The honest answers to these and other questions will help you make the
proper decision regarding dog ownership. Dogs are great companions but
lets face it, in order to be a companion you need to spend time together.
Are you ready for the commitment? Make sure you are getting your dog for
the right reasons and that you are ready to deal with the realities of
responsible dog ownership. Dogs equal responsibility. They depend on you.
They rely on you for food, water, training, medical care and attention.
I think you’ll find that timing has a lot to do with getting a dog
and being a good dog owner.

If you are ready for the commitment I am sure you and your dog will be
a great team. If not maybe you should wait a while until the time is right.

Good Luck,
Uncle Bob

Dogs speak to each other through a complex language of sounds, actions
and body postures. Some of these language skills are naturally present
in your dog and some of them are learned behavior from being in a pack.
This is one reason some breeders will not let you take a puppy away from
his mother to soon. A good mother dog will teach the pups the basic survival
language and teach respect for older dogs.

For us humans, observation is the key to understanding some basic dog
language. If at all possible watch dogs interact with each other and try
to predict what’s happening or going to happen. The following are
some simple dog sounds and what they may mean, the setting the sound takes
place in will help identify the meaning:
Woof, woof = I am afraid / stay away from here / a stranger is near

Growl, growl = leave me alone / I may bite / I don’t like you
Whimper, whimper = I need to go outside / I am hurt / I am hot or cold
Yelp, yelp = that hurts you’re the boss
When you observe dogs making these sounds, watch the tail and body posture,
it will give you further insight into the non-verbal communication and
aid you in predicting dog behavior in the future. This predicting ability
can help especially when you encounter stray or new dogs.

When you think about it we communicate with each other in almost the same
way as dogs. We communicate with sounds and body postures. Think of a
comedy TV show, lots of laughter (sounds) and animated body postures (movement).

If we understand more about dogs and how they communicate with each other
we will be able to:
• Train our dogs easier
• Predict our dogs’ behavior and keep them out of bad situations
• Have a better overall relationship with our dogs

Other places were you are able to learn more about canine communication:
• Dog Parks
• Zoo’s with good wolf exhibits
• Your local Human Society
• Your local library
Email us at unclebob@petvalet.com and tell us the interesting ways your
dog communicates.

Good Luck,
Uncle Bob

Planning questions:
(The following questions are in black and answer in Blue)
What are the rules in my house?
Where can the puppy / dog go and not go?
Where will the puppy sleep?
Where will the puppy eat?
What Dog dishes and other care items will I need?
Who will be in charge of the training?
Where will the daily training take place?
In an open area free from distractions, I use my
backyard.

What will I need to train my dog?
Collar and Leash
I use an adjustable collar so that I can make it
a little tighter during training. I use a 6-foot leash. If you need one,
see our catalog from the home page.

What are the most important Command words I need to teach my dog?
Teaching yourself some simple command word vocabulary
is something you need to do before you start training. I found myself
using different words for the same desired response when I first started
training…”come”, “here”, “over this way”,
“here boy”. I found that this confused my young puppy and noticed
other dog owners doing the same thing. This forced me to develop and write
down a command word vocabulary list, which I could refer to. It is very
important to be consistent in these commands. Use these words and only
these words… ONE MORE TIME… Your job is to use these exact words
in all your training. NOT words that mean the same thing.
1- NO – Dog should stop current behavior and
look to commander for additional commands.
2- (DOGS NAME) – Dog should turn head and look to commander for guidance.
3- COME – Dog should come to the front of the owner.
4- SIT – Dog should be seated.
5- HEEL – Dog should walk next to commander. Pick the right or left
of you and stay consistent.
6- STAY – Dog should stay still and wait for additional instructions.
7- LAYDOWN – Dog should go into lay position.
8- IN – Dog should get into your vehicle, house or go through an
open door upon your request.
9- OUT – Dog should move away from commander a short distance and
wait.
10- GOOD DOG – dog should feel love and praise from commander.

How do I use my Command words?
When teaching these command words keep a firm calm
tone, but speak a little louder than your normal speaking voice. In order
to teach the command word you will have to show your puppy how to complete
the desire task. Be gentle and help your puppy with the different command
word Action. Repeat the command over and over again, before and during
the dog movement. This helps the puppy understand what the word means.
Go slow and be patience this should be fun for both of you.
Example: If you want the dog to “sit”… say the command
word “sit”… help the puppy get into the sit position…
repeat “sit”…than praise using “good dog”
Example: Command “come”…give a slight tug on the leash
for the pup to come towards you…command “come” again …pull
the leash towards you gently… command ”come” again…when
puppy arrives… give the “Good Dog” command and make a fuss
over what a great job your puppy has done.
Work on one or two words per day, until puppy is showing you they understand
what the Command Word means. Puppy needs daily repetition even if you
think they know it you want the response to become automatic and it will
with time.

How do I discipline my dog?
Let’s use our heads on this one! My examples
of discipline will revolve around younger dogs or puppies. If you are
training an adult dog you may need more help than I can give over the
Internet and want to seek a professional dog trainers advice.
Every puppy will go through the “little rebel” stage and it
is good that your dog wants to test you it shows confidence. However,
we do not want this behavior to become a habit so we must discipline our
puppy without breaking their spirit. This is an easy “three step”
process: Help Them, Praise Them and Repeat Command.
If your dog has proven that they know what a command word means and just
won’t do it or they refuse to do it or ignore you, they may be testing
you and looking for boundaries.
I always do a quick check on myself first before I discipline my dog:

Am I saying the proper command word?
Can my dog hear me?
If I am in check… then I must address my dog…I stay calm even
though I may be frustrated.
#1)Help Them
Go to the puppy…grab the skin on the top the neck (scruff) firmly
and pick up…not lifting the puppy off the ground all the way (like
mother dog may do) but just enough to have them feel out of control…if
your puppy “yelps” loosen your grip…one yelp is enough,
they are letting you know in dog language that you are the boss…but
continue holding the scruff…then use the command word again and repeat
it over and over as you aid the puppy in completing the command word action…hold
on to the scruff as you help puppy complete the desired command word action…then
release the scruff and praise the pup immediately after.
#2)Praise them
Once your dog has completed the command word action (with your help)…
Use the
“Good Dog” praise command and pet your pups head gently…
#3)Repeat command
Then walk a short distance away and give the same command word over again
(say it only once)…the dog will obey your command…give them
a lot of praise after they complete your command request… make a
big deal over what a great dog they are… let them know that’s
how you want them to respond.

TIPS TO REMEMBER BEFOR YOU START TRAINING
I like to put on a hat or some leather gloves to train, this lets’
your puppy know that this is something different than the normal “play
time”.

Dog Age:

7 – 9 weeks old -
Start
Start a mild training program at about 7 – 9 weeks old. This mild
training is about 10-15 minutes per day. Think of it as teaching your
puppy a new language. Use one new word at a time until you have taught
your pup what the word means. This training should last for about one
and a half months. Be patient, puppies have limited focus. Remember your
praise is all puppy needs for a reward…so praise him. Make this learning
fun and have confidence in pups’ abilities.