Easy Do It Yourself Dog Training Tip
Dog Training Tip – Have Your Dog Bark or Be Quiet When You Want
Your dog’s bark is its voice. It is how your dog expresses itself. As a dog owner, you can have a little fun with it too – with the right kind of dog training in place, you can get your little furry friend to bark on command. To have your dog bark when there is an intruder in the house can be particularly useful too. Of course, it can be a problem to have too much of a good thing. Dogs in a domestic setting can over time learn to release pent-up energy with barking that never ends.
Dog training methods exist though that can help your dog understand how to bark on command and also how to quiet down when asked to. Sure, you can find as many dog training philosophies as there are trainers. Here is one though that most trainers seem to agree on.
Getting results out of this method can take you the best part two months. You need to give up about a half hour a day training your dog with it, split into two sessions each day. Your first step would be to pick a choice phrase or word to use as your command to get your dog to bark, and another phrase or word to get him to quiet down. Most people like the sound of “Speak” and “Hush”, but you can take your pick. Anything will work just as long as it’s short and you are consistent with it.
Now when your dog begins to bark, what you want to do is to get his attention to have him follow your command to quiet down. You could clap your hands or whistle to get his attention, and give the command for him to be quiet. Your dog is going to hesitate for a second, and that’s when you give your dog a treat. This should reinforce the fact that you give treats when he stops barking. You can do this several times a day when your dog barks, and hand out treats when he quiets down. Once you dog learns the part where he’s supposed to be quiet, you can move on to the next command where you get him to bark on demand.
Getting your dog to bark on command is a little bit easier (they do like the sound of their own bark). Have a family member go outside, close the door, and knock or ring the doorbell. This is when your dog will actually want to bark. Right when he’s about to bark, you give the command for him to do it. You can show that you are pleased by handing out a treat. When this happens several times, your dog will learn to associate the right command with the barking action. You just need to make sure that you are consistent with your rewards, and that you’re genuinely pleased in a way that your dog can see. That’s all your dog asks for – to see that you are pleased.
Dog Obedience Crucial In Field Trials
Field trials are designed to test the dog’s obedience of the working dog, its skills and endurance. A kennel club usually runs these trials, or a club affiliated to one and subject to official regulation. The tests vary according to the breed of dog and are held for pointers, retrievers, spaniels, hounds, beagles and sheepdogs.
All hunting dogs, like Setters, Retrievers, Pointers, Hounds, etc, have their abilities to hunt or retrieve tested and their skill levels judged. Pointers are judged on their ability to flush out and locate game. Retrievers have to locate and retrieve in various conditions, including water.
Herding dogs have an entirely different set of skills and are given sheep to herd into pens, with the owner giving commands from a distance. These sheepdog trials are fabulous to watch and the skill level of these dogs are amazing. Herding dogs include the Kelpie, Border Collie and the Collie. The working dogs used in sheepdog trials are highly valued and are not necessarily purebred dogs, but the winning dogs are priceless.
Trials are classified as amateur or open, depending on the standing of the dog’s handler and by the age of the dog. There are three age stakes: puppy, derby and all-age. A dog of any age can be in the last category.
Field trials have been held in America since 1896 and are very popular, giving owners, dogs and spectators a lot of enjoyment. If you own one of these breeds, you may want to investigate the possibility of becoming involved in field trials, as it is good training and exercise for yourself and your dog. Training your puppy early for field trials promotes excellent puppy behavior. It is also an excellent way of incorporating dog obedience into your dog training skills.
