Your Healthy Dog

Teaching your dog to come when he is called is the most important lesson you can impart to him. A dog that responds immediately and consistently when you call him can enjoy freedoms that other dogs cannot. Such a dog can play in the dogrun, hike with you in leash-free parks, and keep out of trouble in most any situation. Even if you never plan to have your dog off his leash, things happen. Collars break, leashes slip, gates or doors are inadvertently left open. When an accident happens, having a reliable “recall” on your dog could very well save his life. While this article can’t cover all the different exercises that contribute to a solid recall, I’ve outlined a couple of fundamental ones.

My Dogs Are Barkers!

They’ve declared themselves neighborhood patrol, so they bark when other dogs start barking, when they hear people outside chatting or even when a car door slams. We strive to be responsible pet parents, which means I don’t want my dogs to annoy my neighbors. But how do you train a dog not to bark?

Because I’ve identified their triggers (and they have a few), I’ve been able to implement both training and management solutions to address their barking and we’ve made fantastic progress.

And that’s really the key to stopping a dog from barking. First, you need to identity why they are barking. What’s the motivation? Then, you can take steps to address the problem with a training solution tailored to the drive.

Puppies’ mouths are filled with about 28 teeny-tiny razors that seem to be attracted to your fingers or toes. Dog trainers call it “play biting”, but it’s irksome and often painful when your cuddly pup seems to be all teeth. However, this is completely normal for puppy teething and necessary for development, and something you can train away with a few simple steps.

Many dogs love to play with Frisbees, although most dogs don’t know how to catch a flying disc. With a little patience and the following steps, you and your pet can learn to do this fun and rewarding activity.

• Just a note: this article assumes your dog already knows how to fetch a ball or similar object. It also assumes that you know how to throw a Frisbee backhand and forehand.

When Should You Start?

Ideally, the best time to start house training your puppy is between 12 and 16 weeks old. By that age your dog will have enough control over his bladder and bowel movements to be able to hold it as needed. If your dog is older than 16 weeks and has already developed unfavorable potty habits, it is still very possible to train them using a seven-day potty training schedule.