Anxiety | Dog And Puppy Training Tips And Advice

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Vizsla Crate Training

Want to know the best way to crate train your Vizsla?

You’re not alone. each year, millions of dog owners around the globe find out how to keep their dogs in a crate or separate room when they leave the house so they can reduce anxiety, damaging behavior and barking. It’s also an exceedingly valuable tool when making an attempt to house break a new pup and can make your life way easier if your Vizsla insists on sleeping in your bed or on the sofa. the method is also quite easy so long as you start with a pup between the ages of ten and sixteen weeks.

Why Dogs love Crates

In the wild, a dog will search out a small, safe space to burrow into which will keep them warm and safe. Dogs in natural settings live in dens, implying that the progenitors of your new Vizsla probably did to. A dog’s den is mostly a little, dark space where they can sleep safely, defended from the hazards of the wild. because of this, your Vizsla essentially comes to you inclined to liking the kind of enclosed environment a crate provides.

Combating Stress

Hungarian Vizslas are particularly vulnerable to separation anxiety due to their sensitive natures. nonetheless with correct crate coaching, they are less likely to exhibit this behaviour. This is because your Vizsla feels safe when in their crate and will therefore be much less inclined to work himself into a frenzy over your absence.

Toilet Training

Vizsla crate training puppies is also a good way to help speed up the housebreaking process. since a dog’s den is such a special place, they have awfully powerful instincts not to soil it. This is a very effective system for reducing overnite accidents and will help your dog build up bladder control faster.

Special Space

Setting up your Vizsla with his very own separate sleeping space is also a useful way of communicating to him his place in the household. Again, the explanation for this goes back to the way that dogs naturally interact in natural habitats. In a pack, the leader or alpha maintains his sleeping space separate from the remainder of the pack. If you do not show your dog that his sleeping place is separate from yours, he won’t be as sure to accept you as the alpha and take direction from you.

Overwhelm

Also, a Vizsla who is correctly crate trained will have his very own separate space to go when he feels overwhelmed or threatened. This helps to eliminate other unwelcome behaviors like aggression and can make your dog much more comfy with his place in the household.

How long does it take?

Crate training can take weeks and perhaps even months. Your Vizsla’s age and their temperament play a big role in this type of training. A bad past experience for your Vizsla, if he or she is an older dog, can inhibit this training also. the crate should always be associated with something good, and the training should always take place in very small steps.

What size crate should I buy?

The crate should be only big enough for him to sleep in. If he can walk around in it, he may make a mess in it. As long as the dog can turn around in the crate, it is comfortable for them, and not inhumane. It is a great idea to place something soft in the bottom of the crate.

Tip: an old unwashed t-shirt is a great addition as the smells of the pack leader will help comfort the Vizsla puppy.

Where should I put the crate?

It is best to place the crate in the family room where a lot of people will be.

At night, you should put the crate in your bedroom to give them a safe presence nearby. Eventually, after a month or so, you should be able to leave them in one place, but for now, be close to keep them calm and safe.

Step 1. Dressing the stage

When you start crate coaching Vizsla puppies, you must first permit them to become acquainted with the crate. Let them walk out and in, leave the door open and perhaps even feed them some treats within the crate. That way, they’ll begin to form positive associations with the crate and see it as a secure and comfy place.

If your Vizsla puppy refuses to go all the way in, that’s okay. do not force them inside the crate. You may want to put several treats into the crate until your dog will walk peacefully all the way in. If your puppy is not into the treats, you can use a toy or a “chewie” instead. It can take some time for your Vizsla to warm up to the crate. It pays to be patient. some dogs do develop crate hate but this can be solved as well.

Step 2. Eating in the Crate

Once you have introduced the crate to your Vizsla puppy you can start to feed meals near the crate. This will create an enjoyable connection with the crate. If your Vizsla is entering the crate comfortably when you begin this step, put their dish all the way to the back of the crate. If your Vizsla still won’t enter the crate, put the dish only as far inside as they will readily go without getting scared. each time you feed them, place the food further to the back of the crate.

Step 3. Closing the Door

Once your Vizsla has become comfortable enough to eat meals in the crate, close the door while they are eating. Open the door as soon as they finish the food. with each feeding you can leave the door to the kennel closed for a few minutes longer. If your Vizsla begins to cry to be let out go a little slower with the time spent with the door closed.

