Before I begin, the ‘good boy’ name is only an example for ease of writing in this article and ‘good girl’ or any other words of praise may be used in place of ‘good boy’ throughout this article.

The god boy command is not so much a command as a general consistent learning or rewarding exercise, the aim of this exercise is to get your dog to associate ‘good boy’ with times when he has done something well and is rewarded, this will make your dog happy and glad that they have done good for you.

A lot of dog breeds actually enjoy performing tasks for their owner and it’s what they are used to and aim to achieve, these dogs are generally dog with a working background and breed past, such as sheepdogs and collies, this makes the good boy command a lot more rewarding for them and a good reason to perform well.

This exercise can be taught as soon as you get your puppy or dog and can be a natural reaction to good behavior by many already, also making the command easier to remember and be consistent with.

The good boy command is easy and is taught along with rewards you give your dog, if your dog behaves well you should praise them to get them to do the same command again, this is common sense in dog training and the ‘good boy’ command only ads to this so you are able to give your dog a different, emotional type of praise on the rare occasions when you haven’t got treats on your person or to hand (although not recommended but it does happen).

So when your dog behaves well and has deserved a treat or other form of reward, recite ‘good boy’ to them in an excited and impressed voice and give your dog cuddles and love. This over time will be seen as another form of reward that means just as much to your dog as treats do.

The good boy command gives more emotion to your rewards and gives your dog a new form of praise to aim for thus enhancing the relationship between you and your dog, making this a very important command or reward.

There are literally hundreds of companies competing for the market share of dog shampoo and coming up with new ways of cleaning your dog all the time, so it is no surprise that the choice of dog shampoo is endless and anyone looking to buy the best shampoo for their dog for the first time or for their new puppy will be puzzled at all the different options that are available to them.

Dog shampoos are essential to maintaining your dog’s health and well being when it comes to hygiene; some dogs seem to have a great liking for mud and anything else dirty for that matter, so how do you know which shampoo you will need?

Well there are many different types of shampoo to be had, from many different suppliers that are used for different situation and dog types. Dog shampoos available are flea shampoo, Aromatherapy and relaxing shampoos, dry shampoos, Anti tangle shampoos, conditioning shampoos and natural shampoos.

If your dog suffers from a easily tangled coat or you suspect from the length of the dog hair, that tangling may occur then anti tangle shampoos will save you a lot of time and keep your dog so he/she is happier to be washed and cleaned in the future.

Flea shampoo is self explanatory and should only be used if fleas are found or suspected; using flea shampoo for safety shake would not get rid of the fleas for long in any case because of fleas around the house, so flea shampoo should be used only if essential.

Besides ordinary dog shampoo the only other handy and helpful shampoo for shy or easily scared dogs would be the dry spray shampoo, this does not give as good of a clean as normal dog shampoo but there are instances when dog cleaning spray is needed. If it can be avoided then avoid, but if your dog it terrified with water then it may be the only alternative besides a smelly house.

There are plenty of dog tricks around to choose from but starting off with your first puppy or dog and knowing which dog tricks are easy can be a bit of a challenge. If you have a puppy then training them will be a lot easier than an older dog because of the habits dogs fall into when they are brought up.

Older dogs will have different habits and a strong personality by then so they may find some advanced tricks easier than basic tricks because of the way they have been brought up.

Although the same as above can be true for puppies also, this is more likely to be because of the breed of dog you have and the different general personalities that go with them breeds.

In this article we assume you have taught your dog the basics or sit and stay etc and now you want to teach your dog a fun ‘show-off’ type trick to impress your friends or family when they visit. There are many tricks from bringing you the TV remote to riding a skateboard, but to start off I recommend something simple like the figure of eight around your legs.

This is similar to other commands you will have taught your dog and involves you using treats to encourage your dog to perform actions. To do this trick you simply have hold a treat in one hand and guide your dog through one side of your legs, through the middle then around to complete a figure of eight motion. Try to hold the treat close to your dog’s nose to keep them interested and always reward them with praise afterwards and the treat afterwards.

