Dog Trick : Teach Your Dog Release

Now that your dog knows how to Sit, Lay Down, and Stand, a good command to teach next is Release. This is much easier to teach if your dog consistently sits on command and stays. This is a dog-training essential, a way to tell your dog that it's okay to move around freely. For example, when your dog is playing with a toy, you can have him Sit or Lay Down and then toss the toy. Your dog should remain in the sitting or down position until the Release command is given.

Step 1: Give the command to sit. After waiting five to eight seconds, go ahead and use the vocal command with a hand motion of your choice to tell your dog to be released from his sitting position. If you act excited while doing this, your dog should naturally release. When he does so, click and treat. Repeat this step until your dog is consistently releasing.

Step 2: Eventually, you will want to be less enthusiastic with your command, and will want your dog to release when given a more subtle cue. To do this, again give the command to sit. After your dog holds for 5-8 seconds, use just the vocal command, but still be just as energetic as before. Each time you repeat this, you'll want to tone down your enthusiasm a little at a time to make the command more subtle.

Step 3: In subsequent sessions extend the wait time (about 4 or 5 seconds per session ) before giving the release, gradually building up endurance so that your dog will wait several minutes before being released. 

OUR EXPERIENCE

When teaching Caspian to release from a sitting or down position, we used the term "Go" as our release command. Playing fetch is Caspian's all time favorite thing to do, and we will usually run through several tricks before throwing the ball. This is a good command for us to use to tell him that his patience has paid off, and he can now run after the ball.

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog releases before I tell him to!

This is a common problem that is easy to fix. What might be happening is your dog senses the amount of time between when you give him the command to sit (or lay down) and when you give him the command to release. Try varying the time between the two commands. Maybe try giving him the release command after 3 seconds, then give him the command after 5 seconds the next time. Another thing that may be happening is that your dog is responding to a visual cue that you aren't aware of. Dogs are smart creatures, and can respond to facial expressions and very slight movements. You might be giving him a cue to release and not even know it!

Tip: "Be enthusiastic as much as you can to help your dog learn this trick!"

Dog Trick : Teach Your Dog to Stand

Now that your dog knows how to Sit and Lay Down, a good command to teach next is Stand. This command is more helpful than novel. Keep in mind, since standing is such a normal thing for your dog it may be difficult for him to understand why he is being rewarded. Sometimes it helps to click him as he stands up from a sitting or laying position. This will help him realize that it is the standing up action you are looking for.

Step 1: Have your dog lay down. Wait for him to stand up. When he stands up, click and treat. Repeat this action several times until he learns that he has to stand up in order to get his treat. Standing is so natural that it is likely that the dog won't immediately understand why he is being rewarded, so it may take more repetition than usual. (Initially, it's okay to click even if he isn't standing perfectly; you can work up to this gradually).

Step 2: Begin to introduce a visual cue (like your hand gesturing upward) and a verbal command ("Stand") so that he can associate those with standing. Click and treat.

Step 3: Have him lay down, then say, "Stand." Jackpot when he stands in the perfect position on command. 

OUR EXPERIENCE

When Caspian learned to stand, I started out having him lay down. I waited until he stood up. While he was standing up, I clicked and treated. Doing this several times, he soon learned that he had to stand up to get a treat. I started using my command (Stand!) as I had him stand up. Soon, he would stand up when I gave the command. I did this in other sessions in Down positions as well as Sitting, Playing Dead, etc., to give him different scenarios for his new trick.

TEACHING TROUBLE

Tip: "Try to keep commands to one or two-syllable words. These are easiest for dogs to identify."

Dog Trick : Teach Your Dog to Lay Down

All you need to teach your dog to lay down is some space, a clicker, and a good treat. Once you have what you need, go ahead and give your dog a small whiff of the treat to get him going. Sometimes this is an easy way to get your dog to try to figure out ways to get more treats.

Step 1: Grab your clicker and a good treat.

