Natural Pets World » Dog Training

Yale Law School’s Therapy Dog

By jeremy on Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 | Comments Off

Trained therapy dog.

The Yale Law School Library is embarking on a novel approach for dealing with student stress : starting next week, students will not only be able to go to the library to check out the books they need to write their term papers, but now they will also be able to “check out” 30 minute visits from the school’s new Therapy Dog, Monty a border terrier mix belonging to librarian Julian Aiken.

While you won’t find Monty (full name “General Montgomery“) squirreled away in the “Rufferance” section working on his thesis, as a trained therapy dog, he has gone through an extensive set of tests and exercises designed to “ensure that a dog can handle sudden loud or strange noises; can walk on assorted unfamiliar surfaces comfortably; are not frightened by people with canes, wheelchairs, or unusual styles of walking or moving; get along well with children and with the elderly; and so on.” A well trained therapy dog will be comfortable being pet by an ever changing cast of people in a variety of settings and will help a person feel calmer in its presence. As stated in Wikipedia, “a therapy dog’s primary job is to allow unfamiliar people to make physical contact with it and to enjoy that contact.” That might sound like a simple task, but you’d be surprised at just how much goes into training therapy dogs! A video I found on YouTube gives a good overview of just how much training the average therapy dog needs.

This poor stressed out college student needs a trained therapy dog visit! Currently, Monty is scheduled to be on site for only a 3 day test run to see how students react to the program. One student, 26 year old Sebastian Swett, signed up for one of the 30 minute visits from Monty had doubts about how much an effect one visit from a therapy dog might have on the stress of attending law school, saying, “I don’t think its going to solve anybody’s anxiety problems, but it’s certainly nice to play with a dog for half an hour.” However, according to the Journal of Gerontology, in a study involving the elderly and feelings of loneliness, “Researchers found even one 30-minute long session of animal assisted therapy reduced loneliness to a statistically significant degree.”

I can only imagine that the effect trained therapy dogs would have on reducing the stress of an overworked, exhausted, and emotionally drained law student would be similar. I guess we’ll have to wait and see how much stress Monty the therapy dog can actually alleviate for study-wrecked minds of the students of Yale during the upcoming trial program to get any real idea of how useful therapy dogs will be in this unique context… so until then, the verdict is out!

The Need For Dog Training Leads

By genesower on Sunday, March 6th, 2011 | Comments Off

Dogs often require to be trained in obedience and other training forms before they can serve people or be able to associate with other people and dogs. For most dogs, there is a need for dog training leads especially younger dogs.

Things To Consider When Buying Dog Training Leads

There are two major things that need to be considered when you get dog training leads for your dogs. The very first thing to consider when buying training leads is the size of the dog that you have. Dogs grow quickly so you might try to anticipate the actually size of your dog when it matures when you think of buying a dog training lead. If the puppy is still too small for a large sized training lead, get an ordinary leash for the puppy until it grows enough to be trained.

One more thing to consider when buying dog training leads is the area that you plan to take your dog out in. If you live in the suburbs where you can expect less traffic and more open spaces for your dog to frolic, you might try to get a longer dog training lead but if you live in a busy city where there is traffic everywhere, try to get the shorter traffic training lead.

The Uses Of Dog Training Leads

Many people ask why we need dog training leads. Actually, these training leads are a safety precaution on top of the fact that it trains our dogs to stay close to us. It is a safety precaution for times when the dog is still not well trained enough and might lunge after people or other animals. Leads for dog training keep dogs in check and keep you away from any liabilities if you are vigilant.

Another need for dog training leads is for training purposes when you wish to train your dog to seek something out and then come back to you. For this kind of training, you will need longer a longer lead. Other dog training leads are for training your dog to say close to you, this can be especially helpful for training guide dogs for the blind before introducing the harness.

In some countries or parts of some countries, dogs are really required to be on a leash or a dog training lead when you take them for a walk. This is to be sure that the dogs are under human control all the time and to lessen any danger when it comes to biting and chasing.

Dog Obedience Training For Happy And Well-Behaved Dog

By genesower on Monday, December 20th, 2010 | Comments Off

Most dogs want to make their owners happy, but certain behaviors such as walking on a leash without pulling, potty training, or controlled barking require training, as they do not come naturally. This is why dog obedience training is so important for all dogs, regardless their size, breed, or character.

