Should You Ignore Puppy's Cry When You Get Them Home For The First Night?

SitStayFetch Consultation:

Hi Daniel,

Last year, I had to put my 13 year old pet to sleep. I am now contemplating getting a new puppy and a different breed, which I want to train. It has been so long since I have had a puppy and I have lost a bit of touch and I have a couple of questions. When you get them home for the first night and put them in their new bed, should you ignore their crying if so for how long. I don't want to traumatize the little thing. Also, should obedience training start straight away and for how long each time?

Finally he will be coming to work with me, but naturally he won't sit still in his bed what should I do to get him use to the office environment and how should I keep him confined without being cruel?

Regards,

Marie.

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SitStayFetch Reply:

Hi Marie,

Thank you for your email.

I highly recommend that you get a crate for your new puppy. This will be excellent for all the training you have to do, but in particular if you are going to take him to work with you. I WOULD not have a new puppy without a crate, trust me you will feel the same once you bring your puppy home.

It pays to start as you mean to go on, so if you want to sleep through the whole night, as you usually would, then so should the puppy. If he whines and you wait and wait and wait, then go and see to the puppy, he will then have learnt, how long he has to whine in order to get what he wants, some company! Which is the worst thing you can do!

Ignore him totally, he will be upset and noisy to begin with, but no harm can come to him (especially if he is in a crate). He will learn after a couple of days that there is no point whining, because no one will hear so just have to wait until the morning and that's what you want!

It is a good idea to not give him any water at night, so that he doesn't drink and therefore urinate so much (unless he has diarrhea, in which case he will require the fluids so as to not dehydrate. Sometimes puppies have diarrhea when you first take them home because of the stress, as long as there is no blood in it this is quite normal).

You will probably find that the puppy will be quite happy at work with you, because you are there. If you don't want to get a crate then set up a bed and a toilet area, somewhere where you can tie him up. Always supervise a puppy that is tied up, as there is a potential strangle risk if you leave it to its own devices.

While you are toilet training, take the puppy out every hour on the hour so that he is not given the chance to ever go inside (unless there is no outside option for you). If he does have an accident inside, soak it up or pick it up with some newspaper and take it outside. Most puppies will not toilet in there crate unless they really have to because they do not like going near where they like to sleep.

SitStayFetch.net

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.

You may not believe this but...

You should NEVER use the recall word ("COME", or whatever word you choose) to call your dog to discipline him, correct him, tell him what a bad dog he is, or for any negative reason. Bad deeds MUST be caught IN THE ACT in order to correct. If you still need your dog by you for a negative reason, give him a firm SIT command and go get him.

For example:
Imagine this, you see your dog "Major" outside digging up your newly planted daisies. You first quietly say "Major, Come here". Major, doesn’t respond. You then yell "MAJOR - COME HERE!". Major still doesn’t come, so you go over and grab him by the collar and yell "I told you to Come Here!" and give him a smack.

Major being a smart dog, makes a mental note "Come Here" means "You’re in trouble and about to get punished".

Next time when he is outside, and you want him to come inside for dinner you go out and say to him "Come here", he responds by running away. "Dumb dog" you think and go and grab him and drag him inside so he’ll eat his food. Then you say sternly "How come you don’t ever COME when I call you?!" Major makes another mental note (Hmmm: seems to me my memory of "COME HERE" is still accurate – don’t want to respond to that – after all, "COME HERE" means I am in BIG TROUBLE!)

Remember, dogs know ONLY "dog language" when they come to live with us. WE must teach them our language. In the above examples, Major did not learn OUR translation for the word "COME". He learned "COME" meant "angry owner – I’m in trouble now. Better scram out of here!" We want Major to learn that "COME" means "Get your buns to me in the fastest way possible – NO EXCEPTIONS!"Major needs to understand that COME means GOOD stuff – ALWAYS!

SitStayFetch.net

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.

Carol's Dog Goes Crazy When She Open Any Drawer That Makes Noise

SitStayFetch: Consultation

Hi Daniel,

We have a challenge for you; I hope you can help us.

We have a one year old border collie named Zippy. She is very active and we do a lot of play and exercise with her. Our problem is that every time we are in the kitchen opening the silverware drawer or any drawer that makes noises, she goes crazy. She runs around in circles, bolts to our living room and then makes more circles! If we do any kind of paperwork, tearing paper or tearing out checks she does the same thing. When she does this we can't get her attention at all, she just goes berserk! She is such a good dog, she knows all kinds of tricks and is good on commands except for this one problem.

I hope you can help us on this.

Please answer.

Carol

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SitStayFetch Reply:

Hi Carol,

Thank you for your email.

First of all, I recommend that you desensitize Zippy to the things which make her go berserk.

You can do this by having her in the kitchen with you (unleashed) and spending a minimum of 10 minutes a day opening the drawer and closing it. Do this quietly to begin with, but as the days go by do it progressively louder, until you are really clattering that cutlery!

You will have to completely ignore her reaction and act as if she is not there, act calm, because if you give her any attention you will probably just exaggerate her excitement and ruin the objective of the exercise.

After you have done the silverware trick as above, spend 10 minutes ripping paper in a casual and neutral manner. Do not even look at her if/when she reacts to the paper tearing. In fact, initially, it might pay to continue the paper ripping until she calms down if it is possible. Then make sure you reward her for any positive behavior, to reinforce what you want from her.

In psychology they refer to this treatment as “Flooding”. It is the same concept as making a person face their fears, or neutralizing an exciting task by having to do it all the time. Consistency is the key with this training.

After a while you can move on and have someone make her sit on a short lead while you continue the desensitizing process using the cutlery and paper ripping as described previously. Again reward her for any positive change in behavior, she may not change her behavior instantly, but if there is a slight change, stop what you are doing and reward her, even if it is just a “Good Dog!”

If it is possible, make a tape recording of the noises which she reacts to. Play them to her quietly and as often as possible when you know she can not hurt herself. If she is really noisy, it might be a good idea to inform and warn your neighbors about what you are doing.

