Friday 25 June 2010

Terrier Training;Positive Reinforcement

Terrier Training;Positive Reinforcement

Posted by admin on

June 14, 2010

What is positive reinforcement? Positive reinforcement is a simple Terrier Training method that rewards good behaviour and ignores bad behaviour. Whereas other training techniques focus on bad behaviour and disciplining a dog when they misbehave, positive reinforcement works by harnessing the terrier’s natural instinct to please You, “the pack leader”.

By rewarding the terrier for good behaviour you are sending out a message that this is what you expect and how you want them to behave, building the dogs self esteem and sense of purpose.

Much like humans we don’t like being told “this is bad”, “this is no good” or “you’re not good enough”. After a while you will start to think “hey maybe I am no good”, this in humans leads to low self esteem, depression and stress and believe it or not dogs are no different.

You want a happy dog that is eager to work and play, through positive reinforcement you build your relationship with your terrier, you build a solid trust between dog and owner.

Dogs like humans are all different and some learn quicker than others, key points to remember are practice, patience, positive thinking and above all consistency. You must be consistent in both your terrier training and your reward, give a food treat immediately after good behaviour, use the same key words like sit, stay or down. Praise praise praise, let him/her know how proud you are of them.

The great thing about positive reinforcement training is it can be implemented by anyone of any age because it has nothing to do with force or discipline, again it’s about building that relationship and trust between owner and dog. As long as you are positive and consistent you cannot go wrong.

The way we look after dogs and the reasons for getting a dog as a pet are totally different now to reasons years ago. Years ago dogs were kept outside and used mainly as guard dogs or hunters, they were not allowed in the house so really there was no need for in-house etiquette. They didn’t go to “puppy parties” or “dog owners club” so training methods used then are not so relevant now.

This is why positive reinforcement is now such a popular terrier training method, dogs are now one of the family and are treated much the same. You would not let your children misbehave and the dog is no different.

If you are interested in, or would like to read more about positive reinforcement training then

Click Here and get started today.

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Monday 21 June 2010

Terrier breed; Cairn Terrier

Terrier breed; Cairn Terrier

Posted by admin on

June 11, 2010

The Cairn terrier

History

The Cairn terrier is one of the oldest Terrier breeds dating back to the 1500’s, originating from Scotland and more

specifically the Isle of Skye. For many years they were known as Skye terriers until they were renamed cairn terriers. The name Cairn comes from the word Cairn used by Scots to describe a small pile of rock marking the edge of a farmers land, where foxes and badgers  used to make their home.

Personality and character

The cairn terrier is a very happy, playful and easy going breed, has a real genuine love for children and is both tough and resilient, Cairns are highly intelligent and will catch on to their terrier training very quickly, although they can be stubborn at times and absolutely love to dig, (garden lovers beware). They are quite an independent breed and are quite happy to spend time on their own and are not as emotionally dependent as other breeds. They do share the same hunting instinct as the other terrier breeds however it is not as strong in the cairn and would require more focused training for hunting.

Profile

T

he height of the Cairn terrier is roughly 10 to 13 inches for a male, and 9 to 12 inches for a bitch. The male dog weighs in at an average 14 to 18 pounds and the female bitch, 13 to 17 pounds. Their life expectancy is between 12 and 15 years.

Their litter size is generally between 4 and 6 pups but 8 pups are not unheard of.

The Cairn Terriers coat is double layered, a rough and weather resistant outer coat and a soft under coat, and needs to be groomed on a regular basis to keep its fur looking good and to avoid the shaggy coat from becoming matted.

Cairns do not shed much of their fur, good news for people who suffer from pet allergies or eczema as the possibility of a reaction is greatly reduced. Cairns are among the few terrier breeds that are considered to be hypoallergenic.

The Cairn terrier is recommended as a good family pet, due to its love of children, easy going nature, endless energy and compact size, they are also very affectionate. They are extremely loyal which also makes them excellent guard dogs.

Terrier training

Cairn terrier training is most effective when you are firm and authorative but not too harsh, training must begin from day one and start as you mean to go on. This little terrier does need firm boundaries or he will get out of hand and can become quite destructive. Do not worry, Cairns are very quick learners and adjust to new homes and owners very quickly.

Keep your training sessions to around 5-10 minutes, 3 to 4 times a day and make sure they are both fun and active to keep them mentally stimulated. Make sure to reward and praise them for any good work or behaviour, Cairns love positive energy as do most terrier breeds.

A word of warning, cairns have a very charming trait about them and it is very easy to spoil them, remember they are clever little dogs and they know what they are doing so beware of his/her cute little face.

Clicker techniques are recommended for terrier training as they do very well with positive reinforce

ment. If you would like to read more about clicker training Click Here.

