House Training Dogs & Potty Training Puppies

How to Start the House and Potty Training Process

The holidays on occasion brings a new dog or puppy into our lives and is in fact a present that keeps on giving all year round. This gift is one that comes back to you with a joyful part of your life filled with a lot of wags.

Potty training or house training is an integral part of your relationship with your dog right from the get go.  It does establish that you are the leader and you are setting the rules.  It also builds a great relationship simply out the time you will spend with your dog while doing the initial training.

The first and and most important step to successful potty training is do not react ever to your dog if you did not catch the accident in the moment it was happening.

Lets face it, if you have a new puppy or dog setting the rules is something you have to do repetitiously until it becomes a habit.

Dogs think in the moment.  If you get mad when you walked around the corner and saw the nice dark piddle mark in the middle of your favorite rug and started yelling at the dog... 
but in that instant your dog has walked up behind you and was quietly starting into a sit... 
your dog thinks you just got mad for that.... 

the sitting at your feet.... 
not the pee all over the rug thats quickly turning to the unpleasant urine smell.

Ignore the dog.  And go about cleaning the area.  This is ultimately the most important thing you must do to move your dog on to a perfectly house trained dog.

The WAY you clean the urine is just as important as the timing you will learn in this 7 part series on how to house and potty train your dog. 

Urine has an enzyme in it that remains in your carpet or floors if you were to just soak it up, spray some cleaner on it, soak it some more, and let it dry.  Which is the common method of cleaning up the mistake.

Removing the urine enzyme is the most important part of the potty training process.

How To Remove Urine
6 Easy Steps for a Proven Method of
Urine Removal. Freedom is Possible!

Click the link below to follow the 7 part series on how to potty and house train your dog.

©Jt Clough and K9 Coach, Inc. 2010 www.SitK9Sit.com www.GoTrainYourDog.com

Puppy Gone Wild? Simple Steps to Calm

From San Diego Dog Training

The new puppy has come home and all the cuteness was a lot of fun. Now the real part sets in. Like walking on a leash and no matter the size, your arm feels like its being pulled off.

LIVE WEB BROADCAST ON WHAT TO DO TO TRAIN YOUR PUPPY AT HOME

Or how about every time you put some clean clothes on... oops... paw marks from puppy jumping up in case you had forgotten he was around.

Or how about the 3rd iPhone cord that just got eaten through. Damn.

Teaching your puppy to be calm, pay attention and use that energy in a good way can seem overwhelming... but here’s a great tip. Start with the simplest thing. I always start with “sit”.

That’s grounding for a dog. Practice by rewarding with a treat or toy. And if we are talking puppy... realize the 1 second rule applies. Get 1 second, get it consistently and then go to 2 seconds. I think puppies were put in our lives to truly teach us the joy of patience and what it can bring when practiced!

If you are looking for some help, come on by the live dog and puppy training web broadcast. May 13th 5 pm pst, 7 pm cst

It’s free! and if you need some suggestions for a better behaved puppy (or even older dog) you should come.

LINK TO WEB BROADCAST PUPPY TRAINING AT HOME

For more tips and dog training tricks, cool dog photos, and dog news follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/GoTrainYourDog

And come on by the K9 Coach Facebook site to get current update on live dog training events online, dogs news, and way cool things to do with your dog.

K9 Coach located in San Diego, CA specializes in dog training camps, private lessons, and dog and puppy training online.

Puppies, Toys, & Training

Getting a new puppy is always exciting, and part of the excitement that goes along with it is going to the pet store and getting the new dog bed, the puppy treats, and the new dog toys. Its fun stuff.

Godiva got a new pink bed and some toys her first day away from her litter at 8 weeks old. The toys are the important part and though people usually buy them out of the cuteness factor, toys are a very important part of a puppies beginning “training”.

Puppies have a tendency to chew and mouth a lot. They tend to chew on whatever is in front of them, which could be anything from your shoe to your fingers. Puppies just like big dogs learn and think in pictures so it’s very important to start from the beginning to give your puppy an item that can be chewed, or was meant to be chewed every single time the attempt to go for something that shouldn’t be in your puppies mouth is reached for.

This simple concept can save you many dollars and the grief of ruined items that very well could be your “favorite” something! Repetition will give your puppy in the end a clear picture of what to chew and amazingly enough they will start to reach for those things that you have taught them are ok to have in their mouth. Important to this is that you have been consistent with giving your puppy the right toy and that you follow the major rule of supervision.

Not all toys are the same and some dogs chew things to pieces more easily so be aware of what kind of toys you are buying. Small pieces that come off aren’t good. Just like a baby, a dog will put anything in their mouth and swallow it if it’s small enough.

So get some good quality toys and start your training with your puppy while playing with your new bundle of joy.

