training
Pet Training 101; learn how to teach your dog or cat everything from the essential commands to party tricks.
Husky Houdini
Once we brought our new puppy, Charlie, home we were super excited to start playing with him and get him used to his new place. He seemed to adapt pretty well to our apartment and the noises of Seattle. He definitely slept a lot those first few weeks, which we were a tad worried about. I remember, looking back on it now, being concerned about every little thing that he did, and wondering if it was "normal." I wanted so badly for him to be happy and healthy. I didn't want to mess anything up because it felt like we were new parents.
By Emily Elliott7 years ago in Petlife
Training That A Dog Can Live With
Anyone who has a canine buddy living with him knows the importance of obedience training. All too often, though, it’s the dog that ends up training the owner, thus making it hard to get Fido to comply with any verbal commands at all. But there are things you can do to turn the tables and regain your position as master of the bark.
By Chuck Hinson8 years ago in Petlife
Dogs Are Cute, Humans Are Not
Over the years, I have had my fair share of dogs but I have recently taken in a new member of my family, a baby West Highland Terrier. To say he is a handful is an understatement but I could not be happier. My mom and I have been wanting this dog for years and now that we finally have him I feel so... I don’t know how to explain it.
By Elle Schellhammer8 years ago in Petlife
Best Dog Training Books Every New Owner Should Read
When I first adopted my puppy, I knew that I wanted to start training him. I always hear that it's better if you start training your dogs at their earliest age, because they'll grow up to become masters in everything they were trained in. So, I gave it a shot. I looked up a few pet training methods and strategies to begin with. Even though I was following what the Internet was telling me, my puppy couldn't entirely understand what I was trying to tell him. At this point, I didn't know what else to do. I knew my puppy was at the perfect age where he begins to understand things. Even his breed is the type of breed that can easily pick up on tricks. However, it wasn't my puppy and his learning ability that was the problem, it was what the Internet was showing me.
By Jennifer Violet8 years ago in Petlife
How to Certify a Service Dog
There are so many people out there who are in need of help and guidance nearly every single day. From out in the public to even in the house, these people can't achieve certain tasks on their own. And that's where service dogs come into play. They assist their owners with so many tasks and duties that they can't do on their own. Not to mention that service dogs are super friendly and dedicate their time to helping their owners 24 hours of the day and seven days a week.
By Lilliana Backman8 years ago in Petlife
Top 5 Clicker Training Mistakes...
Clicker training is a common way of training an animal using positive reinforcement. It is an effective method of training which involves the use of a small device that clicks, a reward, and a patient handler. The basic principle is rewarding the animal for performing the desired behaviour and ignoring it when it does not perform the desired behaviour. The clicker is employed as soon as the target behaviour is performed and used as a bridge, in order for the animal to create an association between the food and the reward. The method is commonly used to train dogs, but can also be effectively used to train any animal (even a goldfish), so long as the trainer works within the species' natural limits.
By Corinne McCafferty8 years ago in Petlife
Best Reasons to Get a Smart Dog Collar
Collars on dogs are usually meant to obtain the dog's name and owner's information in case they suddenly get lost. They're also mainly used to attach leashes to when taking your dog out. But have you ever heard of a smart dog collar? It's basically the iPhone, but for your dog. There are so many benefits that come with a smart dog collar that many of us don't even realize.
By Jennifer Violet8 years ago in Petlife
Serving a Purpose
This is about my service dogs and myself with a little advice. Luna is pictured by the lake. Luna is the mother of Arlo, both dogs are a mix breed and they both serve a purpose for me, their owner and dog trainer. They are my Service dogs. Now how ridiculous is it that you just heard a dog trainer has a service dog. I am sure you are thinking about something along the lines of "now that is just not fair", well if it makes you feel any better it was not planned that I have one. Luna has a knack for being there when I have my panic attacks or anxiety issues, she has interrupted me many a times in stressful situations trying to ground me, she is really one of the key reasons I am able to do what I do without losing my composure. An example was a dog fight at the dog park that I helped break up, my nerves were shot and the fact that the other dog had an arterial bleed just made it worse. I was holding one of the dogs while the owner held hers and with shaky hands tried to stop the bleeding. Luna dropped playing with a ball, her favorite thing to do, and came right to my side, the same side the dog I was holding was on; I felt her head against my leg and then felt a sense of calmness, called the vet for the owner and went along with the day. On a side note the dog that had the arterial bleed is fine and back playing at the park. Luna really is an amazing dog. Yet she is not only in tune with me, she also loves to help and comfort others which makes her a wonderful candidate for animal assisted activities dog also known as a therapy dog.
By Kelsey Slaughter8 years ago in Petlife
