How could anyone possibly argue that Dachshunds are not one of the all-time cutest dog breeds in existence? But don’t be fooled! Dachshunds, though incredibly cute, are not as easy to train as one might think. Cute little hot dogs? I think not! They are remarkably feisty and stubborn considering their almost comical shape and stature. Let’s have a closer look, why don’t we!

What Makes Dachshunds Different from All the Other Cute, Appealing Breeds in the World

Don’t be fooled into thinking that Dachshund Training is going to be easy. These little powerpacks require a great deal of patience as they happen to be among the most stubborn, feisty and independent dog breeds you’ll come across. Being determined by nature, they prefer to make their own decisions, go where and do what they want, and they’ll happily try to outlast you when it comes to getting their own way.

Try for one moment to ignore the “cuteness” factor and remember that your Dachshund is still a dog, an animal, and just like any other domesticated animal needs to be treated properly. Once you give in to the temptation to start treating them like your little baby, you automatically lose your Pack Leader status and become relegated to the rank of your Dachshund’s “pet human”.

Apart from suffering the torment of being harrassed by your wayward Dachshund, you also need to bear in mind that if you fail to train him correctly from the start, you will actually be putting him at risk of injury. Let me explain. Being the interesting shape that they are, Dachshunds have understandably vulnerable backs. If they climb on things or jump around too much, they are likely to cause themselves significant injuries. They possess far less suppleness and flexibility than other breeds and as a consequence, are less able to manouevre themselves in time into a safe landing position. Be assured however, that jumping and climbing, like other undesireable behaviors, are easy to correct.

The Basics Key to Dachshund Training

Providing your Dachshund pup with plenty of opportunity to exercise from an early age will help burn off excess energy – they were after all, bred as hunting dogs to dig out vermin from their burrows. If a Dachshund’s energy becomes pent-up, you will regret not making the effort to take them out for a run, as they will do their best to disrupt the household.

If your Dachshund gets to burn off that excess energy, on the other hand, your training efforts will be far more successful. Don’t forget, though, you do still need to be firm with him and carefully plan out your training routine.

Tips for Training Your Dachshund

Teach them the Basics first – Dachshunds have limitations, as already mentioned, when it comes to jumping and climbing, so start with the basic, comfortable commands like “sit”, “stay”, “down” and “come”. Whenever you need them to go up or down stairs, carry them to reduce strain on their backs and joints. Above all, never allow them to jump on furniture, not just because it’s unacceptable behavior, but because of the risk of injury.

Keep the Sessions Short – 5 minute sessions are fine for Dachshund training. If your Dachshund makes up his mind he’s had enough and doesn’t want to listen to you anymore, you have a hard time getting through to him and you’ll lose ground. In that important 5 minutes, you want to get as much achieved as you can before you lose his attention. Always finish on a positive note.

Don’t Underestimate the Benefits of Clicker Training – Dachshunds respond particularly well to clicker training and though they don’t have great hearing, they do respond well to the short, sharp sounds from a clicker. This method fits quite well into the 5 minute attention span mentioned above.

Rewards – Punishing stubborn behavior never achieved anything, whether applied to a human or a dog. With their inherently stubborn nature, Dachshunds will more likely respond to harsh punishment with aggression, rather than submission. It’s generally better practice to use positive reinforcement to reward your Dachshund’s good behavior. They absolutely love physical attention, not to mention doggy treats as a reward to pleasing their master.

Dachshund training is a trying experience. It will take time, effort and loads of patience from you, but most of all, don’t ever let your bundle of cuteness get the better of you. Once you give in to those puppy-dog eyes, you lose your pack leader status and you’ll have an up-hill battle trying to get it back.

