Here at the Dog Blog today we have some nice tips from Dan. Enjoy this guest post folks!

The decision to welcome a dog into your family is a long-term commitment that can be both highly rewarding and demanding. First-time dog owners should follow these basic five tips to help train their new pet and lay the foundation for a long, happy relationship with their four-legged friend.

1) Be Consistent

Before you even bring your new pooch home, think about what kinds of rules you will have for your dog. If you have a spouse, kids or housemates, include them in this exercise. In order for your dog to learn and understand the rules of your home, it is important that everyone who is in the dog’s life also understands what behaviour is acceptable and unacceptable from your four-legged friend.

For example, if you decide that Fido should not be allowed on the sofa, then stick to this rule. Allowing the dog on the sofa sometimes and then scolding him for getting on the furniture at other times will simply cause him to become confused and anxious.

One of the best rules to have is not to feed your dog from the table, not only is this unhygienic but is not good for your dog as it leads to them putting on weight and picking up bad traits such as whining and pleading for attention, not a wanted trait if you invite guests over for dinner!

2) Stick To A Schedule

Animals, like many people, are generally calmer, happier and better behaved when they have a regular daily routine. Although dogs cannot actually tell time per se, when their owners stick to a fairly regular schedule for feedings and walks, the dog will reward the owner by displaying better behaviour because the dog has a strong sense of what to expect and when to expect it.

3) Enroll In Obedience Training

Even the most well-mannered dog can benefit from obedience training, where new and experienced owners learn simple techniques to control their dog. Along with helping owners learn obedience commands, these classes provide both the human and the dog a great opportunity to interact with other dogs and their masters. Well taught lesson installed in a dog at a young age usually last them a lifetime, so it is important to make use of the early time you have with a dog.

4) Firm but fair

Learn to control your pet using a leash, collar and voice commands only. Hitting a dog with your hand or an object will only make your dog fearful and distrustful of all humans, something which is very difficult to reverse in an animal. At a young age, humans like dogs are very impressionable and so the use of violence towards the dog will only need to negative character traits as the dog gets older. If the dog does something wrong then make sure you let them know straight away that what they did was wrong. Never punish a dog retrospectively, Dogs have no concept of time, they only live in the moment so shouting at your dog after he has committed the crime will only leave you dog confused and scared.

5) Spend time with your Dog

Spend time with your dog, especially if he or she is a puppy. Remember that this is a strange and scary situation for the dog, to be taken from its Mother and the place it knew as its home, into a new place with new smells and on its own. Your dog therefore needs lots of love and attention to start off with to ensure that it settles into its new home well.

Make sure you introduce your dog to other dogs and all other members of your family quickly. If you know of a friend that has a dog that is well mannered ask if you can go on a walk together so that your dog will get used to other dogs and not become aggressive or scared when they meet dogs outside in the future. If you have young family members, especially babies or toddlers then you should always supervise the dog around them, sometimes a dog can get carried away and become too rough, so it is important that you can quickly step in and tell the dog or the child off if the situation arises.

Overall you should just aim to have fun, after all that’s probably one of the main reason you got a dog in the first place, if you treat your dog with respect and authority, love and attention then you should both have a happy life together.

From Dan at Wish.co.uk - take a look at their gift experiences for pet owners.

Other articles you may find of interest:

1. Online Dog Training Tips Number 7 – Training Never Ends
2. Top Tips For Leash Training A Dog
3. Online Dog Training Tips
4. Online Dog Training Tips Number 2
5. The Permission Paradox: Dog Training Tips

I have written a number of posts here about shy Dog training and how our Daisy Dog was a total mess when we first got here from the Dog pound over 4 years ago now.

It has been a very long struggle to get her to come out of her shell and the fact is that now you would not recognize her and her behaviour from what it once once.

When we first brought Daisy home she was lifted out of the car a quivering wreck and then ran into the woods and hid. It took a lot of coaxing to get her in to the house.

And it literally took years for her to really show that she was gaining in confidence.

Now Daisy s a very different Dog but the fact is that she is still not like other Dogs. She won’t jump up on you to have a fuss, she still lowers her head a little if play gets too boisterous and she absolutely will not rough-house with people. Other Dogs, that is a different story, she can hold her own with the other Girls no problem.

But people do need to bear in mind that if they are going to get a shy Dog then it is going to take a long time to be able to get them to be a lot more confident and it is certainly going to take a long time to get their behaviour more in line with confident animals.

Daisy is still timid under certain circumstance and the reality is that I think she always will be. It is just a part of her nature.

