Lorie Huston's Blog

Posted by Lorie Huston Apr 16, 2009

Basic obedience training is an exercise that can benefit any pet. For dogs, obedience training will allow you to gain more control over your dog and, in some instances, could mean the difference between averting a dangerous situation for your dog and watching your dog rush headlong into a serious accident. By simply commanding your dog to come to you when you see danger approaching you can avoid a serious incident for your pet.

Dog training can be fun for you and your pet. Training your dog to sit, stay and come when called are basic commands that are easily taught through simple pet training techniques. And pet training can create an instant bond between you and your pet as you work together to teach your pet basic skills. Training allows you to reward your dog frequently and allows you to interact with your dog in a way that only properly pet training can allow.

Dogs which bark excessively at people or at other pets can be a nuisance for pet owners and neighbors alike. Excessive barking can sometimes even escalate into a situation where the dog begins to become aggressive and may cause your dog to bite if he becomes excited and anxious. By using proper pet training techniques, you can train your dog not to bark at people and other pets.

When training your pet, it is always better to use positive reinforcement methods which provide rewards for your dog when he performs a specific task you are asking of him. Methods of pet training which involve punishment are quickly becoming recognized as being barbaric and out-dated. The dominance theory of pet training is still promoted by many trainers, but pet training methods utilizing positive reinforcement are gaining popularity and are generally recognized by veterinary behavioral experts as less likely to result in aggression in individual dogs.

The use of positive reinforcement training techniques and behavior modification can help tremendously in treating dogs which are suffering from separation anxiety disorders.

For cats, litter box training techniques are probably the biggest pet training issue. Feline behavior modification is a very useful training technique for cats. One of the most successful techniques for training a cat to the litter box is to provide your cat with an attractive litter box.