That should do the trick, just keep persevering and you'll get there!

Best of luck,

SitStayFetch.net

Daniel Stevens

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Carol's Reply:

Hello Daniel,

Thank you so much for the suggestion. We have started doing what you suggested and it does seem like it is going to work. Like you said, be consistent. I will let you know later on how we are doing.

Again, thank you.

Carol

Larry's Dog Loves To Bury Food

SitStayFetch: Consultation

Hi Daniel,

I have a four year old labrador who loves to bury food. Every time I give him a biscuit he runs out into the yard, digs a hole in the corner of the garden and buries it. He never seems to go back for the buried biscuits but comes back to me and cries for more. My wife and I have uncovered literally hundreds of decaying biscuits when we dig the garden. Its such a terrible waste as well as being a little yucky. We are almost at our wits end. How do we stop this behavior and what leads him to do it anyway?

Yours,

Larry.
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SitStayFetch Reply:

Dear Larry,

Burying food is not that unusual at all. In fact, it is in your dog's nature to bury items such as bones for later consumption. Its been long recognized as a form of hoarding or food storage that is inherited from the wolves. Because your dog has a readily available supply of food from you, there is no need to dig up the food stored in reserve. And so it rots.

Other than restricting the amount of biscuits that you are feeding him, the easiest solution to your problem is to restrict access to the yard until after he has eaten the biscuit. Alternatively you could try burying chicken wire under the surface of the dirt so your dog can't dig. Take a look at my book SitStayFetch and go to the section entitled Dog 202: Common Dog Problems Solved.

I hope this helps!

SitStayFetch.net

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.

Kirsty's Dog Used To Have "A Nervous Disposition And A Habit Of Going Bonkers Through Fear By Barking, Growling And Trying To Nip/Bite"

"The SitStayFetch books have been a tremendous help to me in gaining more control over my two dogs Neo & Molly especially as they were rather defiant at times.

Both dogs are very loving, fun and loyal but I've had to get a dog behaviorist out in the past as Molly's a rescue dog, has a nervous disposition and a habit of going bonkers through fear by barking, growling and trying to nip/bite. I think she was abused before I got her as she is extremely scared of children and doesn't particularly like strangers and other dogs. She loves the family and those she knows but it was/is really worrying so the fear biting section has been great for tips on dealing with that.

They know now who's the alpha and don't try nearly as much nonsense as they used to. Obviously I'm not expecting them to change overnight, I realize I have to be rigorous in the re-training but so far they're coming along great!

I really wish I'd heard/got the SitStayFetch books years ago, in my opinion no dog owner should be without a copy. They're brilliant, very easy to understand/follow and the results are amazing! Please find attached my photo of myself and the dogs."
-- Kirsty Halleran (UK)

SitStayFetch.net

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.

Antonino Was Able To Establish Himself As The Alpha Dog So He Could Curb His Dog's Barking And Aggression

"Bello is the first dog I have had, so there was much I didn't know about dogs. Bello is a very smart and friendly dog, but as he started growing up (he is 18 months old now), he developed this quite idiosyncratic characteristic of taking matters into his own paws, so to speak. More specifically, he barks at and tries to scare other male dogs or some strangers he considers dangerous, although he's told not to.

On one such occasion, I almost lost hold of the leash, and he seemed to be close to attacking a male poodle. That's when I decided to look for help. I searched the web for books about dogs, and Sitstayfetch caught my eye. I'm very happy I purchased and read it. I realized that the problem lay with me. I knew nothing about the importance of conveying to him that I was the alpha dog.

For example, I was completely unaware that I had to go through doorways first; instead, I always let him go first. This is but one of the useful tips I got from Sitstayfetch, and they have all helped me greatly in the past two months to establish a better and healthier relationship with Bello. I only wish I had gotten the book when Bello came to live with me 16 months ago."
-- Antonino Gulli

SitStayFetch.net

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets

Rita Successfully Solved Her Dog's Problems From Being Nervous And Agressive Towards Other Dogs

"Hello Daniel, I adopted a Springer spaniel from ESRA (English Springer Spaniel Rescue) in January of this year. JD (which stands for Just Dog) had a few issues but was mostly a "good boy" I was told. We brought him home only to find out he needed a lot of attention and discipline.

JD was very nervous. He had been a stray when found, and he lived in his foster home for several months. I was told that JD did not like his new 'foster dad', especially when he wore white t-shirts or when he took off his belt. He also was aggressive toward other dogs, and sometimes other men. However, he was fine with kids, his foster mom and me. I must mention that he is an extremely handsome guy (as you can see from his picture!).

My boyfriend was nervous and wanted me to send JD back to his foster home. Of course, being a Springer lover, I fell in love with JD as soon as I saw him, so I did not want to give up so fast. Someone had told me about your book, SitStayFetch so I decided to look for it online. When I realize I could download it, I opted for this. I began reading and finding good ideas on what I could do immediately to try to correct some of JD's bad behaviors. One thing I did immediately was to stop allowing JD to sleep next to my bed at night. He thought he was to be the leader of the pack and would sometimes climb up in the bed with me.

I had to show him that he was not, so I put up a nice-sized crate for him in the dining room and he started sleeping in there. He actually liked going in his crate, it gave him a sense of security that he sorely needed.

Another thing I did with JD was to begin walking him with a gentle leader several times a day. I trained him to walk by my side, to sit and to walk when I began walking. He needed a firm and consistent mom and I guess I was the one! We still take daily walks and I make him work for every treat he gets from me or the kids. He has become a wonderful pet over the past 7 months but it has not been easy.

JD is now a trusted family member, a wonderful watch dog, and a playful happy guy. He has made a complete 180, and I owe it to your expertise and to the help of a trainer I hired in March. She works on many of the same principles that you/your book does, mainly using strong and persistent techniques to break bad habits. Showing the dog that he is not the boss, is key.