But, it was worth it.

Daisy is a lovely girl and has a pretty much perfect life. If she had been left in the pound I don’t think she would have lasted very long at all. She is way too highly strung for such an environment.

So if you are thinking of getting a Dog that is shy then just bear in mind that there is no quick fix. It takes a lot of time and it takes a lot of patience. You need to go slow and let them improve at their own steady pace. The best thing you can do is simply show them lots of love and gradually do things to bring them out of their shell.

Don’t get angry or cross with them and never do anything to make them feel insecure. They will be a faithful companion for many years and show their appreciation in many ways, just never expect them to be a super confident Dog any time soon.

Other articles you may find of interest:

1. If Dogs Could Talk…………..
2. Dogs vs Humans. The Race Is On! or Dogs Eat Chicken continued
3. Cats Are Better Than Dogs And Dogs Are Rubbish. Who Said That?
4. Stop Digging Dogs
5. The Importance of Eye Contact For Dogs

Here at the Dog Blog today we have a guest post to help when choosing a Puppy Class. Full of useful information it should be a great help for anyone looking to pick the best Puppy class.

The most important thing to consider when selecting a puppy obedience class is not cost or location….it is the instructor. A bad instructor can ruin the class and possibly your puppy. A good instructor can open a whole new world of communication between you and your puppy and set you on a fun and exciting path of dog training.

The instructor needs to be experienced, not merely have earned a certificate from “XYZ” dog training school. Look for a trainer with local “hands on” experience working with a variety of dogs. You will find the best instructor through word of mouth references. Ask your friends with dogs, your veterinarian and people you meet at the dog park. Ask the instructor for references and follow up by calling them.

A good instructor will happily provide you with references, and allow you to come and watch a class before registering. If you watch the classes, look for dogs that are happy and stress free. If there is a shy dog or a problem dog, note how the instructor and assistants handle him or her.

If the instructor has his own dog there to demonstrate exercises, watch to see the interaction between them. The dog should be happy and eager to work as this is a sign of positive, yet consistent training.

The methods used by the teacher should be primarily positive and any corrections should be fair and gentle. The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) will direct you to a trainer in your area that follows their guidelines. Remember that a good instructor will be able to train a dog that can be a great companion to you for many years to come so research is key!

Size of the class is important as well. Be sure to find out if this is a puppy class or a beginner class. Both types can be great classes. Puppy classes will allow only puppies, usually six months old or less. A beginner class may allow adult dogs and puppies. If adult dogs are allowed, find out what the instructor’s policy is about aggressive dogs.

It isn’t wise to have a young impressionable puppy in a class with an anti-social adult. Safety of your puppy should be at the forefront of your decision. Join a class that is large enough to do proper and safe socialization with other puppies. However, a class that is too large can get overwhelming and you will not get the attention that you need.

A class size of eight is nice and ten to twelve dogs are fine provided there are assistant instructors to ensure safety and individual attention. The location should be large enough to have plenty of space between dogs, no overcrowding.

Finally, find out about the class material – what will your dog learn? Join a class with a nice mix of socialization (with both people and dogs) and manners training. For puppies, the most important exercises to teach are sitting politely for petting, coming when called, and possibly a short stay. Is this class going to be advanced or just teaching basic dog obedience?

A group puppy class may or may not be able to help you with issues that occur “at home” such as biting and housetraining. Find out! It is important for all dogs to learn to pay attention with the distractions of other dogs and people. Adult dogs have longer attention spans and are capable of learning longer stays and more advanced leash work. A good class will teach skills to all the dogs present, but allow for the differences in ages and personalities. A shy dog who has never been anywhere may not and should not be expected to progress at the speed of a confident outgoing dog or puppy. People attend training classes for a variety of reasons, many to prevent or correct bad manners.

Some want to do advanced training in order to compete or to participate in other dog activities such as pet therapy or agility training. Find out what the progression of classes are to help you reach your goals. Does this instructor offer them, or can he recommend the proper classes to you?

In summary, always go with your instinct upon meeting or speaking with the potential instructor. Never do anything to or with your puppy that you aren’t completely comfortable with.

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Other articles you may find of interest:

1. Puppy Training Tips
2. My Puppy Thinks She Is A Cat
3. Puppy Tweets Dog Tag
4. Housetraining A Dog, Potty Train A Puppy
5. The Good The Bad and The Puppy…….it almost rhymes!