Step 2: Just watch your dog and wait for him to lay down. When he lays down, immediately click and treat.

Step 3: Keep waiting for your dog to do it again. Soon he will realize that he gets a click and treat whenever 

he lays down.

Step 4: When your dog begins to lay down more often, add the command and say "Down" when you click. 

Step 5: After repeating a few more times to reinforce the action, say, "Down." If the dog lays down at the command, give him a jackpot for his good work!

OUR EXPERIENCE

The treat I used is just a slice of American cheese. It digests well for dogs, and Caspian really enjoys it. At first, of course, Caspian didn't know what to do. Since we were training outside, all the sounds and smells of neighborhood activities got in the way. I had to call him back to me a few times when he got distracted. But the treat I had for him was good and, of course, Caspian is eager to do anything for a good treat.

TEACHING TROUBLE

Tip: "A good idea is to teach this trick in a small room, such as a bathroom. Because of the small space, dogs are more likely to lay down faster."

Dog Trick : Teach Your Dog to Sit

With your clicker ready, wait for your dog to sit on his own. This part of the training session is fun for dogs, it's like a game to them. They have to figure out what to do in order to get the treat. They might spin around, lay down, come up and nudge you—whatever he does, just ignore him until he sits. When he does this immediately click and treat. The first treat should be a generous one, enough to get him motivated for more.

Keep on waiting until he sits again. Whenever he sits, click and treat. By this time it is normal for a dog to get frustrated since he often can't remember why he got the treat the first time and doesn't understand why he isn't getting one now (see Teaching Trouble below).

Keep clicking and treating when he sits. Soon a light will come on in the little guy's brain: "If I sit, I'll get a treat!" He'll start doing it more. When your dog gets to this stage of the training process, start saying the word "Sit" whenever you click. This will reinforce the command with his action.

Then, tell your dog to sit—he should do it right away. As soon as he does, give him a jackpot and a good petting for a job well done.

Step 1: Wait until he sits down on his own. Click and treat.
Step 2: Repeat several times.
Step 3: Say Sit as soon as he sits. Click and treat.
Step 4: Repeat several times.
Step 5: Say Sit. If he sits, click and give him a jackpot. If he does not, return to Step 4.

OUR EXPERIENCE

This was the very first trick we taught Caspian. We were so anxious to begin training him, we had barely gotten him home before we were clicking and treating. Our poor dog was so tired, he had been on a flight all day just to get to us, but he had enough energy to try this trick a few minutes before falling asleep. We had no trouble teaching Caspian this command. He was obediently sitting within just a few minutes.

TEACHING TROUBLE

He doesn't know what to do!
Be patient with him if he starts barking or whining. Ignore the behavior and wait. You sometimes have to be very patient when clicker training your dog. If your dog gets frustrated, wait until he sits, click and treat well, and take a break. It is better to have short productive training sessions with lots of breaks than long unfruitful sessions.
Tip: "It could take several training sessions for you to perfect a trick. Make sure you don't wear your dog out, give him plenty of breaks. Always end on a good note and you will never go wrong."

Dog Trick - Teach Your Dog to Touch

In this next trick, you will teach your dog to touch the end of a "Touch Stick." This is just a wooden dowel that's around 36 inches long and ⅜ inches thick. I recommend putting duct tape around the ends to protect your dog from any sharp edges. Wind the tape around and around the ends so that it pads the ends of the stick. With the touch stick, you will be able to teach many of the other tricks in this book, so learning this right away is essential for your dog.

Step 1: Hold your touch stick away from you and wait.

Step 2: Dogs are naturally curious, so when your dog touches it with his nose or mouth, click and treat. Keep doing this until he starts touching the stick without hesitation. If he isn't curious about the touch stick, gently tap his nose and click at the same time.

Step 3: Next time he touches the stick, click and treat, giving the command, "touch" at the same time. 

