Understanding Your Puppy’s

A well-socialised mother dog is more likely to have well-socialised puppies as the puppies ‘feed’ off of their mother’s calm or fearful attitude toward humans.

Puppies are usually weaned at six or seven weeks, but are still learning important skills as their mother gradually leaves them more and more. Ideally, puppies should stay with their litter mates for at least 12 weeks

Puppies that are separated from their litter mates too early often don’t develop appropriate ’social skills’ such as:
• Learning how to send and receive signals,
• What an ‘inhibited bite’ means,
• How far to go in play wrestling, etc

Play is important to help puppies to improve their physical coordination, social skills and learning limits. Interacting with their mother and litter mates helps them to learn ‘how to be a dog’, and is also a way to explore ranking (i.e. who’s in charge).

Skills not acquired during the first eight weeks may be lost forever. While these stages are important and fairly consistent, a dog’s mind remains receptive to new experiences and lessons well beyond puppy-hood. Most dogs are still puppies, in mind and body, through the first two years.

Dogs communicate with their actions, movement of their eyes, ears, mouths, etc, body gestures, tail wagging and more. Know to tune into your dog’s body language, you’ll realize what he’s talking about and what he needs. Of course, each dog, like each human, has his own personality traits. Over time, you’ll no doubt come to learn these individual traits. But there are general moods and behaviors that you can expect from dogs.

Barking
Dogs bark for many reasons, such as when perceived intruders (humans, dogs, or other animals) approach its territory, for identification, when hearing an unfamiliar or unidentified noise, when seeing something that the dog doesn’t expect to be there, or when playing. Barking also expresses different emotions for a dog, such as loneliness, fear, suspicion, stress, and pleasure. Play or excited barks are often short and sharp, such as when a dog is attempting to get a person or another dog to play.

Dogs generally try to avoid conflict; their vocalizations are part of what communicates to other dogs whether they mean harm or are in a playful mood.

The bark of a distressed or stressed dog is high pitched, atonal, and repetitive (and tends to get higher in pitch as the dog becomes more upset). For example, a dog left home alone and who has separation anxiety might bark in such a way.
Some research has suggested that dogs have separate barks for different animals, including dog, fox, deer, human and cat.

Growls
Growls can be used to threaten, to invite play, and to show dominance. Growling should be watched with special attention because it can indicate dominance or aggression. A soft, low-pitched growl often indicates aggression; the dog may feel threatened and may be provoked to attack. An intense growl, without showing any teeth, may often indicate a playful attitude. Always consider the context of a growl, and exercise caution.

Whines and Whimpers
Dogs whine and whimper to show that they are either in pain, or are afraid, or when excited, such as when greeting another dog, or in anticipation of a treat or an outing. Some dogs may use whining as a means of getting attention.

Howls
Howling provides long-range communication with other dogs or owners. Howling can be used to locate another pack member, to keep strangers away, or to call the pack for hunting. Sometimes dogs howl in response to high-pitched or loud noises such as alarms, sirens, music, or singing.

Confidence
Dogs that are confident and comfortable will stand erect. Their tails will be up and wagging in a sweep. The ears may be pricked up or relaxed, and they will look directly at you. The mouth will be partially open in what some call a smile.

Fear
Dogs that are fearful will lower their stance. The tail will usually be down, tucked between his legs, although some dogs actually wag their tails when they are unsure and evaluating a situation. The fearful dog will not look directly at you. When he turns his head away, he’s thinking, ‘hmmm… if I don’t see you, you don’t see me, and nothing bad is going to happen to me.’

Dogs that are fearful or unsure may use “calming signals” to reduce stress for themselves or others with whom they’re interacting. Some of these signals include yawning, barking, intentionally becoming distracted, lip-licking, circling, sniffing the ground, or just sitting or lying down.