Thank you for your e-newsletters, too. I really enjoy these. Sometimes the problems are similar to mine and JD's, sometimes not. Your answers are always clear and intelligent. I believe you are helping many people and their dogs to become compatible friends-the way it should be!"
-- Rita Randolfi (Vero Beach, Florida)

SitStayFetch.net

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.

Margaret Successfully Solved Her Dog's Vicious Behavior Problems

"My husband and I have a very spoilt 3 year old Border Collie/ Retriever. At about 18 months old, he developed a severe case of fear based aggression towards his own territory, other dogs, strangers, anybody that comes to close to me, even people he knows, he even growled and lunged at the local vet, whom Casper knows. He has growled and lunged at a teenager walking too close to me.

He seems to have a comfort zone around him, anybody coming closer than that look out. He has earned himself quite a reputation around town for being a vicious dog, which is unfortunate, as at home he is a very placid, big softie that we can do anything with.

He has made a real spectacle of himself in the past, when out on a lead with me, in the car etc. which is sad, as that is all most people see of him, a dog that looks threatening and menacing, which he does. It is not very nice to have to say, when out walking with your dog, when people want to come up and talk to you and the dog to have to say keep your distance, don't come near the dog. By this time Casper is usually growling and they don't come close anyway, which is a shame as Casper does look very cuddly and pattable. Having never owned a dog, we thought all you had to do was to love them to bits, and spoil them, and that was it.

Sitstayfetch taught me that this is not so, there is a lot more to it. He failed miserably at Dog Training School, by this time we were getting desperate, when I ran across Sitstayfetch on the internet. Sitstayfetch has been invaluable in helping us gain control of Casper, by showing him that we are the boss, and he doesn't have to feel threatened, or feel he has to protect us, as he obviously lacks the confidence to do so. That is our job. We realize we have never been the pack leaders, and that we haven't done him any favors by giving in to him and spoiling him, treating him like a baby etc. By applying the principles outlined in Sitstayfetch to Casper, he has improved out of sight, he still has a way to go, but now we can see light at the end of the tunnel. Even from the feedback from around town, people have seen the improvement in him, and wonder how we have accomplished this.

I have recommended Sitstayfetch to several people, as they can see the improvement in Casper, even the dog school had to admit that he had improved since he was there, they gave him up as a lost cause, even suggesting putting him down. I am very grateful to sitstayfetch. Casper is getting to be a pleasure to take out for a walk, not the nightmare he used to be, I used to dread taking him out.

Thanks to Sitstayfetch, I am gaining my confidence with him, and this in turn makes him feel better. Thank you Sitstayfetch."
-- Margaret Angus and Casper (New Zealand)

SitStayFetch.net

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.

Cara Successfully Solved Her Dog's Serious Behavioral Issues Around Food

"Dear Daniel, Your book was a lifesaver! Our 2 year old black German Shepherd, Jack, came to us from a woman who was not able to cope with him herself. When he came to us at the beginning of the year he was a total handful. He was boisterous, aggressive, skittish and unresponsive – outside the home. At home he was still boisterous and a bit aggressive but would sit or come every time.

Our White GSD Charlie was diagnosed with cancer literally 3 weeks after we agreed to take Jack and had been moping since his spleen was removed but he perked up with some young competition so we were feeling good about having them together…until we took them for walks. We almost never put Charlie on his lead – we just never need to. Jack however couldn’t be let off his lead. He would drag me along behind him and strain against me to get to other dogs or cats or people that he could see and would panic once the door was open – struggling to get out and then trying to run off. It was distressing to say the least.

Jack was born and grew up in the one village so we have gleaned a lot of information from fellow dog walkers who recognized him and have seen our progress with him. We know the woman who gave him up to us loved him but couldn’t cope with him and a toddler so we think he just stopped getting walked. He was such a nightmare we can understand why. In the first month we were at our wits end and when I bought the SitStayFetch books online we were a week from giving him up ourselves. We had the dominance training sorted from day one because we were aware that was going to be an issue otherwise but Jack had serious behavioral issues around food and walks that needed a lot of work. In the months since we got and read the books he has become a different dog! Everyone says so. We have recently been told people suggest us to friends in the area who have dog trouble and we have helped socialize several problem pups with Jack (because its good for him as much as them) all thanks to Daniel and his book giving us that extra knowledge that has really rounded out our own understanding. I recommend it ad nauseum! Jack still pulls on the lead he has good days and bad days but we are working on it (to be honest Charlie – our dream dog – has never been good on leads either). Jack now looks us in the eyes, can be walked off lead. Sits, Stays, Fetches, leaves – he is a great play mate. He sits and waits so quietly for his dinner we have honestly forgotten he is still waiting once or twice and he has come to remind us 5 minutes later! He doesn’t immediately run out if the front door is open and will happily sit outside with us if we are cleaning cars or talking out the front without dashing off. We have taken him from the most difficult, messed up dog – almost deliberately awful – to a great member of our family. He is fun. He is funny. He is a joy and we wouldn’t give him up for anything! And we wouldn’t have gotten this far without the wonderful hints, tips and explanations from Daniel in his online books. The best buy ever!! Bar none!

My other half is very good with dogs and even he was confounded by Jack but having the advice to hand in SitStayFetch just turned it all around. We honestly have had dozens of comments on how good Jack has become. No joke!

Cheers Daniel – I really appreciate all your good work has done for us!"
-- Cara McLean (Cambridge, UK)

SitStayFetch.net

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.

Dog Training Tips That You Will Learn From SitStayFetch

By now you have probably realized that all dogs are different, even if you had a dog that was of a certain breed and you got another dog of the same breed, chances are they are totally different. This is because all dog have a personality. Some dogs have a strong dominant personal which will make they change for the top position in the pack.

You are probably at the point where you are thinking where to from here. The 6 part mini course has covered a hand full of the common dog obedience and behavioral training that dog owners are experiencing on a daily basis.

Well the next step is SitStayFetch. You'll learn the most effective techniques to correct any dog with an problem, quickly and safely

I will show you how to fix any dog behavioral problem

I will show you tips and secrets to use in your everyday dog obedience training that will dramatically improve you dog overall obedience.