Step 4: When he can touch the stick on command, give him a jackpot, and make sure to praise him for his good work.

OUR EXPERIENCE

When I taught Caspian to touch the stick, I started out by holding it away from myself and waiting on him to decide what to do. He stared at it for a while, but finally, he curiously touched the end of it with his nose. I clicked immediately and gave him a treat. After doing this a few times, Caspian started touching without hesitating. He knew he'd get a treat if he touched the stick. By this point I started saying, "Touch!" when his nose touched the end of the stick. After several times doing this, he was able to touch the stick at the command. A few more sessions perfected this trick, and I have been able to use it as a foundation for many other tricks!

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog is touching the wrong part of the stick!

When Caspian started touching the middle of the stick rather than the tip, I just ignored him. Of course, he thought he deserved a treat and started growling at me. I said nothing and ignored him. If I rewarded him for touching the wrong part of the stick, this trick wouldn't be as effective in teaching Caspian other tricks. Finally Caspian decided he should try something else and moved his nose on down to the tip. As soon as his nose touched the taped part of the stick, I clicked and treated.

Tip: "When making your touch stick, make sure that the ends are covered to protect your dog from injury. You can cover the end of the dowel with layers of duct tape or other soft covering."

Dog Trick : Teach Your Dog Its Name

After teaching your dog to respond to the clicker, you are now ready to use it to teach him many tricks and commands. Throughout the site, we demonstrate how the clicker can be used for both basic commands and more advanced tricks. If you want a well trained dog, one of the first things you need to teach is the most basic of commands: his name.

Basically, you want to "catch" good behavior with the clicker. What this means is that you want to train your dog that whenever you click (which means he has done something good.) The way we train the dog to respond to the clicker is simply by clicking and immediately treating the dog. It won't take your dog long to understand that whenever he hears the clicker he'll get a treat. This is an essential step in clicker training your dog. Another term that we will use isjackpot. This is an extra reward that you give your dog, usually when he has done exceptionally well or performed the trick perfectly for the first time.

Step 1: Ignore your dog until he looks directly at you. Click and treat.

Step 2: Do this several times, eventually adding your dog's name right before you click and treat.

Step 3: Continue doing this until your dog will look at you when you say his name.

OUR EXPERIENCE

With Caspian, I grabbed my clicker and tore some bacon into small pieces. The first thing that Caspian needed to know was that whenever he looked at me, I would click and he could get a piece of bacon. I started out just ignoring Caspian and all he was doing. He looked down for a minute, exasperated, and then back up at me. Suddenly, he heard a click, and a treat dropped to the ground. A bit surprised (and grateful), he immediately swallowed it and looked up again. CLICK! and drop. I threw it a bit farther away this time so he had to turn around. When he got his treat, he turned around to look at me, and I clicked and treated again. By this time I had started saying his name whenever he looked at me. "Caspian," click, treat.

Soon, I knew he was getting the idea of what was going on. I waited until he looked away and I said, "Caspian." He jerked his head over toward where I was sitting and I clicked and treated, giving him a big piece of bacon.

TEACHING TROUBLE

Why doesn't he remember tricks?

Even though Caspian had learned his name by the end of the session, I continued to have training sessions with him just to reinforce the trick. It's so easy for a dog to learn a trick and do it every time today, but tomorrow it is forgotten. If we are patient and stick with it, our dogs will do the same and will eventually obey us every time.

Tip: "Always end before your dog gets tired. You want your dog to look forward to his training session. Sessions are more productive when they enjoy it."

Dog Trick : Respond to the Clicker

alldog360 recommends Clicker Training for your dog. This is a simple yet highly effective method, the average dog owner in mind. You don't need to know much about dog training to use this method.

