Being a full time puppy trainer I often find myself talking to adults whose very own children are as we talk are destroying the house - (the children know fine well that mum and dad are tied up with the dog training) If only the children knew how the dog training was going to change their lives! After a short time explaining how to go about controlling the dog's behavior I see the penny start to drop and then that famous line... "WE SHOULD TRY THIS ON THE KIDS!"

Now for anyone asking what dog training methods have to do with raising children I will try to suggest a few. The first is simple, everyone is keen to avoid pain and seek pleasure, food, shelter and safety.

My dog training consultations usually start off with reminding people of the fact that you are living in a pack situation with your dog. Just like the family situation, it is the parents at the top who make the big decisions and bring much needed stability to the whole pack, (not every decision but the ones that matter).

In almost all of the houses that I visit the dogs think they are in charge. When they misbehave, the decisions obviously seem like the right ones to the dog, but are mistakes as far as we are concerned. At the crucial time they are not listening to the pack leader but are doing their own thing. It is a holistic approach to winning back control and there is no magic wand, it looks at the way we feed, walk, interact and look after the dog. Every single interaction you have with your dog is important in building trust and respect to the relationship. Sound familiar?

Part of the skill in parenting and dog training actually lies in knowing which decisions you should make and which ones to let go! Clearly letting your child chose the flavour of their ice-cream is fine but the colour of the new car may be a step too far.

I am no child psychologist but the children's need for rules, boundaries and limitations are well known, and guess what - it's the same with dogs! Showing consistency and calmness even in those difficult situations when all you want to do is scream can be difficult but is important.

Then there are those two oh so important words trust and respect. Both are required in any good relationship, be it between two humans or a dog and a human. If your dogs trust and respect you, then you are at a huge advantage when showing your dog the way. Sadly many people still see the physical punishment as the main way of training their dog and maybe a few rewards, but the truth is that hitting the dog is never necessary. When you understand the conflicting messages that you are giving your dog then you will start to understand the confusion that you are creating.

It is clearly far better to have your dog follow you out of choice not fear. There are leaders and then dictators, the people follow the orders of both but love one and despise the other.

So next time your dog seems to be doing something strange think about it. I can guarantee that in your dogs mind it makes perfect sense - They probably don't see you as the person in charge and you simply can't see their way of thinking.

If you could you would probably laugh at yourself and realize what I do every day......that often we humans are not quite as logical as we think we are !

Looking to find the best deal on dog training, then click here to find the best dog training advice for you.

• Dog Repellents Ideal for Your Use by Charlie Duff Dog repellents are being used all over the world to chase away annoying dogs. We all know that dogs are dubbed as mans best friend. Pet dogs understand the behavior of their master well. Most of us consider them as a family member by people who keep......
• A Tough Question - Should I Crate Train My Dog? There is still some disagreement about whether or not crate training dogs is the right way to go. Crating a dog involves keeping them in a cage just slightly larger than themselves, usually a plastic or metal one for a time, either at night or during the day. The......
• Ways To Make Your Pet Dog Stay Happy Having pets is not an easy chore. You have a lot of duties to accomplish so that they can mature into well-bred animals in the later years. These duties include gratifying their basic requirements as well as their caprices. From their chow to their protection, from their grooming to......
• Yorkie Dog - What You Need to Know by Louie Lindsay The Yorkshire Terrier makes a wonderful companion for most people, as they are loyal, friendly and amusing to be around. General Appearance and Description Yorkies are popular with people who enjoy being able to take their dogs with them everywhere. It's believed that the Yorkshire Terrier was......

• An $8.00 Bottle Of Soap That Cleans Your Entire House...Including You. Did you know that for only $8.00 or so, you can get a giant bottle of soap that will clean your kitchen counters, your hardwood floors, your tub and sink, wash your hair, shave your face and clean your children? Yep, you can; if you don't mind your soap coming......
• Woman's Best Friend? by Amelia Grey, guest blogger I am going to go out on a limb here and expose the real Amelia Grey.  I am not a dog person.  Don't get me wrong, I think dogs are cute, but I didn't grow up with a pet in the house so I've......
• Triathlon Training 101 Given your background, do you know which triathlon training program is going to be ideal? Where does one even get started? We all come from vastly different injuries, backgrounds, genetics and so on and so forth, so there is no one size fits all solution to planning for a triathlon......
• Find Earth Day 2008 Celebrations Near You And Some News To Go. Today marks the 38th anniversary of Earth Day, which started in 1970 to raise awareness of the issues surrounding our environment. Now that green has made it mainstream, this year's celebration is sure to be big! If possible, try to attend an Earth Day event in your area and start......

	Beginning Family Dog Training List Price: $11.95 Sale Price: $5.50 Used From: $0.70
A must have for any dog owner, this user-friendly and engaging book employs gentle and effective methods rather than punishment-oriented techniques that so often lead to aggression. Covering commands from sit and down to heeling and coming when called, this book explains how dogs communicate, think, and learn in order to train them effectively with scientifically-based, humane methods...

	Pet Parade Dog Repeller and Training Aid List Price: $24.98 Sale Price: $10.30 Used From: $10.99
Eliminates barking and annoying behavior by emitting a piercing ultrasonic tone that pets hate, but humans can barely hear. Stop dogs from jumping, barking and biting.

Written by Doggy Dan using tags: dog training, Pets, puppy training