I will show you specific commands and tricks to teach your dog

I wil show you the best way to select, buy ans raise a new puppy or older dog.

In SitStayFetch you will learn amoung other dog training tips all the anwsers you are looking for when it comes to dog training...

Did you know that your dog may not know why you are trying to correct him? Learn how to make him understand. This will remove the frustration and rapidly increase the speed of your dog's learning.

All the secrets of professional dog trainers are revealed, and best of all are easy to apply! Stop wasting hundreds of dollars!

Need to stop your dog from trying to fight with other dogs? Learn the best ways to break up dog fights and prevent them from ever happening again.

Want to know how to curb your dog’s aggressiveness? Learn six powerful strategies for training aggressive dogs.

Does your dog require urgent dog house training? Learn the dog house training techniques you must know that get the fastest results, whether you keep your dog indoors or outdoors.

Sick of having your dog race out the front door? Read my book and you’ll never have to worry about this again.

Got a dominant dog? We teach you how to deal with him.

Separation anxiety getting you both down? Find out about the best ways to make it go away.

Hate having your dog jump up on you? Learn six simple techniques to stop him jumping up on you ever again!

Neighbors getting annoyed with your pets constant barking? Maybe he doesn’t bark enough? Apply these advanced techniques so that your dog knows when and where it’s appropriate to bark.

Dog Whispering is a new, amazing and totally humane training technique. Discover the secrets to making it work for you and your dog.

What to do and look out for when there is more than one dog in the house! (pages 130-131) Use my Top Dog Maintenance Program to keep the peace! Having problems with the family cat being harassed? Learn an easy method to let your cat and dog live in harmony!

Want to stop your dog eating his own, or other dogs' poop? The technical term for this is coprophagia. We have the best ways to stop this nauseating behavior!

Having trouble with your dog pulling on the leash? Find out how to stop this behavior in ten minutes or less with my sure-fire technique.

Biting, nipping and mouthing problems can be embarrassing when you have your dog in public. Fix these dog behavior problems once and for all with my super-effective techniques.

Discover how to train your dog to learn any command. We cover in specific detail with photos, many commands such as: Okay and No , Come (Recall), Hold and Leave , Sit, Sit and Stay, Down, Heel, Seek, Stand, Beg for food, Fetch, Catch food , Climb ladders, Shake hands, Crawl, Jump, Rollover and more!

Things to consider when exercising or leaving your dog in the heat. Don’t cause him any more stress than you need to! Has your dog got sickness problems? We teach you all you need to know about many illness concerns, including stomach gas problems, motion sickness ... and what you must know about selecting a vet for your dog!

Learn powerful techniques to solve ANY dog behavior problem such as failsafe methods for dog house training (toilet training) (see the House Training bonus book), professional secrets to training an aggressive dog – no matter what the circumstances (also see Alpha Dog bonus book) digging, barking, worms, fleas, gas problems, fighting, destroying your stuff, and much, much more is covered in this comprehensive, easy to follow book.

SitStayFetch.net

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.

Susan Successfully Solved Her Dog's Nipping, Chewing And Separation Anxiety Issues

"My husband and I adopted Jack (a one year old male Pug/Chihuahua mix) three months ago from a shelter (we are his third home in a year) and to put it mildly he was 20 pounds of terror-- dominate, nipping, chewing and also had separation anxiety issues. He quickly earned the name 'Jack The Nipper'.

I read a couple of books about dogs behaving badly, but felt that I needed a step-by-step approach to correct Jack's unpleasant behavior. I researched the internet and came across SitStayFetch, which I quickly downloaded, printed and read in one evening.

I immediately started with the Alpha Dog lessons and got across to Jack that I am the Alpha Mommy. I had no idea that doing something as simple as making him sit before I put his bowl of food down would make a difference in how Jack viewed me.

Jack has made great progress. He has become confident, less anxious and likes to practice commands every day. We still need to work on a few areas, but it's only been less than three months! Jack is much happier knowing that we are the pack leaders who protect, feed and love him.

I recommend SitStayFetch to everyone who has a dog as a companion. I have learned so much about dog behaviors and how to respond accordingly without yelling or intimidating. Thanks Dan for writing such a great learning tool!"
-- Susan Caruso (USA)

SitStayFetch.net

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.

SitStayFetch: Consultation With Margaret

Hi Daniel,

We have a one year old lurcher. We have had him for 4 months. He wasn't trained at all when we got him but is now house-trained, doesn't pull on the lead and usually comes back when called. However, we have one remaining problem that we would love to have your help with.

He is a rescue dog who was ill-treated so rather nervous of people. However he is very friendly with other dogs - too friendly in fact. He comes back when called (usually) and obeys the 'leave' command if playing with our other dog. However, if we meet other dogs while out walking he ignores the recall command and the leave command.

We have tried walking off in the opposite direction but he will either continue to play, even when we are some distance away, or come back briefly and then run off again. If we try to get hold of him he ducks out of the way and then becomes impossible to get back on the lead. Our current method is to only let him off the lead when no other dogs are in sight and to have him on an extendable lead the rest of the time. If we see another dog while he is on the lead we walk on briskly (with him pulling and barking) and try to distract him with a treat (which never works, even with his favourite treats).

Your suggestions would be very welcome.

Thanks.
Margaret

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SitStayFetch Reply:

Hi Margaret,

Thanks for the enquiry. I believe that there are a few courses of action available to you and your dog.

No.1 "Secrets to becoming the alpha dog" This is one of the mini ebooks that you would have downloaded from the SitStayFetch site. I think that the tips in this book will help you to enforce your position as the person (or alpha dog) that your dog should listen to. To my mind this is where most problems originate from- a lack of authority on the part of the owner/trainer. So use the techniques in this book as often as you can.

No.2 Review the "Secrets to training your dog" Section in SitStayFetch The particular section (in DOG 103) that I would like you to review covers the best methods of ensuring that your dog learns and obeys your commands. These techniques are also very important as they give you the best methods for communicating effectively with your dog.