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There are basically two schools of thought at the moment when it comes to dog training. The one belief is that you need to replicate as far as possible the wolf pack ethos, and the other is that you don’t. We know that all dogs originated as wolves and selective breeding has developed all the different types of dogs we see today. It is assumed that all the basic instincts of the wolf are still there somewhere in your dog. The “pack” school of thought believes that you have to establish yourself as the “leader of the pack” and your dog will follow and obey you willingly. As far as possible they believe in holding themselves aloof from their dogs, encouraging an element of respect bordering on fear. An experiment done with tamed wolves shows that when a wolf gets into trouble or difficulties, even though he has accepted human authority, he does not go to a human for help but rather struggles himself to sort things out.

A dog, on the other hand, looks immediately for help to his human owner. I believe that the relationship between dog and owner is unique, and nothing like that between a wolf pack leader and the wolves. The more loving you are to your dog, the more he loves you. If he disobeys you it is from misunderstanding, or lack of bonding. Get the bond right and the respect will come by itself. He needs to know without doubt what you will not tolerate, and with absolute clarity what you do want of him. In return, you have to know and understand his needs. There is indeed a lot of the wolf still there and you need to respect that. Whatever your personal philosophy is about packs and dogs, your dog training follows a similar route. As early as possible, start working with your dog. Handling, playing and gentle brushing can be done when he is just a few weeks old. Once he starts eating, a whole new leverage opens up to you. Most dogs love food and unless you live somewhere where there is a threat of poisoning, you should encourage him to take food rewards.

Also particular areas of their bodies where they love being scratched, such as between the neck and the shoulder blades. These things can be used as rewards to show that you are pleased with them. Never use them in conjunction with displeasure or punishment, though. Time and again I have seen a dog scolded for doing something wrong and then patted. How confusing is that! You have to find ways to communicate. This is the way you build up a common language with them. Your different commands should sound different. Your tone of voice and movements are more important than the words themselves. Even a really intelligent dog understands relatively few words. But he is a sharper reader of body language than even you are! Be consistent at all times. Dogs, like all animals, don’t like surprises. They like to know what to expect, and for you to be entirely predictable. This is the basic building block of trust. When dogs know, trust and love you and they understand what you want of them, they are almost unbelievably anxious to please. Once this basic relationship has been established, you can go on to whatever discipline of training you prefer. There are many. Basic home dog obedience, protection and police dog work, tracking, sniffing out dangerous substances or trapped or buried people, sheep herding, flyball, jumping and agility, blind dog training and other disabled helper functions, to name just a few.

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Your approach to dog training has a big impact on the actual training results that you will get. As long as you have the right mindset about dog training, you can be sure that your puppy will grow into a well-mannered dog that you can be proud of. Aside from having the right mindset, you would also do well to follow the most useful tips and tricks of dog training. Not all dogs are created equal – some are born to lead while some gladly follows the commands of the pack leader. Consequently, not all dogs respond to training in the same manner – some gladly do their tasks and exercises without giving you, the owner, a hard time while others will test your temperament to its limits.

Once you have learned a few techniques it should be enough to begin, you can start by curing the basic problems that most people have with their dogs, such as barking and biting. If your dog barks a lot at a young age it really is nothing to worry about how else is a dog supposed to communicate with you, but if he is showing aggression when he barks this may be a problem. You will need to start off by figuring out why he is barking. Maybe he needs to go outside or maybe he is hungry those are to common problems. The dog could also be frightened if this is the case figure out what it is that is causing him to be scared. Cure these problems and you will be one step closer to easing the amount of barking your dog does.

Leash training a dog can help tremendously when taking your dog out on a walk. A couple weeks of leash training should be sufficient to let the dog try to walk by your side without a leash. If things don’t go well, keep the leash on for another week and then try without the leash again. A dog will pull on a leash because of the pressure they feel when you pull back. Once your dog starts to pull, let out all the tension in the leash and go in the other direction. As your dog comes to your side quickly praise your dog and gather up the leash.

The basic principles of how to train a dog are positive and negative reinforcement. It can be difficult for new dog owners to learn how to properly train their dog. Remember to focus on the most important things first: aggression and obedience. It will be considerably easier to train an obedient dog.

