link:http://dog-----obedience.blogspot.com?

Question

How easy is it for dog owners to home train their dogs without professional help?

Answer 1

it depends what kind of dog you have. i have 4 shi-tzus and only one of them p on a newspaper...

Answer 2

It's not rocket science, but it can be done if you know what to do. Get a book called Toolbox for Remodeling Your Problem Dog by Terry Ryan. It's out of print but you can often pick up a cheap used copy on ebay or Amazon. It is simple and clear on the best way to train your pet using positive reinforcement. There is also a video called Take a Bow Wow that is pretty good for tricks.

Of course you would probably benfit from taking a training class. These are to teach you to teach your dog. It's not for the dog's benefit, but for yours.

I don't recommend "boarding school" training. By sending your dog off to be trained YOU don't learn the valuable skills you need in order to be an effective pack leader.

Try the book I recommended. Don't get The Dog Whisperer book. It's dangerous. Same with anything by the Monks of New Skete. Be sure that any book you select uses positive reinforcement.

And remember what is cute behavior as a puppy, like nipping and pulling your socks off your feet and jumping, are not cute when your lab puppy weighs eighty pounds. Think in terms of how you want your dog to behave as an adult and start being consistent about those expectations NOW. The only exception is housetraining. Biologically a puppy can't hold it as long as an adult.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Training dogs is a lot of work even with professional help. It is easier with professional help because the trainer has a better understanding of dog behavior than the owner (usually) and should be able to tell you what will and won't work for your particular dog. Different techniques work for different dogs. Trainers can also give tips and provide schedules that will speed up the training process and avoid creating confusion for the dogs. A major benefit of professional training is that the dogs get used to following commands in a distracting environment, i.e. around other dogs, which is extremely important for training to be effective.

That said, plenty of people effectively home train their dogs. It requires a lot of research to learn the proper techniques. Go to the library or bookstore and read up. One book on dog behavior that is fantastic is "The Other End of the Leash" by Patricia McConnell.

Answer 4

There are definite things that you will be missing out on with home training.
The first is the socialization for your dog. Alot of people want to do this themselves in the park, however it is better to wait up until at least 6 months to go to an off-leash park.
Alot of times puppies can be bullied in an off-leash park, people can still bring aggressive dogs and negative socialization is damaging to your puppy.
If you bring your puppy to a controlled place like a training class, generally the puppies will be close to the same age and there will be a professional watching.
The puppy socialization period is between 4-12 weeks, everything your puppy experiences, good and bad, will stay with him for the rest of his life. Some classes start as early as 10 weeks after the second set of shots, ideally, this is when you would like to start. This is assuming that you have a puppy,..

Another benefit to group training is teaching your puppy or dog to listen under distractions. A common complaint of dog owners is that thier puppy only listens at home. It is important to get out with other puppies or dogs to learn and practice obedience.It doesnt just stop there, practice should take place in the local park, sidewalk in front of the house, everywhere! What you learn in class is also for practicing at home, you will have your dog for 10 years so it is well worth the effort to have a well behaved family member.

Alot of training techniques include body language, the way you praise or the timing of your praise. I like to call it forming a habit, there really is no substitute for a professional.

ALso it is alot of fun going out there, building the bond with your dog. It is like a hobby where your partner lives with you and is willing to practice with you at any time just for a tennis ball.
If you enjoy it alot, there are so many dog sports you can do or volunteer to visit the elderly in nursing homes.
Or simply have a well trained dog that people compliment you on when you go out. (always feels good)

Assuming there are no behavioral problems,....
You could attempt it at home, but it would be much more successful (and fun!) with a class. As a professional trainer, I would still take my puppy to a training class for socialization and learning to listen in public and because of the social part of it for me, my dog, and having a hobby that I enjoy in my spare time.

Answer 5

Depending on what you want to teach most of it is not hard and you do not need professional help.
Get a book like Dog training for Dummies it is a nice easy to follw basic boook that will cover most of what you want to teach.
If you work every day and put some effort into it you can train you dog fine on your own.
It is when you have behavior problems that you need help.

Answer 6

i have no problem training dogs except the real crazy ones

Answer 7

That a pretty good site=)