Genuine Dog Gear Training Toys Resources » training your dog

Easy as 1 – 2 – 3

Linda Martuch — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:38:41 +0000

You learned in class this week how to ‘sit’ your puppy by directing his head with a treat. ‘Trainer speak’ for this teaching method is “Luring”. It’s called that because your puppy wound up sitting while his nose was following the treat or the ‘lure’. He didn’t make a decision to sit, it happened by accident while his attention was on the treat.

The Accidental Trainer

You can train your dog to do almost anything by luring and treating, but you need to practice often. That’s because your puppy is sitting by accident, and he doesn’t understand yet it’s the sit you want. He didn’t make a decision to sit, so how would he know? It’ll take a little time for him to fully realize the sit is want you really want, and the more you practice the quicker he’ll learn because he’ll have more opportunities to connect the sit with the treat.

Competing Inputs

Dogs can’t think about some things because they lack frontal lobes, but the trade off is they perceive an amazing amount of detail, at all times. Dogs include this ‘situational detail’ in their learning processes. We don’t know for sure everything they’re taking in, but your dog is noticing all kinds of extraneous sights, sounds, and smells when you’re training your dog. To help your puppy focus on what you want, good timing is critical.

It’s All In The Timing

If your puppy receives his treat at the exact instant his tushy touches the ground, he’ll be better able to connect the two events. The longer the delay between the sit and his reward, the longer it will take your puppy to learn the two are connected. If you wait even a few seconds to reward your puppy his attention will wander to something else. He’ll eventually get it, but the better your timing, the faster your dog will learn what you want.

I Think I’m Getting It

Over time, you’ll be able to stop luring your puppy into position. He’ll begin to recognize the sit word and sit before you get the treat over his head. If he stops, or hesitates, lure him all the way into his sit, then give him the treat. Don’t accept a half sit, or that’s what he’ll offer you forever. If he gets ahead of you and sits before you finish luring, give him the treat immediately. Always deliver the treat when he sits, not before and not after.

You need to go through the motions of luring for as long as it takes for your puppy to automatically respond to your dog hand signal or verbal command. If he appears to forget or be confused, help him out.

Learning Roller Coaster

We’re trying to set your puppy up for success, so you should do whatever it takes to make him successful. Learning for dogs, and especially puppies, isn’t a straightforward process. They will occasionally forget what they learned. Just give him whatever he needs to remind him what he’s supposed to do when he gets ‘stuck’.

A Whole Different World

After you teach your puppy to sit in class, you’ll also need to teach him at home. Your puppy learned to ‘sit’ in class, and he understood it there, but only in that context. But it’s a whole different ballgame at home or out on the street. He needs to be shown that sit means sit everywhere. You should train him in the house, in the yard, on the sidewalk, and at grandma’s house. The more places you go together and practice your skills the better he’ll remember them.

Easy as 1 – 2 – 3

Now you know why timing and repetition are the keys to your puppy training success. If you’ve read my article on “Vision The Dog Language” you have all three ingredients you need. And you can follow these three easy steps to success:

Lure your puppy into position
Use hand signals
Treat and repeat in various locations

Links to Puppy Class 101 articles:

Links to Helpful General Knowledge Articles:

Training Rules

Linda Martuch — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:43:46 +0000

For many of us, learning about dogs isn’t boring or difficult. It comes easy because we’re fascinated by our best friends and competition companions and also want to understand them better. And for many of us, they are a complete mystery – a bit like aliens living among us.

Those Aliens Among Us

Here in the train category I’ll give you some tools that you can use to communicate or train your dog. I’ll give you step by step instructions on how to use some of the most effective dog training methods we have today and information on why those tools work.

In the learn category, you’ll find articles that will enhance your knowledge about our lovable little aliens in general, what they think about and react to and what they know and don’t know. I’ll tell you stories about my dogs, my students and their dogs and all sorts of fascinating facts – as well as lots of hints and tips gleaned from my 40 years of training dogs.

Agility Training

I quit training dogs for competition dog sports years ago and even though I know a lot about motivating dogs with toys, I’ll leave the specifics of dog training for sports to those who are current in their fields. I will post entries in the TRAIN category outlining training help and procedures for beginning trainers, dog owners, and anyone who desires general dog training knowledge.