Faye was a little naughty this morning. As a trip was being planned for the day by Mrs. Three Dog Blogger I had the task of catching the escapee and putting her back near the house. She wanted to tag along on any outing and really did not want to be left behind. This reminded me of just how much exercise Dogs need to control bad behavior.

I am not saying that Faye would then be a good girl all the time but it would certainly go some way to stopping her from misbehaving as much as she is prone to do, especially if she has not had enough exercise. And this morning they all only had a relatively short walk so there was plenty of energy left for naughtiness.

How Much Exercise To Give Dogs

From experience I would say that many Dogs need as much as you can give them.

If they are healthy and fit then Dogs are quite happy to walk  for hours every day. Of course this is not possible for most of us as we have constraints on our time. But there is one lesson I have learned very well and that is that if your Dog keeps being naughty and is not acting well then exercise is quite often at the heart of the problem.

Exercise is so important to their health and well being and it also makes for a much happier life for us Dog owners. Dog Blogs often talk about many aspects of training but all of them will go much smoother if you begin with a Dog that has had plenty of exercise.

It may be impossible to say how much every bred of Dogs needs in terms of exercise but for the majority they need a good amount each and every day.

How To Tell If Your Dog Has Not Had Enough Exercise

Dogs will mostly make it quite clear to the owner of they are not having enough activity. You will find that they are less easy to control, they will not obey orders as they usually do and they will simply be harder to keep under control in general.

All of that pent up energy has to be dissipated somehow and more often than not it will result in bad behavior.

If your pooch is being naughty, acting up and simply not doing as it is told then the chances are that it simply needs more exercise.

How Many Walks A Day For A Dog

We should take the Dogs out for a walk twice a day if at all possible. It really is so important to allow them to get plenty of exercise and it ensures that they get to see the wider world and experience things on a regular basis.

This keeps them much more socialized and it will make training and life in general so much easier.

2 walks a day should be strived for every day, we may not always have the time for a long walk before work but we should try to make time. They are much less likely to tear up the house while we are out and are going to be much easier to train.

3 Dogs is definitely a lot of work at times and I know that without their 2 walks a day it would  be much harder. I am lucky that I can walk them off leash for the most part as we live somewhere remote, this ensures that they can burn off energy quickly. For leash walking there is no doubt that they need more exercise as they are unable to burn off the energy as quickly.

Strive for a good long walk at least once a day and a shorter one as well if you really are pushed for time.

This exercise will ensure that they are much better behaved and in a more positive frame of mind to respond to training and they will simply be much better company as they are relaxed and feel that they have had their look at the world outside the home for the day.

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Other articles you may find of interest:

1. Just How Much #%$*$£% Exercise Does A Dog Need?
2. Exercise With Your Dog for Weight Loss and Health – Share The Love

Today at the Dog Blog we have a very interesting take on something very close to all Dog owner’s hearts, loose leash training. This is a guest post, and if you would like to submit an article of your own please feel free to use the contact form to get more information.

Ingredients:

Patience, love, lots of deep breaths, steadfastness and attention to detail

Step 1:

Attach leash to dogs collar (preferably a martingale/no-slip or flat buckle)

Step 2:

Wait in front of door you will be exiting until dog sits. Dog will whine, jump and protest; act completely unaffected by the poor manners; dog will eventually give up and sit down; praise lavishly in a high pitched happy voice

Step 3:

Reach for door knob then pause, dog will get up from sit and eagerly go for the door, remove your hand from the knob and stand paying no attention to the dog until he returns to the sit position

Step 4:

Repeat above step as necessary until the dog remains sitting as you turn the knob and begin to open the door just a crack

Step 5:

As the door opens the dog will get up from the sitting position and try to go through the opening; the minute the dogs bottom lifts off the floor shut the door, remove your hand from the knob and pay no attention to the dog until he returns to the sit position; once in the sit position praise lavishly in a high pitched happy voice

Step 6:

Repeat above step as necessary until the dog remains sitting while you open the door completely

Step 7:

Give your dog a release command such as “ok” or “let’s go” and take a single step forward; the dog will jerk forward; stand firm and ignore the dog, dog will continue to pull, might walk close to owner but then will immediately dart forward again; wait the dog out, he will usually give a calming signal such as a yawn, lip lick, or sigh and then return to the owner in a silent surrender. Praise the dog lavishly in a high pitched happy voice

Step 8:

Take a step forward and repeat the above step; the amount of time it takes for the dog to surrender will decrease each time until the dog no longer pulls but only if you NEVER let the dog walk even a step until he loosens the leash on his own, without the use of force or coursing by either walking behind the handler or returning to the left side of the handler and waiting

This recipe was provided by Rachel from TheDogTrainingSecret.com For more information on Loose Leash Training and other dog obedience issues check out their site.

