Is Puppy Training Necessary?

I believe puppy training or behavior training should be mandatory when getting a puppy or rescuing a dog from a shelter; especially if you have never owned a dog.

Sadly, to many people get a puppy on impulse.  They just couldn't resist the cute puppy in the pet store; they take their cute bundle of fluff home with little knowledge of how much responsibility they have just taken on.

First, there is Potty Training. Potty training comes easy to some puppies and harder for others. Potty training should start the day you bring your puppy home.

In general puppies have to go potty 1 hour for each month they are.  A 2 month (8 week) old puppy needs to go to potty every 11/2-2 hours during the day and about 2 to 3 times during the night. A 4 month old puppy needs to go about every 3-4 hours during the day and should be sleeping through the night.

Second, is biting, chewing, nipping and jumping.  We have to teach our puppies what they can chew on  and what they can't.  Everything to your puppy is a toy or something to eat. It's so important to puppy proof your home as you would for a baby and to teach you puppy what they can and cannot play with.

Do you have a large or a small breed? If you have a large breed dog, DO NOT treat them like they are a small breed dog. If you don't want share your sofa with a 120 lbs dog, then don't let the 10 lbs puppy on the couch.

It's your responsibility to teach your puppy good manners, proper behavior and to respond to commands the first time you speak.  This is what a training/behavior classes teaches you.

So many puppies are given to shelters and rescues centers between the ages of 7 months to 1 year because of bad behaviors; 99% of the time it's due to lack of training for both the owner and the dog.

There are far to many dogs that are in shelters and abused because of lack of knowledge.  Before getting a puppy or a dog, research the breed; make sure the breed is the right fit for your family. Far to many times we pick our dogs on looks alone. This is a critical error and you should never pick your dog on looks alone.

Different breeds are bred for different jobs.  If you are a couch potato and do not enjoy really long walks, a Husky would defiantly be the wrong choice.  If you are really active and enjoy running and biking, a Bull Mastiff or Great Dane would not be a good choice for you; a Husky or a hunting breed like a German Pointer or Doberman Pincer would be a better fit for your lifestyle. Click here to read about different breeds of dogs.

Remember a dog is a part of your family, make sure you pick the right dog for your families wants and needs.

Also, make sure to sign up for a training class; either private or a group class.  Training is more about teaching you to teach your dog.

Teaching "Come When Called"

Today I was teaching Miska, a 3 month old Alaskan Malamute, "come when called"

See how well she progressed in less then 10 mins.

Teaching your dog the "come" command could be one of the most important commands to teach your dog.  Having your dog "come" back to you the first time you call him could save his life.

I teach the owners and dogs 1 time commands. This means you say the command one time and your dog should respond.  Repeating our commands lets our dogs decide when they are going to listen to us. Teaching your dog 1 time commands gives them no choice.

DIAMOND DOG TRAINING

Private In-Home Lessons

Insured and Bonded

Barrie, Ontario and the surrounding area.

Click here to visit Diamond Dog Services' website

Please leave me your comments or training questions; I would love to hear from you

Dog Owner Training - Training the Owner First

Listed below I have created a list of common mistakes dog owners make:

Dog Owner Training -101
Inconsistent training, is the number one reason for bad mannered dogs. If  a dog is not well trained it is the responsibility lies on you.  Some dogs and breeds will learn faster than others, love, patients and consistency are the most important tools you can use.

10 Common Mistakes New Pet Owners Make

1. No Training Classes: A lot of new dog owners think if they just repeat a word several times their puppy will just understand what you want and do it. When they don't do what we are asking, we get frustrated, angry and think we have a dumb dog.

It is highly recommended that you take a basic puppy/dog training class to learn basic manners for a well behaved dog. Click here for Diamond Dog Training, private in home training.

2. Poor Diet. Diet and exercise are just as important for your dogs as it is for people.
Feeding your dog a low quality food will lead to health problems down the line.  Most dog foods that are sold in your local grocery store are a low quality food. They are the equivalent of feeding your dog McDonald's everyday.