Easy Training Rules

I will be posting articles here with easy dog training rules for common dog problems, which I hope you’ll find easy to follow. I’ve reduced each training problem or dog behavior modification (which is another name for training) to just a few simple rules that are easy to remember.

For example, here are my first two rules for training any dog to do anything.

Your dog wants your attention and wants to please you, even if he sometimes has some pretty funny was of showing it.
If your dog isn’t doing what you want, it’s because he doesn’t understand what you want.

It’s All In What You Know

I expect to get some argument over rule #2 from people with badly behaved dogs. Even though you may think that your dog doesn’t care about what you want, and is deliberately flaunting or taunting you, the truth is that the two of you are having communication problems and your message is NOT getting through to the other side.

Dogs have their own methods of communicating between themselves and for deciding what’s going to happen and who’s going to do what. If we tell them what we want in terms that they can understand, we’ll get what we want.

Earth to Major Tom

If you understand how your dog perceives your communications, it’s easy to get your message across to him or her. Because almost 100% of household dog behavior problems are a result of faulty communications, you can solve them if you clear up the communication channels. It’s like talking to a space ship; you just have to get the right frequency.

The Bigger Picture

In the LEARN category, I’ll be explaining the man/dog communication process in more general terms, with articles on how dogs learn and what they perceive, which will help you to understand more fully how to communicate with your dog.

To The Club

Here in the TRAIN category I’ll go into detail about how to use my training rules, answer specific dog training questions, and detail how to train specific behaviors. Please send me your questions and dog training issues so I can illustrate how easy it is to understand your dog’s behavior, and get what you want.

How to make a Fleece Tug Leash

Linda Martuch — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:29:35 +0000

If you want to know how to make the perfect fleece tug leash, look right here and copy how we make ours.

First buy some top quality fleece fabric, preferably made in America. You’ll need three yards of fabric (6 yards if you want two different colors 3 yards of each).
Then find some soft tubular webbing in 9/16” or 5/8” width, but not too thick or stiff, find a thin and pliable webbing with a high tensile strength.
You’ll need a snap hook in the appropriate size, we use a non-rusting nickel plated 5/8” snap hook. You can use a larger or smaller hook if you want to.
If you’re going to use the leash for AKC competition, you’ll need a heavy duty sewing machine as well.

Follow These 7 Steps

Cut one strip of fabric from each color, or two strips from the same color. Cut them approximately 2.5” wide the full length of the material.
Cut your webbing into a 100” length.
Wrap one end of the webbing through your snap hook and sew the webbing closed 1.5” below the fold.
Sew the ends of your fleece fabric together.
Thread the joined fabric strips through the webbing loop below the snap until the sewn part of the fleece is right below the snap and begin braiding.
When the fleece and webbing are all braided together, fold back 8” of the braid to form a handle, use the left over webbing to wrap around the base of the handle and sew it shut with your sewing machine.
You’ll need an industrial machine for this part, and it helps if it had a walking foot. Be sure to use a large size needle or you’ll just break all your needles.

There you have it!! Every thing you need to do it your self.

Option #2

The other option to tracking down the materials and getting them shipped in or running around town to pick them up (assuming that you can find them locally), is to purchase a finished leash from us. AND! Here’s the good part. If you buy two the shipping is free!
Pretty cool eh?

Do The Math

I’m pretty sure that if you do the math by adding up the cost of all the materials, shipping for delivery, or gas for going to the store, as well as value your time at a minimum of say $5 an hour, you’ll find that our braided leashes are a HUGE value! The do it yourself version could easily add up to $25 or $30 for materials and with a minimum cost for your time, probably another $15 to $25 dollars.

Feel The Love

Be kind to yourself, follow this link and purchase one from us, you’ll have it in less time than it takes to find all the parts that you need, and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you were good to yourself and saved time and money and that you were

Training Aids

Linda Martuch — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:21:14 +0000

This is not a ‘shock collar’ type dog training aid site. We don’t carry that kind of dog training aid here. If you’re looking for that kind of stuff however, you may have come to the right place.

Come Again?!

What?! That didn’t make sense did it? Shock collars on a positive training site? If we don’t have those here, how could this be the right place for people that are looking for those products?

What I mean to say is that if you’re so frustrated with your dog that you’re willing to consider buying a ‘dog training aid’ to control the animal, you might find some life saving information for your dog right here.

Is It All About The Training?