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Other articles you may find of interest:

1. Top Tips For Leash Training A Dog

Today at the Dog Blog we have a very interesting guest post from http://www.thedogtrainingsecret.com

There is a principle that exists in dog training that few people are aware of. I call this principle the Permission Paradox.

The Permission Paradox is an animal training principal that uses counterintuitive logic to get dogs to STOP doing things that you want them to do by actually giving them permission to misbehave during designated times.

This principle of dog training is very effective because by allowing a dog to misbehave during designated times, by actually putting bad behaviors like barking or licking on cue, you can reduce the desire the dog has to want to misbehave… because it’s no longer misbehaving.

All though the science behind why this principle is so effective is not yet known, or completely agreed upon, I believe that this principle is extremely effective because it uses the Forbidden Fruit principle; the same principle that drove Eve to eat the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden.

I first heard about this principle watching a public broadcasting program on television that explained a very weird psychological phenomenon. In an experiment aimed at discovering what drives people to binge eat, and researchers discovered something very interesting.

They noticed that children who had 100% unrestricted access to chips, popcorn, candy, and other well balanced foods like fruit and veggies at dinner would not binge eat when given a bowl of popcorn or M & M’s while watching TV. They’d just take a small handful of all the foods, healthy and unhealthy.

I personally would have thought such parenting tactics of letting children eat whatever they wish would be foolish. But what researches discovered is that the children who WOULD binge eat, had parents who withheld treats from their children. These well intentioned parents would only let their kid have one bowl of popcorn, or a small amount of candy; basically restricting their access to unhealthy treats.

Yet this second group of children, when presented the opportunity to eat an entire box of Oreos, or bag of potatoes chips, jumped all over the opportunity, and would overeat heavily.

Thus the researches concluded that the very act of restricting access to things children want, actually INCREASES the desire inside the child to acquire that thing; and they call it the forbidden fruit principle.

So here’s why this is an important principle to use when training your dog…

If you have a dog who has an annoying habit that you’d like him to stop doing, like licking you too much, try this.

Try actually training your dog to lick you when given a certain command.

This is a fairly simple behavior to teach. All you need to do is start rewarding your dog with a small treat over the next few days for “giving you a kiss” ie… Licking your chin. To train this behavior follow these steps:

1. Hold a small treat in front of your chin in such a way as to prompt your dog to lick your chin in some way… but NOT get the treat.
2. When your dog licks your chin, say “good”, and then let him have the treat in your hand.
3. Once your dog is regularly licking your chin, start saying, “give me a kiss” right before your dog licks your face for 10 repetitions.
4. On the 11^th repetition do NOT give the cue. Your dog will probably still lick your face, but do NOT reward him. Instead, simply turn your back on him for a few seconds.
5. Continue asking for a lick a few times in a row, and then not asking, making sure to only reward your dog with treats when you DO give the cue, and your dog will start to realize that he only gets the reward if he waits for the cue first.

When your dog is ONLY licking you when you give him the cue to “give you a kiss” first, and not licking you when you don’t give the cue, you’ve successfully trained him to “misbehave” on cue.

This will automatically reduce the dog’s desire to lick you in the future, as long as once or twice a day you continue to give your dog “Permission to Misbehave” by asking him to lick you on cue.

If you’ll follow these guidelines with any behavior you want your dog to stop doing, I think you’ll find your dog’s desire to misbehave will be greatly reduced.

Chet Womach has been helping people with dog obedience issues for several years now. You can check out more of his dog training advice @ http://www.thedogtrainingsecret.com

Other articles you may find of interest:

1. Online Dog Training Tips Number 7 – Training Never Ends
2. Dog Training – Online Tips Number 1
3. Online Dog Training Tips Number 3
4. Online Dog Training Tips
5. Online Dog Training Tips Number 2

The best way to teach the dog that a bike is no big deal is to walk your dog like normal, and wheel the bike along. Keep the dog directly at your side while the bike is on the other side, with you in the middle.

My dog is about half my weight, but he could still pull me if he got excited over something like  another dog. I know Ace well enough to predict how he will react around squirrels, other bikers, dogs, etc., but I still need to be in control at all times to prevent an accident. Be very careful when you are out biking with a large breed, especially if the dog is close to your own weight.

