There are three types of assistance dogs- the hearing dog, the guiding dog and the service dog. All have the same purposes, to help people with disabilities with their life’s daily tasks. Service dogs go beyond helping people with hearing or sight impairment.

They could also be trained as seizure response dogs or mobility assistance dogs depending on the special training the owner needs. However, dogs could only accomplish such services if they have received proper service dog training.

TRAINING

There are two forms of training service dogs: self-training and program training.

Self-training, like most kinds of dog training, is facilitated by the owner themselves. While it could be harder than hiring a professional dog trainer, self training could enhance the relationship and interdependence of the owners and the dogs.

A number of dogs could be trained for service works. Some people choose to train their old pets as suitable partners especially f the dog has shown some tendencies to become good in medical condition assistance. However, some people obtain their dogs from dog breeders with training the dog for service in their minds.

Handlers of dogs could research on several techniques and procedures for training a dog for this particular purpose. There are a number of online resources and written literature on how to train a dog for service works. However, some people choose to hire professional organizations specializing in this field to do the work for them.

The main disadvantage is that the dog would learn on a faster pace due to highly developed techniques that these organizations have. However, training stops when the dogs were sent to their owners unless the dog owners are knowledgeable in this type of training. For owner-trained dogs however, training never stops.

Nevertheless, if the owner buys a dog from a breeder with the intention of making a service dog out of it, the breeder would first give prior training on basic commands such as sit, come, stay and no. Then, the owner would fill in the newer commands that he needs such as opening the door or turning off the lights.

On the other hand, program-trained dogs are especially bred and trained for service works. Normally, these dogs are trained for more than a year to get acclimatized on special situations and people to whom they are trained to respond.

Training could be administered in a number of ways. In United States, training could be administered by select prison inmates. This process has been proven to be of great value since inmates could facilitate proper training while improving their socialization skills in the process.

To avail of a service dog, the applicant must undergo an application and evaluation process. After this, the future owner will have to be listed on the waiting list while a dog fit for the specific services is being trained. Such dogs could be given without charge while some organizations will require the handler to pay some fees with or without financial assistance offered.

Once the owner obtains his dog, he has to work with the dog for sometime to get him used to the way the new handler deals with training. This could take a few weeks up to months. The dog needs to be sent back to the training organization to update training.

Service dog training does not only produce dogs that could be of good assistance to those people with disabilities. They are also good emotional supports and companions.

Dog is man’s best friend for so many reasons, among them is the animal’s ability to be of great help during occasions of emergency. Like obedience training and agility training there are several principles from various types of dog training must be observed when considering rescue dog training.

Obedience Training

Rescue dogs should be obedient at all times since any misbehavior could lead to defeating the purpose of rescuing. The practice of commands like heel, sit, come, stay, and jog exercises should be satisfactorily accomplished to help ensure the obedience of the dog to the handler and his commands.

Agility Training

Agility training is not only valuable for sports dog, it is also very useful for dogs that are intended for rescue works. In its basic sense, agility training helps develop the dog physically, allowing him to perform very difficult tasks that might also be encountered during rescue operations. With the aid of a good trainer, the dog should be able to negotiate a number of hurdles included in any agility training exercises.

Retrieving

Rescue works require relatively large exercise of retrieving capabilities. In fact, it is basically retrieving a person or items that needs saving. In order to practice the dog in this type of work, he should undergo a series of retrieving exercises that might include recovering wood, leather and other objects using the “fetch” command.

Right positioning while in training

Positioning in rescue training basically conditions the dog’s response in relation to the requirements of a specific exercise. This could be facilitated by using a good combination of inductive and compulsive training.

Training for positioning should start early while the dog is still a puppy. There are two kinds of positioning- the heel and front position. The former basically means that the dog should stand parallel to the trainer’s left foot while the latter means that the dog should stand in front of the handler while following an imaginary line passing between the legs of the handler.

