http://animalbehaviorcollege.com/tips.asp?id=4 Weekly tips about dog training. en-us Sun, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0700 http://animalbehaviorcollege.com/tips.asp?id=4 http://animalbehaviorcollege.com/tips_details.asp?id=4&tipid=59 The German Shepherd Dog


According to the AKC Registration Statistics, the German Shepherd Dog (GSD) was the 3rd most popular dog breed in the United States in 2008. The German Shepherd Dog is an energetic and fun loving companion. The GSD is one of the most well- known and beloved breeds. He is the worlds leading guard, police and military canine. The German Shepherd Dog is a consistently popular breed in the U.S.

The German Shepherd Dog originated at Karlsruhe in Germany in 1899. Captain Max von Stephanitz and other dedicated breeders were responsible for producing the first German Shepherd Dog. In April of 1899, Captain von Stephanitz registered a dog named Horan as the first Deutsche Schäferhunde, which means German Shepherd Dog. The first GSD exhibited in America was in 1907.

The German Shepherd Dog belongs to the Herding Group. This means that he will most likely have a high prey or chase drive. Since herding dogs are bred to work closely with humans, they are easier to train. This is due to the fact that a herding dog is highly sensitive to his master’s every move and command. However, this can also cause problems like separation anxiety in certain circumstances. This will happen when the dog becomes overly-attached to his master.

The German Shepherd Dog is a great family pet. Once they have established a bond with children, they are perfect guard dogs and will have a protective relationship with them. Your GSD will also require a high level of physical and mental activity in order to maintain his obedience and not to become overly bored.

Your local dog trainer will tell you that your German Shepherd Dog should be given a job to keep him mentally active. There are many dog rescue organizations that specialize in finding homes for German Shepherds. If you are looking for a loyal companion, the German Shepherd Dog is for you. He is best-suited in a home with a yard; however, if properly maintained with daily physical and mental activity, the GSD is suitable in any home. He requires regular grooming, and once dog training is established, maintaining his dog obedience will be simple. The German Shepherd Dog has been a loveable family pet and working companion for many years and will be for many to come.


References:
http://www.akc.org/reg/dogreg_stats.cfm
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/ ]]> Sat, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700 http://animalbehaviorcollege.com/tips.asp?id=4 http://animalbehaviorcollege.com/tips_details.asp?id=4&tipid=58 The Golden Retriever

According to the AKC Registration Statistics, the Golden Retriever was the 4th most popular dog breed in the United States in 2008. The Golden Retriever is self confident, friendly and energetic. This breed is ideal for working in search and rescue, as well as assistance work due to his eager to please attitude. The Golden Retriever is a member of the Sporting Group, which means he may have a high distractibility, making some training exercises more difficult.

The Golden Retriever originated in the late 1800’s in the Scottish Highlands. He was mostly used for hunting purposes. The Golden Retriever was developed by Lord Tweedmouth. He was trying to create a breed well suited to the Scottish climate and terrain. In his efforts he also brought about later integrations of the Bloodhound, the Irish Setter, the original Yellow Retriever, and the now extinct Tweed Water Spaniel.

The Golden Retriever has a feathered, medium-length coat. It can be golden of various shades. The feathering may be lighter than the rest of the coat. His coat is water-repellent with a rich undercoat. This makes him a great hunting companion on land and in the water. The coat may be straight or wavy. There should be moderate feathering on the underbody as well as the back of the forelegs. There should be heavier feathering on the chest, the underside of his tail and on the back of the thighs.

The Golden Retriever is a highly active dog. He requires daily physical and mental activity. Your local dog trainer will tell you that you need to display good leadership skills. Without this, your pooch may become high strung, ill-behaved, or overly exuberant. His eagerness to please will allow him to be trained easily. However, since the Golden Retriever belongs to the Sporting Group, he may have a hard time focusing during training. This may make it difficult for him to perform such tasks as a sit-stay. The Golden Retriever is also known to be insensitive, which makes them more difficult to correct. This also makes them better companions for children. It is necessary to begin obedience training at an early age in order to keep your pooch happy and healthy.

