I had three dogs that got along great. They slept together, ate out of the same bowl, etc. and barely even growled over toys. One day, one of the dogs started viciously attacking the other dogs. It was completely out of the blue. No new behavior in any of the other dogs, no new pets, etc.

Then, I realized that there was one thing that had changed in their lives. That was me. I had gone from working part time to working overtime with my new job. The dog who was fighting decided that with the “top dog” (me) gone so much, there was a job opening at home and she was going to fill it.

It wasn’t easy, but I did manage to regain control and stop the fighting. It took almost a year of constant work with the aggressive dog. I had her neutered, did obedience classes with her and made sure I was in charge the entire time I was at home. It was hard and constant work, but I’m glad I stuck it out.

This story illustrates why I’m always asking what has changed in the dog’s environment. It can be something you think of as very minor, but to your dog, it is a big change and your dog acts accordingly.

This is also why I emphasize talking to a behaviorist. My friend had to work constantly to keep her position of top dog, because she wasn’t naturally assertive. A behaviorist can help you work on proper responses and body language as you work with the aggressive dog.

Finally, notice the time frame. It took almost a year of hard work to regain the proper “pack” balance in the home. That’s a year of snarls and fights and possible dog bites for owners trying to separate their pets. Quite a few of those months involved the neutered dog’s hormones still being those of an un-neutered dog, which could have been part of the problem. If you haven’t neutered your dogs and there is no reason for them to remain that way, (i.e. dog shows) please consider doing so before there is a behavior problem.

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Just a few things covered in this e-book course for people with aggressive dogs:
* how to solve over 25 dog behavior problems
* real-life case studies
* the best dog training techniques
* an email consultation with the SitStayFetch team
* piles of photos that will boost your learning
* step-by-step instructions

If you’re having problems with your dog, check out Sit, Stay, Fetch. (Even if you decide you don’t want to buy the e-book course, they have a free newsletter packed with tips on training your dog.)

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Many dogs that are too independent create problems and can prevent a close relationship with a family from developing. When you have a dog that would rather be by itself, it is difficult for him to adapt into a family where children want to be around him and pet him all the time.

You can work with your independent dog to try to help him become more attached to the family. In many cases, being social is a learned behaviou, just as independence can be. Take it slowly with him, and show him how fun being in a family environment can be. When he enjoys being petted and being around the children, praise him and give him a treat. Spend a lot of time with him, making sure you don’t overstep his boundaries. Ideally, you will eventually have a social dog that loves being with you and the family, but is still ok to be left alone every once in a while.

On the other hand, we have dogs that are extremely dependent. They will whine and beg for attention. These are the kind of dogs that are under your feet 24/7 and make it impossible for anything to get done. This kind of behaviour makes it difficult for someone who lives in an apartment and goes to work from 9 to 5. While you are away, your neighbors may be complaining about your dog howling and barking.

Another effect of being left alone is that your dog could become a home wrecker. He’ll chew everything in sight and ruin your old books, not to mention the left shoe from every pair in your closet. To prevent these kinds of things, leave a light on in the house, or get him a raw hide to chew on. Another effective way to stop the howling is to leave the radio or TV on during the day. Your dog will hear the voices and not feel so lonely. Also, considering getting another dog for companionship while you’re away. In many cases it’s better to have two dogs when you aren’t home for part of the day, as both dogs will be happier, healthier, and better behaved.

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The best time to buy a puppy is between the ages of 6 to 8 weeks. This is time enough for the puppy to have been completely weaned from its mother and be ready to begin bonding to you. If you delay this process by waiting or keeping the puppy in a kennel, he or she will become more dog oriented, will generally not make as good of a companion and will be more difficult to train and less obedient.

Make sure your dog meets and interacts with a wide variety of different people at an early age. If you keep your dog at home all day or have him chained up in the back yard, he will become very attached to you, but will be shy of strangers, which can create problems for you when you have friends over or need to leave him with a petsitter.

Make sure your dog experiences lots of different places. If you keep your dog in an apartment all day, it will be harder for him to adjust to changes he may go through in your lifetime. The best time to start taking your puppy out and about is from about 12 to 16 weeks of age. (Never take an unvaccinated puppy to public places.) Take your dog with you everywhere you go, allowing him to experience busy, loud, quiet and crowded places. This will also conquer and prevent many fears your animal may experience.

Follow these steps and you and your dog will be well on your way to a happy, healthy, friendly life. Remember, a good relationship with your animal is easy and will give you both a friend for life.