There are two methods of training the dog for the right position to take. The compulsive method and the inductive method. The compulsive method, when used for the front position, will literally guide the dog to stay in front of the handler.

When used in conjunction with another command, say “sit”, the same principle applies- the handler should help the dog stand and sit in front of him parallel to his left foot when the heel position is being asked.

The inductive method, on the other hand, requires the use of dog treats or food in conditioning the response of the dog for both positions. For example, a handler could offer a treat to a dog before giving a command. If the dog is ready and takes the incentive, the handler should give a command first such as come, sit or down first before giving the dog a treat. However, this should only be given as a reward for following the given command.

While physical guidance is used in the compulsive method, it should only be administered firmly and gently but never in a harsh and injuring manner. Any harsh manners could become counterproductive for the training.

Rescue dog training is not just a single training; it requires the dog to master all types of training while being able to use the learned behavior as second nature.

Men rely on hunting dogs to retrieve their kills. Without them, the hunter will have to do all the work with no the assurance that they will be bringing something home at the end of the day. To make the work easier, the hunter requires the help of a well–trained hunting dog.

However, not all dog breeds could be adapted to hunting works and only specific trainings that promote hunting capabilities would bring out the best in a hunting dog.

But hunting dogs are not garden varieties that you could have whenever you want. They are trained and trained well for the demands of hunting. And oftentimes, training for the hunting dog breeds is a tedious and extensive process that requires knowledge and patience from the trainer and appropriate attributes from the dog.

What is the right breed?

As said earlier, not all dogs are fit for dog hunting. There are actually dog breeds specializing in this work and have long history of the particular service for men. In short, they are well adapted to the kind of works usually needed in hunting.

A hunting dog which will respond best to training are breeds like retrievers, spaniels and pointers- each of which have capacities that are unique to their breeds. It is up to the trainer to hone their capacities and use them for their right purposes.

In general, hunting dogs have excellent sense of smell for tracking purposes. Also, hunting dogs should be fit for outdoor activities and could easily be conditioned for training. The best candidate for dog training on hunting is a dog that has all of the said characteristics. The most common choices as hunting dogs are Labradors, Beagles, Bloodhounds and Dachshunds.

What dog to get?

One just can’t get a full grown dog and expect him to respond well to training. The best choice is a puppy since it has just started forming its behavior. Also, you need a dog that has affinity to his handler. This would not develop on its own. So you have to personally train your dog or at least train alongside your dog with a professional trainer.

What tasks are usually involved in the training?

There are six basic tasks that a good hunting dog should master. These are as follows:

a) Retrieving
b) Marking
c) Quartering
d) Shaking
e) Following hand signals
f) Steadying

What about gun fire and scent?

There are dogs that are sensitive or scared at hearing gun fires. So it has to get acclimatized through training. Typically, this is accomplished by conditioning the dog through a procedural way of introducing gunfire along with game birds.

This training will let the dog associate gun fire with game. If the gunfire is heard, the dog will know that there is a game. After retrieving the game, the dog will expect the next gunfire.

On the other hand, tracking is based on following the scent. There are as much scent as there are games so be sure to train your dog on a particular scent. If you want him to hunt deer you should get him used to deer scent.

Dog training for hunting is much harder than other forms of dog training. However, if your passion is hunting you would undoubtedly require the services of a well-trained hunting dog.

As a rule, agility training should start while the pet is still a puppy. However, owners could still facilitate training with older dogs. The question “when is the dog considered old for agility training” is central to choosing when to start training the dog.

Being “old” greatly varies from dog to dog, from the extent of a dog’s experience to the innate and natural tendencies it has. In short, there is no specific age at which the dog should be restrained from training.

However it is always far easier to start training with much younger dogs since their learned behaviors are still not rooted into their habits.

For choosing old dogs for training, the handler should not create the impression that the dog would no longer learn so there’s no need to waste time. The attitude of the dog as much as that of the trainer is both highly essential to faster learning. The more dedicated and patient the owner is the faster the dog learns.

