by:Melissa Wayan

Do you ever wonder how much a dog can really taste? Does it really matter whether you get him the beef liver treats or the turkey liver treats? Isn't it all just the same in the end anyway? How much can the dog really tell the difference?

Anyone who has a dog knows they will eat just about everything, save the occasional vegetable. I am sure most of you either have or know at least one dog that sits at your feet when you eat. He/she either stares with that adorable slightly pathetic face, hoping you take pity on them and give them a bite, or the more tenacious ones whimper, yelp, and beg. It doesn't seem to matter what you are eating, the ferocious desire for some of the food is the same. Why should the dog training treats be any different?

I understand some dogs have allergies, some have certain diet requirements for their health, and in those cases it is important which treats you buy the dog, however in the mass number of cases I am sure it doesn't really matter in the end.

There are however, those people that will insist on only the best for their dog and spend tons of money on the best dog training treats money can buy, the whole time going on and on about how Foofoo doesn't like the turkey and how she only eats the veal treats-which are probably made out of actual veal. I don't know about you but this strikes me as being slightly ridiculous.

Treats come in very handing when training dogs and I am sure are a valuable resource, however I am convinced one treat probably works just as well as the next. And maybe Foofoo really does prefer the veal, but the question remains as to why Foofoo was even given the veal in the first place. Dogs may decide they like one treat better than the next but making that decision requires options. I am pretty sure that if simply presented with a treat most dogs would not decline.

Melissa Wayan makes it fun to care for your precious pooch. Read more about dog training help and dog training treats.

by:Melissa Wayan

First and foremost the most important thing that can be mentioned as a dog training tip is patience. It is of course very easy to become frustrated and want to give up on your dog, as you yell at them for the 10th time for going to the bathroom in the house. However there are many things that can help you, many useful dog training tips that will make your life much easier for the next few months.

There are books to read, and classes to take, and people to talk to. Believe it or not training your dog involves a lot more than teaching him/her to go to the bathroom outside. There are other very important accepts of having an animal. You are going to have to train the dog not to jump on the furniture (should that be your wish). Maybe you want to train them to heel and come, sit and lie down always come in handy too. Well how do you do this? And I don't mean the type of training that works 1 out of every 5 times, I mean really train your dog. Well there are many tips to be found everywhere. The American kennel club provides some on their website and there are many, many books out there to be read, all with helpful dog training tips and methods.

If you want the information it is not finding it that is difficult, it is deciding what school of thought you agree with, and yes there are schools of though for dog training. Do you want to use a crate? Or just rewards for good behavior? In order to make the best out of the situation and develop and truly respectful relationship with your animal training is important and you must decide how to go about it. Careful research is the only answer.

Melissa Wayan makes it fun to care for your precious pooch. Read more about dog training help and dog training tip.

I'm reading a new book by Cesar Millan, Cesar's Way, which I highly recommend, by the way. In it he explains how dogs in the United States are being treated as humans instead of like dogs.

Unfortunately, being treated like a human makes dogs misbehave and become kind of neurotic. Dogs want to be treated like dogs, and they need us, their owners, to be the leader of the dog pack. That is why Cesar teaches that dogs need to be rehabilitated and the owners need to be trained.
My aunt already finished the book and has put a lot of it into practice. She has six dogs (five Pugs and one Boston Terrier). Simply by following Cesar's instructions she has succeeded in becoming the leader of the pack and this has resulted in a happier group of dogs.

I'm going to continue this review about this book as I learn more.

by:Melissa Wayan

Okay so dog training basics, well there is a lot to say but I will attempt to keep it brief. During my recent research into training my dog I found some every interesting information about dog training.

First of all it seems to be a generally accepted fact that a trained dog is a happy dog. Apparently dogs are like children in this way and crave rules and boundaries in the family unit. They like to know their place and what they are and are not allowed to do.

This I found interesting, especially when this information was followed up with the information that much like children, dogs will test their boundaries with you to see what they can get away.

I guess this makes sense when you think about it, especially when you realize that your dog actually does test your boundaries even after you have had him for 13 years. Each time you let him out he will run to the edge of where he is allowed to go and then look back to see if you are watching before contemplating whether or not to go further.

The second piece of information that seems to be universaly agreed upon is that the most important part of the dog training basics is praise. I have heard it stressed over and over again that the important thing with training your dog is not yelling at him/her when they do something wrong, but praising them when they do something right.

While I understand this, it is basic positive reinforcement theory, I also wonder about not yelling at the dog when they do something wrong. It seems as though you want to show them the correct thing to do but is the dog really capable of comparing the two behaviors and realize that one is used in place of the other?

It seems as though in order for them to cease to engage in the incorrect behavior you would need to reprimand them for it. However I guess this thought of mine is incorrect, which is why I recommend one of the many books available on dog training basics. It is hard to know what to do as the most logically response to a problem is not always the correct response.

Melissa Wayan makes it fun to care for your precious pooch. Read more about dog training help and dog training basics.