Note – You have to be certain not to let your Vizsla pup out of the crate while he’s still making noise and carrying on. This could quickly sabotage your whole crate coaching programme as it will lead your puppy to believe he will be able to get what he would like simply by whining.

Step 4. Working towards leaving

Once your puppy is comfortable eating in the crate, you need to start to increase the time they spend in the crate. This doesn’t mean that you just toss him in there, shut the door and stroll off however. This may cause your puppy to form negative associations with being in the crate as he will associate confinement there with your absence.

Rather, the most effective method for crate training your Vizsla is to remain where they can see you when you first constrain them to their crate. So sit near the crate for about ten minutes and then go into another room of the house for a little while. When you return, sit by the crate again for a few minutes. Let the puppy out of the crate and repeat the process several times. Gradually increase the time you leave them in the crate and the time you are out of sight.

Step 5. Leaving

Once your Vizsla will stay calmly in the crate for about 30 minutes at a time with you out of their sight the greater part of the time, you can begin leaving them crated when you’re gone. You can even let them sleep in their crates at night if you wish.

Conclusion

The crate training process can be an intense one and it may take a long time to accomplish. the big tip with this type of training is to keep calm and avoid becoming overwhelmed. the training, if repeated enough, will come in time.

WARNINGS:

1. be prepared to answer questions from friends, family and neighbours who may view crate training as cruel – just refer to ‘Why do dogs love crates’ section above.

2. do not leave your Vizsla inside a crate for very long periods of time. Particularly, outside in warm weather. Common sense applies here.

3. always ensure that your Vizsla has access to water when left alone.

As there are many considerations in this and other types type of training, I recommend you seek the advice of a professional dog trainer. That’s why I recommend Secrets to Dog Training by Daniel Stevens, a professional dog trainer. he has written an amazing guide that will help you get your Vizsla trained in no time at all.

Vizsla Crate Training

Problems crate training adult dachshund?

My husband and I adopted a 7 year old dachshund from the Humane Society and he can't be trusted home alone because he eats all the cat poop out of the litter box and soils the house. we have started to crate train him with the assumption that dogs won't soil their own bed, but if we leave him alone we come home to shredded bedding and poop smears all over the cage. when we are home he does not have accidents in the house. we have had him for three weeks. what can we do to stop these "accidents" in his crate?

you should make sure he is out for at least 15 minutes before you leave and don't leave him in there for more than 1 hour at a time if your not home. he is probably having anxiety if he was ever abandoned maybe he is afraid of that happening again. try leaving him with people you know so that he isn't alone. maybe a friend or relative?

the best thing is to let him have a small room of your house (like a spare bathroom) and that will serve as his giant crate, you can gate him in when you wish etc, etc. See the article below.

Best wishes!

Take him for longer, brisk, walks (as opp to letting him out) for about 30 minutes, twice a day. Walking like this stimulates the dogs plumbing to eliminate his wastes. an empty dog is a well behaved dog!

Problems crate training adult dachshund?

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A Puppy Crate – Your Help In Housebreaking Puppies

When you have a puppy in your family and you want to housebreak it, then you must know that using a puppy crate might be the best solution for you. Besides for housebreaking, they also come in handy when you are doing other kind of training, like overcoming seperation anxiety.

You can find a lot of books on the “using dog crates for training” subject, but what I think is missing in most, is good information on the crates themselves.

As you might have discovered by now, there are a lot of different crate types on today’s pet market. Some of these are created for different training options, others are fit for travelling with your puppy and others are build to do both. You can even get a crate for air transportation.

So, let’s look at the puppy crate.

The two popular types are either the wire crate or an airplane crate. other options are wooden crates or thick polyester ones, but those aren’t as popular. Let’s examine each type a bit closer.

Wire cratesAs you might have gathered from the name, a wire crate in constructed out of wire. If you ask my opinion, I have to tell you that I think this type is the best when it comes to training your puppy. Let me tell you why:

* it offers great ventilation* lots of visibility* it’s constructed out of metal, so it will last much longer then other crate types.* due to the open design they are much easier to clean.

Airplane puppy crateThis type of crate is constructed out of a thick plastic, with solid walls and ceiling and they look like cat carriers. They have two advantages over wire crates:

* with the solid walls and ceiling your puppy will be more secure, or at least feel more secure* these kind of crates are the only ones that are allowed on planes.

But even with these advantages, I would still recommend the first type for housebreaking and other puppy trainings.