Basically, you want to "catch" good behavior with the clicker. What this means is that you want to train your dog that whenever you click (which means he has done something good.) The way we train the dog to respond to the clicker is simply by clicking and immediately treating the dog. It won't take your dog long to understand that whenever he hears the clicker he'll get a treat. This is an essential step in clicker training your dog. Another term that we will use is jackpot. This is an extra reward that you give your dog, usually when he has done exceptionally well or performed the trick perfectly for the first time.

Step 1: Click and give your dog a treat.

Step 2: Repeat about 30 times. This teaches your dog to associate the click with the treat.

Step 3: To maintain this connection, it is important to follow the rule: Never click without treating and never treat without clicking. We have one exception to this important rule in the Come command

OUR EXPERIENCE

When I taught my dog Caspian to respond to the clicker, I did it over several training sessions. By the end of each five-minute session, he would always jerk his head toward me when he heard the sound of the clicker. Of course, I had to give him several training sessions to reinforce his learning.

TEACHING TROUBLE

Where Can I Find More Info On This Method?

Renowned dog trainer Karen Pryor has several books on the Clicker Training Method, which are great resources for any dog trainer, experienced or not.

Training for Dogs : Clicker

Clicker training first began development by Burrhus Frederic "B. F." Skinner, a Harvard psychology professor who made several scientific claims that jumpstarted the clicker training method, or rather the broader category called "Operant Conditioning."

According to the dictionary, operant conditioning is "the use of consequences to modify the occurrence and form of behavior." This means that whenever a subject performs an action, the the action will be reinforced either negatively or positively.

It was B.F Skinner's two understudies that started operant conditioning with animals. Their names were Marian and Keller Breland. While they worked for Dr. Skinner, they noticed how effective operant conditioning worked with animals. During World War Two, they started a company called "Animal Behavior Enterprises," training pigeons for use in the War. After that, they built the I.Q. Zoo, where they trained chickens to play tic-tac-toe, raccoons to play basketball, and ducks to play pianos and drums.

What does this have to do with me?

The Clicker Training Method is a method based on Operant Conditioning. All you have to do is reward your dog whenever it does the thing your are trying to teach it to do. For example, you catch your dog sitting, all you have to do is reward it then and there. Sounds pretty simple, right? But there's a problem: before you can even say "Good Boy," your dog's thoughts are elsewhere, making it difficult to make the dog quickly understand a trick. This is where the clicker comes in handy. This is just a small plastic box with a thin piece of metal on the inside. When you press the button, (or on some clickers, just press in the thin metal sheet), the device will make a sharp metallic click.

After just a few minutes of training, your dog can learn that whenever you click, it means "treat." The way to get the dog to learn this is simple: just click your clicker, and treat the dog. Do this several times, and pretty soon whenever you click, the dog will look around expectantly for a treat. Now whenever you catch your dog doing something that you want it to do, just click your clicker.

Benefits Of Using Clicker Training For Dogs

The really great thing about this method is that it is so satisfying. In only a few training sessions with the clicker, you will be able to see huge results. With clicker training, I was able to teach my dog to sit the very first day I got him. He was sitting on command at the end of the first five minute training session. Talk about results!

Another great thing about the clicker method is that anyone can train the dog, even children. Involving your children in animal training is both fun and educational. Because Clicker training is easy to use, lets your children be involved, and most importantly has huge results, it is one of the best training methods for animals today.

Worms in Dogs – 5 Important Things You Must Know

Dogs can often suffer from parasite infestations. They are targeted by fleas, ticks, worms and other parasitic creatures. Infestations can cause discomfort, illness and in severe cases even death. It’s important to take preventative measures to protect your animal from parasites. If your dog does become infested with worms or other parasites there are treatments available that can help.

Worms in dogs are very common and sometimes there will be no symptoms to warn you of an infestation, so it is important to ensure that your dog undergoes regular health checks. Some varieties of worm infestations can be easily detected by evidence in the dogs stool.

Types of Worms in Dogs

There are quite a few different types of worms that dogs can become infested with. The most commonly occurring worms in dogs are roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, heartworm and apeworm. There are two types of roundworms that occur often in dogs.