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The other day I found myself writing about Zhu Zhu pets and it actually ended with me and the good lady reminiscing about our previous Dog Sam. Quite a few years ago we were living in the south of England and one boxing day morning we went for a walk in the local park. To our surprise there was a pet Gerbil running around the place looking rather surprised at where he had ended up. To this day I don’t know how he got there but we did the decent thing and set the Dog on him (joking). No, we took him home and ended up paying for a Gerbil house and the usual stuff that Gerbils love. Balls that roll around the floor and that kind of thing.

UPDATE: So many people have come here looking for Zhu Zhu hamsters which are the number one kids toy this year so here they are from the Zhu Zhu hamsters Amazon store:

Buy Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters From Amazon

Buy Go Go Hamsters For UK Visitors

To Continue: Now this gerbil was a crazed thing. Whenever we let him out to get some exercise in the living room he went bonkers. He would run around for hours and it was difficult to get him back inside. We had to keep Sam out of the room because he was absolutely obsessed with Tiny Tim (hey, it was Christmas time when we found him okay). Sam would scratch the door like a thing possessed, trying to gain access to his newest furry friend.

Even when the Gerbil was in his cage, placed high up out of his way, he would sit for hours just hoping it would somehow come out to play. I have absolutely no doubt that he would have consumed Tiny Tim in an instant given half the chance.

Jump forward a few years. We now have three Dogs, hence the name of this Dog Blog, and they are country Dogs through and through. If something runs they will chase it, if they can catch something of a reasonable size I have little doubt that they will kill it and probably eat it. You may think that your Dog is different but do you really think it sees a difference between a small furry animal and the cuddly toys it likes to shake to bits or the rope toy that it throws about the place? It’s all pretty much the same to them.

Anyway, we were talking about these Zhu Zhu pet hamsters that I had written about and would they actually be any good as a way to begin training the Dogs to stay controlled when things are running about the place. Here they are by the way. You can click them to buy them or the Zhu Zhu accesories if you are already being nagged about them. NOTE: These are actually selling very well from my article and so as to not leave out the UK buyers (where I come from), I have set up an Amazon UK store. You can buy Go Go Hamsters are exactly the same as Zhu Zhu hamsters but with a different name.

Kids are going absolutely bonkers for these this year and they are set to be the number one gift this Christmas. I wonder if something like this could be used to train Dogs not to chase after real pets that you may have or are considering. Zhu Zhu hamsters for sale can be turned on and off. You could begin with them turned off and train the Dogs to not attack them. This should be fairly straightforward as they are much more likely to behave when it is just a furry thing on the floor.

Once they are on and running around the place in a manic manner I am sure that it would be a different story entirely. But, would I be able to train the Dogs not to attack these hamsters? I think so. At least if I used a Zhu Zhu pet to help train them to not chase everything that moves if something went wrong it would not be a real loss to the hamster community.

If any children are reading this then please note that I will never harm a Zhu Zhu hamster and I am just speculating. Absolutely no hamsters were or will be harmed in the training of my three pesky pooches. Honest.

Anyway, what do you think. A good idea or am I asking for the wrath of Zhu Zhu pet hamster lovers everywhere? By the way, I think I might buy one anyway. They look like fun. Am I allowed, or am I too old?

Other articles you may find of interest:

1. Dogs vs Humans. The Race Is On! or Dogs Eat Chicken continued
2. Zhu Zhu Pets Craziness- The Dogs Won’t Be Getting Any
3. Cats Are Better Than Dogs And Dogs Are Rubbish. Who Said That?
4. Stop Digging Dogs
5. How Long Does It Take Shy Dogs To Be More Confident

Dog Fence DIY.com shares insiders tips on installing your own underground dog fence. In this guest post, they will share three tips for how to choose a dog containment system.

Underground vs. Wireless

Underground dog fences use a buried wire to define your dog’s boundary. Because you actually have to lay down the boundary wire, this involves a little more work in setting up the system, with an average installation taking a full day. But, what you get for your hard work is a boundary that is precisely shaped to your property. The other big perk is that these systems are very precise, the boundary line will be very consistent and it will be easier to train your dog on where the boundary lines lie. For these reasons underground dog fence system are by far the more popular choice.

Wireless dog fence systems are a little newer. They use a central base station that creates a circular boundary around your property. They are great for getting up and running quickly, you just plug them in and you are ready to go. They are also highly portable, you can just pick them up and move them to a new location, so you can take them to a holiday house. But these systems have a couple of limitations. First, you can only have a circular boundary, so they don’t fit well with most people’s rectangular property lines. Second, they are prone to interference, and can have a lot of trouble getting their signal out through your walls leading to a wonky boundary line. Finally, the boundary they create tends to be imprecise and can wobble a few feet from moment to moment. This inconsistency makes it harder to train you dog on where exactly the boundary line lays.