Polyester and Wood cratesJust like the airplane crates, you will find that polyester crates have a solid ceiling and solid walls. They are constructed out of a light material, which makes them easy to use for transportation, but it also makes them less sturdy then other puppy crates.

There are dog owners that will choose for a wire or an airplane crate at home, although for traveling they use the polyester crates.

A wooden crate will either be made out of solid wood or out of metal and wood. They look similar to crates made from wire, but they have a “richer” look and will be more like furniture then a puppy crate.

These 4 are the major puppy crate types. consider your needs and it shouldn’t be too difficult to pick out the one that fits you.

Crate Training

A Puppy Crate – Your Help In Housebreaking Puppies

Crate Train Your Dog – Learn How to Do It

It is of the utmost importance to crate train your dog. if you can crate train it, it will be better prepared for housetraining, aggression training, and car transportation. It will also reduce stress and anxiety in your dog. Crate training leads to easier training down the road.

The way crate training works on a dog is pretty simple. a dog naturally does not want to soil the place where it eats and sleeps. With your dog in its crate, it will do its best to not soil the area. But you have to take him outside about every 45 minutes for a bathroom break. a dog will naturally not want to soil in their space, but if left there to long, they will eventually not be able to stop themselves.

Make it a routine to take your dog outside every 45 minutes, and afterward be sure to praise him. Give the dog at least 5 minutes to decide whether it wants to eliminate.

You can also give a treat for every successful trip. Don’t show anger if the dog makes a mistake indoors or in its crate. It won’t really understand why it’s being punished. instead, reward your dog for good behaviors.

If you can’t be around your dog/puppy, you should keep it in a crate. You can give your puppy treats while it’s in its crate to associate being in the crate with a positive experience.

You must be sure that someone is available to allow your dog out of the crate while you are away. The dog could be set back in its training by weeks if you do this. only put your dog in its crate when you are home, or when someone else is there.

Be sure to note what time your dog decides to go. You can reward your dog with play, praise, food, etc. allow your dog to roam free as a reward for eliminating outside.

If there is an accident, be sure not to be angry with the dog. Accidents happen simply because the dog was left unsupervised. It is up to you to be sure that the dog is always in its crate when you need it to be.

After a few months of crate training or less, your dog will have the habit down, and you won’t have to worry about soiling your home while you’re away.

Crate Train Your Dog – Learn How to Do It

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Help! I Have a Dominant Dog

Dogs have a very strict hierarchy within their pack. it is a basic part of their instinct to establish their place within the pack and then respond to that place accordingly. Dogs need this order – a dog that does not know where it is in the pack is prone to stress, bad behaviors, and anxiety. as much as you may adore your dog, it is healthier for your pet and you if your dog knows its place within the pack and is not treated like an equal.

One of the main problems with this is, as pet lovers, we want our dog to feel as though it is a member of the family. Unfortunately, this can lead to some very undesirable results – namely the raising of a dog that thinks it is the dominant pack member. think about it: You are the one that needs to feed your dog, you are the one that cleans up after it, and you are the one that responds to its requests. your dog has every reason to believe that it is the one in charge, not you, and it will respond to those feelings accordingly.

How to Tell if your Dog Thinks it is Dominant

Dogs that believe they are dominant tend to display a number of unwanted behaviors. Because they are “in charge,” anything that you may do to challenge the pack leader will result in punishments. some of the ways to tell if your dog thinks it is pack leader include: o your dog will not obey its commands. o your dog will ruin items of yours when it does not get what it wants. o your dog tries to take your food and shows aggression when you eat first. o your dog stands on your foot (this is a sign of dominance between wolf packs). o your dog barks at you or bites to get your attention. o your dog starts to “hump” your leg or body even after it has been fixed.

All of these are signs that your dog may think it is the dominant member of the pack. If you want to stop any of these behaviors, it is not a matter of simply telling your dog “no.” your dog sees no reason to listen to you, since it is the one in charge. Instead, you have to establish your own dominance, to show your dog that you are in fact the true pack leader.

How to Establish Dominance

There are many different ways that you can establish yourself as pack leader. try each of these methods and your dog will very likely start to realize its place in the pack. 1. give your dog a command before you give it anything it wants, including food and toys. Only provide what your dog wants once it has listened to the command. 2. Trick train your dog – a dog that is constantly listening to commands to get treats is clearly not in charge. This is one of the most underused tools for obedience training your pet. 3. Completely ignore barking and other bad behaviors. Remember, turning to your dog and yelling “no” is still giving your dog attention. 4. always keep your dog off of your bed. Only the pack leader gets to decide where he sleeps. 5. always feed your dog last, after the whole family has eaten. make sure your dog can see you eating first. 6. If it is safe to do so, do not back down when your dog exhibits bad behaviors. You are the one in charge, and if you give in to your dog’s commands, you show it that it has the power to dictate what to do.

