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I was recently in a social setting where I was asked about my dog, Rocco. Rocco is my Rottweiler who has undergone extensive protection dog training. We were engrossed in a discussion about his training and capabilities when we were overheard by another person.

“Oh, you shouldn’t train your dog to do that stuff. That makes them vicious,” was her statement injected into our conversation. I was initially a bit taken-aback and annoyed; not only was her comment unsolicited but it was based on a lack of knowledge. As I thought about it more, however, I came to realize that this is a common style of thinking. There are many misconceptions about protection dogs and protection dog training. Let me dispel some of the myths of protection dogs and talk about protection dog training at its root to combat some of the more prevalent misinformation.

First, let me do a bit of defining. There are many terms thrown around that are often interchanged incorrectly.

Attack Dog- A poorly trained, typically anti-social, and fearful creature. Ineffective except for looking tough.

Guard Dog- A dog that is trained to guard an area. Guard dogs are often used on estates, warehouses, or open areas that need guarding. Guard dogs may or may not be good with people and may or may not have obedience training.

Police Patrol Dog- A dog that is trained to work chasing down criminals. They are trained to be used on the offensive.

Protection Dog- A dog that is trained to be used first and foremost as a defensive deterrent. A protection dog is trained to show aggression on command and turn off on command. A protection dog is trained to attack on command or if the aggressor is not deterred by the show of aggression. A protection dog has high levels of obedience training.

So now let me return to the original statement. Does training a protection dog make him vicious? I understand why many people would assume this. After all, you are training a dog to show aggression, bite a person, and do what is necessary to combat a human. Protection dog training does not, however, make a dog vicious.

There are several styles and methods for protection dog training. At its root, however, there are two instincts, or drives, that protection dog trainers harness time and time again to achieve results. Let’s examine them.

Prey Drive

Prey drive is a drive that most dogs possess, not just protection dogs. A Labrador retriever chases a tennis ball because of prey drive. The local mongrel chases a car because of prey drive. Essentially, prey drive is a dog’s desire to chase and capture a fast moving object. Nothing vicious about it. A good protection dog trainer will harness this drive to teach a puppy to chase a rag. As the puppy grows older he graduates from a rag to a tug. From a tug the trainer teaches the dog to bite a sleeve or a dog training bite suit. All the while the training is approached as a game. As a fun way to use energy and satisfy drive. Basically, the decoy, or guy wearing the bite suit or sleeve, is not viewed as a ‘bad guy’ but as a partner in a fun game. As training progresses, a good trainer will train the dog to discount the presence of equipment and view the person as the prey object. All of this training is done on command only. As training progresses the dog is taught to only respond when he hears the dog training command from his owner. This ensures for safety and control.

Defense Drive

All creatures have some sort of defense mechanism. Dogs have three ways of dealing with an aggressor: fight, flight, or avoidance. In protection dog training a good trainer will utilize a dog’s defense drive to build on what he has learned with prey drive. The trainer will show the dog that in certain situations a person is a threat and can be dealt with using the skills taught in prey drive. In this way, prey drive and defense drive work together. In essence, a dog is taught that when given a command that the aggressor is a real threat and he should use his skills to fight the threat. As with prey drive these skills are taught only under command and with high levels of control and safety.

There are not many dogs capable of this level of training. A dog that can accomplish this is a strong and very confident dog. This level of confidence is what often makes protection dogs safe and good with people. They are so confident that they don’t view people as threats unless told to under command by their owner. Protection dog training often bolsters this confidence as these dogs learn the power that they have and their innate abilities.

So are these dogs vicious? Absolutely not. Their natural drives have merely been harnessed to teach them new skills. I like to compare a well trained protection dog with a well trained soldier. Is a soldier more of a danger because of his training? Many would argue that he or she isn’t. The advanced levels of training turn a soldier into a person who is extremely confident. A soldier is capable of being a loving and caring family member in one setting and tool of battle in another. Just because a soldier is capable of using weapons under one setting does not make that person ‘vicious’.

Confidence is the opposite of fear. Fear is what causes many problems both in dog and human alike. When you combine the confidence and high levels of control in a well trained protection dog, I contend that you have a dog that is safe to be around and definitely not vicious.

Author Ty Brown is a renowned dog trainer whose training adventures and clients have taken him to 18 states and 5 countries to teach others how to properly train their dogs. Go to

Hey even I’m willing to learn new things if there’s a broiled lobster in it for me.

When I’m hungry that is.

If I’m not hungry, or if I’m so distracted that a lobster won’t tempt me, then I’ll blow you off to continue doing what I want, not what you want.

That’s pretty much how your dog sees the issue when you train with food. If he’s hungry at the moment, and if there’s nothing more compelling going on, food can be a great way to reinforce behaviors you teach your dog. On the other hand, if Fido isn’t food motivated, or if he’s got something “better” to do, he won’t be interested.

