Articles
The benefits of training with treats
Some people are reluctant to use food during training, for whatever reason. When you train your dog, the dog is doing the correct behavior to either: 1) get something he wants; or 2) avoid something he doesn’t want. Personally, I’d rather have my dog work to get a reward, than to avoid a punishment. I also don’t get my feelings hurt …Read more »
Take a bow
Teaching your dog to “Take a Bow” is fun and easy! A doggie “bow” is when the dog’s front elbows are on the floor and his back end is in the air, like a big stretch. You’ve probably seen your dog do this when he is playing or when he wakes up. It’s a natural behavior for most dogs and …Read more »
Picking the right training class
Wondering which dog training class is the right one for you? The following descriptions of PetSmart accredited dog training classes can help you decide: Potty Training Seminars (for Pet Parents only – no pets), which are one-time classes that last one hour, are great for people that have not yet gotten their new dog or for someone that has a new …Read more »
How to Teach Your Dog to ''Drop It''
Tired of your dog stealing your socks, shoes and other stuff? Even worse, are you tired of chasing him around the couch to get it back? These tips will help curb that behavior and save your personal items from becoming chew toys: Puppy proof the house. Use baby gates and shut doors to keep your dog from getting into trouble. Make sure you have …Read more »
Tips to Curb Your Dog's Barking Habit
Dogs bark for a reason. Knowing why they are barking, or more specifically how dogs communicate through barking, is the first step to stopping their inappropriate barking. The three big reasons a dog barks are: attention, excitement and alarm. Barking for Attention: this type of barking is generally directed at you. The good news is that this it is the easiest to control. The bad news …Read more »
Reward Your Pet with ''Zero-Calorie'' Treats
Not all pet treats have to be edible. If you're concerned about your pet's caloric intake, but still want to reward their good behavior, there are healthier, zero-calorie alternatives, says Lynne Hudlow in her blog posted on banfield.net, the web site of Banfield, The Pet Hospital®. Rather than giving them a biscuit for a reward, Hudlow suggests the following healthy treat …Read more »
Teach Your Dog to ''High-Five''
The "high-five" is a simple and popular trick to teach your dog that is fun to show off to friends. To teach your dog to "high-five," you are going to use a process called "shaping." Think of shaping as molding your dog’s behavior from how he currently responds to a cue to how you would like him to respond to that …Read more »
How to Teach Your Dog to ''Come'' When You Call Him
Have you ever wondered why your dog comes when you say “cookie,” “walk,” or “dinner,” but won’t come when you say “come?” It’s all about what happens when he gets there. If you only teach your dog one thing, coming when called is your best choice. The good news: it’s not hard to do! To start, you need to use his …Read more »
Puppy meet child: how to properly introduce puppies and children
If you have children and are adopting a puppy or are a puppy Pet Parent and are having young children over to visit, you'll want to introduce them to one another in a way that is friendly and non-threatening for both parties. Here are some tips to help introduce your pet to young children: Demonstrate with a stuffed toy how to safely and carefully handle …Read more »
Teaching Your Cat Tricks Starts with a Click
You may have heard cats can’t be trained. Not so! With the proper techniques, any animal can be trained. You just need a few helpful tips to get you started. Teach your cat to “target.” Targeting is simply teaching your cat to put a certain body part, like his nose or paw, on a certain item like a target stick. There are many commercial target …Read more »
