Basic obedience training is the precursor to more complex commands. A search and rescue dog, for example, would not be capable of the complicated task of victim retrieval if it was not able to follow simple sit and stay commands. These basic instructions should be taught in order to build a foundation for further training. Positive reinforcement is the easiest method to make a connection between and action and a pleasurable consequence. Communicating a desired action is not taught with correction. Instead, correction is given when the dog strays from the command, and reward is given when the action is accomplished successfully.

“Sit” is the easiest command for a puppy to learn. The word and hand gesture that is chosen to convey the command should be simple and consistent. A closed forward facing hand works well. Dogs are capable of following multiple word commands, but they really tune in to the one key word and hand signal. To teach a dog to sit, get its attention with a treat. Hold the treat over its head, and say in a low slow voice only one time “sit”. Draw out the word so that it is clear. Move the treat forward passing over the dog’s head as the command is given. Looking up at the treat will naturally cause the dog’s hind end to lower. If the dog turns without sitting, or if he jumps up to retrieve the treat, do not give the reward. Stop, look away, and start over. As soon as his rump hits the ground, give the treat with a ridiculous amount of praise. Make the consequence very rewarding. Afterward, wait a few minutes, and repeat the procedure. Practice the command about five times, two to three times a day. When the command is well understood, give only the hand signal to teach a response with or without a verbal command. This will provide very useful if the situation is distracting or if the dog is out of earshot. Reinforce the command every time the dog is fed a meal. The dog should sit before the food is placed into the bowl.

“Down” is the next logical obedience command to teach the puppy after “sit” is well established. Start by having the dog sit using the closed hand signal method along with the verbal command. Move the hand down and open it, palm facing the ground. “Down” is said one time in a low slow voice. The dog’s nose will follow the hand in anticipation of a treat. After the dog is lying completely head down on the floor, give a treat from the free hand, along with with a ton of praise. This command should be practiced verbally and with a hand gesture alone in the same manner as the sit command. “Sit” and “down” should remain separate commands.

“Stay” is more complicated to learn. The duration that the dog will actually stay will be very short at first. Praise and reward should increase as the dog displays more effort. Begin with the sit and down commands, followed by an upward facing open palm with the arm extended. A sharp “stay” will alert the dog that this command has changed from the “down” instruction. Keep the hand out and slowly back away two to three steps. If the dog follows, step forward, and repeat the “stay” command and gesture. When the dog is receptive, slowly lower the hand to your side. Repeat the stay command as necessary to reinforce the behavior. After a short period of time, eventually increasing the duration, say “okay” or “come” to allow the dog to receive treats and praise. The command to “come” can be quickly taught in the follow up to “stay”.

Training more complicated instructions can be built upon these simple commands. As stated before, a dog can not be expected to perform a complex task before understanding these basic concepts. Keep in mind that training provides the dog not only instruction but also reassurance that he is performing his expected job. A good foundation of positively reinforced training will minimize the need for discipline.

Signs of separation anxiety include hypersalivation or drooling, inappropriate elimination with or without coprophagia, destructive chewing or scratching at exits from the house or crate, and incessant howling and barking. A puppy may seem impossible to housebreak when separation anxiety is a factor. They may have accidents in the crate which goes against the idea that a dog will not soil its den or bedding.

Desensitization will require very short stays alone before anxiety is at a peak and then positive reinforcement with praise and treats for appropriate behavior. This may require that the dog is comfortable sleeping in a crate even when the owner is in the next room. Baby steps are key. An extended time alone may cause the pet to revert to the separation fear. Also, the act of leaving the house should be uneventful. Triggers that induce stress include keys jingling, packing purses and luggage, etc. These signals must be avoided. Never reward inappropriate behavior with consolation. This may become an emotional trigger as well. The crate itself also can become a trigger of stress, and the goal of crate-training is not to lock the dog up every time you leave. It is a tool to teach a schedule that helps the dog establish boundaries.