Nonetheless, training with food has its benefits when used as a motivator and a reward. For those dogs who just aren’t normally interested in treats, you can substitute play with a toy if that motivates them.

The first thing you have to know about using food in training is how NOT to use it. The primary rule is not to use it to stop an unwanted behavior. Instead, use it to create a new behavior you want to teach.

With those rules in mind, you won’t teach your dog to stop growling at other dogs by using food. But you may be able to teach him to sit more quickly if there’s something tasty in it for him.

Before I tell how you to deliver food treats when training, let me tell you WHY you should not use food to try and stop an unwanted behavior. The answer is because you can accidentally reinforce the very behavior you’re trying to stop.

For example, let’s say Fido growls at other dogs on his walks. If you tell him to stop growling, and distract him with a treat, what has he really learned?

Here’s what YOU’RE thinking…he stopped growling so I rewarded him for that with a cookie. He won’t growl again.

Here’s what FIDO is thinking…this is cool, I growl, then mom pops me a cookie. Let’s see if this works…let’s growl more!

Think of food as a directional reward. How, when and where you deliver it all determine whether the treat teaches your dog what you intended, or something else altogether. For example, you tell Fido to sit, and you hold a treat six inches over his head, while pushing down on his butt.

Sound about right? Wrong! By holding that treat six inches over his head, you’re really teaching Fido to sit then immediately break that position in favor of jumping up to get the cookie.

Instead, start Fido standing on a closely held leash. Show him you have a cookie, by holding it at nose level—only an inch from his sniffer– while he’s standing up. Direct his attention, and nose, slightly higher by raising the cookie only enough so that he must tend toward a sit to view it. While he’s focusing upward only a couple of inches over his nose, use your other hand to push his butt down, while your cookie hand keeps the treat only a couple of inches from his nose as it moves.

As soon as he is sitting, deliver the treat to him just slightly above nose level, and slightly toward his rear. This means that to collect the treat, Fido must actually lean back into the sit more to reach it.

Mission accomplished! Food hasn’t been just randomly delivered to your dog, leaving him wondering why he got it. Instead, the food has clearly communicated how he can get this treat even faster next time, by sitting when you ask.

Anyone getting hungry?

Marc Goldberg is a dog trainer specializing in the rehabilitation of difficult dogs and improving relationships. He is Vice President of the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP) and Editor of SafeHands Journal. The author also educates professional dog trainers in his techniques. Visit him on the web at chicagodogtrainer.com chicagodogtrainer.com

Generally, dogs are very clean animals - they won’t soil close to where they eat, or where they sleep. But living in a house is unnatural for an animal whose instincts would be to roam wherever she wants to go, so you will have to help her learn where and when she can relieve herself.

It is essential that you form good toilet habits for your dog as early on as possible. Trying to break the habit of a dog is quite difficult and it can be very frustrating. You need to use guidance and encouragement to help the pet. Animal behaviorists have some helpful tips that you can use to help with the housebreaking of your pet.

Believe it or not, dogs are sanitary creatures. If a dog does soil accidentally in the wrong place, it is likely that it will be far from his dog dish, at least six to ten feet. This is true for the place where the dog sleeps as well. But, unless you find a good place for her to go and train her in that manner, the rest of your house is okay to them.

The process for housebreaking a dog is the same if he is a puppy or an adult dog new to your home. You’ll need to take him outside every few hours and also 30 minutes after he eats. Take your pet to the designated bathroom spot. Stay with the pet until she goes, and then praise her when she does. If she does not go, bring her back inside and try again in fifteen minutes. Watch her though. If the dog starts sniffing and circling take them out right away as this is a sign that she is about to go. Pay attention to her signs and take her out. Soon, she will relate to going outside to going to the bathroom.

Some dogs are housebroken much faster than others. Some dog’s personality will cause her to go one way or the other. But, if you take her outside at the right time, it will go smoother. A puppy of less than four months old will need to go out during the night. Older puppies can hold it that long. A dog that cries to be let out has an urgent need. Get up and take her out, she needs every chance to succeed that she can get. Positive reinforcement is necessary for success.

How you treat accidents will affect your dog’s overall learning curve. If you catch your dog going in the act, distract her with a clap or call her name. Take her outside calmly at that time and praise her for finishing outside. Clean up any accident that you find on the floor. If the dog approaches during this time, ignore her. Don’t talk to or punish her at this point. The worst thing that you can do is to yell at her or physically punish her. This will cause her to fear you and to not bond as well to you. She won’t connect it to the accident at all. Ignoring her is the best course of action here.

best-pet-health.info Best Pet Health Information is a resource which will help you find infomation, hints and tips to keeping your dog happy and healthy. dognewscenter.com Dog News Center publishes news and articles about dogs and puppies.

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The Doberman pinscher has been one of my favorite breed of dogs since I was a little boy growing up in a family of dog trainers and breeders. This breed is one of the brightest, most loyal, compassionate, and family oriented dogs on the planet, despite the negative media attention that seems to have recently followed them. So when it comes to Doberman training, what exactly needs to be looked out for, and why?

