconds.
3. Begin teaching your dog the "down" command (use treats to lure your dog to teach it the command). Repeat the series 2 times per session in week 3 and 3 times per session in week 4.

Week 5 And Week 6

1. Continue to reinforce and test the "heel", "sit" and "release" commands. Begin to include distractions when training "heel" and "sit" to train your dog to continue focusing on you even there are distractions.
2. Extend the concept of holding position to build patience by extending the "sit" from 5 - 10 seconds to 30 seconds - 1 minute before releasing the "sit" command.

   When you test your dog, you should repeat each test until it passes the test 3 consecutive times.

3. Start to reinforce the "down" command in week 5 by removing the treat and shoulder help. During week 6, begin reinforcing without any bodily assistance. You can reintroduce treats as the reward but do not tempt your dog. Only reward your dog after it has successfully completed the "down" command.

Training sessions may become more stressful for both you and your dog as you progress from the teaching phase and enter into the more difficult reinforcing phase. If you find a particular test too tough for both of you; stop the exercise and continue to practice the skills individually, you can repeat that particular test a few days later.

While the length and regularity of the sessions remain unchanged since the first week, the sessions are becoming less predictable and require varieties to make them as interesting and effective as they can be.

Week 7 And Week 8

1. While continuing to reinforce and test the "heel", "sit" and "release" commands, don’t forget to reinforce the "down" command as well. In 1 of every 3 sessions, add distractions to your basic commands. Improve "down from a stand" exercise with the "down" command.
2. Extend the time-span of the holding position and begin teaching the "stay" command.
3. Begin combining the different commands when training. Teach "sit" and "down" from your front and testing motion "down" and motion "sit".
4. Start teaching the "come" command. Put your dog on "sit/stay" position, while walking backwards monitor the position holding skills. Body language plays an important role in teaching this command and sending the wrong signals sometimes causes your dog not to hold the position.

Week 9, Week 10 And After

1. Reinforce "stay" and "come" command. Always practice a short leash recall to reinforce the final finish position. Repeat at least 10 times per session. "Come" is the most important command but the least practiced of all the other commands.
2. Conduct test and reinforce all obedience commands. Practice all commands equally, working on each command as little as 1 or as many as 5 repetitions per series though you should avoid creating patterns.

Make exercises targeted towards your practical obedience application. Include distraction training in at least 1 out of every 3 obedience practice sessions.

Written by Joanne Kok

If there is any way to become pack leader of your puppy, it will probably be walking. It is likely that your puppy will not know how to walk at first. Having a collar and leash on might seem foreign to him. As you continually go through the process, he will learn to accept both the leash and collar. When walking your puppy, whether or not to use the command "heel" is beside the point. For the dog to walk beside you and not roam around or pull on the leash, you don’t have to use the word heel. Walking at a brisk pace while also not letting your dog check out every tree or smell coming his way, will help you on your way to having your puppy walk beside you. Use a relaxed leash hold while also being quick to give a slight jerk to the side of the neck whenever he strays his focus from going directly forward. When you walk your dog you almost have to think like you’re on a mission. Dogs are used to walking in packs. In this case you are part of your dog’s pack.

Actually, as part of the pack you have to be the pack leader. To encourage this position over your dog, walk proudly with chest out and slightly in front of your puppy with slack in your leash. Your puppy should be positioned to your side and never in front. Again, move forward as on a mission to get from one place to another in a working kind of mode. Your dog will soon understand that this is part of his work for him to carry out. There’s a time for walking and a time for smelling, pottying, and any other tangent activity your dog wants to do. If your dog needs to potty, wait till the end of the walk.

One of these essential puppy home training commands that dogs can pick up really quickly is the "sit" command. Simply say the command "sit" while gently pushing your dog’s butt to the ground. Praise him afterwards either with a small treat, high-pitched voice praise, and/or a nice massage on his favorite spot. Repeating this many times will soon help your dog to know what to do when he hears "sit".

These three training scenarios will make great inroads to keeping your dog problem free. Various problems might come up along the way, but having your dog respect you will help a lot in avoiding various bad behaviors.

By Arland Kent

If all of the above are true, you are ready to get rid of the food. If not, then I strongly recommend you continue practicing all of your obedience commands in a wide variety of locations with increasing levels of distance, time, and distraction until you are very happy with your pup’s level of accomplishment. A behavior is solid only when your pup will do it in a wide variety of locations and situations with a large degree of distraction. He can only reach this level if you continue to use food lures and great enthusiasm in these locations and situations. Even then, phase the food out very gradually. This will normally take several more months for most pups!

