Winterbrooks Auzzie BN, RAE, CGC
Nationally Ranked Number One Miniature American Shepherd
in Rally Advance for 2011 AKC competition in the US.
Positive Reinforcement Training - Training Your Dog with Treats and Praise. We all like to be praised rather than punished. The same is true for your pet, and that's the theory behind positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement means giving your pet something pleasant or rewarding immediately after she does something you want her to do. Because your praise or reward makes her more likely to repeat that behavior in the future, it is one of your most powerful tools for shaping or changing your pet's behavior...
Nothing in Life is Free - A Training Technique for Dogs. Does your dog get on the furniture and refuse to get off? Nudge your hand and insist on being petted or played with? Refuse to come when called? Defend his food bowl or toys from you? If so, a training technique called "nothing in life is free" may be just the solution you're looking for. "Nothing in life is free" is not a magic pill that will solve a specific behavior problem. Instead, it's a way of living with your dog that will help him behave better because he trusts and accepts you as his leader and is confident knowing his place in the family...
Crate Training Your Dog - If you like nothing better than coming home from a hard day's work and finding that your dog decided to "go" on the couch or use your favorite slippers as a new chew toy, then crate training isn't for you...
Walking on Leash - By and large, leash-pulling masks the real problem: without a leash you would probably be without a dog. It is indeed a sobering thought to think that most dogs' prefer to forge ahead to sniff the grass or other dogs' rear ends than to walk by their owner's side...
Dogs & Children - Babies and children should never be left unsupervised with puppies or dogs. Learning to respect, understand, care for, and successfully control a dog gives a dramatic boost to any child's self-esteem....
Reducing Separation Anxiety in Dogs - Everyone needs a little time alone now and then - unless of course you are a dog who suffers from separation anxiety. Dogs with separation anxiety exhibit behavior problems when they're left alone. Typically, they'll have a dramatic anxiety response within a short time (20-45 minutes) after their owners leave them. The most common of these behaviors are...