Roundworms are long and white and they look a bit like spaghetti. They may be seen in the vomit or in the stool of the dog.

Hookworms are very small thin worms that suck blood in the small intestine. Diagnosing hookworms in dogs involves examining the dogs stool under a microscope in order to identify eggs.

Adult whipworms look like minute pieces of thread that are larger at one end. They are not usually seen in the animals stool.

Heartworms usually enter animals body when they are injected by a mosquito. They are quite large and can block the passage of blood between the heart and the lungs. Diagnosis may involve a blood test, an ultrasound or another type of veterinary examination.

An entire tapeworm looks like it is made of brick like segments with a small head at one end. Diagnosis of these worms in dogs is usually made when tiny segments of the tapeworms are seen attached to the dog’s fur around the anus.

Symptoms

Symptoms of worms in dogs vary depending on the type of worm that is causing the infestation. Some symptoms are shared by all types of worm infestations and others indicate what type of worms a dog may have. Dogs who have worms may experience apathy and sluggishness this will cause the dog to be less active than usual. Worms in puppies can also cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Other things that signify that a dog has worms include drinking more water than usual, weight loss, stomach bloating, loss of appetite, persistent coughing and the presence of blood or mucous in stools. Dragging or scooting is common in dogs who are experiencing discomfort or itching.

Dogs who are at least eight weeks old can experience vomiting or diarrhoea if they have roundworm. The worms are usually visible in the vomit or stool. Puppies who are under eight weeks of age are in danger of dying from roundworm infestation. They will fail to develop in a healthy way. Dogs with worms of the roundworm variety will usually show no symptoms if they are over six months of age.

Specific symptoms of tapeworm in dogs include digestive symptoms such as gas and nausea, restlessness, abdominal pain and itching. Sometimes dogs with tapeworm exhibit no symptoms or very mild symptoms.

Prevention

There are some simple steps you can take in order to prevent dog worms. Worms can often spread via larvae that is present in faeces, hygienic practices such as picking up and disposing of dog faeces immediately can help prevent infestations and stop the worms spreading from one dog to another. Another good prevention technique is to ensure that you dog does not eat faeces, raw meat or animal carcasses.

Worm eggs and larvae can survive in the environment for quite a long time, so keeping your dog on a leash when you take it out for walks is a good idea. Asking your vet about a worm and parasite prevention program for your dog can protect against infestations. De-worm your dog regularly and be sure to de-worm any new dog that you bring into your home immediately. Ensure that your de-worming program is sufficient to protect against all different types of worms in dogs.

Treatment

Worms in dogs are treated by first evaluating the severity of the infestation and determining what type of worm is involved. A thorough examination of the dog by a veterinarian will indicate what the best course of action will be in treating the dog. Potential risks and the overall health of the dog will be taken into account.

Roundworms are treated with medications, your vetinarian can recommend a medication that is best for your dog. The medications available are only effective in treating adult worms, so the treatment will need to be used more than once in order to ensure that it is complete.

Hookworm in dogs is also treated with medications. There are several different medicated treatments available. Most dogs do respond well to treatments, however it is a good idea to visit your veterinarian after treatment is complete to ensure that all traces of infestation have been removed.

Nearly all common worming medications are effective in treating whipworm. As with all medicated worming treatments you will need to be diligent in ensuring that the infestation is completely annulled before ceasing treatment.

Tapeworm can be effectively treated by one dose of a drug. The treatment is very effective and will kill the tapeworm without causing side effects of any kind.

The most commonly used treatment for heartworm infestations is a course of injections. Drugs called adulticides will be injected into the dogs muscle. This treatment can require hospitalisation in extreme cases, however the success rate of the treatment is very high.

Home Remedies

It has been claimed by some pet owners that chewing tobacco can be used to kill parasites quickly. Others have said that adding a very small amount of ground cloves to a dogs food each day is a good preventative measure. Doses of wormwood and tinctures of black walnut hull are often used to treat parasites and worms in dogs.