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1. When choosing a name, keep it under two syllables. Using one or two syllables makes it easier for your dog to recognize and easier for you to say.

2. Your puppy will want to follow you around constantly. As this is happening, say his or her new name repeatedly. The dog will become used to this sound.

3. Crouch down and pat the ground in front of you as you say the pups name. “Here BoBo, here BoBo” When the puppy comes to that spot then praise it with petting and affection.

4. Call out the dog’s name with every interaction you have with it. For example when you play with it – call out the dogs name repeatedly. The same goes when you are feeding it, brushing it, laying next to it, etc. Each time the dog looks up at you after calling out his or her name – pet it and praise the dog with love.

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Shout the command “BANG”, while pointing one hand like a gun, and coax the dog down on its side with your other hand. Once he is laying down, give the dog a treat and praise him enthusiastically.

Repeat this process at least ten times, or until the dog gets used to laying down. Eventually, after many times of doing this over and over the dog will look forward to immediately laying down on its side when hearing “BANG!”

If you would like to teach your dog to play dead from the sitting or standing position, then simply get your dog’s attention by calling his name. Then go and lean over him as you initiate the “BANG!” command (pointing your finger of course). Once the dog lays over, then give him a treat and plenty of praise.

Repeat this process again but stay about 2 feet away from the dog. Keep repeating the process further and further away and before you know it your pet will perform the trick at any distance so long as it hears you say “BANG!”

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1. Holding a treat in one hand with your dog sitting in front of you, crouch down to his level (eye to eye), and give him the command of your choice. Your command can either be “Shake”, “High Five”, or anything similar that you like.

2. Once you have spoken your “high five” command with your empty hand out to shake the dog, gently pick up his or her dominant paw, lift it off of the ground about three inches, and easily slide your hand into the paw. Then shake!

3. Once you shake the dog’s paw you should give as much enthusiastic love and attention that you can, along with a treat. Repeat this process multiple times until the dog will offer you his paw for the “High Five” readily on command.

The above 3 simple steps can be used to train you dog anywhere and at anytime. It is important to remember that once your dog is trained to shake hands, you must still give the dog a lot of praise each he completes the “high five” in the future.

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1. The dog will approach the item that you want him to fetch.
2. Lift the item up with its mouth.
3. Hold the item in place without dropping it.
4. Carry the item back to you.
5. Lastly, drop the item in front of you.

Some dogs, if not most, already know how to retrieve on their own. Others will require a lot more patience. Several factors are involved such as the dog’s breed and how many ‘prey dive’ behaviors exist in its genes.

If your dog is having trouble to retrieve on command then you may want to try the following trick:

Each day, start your retrieving sessions off when the dog is hungry before a meal. Offer your dog some food on a spoon, like peanut butter (dog’s love peanut butter), and as the he goes to grab it with its mouth – should the command “Get it!” or “Take it!”. Once this has been done enough times for the dog to retrieve the food on command, then introduce the object that you would for the dog to retrieve in place of the food.

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1. The quality of your dog’s grooming and appearance.
2. How well your dog walks through a crowd.
3. How well your dog sits down in place on command.
4. How well the dog sits for a long period of time for petting.
5. How well your dog accepts attention from a friendly stranger.
6. How well your dog walks with a leash without tugging.
7. How well your dog is able to behave while under a stranger’s supervision
8. How well your dog reacts to various distractions, like loud sudden noises or a person jogging quickly past the dog.
9. How well your dog reacts to another dog.
10. How well your dog comes when called.

This test is done on an individual basis and not with a group of other dogs. While having this license is not necessary, for the enthusiastic dog trainer, it is a token of achievement.

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2. It provides security and functions as a babysitter. To make sure that your dog will not get into any kind of trouble when you’re not around or too busy to look after him, putting your pet in a crate is a good way to guarantee his safety.

3. A crate is a dog’s den and many of them consider it their place of sanctuary. It is a place where they can get away from the entire commotion and turmoil of everyday life and hide out, especially when there are children in the house who always like playing with them. A crate also provides a familiar place for your dog when you take him with you on vacations. He won’t feel stressed or sad if you leave him alone in the hotel room or another strange place.

4. Putting your dog in a crate provides safety inside a moving vehicle. It protects both you and your dog particularly during an emergency stop.

5. There may be instances where you have to keep your dog in one particular area, maybe after an injury or after being altered. If your dog is used to being in a crate, he will not have to go through added stress from being confined.

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