Common health issues related to poor diets are; diabetes, heart disease, overweight, hip dysplasia, tooth and gum disease and arthritis, just to name a few.

It's important to educated yourself before heading to the pet store. Do your research on the web, use Google to search "Best quality dog foods", read other pet owners opinion's are a few ways you can find out what is best for your dog.

3. Choosing the Wrong Breed.  A lot of people decide on a breed of dog just because of the way they look, how cute they are or by their impressive size. Choosing a dog on these reasons alone in 75% of the cases the dog will be surrendered to an animal shelter or given away.

DON'T EVER BUY A DOG ON IMPULSE! I cannot stress this point strong enough.

When you decide you want to get a puppy or rescue a dog from a shelter, first look at why you want a dog; is it for companionship, protection, a running partner or a loyal friend to be by your side. Research the breeds that fit your expectations and lifestyle. In other words if you very active and love to run and bike, do not get a Shih Tzu or Great Dane as these breeds are not big on exercise. A Husky, Lab or a German Pointer may be a better fit.

Do your research. Getting a puppy or dog is a big commitment and comes with a lot of responsibilities, be sure you are ready for this.

4. Lack of Exercise: 
Your lifestyle; if you work for 8-12 hours per day, 5 days a week, can you afford a dog sitter or dog walker. A puppy should never be crated longer then 2-4 as they cannot hold their bladders  hour for to long. Will you hire a dog walker or pet sitter? Dogs who are crated all day will be bored, anxious and do not get the exercise they need.

Again, depending on the breed of your dog will determine the type of exercising needed.  Small dogs do not need long walks or need to be run. However, larger dogs, working dogs, herding dogs, etc.. need  more vigorous exercising. Dog parks where they can run full out, jogging/biking with you, min 1 hour walks.

Not spending enough quality time with your dog. It’s so easy to please your dog. His needs are simple. Take the time to take him for a walk, throw him the ball, take him for a ride or just cuddle with him. It will do you both good.

Researching the breed will let you know what daily exercise is required for that breed.  A tired dog is a happy dog. Click here to read "Exercising Your Pet’s Body and Mind"

5. Yearly Visits to the Vets: When we get a puppy, we know they have to go to vet to get their required needles, de-worming, etc. However, a lot of us after the first year do not take our dogs to the Vets for yearly check-ups.  A lot of pet owners only take their dog to the Vets when something they are sick or injured.

It is very important to take your dog to the Vets for a yearly check-up. Check-ups will ensure your dog is healthy and doing well.  Since our dogs cannot speak to us, at times there are serious health issues but we did not notice them until it was to late. Early detection of anything is so important and will save you thousands of dollars in the end.

Click here to read "Over-Vaccination - Dog Owners Beware"

6. Human Food: NEVER give you puppy or dog human food. Although, we think we are doing something nice for our dog, giving your dog human food will only lead to begging, stealing food, garbage and counter surfing and a host of other problems.  Also, remember a lot of human food is bad and sometimes dangerous and or fatal to your dogs. Click here to read a List of Dangerous Foods for Dogs.

7. No Pet Identification Tags: New pet owners think their dogs will always be with them, they don't let them out by themselves, why does my dog need a tag. This inexpensive thing can be the difference between your dog being returned to you safely or ending up in a shelter and adopted out to a new family. Don’t skip this step and make sure your dog’s tags are always up to date.

8. No Pet Health Insurance. It can be heartbreaking if you’re unable to give your dog medical treatment because of finances. Insurance can make sure your dog will always receive the care he needs without breaking your bank account.

9. Proper Grooming for your Breed: Good hygiene is just as important for your dog as it is for us. Even short hair dogs need attention. Make sure you bath them regularly, cut their nails, and check their ears and skin. Long haired dogs require far more grooming. If you are not able to do the daily and monthly grooming that is needed for long haired dogs, make sure you find a good and reputable Dog Groomer. If daily brushing and eye cleaning is not for you, consider a breed that does not require as much daily maintenance.  A matted dog is an unhappy dog. Click here to read "How to Groom Shih Tzu Dogs"

10. Not spaying or neutering: Thousands of pets are euthanized every day due to pet overpopulation. Spaying or neutering your dog can help prevent homelessness, cruelty, suffering and death.