Most professionals would recommend that people training a dog for the first time start with an underground dog fence over a wireless. You will put in a bit more work, but you are going to be much happier with your results.

Disposable vs. Rechargeable Batteries

The collar on a dog fence is battery powered. Systems with a replaceable battery require you to buy a new battery every few months as the old battery becomes exhausted. Particularly if the battery is some kind of special battery, like the proprietary battery on the PetSafe small dog fence, the cost can quickly add up. However, these systems do tend to be significantly cheaper up front.

Rechargeable systems have a battery that can be recharged by plugging them into a wall outlet. This is a major convenience, since you never run out of batteries for the collar. It also tends to be a major money saver. If you go the rechargeable route, look for a system with a Lithium Ion battery like the Innotek IUC-5100. Lithium ion systems give you a longer time between charges and a longer battery life than the older NiMH systems.

We think the rechargeable systems are the better deal. Even though you pay a bit more up front, after the first or second year you will be ahead.

Training Materials

The final and most important ingredient for getting great results with your dog fence system is training. For a dog fence to work, your loyal companion has to understand what exactly you want him to do and for that they need training. With good training the dog will be safely contained. Without good training, the system is worse than useless.

Training is easy if done correctly so look for a system that comes with some good training materials. Some systems include a training DVD which is useful, but at the least you should get a well illustrated guide that will show you exactly how to get your dog comfortable with the system.

Many thanks to Dog Fence DIY. This was a sponsored post and all opinions expressed are those of the people at Dog Fence DIY.

Other articles you may find of interest:

1. A Look At Pain Relief For Dogs

This is a guest post from Eric at Dog Spelled Forward. Be sure to pay him a visit where you can find lots of information on Dog behaviour and much more. This is nearly the end of the Dog training Online series so if you want to submit a guest post to this Dog blog you only have a few days left in which to do so. Thanks to Eric for a great article.

When we are training our dogs, we start with a huge handicap right from the start: the communication gap. We speak in words and sentences, while dogs don’t really “speak” at all, at least not with nouns, verbs and indirect objects. They are, however, constantly providing information to the world via body language and behaviors.

There is one form of communication that we primates use that dogs can use in almost the same way: eye contact. Eye contact means you have my attention. When we call our dog’s name, what we are looking for is eye contact, very much the same way we expect it when we call a person’s name.

Eye contact is also something we look for in “impulse control” behaviors like wait and stay. A good handler is watching his (or her) dog’s eyes. If they wander, attention is waning and it’s time to regain it. If they meet with yours, you have your dog’s attention.

When we train these behaviors, we shape our dog’s behavior into giving us sustained eye contact. A good trainer never releases a dog from a wait or a stay without eye contact. Even in a “heel,” most trainers are probably more concerned with where their dog is looking during a heel than anything else. Where the eyes go, the rest of the dog is sure to follow.

A while back I was out walking one of my dogs, Gage, early in the morning. I was not feeling well and was not paying attention to him, anything else really. We walked across a long municipal parking lot that is always empty at that time of day to his favorite spot, to just outside the entrance. This is a very quiet area and Gage is probably my best loose leash walker, so I can get away with not paying attention.

We got to the far end of the lot and went through the smaller part of the entrance gate for people. The larger part (for vehicles) was closed and locked. After we went through, we stopped. I stood there for a moment, still under the influence of Nyquil and inadequately caffeinated. I looked down at Gage. His body was pointed across the entrance of the lot, directly at his favorite spot. He turned and looked me dead in the eye, as if to say “Can we go there? I really need to go.” We did, and he did.

We brought Gage into our home about 3 years ago. He was already 6 – 8 months old and terrified of everything, especially people. Getting any sort of eye contact from him was very difficult. Now, he uses it to tell me where to walk him.

We can’t hold a conversation with your dogs, but when we pay attention to the details we can truly communicate. Trying watching your dogs eyes the next time you work together.

Other articles you may find of interest:

1. Dogs vs Humans. The Race Is On! or Dogs Eat Chicken continued
2. Cats Are Better Than Dogs And Dogs Are Rubbish. Who Said That?
3. Online Dog Training- Tips To Help Quickly Train Dogs
4. My Dogs Clean Teeth
5. Fleas And Dogs