There are several approaches to starting training for agility. A few of which are discussed here briefly:

Physical exercise

The introduction to agility training should start with physical exercises. If the handler has enough interest to dedicate on training the dog, the age will no longer matter for it is the condition that will rule over. Simple exercises like jumping or hopping may agitate the dog and encourage him to move a little bit. For puppies, these exercises are much easier to do since they have enough energy to use.

Let him play around

Like teaching little children, the easiest approach to agility training for younger puppies is to turn the exercises into a series of games. The majority of puppies are capable of passing through tunnels and chutes so take advantage of this chance and introduce the tunnels, obstacles and the training area itself as huge play ground.

This approach will create positive impressions on him which will also prepare him for future training.

Promote his agility

If you don’t have a sufficient area for setting up obstacle courses, it is best to use certain games that also encourage agility. Simple equipment like improvised tunnels or walls could be made to augment training.

Keep it short

Dogs don’t experience passion when it comes to activities but they have the innate desire to please their owners. This means that they don’t get devoted unless they are rewarded for good actions they have made and that you show your favor for their actions. Their attention span is also very limited so they could not continue training for extended hours.

If you want to start training your dog for agility, establish the rule that you should keep each training session and each lesson as short as possible. You don’t have to finish everything in one sitting. You should divide each exercise into sections that the dog could easily understand. Also never end with a negative note. Always ensure that the dog finishes each exercise with praise.

Training your dog for agility does not lie on how old or young he is, it lies in the foundation of responsiveness, independence, drive to work alone and to follow the command, and your desire to work with him with enough patience and knowledge of his capacities.

A dog owner should set his mind in the right frame if he wants to train his dog. This would prevent him from violating any dog rules, an act that could really detriment the dog’s interest on learning.

Following the rules of training will also prevent the owner from doing the things that could harm his relationship with the dog. There are certain rules in training that must be followed including the following:

Stay focused

Incompletion of a task usually leads to confusion. Ensure to it that every time you give the dog a command, both of you will follow through it. Refrain from being distracted every time you give a command.

Say you are asking your dog to sit. Once you give this command, be sure that both of you will see the end of it. Do not tug on the collar of your dog and stop halfway and be distracted. Always finish one command first then move on to the next.

The dog should sit completely and not just bend his rear legs. If you do not make this happen, the dog will think that next time you give the command it would be okay for him not to complete the task or to ignore it completely. Always stay focused, this way, you would eliminate the possibility of confusion and maximize the obedience to a command.

Rewards and punishments

Many owners are anxious to let their dogs hear a string of praises or be rewarded with several cookies instead of one whenever a command is accomplished. On the other hand, a lot of owners give too many punishments on a single wrong thing that the dog did instead of punishing him just once. Both could adversely affect the training of the dog.

Never over do the rewarding or punishing of the dog’s behavior. If you are using praises as reward, do not over praise the dog. Single “good boy” praise will do to recognize that you are in favor of what the dog has done. This should be said immediately after the command is accomplished.

In the same way, a single pulling of the check cord will be enough if the dog did not follow your command. This would send him the signal that something is wrong.

Overdosing the dog with either rewards or punishments will distract him from learning. He would only remember the praises or the punishments and not the thing he did or he did not do.

End with a positive note

For every training session, make it a point that the training will end with a positive praise. This would make the dog look forward to the next training since the last session fulfilled her need to please you. Also, ensure to it that the last command was accomplished correctly so that the dog is oriented properly to following commands.

Never lose your patience

Often when trainers don’t get the results they want, they get impatient with the dog. Then they do something really stupid that could spoil the training.

Training should be an enjoyable experience for you and your dog. If it starts to make you lose your temper and your dog a lot more disobedient, you should try to assess your pitfalls.

Dog training is really a difficult business. If you are not prepared for it, you could get help from dog training classes and instructors.

