Subduing Leash Aggression And Commanding Your Puppy to Stay

22 October 2009 No Comment

You are walking down the street and the next thing you know, your normally loving dog becomes aggressive towards other dogs and people he sees. It’s enough to make you want to keep him inside all the time!

Exercise is essential for all dogs, and there are ways you can correct your dog’s behavior so you can both get out and enjoy the fresh air. Walks don’t need to be dreaded, just handled in a careful and consistent manner.

If your dog seems like he is about to become aggressive, divert him with a command like sit or down. This will keep him occupied and should reroute his attention.

Dogs are masters at reading our body language. If you tense whenever you pass a person or another dog, your pet will pick up on it. He may think that you are scared and want to protect you. It is best to stay calm and act as if nothing is wrong if you can so your dog does too.

Some dogs may require a gentle leader harness or muzzle. These should only be used temporarily until your dog learns not to lunge. If you have a dog who is a danger, they can keep others safe. This is the first priority.

Some dogs will persist at lunging despite your best efforts. If this is the case with your dog, consult with a professional trainer. You don’t want to let the behavior go unchecked; your dog will become a danger to your neighborhood. as well as to himself.

Many dogs pull and lunge when on a leash. If your dog displays this very natural reaction to being on a leash, it is vital that you take action as soon as possible so it doesn’t become either an irritating habit or a dangerous one.

Teaching your dog to stay can be an immensely useful command, and it will definitely impress other dog owners. As always, use treats and praise to help you teach.

To learn to stay, your dog first needs to know how to sit and/or lie down. When he masters this, staying is the next step. Begin by telling him to sit or lie down. As he does this, put your hand out and say, “Stay.” Make sure you use a firm yet calm voice.

When your dog stays, praise him immediately. Likely your dog will only be able to stay for a second or two at first. This is great; it’s a terrific beginning, and he will be able to do it for longer periods as he practices.

Also teach him the release command so he learns when it is time to get up. “Ok” or “Come” are often used. Again, praise and treats make training easier.

Gradually work on the length of time that your dog sits and stays before you give the release command. Make him work for that treat!

You don’t want to practice for an hour though. Keep your training sessions short and sweet. Make them fun for your dog, provide lots of praise and rewards, and you’ll get results. Five to ten minutes is a great amount of time for each training session, and you can do it several times a day.

Any longer and your dog will feel like he’s in a marathon ? he’ll get tired, cranky, and won’t want to listen. At first, you may have to repeat, “Stay,” often to remind your dog, especially if they’re excited about their treat.

Soon, your dog will be able to stay even if you leave the room. Even if you phase out the treats, remember to praise your dog for this accomplishment.

Here are some excellent places to start working with puppy training biting behavior fixes and easily investigate websites like the helpful sitstayfetch page.
dog-training