Well before specific training methods can be answered, the personality and traits of the Doberman pinscher need to be looked at, so as to understand what makes the dog “click”.

- The Doberman has many very well noted and recognized traits about its character, but few are as notable as their amazing bravery and loyalty. These are dogs that were breed for this purpose, and have been used as companions for soldiers all around the world for over a century. This makes the Doberman fearless and able to withstand some training methods that other breeds could simply not endure. Keep this in mind when you undergo Doberman training.

- The Doberman is a breed that is EXTREMLY active and thrives on exercise and physical and mental stimulation. This is a trait that is extremely important to remember. You can not train this dog in a boring or mundane way. This rule’s out trying to properly train a Doberman in your living room.

- The Doberman is a VERY assertive and confident breed of dog, this does NOT mean aggressive though. Because of this natural trait, the owner too must be a confident and assertive individual who can properly put their Doberman into place if they get out of hand, but NEVER hit you dog! It is important that the owner and breed match (this is true for all breeds) or problems during training and home life may pose to be an issue.

- Again it must be noted that when approaching Doberman training, it is wise to stimulate this breed with a lot of out door activities such as running, fetching, romping around and playing outside in general. This is a very active breed that simply needs these things.

These are only a few things that need to be known about the Doberman and it’s training before you start training this breed. It is very highly recommend, not just from my training and breeding experience, but by many other trainers, that you seek out and acquire all the needed information to undergo Doberman training properly.

It is also very important to mention that this breed, just like many others needs to be trained in a way that is specific to its personality and traits. You simply can not just train a Doberman like you would a Cocker Spaniel and expect good results to come of it, so make sure that you’re armed with the right information on the right training methods for this breed before you start training…it will pay off very well.

It’s hard enough trying to find the needed information for Doberman training; it’s even harder finding information that is specific for this breed. Don’t waste you’re time and energy looking in the wrong places…you’re Doberman is just sitting there wagging its tail and waiting squidoo.com/dobermantraining/ squidoo.com/dobermantraining/

Most dogs love to go on an adventure, and traveling with their owners makes it even more fun for everyone! It is in their nature to explore new places and meet new people. However, often traveling with your dog can be difficult. There is the problem of housing and transportation for the dog first and foremost, but even once you get past that issue others arise such as dealing with your dogs mess on the trip and more.

Many people feel that taking their dog with them is just too much of a hassle. This article is about convincing you otherwise, however if you just feel it would be easier to travel without your dog then into kennel or pet handler services while you are away. Hiring the services of a professional pet handler to care for your dog while you are away is often the best choice for your dog, but is also more costly then a kennel. Should you choose to go with a kennel then do some research first to find one that is clean and comfortable, and is run by people who truly care about the animals in the kennel. Some kennels will even allow you to bring extras like your dogs sleeping mat, a toy or two, and his or her own food. Whichever route you take, you will need to ensure your dog is current on all shots and immunizations as this is required for any kennel admission.

If you decide that you and your best friend will stay together and travel together, then here are 10 tips to make your journey safer and easier:

1. Purchase a good, solid dog carrier. Don’t even consider traveling without one. If you are flying, many airlines will offer to sell you one of theirs but they can be very costly. Visit your local pet store. When making your reservations check to see what the airlines policies are on pets. Some airlines require the dog to be in the luggage compartment, while others will allow you to keep the dog with you. Know this before you pay for your ticket.

2. Never ever leave your dog in a hot car, even if you roll the windows down. A car in the sun can reach temperatures of near 200 degrees causing heat stroke and even death to pets left in them.

3. Always use a leash and remain with your pet at all times. Dogs are very curious and in new places may try to run off and explore.

4. Never leave your dog unattended in his or her carrier. The theft or kidnapping of your dog is a very real possibility.

5. If renting a car for a long road trip, or traveling by train, remember that your dog must have adequate cooling to stay healthy and safe. Look for cars and cabins with air conditioning.

6. Before leaving your house, be sure that your dog has clear and effective identification. Be sure that the identification provides a way to get a hold of you while you are still away from home.

7. Don’t forget to bring your dogs food, toys, and other essentials to keep them happy. Bring bottled water as well.

8. Acquire a certification from your vet that shows your dog is current on all immunizations.

9. Fix up a doggy first aid kit for the trip.

10. Ensure your dog has the chance to potty every few hours. When in unfamiliar places like this your dog’s regular potty schedule will be interrupted and you don’t want any embarrassing issues. If traveling to a theme park, check with employees about places setup for your dog to potty in. Most will have areas around the park for you to use.

And here 2 bonus tips for traveling abroad:

1. Contact the embassy ahead of time to find out what specific rules the country may have regarding pets.

2. Often times you will be required to provide various certifications from the embassy or consulate. Get this ahead of time just to be safe.

Now that you know how to have a safe and fun trip with your best friend, you can plan that next vacation without worry!