"To have great poets, there must be great audiences."Walt Whitman
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Aging and The Mature Dog
Just as with you and I, your pets age is a consideration that must be thought about as your dog matures. It is easy to overlook, especially if your dog is in its prime, however, your aging animal has new needs that must be met just as with any other aging ...
Choosing a Trainer: Two Key Considerations
Although many dog owners successfully train their pets without outside assistance, some benefit greatly by using a professional dog trainer. A quality dog trainer can help instruct the dog while also providing the owner with invaluable guidance and ...
"Sheltie" - Shetland Sheepdog Breed Profile
History The Shetland Sheepdog can be traced back many years to the Shetland Isles, where they were bred as a herding dog. Smaller, hardier animals were required to survive the harsh conditions in the Shetland Isles and thus, the Shetland Sheepdog was ...
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I moved into a new house about 14 days ago.
The funny thing about this house is that--when you walk into the master bathroom, the light switch is on the left side, opposite of where the sink is.
Well, practically every other house I've ever lived in has always had the light switch on the right side--or at least on the same side as the sink.
And I'll be a monkey's uncle if EVERY SINGLE TIME I've walked into that bathroom, my hand doesn't instinctively reach to the right to turn the light switch on. Even after 14 days, my prior conditioning has been so engrained that when I consciously try to remember which side the light switch is on… my hand still shoot out to the right, instead of the left.
This is the exact same type of conditioning we aim for when training our dogs. And this is why I advise that--- even after your dog understands a command--you continue to say, "come" and then give a tug on the line… up to a year after
the initial training session.
I want your dog to be so conditioned to respond to commands that it becomes an automatic response--just like turning to the right instead of the left, to turn on the bathroom light.
As I've already touched on this concept a few years ago in my book, which you can read more about at Dogproblems.com … I just had to share this experience with you, because it was so comical to the extent to which we animals (yes, we're animals too!) can develop conditioned responses.
Just like our dogs.
About the Author
Adam G. Katz is the author of the book, "Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer: An Insider's Guide To The Most Jealously Guarded Dog Training Secrets In History." Get a free copy of his report "Games To Play With Your Dog" when you sign up for his free weekly dog training tips e-zine at: http://www.dogproblems.com
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