Okay, your dog owner training is complete. Congratulations on being a responsible dog owner.

Remember, do your research, don't impulse buy and most important make sure you have the time.

The Thundershirt - Do They Really Work?

In a single word YES!

I am a professional trainer and I have used the ThunderShirt on a lot of puppies and dogs with amazing success.

When a dog suffers from anxiety it can come out in many different ways; frightened, shaking, barking, excited jumping, aggression towards people and/or dogs or an over excited dog.  Most of the times these bad or negative behaviors are due to anxiety.  As the dog owner we believe we just have a bad behaved dog when certain situations arise.

Is your dog great at home but when you take him for a walk he turns into Cujo? More then likely it's due to your dog feeling very anxious when he is away from home.  The ThunderShirt relieves this anxiety so your sweet dog at home is the same sweet dog when going out of the house.

I worked in a pet retail store and sold a lot of ThunderShirts.  A dog would come into the store, scared, tail tucked under and legs shaking.  I would put a ThunderShirt on the dog and within literally minutes the dogs tail would be up, shaking stops and the dog now feels confident and assured.

I'm also a dog trainer and use the ThunderShirt often for over excited puppies.  Once I put the ThunderShirt on, the puppy I could not get to focus for 1 second is now sitting, listening and obeying his commands.

If I had not seen the truly positive effects the ThunderShirt has with my own eyes, I would never believe that something so simple can be so effective for a dogs anxiety.

Can Your Dog Read Your Mind?

Written by: Marcia Murray-Stoof CPDT,CCB

To anyone who is familiar with the eerily human-like qualities of man's best friend, the news that dogs can read your mind shouldn't come as any surprise. The latest research adds to growing evidence that dogs can interpret both human body language and general behavior, and use it to their advantage.

"Dogs and [human-raised] wolves are capable of distinguishing between a person looking at them, someone who's paying attention and someone who's not," said Monique A.R. Udell, lead author of a study published recently in the journal Learning & Behavior. "They're more likely to beg [for food] from someone paying attention to them."

Researchers have been learning more and more about the surprising capabilities and intelligence of Canis lupus familiaris, better known as the domestic dog.

One recent study found that dogs have the developmental abilities of a human 2-year-old, with the average dog capable of learning the meanings of 165 words.

"Over the last five years or so, we've been trying to understand how dogs and relatives of dogs such as wolves respond to social companions," explained Udell, who was a researcher at the University of Florida in Gainesville when the study was conducted.

"The idea behind this particular study was to try to understand how it is, for example, that dogs can use cues of attention to predict what we're going to do next and use that information to decide to beg for food from one individual and not another?" she continued. "How is it that dogs make us feel that they know what we're thinking?"

The study involved groups of pet dogs, stray dogs from a shelter and hand-raised wolves (named Tristan, Miska and Marion, among other monikers) who were comfortable around humans. Two people stood about 6 meters apart, one of them looking directly and continuously at the dog or wolf. The other person had their vision blocked, either with a bucket over their head, a book obscuring their face or because their back was turned. Both humans held a piece of food.

"On average, both dogs and wolves were significantly more likely to be begging from the person looking at them when the other person's back was turned," said Udell. But levels of sensitivity did vary by how domesticated the dog or wolf was. "Domesticated dogs were more likely to beg from someone paying attention to them, but shelter dogs and wolves who don't often see a person reading books were not likely to get that cue," Udell related. "So it does seem like specific life experiences really do matter in this context."