After you have mastered this and can get your dog to do it on command you’re ready for your next trick and one step closer to the skateboard. Good luck!

Dog behaviors can confuse human owners, which makes it that much more difficult to bond with them. Once you gain a better understanding of why dogs do what they do, however, you’ll be one giant step ahead in the bonding and training process.

One of the first things to realize is that dogs come from the wolf family. Wolves are social animals that run in packs. All members have their status within those packs, from the dominant male to the submissive female.

Establishing roles in the pack is one of the most predominant dog behaviors that domestic dogs have inherited, along with other traits. Dogs like to know where they fit in the pack. That’s why owners have to take the upper hand and become the leaders. Until this happens, bonding and training will be elusive.

Unfortunately, some owners are reluctant to take command because they’re afraid they’ll alienate their friendship and their dog won’t love them. It’s important to overcome this fear if you want to end up with an obedient and responsive dog. Understand that your dog will love you simply because you are his leader.

If left to find his own way, a dog will do his best to establish himself as the boss. Dominant dogs will show their dominance by growling and sometimes biting their owners to put them in their place.

It’s imperative for you to reverse this situation at the very beginning by showing your dog that he must take a lesser role in the social order.

Such dog behaviors as this are ingrained from birth as part of the animal’s survival instincts. Leadership dominance isn’t something that develops afterwards, although it can become a problem if not addressed.

A dominant dog will reject your training efforts because he believes he’s in charge. He’ll want to be out front when you take him for a walk. He’ll want to call all the shots, which means he’s more likely to ignore you and your commands.

He’ll be the protector of the pack. Some dogs become too protective and can become a danger to others. You don’t want that, so establish who’s the boss from the moment you bring your puppy home. Dogs are quick to accept leadership from those who show authority and dominant traits.

They respond to actions that mimic or reflect their inherent dog behaviors. Your size alone will automatically show the dog that you are the dominant member.

By using a tone of voice that projects your authority and letting the dog know that you’re taking charge, your pet will soon recognize and accept his role in the pack.

Dogs don’t like confusion or vagueness. It makes them unsure and their actions misdirected. Once your dog knows where he stands, he’ll be better prepared to obey and love you.

Remember, growling is one of the dog behaviors wolf pack leaders use to let others know where they stand. It isn’t necessary for you to hit your dog or be a tyrant to send this message. Use an authoritative voice and be persistent in your demands and he’ll soon get the point.

Another one of the dog behaviors worth imitating is touch, or affection. In the pack, wolves nuzzle each other to show how they feel and to get the other’s attention. Mothers lick their pups regularly, not only to keep them clean, but to show them that they belong.

A pup that gets such attention is much happier and well-rounded than one that is ignored and rejected. He is better able to adjust to his changing world and the people and animals around him.

Such dog behaviors become your responsibility as the new pack leader. Keep in mind that from the moment puppies are born, they establish their adaptability into the pack by the things that are in their immediate environment.

By showing your puppy, or even an adopted dog, that they belong and are welcome, you can help ease their transition into your pack. A well-adjusted dog is much easier to train because he aims to please and take up his rightful role in the group. Naturally, the earlier exposure to the human touch and other dogs occurs, the more socialized he will become.

Be aware of why dogs do what they do and take appropriate action to let your pet know you are the leader. Approach your new companion with normal dog behaviors in mind, and you might be surprised how easy training and bonding can be.

POTTY TRAINING PUPPY

When it comes to potty training puppy you should always be prepared for a few little accidents along the way. In fact, without these accidents it can be difficult to show your beloved puppy exactly where they can and cannot go. That said, on the whole, the process of potty training puppy would be much quicker and a lot easier if you get into a routine that means your puppy is unlikely to make mistakes.

As with all forms of puppy training you should use reprimand and reward. Only ever use verbal reprimand and only when it is absolutely necessary, but in comparison you should give your dog as much praise as possible when they do something well or do it correctly. In the case of potty training you should reprimand them for going indoors but only if you catch them in the act and you should reward them when they go outside.