Human can atch Worms from Dogs

Can Children or Humans Catch Worms from Dogs and Cats?

Catching worms from the family pet is not common but you should be aware of the possibility.

Infants and small children are more susceptible to catching worms from pets as they have immature immune systems and often poor hygiene.

Humans can catch worms from the family dog or cat so it is important to teach your children to wash their hands before eating. Equally important is to regularly treat your pets for worms.

Can humans especially children catch Roundworms from dogs?

Roundworm are the most common parasite of the digestive system in cats and dogs. Roundworm can only spread to humans by ingesting roundworm eggs. This can happen when a child comes in contact with contaminated soil or sand and then transfers eggs to the mouth via contaminated fingers or by putting contaminated objects in their mouths.

Visceral larva migrans, is a disease caused by roundworm that can affect humans.

Visceral larva migrans also known as Toxocariasis is a potentially serious disease that can affect the eyes and other organs. The disease is caused by Toxocara canis (dog roundworm) which lives in the intestine of dogs and Toxcara cati (cat roundworm) which lives in the intestine of cats. Dogs have been known to be infected with Toxcara Cati after eating the feces of cats. 

After the eggs are inadvertently eaten they hatch in the human intestine. The larvae from these eggs are then released into the bloodstream and find their way to all parts of the body, including the liver, lungs, heart, brain and eyes. 

Most human patients are children between the ages of two and four years, who become infected after playing in sandboxes or soil contaminated by pet feces. The eggs can survive in soil for as long as seven years.

Toxocariasis can be prevented by keeping children from playing in soil contaminated by animal feces and by teaching children to wash their hands before eating. Toxocara eggs can only become infective if they have been in the environment for approximately two weeks, so direct contact with an infected animal generally does not result in transmission. 

Can humans or especially children catch Hookworm from pets?

Hookworm is an intestinal parasite found in cats and dogs but is more common in dogs. Hookworm are most commonly found in tropical and subtropical areas. In animals the hookworm attaches to the inside of the intestinal wall by means of a hook-like mouth and feed on the blood of the host. The eggs are excreted in the animals feces.

Hookworm is transmissible to humans via soil contaminated by cat or dog feces. Hookworm eggs are deposited into the soil. The larvae which hatch from the eggs can infect a human either by ingestion or by penetrating the skin. In skin penetration humans can develop into a characteristic itchy rash called cutaneous larva migrans, or creeping eruption. The rash can take the form of a snake-like tract with blisters which is caused by the hookworm larvae traveling under the skin. In humans when the hookworm enters via the skin it does not find it's way to the intestines.

Children or adults can become infected through the soles of their feet by walking barefoot in a hookworm infected area or on the buttocks by sitting in a infected area.

Can Ringworm spread from dogs and cats to humans or especially children?

Ringworm on a human 

Contrary to its name Ringworm is not a worm at all but a fungus called Dermatophytes. Dermaphtytes means 'plants that live on the skin'.

The fungi cause circular lesions on the skin.

Ringworm is very contagious and can spread from cats, dogs and other animals to humans and visa versa.

Threadworm (also known as pinworm) are so called because they look like pieces of white cotton thread in the child's feces.

Threadworm are NOT caught from dogs and cats. The most likely transmission of threadworm is from other children.

Dog Tapeworm transmitted to Humans

Dipylidium Caninum is the most common tapeworm in dogs and cats. It is not common for a human to become infected with tapeworms from dogs or cats.

In order for a human to become infected with Dipylidium Caninum they must ingest an infected flea and this doesn't happen often. Pets on the other hand often ingest fleas whilst grooming.

Can you catch heartworm your dog?

No. Heartworm is transmitted by mosquitoes not dogs or cats. Humans are not a natural host for heartworm.

The importance of worm control in Cats and Dogs