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

Walking on Sunshine with Kobe

Kobe and I go for a walk Mon-Fri. Come for a walk with Kobe and I and see how much fun Kobe has.

Kobe, is a 6 month old Rottweiler, he is lovable, sweet and a bit of a ham. Come see:)
Diamond Dog Walking Service - Barrie, Ontario

New Puppy 101 - For New Puppy Owners

Top 10 Puppy  Basics – All of these steps are important for a well adjusted puppy.

1. Start socializing your puppy early. As soon as he has had his second set of shots usually (after 10 weeks). Introduce your puppy to as many new environments, people and dogs as possible.  The critical socialization period for a puppy is (8-22 weeks).



2. Take your new puppy to the veterinarian with 72 hours of getting your puppy.  It's important to get to know your Vet and for your Vet to know you and you puppy, as this will likely be a long term relationship.

Use common sense when it comes to your Vet, if you are not comfortable with how they are handling your dog, or the Vet does not really listen to what you are saying. Shop around and find another Vet. Ask friends who have dogs for their recommendations,

3. Remember an 8 week old puppy is just a baby, play and handle him gently. Do not engage in rough play or encourage play with that involves biting your hands or clothes.  This behavior should be immediately corrected and give the puppy a toy or object he is allow to chew.

Puppies bite/chew and nip, it's our job to teach our puppies what they can and can't bite and what is appropriate play.  What is cute as puppy is not so cute in an 80 pound dog.

4. Introduce your puppy to new children and other puppies and dogs slowly.  You want every new experience for your do to be a positive one.  If your puppy has a negative experience at an early age it could effect his behavior for life, so make sure each new situation is short and positive. Give your puppy lots of praise.

5. Good quality puppy food is very important for the healthy growth of your puppy.  Poor quality food may lead to a lifetime of health issues.  Do your homework and make sure you are getting the best quality for your breed of dog. Click here for a list of homemade dog treat recipes you can make your dog, click the recipe name to take you to the full recipe.

6. Begin house training the first day you get home.  Decide a head of time how you want to potty train your puppy(using puppy pad, going directly outside, using a crate) and be prepared for when you bring your new addition home. 8week old puppies need to go to the bathroom approx every 1-2 hours. The rule of thumb is 1 hour for each month they are. Click here to read "Housebreaking -Training for Success"

7. Don’t inadvertently encourage bad dog behavior. Jumping up, biting, barking, begging for table food. It is so important to correct these behaviors right from the start.  It is much easier to teach your puppy the right things to do then it is to correct bad behaviors that he has been allowed to do for months.  Remember, what is cute and adorable when your puppy is 8 weeks old will be far from cute when they are grown.

8. Never use food rewards for correcting behaviors.  Food rewards should only be used when teaching your dog his commands(sit, come, stay, down, etc....).

If you correct your puppy for jumping up and he goes down, you give him a food reward, you have just encouraged your dog to perform bad in order to get a reward.

Remember, only give food rewards when your dog has done work like sit, stay or come.  Only give love as his reward for correcting bad behaviors.

9. When correcting your puppy's behavior, NEVER do anything that will hurt, harm, embarrass, humiliate or loss of dignity.  Puppies need love, patience and consistency are your best tools.

10.  Have a variety of toys for your puppy, a soft one, a chewy one, a tug toy.  See which type of toys your puppy likes to play with more and get him the toys he like rather then spending lots of money on toys they never play with.

Puppies also need a variety of toys for teething, some toys offer more comfort for those teething times.

I highly recommend taking a Puppy Training Class. It is so important for you to learn how to teach your puppy.  This is a long commitment you have made, it's your responsibility to learn how to do things the right way.  If you spend your puppy's first year working hard and training, you will have the next 10-16 years of having that awesome dog.

Note: Make sure your new puppy has identification in the event that he gets lost. It’s a good idea to identify your dog with an ID tag as well as a dog tattoo or microchip.

If you have any questions about your new puppy, please post it on the comments and I will respond ASAP.

Puppy Milestones:
Puppy is ready to take home 8 weeks
Housebreaking 6-8 weeks
Bathing 7-8 weeks
Obedience training 8-10 weeks
Socialization 8-22 weeks
Heartworm prevention  3 months
Spay or neuter 6-9 months
When is a puppy full grown 1- 1½ years

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.

Diamond Dog Walking Service