You should remember that puppies will need to go and potty roughly half an hour after every meal but they will also need to go first thing in the morning and last thing at night. However, these are unlikely to be the only occasions they will need to go out and you should learn to read your puppy to know when he is sniffing for somewhere to go or is just exploring the house and trying to recognize the smells. Initially you should probably be letting your puppy out every two to three hours.

While your puppy is training you should not leave food down for them and instead you should have set meal times. Wherever possible, stick to these same times every day because this will help your puppy learn a routine of eating and going outside at the same time every day. As well as using the same time for your routine you should try to make everything as constant as possible. If you use a particular door to take them out on the first visit then you should continue to use this door.

When everything goes well and puppy does manage to potty outside then you should praise them and possibly even give them a tasty treat. If you do this regularly they will associate walking out of that door to go to the toilet and being given a treat for doing so. In the even you catch your puppy in the act, pick him up before he’s finished and take him outside. Once he finishes outside, give him praise and a treat.

The fetch game is probably the most popular and most used dog activity for rewarding your dog and giving him exercise at the same time. Giving your dog regular exercise is essential in keeping your dogs health up to scratch and helping them live a more exciting happy life.

Playing the fetch game with your dog is very easy and takes as much effort as you want to put into it. Simply take some form of ball, Frisbee, or stick and get your dogs attention with it, as soon as your dog has their eyes on the swinging stick, throw it as far as possible and command your dog to fetch the stick and pointing in the direction you threw it in with some enthusiasm to make it seem fun for your dog.

Dogs love this game and are happy to play it al day long with you, some dogs like the game more than others due to breed tendencies to please the owners. There are many different products available to help you with this command if you suffer from a bad back or similar and are incapable of bending down or throwing, this product is a long stick that cups the tennis ball and makes it easier to throw and pick up the ball.

This activity can be an energetic exercise for both you and your dog if you want it to be. Running around after your dog and throwing for your dog to fetch is a way used by many to keep fit and not just their dogs. A helpful two in one exercise to keep both parties healthy can’t be a bad choice!

 

When learning how to potty train a dog you must first realize that you have to be prepared to continue training your pet all the way through. You need to be committed. Also, you should have a leash and a designated area for going to the bathroom. It should only take about two weeks to have a routine established but if you are training a dog that already has bad habits it could take up to five or six weeks.

 

Make sure your puppy is completely healthy because urinary tract infections and parasites can prevent you from being able to house train your dog. The area that you choose should be outside and it doesn’t have to be somewhere too specific but it can be if you wish. When potty training a dog, your attitude and presence is perhaps the most important factor. You must be assertive and dominant. YOU are the leader of the pack, remember dogs are pack animals like wolves and they need a leader to follow. If you become that leader, they will constantly want your acceptance. Let your dog know when he/she does something wrong. Do not hit your dog! You can not be the source of pain, you just need to let him know you’re unhappy with him/her.

 

And the opposite side of the coin is also important. When your dog does the right thing and shows that he/she wants to please you, give it praise. Potty training is a great foundation for the rest of the training your dog will undergo in the future.

 

One of the first things you will need to do after giving your new puppy lots of love and affection is to train it to go to the toilet in the right place. This can often be problematic, just like it can be difficult to educate a child. It is important however that the puppy learns this as quickly as possible to avoid getting told off all the time. This article will give you some ideas on how to potty train your puppy effectively so that it knows where to go to the toilet and that inside the house is not the right place. Most dogs identify the house as their home pretty quickly and will naturally go outside when nature calls.

The first thing to understand is that dogs are fairly predictable after eating some food. They will want to poop about 15 - 20 after finishing. This means that a few minutes after the puppy has finished eating you should take it outside. Let it wander around and eventually it will want to poop. After you have done this a few times the penny will drop and the dog will start to whine if it is inside and wants to go to the toilet. You may find that watching your puppy all the time will be difficult but you should spend as much time with a new puppy at the beginning to help it to settle. If you have a family then maybe you could take turns at looking after the puppy.