For breeder information on where you can get a Cairn terrier you can check out these links below.

http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/services/ For the United Kingdom

http://www.akc.org/ If you are in the United States

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Terrier Training;Positive Reinforcement

Terrier Training;Positive Reinforcement

Posted by admin on

June 14, 2010

What is positive reinforcement? Positive reinforcement is a simple Terrier Training method that rewards good behaviour and ignores bad behaviour. Whereas other training techniques focus on bad behaviour and disciplining a dog when they misbehave, positive reinforcement works by harnessing the terrier’s natural instinct to please You, “the pack leader”.

By rewarding the terrier for good behaviour you are sending out a message that this is what you expect and how you want them to behave, building the dogs self esteem and sense of purpose.

Much like humans we don’t like being told “this is bad”, “this is no good” or “you’re not good enough”. After a while you will start to think “hey maybe I am no good”, this in humans leads to low self esteem, depression and stress and believe it or not dogs are no different.

You want a happy dog that is eager to work and play, through positive reinforcement you build your relationship with your terrier, you build a solid trust between dog and owner.

Dogs like humans are all different and some learn quicker than others, key points to remember are practice, patience, positive thinking and above all consistency. You must be consistent in both your terrier training and your reward, give a food treat immediately after good behaviour, use the same key words like sit, stay or down. Praise praise praise, let him/her know how proud you are of them.

The great thing about positive reinforcement training is it can be implemented by anyone of any age because it has nothing to do with force or discipline, again it’s about building that relationship and trust between owner and dog. As long as you are positive and consistent you cannot go wrong.

The way we look after dogs and the reasons for getting a dog as a pet are totally different now to reasons years ago. Years ago dogs were kept outside and used mainly as guard dogs or hunters, they were not allowed in the house so really there was no need for in-house etiquette. They didn’t go to “puppy parties” or “dog owners club” so training methods used then are not so relevant now.

This is why positive reinforcement is now such a popular terrier training method, dogs are now one of the family and are treated much the same. You would not let your children misbehave and the dog is no different.

If you are interested in, or would like to read more about positive reinforcement training then

Click Here and get started today.

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Terrier training: Submissive urination

Terrier training: Submissive urination

Posted by admin on

June 19, 2010

Does your terrier pee when he gets excited or when friends come over? If the answer is yes then let me explain what is going on and why this keeps happening.

The official term for this behaviour is “submissive urination”, it develops from the terrier’s natural instinct to accept authority from other animals it deems “superior”.

The urination is a sign of submission, a message to the superior animal or human that “you are in charge”, “I will do as you say” and “don’t hurt me”. This behaviour is usually more common in pups and they usually grow out of this behaviour, but if it is still present in older dogs then this is usually a sign that the dog is suffering from low self esteem or a confidence issue and more submissive than they should be. Some breeds are more submissive than others but some form of abuse can also be a contributing factor.

If your dog is still urinating as a mature dog then they are usually not aware they are doing it, it is a subconscious reaction to a specific situation, it is important not to punish your dog when they do urinate as this will only increase there anxiety and make them more insecure. Instead the main focus is on building your dogs confidence with positive terrier training and trying to break the pattern of behaviour.

First identify in which situations you dog urinates, for example if a friend or relative comes to visit, tell them what you are doing and get them involved. You want to make the whole situation as relaxed and stress fee as possible, first start by ignoring the dog and their behaviour when you first enter, do not encourage his/her excitement, avoid eye contact because in a dogs eyes this is seen as dominant behaviour and it might make him/her pee, calmly carry on what you are doing and go about your normal routine.

When they have calmed down, slowly come down to their level putting yourself sideways to the terrier, this is seen as non threatening behaviour remember you want them to stay as calm as possible and get other family and friends to do the same, speak in a soft calm voice and praise your terrier for doing so well. It is also a good idea to take your dog for a walk if you know you are going to have guests this does two things, it gets rid of any excess energy and empty’s their bladder at the same time, this will make the process that little bit easier.

If a dog is displaying extreme submissive behaviour it is very important to work on their confidence level and build them up as much as you can, positive reinforcement really works well with these dogs as it is usually negative, forceful obedience training that is the cause of their problem so you do not want to increase the problem further with more punishment.

Socializing and interaction with other humans and dogs is also great for building confidence, dogs can learn good behaviour from other well trained dogs making your job a lot easier and they will love the physical and mental stimulation, just remember to praise when he/she is doing well and let them know when they are doing a good job.

Read our Article on positive reinforcement training

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a great dog training manual, have a look Books & dvd’s

Books & dvd’s

Posted by admin on

June 19, 2010

A Guide To Clicker Training and Its Secrets

Written by Morten Egtvedt & Cecilie Koeste this clicker training manual was

originally from Norway and due to its popularity, has been translated to english and is now available world wide.

This training guide comes highly recommended from many happy dog owners and professional terrier trainers

Click Here To Find Out More And Get Your Copy Today

Do not let your dog get out of hand, start your training today.

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Sunday 20 June 2010

Untitled

I'm working on a new article called "the raw food diet for dogs" its going to be very interesting  keep checking the website www.terrier-training.com

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