For more tips tricks & puppy training follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/GoTrainYourDog

To find schedule dog training events online follow us on Facebook as well. And as always we love to do private dog and puppy training lessons and camps with you and your new puppy or dog so contact us with all your dog training needs.

How To Potty Train A Puppy

Of all the habits that dogs or puppies do, the very worst seem to come in as not being able to get the “potty training” thing down. In fact it very well could be the number one reason dogs or puppies end up in shelters.

The rules of potty training are not all that difficult. Truth be known, they are very simple. It’s just that it is something you can’t let go for a day, or forget about as you get very busy with a project for more than a few hours.

It is as simple as confine your puppy when you aren’t able to supervise 100%. First thing you do when you take your puppy out of the crate is go outside to go “potty”. You have to be patient, walk around a bit, give it time. Should it not happen (the potty thing) you CANNOT take the puppy back in start playing or let the puppy have some “free” time... that is a sure fire way for an accident to happen and a very vicious cycle of your puppy going potty in all the wrong places.

If you puppy does do the duty, back to the crate, kennel, or the pup’s own little bedroom as I like to call it. Try again in 15 to 20 minutes. Lets say your puppy does go... cool... spend some time playing, a little supervised freed time, and just to be sure take your pup out again before resting time back in the kennel.

Always take your puppy out after eating or drinking, and after a play session. And here is a BIG one... you have to get up in the night to let you puppy out most likely several times at least through 14-16 weeks of age, depending on the size of your puppy.

Toy breeds and smaller dogs are going to go to the long end of that 16 week schedule needing to go out multiple times during the night. It is a huge deal and people do make the mistake of not committing to the sleep deprivation it takes to get a solidly house trained dog.

So, get ready for the big tip of the day... the smaller the dog breed, the more times you need to prepare to get up in the night from 8 to 16 weeks.... or uhhh probably 20 or 24 weeks!! :)

The good news: it will be worth it big time in the end, and the bonding with your dog will be better than you had anticipated.

Watch for more potty training in the moment stories as K9 Coach of San Diego is in the midst of puppy potty training Godiva, an almost 10 week old Pocket Beagle.

Follow us on Twitter for fun dog photos, cool dog news, and training tips and tricks at www.Twitter.com/GoTrainYourDog

San Diego Dog Training Camper Gets Big Paws Up

Why would you want to send your dog to camp rather than try and train the family dog yourself? Ask this family and they’ll tell you exactly why.

Omar is an active dog and so is his family, but to their dismay after many months of training on their own they couldn’t go out on trails, to the beach or any of the fun outdoor dog friendly places here in San Diego without hanging onto his leash, tightly! And getting enough exercise for a dog like Omar while being “restrained” on a leash because he would take off if you let go of the leash was really a counter productive feeling.

Being a one year old puppy, Omar needed to get to a place he could be a dog, yet have the training to come back when called, not pull on the leash to the point shoulder pain was a problem, and stop stealing things and playing keep away if he wanted to have a real life. After months of attempted training, the family decided camp was the answer. And wow, were they right.

Omar went home yesterday, and as his trainer I was sad to see him go because he was so fun to train. He just needed the right communication and days in a row to follow through with that communication. He got it. And his family is soooo happy.

The day they reunited we all went out on a trail... and when Omar go the “go on” to run free, then came back right away when called his family was overjoyed. They absolutely couldn’t believe it when he came back even with the distraction of birds and rabbits came along... his favorite to chase. The overjoyed feeling turned into pure amazement.

Omar rocked. Cool dog. A Curly Coated Retriever with a purpose. He’s now the dog everyone wants. It’s a great feeling.

Find out about our exclusive dog and puppy training camps for your dog. The one who is looking forward to being out of trouble all the time! www.SitK9Sit.com

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Rhodesian Ridgeback Comes to Dog Training Camp

Rhodesian Ridgebacks are dogs that come from hunting roots. They come from Africa and were bred to hunt everything from lions to small furry running things but these days they are more likely to hunt for a spot on you couch than anything else.

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is very intelligent, gentle, yet quite independent. This combination can be endearing, entertaining, a loyal friend, stubborn, and frustrating all at the same time. Early training is the best way to bring out the endearing side and minimize the frustrating part.

Brody fits the traits of most Ridgebacks in that he is an exuberant and active puppy. The good news is he will mature into a quiet dog who will need moderate exercise to keep him fit, and mentally stimulated.

Early socialization is important for any puppy, and Brody has done well with this. In fact, he LOVES other dogs and displays his “exuberance” when he sees another dog heading in that direction with such excitement the arm at the other end of the leash could quite possibly end up dislocated!