Before you start your Lure Phaseout:

Make sure that you have been using verbal commands/cues, hand signals, and enthusiastic praise continuously during lure training. These command words, enthusiasm/praise, and hand signals will be all you have left to keep your dog’s attention after you get rid of the food, so make sure you’ve made a clear association. (Later, you can even get rid of the words and use only hand signals - as long as you’ve been using them all along.)

Make sure your pup is solidly proficient at the distance, level of distraction, and length of time that you want him to be. For instance, if he holds a 3 minute sit/stay in the living room while you are in the kitchen, great. But if you want him to hold a 5 minute sit/stay in the town square while you talk to a friend, you better work up to that, practicing in the town square with great treats until you’re satisfied with his level of accomplishment. Use the best (tiny but soft and stinky) lures/treats & lots of praise when distractions, time, distance, or number of consecutive behaviors is being increased.

Supervise children during training - make sure they are always using lures/treats and tons of praise.

Don’t bother using treats that don’t work.

Now you are ready. Use either or both of the following Lure Phase-Out Methods:

Lure Phase-Out Method One

Start to give commands sometimes with treat in your hand, sometimes without treat in hand. The first few times your pup obeys a command when you DON’T have a treat in hand, give him several treats, one at a time, with huge amounts of verbal praise & petting. Pup will start to think - Wow, it’s even better when she doesn’t have treats! He will also start to offer behaviors whether you have treats in hand or not. Go overboard once in a while - pop a can of food out of your pocket (he couldn’t even smell it in there!) Next, start to fake pup out: When a treat is in your hand and he obeys the command, he gets no treat. When treat is NOT in your hand and he obeys, that’s when he gets it.

Final level: Variable schedule of reinforcement. This means that there are 4 possible situations:

1) You lure pup with treat in hand, he obeys and he gets the treat. 2) You lure pup with treat in hand, he obeys and he does NOT get the treat. 3) You lure pup with no treat in hand, he obeys and he gets the treat out of your pocket. 4) You lure pup with no treat in hand, he obeys and he does NOT get the treat.

Make sure you are using your verbal cues/commands, plenty of enthusiastic praise, hand signals and other ways to keep his attention (eye contact, snapping fingers, calling his name, etc.) during all phaseout activities.

Lure Phase-Out Method Two

You’re probably doing this already: Get more behaviors per treat (ex. Sit, stay, come, sit, then treat), and once in a while, when he accomplishes 3-4 or more consecutive behaviors with hand signals only, give a huge food reward & praise. Surprise him with food occasionally when he accomplishes several non-treated behaviors in a row. Keep these surprises up for a long time (at least a year).

Final note: A variable schedule of reinforcement will keep him on his toes and paying attention to you! Every dog is different - yours will go at his own pace, but his progress will improve only if you continue daily practice. What will it take to keep him working for you? What can you get away with? Can you get 2 or 3 behaviors (ex. sit, stay, come) for one treat w/praise? Is s/he starting to accept praise as a substitute when it’s intermittently supplemented with a treat? Can you use a toy instead? Try to wear clothes w/pockets. Jackpot when a command is executed in a truly wonderful manner. Your voice is very important in lure phase-out - don’t be shy and don’t worry what the neighbors think (their dogs are all living in the basement because they can’t control them!)

Written by Suzanne Harris

Here are some tips on puppy house training :

Give Your Puppy a Name

Start off by giving your puppy a name right from the start. They are able to understand a few words and will soon start to respond to their name.

Routine Feeding Time

When feeding your puppy, always try and do this at the same time each day. Puppies are the same as babies and love routine. This can be good for the puppy’s digestive tract and also can actually make the puppy more secure.

Toilet Training

Once your puppy has eaten then take the puppy outside or go for a walk. This will train your dog to go to the toilet and when doing this make them go in the same place in the yard every time. As mentioned earlier, puppies love routine so they will be pleased to go in the same place. When your dog does this always make sure that you praise him or her for this.

However, please take into account that puppies are too young to control their bowels or bladder, so don’t get mad with them. Never hit your puppy, as this can lead to a mean dog, just a quick "no" will do and don’t overdo it. Remember, that it can take anywhere up to a year for the puppy to be fully toilet trained, so please be ready for a few accidents.

The "Sit" Command

Puppies by their very nature love to jump all over people. This may be ok for you and members of your family. However, this may not be the case for visitors to your house. Therefore, one of the first training commands to teach your puppy is the "sit" command. This will give your puppy discipline and also stop it from being a nuisance to your visitors.

Adopt Routine Early

Adopt routine very early in the life of your puppy and it will soon become second nature to them. This will make the dog feel a part of the household. If there are other dogs in the house that are using a schedule then make sure your new addition is fitted into the same routine as the other dog(s).

Remember puppy house training can be a trying time and will test your patience. But if you stick in there with patience and dedication, you will end up with a loving dog who will be a fantastic companion to you and the rest of your family.

Written by Daithi Bailey