No.3 Command enforcement It is very important that when you issue a command that you are in a position to enforce that command if your dog does not obey you straightaway.

This is relatively easy when learning the first stages of any command as you are generally close enough to your dog to be able to make any correction to his behavior. The problem comes if the dog was not taught properly in the first place or when you get an older dog (such as in your case) who seems to have a mind of his own.

To overcome this I would suggest that you follow DOG 203: Commands to Start, in SitStayFetch, from the beginning. You may well have taught him some or most of these commands but it would still be worthwhile going through each one to ensure that she responds to you when you ask something of her.

Having frequent training sessions will also make him more responsive to you when you command him to do something. It is also important that you have full confidence that he will obey you before you move on to the next stage of any progression.

I would also suggest that for a start you train him in an area where there are no distractions such as your other dog or dogs in general. You need to get him focused on you so that you have his full attention.

I am sure that if you follow these courses of action, you will have a dog with a greater sense of discipline and one that will answer to you every time.

I hope this helps and good luck!

SitStayFetch.net

Kind regards

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.

Testimonial From Mark

"Hi Daniel, I was given an american staffordshire when he was four months and had never had a puppy before. I was looking around for a good training manual and came across SitStayFetch. I have used it right from the beginning and am abslutely amazed at how much I have learnt and how much progress Lincoln has made in the short time using the SitStyFetch guide. I am now looking at starting Lincoln on some advanced learning techniques and am very confident in usind the guide to help him along."
-- Mark De Mercurio (USA)

SitStayFetch.net

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.

SitStayFetch: Consultation With Simone

Hi Daniel,

Tamsin was attacked by another dog 3 months ago. Now, every time we go to the dog park, she shows teeth and growls at other dogs. She occasionally growls at people when I walk her and they want to reach down and pet her.

She loved going to the park (prior to the dog bite) and after about an hour she would start getting a little aggressive but I thought it was because she was getting tired of playing.

After the dog bite, she is aggressive upon entering the park and we can stay at most 10 minutes because of her behavior. I'm going to start walking her with a muzzle but would love some advice on taking her to the off-leash areas again.

Thanks,

Simone.

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SitStayFetch Reply:

Hi Simone,

Sounds like you have a difficult problem there. It isn't unusual for a dog to react the way Tamsin has after being attacked. Can you give me a bit more background on Tamsin?

Specifically:
What breed of dog is Tamsin?
Is she a well trained dog? Can she sit, stay, and wait on command?
Does she respond to you immediately?
How is she in other social situations besides the dog park?
Does she growl at strangers/dogs when you are taking her for a normal walk?

Once I have this information I can arrange a program and give you some ideas on what to do in this case.

Thanks for the enquiry.

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

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Simone's Reply:

Hi Daniel,

Tamsin is a basenji mix, although I don't know the other mix of breed. She was a Christmas present for my sister and she was told that Tamsin was a collie. My mother was going to see if anybody at her work would like a new puppy, because my sister didn't have the time to take care of a dog. When I was home for Christmas, we bonded so I've had her since she was about 8 weeks or younger...she is now 5 years old.

Some people think she is mixed with a Corgi or a Pit Bull, but everyone automatically says Basenji. I've read up about Basenji's and she has many characteristics of one.

She is well-trained and knows the basic commands. She has been to obedience class around a year ago, mainly for pulling me when she walks...which is still a problem but she is getting better. She pulls especially if she sees a cat or squirrel and she is very strong. We have enrolled in class which starts this weekend for a refresher course, mainly for me. I need to become the alpha in the household.

She growls at strangers when we walk but only if they reach down to pet her and she does not growl at everyone. She is very particular on who she likes...she has always had this quality about her. She can tell who the dog people are and would bark at the neighbors coming home who did not have a dog and not at the neighbors who owned a dog.

When people come over and knock at the door she sounds very ferocious and it take awhile to calm her down, so she does not respond quickly with "No barking." She is also really standoffish with everyone at first. She acts really timid when people come over to my place but warms up to them after she acts like she is going to tear the person apart. She has never bitten anyone or another dog, but the aggression is bad enough (cujo comes to mind).

I bought her a muzzle and took her to the park yesterday evening and there were three dogs at the park and she played with them without being aggressive. I eventually took off her muzzle too.

So she has good days and moody days. She hates all basenjis with a passion and they fight without biting of course, but it sounds like a terrible cat fight. So, I leash her immediately when I see a Basenji at the park. For other breeds, it is random, although the last time at the park we only stayed for 10 minutes. It may have been overwhelming because there were so many dogs at the park? But the day before she growled at a neighbor in the parking garage and the lady stepped back and said "she's not going to bite me is she?" Also, in the past week she has growled (cujo like) at other dogs, when we are taking a walk. At first, they come up to her and the other pet owner and myself will let the dogs do their sniffing, but then Tamsin has her mood. I don't know what to say, except "Tamsin stop, let's go" and then I apologize to the other owner.

Well, thank you very much for your time.

Simone.

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SitStayFetch Reply:

Hi Simone,

As you probably know, once a dog gets into a serious fight, especially one that results in injury, that dog's natural aggressive instincts can come to the fore and be very difficult to contain. However there are a few things that you can do that I believe will help turn things around with Tamsin.

One of these is to go through a fairly rigorous training program, similar to that outlined in SitStayFetch, starting from the very beginning. As you are doing the refresher course that should help out quite a lot and you may wish to continue on with that or use both together.

The reason I am recommending starting the training program afresh is that, if the training is done properly, then you will;
- Get Tamsin used to responding to you.
- Be able to control her in a variety of situations.
- Be able to enforce your top dog status more easily.

Those 3 things may not stop her aggressive behavior (although hopefully it will, as ideally she should wait for a command from you instead of deciding on her own course of action) but they will let you control and reprimand her effectively if she does step out of line.

