Teaching a puppy to come when he is called is one of the easier commands to teach. Puppies are, well, puppies. They are young and they are curious, and they would like to see, smell, and taste the entire world ? today. Their curiosity and their playfulness can lead them into danger, so it is really, REALLY important to teach a dog to "come."

The first thing to do is to make a couple of rules for yourself. Do NOT call the puppy to "come" when he has transgressed (missed the newspaper, chewed a favorite shoe, etc.). The puppy should NOT associate the word "come" with chastisement. Do NOT call the puppy to "come" when you are about to put an end to the fun he is having by putting him in his crate. In negative circumstances, you should go to the puppy and not ask him to come to you.

A puppy coming when he is called should be a "rewarding experience" ? literally. Start by taking only two or three steps away from your puppy, then call his name and say "come." Use a commanding voice, but a gentle tone. When he approaches you, give him a little treat. Repeat this exercise several times every day, gradually increasing the distance that you walk away from the puppy. The idea is to get the little puppy brain to associate the use of his name and the word "come" with something good happening. Most of the time, this method will be all that is needed. But, sometimes puppies can get so distracted that they will not respond to your command to come.

When you are training a particularly stubborn and willful puppy, you will need to use a collar (NOT A CHOKE COLLAR!) and a leash. Say the puppy's name followed by the word "come" and then gently but firmly pull the puppy toward you. Give him a treat. Repeat this exercise every day, and several times every day.

Tags: dog behaviour training, train your puppy, dog training, obedience training for dogs, dog agility training, dog trainings

All dogs are, in a sense, born blind. It takes a few days for a puppy's eyes to open after he is born. But puppies are born with their other senses well developed. Their sense of smell, for example, leads them to their mother's breast soon after they are born. But, dogs can lose their sight in many ways and for many reasons. Sometimes dogs lose their sight because of selective breeding practices. Sometimes dogs will begin life with excellent eyesight and then lose their sight because of an injury. Still other dogs can lose their sight because of glaucoma and cataracts. And, of course, just old age can cause a dog to lose his sight.

But sight is not the only well-developed sense with which dogs are blessed. Dogs have excellent senses of hearing and smell. It seems that when sight is lost, the other senses become much more acute. Blind dogs, or even those with some loss of sight, should not ever be allowed to run loose out of doors. They should ALWAYS be on a leash or fenced.

Remember that when you begin training a dog, he will be using senses other than sight to try to figure out what you want him to do. Use your voice to instruct him and use a whistle as well. You dog will also use his sense of smell. Always wear the same cologne, perfume, or aftershave so that your dog will be able to easily identify where you are.

You need to be sure that your home is safe for a blind dog. If you have stairs, use baby gates. Be certain that outside doors are always closed and that the dog could not accidentally get outside. Finally, attach a bell to your blind dog's collar so that you can locate him if you should need to.

Tags: potty training dogs, train your dog, dog training, train a dog, canine training, train dogs

You should not EVER hit a dog for any reason at all. Hitting does NOT teach the dog anything other than to fear you, and obedience is born of love, not fear. Not only will hitting not work, but it is completely counterproductive to effective dog training of any kind.

In order to effectively train a dog, you must learn to understand how a dog thinks ? and yes, they DO think.

First of all, dogs are pack animals. That is their nature. Dogs do not expect to live in a democratic society in which everybody gets a vote. From a dog's point of view, it is absolutely essential that the "pack" (and the dog views the family as his pack) have a leader ? a boss ? an ALPHA dog. The alpha dog is in charge of the pack. The alpha dog makes the decisions for the pack and keeps the pack safe. It's a "dog" thing that you do need to understand.

Unless you are the alpha dog, the dog WILL become the alpha dog. He will nip at his other pack members. He may snarl, growl, and otherwise show the others that he IS in charge. So first of all, you must establish your position as alpha dog, but you don't do it by hitting the dog. Hitting is not a language that a dog understands.

When the dog misbehaves or transgresses, simply stop the behavior and roll him over onto his back. Hold him there and stand over him while saying "NO" firmly and in a forceful TONE of voice. Volume doesn't count. The only thing that matters is TONE. The next thing to do is show him what the correct and acceptable behavior is and then lavish praise on him when he complies.

Tags: dog care, k 9 training, obedience training for dogs, puppy training, dog aggression, dog behavior