How To Train Any Dog

My wife and I have a beautiful, loving and affectionate German Sheppard cross called Bear. We also have the most interesting and loveable cat I've ever known. Together they're a wondrous pair. They have such personalities.

(Look at those lazy buggers!)

I got Bear from a local pound by a matter of interesting coincidences back in 1997. Only a couple of months after I adopted Samson the cat from a local animal hospital.

The vet I took Bear to figured he was about 2 or 3 years old at the time. He was the cutest dog I ever laid eyes on (ok the dog I had growing up was incredibly cute as well) but Bear was completely untrained.

He didn't seem to understand any command or even differences in my tone of voice. In the beginning it was a nightmare.

I hired a professional trainer for some private (translation: expensive) obedience training and since Bear was a smart dog he caught on fast yet the trainer kept suggesting more lessons.

But the costs were killing me (financially).  So Bear & I quit.

Bear still had some behaviors that worried me and sometimes he would scare the life out of me with the way he interacted with Samson (like putting his entire mouth around the little guy).

He'd never hurt him and in between playfights, they'd sleep together, groom each other and do some incredibly heart-warming things.

What worried me was that Bear wanted to act that way with all small creatures - squirrels, rabbits, pomeranians, terriers, you name it. He'd want to chase every small little animal so I had to forget ever walking him without a pincher collar and a leash.

If Bear met a dog that was big, he'd be very friendly and calm but if they were small he'd want to play with them like he played with Samson. The other dog owners would get really scared and so would I to be honest.

I lived in one neighborhood with Bear for many years and everyone knew us so there were never any problems. Some people would walk across the street when they saw us coming. (It was a little embarrassing.)

Recently though, I moved into a new neighborhood with an unusual amount of small dogs. Oh no!!!

I needed help and I couldn't afford a trainer
- not after just moving.

So I went to the web where I do all my research and often find amazing information for free. Unfortunately, there wasn't any good free stuff, it was all the same. Mostly theory with no application.

Then, I went to the bookstore but got really bored after about 10 minutes - I noticed quickly that most dog training books are really boring & stuffy. So I got a Cafe Latte and went to the Travel section for fun.

When I got home later that afternoon, I was determined to find a solution. So I went back online and found a whole bunch of guides that sparked my interest. They were more like dog training kits and they weren't expensive at all.

In the end I bought two of the best reviewed guides I could find. 

Over the course of a week I read both guides fully before trying anything on Bear. I wanted to see these trainers' training approach. If they're too overbearing, mean or strict then it's not for me. A dog is not a toy or a showpiece - it's a friend. And friends deserve great care.

After reading these guides, I picked up on a serious mistake I was making. Apparently most dog owners aren't even aware of it either. Here's the first major lesson I learned:

“The Three Keys to Obedience Training & Behavior Modification: Timing, Consistency & Motivation”

Once you understand your dog & how s/he thinks and learns - using these three keys to training will be an eye-opening and rewarding experience. It will take some work on your part to ensure you're using the proper motivators, at the right time, consistently.

I found an approach I was ready to try by combining what I had learned from both trainers'.

hat I learned was that I had to change the way Bear behaved with Samson in the house and how I rewarded or corrected him (depending on the behavior) to get him to change his behavior with small animals outside the house. And it worked!

It wasn't exactly as simple as that but the major point is that I wasn't being consistent with Bear and I had to start immediately.

There were also some leash - lead tricks that I've adopted and some new hand signals. Bear's eager to learn more and I've never been prouder.

Now remember, he's over 10 years old and I helped transform his lifelong behaviors in only two days and we haven't had a problem since. That is worth the price of both guides x 10!

Don't let another day go by wondering and worrying if your dog is going to tear up the house, pee or poop inside, growl & nip at strangers or loved ones, bolt out the door, or run away from you. These guides are the answer.

And each of them comes with many invaluable bonuses!

Wishing you & your dog all the best!

HowToTrainAnyDog.com

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