With enough time, your dog will learn that it is not in charge. But remember – you must stay firm. If you leave any ambiguity in terms of whether or not it is acceptable for your dog to behave a certain way, your pet will not understand what it needs to learn. be firm, and show your dog that you are the pack leader, and your dog is the one that should be submissive to you.

Help! I Have a Dominant Dog

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Some Reasons Why Dog Crate Training My Dog A Good Plan …

Getting your k9 used to going into a cage will provide him with a protected and safe place. In addition, if you wish to travel with your pup or simply just take your pet to a vet you may have to place him in a dog crate and if he’s already used to the dog crate, this is often an additional bonus. In case your pet is needing house training, a crate can help in a very big way.

If you’re going on a vacation with your pup, regardless if you are driving or taking a plane, you’ll want to think about a dog crate. The fact is, if you want to fly on an airline with your pup she will need to be in a crate and won’t that be easier if he or she already thinks of his or her crate as a home? Getting your pup used to and even welcoming a cage will certainly make it a lot easier when you have to travel.

If you are not bringing your puppy with you on vacation, you might have to board her someplace, and whenever he is being boarded, he is destined to be in a crate or a cage. Obviously, he’ll probably be afraid of this new circumstances and scared because you aren’t there, but when he’s already accustomed to being in a crate and considers it a secure place this will likely significantly help towards relaxing his anxiety.

Crates can also help in the course of potty training. The idea is well-known that canines will not soil where they rest, therefore if you wish to prevent your dog from going in the house, using a dog crate is the best choice. However, it should be noted that you must look at your pet’s bodily needs above all and you need to realize that he can only hold it for so long especially if he’s a pup. It would be cruel to put your canine in the cage for ten hours while you are at the office when you learn he can only hold it for five hours. This would merely be asking for failure.

Furthermore, you ought to select a crate that’s small enough so that your canine can’t find a faraway corner to do his “business”. Crates should only be used for house training if you can keep an eye on your canine friend and let him out if you recognize he’s showing the signs that he must go.

Having a cage available for your canine satisfies his natural intuition. In the wild, canines like to reside in dens or sleep within safe areas. Your pet’s crate will be able to act like a den to provide your pet the security he wants right in your house.

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About the Author:
One of the highest quality dog crate training methods could be the wire dog crate. To find the ideal crate for your canine, come see my personal collection of pet crates.
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Some Reasons Why Dog Crate Training My Dog A Good Plan …

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Tips on crate training a new puppy?

Okay so 2 weeks ago, my family bought a Weimaraner puppy. Shes 8 weeks on saturday. We are going to crate train her, but things arent going the way we want them too. First off, when you put her in a crate, She screams! you cant keep her in there for more than twenty minutes because she’s so noisy. It’s been two weeks and she still has not got used to that crate. We have been putting her in there since the first day we got her, and she still screams. the only way she will be half quite is if my mom sits right next to the crate. (yes, she’s very attached to my mom.) were afraid she’s already getting seperation anxiety! We dont put her in the crate all the time, only when she is getting herself into trouble which is most of the time. I dont know if we are not crate training her right or not, but somethings not working with her! please, can anyone give me some tips that they have used? Thanks!

Tips on crate training a new puppy?

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Training | Crates 'n Cages Blog

Lengthen the Crating Periods

With your dog eating his regular meals in the crate with no sign of fear or anxiety, you can confine him there for short time periods while you’re home. To start, call him over to the crate and give him a treat and give him a command to enter, such as “kennel” or “kennel up.” With a treat in your hand, encourage him by pointing to the inside of the crate . Once your dog enters the MidWest Dog Crate, praise him, give him the treat, and close the door. Do the following:

Sit quietly near the crate for five to ten minutes.
Go into another room for a few minutes.
Return and again sit quietly for a short time.
Let him out of the crate.

Repeat this process several times a day, gradually increasing the length of time you leave him in the crate and the length of time you’re out of his sight. Once your dog will stay quietly in the crate for about 30 minutes with you mostly out of his sight, you can begin leaving him crated when you’re gone for short time periods and/or letting him sleep there at night. Depending on your dog’s temperament, this may take several days to several weeks to transpire.