Understand Your Dogs Basic Needs

Before you start dog obedience training, you should try to learn about his basic needs. Obedience training for dogs requires a “partnership” with your pet: your dog is not the only one who has to work on his behavior. Just as other types of dog trainings, dog obedience training requires a lot of work and determination, but the benefit is that you develop a great bond with your dog. As a result of this training, your dog will learn to trust you and communicate with you.

Dog obedience training concentrates on five commands: sit, stay, come, down, and drop-it. The key objective of dog obedience training is to teach your dog the proper behavior around other people. These commands will definitely make your daily interactions easier and hassle-free.

Dog obedience training can be a challenging process, as requires a lot of patience and determination. So, start with a command that is easy for your dog to learn teaching your dog to come to you when you call his name. Your dog will not learn a command after one time, thus repetition is key in dog obedience training. It takes multiple attempts for your dog to understand what he is expected to do.

Many dog owners believe that dog obedience training involves punishing your dog when he does not perform or misbehaves, especially if you didn’t catch him in the act (you found your half-eaten shoe). Punishing him afterward will not achieve anything, as your dog won’t connect your anger with his behavior from hours before. However, if you do catch him misbehaving, simply address him with a stern “No.” Hitting or yelling at your dog may have an opposite effect and cause more aggressive behavior instead of improvement. Thus, try to express your disappointment in a calm, but firm manner.

Keep in mind that dog obedience training is a continuous process. You should always find time to work with your dog so he can master the commands.

Dog obedience training is a wonderful occasion to interact with your dog making the special bond you two share stronger. As you learn to trust each other, you can also focus on behaviors that will keep you all safe and happy.

For more information on dog obedience training click here.

Dog Training Tips That Can Radically Transform Your Dog Behavior

By genesower on Monday, December 13th, 2010 | 1 Comment

From getting your puppy potty trained, to teaching your dog new tricks and how to behave properly – dog training can be challenging. Here are some dog training tips that can help you make drastic changes in your dog’s behavior when he is dealing with other animals and other people.

When is it a good time to start dog training?

The recommended time to start dog training is when your dog is between six to eight weeks old. You may try earlier, but that depends on the puppy, so use your judgment.

Be Positive, firm and friendly

Positive attitude and friendliness are essential dog training tips. Use positive reinforcement by offering dog treats and a lot of praise when he acts properly. Your tone of voice should be associated with the command. For “heel” and “come” you want to use a happy, friendly voice. When you want your dog to “sit” or “stay” your voice should be firmer.

Understand your dog

Although only an animal, every dog has unique personality, aptitude, patience, and receptiveness to dog training. In his mind you and your family are pack leaders who give orders and your dog obeys. Understanding your dog’s capacity is one of the fundamental dog training tips, since it is vital to his successful training.

Use Simple Commands

Dogs do not communicate the way humans do. When you training your dog you want him to understand what you want him to do, understand that you are pleased with his behavior and that he is being praised for his actions. The easiest way to develop this mutual understanding is to use this dog training tip – when training your dog follow simple commands, such as sit, roll over or lie down.

Play games with your dog

A different positive dog training tip is to play games with your dog that help reinforce proper behavior. These games are an excellent (and fun) learning experience for the dog. Though repetitive, these exercises will entrench your dog with good habits.

Relate commands to different situations

Dogs are situational learners and they do not understand that “sit” applies to every location and situation. To train your dog’s behavior effectively, you need to practice in various surroundings until your dog responds correctly regardless of location or situation. It is also important that everyone in your family practices with your dog, so he will learn that he needs to listen to everybody.

Other handy dog training tip proposes sending your dog to for obedience classes that could be useful for both of you. Your dog will learn the importance of obeying commands, and you, as the dog owner can learn how to successfully train your dog at home.

We all want to be proud owners of well trained and obedient dogs. The advices on how to train your dog effectively are countless. Still, the basic dog training tips are: keep it short, keep it simple, keep it fun.

Pages

Categories

Archives

Sign Up For Pet Coupons, Discounts, Pet News & More!

Special Offers

Blogroll

Dog Training

Housetraining

Pet Products