A non-profit organization dedicated to Dog Bite Prevention
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A non-profit organization dedicated to Dog Bite Prevention |
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How to Train Your Dog with Child Safety in Mind
We recommend clicker training as the safest way to train a dog and promote dog bite prevention. This is a hands-off method that even young children can use. Clicker training uses positive reinforcement to teach, while keeping the dog in a happy emotional state during training. Clicker trained dogs behave because they want to, not because they are afraid of the consequences. Fear can be used to motivate a dog, but can also result in dogs that are emotionally unstable and more likely to bite than a happy dog. Training methods that involve yanking on the leash, hitting the dog, yelling at the dog, rolling the dog on it's back, pinning the dog down or shaking the dog by the scruff of the neck may make the dog fearful or angry and this could result in a bite to a child. The dog may fear (some people mistake this for respect) the person who does this kind of training but may redirect aggression toward weaker family members such as children. Any training method that requires the use of physical force is not suitable for use by children.
Read a prize-winning article about clicker training by Joan Orr.
Fortunately force and fear are not required in dog training. Clicker training is fun and easy, even for children. You can start clicker training your puppy as soon as you bring him home and can clicker train an older dog even if he has previous training with other methods. Please visit www.clickertraining.com and click on Getting Started to find out about clicker training. Read an article by Joan Orr and Teresa Lewin about clicker tricks for kids to teach.
Below is a photo of Zeuss at less than 8 weeks old. He was clicker trained by 10-year old Jennifer to wave before he left the litter. This entire litter of puppies was trained to sit, down, come when called, wait at the door, walk on a leash, wave, give high five and roll over before they left the litter and went to their new homes. Download excerpts from the Clicker Puppy DVD to see these puppies in action.
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FREE Clicker Training and Puppy Videos...
View instructional clicker training videos - in particular view the video entitled "Accepting Human Handling"
Watch videos of extraordinary trainer Sue Ailsby clicker training
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Watch videos of puppies as young as 4-weeks old learning service dog skills - Amazing!
You can even virtually adopt one of the Puppy Prodigies and help support their non-profit work in training puppies to help people with disabilities lead more independent life. What a great unique gift for the dog lover who has everything! www.puppyprodigies.com
Painting Beagles of Newfoundland
Clicker training is so powerful that even a blind dog can be trained without any force or physical manipulation. Tonji Stewart of Canine Company Clicker Training and Consulting taught blind Tuig to ride a trike. Tonji has also taught her dogs to paint. Piper, the mascot for North Atlantic Petroleum won this role because Tonji was the only trainer who could teach her dog to lie with his head on a heating grate and close his eyes on cue.
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Piper is the mascot for North Atlantic Petroleum |
See more paintings by the Painting Beagles - mention Doggone Safe if you buy |
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The Painting Beagles of Newfoundland, Tuig and Piper (above) have been clicker trained by owner Tonji Stewart to wear a painting paw and create works of art. Tonji and the Painting Beagles were featured on CBC television in Canada earlier in the year. At right is Tuig creating a painting called "Flight". Ironically, Tuig is almost completely blind and will never see his own work. "I started painting with Piper, to raise money for an eye operation for Tuig. He was adopted from Beagle Paws rescue and although he will not see again, he can be made comfortable with surgery", said Tonji. Now Tuig is doing his own paintings and with clicker training has learned many other behaviours that make his life more interesting. Below is the framed "Flight" that was donated to a charity auction for a women's shelter.
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| "Flight" by Tuig | Tonji shaped blind Tuig to ride a trike |
"Bluebirds in Flight" by Piper |
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Clicker training provides a way to build a strong bond of love and respect between dogs and children. A dog can learn to respect and listen to even a young child. Children and parents can clicker train and have fun together with the dog. To help you get started, some very good child dog trainers have compiled pamphlets to teach the basics of clicker training for kids. You can download these here in three languages!
English: Intro Tricks Spanish/Espanol: Intro Chinese: Intro
Clicker training is recommended by experts in humane education as an excellent way to teach children empathy. Please read the book, Teaching Empathy, by Lynn Loar, PhD, LCSW and Libby Coleman, PhD to find out more about this. This book can be purchased from the Latham foundation. Click here to download the order form.
You can find out all about how to Clicker Train by watching children training puppies. If they can do it - so can you! Purchase the Clicker Puppy DVD and support the work of Doggone Safe.
Find a clicker trainer in your area. If you cannot find a clicker trainer, try and find a trainer that uses the lure and reward method and ask if you can use your clicker in their classes.
Can't find a trainer? Click here to follow a clicker course on your own, thanks to Sue Ailsby
Clicker Training articles from Karen Pryor website - check back - these will change each month
Clicker Training blog from Karen Pryor Clickertraining - all the latest news and interesting clicker happenings from around the world. You can even submit your own news or comments to share with the clicker community
Source: Doggone Safe!TM A non-profit organization dedicated to dog bite prevention. Contact us at doggonesafeinfo@doggonesafe.com
Copyright 2004 Teresa Lewin and Joan Orr
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