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all dogs should be trained to some standard. All dogs should know basic manners. Most dogs should know important things. Some dogs know tricks. I take pride in the fact that my dog is trained to the best of my ability and is always learning. All this is important if your dog is to be around other dogs, and taken out in public. Here I've included training tips and how to teach your dog important things.
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Signing UpStep 1Heirarchy - a puppies place
Dogs should be at the bottom of the heirarchy, you should be at the top. You need to show your dog who's boss! To show your dog that you are "top dog" theres a few simple things that you can do:
Eat before your dog and dont ever feed the dog while you are eating.
When out walking do NOT let the dog walk in front of you. A dog walking in front is a leader. The leader should be you.
Do not let your dog get their food until you say so. Teach your dog "wait" (i will expplain how in this instructable)
If your dog watches you eat, growl at the dog. Yes growl. You might look stupid, but the dog will soon learn to stay away from you while you eat, like they would in the wild.
Credit to mrmath for this v
Best way to become alpha dog, and I've used this on huskies with serious alpha dog issues: make eye contact, and make them look away. Eye contact is big for dogs. Stare at them. Right in the eyes. Don't look away until they do, and only after they do.
Eat before your dog and dont ever feed the dog while you are eating.
When out walking do NOT let the dog walk in front of you. A dog walking in front is a leader. The leader should be you.
Do not let your dog get their food until you say so. Teach your dog "wait" (i will expplain how in this instructable)
If your dog watches you eat, growl at the dog. Yes growl. You might look stupid, but the dog will soon learn to stay away from you while you eat, like they would in the wild.
Credit to mrmath for this v
Best way to become alpha dog, and I've used this on huskies with serious alpha dog issues: make eye contact, and make them look away. Eye contact is big for dogs. Stare at them. Right in the eyes. Don't look away until they do, and only after they do.
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Dogs aren't trying to dominate us. They know we aren't dogs and their hierarchies don't include us. Their social structures aren't so rigid that the alpha is out front all the time. My own alpha dog rarely leads the pack. The only time he leads is when he wants to be chased.
You really don't need to think like a dog to get a dog's respect. I have seven large dogs and they're all well behaved, compete in tracking, and are do volunteer search and rescue work. You don't need to growl at them or force them to drop eye contact. I encourage eye contact with my dogs so they can learn distraction attention - they have to maintain eye contact even if there are other people present, loud noises, food temptations. It's a great way to build a relationship with your dog and they learn to look to your body for direction. As someone else states below, eye contact just indicates attention and interaction, nothing more.
If seen as a challenge the dog can feel forced feeling trapped, not good!
With a dog that has a good relationship with the person direct eye contact simply represents attention and interaction between owner and dog. My dog sees me as leader and we can hold eye contact as enjoyable for both of us!
The trick to training huskies (for that matter, any working breed)is to respect your dog for who she is, and be someone worthy of herrespect. Huskies don't do well at all with any force-based methodsof training. Think about it -- this is a breed that was bred to be 20 ormore feet in front of a musher, making snap decisions that could meanthe life of the team and musher... and you're going to force themdo do stuff just because you tell them to? Not a plan...
Make training FUN, with a purpose that makes sense to the husky. For example, we all know that huskies aren't retrievers, but mine willpick up and hand me things that I drop on cue. They do it becausethey think they're helping me, not because I made them.
Be clear, don't confuse your husky. Make sure your husky knows whosigns the paycheck by asking her to 'say please' with a sit, or a down,or high-ten, or whatever you've trained her to do when ever she wantssomething from you. This way she'll learn that she doesn't getanything by being a jerk, but if she's nice you will give her any thingshe wants (within reason, that is!).
Clicker training is PERFECT for working with huskies (or any dog,cat, bird, horse, etc, for that matter!). Here's a great websitewritten by a fantastic clicker trainer that teaches you how to train anydog to do just about anything you want, using a 'levels' format andclicker training:
http://dragonflyllama.com/%20DOGS/%20Dog1/levels.html
By the way, NEVER SHAVE a Nordic breed! This shedding istotally normal and natural. Their coats are extremely special --they lose (blow) their undercoat twice a year. First in the springthey lose their winter insulating coat, and grow a different insulationfor the summer to protect them from sunburn and heat. Then in the fallthey lose the summer coat and grow the winter coat back. If youshave it, you interrupt the proper growth. Then, it can take up toTHREE YEARS for the coat to come back correctly. Not to mention,if you shave them in the summer, their skin is not used to the sun andwill get sunburned.
To get a handle on the copious amounts of shedding, brush your dog everyday during coat blow. Use a Furminator, or a shedding rake, or ashedding tool -- you want the old undercoat to come out so that the dogdoesn't develop hot spots. Alternately, if you have access to agroomer's force dryer, you can take your dog outside and aim the dryerat her while brushing to really get the hair out.
http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/images/stories/Position_Statements/dominance%20statement.pdf
http://www.askdryin.com/dominance.php
Behavior problems are the #1 cause of canine death in this country. By learning about the SCIENCE of animal and canine behavior and acting appropriately with out canine friends, we can help reduce that death rate...