K9 Coach San Diego Dog Training Camp for Brody turns out to be just what he needed. He’s in his first few days and has been doing well on the leash when there is no other dogs around. He has come a long with distractions that normally would cause his focus to go haywire. Other dogs and puppies, well, he just loses control and is in the beginning stages of getting how to stay calm and on task when he sees them. He’ll master this with his intelligence and the help of a consistent training program.

The first step for any dog in this area is to teach him how to be calm. To do that you need to remain calm yourself. Dogs do pick up on energy before they pick up on anything else and if you find yourself wound up about your dog losing control when seeing another dog, for sure it’s going to happen.

The next step is to work on keeping your dog focused. Brody is starting to realize that his job is to pay attention to me. Lots of practice on sit. Lots of practice on “lets go” while in movement. We do that over and over with little distraction, then practice the same behavior with distraction.

More on how Brody is doing later in the week. In the meantime the practice of being calm in every situation, especially when you are trying to get your dog to be calm can take your dog’s training a long way, and your emotional state to an incredible place.

For more dog training tips, fun dog photos, and cool dog news follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/GoTrainYourDog

Contact K9 Coach for more about dog training programs and camps, including how to have your dog learn to be calm in real life situations. Simple. No more strict obedience rules... instead, a way of life and a great relationship.

It’s a Beachin Dog Training Camp

Omar, the Curly Coated Retriever is still in his first week of the San Diego Dog Training Camp as you see him here. Hmmm... the perfect setting for training. Trails and the beach. A little swimming, a little hiking. Not bad for a day of learning to be a good dog.

If you have been following Omar’s story, he was one to have freedom of the open space in Ramona not be open to him. For one simple reason.... actually more than one, but the point is... he couldn’t have the freedom of a dog to run off leash, enjoy the trails and the nightly run his owner takes him on because he’d take off in wild abandon.

The chase game seems cute the very first time, and then guess what? ... No longer cute. A real pain actually. So there this rambunctious Curly Coated Retriever was, tethered to an overextended arm that spent most of an outing with him just trying to hang on!

Dogs Are Easily Distracted

Really? Probably what every dog owner out there is thinking while reading that statement!

How did Omar start coming so quickly even an area like Del Mar Dog Beach with other dogs, balls, water, and people with treats around? It really started as simple as getting him to come to me every time without any distraction around. He started in the back yard. He sits. I get a little ways away from him. I call him to him. He comes. Over and over and over again. When he gets that, move further away. When he gets that add a bit of distraction. When he gets that add more distraction. Over and over again! Get it! Good Dog!

People tell me that if their dog would just come to them they could go a lot more places.

As with everything, we tend to try and make everything more difficult than it needs to be. Start with the steps above, and make it that simple. Too much distraction with anything that isn’t well practiced makes all of us fall off focus. Focus on the simplest way to get it done, then practice more distraction from there.

For more puppy training tips, cool dog photos, & dogs in the news follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/GoTrainYourDog

How Your Dog Can Help You Quit Smoking

From Dog Blog Web Training

Its a fact that there is a lot of “news” out there these days. And it seems that not so much of it is encouraging these days. Doesn’t matter if you are listening to the local nightly news or NPR; things seem to be discouraging. So I’ve taken it upon myself to find cool news about dogs to give everyone a break from the down feeling that has been going around, and let us all wag a little more.

Here was a story I find with some scientific study behind it to give a positive on daily practices.

Did you know that your dog can help you stop smoking?

In an unrelated study, in fact more of a survey, it was found that most dog owners would rather be stranded with their dog, then another person. With that fact in mind it makes sense that finding out if you smoke it can effect your dog’s health made a big difference in the decision to stop smoking or not.

This year the journal “Tobacco Control” published a study that showed dog owners would rather give up smoking for their dog’s health rather than their own! Wow! Kinda cool in a way... for us dog owners to think about anyway.

The study which included 3,300 participants showed that one in five would ban smoking from their homes due to the fact that second hand smoke was a danger to their dog’s health. 28.4 % said that they would give up smoking and join the non smokers side knowing that it was harmful to their dog’s health.

Dogs exposed to 2nd hand smoke can have health problems associated with it such as nasal, and lung cancers, eye and skin diseases, and respiratory problems among other conditions. Evidence published shows that second hand tobacco smoke can be as dangerous for dogs as it is for the non-smoking partners of smokers, a fact that few smokers realize. And considering a dog’s life is much shorter than the owner’s, the effect can be much more quickly realized.

So, for the love of your dog, get motivated to get healthy yourself and stop smoking!

K9 Coach promotes healthy dog food, exercise, & the right communication for good dog training and as it turns out, good people training too!

Follow us on Twitter for fun dog photos, cool dog news, & dog training tips & tricks at www.Twitter.com/GoTrainYourDog