Dog training could be done in a number of effective ways. There are those that require the owner to be committed and patient while others require the use of harmful treatments. However, for a relatively reasonable and safe way of training a canine, professionals recommend the use of dog training using treats.

When using this method, the owner could chose either of the two rewards or punishments using the dog treat. When a behavior is favorable or a command is correctly demonstrated, the owner should give the dog a treat as a reward while punishment in the form of denying the dog the treat should be used only when the dog misbehaved or did not follow the command. The dog should get used to this kind of training until he learns to associate dog treats with pleasing behavior.

Uses
As part of a reward or punishment, dog treats could serve the following purposes:

• Encourage the dog to perform as commanded so that he would receive the reward.

• nEncourage active attitude, obedience and interest on the training in expectation of the reward.

• Praises, when used in conjunction with dog treats, will make the training a lot easier.

• This serves as a literal representation that the dog was able to please you.

• When praising does not work well with a specific dog, he might respond to dog treats.

When to use them
The best time to use treat training is immediately after the dog follows a certain command and exhibited a favorable behavior. He should learn to make a connection between good behavior to praises and treats. Over-using treats will usually spoil its uses and will make him dependent on it.

To make the most out of this technique, the dog should only be given treats during the learning phase. If he is not being trained, it is best not to give him the same treats as used for training sessions.

When teaching the dog a certain command, say “down”, the treat should be placed right on his nose while moving it slowly down the desired direction in accompaniment of the word “down”.

If he performs the command, the treat should be given to him as a reward plus a pat or an encouraging word or phrase, for example “good boy”. Repeat this routine until you could see that he already understands the use of the treat.

As you advance with the training though, you could try replacing the use of dog treats with praising or patting. The aim here is to make him follow the directions. You could use dog treats once in awhile but assure to it that he is not seeing the treat before he performs the command.

Types
There are dog treats that are as plain as cookies and used only for the purpose of reward. But there are special treats that could help in improving internal health, for digestion and even for cleaning the teeth of the dog.

Where to buy them
Dog treats could be bought in food stores, groceries, some specialty stores, pet shops and online vendors. These should cost anywhere from $5 to $30. There are very expensive treats though and some discount bulks that are nearly as varied as human snacks.

However, it could also be home prepared with recipes available online or from books.

Here are some tips that could give you the short cuts to training if used well:

Remember training should be fun – When something is strenuous for the dog, it is much easier to discourage him from doing the task. So be sure to incorporate fun and games into the exercises without defeating the real purpose of the activities.

Apart from filling each session of training with fun exercises, you should also make him feel that he is pleasing for you. Remember that dogs, by nature, only want to please their masters so be sure to acknowledge his efforts.

Positive and negative reinforcement – Use both types of reinforcements only when proper otherwise the dog will be confused. Positive reinforcement covers the use of praise, dog treats and taps while negative reinforcement, depending on the viewpoint of the handler, could be anywhere from punishing the dog harshly to refusing to give him the treat you have offered.

Sustain a no distraction training area – Dogs and puppies alike could easily get distracted by things that are not connected to their training. Always keep in mind that they could not sustain their interest on one thing alone so control the environment such that the dog will only focus on the activity. A secluded place such as an abandoned yard or a large, empty room could be good places to train the dog.

Complete the task- If you give a command be sure that the dog follows through it all the way. Never leave it half-baked otherwise the dog will think that it is ok not to follow your directions. If you gave the command ‘come’ to the dog, be sure to make him come to you completely.

Be firm and gentle – If you are giving commands, use a lower tone of your voice since dogs sometimes confuse high pitched voices with barking dogs. Be firm with the keyword you use but be gentle in the execution.

As much as possible, don’t use force or cruel techniques such as yanking the dog collar whenever the dog misbehaves. Actions like these would make the dog feel unsure of itself, making him lose his confidence.

Keep the training short – Bite size training works well with canines. There are two reason why dogs are incapable of learning for extended periods- one, they have poor attention span and two, dog’s retention capacity is relatively short so chunking the lessons into one session does not yield positive training.

