Whether you're a fan of Cesar, clicker or Kilcommons and Wilson, there are tons of famous trainers and training methods to choose from as pet owners.
Since everyone can find some ways to improve training or teaching tricks at home, let's recommend books for new puppies, refresher courses, or just plain fun. If we each share titles, authors or methods in the comments below, together we can create a great library!
Well before Bronx Mowgli entered the world, Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson asked Cesar Millan for help with prepping their two dogs, Hemingway and new pup, Rigby, for the baby's arrival. The trainer offered tips on consistency and a rather unusual way to work off the bulldogs' excess energy. Watch a sneak peek of the episode of The Dog Whisperer starring this fam (airing on Dec. 28) to learn more.
Do you have a jumpy dog? My lil guy definitely tries to leap on strangers (for kisses) and it's something we're constantly working on since he doesn't do this to me. If I have company over, my friends all know the training method I use:
Learn one more commonly accepted method to limit jumping when you read more
I have a friend whose stepfather freaked out when I once pointed at their pooch. I was telling the dog to sit, and the pointing came naturally. I never really understood why he didn't want me to point, and honestly it was an instant reflex, but his reaction stuck with me all these years.
Now I'm self-conscious about raising my finger – do you do it, too?
I know I mentioned Dogs With Jobs the other day when I introduced you to Ellie, the pup who has been caring for motherless bunnies, but these rescue dogs have a whole career ahead of them!
Rescue dogs in Beijing animal shelters are getting a second chance at life, and plenty of new responsibilities now that they have been drafted into Chinese military forces as search and rescue trainees, and will also use their noses at this year's Beijing Olympics to sniff out drugs and bombs.
Over 160 poochies have been sent to the capital from across the country, and from these pics, they've already made some real progress in their training! Check out this slideshow to see some of the pups in action. And let me just say – it's amazing what they can do!
When I first stumbled upon the website for the R2 Fish School system ($32), promising to help you teach your fish how to do amazing things in their tank with the instructional DVD – like score a soccer goal, do the limbo, fetch, and play basketball – I was a little more than skeptical. I actually thought I was being punked! But after seeing the little fishy in the demo video get his game on, I became a believer.
And why not, right? My mom had a fish for six years that would jump out of its tank and do flips for food, so I imagine that it's not only cats and dogs that can pull out some pretty cool tricks. Check out a short demo of the R2 Fish School (it's kind of amazing) when you read more
Not only does Cesar Millan help train Oprah to be the pack leader of her pampered pups (including helping beloved Sophie socialize with other dogs before she passed away), but he can help train you to do the same . . . online!
Cesar's new interactive training course is hitting his website in June to help you get calm and assertive with your pets, but you can sign up now for email alerts to get a head's up before it hits the web. I've watched almost every episode of the hit National Geographic show, so this course is a welcome distraction for me while I patiently wait until I can get in on one of his super popular seminars. I've personally seen the results with his methods since an old roomie of mine used them since day one with her puppy, but I know they aren't for everyone. Will you take Cesar's online training course?
I have heard of some interesting training tactics in my day to teach pets various lessons. Similar to the suggestion to toss a pebble-filled water bottle in the general direction of a barking dog to get him to stop yapping, this is a noisy device to deter your cat from jumping on the couch.
The Jumpo Trainer ($5) kind of reminds me of a bear trap (only it's not lethal, thank goodness) but designed to make noise to keep your cat or birds from going into places they shouldn't. Once the target area is triggered, the Jumpo jumps up, rattles, and your kitty is scared away from whatever you are trying to keep her from. I'm all for training aides to help me along the learning curve, but I'm just a little skeptical that this scare tactic would actually work . . . without causing a cat to go mental!
Even though many of us choose to keep our pets elsewhere during house parties, I think a friendly pup adds a special something to any bash. It's very important to have a well-trained pup in these settings . . . tons of new people, food, and noise can detract those good manners. I attended a birthday party at a friend's house over the weekend and witnessed a refocusing technique performed by their well-behaved pooch, Io. Called a hand touch, the doggie trainer introduced this behavior with a treat in hand, but now the pooch does it all by herself. Learn how to teach it to your pet when you read more
