Dog Training Mistake

The Most Common Dog Training Mistake:

If you don't have time for a dog, don't get a dog.

We run into people all the time who have gotten a dog, or even worse, two dogs and they

don't have the ability to make time for them. There are many problems that can happen with a

dog if you are not giving them the proper attention. People tend to underestimate how much

time and attention a dog really needs. Then they initiate bad habits like allowing the dog to

free-graze on food, locking the dog in a room where it becomes destructive or installing a

doggy door to try and make up for their lack of time spent with the dog. If a dog's social and

developmental needs aren't met, behavioral problems such as housebreaking, excessive.

barking, digging, fence jumping, destructiveness or anti-social behavior can develop. You can

also find yourself raising a dog that is under-exercised, shy, fearful or even aggressive. Make

sure you have the time for a dog before you take the dog on.

Other Common Dog Training Mistakes:

Don't get a second dog just to keep the first dog company.

Dogs don't need a friend to play with, they need companionship and leadership from you. A dog will grow up healthier

bonding with a human leader rather than a companion dog.

You shouldn't take two dogs from the same litter.

It's possible that this won't cause any problems, but we've seen many

instances of littermates paying more attention to each other than their

new owners. You want your new dog to bond with you. This will happen

easier and faster with one puppy rather than two puppies from the same

litter. Also, if the dog is focusing on you rather than it's littermate it will

learn and socialize quicker.

Make sure you are choosing the correct breed for the type of

life that you lead.

Are you a jogger? Do you live in an apartment? Do you have a large yard?

Do you work full-time? These are all questions that need to be considered

when you are choosing the breed of dog that want. If you look online,

you'll find that there are many sites that have breed selector quizzes that

you can use to help you choose the proper breed for your lifestyle. Our

favorite is at the Animal Planet site.

If you're concerned about home security, a dog isn't necessarily the solution.

Protection training done at home by someone who is untrained can have terrible results. This training is normally reserved

for dogs who are in security, military or police work, not necessarily for a family pet.

Don't ever try to show your dominance over your dog with the Alpha Rollover technique.

This move can break down the bond between you and your dog and lead to aggression. It can also cause a trickle-down

affect where your dog learns that it is o.k. to use physical violence on lesser pack members and outsiders

When housebreaking, don't ever put your dog's nose in the accident.

If you don't catch them in the act during a housebreaking accident, you've missed your opportunity to correct them. Don't

ever take your dog back to an accident and stick his nose in it.

Don't use puppy pads or newspapers for housebreaking.

This will actually slow down the housebreaking process. You want your dog to learn that it is never acceptable to eliminate

in the house. Teach them where the door is early and often.

There is never a reason to hit your dog.

This creates many more problems than it resolves. An effective pack leader never needs to resort to violence.

Don't use a laser pointer or flashlight to play with your dog.

Yes, it's funny and yes, it's very entertaining for you and your dog, but the long-term effects of having your dog chase a light

can be very serious. Many dogs can develop obsessive-compulsive behaviors such as tail chasing, severe reactions to

reflected light and excessive searching because of this game. There are many better ways to keep you and your dog amused.

Don't take a puppy from it's litter at too young an age.

Some of the most difficult cases we face are with puppies that were

removed from their litter too young. There are many things that puppies

learn in the litter including den cleanliness, bite inhibition and how to look

to the leader for behavioral cues. Most puppies should stay in their litter

until they are at least 7 weeks old. Even longer for the smaller, or toy,

breeds. If a breeder tells you that he is breaking up the litter at five or six

weeks because it is easier on the mother, it could be a sign of a problem

You never need to shout at your dog.

We have all had times when we wanted to yell at our dog. But it works

against you in the long run. A dog should be trained to respond to

commands given in a normal tone of voice. Shouting to startle or scare

your dog might get their attention but it is not affecting their long term

behavior unless you are training your dog to be afraid of you