Yes, it’s all about the training, if you’re going to get the behavior from your dog that you want. But in the meantime, you’ve got some realities to deal with. You’ve got to control your dog, and you’ve got to solve some behavior problems if you’re here looking for dog training aids, yes?

I can’t solve all your dog problems overnight, but I’m guessing that if you’re still reading this you care enough about your dog to continue reading a little bit further and perhaps cruise this site for some answers to questions that are bothering you so. Please feel invited to stay, and please feel free to ask questions.

Lets Get Started

In the mean time, here are some helpful suggestions that I strongly recommend if you have a dog that you can’t control.

Watch the “Dog Whisperer” on TV; maybe get on of his videos too. Catch a seminar if you can.
Buy one of our EZ dog halters to gain some degree of control for walking your dog.
Avoid the situations where your dog is completely out of control until you’ve learned how to decrease your dog’s reactions to those situations.
Start walking your dog. Twice a day if possible and for as long as possible.
Take your dog to training classes, and find a trainer that you really like.

90%

These simple instructions will solve most dog problems because most dogs are frustrated and bored, and their behavior looks reactive. I know, you probably think you just got a butthead dog and that’s all there is to it. As gently as possible, I’d like to let you know that you’re probably not right about that. I’m sorry.

I hate to tell you that the problem can be fixed, but you have to change. I know that’s awful, but the dog is just being a dog and that’s all there is to it. Yes, all dogs are different, and they have different personalities, but their problems are manifested in almost all the same ways, and our American pets are under-exercised and bored to death.

Going Forward

Following these instructions will ease your dog’s boredom and set you on the right path to discovering more about your dog and how to manage your (I mean his) issues. I recommend our head halters for dogs because they have softer and narrower webbing, which is more comfortable for your dog, and because the dog leash attaches at the top of the neck.

Control And Safety

The top of the neck is where Cesar Milan, ‘Dog Whisperer’, recommends you keep your dog leash when working with difficult dogs and he’s right. You will have better control, by far.

Because the dog leash on this dog halter attaches at the neck instead of under the chin, you’ll reduce the possibility of neck injury to your active and excitable dog. As he forgets to behave and lunges against the leash, your dog’s head won’t be getting twisted backwards as it would with dog halters that attach under the nose, or chin.

If Wishes Could Come True

My wish for you, and the difficult situation you find yourself in, is that you follow my advice. It’s good advice because it will bring you success and peace and build a new relationship with your dog. With exercise and experience you can discover a relationship that I suspect you never dreamed about.

Interactive Dog Toys

Linda Martuch — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:09:49 +0000

There appears to be differing definitions of the term interactive dog toys. Our definition here at Genuine Dog Gear is that interactive dog toys require the participation of a human or another dog. We’re seeing quite a few puzzle toys for dogs now that are labeled as interactive dog toys, and those toys do make dogs think but the dog only interacts with the toy. By our standards that would be a problem solving or mental stimulation toy but not an interactive dog toy.

Which Toys Are “Interactive” Dog Toys?

By our definition, interactive dog toys and games can include:

Dog tug toys (the classic interactive dog toy and our specialty)
Balls, throw toys, retrieving toys (if you throw the ball repeatedly)
Keep away toys (most tug toys are use for this game)

Even a stick or leaf can be used as an interactive dog toy. It wasn’t uncommon for me to use a tiny twig to entertain and excite my lab Annie while waiting for our turn to compete in Agility. Because she was dog play trained from a puppy, she would play with anything as long as I was involved. I am Annie’s interactive toy dog , and that’s the ultimate goal.

The Toe Game

Annie and I have a game where I try to step on her front toes and she tries to nip my toes in return. We jump around looking like two crazy jumping beans hopping around in circles. In this game my toes, or me depending on how you look at it, are the interactive toy. The goal of interactive dog play is for the person to “be” the toy; the dog tug toy between you is just the playing field. When the person on the other end of the toy is the most interesting thing on the planet, we’ve done our job correctly.

Sight, Bite, Sound, Smell Toys

To get your dog really excited about playing with any one toy, and therefore excited about playing with you. We put what we call sense stimulators in all of our dog tug toys. Our toys excite your dog’s primary senses and drives with “Sight, Bite, Sound and Smell Stimulators.” Our goal is to create the most enticing dog toys possible so that you can be your dogs perfect interactive play partner.