Teaching your dog to respond to basic cues such as “sit” and “down” is easy, fun and gives fast results. When training, make sure you have yummy treats, broken into pea-sized pieces, and use a “marker” of some sort. A marker is a signal (either a clicker or a word such as “yes”) that marks a desired behavior the moment it occurs. It is your way to communicate with the dog to tell him that he did a good job and is getting a treat.
Here’s how to train your dog to respond to several useful cues.
Maui Humane Society reportedly receives about five lost pet claims every day. That’s upwards of 1,800 lost dogs at Maui’s shelter a year. To curb those numbers, the nonprofit has partnered with PetHub, a modern pet identification system out of Washington state, to distribute specialized pet tags that owners can add to their animal’s collar.
Maui Humane Society is facing an unprecedented dog population that continues to push the boundaries of the shelter’s capacity. The main reason for surrender is the inability for owners to afford the high cost of veterinary bills, followed by a lack of pet friendly housing throughout the island. Dogs Trust USA, an organization which aims to help as many dogs as possible in the United States, committed $25,000 to assist financially disadvantaged dog owners receive access to low-cost and no-cost spay/neuter services and medical assistance.
Set yourself and your new pet up for success from the get-go and begin to foster a strong relationship built on trust and empathy.