Puppies will also want to go to the toilet when they wake up, when it leaves it’s crate or box and after snacks or drinking water. As you can imagine, it could be a full time job monitoring your puppy for all these occasions. That is why you should take turns with other family members if possible.

If you want your puppy to poop in a certain place then always take it to that place around the time it is likely to want to poop. Another method that works is to get it to poop on a piece of newspaper. This can be used in the house to avoid messing up the carpet or floor and at night times when the dog is alone. Place the paper in a corner of the room where the puppy is staying. Encourage it to go to the toilet on the paper when you see it arching it’s back or making motions to go to the toilet. Once it has identified the paper as the place to do these things you can use a piece of paper to educate the puppy about a special place in the back garden or wherever. This will make your life easier when the puppy becomes older and doesn’t litter your yard with excrement.

Potty training a puppy is one of the first things you will need to do to socialize your dog. There will be many other things it will have to learn so that it can be a coveted and useful member of the family. Learning potty training will set it off on the right path for future learning and good behavior.

Dog shedding can be a big pain in some households, and depending on how disciplined you are about your dog clambering around the furniture the fur mess can be more than expected sometimes, and can get absolutely everywhere.

Dog shredding happens as a result of a few different situations, the first and common in all breeds of dogs is to make way for a new shiny coat every now and again, and to get rid of dead hair that is no longer needed. Another cause for shedding is seasonal changes like some breeds are used to in their natural habitat, in theses situation there can be lots of hair being dropped at an almost worrying rate twice a year, but it is actually quite normal for this to happen.

If you are worried about how much hair your dog is loosing, then do some research or go to the vets and find out the different types of dogs that get affected by this seasonal change. In rare cases loosing large amount or fur can be caused by a poor diet and insufficient amounts of vitamins to keep the fur alive. All these can be answered by your local veterinarian.

If you are tired of all this fur and the effects of your dog loosing its coat, keeping your dog well groomed will help to stop the spread of hair and keep your dogs coat healthy at the same time and is always recommended to stop knots or matted hair along with keeping your dog healthier and happier.

To summarise, if you are worried about your dogs shedding and have looked to find the shedding habits of the breed of dog you have then visiting a vet is the best option and they will be able to give you a more in-depth analysis of the situation after an examination of your dog and keep your mind at rest about the health of your dog.

If your dog has a behavior problem or an attitude problem there is no need to worry because you are not the only one dealing with this problem. It is important that you take into consideration the fact that two very different species are involved, which can make communication difficult. Much like how different cultures between humans can spark problems, you may see a problem in your dogs attitude problem.

You have to look at it as if you were a dog, as crazy as this may seem. You have authority over your dog, but if you don’t use the power than your dog sees it as if you are equals. This can be directly correlated with a communication problem and the way you act toward your dog. Luckily for you, you can change a dog’s attitude.

So where do you start? You have to start by taking control of their most valued possessions to show them who is boss. This will allow you to earn your dog’s respect and show him that you are worthy of the respect. By taking control of the things that matter to him most, he will see that with an attitude problem he won’t get those things any more.

This does not mean you need to deprive your dog, but you want to help your dog learn that an attitude problem is not ok. You will be surprised to see how quickly your dog will change its attitude to get back the things that mean most.

The most important thing you have to change that will quickly change your dog’s attitude and behavior problem is the attention you hand out. Dog’s rely on their owners for support and acknowledgement, and they will quickly learn to give you respect if they are not getting that attention. By no means do you want to use any kind of physical correction to get your point across, but walking away from your dog will get the point across.

If for whatever reason you are seeing no changes in your dog’s attitude by changing the way you deliver attention, you may want to leave them outside for awhile or in his crate. This will serve as a timeout and will show him that if he wants to get what he wants, he will have to cooperate. Dealing with a dog behavior problem takes time but is well worth it!

It is important to note that as you change rules around, your dog’s attitude may escalate momentarily as they try to adapt to these changes. They have been used to a certain rule for so long and it can be difficult changing. But if you are firm and positive at the same time, you should be able to quickly change your dog’s problematic behavior and attitude by showing them they have to cooperate.