If you are looking for a friendly companion with a fun-loving and energetic attitude, the Golden Retriever is the dog for you. The Golden Retriever is a great family dog suitable for most any living condition. He requires daily exercise and regular grooming. He has been a favorite breed for centuries and will continue to be for many more.

References:
http://www.akc.org/reg/dogreg_stats.cfm
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/ ]]> Sat, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700 http://animalbehaviorcollege.com/tips.asp?id=4 http://animalbehaviorcollege.com/tips_details.asp?id=4&tipid=57 The Beagle

According to the AKC Registration Statistics, the Beagle was the 5th most popular dog breed in the United States in 2008. The Beagle is a hardy, squarely built, small hound. They make great family pets due to their friendly and curious dispositions. The Beagle is also favored for his compact size. The Beagle belongs to the Hound Group, which means he will be easily distracted by his surroundings. Your Beagle will benefit from regular dog obedience training.

The Beagle originated in England as a hunting dog. Beagles were used to hunt small game like rabbits and quail. They hunted in packs, pairs, and individually. The Beagle was one of the more popular hunting hounds due to his willingness and sweet temperament. Today you can find Beagles doing scent work for police and narcotics units. There is some controversy over where the name originated. Some think it came from the French word “be’geule,” meaning “gape throat,” which refers to “the baying voice of the hounds when in pursuit of game.” Some think the name originated from the small stature of the dog. The name could have been derived from the Old English word, “begele”, or the French term, “beigh,” or possibly even the Celtic word “beag” all of which mean “small”. The Beagle comes in two acceptable sizes, 13 inches and 15 inches. The Beagle also comes in a variety of colors, including tri-color, red and white, and lemon. Typically, any true hound coloring is acceptable. The Beagle enjoys the company of humans and other dogs, because he has lived in a pack for hundreds of years.

Your local dog trainer will advise you to be a strong leader with your Beagle. Since the Beagle is a member of the Hound Group, he will have an independent nature about him. Hounds are bred to work independently, making their drive to please much lower than other dogs. Even though the Beagle is a friendly companion, he may become easily bored with little activity and get into trouble. Always make sure to provide your Beagle with daily physical and mental stimulation. Because the Beagle bark can be somewhat irksome to neighbors and family members, remember to reward your pooch for an alternate good behavior. It is necessary to begin obedience training at an early age. You can work on teaching your Beagle scent games to keep him entertained. One book you may want to check out is “Fun Nose Work for Dogs” by Roy Hunter.

If you are looking for a friendly family companion, the Beagle is the dog for you. The Beagle requires daily exercise and minimal grooming. The Beagle is best suited with a small yard, however if he is walked daily, he will be well-suited to apartment living as well. The Beagle has been a favored companion for hundreds of years and will continue to be for many more.


References:
http://www.akc.org/reg/dogreg_stats.cfm
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/
]]> Wed, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700 http://animalbehaviorcollege.com/tips.asp?id=4 http://animalbehaviorcollege.com/tips_details.asp?id=4&tipid=56 The Boxer

According to the AKC Registration Statistics, the Boxer was the 6th most popular dog breed in the United States in 2008. Boxers seek affection from their owners, especially children, making them great family dogs. Not only are they good companions but they also make great guard dogs because of their protective nature. The Boxer is a part of the Working Group. Your dog trainer will tell you that the dogs in this group are generally dominant in character. This is due to the type of work they are bred to do; the dogs in the Working Group are bred for guarding or protection purposes.

The Boxer was developed in Germany for dog fighting and to run down large animals in hunting work in the early 19th century. The Boxer was imported to America after World War I. The Boxer comes in two colors—fawn and brindle. According to the AKC, “The ideal Boxer is a medium-sized, square-built dog…” The male Boxer should be 23-25 inches at the withers, and the female Boxer should be 21 ½-23 ½ inches at the withers. Customarily, owners will dock the tail and ears of a Boxer. When showing your Boxer, it is acceptable to have uncropped ears; however, an uncropped tail will be severely penalized. If the ears are uncropped, they should be thin and should lay flat and close to the cheeks, falling forward with a definite crease when alert. The lower jaw should protrude further than the upper jaw, curving upward. The size of the head will be based upon the proportion of the muzzle to the skull. The muzzle should be one third the length of the head and two thirds the width of the skull. When in competition, the Boxer is first judged on general appearance and overall balance, then individual body structure with special attention to the head.

