Sign-up for our email Newsletter

Mobile Devices Note:

There's more to this site! Go to the bottom of the page and click "View Web Version" to see the whole site.

Find More Lessons and Articles

To see all the dog training posts (Over 260 pages)
Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the list and most popular titles.

SEARCH Family Disaster Dogs 260+ pages

Friday, October 20, 2017

Can’t Sit, Won’t Sit: Getting Your Dog to Play Ball

Some dogs are naturally well-behaved. In just a few sessions, they’re able to sit and heel on command, calm down when they’re told to, and all-around be good, obedient members of the family. Then there are the other dogs, the free-spirited canines who never seem quite to understand that they’re not masters of their destiny. So what do you do if you find yourself looking after one of these pups? You don’t have to give in to their ways. Take our tips below, and you’ll have a happy dog that’s able to follow the rules in no time.




wildlife-photography-pet-photography-dog-animal-159541.jpeg
Source: Pexels.com

Understand: Training is Good



It can often feel like you’re not making any progress with your pet, but all great journeys begin with small steps. If your dog is struggling to master the big changes you’re trying to instil in them, then start small. Your dog needs to learn that training can be good for them; they need to know, in other words, that good behaviour will be rewarded (and, to your dog, the best reward will be food). Once you’ve made that connection, they should be more malleable in your hands.


Be Consistent



You’d be surprised at one of the biggest barriers to your dog’s progress: it’s your family. They don’t mean to, but they might, unbeknownst to you, be undermining your progress. The key is to be consistent; if you have one rule for your dog, then the whole family need to have the same rule. You can’t blame a dog for failing to get a message if they’re receiving several different messages throughout the day; how will they know which one to follow?


Tricks of the Trade



If your dog is stubborn, there are a few things you can do. These will be either divided into bribing your dog so that they do what they’re told because they know there’s a reward waiting at the end; or you can outright trick them, as is the case with dogs who won’t take their medication. When that happens, you should use Vetiq pill pockets; they’ll swallow their pills purely because they think they’re getting a treat. For everything else, it’s about showing positivity and staying on top of the bad behaviours that can derail their progress.


Limit the Triggers



Your dog might have a natural tendency to go mad, but it won’t always just spring out from thin air. It’s possible that your dog has triggers that cause them, in one way or another, to temporarily lose their mind. If you can make a connection between these triggers and their madness, then you’ll be able to control their behaviour better. It’s not so much a long-lasting solution, but it’ll ensure you can get some peace for a while.


Be Patient


Finally, remember that you’re asking a lot from your dog. They’re not human, and you shouldn’t expect progress to be made overnight. Be patient; they’ll get it eventually. And if they don’t, you’ll still have a lovable - albeit slightly crazy - dog to play with.

UK Visitors

Welcome UK visitors to Family Disaster Dogs online! Although I'm an American author and dog professional the worldwide web has given me the opportunity to connect with some wonderful folks who have contributed pictures for my books. The "Start Mantrailing" book features RRI K9 North Scotland Search and Rescue Dog "Amber" on the cover and her teammates in the book, plus American dogs training that I know. A portion of the sales of the Start Mantrailing book or copies are donated to RRI North Scotland. The children's picture book "My Puppy Can Find Me" has my daughter and bloodhound as illustrations by UK cartoonist Scotty King. You can find the books on Amazon UK or visit my book page above to order from me.

My Children's Picture Book

My Children's Picture Book
Click the Image to see the Book

Author Amber Higgins

Author Amber Higgins
Click Pic to Visit my author page

Featured Lesson

My Dog is Prepared Are You ?

How are you Prepared?  Post answers in the comments...we'd love to hear from you! Be ready for pet medical emergencies with one of these...

Popular Posts

Past Posts and Lessons

To see all the lessons and dog care articles on this site:

Look at the dates listed below and click one date to bring up all the articles and lessons published at this site in one page for each date.

There are well over 200 pages that have been published here at Family Disaster Dogs since 2011.

New lessons or dog care articles continue to be posted weekly.

The list below is the easiest way to find all the information here.

Enjoy the search and follow that dog!

Let's Share on Social Media !

Let's enable each family to respond

and do something while waiting for help

during neighborhood emergency and disaster incidents,

extreme weather and terrorist attacks.


Good Luck and Be Safe !

Blog Archive

Read a Free Preview or Buy !

Help Keep Free Books Free for everyone-Donate Today!

Dog Bug-out Bag book

Free Preview

Read and Review my books on Goodreads

Family Disaster Dogs

Purchases from affiliate links help Keep Family Disaster Dogs Site Free!

Check this deal out and support us! Thanks