The key here is to condition the response of the dog instead of flooding him with tasks and commands that his brain is not able to accommodate.

Be patient – Dogs just don’t learn as fast as we want them to learn. In fact, the faster we expect them to digest the training, the slower the process becomes. This is not because they become slower learners, instead the trainers become impatient with their dogs that they just want to fast-forward everything.

So be patient, nothing good ever came from rushing your dog’s training. Guide him as he learns at his own pace.

Train him as a puppy – If you train him during his old age, there is lower chance that he would learn easily. On the other hand, training him as a puppy would yield a better chance of grasping the lessons fairly well. The ideal age for training a puppy is when he is at his 6th to 8th weeks.

As he ages, training becomes more difficult due to the development of some habits that most owners dislike.

Any dog owner will tell you the importance of dog training. If you want your dog to be trained but you don’t have the money to pay a dog trainer, then your next option is to train the dog yourself. But before you can do this, you must spend time and effort to know how to do it.

Dog training can be a rather challenging job, but finding the right dog training supplies makes training a lot easier.

But before you start, make sure that you have enough time to spend. Dog training may take a few hours everyday. You must also identify the area where you will do the training. It can be in your backyard or in the park.

To find good training guides, you make an internet search. Here you can download articles and watch training videos found in some websites. You may also enroll in a training program that some websites offer. You may also visit pet shops and find good training kits there.

These are the same sources for training supplies. Before you purchase any supply, compare the products first using factors such as price, performance and usefulness.

The basic tool that any trainer should have is the collar. It can be made of nylon or leather, depending on the size and breed of your dog. It can also be an electronic collar. While this may seem dangerous, manufacturers swear that their product is safe. It also lessens the effort that you need to exert in resisting the dog’s movements.

There is also what is called a bark collar, which can control bad and excessive barking. These electronic tools make training easier, although it may cost quite a fortune.

Another tool is the leash. This is used when training the dog to walk. There are also other aids like harness, toys, food, whistles, clickers, bells, poles, and many others. The equipment that you’ll need depends on the training program or technique that you will use.

Positive enforcement is one technique that most dog trainers use. This may also be called a reward system, where dogs are given praise and treats after showing some positive behavior. However, on the flip side, you must not punish your dog if he misbehaves. Positive enforcement does not believe in the use of punishment to enforce discipline.

Most trainers will tell you that younger dogs are easier to train than older ones. This is because puppies are yet to take up any habit. Good habits must be established early on.

But this does not mean that older dogs cannot be trained anymore. Any dog can still be trained. It will just take more time and effort if they have already taken up some bad habits.

The key to success in dog training is in finding the best dog training supplies. But this does not mean that you need to have all kinds of aids available. With just a few pieces, coupled with adequate dog training knowledge, you can be successful in this endeavor.

Aside from these tools, you must equip yourself as well by reading dog training guides. Training your dog is not an easy job. But the feeling of accomplishment that you will have is sure worth the effort that you spent once you succeed.

Dog trainers, especially those who are not professionals in the field, usually confuse dog training with control. In any dog-man pair, the human always have the need to gain control. This is not really bad except that sometimes, the man abuses the privileged of control.

Dog training collars provide that control. While the intention is normally good- to remove unwanted (but instinctual) behaviors of the dogs for example- the process of training is sometimes incorrect and abusive of the dog’s weaknesses and the tools used for training are not well-adapted to the needs of the dog.

We, humans, often forget that dogs are individuals too. Some dogs are very aggressive and hard to control, some are funny and gives us much comfort and joy, others are just laid back and refuse to undergo training and some are naturally fast learners while others are slow learners.

Training collars were invented to gain enough control over the canines, however some people fail to adhere to the basic principles of these tools. Choke or chain collars, for example, are one of the very first tools invented to help lessen the tension between man and dog.