I think that if she is pulling on her lead then that is also a sign that she doesn't quite understand where her place is in the family structure! In conjunction with resuming training I think that it would be worth your while reviewing “Secrets to becoming the alpha dog”. The methods outlined in that book will help establish you as the 'pack leader' and, again, make her much more likely to listen to you when you command her.

On the whole it sounds as though Tamsin has had a bad experience but from what you are saying I think that she will come through it ok. However, if you are genuinely concerned that she may bite someone, or another dog, then you should muzzle her in those situations until you are confident that you have her under control. The last thing you or Tamsin needs is a visit from the police, especially if she has previously been acting aggressively towards neighbors and the like as you stated in your email. Better safe than sorry!

Well I hope this helps. You have my sympathies with an awkward situation, but hopefully within another month or two she should have settled down.

SitStayFetch.net

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.

Testimonial From Anna

"Hello Daniel, Your book is great, I trained one dog 15 years ago, so now when I got my new puppy I really didn't know where to start, I forgot everyhting about training a dog! Your book helped me a lot, it really refreshed my memory and I got so much more info about training without stressing out a dog or yourself. Now anytime I call my puppy to come, he rans as fast as he can, because he knows that he will get a lot of love for coming to me!!! Alpha dog is a great book also, my puppy now really knows who is the boss, and if I say "NO" he doesnt hesistate to obey! I really think that anyone who is getting a puppy should get your book!

And Thank You for a great stuff support, the replies to questions are fast and to the point."
-- Anna Kovalenko (New York, USA)

SitStayFetch.net

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.

SitStayFetch: Consultation With Mark

Hi Daniel,

Being a cat lover I had never imagined that I would have dogs once I bought and shifted into my own home. However my new neighbor introduced me to her delightful little Bichon Frise and ever since I have been captivated by it.

I have read up on the breed and spoken to breeders and I think one of these little dogs would be perfect for me, even though I know that their onerous grooming and bathing requirements may have a detrimental effect on my bachelorhood!

While I tend to spend most of my free time either around the house or doing things where a dog can accompany me, I do work full time. I will be able to get quite a lot of time off to spend the first few months getting a new dog used to being by itself, hopefully even to the extent of being able to work from home.

So I suppose my questions are:- will the puppy be happy on its own during the day?- would it be better to get two puppies from the same litter, so that they can keep each other company?- If the answer to the second question is yes, then which sexes should I choose?- Is it possible to train puppies to do their business in the doggy equivalent of a cat litter tray?

I would be grateful for any advice as I only want to get a puppy if I can provide for all of its needs.

Cheers,
Mark.
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SitStayFetch Reply:

Hi Mark,

First and foremost- you are to be congratulated on your attitude to dog ownership! The fact that you are taking so much trouble to find out what is best for your new dog suggests that you will make an excellent owner, and your puppy will have landed on its paws when it joins your household!

Obviously working full time is not ideal when owning a dog, but it is not an impossible situation and, provided that you make good use of the time that you are at home and provide the dog with adequate social, mental and physical stimulation, you should be able to avoid any major problems.

Taking time off from work when your puppy arrives is to be recommended but during those first few weeks it is important to start as you mean to go on and ensure that your new family member does not have constant company as he may come to rely upon it.

Gradually increase the time that he is left alone, and ensure that he is safe and secure when you are not there; the use of an indoor pen is certainly to be recommended at this stage. A pen will also help in house training, if you are able to devote your full attention to this process and ensure that your puppy is able to go outside when he needs to go to the toilet. You will be pleasantly surprised by how quick it can be. Check out the bonus Housetraining mini ebook for plenty of tips and tricks to make sure that it is a success.

If you need to go back to work while your puppy is still very young, try to get someone to let him out to relieve himself during the day rather than allow him to form new associations with an indoor latrine! If you do not have any family or friends who can do this then you may wish to hire a pet-sitter for the short-term.

Regarding your query about getting 2 puppies, I would recommend that start with one. Getting littermates is always something that people find appealing but it often ends in tears. Two puppys who spend a lot of time together will communicate more effectively with each other than their owners, often making training difficult. Also siblings can be very closely matched in terms of size and strength, which can also lead to problems.

I hope this helps and good luck! If you don't understand anything that I have said please email me for clarification.

Click here to learn more.

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.

Testimonial From Gisela

"Attached is the photo of our family with our pet labradoodle, Jem. A little background of our family: We live on the Central Coast in Australia. Like any responsible “parent”, our family prepared for the arrival of our newest “member”, our darling labradoodle puppy, Jem. Part of our preparations was the purchase of the sitstayfetch e-book. The book is so comprehensive, easy to understand and well-presented that is why I did not hesitate to instruct my sons to read it as well so each one of us knows how to become an “alpha dog” and how to issue commands consistently.

It is recommended here in Australia to attend a puppy pre-school class for training and socialisation. We started Jem’s home training based on sitstayfetch way before he started his "formal training". There’s nothing new we learned from the pre-school class that we haven’t learned from your e-book first. As a result, Jem finished “valedictorian” in his class. Thanks Daniel!"

-- Gisela Grace S. Alvarez (Australia)

Click HERE for more detail on SitStayFetch.

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.

SitStayFetch: Consultation With Juliette

Hi Daniel,

My labrador cross, Basil, has had major behavioral changes since my husband and I separated 6 months ago. He used to be the sweetest, most adorable dog ever, but now I am pulling my hair out trying to keep him under control.

He is though still very affectionate towards me and I am sure that he is very much affected by my husbands departure. He looks quite sad and apathetic pretty much all the time. I have been trying to cheer him up by taking him on long walks and exercising him a lot. It just makes it very hard to punish him when I know that he is missing his former master.

Basil has started snarling and growling at visitors, especially if they are male. He will try and get in between the visitor and me and start growling, usually when the visitor tries to approach me.

His appetite has diminished considerably, he used to eat full amounts all the time and now he doesn't seem to have the heart to eat as much as he should. Not only that, Basil has gone from being a fully housetrained dog to one that cocks his leg quite often inside the house. For some reason it seems to be rooms that haven't been used much.