In dog training, you will learn that the Boxer is often labeled as stubborn. This is due to the independent nature of the breed. Some owners may even suggest that their Boxers are dominant or possessive. In dog obedience, you will need to explain to your clients that they need to demonstrate fair and consistent leadership with this breed. If they do not the dog may take over the household. The Boxer should never show signs of a fearful or timid temperament. This is something you should review when choosing your pup, especially when adopting at your local dog rescue. Oftentimes, if a Boxer does not have a diligent leader, he will acquire bad behaviors like food or toy guarding. In general, the Boxer has a playful and friendly disposition; he is often seeking attention and approval from his human companions. This makes positive reinforcement the ideal type of training for Boxers. By using food and praise as rewards for your Boxer he will be more willing to work for his place in the home.

If you are looking for a companion who is both affectionate and protective, the Boxer is the dog for you. The Boxer requires minimal grooming and daily exercise. He would be best fit in a home environment with a yard. However, apartment living will suit a Boxer who is exercised regularly. If you are a new dog owner, keep in mind that you will need to be a strong leader in the household with this breed. The Boxer is a good family dog as they are and have been protective playmates for children for decades.

References:
http://www.akc.org/reg/dogreg_stats.cfm
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/
]]> Tue, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700 http://animalbehaviorcollege.com/tips.asp?id=4 http://animalbehaviorcollege.com/tips_details.asp?id=4&tipid=55 The Dachshund

According to the AKC “Dog Registration Statistics,” the Dachshund was the 7th most popular breed in the United States in 2008. The Dachshund comes in two sizes, standard which can weigh 16-32 lbs. and miniature which is 11 lbs. or under. The Dachshund also comes in three different coat varieties. The coat types are smooth, longhaired, and wirehaired. The Dachshund has a multitude of acceptable colors and markings. The Dachshund can have the following types of markings: brindle, dapple, sable, brindle piebald, double dapple, or piebald. The following colors are acceptable for all types of Dachshund’s: black and cream, black and tan, blue and cream, blue and tan, chocolate and cream, chocolate and tan, cream, fawn and cream, fawn and tan, red, Wheaton, wild boar, black, chocolate, and fawn. The Dachshund has a low, long body with short legs which makes him well suited for ground work.

The Dachshund originated in Germany over 300 years ago. You can find this breed in historical documents dating back to the 15th century. Early in the 17th century, the name Dachshund, meaning “badger-dog” became the title of the breed type with longhaired and smooth coats. The wirehaired variety was added in 1890. The Dachshund was originally bred to hunt badgers. The standard Dachshund, which is the larger of the breed, was used for hunting animals like wild boars as well as badgers, whereas the miniature Dachshund was used to hunt smaller game like foxes and rabbits. They excel in both above and below-ground hunting. A dog trainer will tell you that the Dachshund belongs to the Hound Group. As a member of the Hound Group, you will see that your Dachshund is easily distracted by scents and movement. Members of the Hound Group are also bred to work independently. In dog training, you will learn that this means the dog will have a lesser pack drive than most other breeds. Therefore he will not have the desire to please his owner like most other dogs. Therefore, you will need to include a “no free lunch policy” and work with rewards that increase the dog’s natural drives, like a scented ball or a Buster Cube to motivate your Dachshund.

If you are looking for a companion suitable for urban or rural living, the Dachshund is an adaptable pet. He will be happy chasing a ball in your apartment or a rat in the barn. With appropriate supervision he is a playful and friendly companion for your children. He has a friendly and courageous temperament. The Dachshund has moderate exercise needs and, depending on his coat, he may need regular grooming. Keep in mind that regular dog obedience is the key to maintaining a happy, dog-friendly household. The Dachshund has been and will continue to be a popular companion for many individuals.


References:
http://www.akc.org/reg/dogreg_stats.cfm
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/ ]]> Fri, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700