But there are people who overuse and misuse the choke collars. Some handlers are so harsh that many dogs experience neck damages and some even choke to death. In short the use of this type of collars is very dangerous, if not counter-productive.

Some handlers, on the other hand, lack sufficient knowledge on the specific collars that would work well with their dogs. For example, the popular choice of collar these days are the electronic dog collar due to its remote access to dogs which provide continuous “training” for even when the owner is not around. While this may be a popular alternative to old fashioned dog training collars, many people just don’t completely understand its disadvantages.

There are some very mundane reasons as to why collars could be, at times, counterproductive. For one, there are people who just don’t take the extra time to check if the collar is fit or not. With improper fitting, the collar could pinch the skin (especially the Martingale collar) and scratch it causing burning spots.

These are very uncomfortable to dogs as much as having skin lesions would make someone feel irritated. The rule of thumb for getting the right fit of collar for your dog is to allow two to three inches gap between the attached collar and the neck.

Another reason why dog collars could be potentially counterproductive is that they work on the principle of pain and fear and not really on discipline. Electronic training collars work by sending electronic shocks to the dog wearing it or unpleasant sound that will discourage the dog from barking.

Even when it proves to be efficient in delivering its purpose- to distract the dog from barking- the results are not as good. Why? Because the dog starts to lose its confidence.

Quick fixes for behavior control are more often than not tempting to use and leads to overdependence to control devices. While doing it the long way usually proves to be more valuable.

Therefore, before one chooses a dog training collar, it is recommended to do your research first so your dog’s comfort would not be compromised.

The truth is there are so many dog training schools that offer their services to anyone willing to pay them. The problem though is not all schools will meet your standards or your expected guarantees. Here are some points of considerations when trying to choose a good school for training your dog.

Reputation

Reputation has different meanings to different people- for some it is the capacity to yield good results regardless of the means, for others it is the popularity of the school itself which makes it highly recommended. But reputation, in general, is a good gauge as to how popular the name of the training school and the appeal of the training methods it uses. It also reflects how many people have trusted on them.

To find a school with excellent reputation you could ask around or search through websites. Veterinarians usually have several names of schools and trainers to give you, your dog breeder could also provide you with some references and ASPCA or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals can provide a list of registered names that are sure to use humane methods approved by the organization.

Methods of Training

Any self-respecting training school uses responsible dog training methods. The school must have equal concern to your dog as you do, treating your dog one of their own. Beware of schools that employ trainers who still use old training methods such as yelling or hurting the dogs for there exists many of this kind.

A good school should use humane techniques that promote positive training and limits the use of risky negative reinforcement techniques. The former covers praises and the use of dog treats in recognition of the desirable behavior while the negative reinforcement techniques include practices like alpha rolling, choking and yelling.

Sufficient knowledge

The knowledge on training of the schools must range from the oldest unreliable method to the latest training techniques for dogs. Having extensive orientation in this field would optimize the capacity of your dog to learn since it would be exposed to all possible trainings to which it could respond well.

In researching for training schools, secure information regarding the latest seminars that the trainers attended to and the up-to-date facilities they have. Remember that you would pay hefty amounts to get your dog trained, it is but proper that you and your dog receive proper compensation for your investment.

Another thing that you should keep in mind is that the school’s exposure to widespread training. There are schools that claim of specialization while others advertise that they have sufficient knowledge on all fields of dog training. Your choice should depend largely on the scope of knowledge the training school has.

Classroom Set Up

There are two types of classroom set-ups- group classes and private lessons. The main advantage of the group class is that it promotes socialization and good behavior in the presence of other dogs. Also, when the owner trains alongside his dog, the owner could benefit from exposure to other handlers’ mistakes and techniques.

On the other hand, private trainings could not yield these advantages. There is also a good chance that the transfer of learning and obedience to command given by persons other than the trainer is poor.

It is easy to pick any dog training school but choosing the right one for your dog could prove to be a tedious process.