For dogs with severe separation anxiety, medications are available to curb stressful emotions. They will rarely work alone without a behavior modification regimen. Some dogs respond better to one medication than another, but they include clomipramine, fluoxitine, and amitriptyline. A veterinarian must prescribe these drugs, and they often have withdrawal periods. They should never be stopped “cold-turkey” unless instructed to do so by the doctor. Never-the-less, these anti-anxiety medications can help tremendously when trying to desensitize a dog’s stress triggers.
Consultation with an animal behavioralist is also recommended for severe cases of separation anxiety. It is human nature to anthropomorphize (associate human emotion) dog behavior. An unbiased, outside party can help to analyze what role the owner may be playing to reinforce the anxiety.

Cats with separation anxiety display fewer symptoms other than one very annoying behavior, urinating and defecating on the owner’s personal belongings such as the bed and clothing. There are many health causes of inappropriate elimination in cats, so a medical reason should be ruled out first. Anti-anxiety medications can be the only option at times to resolve cat stress, as the triggers that cause separation anxiety can be subtle or un-apparent to owners.

Positive punishment would seem to be a contradiction in terms, but remember that positive simply means to give something for an action. This is the most common form of punishment that we institute. Giving something unpleasant for an inappropriate behavior, such as a stern “NO” for barking at the cat, is an example of positive punishment. It is well known that punishment is effective to curb behavior, but must be used consistently in order to establish strong boundaries. Unless a bad behavior is already established, positive reinforcement is a more effective training method.

When something unpleasant is removed after a behavior, it is referred to as negative reinforcement. This is almost always an inadvertent reaction to the dog’s behavior of which we might not even be aware. Separation anxiety is started and made worse by this action and consequence. A dog that dislikes being left alone (and acts out with inappropriate, often destructive, behavior) is rewarded when the owner comes home and removes the unpleasant situation. This reinforces the bad behavior, and the dog learns that his actions caused the owner to come home. Reassuring the dog afterward adds positive reinforcement to the already confusing situation.

Negative punishment is the last learning method, and is rarely utilized to train a dog. It involves removing a reward when behavior is inappropriate. In human terms, this almost equates to spitefulness. Taking away a treat or a bone after a dog does something wrong is difficult for the dog to associate with the bad behavior. A verbal rationalization for the punishment is needed to point out the cause and effect. This might work for a child, but it is hard to communicate the consequences to an animal.

Learning behaviors in dogs are easy to conceptualize, but because of our human instincts, they can be hard to implement. Often, we misleadingly interpret our dog’s behavior as the way we would react to a situation. Dogs are highly intelligent animals, and with the right training they are always eager to learn.

Be patient with a puppy. Their attention span is short, and like a child, puppies do not predict when they might need to “go”. They may be in the middle of play or eating when the urge strikes them. Sometimes a puppy will urinate or defecate as soon as you let them back in the house. This is especially frustrating, but they will get the idea soon. Never punish a puppy for an accident, and never let him see you clean up the mess.

Crate training is an excellent way to house train a puppy. This method should be distinguished from convenience crating, which is simply locking a dog up when you leave to keep them out of trouble. Convenience crating teaches the dog nothing and is only – as the name implies – for the owner’s convenience. Crate training to potty train a puppy lets the dog establish a routine. Eliminations begin to occur on a schedule, reducing the randomness that puppies tend to have with their bowel movements and urination.

Feeding wakes up the entire digestive tract. Bowel movements occur shortly after feeding a puppy. Keep this in mind, and spend as much time as it takes to let the puppy eliminate outside afterward. Lavishly reward the puppy during and after elimination with praise or a small food reward for positive reinforcement. Playtime outside will also stimulate a bowel movement. Just keep the play somewhat subdued since the pup just ate. You don’t want him to regurgitate or vomit his food.

Crating for a short period of time teaches the puppy that it is time to rest. He should not be, however, crated for longer than he can control elimination, or he may be forced to eliminate in the crate. If the puppy must be left for longer than it can control elimination, a larger confinement area such as a pen or puppy-proofed room will be necessary. The exception to this rule is overnight. As soon as a puppy can sleep through the night without needing to eliminate, let them.

Try to plan crating on as close to the same schedule as possible for two weeks. If the puppy is picking up on the schedule well, slight variations can be made to the crating times. If you are an hour late getting home, expect an accident.

When the schedule is fairly routine, begin leaving the puppy in a small area that is blocked off from the rest of the house. Take the door off the crate, and leave it in the room with the pup to use as his bed. Leave the house for very short periods of time, no more than twenty minutes at first. When you get home, take the puppy outside to urinate, and praise the good behavior.