Anything you can recommend will be much appreciated.

Yours,

Juliette.
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SitStayFetch Reply: Hi Juliette

I can imagine that it is quite a difficult situation for Basil and yourself. You are quite right to think that Basil's behavior changes are associated with the loss of his master. This is actually reasonably common behavior when a family member leaves or passes away.

Besides the growling at visitors and urinating inside the house, other common symptoms of grief can include your dog:

- becoming depressed,
- not sleeping much (or sleeping a lot),
- chewing their paws,
- whining,
- becoming morose.

It is very important that you stick as much as possible to your normal routines, both with respect to your dog and your daily life. You will have to be quite patient as it may take some time for Basil to become his old self again.

The protective behavior that Basil is portraying, especially when men approach you, is likely to stem from his fear and anxiety at not having his protective master around. Also as he is now more dependant on you for food, shelter, etc you have become much more valuable to him. Therefore he feels a greater need to keep you safe, which in turn leads to his being aggressive towards approaching visitors as he mistakenly thinks his innate guard dog instincts are required.

As your husbands scent reduces Basil's feelings of insecurity are likely to increase. Therefore he needs his own form of reassurance, which he gets by urinating and leaving his own scent around the house. This behavior can be overcome to a certain extent by using a dog appeasing pheromone diffuser. These types of scent diffusers are available from either your vet or well stocked pet store. They work by releasing a canine scent that indicates to him that rooms are safe and secure. Look for D.A.P. products at PETsMART

To overcome Basil's lack of appetite, try offering him his most favorite food and treats to tempt him into eating more.

Punishment is not a good option as it is likely to just increase his insecurity, when in actual fact you should be trying to regain his confidence and decrease his anxiety. It is also important that you try to get Basil to form good relationships with other people from inside and outside of the household.

If Basil is still displaying the symptoms of grief in a months time then I would suggest that you take him to a dog behavior counsellor to have him fully assessed.

I hope this helps and good luck! If you don't understand anything that I have said please email me for clarification (emails can be ambiguous at times despite the best intentions!).

Click HERE to get your copy of SitStayFetch

Kind regards

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.

Testimonial From Tahara

"Hi Daniel, I am actually using your expert advice this week. A while ago I wrote in that my mother's dog, a four year old brown lab named Molly, was coming to stay with us for a week. My husband and I have a 1-year old beagle named Bernie. Bernie is very playful. And Molly is receptive at first but after a little while, she tires of Bernie and her constant source of energy. Molly is very much "Let's rest a while" and Bernie is "Play with me! Look at me! Why aren't you playing or looking at me!" When it gets to be too much, Molly tries to show her dominance in creative ways.

I feared that I would have to keep them apart the entire week Molly was visting. So I wrote to your site and was advised that by already treating Molly like the dominant dog (even though it was Bernie's house) Molly wouldn't have to take matters into her own paws. By greeting Molly first and feeding her first, both dogs would get the hint. And it's been working!

Bernie still loves to play but thanks to your techniques, my husband and I have been able to give Molly some relief and keep her from acting out too aggresively when she has had enough of our Bernie. Now Bernie and Molly can pal around without much trouble. Attached is our picture with Bernie. I can send one of Bernie and Molly if you'd like. Thanks and best wishes."

-- Tahara Lo (USA)

Click HERE for more information on SitStayFetch

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.

SitStayFetch: Consultation With Geoff

Hello Daniel,

I am 76 years old. As a child I had 4 dogs at different times. All were killed by cars. As an adult our family has had 7 dogs over 50 years. 3 were purchased as puppies, the others from shelters.

We currently have a Yellow Lab mix from a shelter. He was 15 mos. when we brought him home last Dec. We took him knowing he had problems, having been returned to the Brooklyn, N.Y. pound several times. Lab rescue brought him to a rural Connecticut shelter where we got him.

His big problem has always been his mouth. He was really bad at first. Not biting, but mouthing constantly. We discovered early that he does not respond to loud voices when scolding and stopped his mouthing by holding his mouth closed while petting him. Only one problem persists. The world is his playground. All he wants do do is play, play, play. The problem we cannot seem to solve is that his playing consists of baring his teeth and growling, and biting at clothing. He is not vicious. He hasn't tried to bite flesh, but he has a great time biting clothing while evading the person he is playing with.

On lead he is super. He obviously had to be obedience trained in the city for his daily exercize. As long as he is on lead he obeys every command flawlessly. Off lead, however, only when it is convenient.

As an adult, I have never hit any of our dogs, nor do I intend to start. When I hold our Lab's mouth closed he cries like I'm beating him. The same applies to holding him by the scruff and scolding him eye to eye. He does not try to bite, but correcting him in either manner does not last.

I really need help.He knows we are alpha, but he just wants to playall the time. By the way, he is the first dog we have had that loves toys, and he has a large variety, plus other things he finds himself to play with outdoors.

Yours,

Geoff.
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SitStayFetch Reply:

Hi Geoff,

There are obviously a few behaviorial issues going on here that may be difficult to solve. Anyhow we will give it a go!

The fact that your dog responds well when he is on the leash and not at all when he is off the leash suggests to me that he is not focusing enough on you and your commands when you give them. It is a priority that you are able to reinforce your commands when you give them, otherwise he will run roughshod over your commands. Now this is easier said than done, however you can try the following technique in an attempt to overcome the problem.

I would continue with the on-leash training sessions for now. I would ask you to consider where these training sessions take place. If he performs well on-leash at your home then take him to a dog park or somewhere where there are more distractions, but keep him on-leash. If you can, slowly build up the amount of distractions that are around during your training sessions. When you are satisfied that he will respond (on-leash) to you under a variety of distracting situations then try him off-leash at your home or the place that he responds to on-leash training the best. This place should have minimal distractions, by that I mean there are no other people, dogs or other animals in the vicinity.

If you are only training him in the relative quiet of your own home then if you let him off leash or put him in a new environment then it is not surprising that he responds poorly.