Aggression
Certain breeds are hard to read - their tails are naturally curled up, and their ears are always perked up. Some dogs don’t ever give any indication that they are going to bite so watch the dog’s muzzle. A muzzle will twitch before a bite.
Other signs of aggression include stiff legs and body with the tail straight out, ears “pinned” back close to the head, a lowered head with eyes fixed intently at you. The lips are sometimes drawn back in a snarl and a low growl is heard.

Many people mistakenly believe that hackled hair on a dog’s back means they are aggressive. However, these are usually dogs who aren’t at all confident - they’re apprehensive so hackled hair makes them look bigger.

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Internet Business Coaching

Read more dog tips and pets issues….
More about house training dogs.

American Bulldog training can be one of the most rewarding things you do with your new (or old) pet. Not only will you wind up with a better pet, you will establish a strong bond with your dog as you go through the training. It is important that you start training your dog as soon as possible because every day you wait is one more day you have to put up with aggression, biting, barking, chewing, jumping, and bathroom “accidents”.

American Bulldog training offers challenges that may not be faced when training other dog breeds. It is important to be aware of the unique character of American Bulldogs in order to make sure you get the best results with your pet.

Size is one of the biggest problems with these dogs. They are large animals and need space to run. With their large size, they can do way more damage than a Chihuahua.

These dogs can be very playful. This means they like to run around and jump on things. Even when they are just playing, they can do a lot of damage because of their size. They are probably not the best choice if you have small children.

They can be very protective so American Bulldog training needs to involve exposing them to a lot of people. They need to see other people as normal and friendly so they don’t attack everybody they see trying to protect you, their beloved owner.

American Bulldogs have also been known to be very aggressive with other dogs of the same sex. Cats and other small animals can easily become play things so you should probably keep them separate.

One last thing to be aware of: many people view American Bulldogs very negatively and this can complicate things for you. This makes American Bulldog training extremely important not just some thing that is nice to do. Getting help from a top knotch training system like the Secrets to Dog Training is absolutely essential to successful training.

Labrador training involves every aspect of your life with your dog. This means that you must discourage behavior that is cute now that your dog is a puppy, but will be unacceptable when they grow older. We often reinforce bad behavior unknowingly and think that our dogs are at fault. Just like children dogs learn what is right and wrong from its surroundings.

This means you must establish the rules early on in the game and stick to them. If your dog is not allowed on the furniture then it should never be allowed on the furniture ever. If you feel like a cuddle and let the dog up on the sofa it will get onto the sofa the next time you are sitting on it. Consistency is key to having a well-behaved dog. A dog with erratic behavior mirrors your behavior. Remember an old dog can’t learn new tricks so start early.
Take your Labrador puppy out to meet new people and other dogs. You don’t want an aggressive dog. Exposing your dog to other people and dogs is a part of Labrador training that will allow your dog to be well socialized. Also start to bring your dog in the car or short rides even at this age. Drive to a grassy area that is not too far from home and let your dog out to explore and play. This way your puppy connects cars with something fun and will have no problem getting into the car.

Teaching your dogs to come when you call is an important aspect of Labrador training. One way is to keep whistling while your dog is eating this will make it associate whistling with food. Another way is to keep calling your dog’s name and whistling and when it comes over to you praise it, scratch it’s belly, and generally make a big deal of your dog. It will slowly begin to associate you calling it with a reward.
How do you feel about a full-grown Labrador sharing your bed? Remember that Labradors shed quite a bit. If this is not an inviting prospect then don’t let your puppy sleep with you. This will only encourage your dog to sleep on your bed and cause all sorts of problems once it’s too old to be doing that. Avoiding Labrador problem behaviors means anticipating what your dog will be like, as it grows older. Keep this in mind as you decide what your dog can and cannot do in your home.

If you would not be pleased with your dog breaking the rules then don’t break the rules yourself. Allowing one thing one day and then not allowing it another will confuse your dog. It will not know how to behave or what it should do. Dogs love routine and you can provide that by being consistent and doing the same things at the same time. Remember these basics when you start Labrador training.

Labrador training is easy with consistency and patience. You will be able to find the same quality advice in this article as that of popular dog training books.