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Despite their cute appearance, English bulldog puppies can sometimes be aggressive, and this needs to be nipped in the bud as early as possible, preferably before those big jaws and teeth do any real damage. English bulldogs act aggressive out of fear or because of their perceived dominance in your family. Bulldogs who fear strangers or your handling of them will bite out of fear. Those who perceive themselves as top dog can bite if you come near their food, toys, or objects that they are not supposed to have.

An English bulldog that has not been socialized will tend to fear strangers, so puppy training. should include socialization. Taking your puppy walking through the neighborhood or to a dog park or shopping center that allows dogs will help him or her see that strangers are not threatening. Try to expose your puppy to as great a variety of people as possible so that he or she will get used to people of various ages and ethnic groups. Classes in puppy training, in which puppies are taught basic commands such as sit, stay and leave it, can give your English Bulldog puppy a good chance to be around other people and dogs.

A dog who is fearful of you will also bite out of fear, so train your English bulldog using rewards rather than punishments. Instead of punishing your puppy for making a mess on the carpet, praise him or her for doing the right thing in the right place.

In nature young dogs jockey for positions as pack leader, second in command, and so on. It is natural for your English bulldog to try to become pack leader in your home, and if he or she feels like the alpha dog, it can lead to biting if you approach too close to your dog’s food dish or toy, or try to take your sock out of your puppy’s mouth. Good puppy training involves teaching your English bulldog that you are the pack leader. Eating your dinner before feeding your dog will show that you have dominance, because in nature the alpha wolf eats before the rest of the pack. Sleeping in your bed and having your English bulldog sleep in a smaller bed next to it also will demonstrate to your pup that you are the dominant member of the family. Training your English bulldog commands and giving rewards for good behavior will put you in the position of boss. Teach your English bulldog commands such as sit and down, and have the puppy sit or lie down before he or she is fed. If your puppy refuses to obey the command, withhold food until he or she obeys. Be sure your dog gets plenty of water during the time he or she is not eating.

Grooming can be a problem with an aggressive dog. Be sure to give your puppy lots of affection early in his or her life, so that touching will not be seen as aggression. When you groom your English bulldog, speak to him or her in a gentle, reassuring tone of voice so that your pup will not be fearful. If aggression during grooming continues to be a problem, a professional groomer might be the solution. Be sure to warn the groomer about your dog’s behavior.

Puppies go through a teething phase in which they will chew your socks, paper, furniture, and even you. Chew toys are available from your local pet supply store, and should be given to your English bulldog to satisfy his or her craving. When your puppy starts to chew the wrong thing, say, “leave it,” and offer the chew toy instead. Praise your pup when he or she chews the chew toy.

If your dog is still acting aggressive, biting and chewing the wrong things, then see a veterinarian or dog trainer for more advice. English bulldogs can be good pets with the right training and handling.

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Training Bulldog Puppies

Bulldogs have to be one of the oldest, most elite, pedigree breeds of dogs in modern day society. Since way back in the 1500s, Bulldogs have been a symbol of England, being generally brave, stoic and strong-willed. Hence, training a bulldog pup is usually a bit of a chore if your puppy is particularly pig-headed or inquisitive in your house.

Choosing Your Puppy

When choosing your Bulldog pup, be aware just how much general characteristics and traits make up this breed. Bulldogs are prone to numerous health problems, starting from the moment they’re born with a high rate of mortality. Pick out a puppy that’s not less than 8 weeks of age, is not at all aggressive and has a friendly nature. Ensure it’s in excellent condition with your vet, as there are a number of puppy-related health conditions that your bulldog puppy might have, especially with its ears or nose.

Training should commence from the moment your puppy is brought home, but, only if your dog is old enough and has had ample opportunity for socialization. If your puppy isn’t 10 weeks old, or it’s not been properly socialized with children, adults and other pets,especially dogs, be sure you do this as soon as possible to prevent the development of any unnecessary aggression issues.