A few follow-ups on the crating schedule will correct any mistakes that the puppy makes. This will usually not take more than a few weeks. Soon, he will be able to have free reign of the entire house while you are away. If the puppy continues having accidents, if he urinates in the crate or overnight, or if he’s not getting the routine down at all, it may be an indication that some part of the crate training technique needs to be revisited or a medical problem may be present. Consult a veterinarian for advice and treatment.

Most dogs learn quickly to adapt to a new baby in the home. However, extra precautions should be taken if your pet has ever shown aggression to adults or other babies and toddlers. Great care should also be taken if your pet has ever demonstrated predatory behaviors in the past. Predatory behaviors are such things as stalking, catching and/or killing small animals, such as birds, squirrels, mice, cats, other dogs etc. If your dog has ever demonstrated these aggressive behaviors, it is best to err on the side of caution and consult with a behavioral specialist. This specialist will be able to work with you one on one to develop acceptable behaviors in your pet and ensure the safety of your new baby.

The introduction process and essential steps should begin well before the baby arrives home from the hospital. Most non-aggressive dogs will view your new infant with great curiosity and after an initial period of exploration will adapt easily to the changes in your household. However, in any new situation it is essential that your pet know, understand and quickly obey certain obedience commands.

The two most essential commands for this introduction are sit and stay. These two commands may initially be encouraged with food rewards and should be practiced frequently. However, as these commands will soon be associated with the new baby, they should not be used as punishment or taught in a harsh manner. Instead, treat the learning process as a game and work to make it an enjoyable experience for your pet, as this process will soon be associated with the new baby.

Once the basic commands of sit and stay have been successfully mastered, begin teaching your pet to remain in the sit and stay positions as you move away from him. Once your pet will hold the sit and stay commands as you walk and turn away, begin adding in some elements that the animal will experience once the baby is home. For example, while holding a baby doll, give the sit/stay command and then proceed to feed, burp or diaper the baby. This will acclimate your pet to many of the new behaviors that will occur around the house and will soon be associated with the positive reinforcement of the sit/stay games. Be sure to reward your pet with praise, attention and food rewards during each step of this process, as the hopefully positive experience will soon be associated with your new baby.

Once the baby is born, but before it is brought home, bring home some of the babys personal items, such as a blanket or outfit. These items may initially be given to the pet to sniff and lick in order to become familiar with the babys scent. After this period, take the items and practice the sit/stay game by giving the sit/stay command and then performing common actions while holding the scent items. Also practice having the animal sit/stay while you are standing close to them with the scent items, this allows them to practice proper behavior with the new scent close by.

Your pet should be introduced to the new baby in a calm, quite and controlled environment. Unfortunately, this is not usually the description of a family just arriving home from the hospital. Therefore, the best time to introduce your pet to the baby is after the initial excitement period. Do allow your dog to greet the mother upon arrival and get used to the babies scent on her skin and clothing.

When the initial excitement has calmed, the introduction can take place. Depending on your pet, one person should either sit or stand while holding the baby. A second person should hold the leashed dog and give the sit/stay command. The dog should be allowed to slowly move closer to the baby as long as it obeys the sit/stay commands and is not unduly aroused by the babies cries, movements or scent. If your pet becomes agitated, then stop the exercise and begin again after the animal calms down. Once the animal is acclimated to the babies noises then, depending on your comfort level, allow the animal to sniff the baby, but do not allow him to get close enough to bite. After the animal is calm and obedient on the leash, then the same exercises should be practiced with the dog off the leash. Your initial introductions may take anywhere from an hour to a few days, depending on the comfort level and calmness of your pet. Once you are confident in your pets ability to remain calm around the new baby, allow him to wander supervised around the house. Be sure to watch his reactions and interest level in the baby, as you make this acceptance period a fun experience for everyone involved.

As a responsible pet owner, it is essential to remember that no matter what amount of introduction or socialization has occurred, an infant should never be left unsupervised at any time with a family pet. Unfortunately, accidents and aggression do happen. If you are at all concerned with your pets reaction to a new addition consult a behavioral specialist.