Just about everyone knows that a German Shepard is a medium size dog that is generally black and tan. This breed of dog has a reputation for being highly intelligent, hard working and trusted guard dogs. The German Shepard can often be found as a bomb niffing dog, guide dog and police dog. This is a animal that requires to have a lot of activity and be useful. This is not a dog for someone that is not willing to put in the time and effort to train the dog, or keep it occupied.

Training a German Shepard puppy is need to be trained and socialized properly to reach their potential.

What Training A German Sheperd Puppy May Look Like
When training a German Shepard puppy, be ready for a quick and ready mind. Although, not all German Shepards have the exact same personality, this dog is bred to be a worker dog and endeavors to perform. Unfortunately, this is a dog breed that has a disposition to becoming overly aggressive, often due to bad breeding. Find a reputable breeder and check on both of the parents before getting a German Shepard puppy.

Training a German Shepard puppy to be a dog that is happy in a social situation is vital. Exposing the puppy to people and other animals can help teach it the correct way to socialize and stop it from becoming too nervous of unknown situations. This can be done by taking the puppy to dog parks and introducing them to other dogs. You must keep a close eye on your puppy in these social situations, could be bullies about. Protect your puppy from these situations.

Training your puppy has to start with house training. These articles are packed with practical advice and tips
House training puppies
House training puppies
tips for puppy potty training

Training a German Shepard puppy may also involve going to a puppy school. This is another good social situation in which your puppy can participate. A professional trainer can assist you with learning good training strategies to reinforce with your German Shepard puppy.

Don’t Forget, these are very intelligent dogs that can be trained to do almost anything. They just need the correct form of training and commitment from their owners.

Training a German Shepard puppy may involve time and effort and doing some research. There are many good breeders who can assist you with finding the right German Shepard puppy and finding a trainer that can assistin guiding you through the training your German Shepard puppy.

These dogs are loyal companions and can become a valuable member of any family.

The Labrador is a very well known and well-respected dog breed. This dog was originally bred in Britain to be a hunting dog, and as such still has the webbed feet and coat for retrieving waterfowl. The Labrador is a people oriented dog; they want to be with their family all the time.

Training your Labrador puppy can take some time and effort, but having a well-trained companion is fefinitely worth it.

Some Important Steps
When training your Labrador puppy, remember that this is still a baby. There will be accidents and they will chew things up. It is up to the owners to teach the Labrador puppy acceptable types of behavior.

Training a Labrador puppy has to involve the process of housebreaking the puppy. This step can involve training the puppy with a crate. As Labradors love to be with their family, they may become somewhat insecure when you’re not around. An insecure Labrador is just looking to chew things up to express its’ unhappiness. A crate not only confines the pet, but gives them a feeling of security. Think of a crate as your puppy’s a safe place.

When in the crate, the Labrador will be unlikely to have accidents. Dogs do not like to mess up the area where they sleep. By taking the Labrador outside immediately before and after they are in the crate, you will create a pattern the dog will very quickly adjust too. When not in the crate, paying close attention to your Labrador puppy can assist in the house training process. If the puppy seems ready to go, take them outside right away. Praise the puppy constantly for good toilet behavior. Being consistent with toilet training will be of great benefit when training a Labrador puppy.
For more advice on potty training your puppy check out these articles.
house training puppies
Puppy toilet training
Potty training puppies

Training your Labrador puppy will[/pin] also involve teaching them to not jump up. It may be little, but no one wants an adult Labrador jumping on them. When the puppy jumps up on you, gently put them back down on the floor and say firmly, “No”. This process may need to be repeated many times, as a Labrador is full of energy and so happy to see their family.

You must make sure when training your Labrador puppy that they learn to socialize properly. Expose them to people, children and other dogs. A socialized, well-trained labrador will be happy and healthy.

Training a Labrador puppy to be a well adjusted and well behaved pet will make both of your lives easier. The Labrador wants to please you, so make sure they comrehend what behaviors are acceptable and what aren’t.