The findings, said Udell, are "important because previous research suggested that something happened to dogs during genetic domestication that made them begin to think like humans. This shows that wolves are capable, if reared with humans, of [picking up human cues]." "Animal people in the scientific community have known for some time that dogs are pretty smart and very good at reading our body language," said Adam Goldfarb, director of the Pets at Risk Program of the Humane Society of the United States. "This shows that something about dogs or wolves inherently allows them to read humans far better than other animals can."

Potty Training, Crate Training

A lot of dog owners feel that crate training puppies is cruel. This thinking is wrong and it prevents them from taking advantage of the best house training  tool - a crate.

If you can avoid some common crate training mistakes, your puppy will enjoythe time he spends in his crate.

You see, just like wolves, dogs are den animals. A crate provides them withthe same sense of security that a den would have provided them in the wild.

The tricky part about crate training puppies lies in the fact that unlessyou use a crate correctly, you will not achieve the desired result.

What follows are some tips and suggestions you can use right away. Furtherdown, there is a page where I talk more about crate training your puppy.

So, without wasting any more time, let's review some...

The first step in crate training puppies is to decide where to place the crate. Because puppies are social animals, it's best to keep the crate in an area where your family spends a lot of time, but avoid placing it next to air vents or in direct sunlight.
Put a soft blanket inside the crate. To make your puppy feel more secure, put the crate next to a wall and cover the sides with a towel. Or get a Crate wear Pet Dreams 3-Piece Complete Crate Bed Set that includes a mattress, padded bumpers and a crate cover.
Though buckle collars are generally safe, it's not a good idea to use them when crate training puppies. Why? Because even a flat collar can get stuck between metal bars and injure your puppy.
The best time for crate training is when your puppy is hungry, bored, or... both.
Never force your pet to enter the crate. If he needs some encouragement, put some of his favourite toys or food inside the crate (from my experience, food works better than toys). Initially, leave them near the door and leave the crate door open. As your pet becomes more comfortable, you may move the toys further inside his crate.
If the above doesn't work, try another approach... Some puppies get anxious when encouraged to enter the crate but will venture inside on their own if there is an incentive.


One of the most difficult parts of crate training puppies is locking your pet in his crate for the first (and second, and third, and... times). Here is a trick I learned a long time ago. With my dog inside the crate and eating, I lock the door, but only for the duration of his meal. Even if he notices that I locked the door, most likely, he will be too busy eating to express his displeasure. As soon as he finishes eating, I open the door. As you repeat this exercise, keep the door locked a little longer each time.
Always praise your puppy for doing things right. Did he just enter his crate for the first time? Or maybe he didn't cry when you locked the door? I am sure you'll agree these milestones deserve some praise and a treat or two!
Don't try to accomplish too much too soon. As you begin crate training your puppy, keep the sessions short and gradually increase the training time when your puppy is ready.
A crate is the most valuable tool for training puppies. But to get the most benefits out of crate training, your puppy can't associate his crate with anything negative. So, never use it for punishment.

Housebreaking your new puppy is going to take patience. You shouldbegin to housebreak as soon as you bring your new puppy home. Puppies need torelieve themselves approximately six times a day. A puppy should be taken outimmediately after each meal since a full stomach puts pressure on the colon and bladder.

A puppy is not physically able to control the muscle that allows him to "hold it" until he is about 12weeks of age. Before this time, good housebreaking routines should be practiced to avoid having your puppy urinate and defecate all over your house. Watch for signs of urination or defecation, such as turning in circles. Take your puppy out often. Using a crate or confining your puppy to a small part of the house that has easy clean up floors are some ways to ensure your puppy does noturinate all over your house. It is much harder to housebreak a puppy if he smells is urine in places you do not wish him to relief himself.

There are many different methods in which you can housebreak your pet, however I find Crate training the most effective. Whichever way you choose, it is important to understand your puppy. Dogs want to please; the trick is to make them understand what it is you want from them.

Dogs do not think the way humans do. When you are unhappy with your dog, it assumes that whatever it is doing at the exact moment you show disapproval - is the thing that is upsetting you. 