Bulldog Puppy Training

When your puppy is old enough, start training with basic housetraining or house-breaking. Bulldogs can often be especially stubborn when young, so it’s strongly recommended that you utilize crate training from the start, and that you are home as much of the time as possible during house breaking. It will take a little longer than normal to complete the process of housebreaking, but once your puppy is broken, you will find that he is very careful never to make a mess in his home. Once you’ve established the basics, start creating an environment where you are the obvious and un-challenged alpha pack leader. Train your puppy not to nip or bite, using toys and a whining noise to indicate that it hurts. Don’t let your puppy jump on the furniture and never allow it to sleep in your bed. The crate should be used as often as possible in these first months at home as you stretch out how long your puppy stays in there.

Bulldog puppy training ought to move into the obedience phase somewhere between 3 and 6 months with concentration on simple commands like lie down, sit, stay, come (when called), wait, learning how to focus on you, and not pulling on the leash.

You will discover that a Bulldog can be quite skilled at tuning in to these cues, but may not initially want to follow your lead owing to its stubborn nature.

Using Bulldog Puppy Training to Protect Them

Because of their inborn curiosity and plucky nature, a bulldog puppy will try and explore as much of its home and the great outdoors as possible. Train them early never to chase vehicles, to stop and wait at the curb and to make sure they never run away from you when out in public. Never take a bulldog off its lead until you can be certain it’s going to return when called and that it won’t run too faraway from you. The dangers are generally higher with Bulldogs than they are with many other small dog breeds

Proper Bulldog puppy training may appear somewhat harder than normal when you first bring home your new little buddy, but in the end you will find that Bulldogs are amongst the most loyal, attentive dogs you could ever own. They will stay stubbornly by your side, following your commands and staying clean indoors. But, only if you introduce the rules early on and make sure they follow your instructions not just for a while, but always.

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Training a puppy can be a difficult, yet rewarding task. If done properly, you will be rewarded with a loyal friend for life. If done improperly, it can lead to frustration on both the part of the dog and the owner. One of the leading causes of learning disabilities in puppies is not due to defective genes or breeds, but to early separation from the dog’s mother. Because dogs have a much shorter life span than humans, they mature and learn at a much faster rate. A puppy learns more in the first 6 months of its life than it does in the remaining years. To break it down even further, many of the dog obedience training basics are not taught by the owner or trainer, but by the puppy’s mother.

In a natural environment, a puppy learns about social structures such as pack leader, dominance, etc from its mother at a very young age. The puppy learns that there are appropriate places to go to the bathroom, appropriate ways to act around the pack leader, and more importantly, patience. If a puppy is separated from its mother too soon, many of these vital skills are not taught and can make the foundation for training much more difficult to establish. Furthermore, a puppy with separation anxiety, generally brought on by early separation from its mother, will exhibit more aggressive behavior, destructive behavior such as chewing or scratching, or nuisance barking or howling.

So how do you know when it is too soon to separate a puppy from its mother? The general rule of thumb is that a puppy should not be separated before eight weeks, but it could be longer if certain signs are prevalent. These signs include, but are not limited to, abnormal dependence on the mother or failure to conform to social norms within the pack. If these signs are evident, the puppy still needs more time with the mother before being made available for adoption. Once a puppy begins to exhibit independent behavior, it is a good indicator that he is ready for adoption and will have better success during the training process.

Even once the puppy is separated from its mother, it still needs just as much love and attention as it got when it was inside the family unit. Its mother used to respond to its every whine and whimper, and in order to keep the puppy’s self esteem high, it will require you to do the same until it feels comfortable with you. Once you have created this bond however, the dog will see you as the one in charge and will respond better to your voice commands, function better in your home, and be less likely to develop separation anxiety when you leave the home.

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