Next Time – Step Four-A – Still Longer

Training | Crates 'n Cages Blog

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Scaredy dogs: Helping thunder-phobic pets

May 6, 2010Scaredy dogs: Helping thunder-phobic pets

Senior LookoutAnne Springer

Thunderstorm season is upon us, and while most of us have outgrown the fears of thunder and lightning that we might have had as children, there are often some smaller, furry members of our households that are virtually petrified whenever the rumbles and flashes start.

If you have a dog that is afraid when it storms, you are familiar with the shaking, salivating, seeking of cold places to lie, and whining that these canine scareddy dogs can exhibit.

It’s sad to see your best doggy friend so upset. So, what’s an owner to do? Unlike people, dogs tend to get more scared of this phenomenon as they age, so it’s important to do something. The first thing to do is become a base of security for your dog. That means not changing your demeanor or routine because a storm is approaching.

Realize that dogs can hear thunder farther off than you can, and they will often react before the storm arrives – if your veterinarian prescribes medication to help with your dog’s anxiety, be sure to ask if you should administer it ahead of time, or even seasonally, rather than waiting until the dog is already in a panic.

You’ll want to provide a safe haven for your dog. Often, that means a darkened room, bathtub (believe it or not, many dogs seek the tub themselves when it storms) or even the basement. Training your dog to go to his “secure spot” to be entertained with a stuffed Kong toy well in advance creates a feeling of well being in that spot that your dog can use to help himself calm down better. Dogs love routine. However, in this case, using the dog’s crate might not be the best place, as some dogs will panic when confined. You just have to know your dog and do the best you can to make the place a safe one.

There is a dog-appeasing pheromone, with no negative side effects, that has shown some promise in helping dogs remain calmer. It comes in a diffuser or as a collar that the dog can wear. It’s called Comfort Zone D.A.P., and is sold at most major pet retailers, as well as the smaller pet boutiques.

Another recent invention is the Thundershirt (http://www.thundershirt.com/). It’s relatively inexpensive, uses no drugs, and has helped many dogs, not only with storm anxiety, but with reactivity (dogs that react with fear at the approach of humans, other dogs, or scary objects).

You can also attempt to desensitize your dog to loud noises, such as thunder, by using recordings of the noise, played first at very low volume and paired with the delivery of a scrumptious treat or playing a tug game. Here’s an article from a Belgian trainer outlining, in simple terms, how this game works: http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2001c/perspective.htm.

CDs of thunder and other loud noises are available at: http://www.calmaudio.com/.

If you cannot seem to solve the problem yourself, you can find a behavior professional at http://www.animalbehavior.org/ABSAppliedBehavior/caab-directory or at http://www.iaabc.org/suchen/.

If you are a senior, and your dog is thunder phobic, you can also get referrals, or obtain advice, from SeniorCare’s Pawsitive Connections’ non-profit program at 978-281-1570 x313.

Anne Springer is the public relations director of SeniorCare Inc., your local area agency on aging. To reach SeniorCare, call 978-281-1750.

Scaredy dogs: Helping thunder-phobic pets

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Doggie dilemma…am I wrong>?

I can no longer trust my Adopted Puppy with anything in her crate. I rescued her from the shelter almost 3 weeks ago and I have been noticing some behaviors in her that are very upsetting.1st – I think someone abused her physically 2nd – she is a very strong chewer3rd – she has become a velcro dog and when I leave she cannot deal with it.Details: I only crate her @ night or if I leave to go to the store & no one is home. Today I was gone for 45 minutes I left her with her nylabone and her Kong toy—> and she had demolished her huge dog pillow , urinated in her crate (I made sure she went before I left so I feel it was behavioral), and I am a Stay at home Mom so she is always looked after. I cannot trust her with towels or anything for that matter and she is 8 months old now.I have done everything possible to rid her of excess energy (we went to the park yesterday & we play fetch 3 times a day)… I am worried that now I must crate her with nothing soft and I feel terrible:(Any Good advice would be greatly appreciated… or ever words of encouragement because my husband is going to Flip out when he finds out what happened.I already do the obedience training as I have trained many dogs but I think she needs a really good behavioral trainer – if there is such a thing. I do not want to give her meds to rid her of the anxiety – I worked for a vet years ago and it isn’t the route I wish to take. I need to start saving my $…Thank you all for your help.

Doggie dilemma…am I wrong>?