For example:
If your puppy relieves himself on your floor and you show yourdisapproval five minutes after he has committed the act, the puppy will thinkthat the mess on the floor is bad. He will not relate to the fact that it wasthe act of relieving himself on your floor that you disapprove of. The dog willeliminate, see the mess and get worried; you are now going to be unhappy. Thisis the reason so many dogs will relieve themselves in inappropriate places andlook really guilty about it, yet they continue to do it. Dogs want to please,right?

Some owners start to think that their dog is being sneaky whenreally it does not fully understand what it is doing wrong. It knows the messupsets you but does not understand that it should stop "making" themess. To your dog, these two things: "the mess" and "the act" areunrelated. 

The trick is to catch your dog in the act and make him understand.You do not need to hit your dog. The tone of your voice is enough to make thedog see you are unhappy. 

A firm "Eh! Or other correction sound. You are not allowed to go in the house. “Eh!”or other correction sound is all that is needed. 

Immediately take your dog outside to the appropriate place. Wait for your dog to go again and when and if he does, praise him.Important: Always praise your dog after he eliminates in the appropriate place. 

Crate Training Caution: 
Before you crate train, please be aware: a dog that is left in a crate all day long, gets let out in the evening after work for a few hours and put back in the crate for the night canbecome neurotic, destructive, unhappy and noisy. 

If you work all day, it is recommended that you find someone who can take your dog out for a long walk in the afternoon. If this is not possible only use the crate at night. 

If you must leave your dog all day long every day and you have nobody to let the dog out during the day, you should find a room without a rug, put down Pooch Pads ReusableHousebreaking Pads, food, water and toys. 

You should set up the room so that the bed and food are at one end and the pee pads at the other. Spread the toys in the center of the room. Dogs are not fish. They need to find something to occupy their mind, so give your dog plenty of toys. It is said that dogs are den animals and like the crate, but even a den animal would go crazy if it was lock up all day long.

You must be willing to invest time and energy for just a few shortweeks in housetraining. The effort you put in now will last for the rest ofyour pet's life.

The crate training method is as follows. Buy a crate and for the first 3 to 4 weeks keep your puppy in it when you are not with him. Make sure the crate is not too big. It should be large enough for the puppy's bed, but no larger. Dogs do not want to soil their bed and the use of a crate teaches them to control their urge to eliminate. 

You must maintain an eagle eye at all times. As soon as you see himpacing, sniffing around, and turning in circles, immediately take him outside.He is telling you "I am going to go pee pee somewhere, and this carpet looks like as good a place as any." NO, you do not have time to put on your shoes, just go.

Be patient and do not rush the little guy. He may have to go several times in one "pit stop." Give him about 10 minutes before taking him back inside. Do not play with him while you are on this mission. Let him know this is a business trip.

Make sure you take him out after every meal and play session BEFOREyou put him back in his crate. Be consistent and establish a schedule. Payattention to your puppy's behaviour so you can develop a schedule that worksfor you and the pup. When does your puppy naturally defecate? In the morning?10 minutes after eating? Around bedtime? You may have to make some compromises.

Be fair to your puppy. He cannot be expected to stay alone in his crate for endless hours and not relieve himself. During your work days, you will need to have someone go to your home at least once (lunch time is good) to let the puppy out. Take him for a long walk. Your dog is not a fish and he needs something to occupy his mind.

Make sure everyone who is involved in the housebreaking process isusing the same spot in the yard and the same word. Everyone should agree on theplace they will take the puppy. The odour from the previous visits will causethe puppy to want to go in that spot. 

Use a simple word like "Potty/Weewees" when taking your puppy to the chosen spot. Use this word consistently and later this word will help build communication between the family and the dog. When you notice him going toward the door and you say "Potty" he can say "Yup, that’s where I need to go," or, "Forget it. I am getting back up on the couch for some shut eye."

Until your puppy is about 5 months old you will need to take him out frequently and keep that eagle eye on him. But before you know it, you are going to be able to trust and communicatewith your new pet. And he will learn that when he pleases you by going out to do his business, he gets more freedom in the house.