Edmonton Directory For Pets: Free Edmonton Dogs & Puppies Directory
This free listings Edmonton dog directory is dedicated to Edmonton dog lovers, Edmonton dog trainers, Edmonton dog groomers, Edmonton dog walkers, Edmonton dog parks, Edmonton dog hotels, Edmonton dog boarding houses, Edmonton dog food, Edmonton dog breeders, Edmonton dog toys, Edmonton dog obedience trainers and other dog services in Edmonton.
Featured Company:
Sherwood Barks Dog Training & Agility specializes in Positive Puppy &
Agility Training. Sherwood Barks Puppy Obedience & Socialization classes
offer a fun learning environment for the puppy and handler. All classes
are presented in a ‘solution focused’ training environment. Puppy class
training focuses on rewarding positive behaviors offered by the puppies.
Puppy Level 1 Class Content:
1. Recalls – out of Play Breaks during class.
2. Socialization – builds confidence in Play with different breeds &
sizes of puppies
3. Manners – a calm quiet sitting puppy earns his rewards
4. Obedience – ‘one command = a rapid response’ Every command is
followed by a release.
5. Behavioral consults… re: typical puppy problems, ie. Jumping up,
nipping, biting,
6. Loose leash walking – no corrective methods such as, choke or pinch
collars are permitted in any Sherwood Barks class
The evolution of Dog Training: Dogs are NOT WOLVES…. They are canines
which have been domesticated for years, they are social, they understand
and thrive with structure, routine, consistency and lots of positive
re-enforcement. They learn easily to respect their humans when the
humans learn how to communicate clearly with the dog. The dog needs to
be taught what the expectations are of living happily in the human
world.
Gone are the days of ‘correcting our children’ and punishing them by
physical force. This same awareness of positive parenting is a
philosophy that holds true in training a new puppy. Children learn best
in a positive happy family with clear rules and boundaries. Puppies also
thrive when they know what is expected of them and they are rewarded for
their good behavior. Negativity, whining, jumping up are largely ignored
or the puppy/dog is given a brief time out. Unwanted behaviors will stop
with no reward, ie eye-contact, words, or rapid body movements
inadvertently given to re-enforcement behaviors.
Dog Training has many different objectives: creating a great family pet,
basic obedience training, specialized areas including law enforcement,
military, search and rescue, agility, hunting, working with livestock,
assistance to people with disabilities, entertainment, dog sports,
detection dogs and protecting people or property.
Searching for a Dog Training School? Do your homework!! Call and talk
with the trainer? Ask questions? Do they use harsh techniques? Do they
use positive methods, Is the training reward based? Do they use the
clicker? What is clicker training? Are the puppies/dogs allowed to
socialize? How long has the trainer been training? What is the
background of the trainer?
? Will you be told to use harsh corrections on your puppy, ie jerking
the dog with a choke collar? Is that a training style you want to use
with your young puppy?
Training Choices:
1. Traditional trainers: Typicall encourage the use of punishment, often
physically painful punishment, in order to correct dogs.
2.Dominance trainers: Believe all animals have an innate desire to
dominate others, and this dominating behavior needs to be punished. Pack
Leader Trainers follow this training methodology.
3. Positive Trainers: use the operant conditioning model…. Operant
Conditioning is a proven training methodology which focuses on the
positive and creates a happy, focused, obedient puppy. It has been
proven that is rewarded behavior will be repeated more frequently and
become part of the dog’s foundation. (Pavlov’s theory). The dog/puppy is
required to ‘think’ and offer the correct behavior. Correct behavior,
ie. Sit is reward AFTER the dog offers it.
4. Luring Trainers: This training method is often confused with positive
dog training. Steps in Lure Training
1. The food reward is shown first and used as a lure to get a wanted
behaviour, ie.sit.
2. Next the dog is given a verbal command.
3. The command is often repeated several times.
4. Reward is given after the behavior is given.
The difference is mostly in the scale, as positive trainers tend to
employ more reward based principles first, while traditional and
dominance trainers are more likely to punish unwanted behaviors first.
Puppies should attend puppy socialization classes as soon as they have
completed their second set of vaccinations, around 3 months. The sooner
the better.
In-home Puppy consultations are often a good choice. It is very
important that the puppy understands from day one what is expected of
him/her. Potty training, doorway training, crate training, automatic sit
& recall training, and manners should begin as soon as the puppy joins
his/her new human family. Always, ‘THINK BIG’ ask yourself the
question…. “Will, I think it is cute when the puppy is big…ie, jumping
up! Barking?”
A ‘Calm …… Quiet……. Consistent……. Fair……. Firm…… Positive ……..’ Dog
Owner
Creates A
A ‘Calm …… Quiet……. Consistent……. Fair……. Firm…… Positive ……..’
Puppy/Dog
Have Fun with Your Puppy!!! Train…… Play……Train…..Play….. is the key to
great Family Pet….!
Submitted by Jennifer Scheidt … owner & head trainer at Sherwood Barks
Dog Training & Agility. Edmonton, Sherwood Park & Area.