Now the mouthing problem should not be as difficult to solve. Try some of the following techniques. I would also recommend that you review the mini ebook "Secrets to becoming the alpha dog", even though you have said that he is aware who the alpha dog is, just check that you are not letting some of his typical canine behavior slip below the radar.

Listed below are more techniques to try, these are really anti-nipping techniques but may go some way to helping with the mouthing that is going on. You will have to make up your own mind whether they are worth using in your particular instance as their effectiveness will depend on the dog.

Technique No.1
Take the focus away from your hands when you pet him. Do this by offering him a chew bone or similar when you go to pet him. Pet him behind the ears with one hand while offering the treat with the other. Pet him for short periods of time at the beginning as you do not want to overexcite him. This technique will help him form a positive association with petting.

Technique No. 2
Try wearing gloves coated with a foul tasting substance. You should be able to buy some specific dog "aversion" substances from your vet or pet store. The drawback with this method is that you must have the gloves on every time he tries to bite and he may form the negative association with the gloves rather than the hands.

Technique No.3
If you are sure that he won't bite you too hard then you can discourage the biting by loosely holding your dog's lower jaw between your thumb and forefinger after he has taken your hand in him mouth. Don't hurt him by squeezing too hard, just gently hang on so that wherever him mouth goes your hand goes to. Hopefully this will quickly become tiresome for him and he will try to pull away. After ten seconds of him trying to pull away, release him jaw and continue to offer your hand. If he licks it or ignores it then praise him immediately. If he tries to bite your hand again then repeat the exercise.

Technique No.4
It is important to teach your dog that biting turns off any social interaction and attention that you may be giving him. When he nips you, look him in the eye and yell "Ouch" or "Arghh", then ignore him. Leave him until he has calmed down.

General stuff
Make sure that you do not slap or hit your dog in the face for nipping as this action is almost guaranteed to backfire. He may think that you are playing and get more excited, he might respond in a defensive manner or he may just become afraid of you.

Also never play tug of war games with him if you are having nipping problems. This will just encourage out of control behavior.

A word of warning: Be careful with young children practicing this kind of behavior modification. A child's first reaction to being bitten is to push the dog away with their hands. Your dog is likely to interpret that action as being play, which in turn causes the dog to nip more.

Click HERE for more detail on SitStayFetch

Best of luck and kind regards,

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.
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Got a Dog Problem of Your Own?

While the SitStayFetch team would love to be able to answer all of the query's about dog problems that we receive, unfortunately, due to time constraints (it takes 30-40 minutes to answer a typical query properly), our consultation service is only available to those people who have purchased the SitStayFetch series of books.

If you have ordered SitStayFetch, just login to the Download Area, fill in the consultation form and we will get back to you within 1-4 working days with recommendations on how to solve it once and for all!

If you haven't ordered SitStayFetch click here to go straight to our order page!

Dog Training To STOP Your Dog's Behavior Problems!

Dear Dog Owner,

You're about to discover tons of tested and proven strategies for obedience training your dog. But before I get into the specific strategies, I'd like to explain an important concept that most professional dog trainers (even the "experts") don't "get":

Have you ever thought about why is it so important to train your dog to be obedient, and to know what is acceptable behavior and what is not?

Most people think the biggest benefit of having a dog who is well trained is that you don't have to worry about your dog ruining anything for you anymore (e.g. chewing up furniture, digging holes, aggression, biting, and so forth) -- and that's what a lot of "experts" will tell you too. But these people are completely missing the Big Picture.

You see, hazard control is a benefit, but it's hardly the biggest benefit of having a well trained dog.

The REAL biggest benefit of having a well trained dog is that you and your dog can BOTH experience personal growth in your relationship, beyond what you could ever have imagined...

Discover the proven, 'lab-tested' strategies a 34-year-old dog lover used to obedience train over 20 THOUSAND people's dogs, and experience the ENORMOUS benefits you and others will gain from obedience training your dog!

This is an important concept-- so let me break it down and explain it in detail.

Let's say your dog fights aggressively with other dogs whenever it sees them on the street, and you train your dog to curb his aggressive behavior. That means that you are no longer worried about taking your dog out for walks, which in turn means that your dog will get more walks and become healthier and happier, you will love your dog more because he doesn't frustrate you anymore, you'll have the dog you always dreamed of having, you won't be embarrassed by your dogs aggressive behavior anymore and YOUR DOG WILL EXPERIENCE PERSONAL GROWTH from learning to overcome this problem.

So suppose you have a dog that chews your furniture and/or digs holes in your lawn. If you obedience train your dog to know that this is not acceptable and what toys he can chew, and when he can dig (eg. perhaps at the park, or in a specific area), then you'll gain from not having these problems, your dog will gain from both the personal growth of the learning experience, and from you being happier with him (which means, he won't get scolded so often!)

But in order to get your dog to obey you, you must first understand the reasons behind why your dog behaves the way he does (meaning you must listen before you can expect him to listen to you). Then you must learn how to communicate to him what you want him to do and why. You must also establish yourself as the alpha dog or "pack leader".

So as you can imagine, if you understand your dog better, you can become the alpha dog quite quickly (sometimes it can take only a few minutes for your dog to get the picture!).

But if you're only using instinctive scolding techniques to get what you want from your dog, it will take you months, and it may not happen at all - to get your dog to obey you.

One of the biggest advantages I have over my competitors is that I have over 10,000 members who have successfully trained their dogs using my techniques. A certain proportion of these members take advantage of my offer of a personal email consultation (due to the average time it takes being 20-40 minutes to answer specific dog problems, this service is only available to members). Whenever we encounter a problem that we haven't discovered before (which is rare these days), I write in detail how to solve it and add it to my book, including step-by-step photos where appropriate.

My book solves so many problems, other dog trainers would take years to even think them all up. (all types of dog aggression, whining, barking, digging, chewing, shedding and much, much more!)

Click HERE for more information on SitStayFetch.

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens and the SitStayFetch Team

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Food Secrets.